Sports
Chelsea performances ‘nowhere near the expected standard’ – Calum McFarlane
Calum McFarlane said “everyone” at Chelsea knows recent performances have been “nowhere near the expected standard”, as they look to end a run of six consecutive Premier League defeats.
Chelsea are looking to end that streak when they visit Liverpool on Saturday. McFarlane confirmed that they will be without Jesse Derry and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, both of whom sustained head injuries against Forest. Derry, 18, who was making his Premier League debut, was taken to hospital as a precaution after being stretchered off. McFarlane confirmed that “all early signs are really positive”.
Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto, who missed the Forest game, are “carrying knocks” and unlikely to be available to face Liverpool, leaving McFarlane light on attacking options with Estevao and Jamie Gittens also out.
The Forest defeat meant that Chelsea are on their worst run since 1993 and ninth in the table, just one point above Sunderland in 12th.
“We want to turn it around. We know that the standards that this club has set, we aren’t meeting them at this moment,” interim head coach McFarlane said. “The only thing we can control is how we behave and act every single day, how hard we work to turn that level of performance around.”
Joao Pedro’s consolation goal in 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Monday was the first Chelsea have scored in the league since March 4.
“Everyone at the club knows that the recent performances have been nowhere near the expected standard, and we’re going to do everything we can to improve it,” McFarlane said.
Asked about whether the performance against Forest, in which Chelsea conceded twice in the opening fifteen minutes, related to mentality, McFarlane said: “We definitely have to show a stronger mentality to recover after that early setback. One-nil down three minutes into the game, you can recover that situation, especially with the talent we have on the pitch.”
Chelsea are boosted by the returns of Levi Colwill and Reece James, both of whom were in the matchday squad against Forest. Colwill played his first minutes of the season after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
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The Cowboys missed a late opportunity to score a touchdown and then gave the Ravens time to kick the winning field goal.
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Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill has won the 2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel, the first time he has been given the honour.
The 24-year-old England hooker beat his Wigan team-mate Adam Keighran and Leeds full-back Lachie Miller to win the award.
O’Neill has been at the heart of an impressive Wigan side which won the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield in 2026.
He made 31 appearances in all competitions and was also named Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association Player of the Year.
O’Neill was sin-binned in last year’s Super League Grand Final for a wayward tackle on Tyrone May, however he inspired Wigan to two trophies, after a season without silverware in 2025.
It was a memorable night for the Warriors with Matt Peet also named Betfred Super League Coach of the Year having guided his side to the League Leaders’ Shield and Challenge Cup.
Wigan earned a clean sweep in the final three shortlist for the Woman of Steel award as Eva Hunter, Jenna Foubister and Megan Willams were all nominated, with Foubister taking the prize.
It was the second year in a row that three Wigan players were shortlisted, however this year the Warriors missed out on adding the Women’s Super League title to their Women’s Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Crowns after they were beaten by York Valkyrie on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Halifax Panthers’ Rob Hawkins won the Wheels of Steel award.
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Scotland fans came to Hampden to welcome the new man, Sebastien Pocognoli, and left with all the woes of old weighing them down as they went.
More calamitous defending in the beginning, another self-inflicted wound that was a complete game-changer, another day without a goal – four in a row now.
In the early minutes when Jack Hendry got himself sent off, we may as well have been back amid the meltdown of Miami. Then, Scotland gifted Brazil one goal and then two when they made a fiendishly-difficult job an impossible one on the back of slapstick in defence.
So it was again on Tuesday. Hendry’s red card was a grim moment that sucked the life out of the occasion.
Switzerland don’t lose many games. Argentina had the devil’s own job in seeing them off in extra-time at the World Cup. Germany beat them 4-3 in a friendly, the winner only coming in the 85th minute.
They’re full of nous and strength and belief. Their coach, Murat Yakin, has the calm authority of a man who knows, with absolute certainty, that his team will prevail.
Once the opening goal went in, Yakin turned around in his technical area with a half-smile on his face. Job done, already.
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