James Sales makes 92, Luke Procter 64 as visitors respond positively after being inserted

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Apr-2025

Saif Zaib made his fourth first-class hundred•Luke Adams via Lancashire Cricket

A superb century by Saif Zaib and a vital 92 from James Sales helped put Northamptonshire into the strong position of 355 for 5 against Lancashire after being put in to bat on the opening day of this Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Old Trafford.It proved to be an excellent day with the bat for the visitors as Lancashire’s attack, featuring West Indies pace bowler Anderson Phillip for the first time this season along with loan signing John Turner, were made to work hard on a pitch not offering the bowlers much assistance.Luke Procter made 64 and shared a century partnership for the third wicket with Sales during the first half of the day, and the latter then forged another excellent 97-run alliance with Zaib for the fifth either side of tea. Zaib reached his fourth first-class hundred from 149 balls just before the close, ending the day unbeaten on 111 after forging an unbroken partnership of 99 with Lewis McManus.After two poor batting performances last week against Kent, Northamptonshire must have feared a potential repeat when they were 54 for 2 just an hour into the opening day, seamer George Balderson having Ricardo Vasconcelos caught behind for 16 and George Bartlett falling lbw for the same score to a searing yorker from overseas quick Phillip during a lively early spell.Visiting skipper Procter, who produced a typically calm and unhurried innings, found an ally in Sales and the pair staged a superb fightback either side of lunch with a mixture of solid defence and a number of attractive drives. Procter, who reached 5000 runs for Northamptonshire in all forms of cricket during his innings, was the first to go to his half-century from 107 balls with Sales taking a brisker 78 balls to arrive at the same landmark in a 104-run partnership across 29 overs.It was loan signing Turner, handed his Red Rose debut cap at the start of play by James Anderson – before the news of Anderson’s impending knighthood broke – who made the breakthrough for Lancashire midway through the afternoon. The England fast bowler had made a tentative start earlier in the day but produced a much better sustained effort during his second spell and was rewarded when Procter gloved a leg side delivery to wicketkeeper Matty Hurst for 64. Balderson backed that up by trapping Rob Keogh lbw for a duck in the next over to leave the visitors on 159 for 4.The day was in the balance at that point, but Sales and Zaib responded with a good, positive partnership that added 75 in 17 overs by tea, with Zaib becoming the third Northamptonshire batter to post a half-century soon after the break from 70 balls.Just when a third first-class career century beckoned, Sales departed eight runs short to an injudicious shot, aiming to hit Tom Hartley over the top but picking out Marcus Harris at wide mid-on instead.Zaib, who pulled Phillip over square leg for six, and McManus negotiated the rest of the day – and the arrival of the new ball – in some comfort to finish strongly and leave Northamptonshire in excellent shape going into day two.

يتأهب أحد مهاجمي فريق ريال مدريد الإسباني، للرحيل خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوي في شهر يناير المقبل، بحسب ما ورد في تقارير صحفية اليوم الثلاثاء.

ويتصدر ريال مدريد ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد مرور 9 جولات على إنطلاقة المسابقة، بفارق نقطتين عن حامل اللقب برشلونة.

ويعتمد المدير الفني لريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، على نظام المداورة بين لاعبي الفريق بصورة كبيرة منذ توليه مسؤولية تدريب الفريق.

ووفقًا للصحفي، فابريزيو رومانو، من المتوقع أن يغادر البرازيلي إندريك، مهاجم ريال مدريد، صفوف النادي على سبيل الإعارة في يناير، حيث بدأت المفاوضات بالفعل.

لم يحصل إندريك على فرص للمشاركة تحت قيادة تشابي، وأثرت الإصابة على وقته في بداية الموسم، لكن حتى بعد تعافيه لم يمنحه المدرب فرص كافية.

وفي المواجهة الأخيرة أمام خيتافي، كان اللاعب يقوم بالإحماء لكن تشابي قرر عدم الدفع به وهو ما أثار انفعال إندريك بحسب ما ورد في تقارير صحفية (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

إندريك حريص على المشاركة والحصول على وقت كافٍ للعب، خاصة مع اقتراب كأس العالم 2026، حيث يسعى لحجز مكانه بتشكيلة المنتخب البرازيلي تحت قيادة الإيطالي كارلو أنشيلوتي.

ويعد إندريك حاليًا اللاعب الوحيد في الفريق الأول الذي لم يشارك تحت قيادة ألونسو هذا الموسم، وهو ما يفتح الباب لرحيله، وريال مدريد أيضًا يتفهم الوضع ومنفتح على إعارته في انتقالات يناير.

The striker situation at Newcastle United has developed into one of the defining sagas of their summer window.

Alexander Isak’s desire to leave the club has left Eddie Howe and the recruitment team scrambling for solutions, with each failed pursuit only heightening the sense of urgency.

Newcastle have already missed out on Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitike, João Pedro, and Benjamin Šeško – all of whom might have paved the way for Isak’s departure had they been secured.

As things stand, the Swede’s future remains unresolved.

He has made it abundantly clear he does not wish to reintegrate with the squad, even if no sale materialises.

A move to Anfield remains his desired outcome, but Newcastle have been equally firm: no replacement, no transfer.

Newcastle's new contender

That replacement hunt has taken them down multiple avenues. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa has long been admired, but negotiations have stalled.

The Congolese’s absence from Brentford’s win over Aston Villa raised eyebrows, though nothing concrete has yet been agreed.

Jørgen Strand Larsen of Wolves has also been sounded out, though Vítor Pereira’s reluctance to part with the Norwegian makes that transfer unlikely.

With time ticking down, Newcastle have turned their attention to a different profile of forward.

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Newcastle hold an interest in Atlético Madrid striker Alexander Sørloth.

Hope stated: “He has been discussed. He is the latest one in the orbit of players they could move for. It’s Alexander Sorloth at Atletico Madrid. His goal record is quite incredible. Absolutely in the mold of his countryman, Strand-Larsen. Sorloth is one of the names being considered and there are others too.”

The 29-year-old Norwegian is a familiar name to Premier League fans, though his first spell in England was far from remarkable.

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Signed by Crystal Palace from FC Midtjylland in 2017, Sørloth failed to score in 16 appearances before eventually being moved on.

Described as “phenomenal” by Diego Simeone, any deal would likely be complicated. Newcastle would need to convince the Spanish club to part with him, likely at a fee north of his current market value of £30m.

But with Isak’s situation dragging on and the clock ticking, pragmatism may force their hand.

Newcastle's new Andy Carroll

After leaving the south-east London club, Sørloth established himself at Real Sociedad, and then flourished at Villarreal, where his goalscoring exploits earned him a move to Atlético last summer.

Standing at 1.95m, he offers the kind of aerial dominance and physical presence that Newcastle fans associate with Andy Carroll.

His numbers back up that comparison.

In La Liga last season, Sørloth scored 20 goals in 35 appearances, a remarkable tally that underlines his development into one of Europe’s most reliable finishers.

Alexander Sørloth – La Liga – 2024/25
Matches	35
Minutes	1,566
Goals	20
Assists	2
Progressive Carries	32
Progressive Passes	31
Source: FBref

The advanced metrics paint an even clearer picture of his value: according to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.90), 97th for total shots per 90 (4.29), and 94th for aerials won per 90 (5.05).

Far from being just a target man, Sørloth also excels in his movement inside the penalty area, ranking in the 93rd percentile for touches in the opposition box.

This blend of attributes would address one of Newcastle’s most glaring issues.

Against Villa, Howe’s side controlled large periods of the game but lacked the cutting edge to make their dominance count.

With Isak unavailable for selection, there was no focal point to convert their possession into clear chances.

Sørloth, who already played at St James’ Park this summer in a pre-season friendly, could provide precisely that.

For Newcastle supporters, the prospect of Sørloth evokes memories of Carroll, who embodied the traditional number nine spirit with his strength, aerial ability, and goalscoring instinct.

Across two spells at the club, Carroll made 134 appearances, scoring 34 goals and adding 26 assists.

His big-money move to Liverpool in 2011 highlighted just how much Newcastle relied on his presence at the time.

Sørloth is not a like-for-like replacement, but the comparison is clear. Both men stand at virtually the same height, both are capable of bullying defenders, and both bring a blend of physicality and technical competence.

Where Carroll was at times let down by injuries, Sørloth has shown resilience in rebuilding his career after early setbacks.

His resurgence in Spain suggests he could thrive in the right system, and Eddie Howe’s structured, attacking side might be the perfect environment.

There is also a strategic angle.

Newcastle’s summer recruitment has been careful, even cautious, reflecting the club’s need to stay within the boundaries of the Premier League’s financial regulations.

Having already brought in Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, and Aaron Ramsdale, the addition of a proven goalscorer would bring balance to the squad.

Sørloth, available for a fraction of the fee Isak might command, would also represent value in a market where reliable strikers are scarce.

But above all, Sørloth’s candidacy illustrates Newcastle’s willingness to adapt.

Their pursuit of Wissa and Strand Larsen indicates they are exploring different striker types: mobile forwards who press aggressively, and more traditional target men who can hold up play.

Sørloth sits firmly in the latter camp, a player who could give Howe a tactical alternative while easing the transition away from Isak. Whether he is the long-term solution or a stop-gap remains to be seen, but the logic is hard to ignore.

Newcastle’s aspirations extend beyond domestic stability; they are preparing for another European campaign and require depth to compete on multiple fronts.

Sørloth offers something they currently lack: presence, pedigree, and proven productivity at the top level.

Their answer to Guehi: Newcastle weigh up late move to sign £30m "monster"

Newcastle aren’t just looking at forwards as the transfer window enters the final stretch.

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 24, 2025

Arsenal have been told by officials that a highly-rated France international could be available to sign in the near future, with the player attracting interest from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Man City too.

Andrea Berta seals new William Saliba contract in boost for Arsenal

As first revealed by David Ornstein, star defender William Saliba has agreed to sign a new Arsenal deal which will keep him at the club until 2030.

This follows serious interest from Xabi Alonso’s Real, who are in the market for a world-class centre-back next summer, and Saliba’s contract was due to expire in just under two years.

Mikel Arteta was faced with a looming threat of losing the 24-year-old either next year — for a fee mooted to be around £70 million (El Desmarque) — or the summer of 2027 for nothing.

However, with Saliba now poised to pen a new long-term extension, all doubts surrounding his future have been removed. As a result, Arteta is set to benefit from having one of Europe’s best central defensive partnerships in the Frenchman and Gabriel – who also signed a new contract in the summer – for years to come.

Appearances

4

Minutes played

275

Clean sheets

2

Tackles made

8

Interceptions

3

Ground duels won

21/29

Aerial duels won

10

Clearances

18

via Footy Stats

Some reports have suggested that the ex-St Etienne star has been given a bumper pay rise to around £300,000-per-week — which would make him Arsenal’s highest earner above the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.

New sporting director Andrea Berta was apparently key in securing Saliba’s future, with the Italian seriously upping the ante in talks since his appointment in March.

Interestingly, the ever-present Saliba could even help Arsenal secure a 2026 summer signing.

Agents tell Arsenal they could sign Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate

After missing out on Saliba, Real are likely to seriously pursue Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate, who’s available for nothing next year as things stand.

Since joining the Reds for just £36 million in 2021, Konate has formed an excellent partnership with Virgil van Dijk, but Arne Slot faces the prospect of losing him at the end of this season.

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, while Real are deemed top contenders for his signature, agents have now told Arsenal that they could sign Konate too, with his intermediaries reaching out to suitors as they prepare for the possibility of an Anfield exit.

As Konate’s camp refuse to rule out a move to one of Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Arteta’s side already have a secret weapon.

William Saliba is like a "brother" to Ibrahima Konate

Saliba may well push the case of Arsenal to Konate given their friendship, with the 26-year-old already describing Arsenal’s star as like a “brother” to him despite their Premier League title rivalry.

The “sensational” defender would be a snip for Arsenal on a free transfer, but a lot could depend on whether Berta opts to trigger Piero Hincapie’s £45 million option to buy.

The Ecuadorian has been struggling with a groin problem, and as a result, hasn’t yet got a consistent run in Arteta’s team.

Tottenham’s statement signing of the summer was undoubtedly their £52 million deal for playmaker Xavi Simons, who signed a potential seven-year contract at Spurs after joining from RB Leipzig in the final days of the window.

The deal was penned for an initial five years with the option of a further two, coming as one of the longest player contracts in Tottenham’s history, and perhaps a real indicator as to how highly they rate the Dutchman.

Tottenham’s summer signings	Price tag
Mohammed Kudus	£55 million
Kota Takai	£5 million
Mathys Tel	£30 million
Joao Palhinha	Loan
Kevin Danso	£21 million
Xavi Simons	£52 million
Randal Kolo Muani	Loan

Daniel Levy, who has now resigned after the shocking announcement of his departure on Thursday, led a recruitment team of CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici in pursuit of a much-needed playmaker before Monday’s transfer deadline.

After two very public and humbling failed attempts to sign one, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze rejecting moves to Tottenham in dramatic late fashion, Spurs finally landed on Simons after an impressive two years in the Bundesliga.

In doing so, the Lilywhites gazumped Chelsea’s deal for the 22-year-old, saving some face after Gibbs-White’s bizarre saga and Arsenal’s hijacking of Eze.

Simons, who came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before moving on to PSG and then Leipzig, bagged 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 total appearances for the latter side.

The Netherlands international is famed for his “silky” skills and creativity in the final third, which is exactly what Thomas Frank is crying out for after injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

The former ruptured his ACL in pre-season and won’t be back until 2026 as a result, while Kulusevski wasn’t named in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad as the Swede is expected to return in December.

Tottenham dealt Xavi Simons worry as "concern" arises for Thomas Frank

Simons was unveiled before a delighted Spurs crowd before their 1-0 loss to Bournemouth prior to the international break, prompting excitement as supporters anticipate his imminent debut.

However, Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard has also sent a warning to Tottenham about the player.

Based off some “talk” he’s heard from German circles, Simons’ body language and attitude have sometimes come into question.

According to Mick Brown, Tottenham also spoke with Aston Villa about signing Morgan Rogers, but given just how unobtainable he proved to be with an £80 million price tag, Simons is a more-than viable alternative with a huge ceiling.

Aston Villa came away from their encounter with Sunderland with their third point of the season, albeit they will feel a major sense of frustration after adding to their winless run in the Premier League.

Despite Reinildo’s dismissal on 33 minutes, the visitors took until midway through the second half to break the deadlock courtesy of a sweet Matty Cash strike that deceived Robin Roefs.

However, Sunderland weren’t to be denied after Wilson Isidor latched onto a weighted Granit Xhaka header to fire home in smart fashion, and the Black Cats skipper praised their fight against a man advantage: “Of course the red card changed the plans we created during the week, but in the end I believe the one point is much more than deserved.

With the Villans’ run without a win extending to six matches, supporters will be feeling irate, and they are unlikely to experience a lift in their mood amid Ollie Watkins’ role in the Black Cats securing a point against Emery’s men.

Ollie Watkins' role in Sunderland's equaliser against Aston Villa

Post-match, Emery admitted that his side were ‘lazy sometimes defensively’ against Sunderland, and it is hard to disagree when watching the hosts’ equaliser back with the benefit of hindsight.

Watkins wasn’t the only one culpable as Emery’s side shipped a decisive Isidor effort, but the England international was caught short as Xhaka’s unchallenged header morphed into an assist despite the Aston Villa striker and several other teammates having plenty of time to contest for the ball.

Ultimately, a lapse in concentration that managed to infiltrate several players has left the Villans with a point, which they will view as an opportunity missed due to holding a man advantage for the majority of Sunday’s encounter.

Nevertheless, Sunderland racked up a better Expected Goals total (1.05) than the away side (0.71) and also took on more shots, heightening the cause for concern at the club after yet another unconvincing performance on the road.

Watkins could hold key to Aston Villa revival

Undoubtedly, Aston Villa are lacking inspiration in the forward areas and need someone to step up and take responsibility, which has left the door ajar for Watkins to become a leading light through the middle following his exploits last season.

Six appearances and no goals so far in 2025/26 represents an unconvincing return for the Three Lions international. Regardless, form is temporary and class is permanent, as shown in his performances across 2024/25.

Ollie Watkins in the Premier League – 2024/25

Goals

16

Assists

8

Shots

84

Shots on target

40

Chances created

25

All statistics courtesy of Fotmob

Evann Guessand has failed to live up to expectations since arriving during the window, while Youri Tielemans’ injury concern has left a creative void needing filled in the engine room.

Watkins will thrive if the chances fall his way across the season. However, Emery’s men have scored once in their first five Premier League matches, illustrating their stark lack of threat in the final third.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been carrying a niggling groin injury for some time, but a new problem means the Englishman is now facing some time out.

Cole Palmer forced off in 2-1 Chelsea defeat to Man United

Enzo Maresca’s frustration was evident during an afternoon to forget at Old Trafford last Saturday, with their 2-1 loss away to Man United made worse only by Palmer’s haunting groin issue.

It is a problem that has plagued the Blues’ superstar player for some time.

Palmer has been carrying it since the start of 2025/2026, forcing him to miss their wins over West Ham and Fulham, with the ex-Man City sensation only getting around half an hour of match action in their 2-2 draw at Brentford.

The 23-year-old got on the scoresheet against Keith Andrews’ side, and scored a stunning goal on the counter-attack in Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League – all whilst playing with a groin injury.

Speaking in his latest pre-match press conference before Chelsea take on Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup, Maresca said it is a problem being monitored day by day, but was quick to quash fears that Palmer might need surgery.

Now, as per journalist Simon Phillips, there has been a new update on Palmer’s condition, and it doesn’t make for pretty reading.

Cole Palmer suffers "new" injury to groin as Chelsea dealt blow

Writing via his Substack, the reporter claims that Palmer has suffered a “new” injury to the same groin that has been plaguing him non-stop this season, and he now faces several weeks on the sidelines.

The prospect of surgery also isn’t completely ruled out.

Phillips also stated that Chelsea have been managing his groin with painkiller injections before each game, and the forward started having further problems in that area late on in the Bayern game.

Despite this, Maresca started Palmer last Saturday, and it is a decision which the Blues will be ruing.

Sources have apparently made clear that he shouldn’t have participated in Manchester, and at the worst, Palmer could miss some crucial clashes.

Estimated games Cole Palmer could miss after new groin injury

Lincoln City (A) – EFL Cup

Brighton (H) – Premier League

Benfica (H) – Champions League

Liverpool (H) – Premier League

Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League

Ajax (H) – Champions League

Sunderland (H) – Premier League

Tottenham (A) – Premier League

Chelsea will also regret not signing Xavi Simons in the summer window after being hijacked by Tottenham, with Maresca arguably in need of a quality playmaker alternative amid Palmer’s reoccurring struggles.

By the time that the 2026 World Cup arrives, it will be 60 years since England won the World Cup. In that time, the Three Lions have had 18 managers, one or two incredibly impressive golden generations and even a UK number one thanks to John Barnes. But as much as England ‘defend and attack’, the men’s side are yet to bring football home.

The latest tasked with doing so is Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea manager’s CV almost speaks for itself. He has taken charge of the Blues as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – even winning a Champions League along the way. Now, however, his greatest task awaits as England aim to end 60 years of hurt.

The German has already proved that he’s not afraid of making some bold decisions and many will argue that’s exactly what Gareth Southgate was missing throughout his tenure. Whilst the old boss often failed to change his ways and players, Tuchel has already dropped Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first international break of the season and introduced Elliot Anderson to his set-up.

Full of praise for the Nottingham Forest midfielder, Tuchel told reporters: “Elliot Anderson is very physical, a lot of volume, very precise, clean passing, so it’s a good package.”

This time next year, England fans will find out whether Tuchel’s bold nature ends in World Cup victory or whether they really should have called upon a former Premier League manager who believes he’d end the Three Lions’ drought.

Sam Allardyce believes he'd have won World Cup with England

Technically speaking, Sam Allardyce has a better win rate at England than any other England manager. But there is one caveat and that’s the fact that his reign only lasted one game, which featured a late Adam Lallana winner against Slovakia. The FA shocked many when they hired ‘Big Sam’ in 2016 as they looked to move on from a disastrous Roy Hodgson era.

He ticked the box for experience and if anyone knew English football, it was him. As it turns out, we’ll never know whether Allardyce would have created shock history, but he certainly believes that he was denied the chance to end England’s wait for glory.

In the end, the former Premier League manager left his role by mutual consent after just 67 days. His departure followed The Telegraph’s report that he had been seen negotiating a £400,000 fee to represent a firm hoping to profit from transfers involving Premier League transfers as well as making “inappropriate” remarks.

A dream quickly became a nightmare for Allardyce, who never got the chance to prove that his football belonged on the biggest stage.

أكد عبد الناصر محمد، مدير الكرة بنادي الزمالك، أن القلعة البيضاء اتبعت الإجراءات الرسمية المتعارف عليها قبل انطلاق أي بطولة أو مسابقة، وذلك قبل إثارة أي جدل بشأن مشاركة نبيل عماد دونجا لاعب وسط الفريق في بطولة السوبر المحلي المقبلة.

وأوضح عبد الناصر محمد في تصريحاته للموقع الرسمي لنادي الزمالك: “النادي أرسل خطابًا رسميًا إلى اتحاد الكرة للاستفسار في الوقت المناسب، ولم نتلقَ أي رد حتى الآن، لأن الحقيقة أنه لا يوجد ما يستدعي الرد من الأساس”.

وأضاف: “هل من مهام أعضاء مجلس إدارة الاتحاد الاحتفاظ بخطابات لم تُعتمد أو لم تُوجَّه إلى اللجان والإدارات المختصة لتأخذ رقمًا صادرًا قبل إرسالها إلى الأندية؟”.

طالع أيضًا | موقف اتحاد الكرة من تضارب التصريحات حول مصير دونجا في السوبر المصري

وواصل: “هذه الإدارات هي المعنية بصياغة الخطابات واعتمادها من المدير التنفيذي وفق المواعيد القانونية المنظمة لذلك، كما أن المدير التنفيذي السابق رجل محترم، ومن المستحيل أن يخالف ضميره في أي وقت”.

وتابع: “نحن نعلم جيدًا من المستفيد من إثارة هذه الأمور في هذا التوقيت، وأؤكد أن نبيل عماد دونجا سيكون ضمن بعثة الزمالك المسافرة إلى الإمارات استعدادًا لخوض مباراة السوبر المحلي”.

واختتم: “تركيزنا حاليًا منصب على مباراة الفريق المقبلة أمام البنك الأهلي في الدوري، وما يُثار من جدل لن يؤثر بأي شكل على تركيز اللاعبين أو الجهاز الفني”.

Jose Mourinho has been accused of inciting abuse, with Premier League referee Anthony Taylor now wary of allowing his family to travel with him across the world after becoming an unfortunate target for the 'Special One' in 2023. While Taylor admits that scrutiny of match officials has gotten a little out of control, he still considers his role as a man in the middle to be "one of the best jobs in the world".

Confronted by Mourinho after Europa League final

While Taylor enjoys his profession most of the time, he was caught in the centre of a storm back in 2023. It was after the Europa League final, which saw Roma suffer a penalty shootout defeat to Sevilla, that Taylor found himself targeted by Mourinho – with the outspoken Portuguese, who was in charge of Serie A heavyweights at the time, branding the Premier League match official a "disgrace" in his post-match press conference before confronting him in a car park outside the stadium.

With anger stirred in a passionate group of supporters, Taylor – who showed 13 yellow cards during the match and oversaw 25 minutes of added time – required extra security when leaving through Budapest airport as he and his family endured some scary scenes.

Reflecting on that ordeal with , Taylor said: "That's the worst situation I've dealt with in terms of abuse. Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people's behaviour on others. Even in a match like that, where there was actually no major mistakes in the game."

AdvertisementGettyBlame culture: Officials subjected to abuse

Taylor added on the blame culture in modern football, with coaches and players often stirring that pot: "For me, that's a great source of disappointment, frustration, anger. Why that's acceptable, I don't know – because I'm sure those individuals wouldn't like somebody to turn around and say that to them or their own children. It makes you reflect back on whether you made a mistake travelling with your family in the first place. They haven't been to one [match] since."

Taylor went on to say of abuse, be that online or in-venue, impacting the mental health of officials – with the Premier League seeking to address an issue that infiltrates every level of the game, from the top-flight to grassroots: "If you're continually told you're not very good, whether that be by people in the media, by pundits, or even ex-officials, then people's mental health could potentially suffer. The footballing culture in general is, 'we need to win this game at all costs'. The lengths that people go to post-game with a lot of things now to spread false narratives, to spread malicious conspiracy theories… it creates a hugely negative environment for people to operate in."

Referees under pressure to get every decision right

Elite referees operate under the brightest of spotlights, with Taylor saying of the pressure that they face to get every big decision right: "I wouldn't argue against scrutiny being there. I'm not saying scrutiny isn't to be expected, but everybody who watches football always sees a game through the eyes of their team. And the result of a football match and the culmination of a football season is multi-faceted. It's not dependent on one match official's decision. It's not dependent on one player missing one penalty in a game. It's not dependent on one coach making one tactical error during a game.

"The argument one decision has cost somebody the whole season, it's just factually not true because there'll be plenty of other incidents in a game or over that season where the results of games have been affected. What I'm saying is that you can have scrutiny and you can have critique. But it's very rarely balanced. Nobody really talks about the positive side of things these days, either."

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GettyTaylor future: Enjoying job with no end in sight

Taylor is into his 17th season as a Premier League referee. He has worked at World Cups, European Championships, Super Cups and the Nations League and concedes that his position is not all bad. He said: "When it comes down to it, it's one of the best jobs in the world. You're right in the centre of the action in the most exciting league in the world."

Taylor is hoping to officiate at next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the 46-year-old unsure how long he will continue for. He intends to make the most of his time with a whistle in hand, with Premier League action set to resume on October 18 after the latest international break.