Sports
‘Something Isn’t Right’ – Keith Hackett Slams VAR Error in Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool
Retired referee and former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has spoken out about Liverpool’s equalising goal against Crystal Palace.
In their sixth match of the Premier League season, defending champions Liverpool travelled to Selhurst Park, facing a Crystal Palace side that, under Oliver Glasner, have become exceptionally hard to beat. The Eagles entered the match with a 17-game unbeaten streak, a run that includes overcoming the Reds in the Community Shield back in August.
Palace ultimately proved victorious, though it seemed that Liverpool had once more clinched a result with a stunning late goal when Federico Chiesa equalised for the Merseyside club.
Eddie Nketiah, however, who had been introduced to the game from the bench, slotted beyond Alisson in the 97th minute to secure a seismic win for his club, who are now the only unbeaten team remaining in the Premier League.
Much has, understandably, been said about either Nketiah’s winner or how bad, overall, Liverpool appeared to be against the Eagles. Retired referee Keith Hackett has, in the aftermath of the game, offered his thoughts on one particular moment of the match.
‘It Is Difficult to Understand’
The Video Assistant Referee looked at Liverpool’s equalising goal, as it appeared that star forward Mohamed Salah’s arm was close to the ball as it came into the box, the Egyptian having jumped to try and meet the pass. Discussing the incident, Hackett said:
“It is difficult to understand when you see on video replay the deliberate handball from Salah, who has made his body shape larger, reaching out to the sky. He comes into contact with the ball, but the referee, first of all, doesn’t see it.
“Then VAR checks it and doesn’t come to the right decision. This is handball. Something isn’t right. There is a relationship problem, or a technical problem, because the video evidence is clear and obvious that a handball incident took place. It should be penalised. Full stop.”
Palace were able to push on and win the game, but they would have been immensely hard done by had the match ended in a draw. Not only for their performance, but as Hackett highlighted, with the manner in which Liverpool scored their goal.
Slot’s side will no doubt look to swiftly bounce back from this game, but given some of their performances so far this season, it is perhaps surprising that it took this long for Liverpool’s perfect Premier League record to come to an end.
Sports
Jack Charlton’s Son Handed £200k Tax Bill For England World Cup Medal
The son of England legend Jack Charlton has told of an inheritance tax row surrounding ownership of his father’s World Cup winners’ medal.
Charlton, who played over 750 games for Leeds United, immortalised himself as part of England’s World Cup-winning squad of 1966. The older brother of Bobby, Jack started at centre back alongside captain Bobby Moore in the final, with England defeating West Germany 4-2 after extra time.
However, on the 60th anniversary of England’s triumph, his son John has revealed that he is no longer in possession of his father’s medal. John Charlton was left the incredible piece of sporting memorabilia in his father’s will, but has had to give it back to his mother.
Jack Charlton’s World Cup Winners’ Medal
John appeared on talkSPORT Breakfast to discuss the 60th anniversary of England’s World Cup win, as well as Eddie Howe’s departure as Newcastle manager. Speaking about his father and uncle’s medals, he stated, “Funny enough, me and Eddie (Howe) were talking about his medal.
“I think there’s only him and my uncle Bobby who have kept their medals. Everybody else doesn’t have them anymore.”
When asked about the whereabouts of his father’s medal, John replied, “I’ve got it. Well, there’s a bit of a problem with it, actually.”
Inheritance Tax Row
The interview with Stuart Pearce and Andy Goldstein took an unexpected turn, as John revealed that the medal belonged to him, but was not actually in his possession.
“When I say I’ve got it, it was left to me in my dad’s will, but the tax man wants £200,000 off me in Inheritance Tax.”
But when asked whether he plans to sell his father’s prized possession, he seemed reluctant to do so. “No, I’ve given it back to my mother because, whilst she’s got it, I don’t have to pay that money.”
Despite being taken aback by the stipulations of UK tax law, John remained optimistic that a solution could be reached. “There’s a journalist from the Daily Mirror who’s been working on it and helping us to try and sort it, but the same applies to Olympic gymnasts and people like that.
“If they decide to sell their gold medals, they’re going to have to pay. Their family, sorry, pass it on, they’re going to have to pay Inheritance Tax on that. This is something that they’ve been trying to sort out.”
Currently, Inheritance Tax in the UK is 40% on estates that surpass the £325,000 threshold. And as for John Charlton’s situation, he also has to consider other World Cup memorabilia into that figure. He is also in possession of Jack Charlton’s World Cup final shirt and England cap, with the latter being the only one he retained from his football career.
“His shirt and his medal are in a safe place, tucked away,” revealed John. “And the England cap that he got because he only got one cap for the tournament and that’s the only cap that he left. He gave the rest away.”
Jack Charlton played 35 times for England over five years, with his first cap coming a year prior to England’s successful 1966 campaign. In domestic football, he was a one-club man. Having played for Leeds United for 21 years, Charlton is still the all-time leading appearance maker for the club.
After retiring from club football, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle, and the Republic of Ireland. He led the latter to their first World Cup in 1990.
Sports
Ultimate vs Ultimate Plus Editions Compared
You can pre-order EA Sports FC 27 now, with the game being launched with a slick trailer and informative deep dives.
EA has spiced things up a little bit this year by introducing a boosted tier system for the game’s release. Alongside the Standard and Ultimate editions, gamers will have the new option of the Ultimate Plus edition.
Each edition comes with its own unique features, bonuses, and price structure, and GIVEMESPORT have broken down these key characteristics to help users choose the edition that best suits their gaming experience.
EA Sports FC 27 Ultimate Plus Edition Bonuses
The Ultimate Plus Edition offers gamers the biggest pre-order bonus bundle in the series’ history, designed for serious fans of the Ultimate Team gameplay mode.
However, there is a caveat that players must be aware of: this edition is only available from July 23 to August 31, and players cannot purchase it after this date nor upgrade to it later.
|
Ultimate Plus Edition Core Bonuses |
|---|
|
Full game with up to 7 days Early Access |
|
10,000 FC Points |
|
Premium Season Passes for Seasons 1 through 5 |
|
85+ OVR International ICON Player Item |
|
Additional Player Evolution Slot |
|
1 of 5 Hall of FUT Direct Player Pick (Akinfenwa, Giovani dos Santos, Remy, Fellaini, or Elia) |
EA Sports FC 27 Ultimate Edition Bonuses
The Ultimate Edition returns as the longstanding premium option, but the rewards and bonuses available to players differ depending on when the game is bought.
August 31 Pre-Order (Early Bird)
|
Ultimate Edition Bonuses |
|---|
|
FUT Bonuses: 85+ OVR International ICON, 7 days Early Access, Season 1 Premium Pass, 6,000 FC Points, and an Extra Evo Slot. |
|
The Grounds: Signature Sweatsuit, Mbappé Tier 3 AMP, and 2x AXP for 10 Matches. |
|
Career Mode: Pre-Order Challenges, Dynamic OVR Pre-Season Boost, 3 ICONs/Heroes, 5-Star Coach, 5-Star Youth/Senior Scouts, and 5 Manager Live Challenge Slots. |
|
FC 26 Bonuses: 99 DRI Stat Evo and a 93+ OVR ICON Player Pick. |
Pre-Order after August 31 but before September 24
The user will receive everything listed above, except for the 85+ OVR International ICON item.
Purchase on or after September 25 (Global Release Date)
Users will only receive the base FC Points, Evolution Slot, Career Mode items, and The Grounds items. They will not be granted Early Access, the Season 1 Pass, or the 85+ OVR International ICON.
Ultimate Plus vs Ultimate: Which Edition Should You Buy?
For players aiming to pre-order before August 31, the decision comes down to how much you play Ultimate Team. The increased bonuses, particularly the four additional Premium Passes and the boosted FC Points, justify putting the extra pennies down for the Ultimate Plus Edition.
Still, for players who aren’t sure whether they want to commit to future season passes, or how much time they can commit to the Ultimate Team experience, pre-ordering the Ultimate Edition before that August 31 deadline is still a great way to grab a good haul of bonuses for your money.
EA Sports FC 27 Pre-Order Prices: All Editions
Here is the pricing structure for each edition of EA Sports FC 27:
|
Edition |
UK Price |
US Price |
Canada Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
£69.99 |
$69.99 |
$89.99 |
|
Ultimate |
£99.99 |
$99.99 |
$129.99 |
|
Ultimate Plus |
£139.99 |
$149.99 |
$199.99 |
Sports
Mykhailo Mudryk Available For Chelsea as Ban Lifted and Statement Released
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is officially available to return to professional football after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld his appeal against his ban for doping.
Mudryk, who signed for Chelsea in 2023 for an initial fee of £62m, has not played a competitive match since November 2024, following a provisional suspension by the FA. Subsequent tests delivered an “adverse finding” for the banned substance meldonium.
The Ukraine international was hit with a significant ban of four years by the FA, but lodged an appeal to CAS against the punishment. The longstanding governing body agreed to allow the 25-year-old to return to professional football “with immediate effect.” Mudryk conceded that he had broken anti-doping rules, agreeing to a suspension that equalled the time he had already served.
Mudryk has shared his gratitude at returning to football, stating that the ban led to the “most difficult period” of his career.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk star added: “As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance.”
Chelsea has already commented on the positive verdict regarding the Ukrainian winger, stating that the club looks forward to returning Mudryk to “full fitness, [and reintegrating him] back into the squad and back on to the pitch.” The 25-year-old is expected to join their pre-season tour.
FA Update on Mykhailo Mudryk
The English FA shared the following statement on their website in relation to Mudryk’s four-year ban being lifted:
“The FA can confirm that the anti-doping disciplinary proceedings against Mykhailo Mudryk were resolved with the agreement of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on 30 July 2026. In the context of that agreement, Mr Mudryk has accepted his commission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) and accepted a period of ineligibility.
“On 22 October 2024, Mr Mudryk was subject to an out-of-competition doping control, which revealed the presence of a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance. The FA notified Mr Mudryk of that finding on 4 December 2024 and imposed a provisional suspension. On 23 May 2025, the FA charged Mr Mudryk with ADRVs in breach of Regulations 3 and 4 of its 2024 Anti-Doping Regulations.
“On 7 to 9 January 2026, a hearing took place before an independent Regulatory Commission. The Regulatory Commission found that Mr Mudryk had committed the charged ADRVs and imposed a four-year period of ineligibility. Subsequently, Mr Mudryk filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“Since then, changes have been made to WADA Technical Document (TD2027MRL) which, while not retroactive, mean that if Mr Mudryk’s sample was collected today, the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported and no ADRVs would have resulted.
“Further to that development and to other circumstances of the case, The FA and Mr Mudryk have now – with the agreement of WADA – resolved the appeal proceedings in accordance with Article 10.8.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code and Regulation 90 of the 2024 Anti-Doping Regulations. As a part of the agreement, Mr Mudryk accepted that he had committed the ADRVs charged and acceded to a period of ineligibility equal to the time served at the date of the agreement.
“Mr Mudryk is no longer ineligible and may return to competition with immediate effect.”
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