Match of the Day’s Ashley Williams looks at the impact made by Cole Palmer, who was back in action for Chelsea after an injury lay-off, and scored within minutes of returning.
WATCH MORE: Highlights: Carvalho snatches late draw for Brentford against Chelsea
The long throw is back in vogue, it seems.
It was a tactical weapon Rory Delap used to shake up the Premier League after Stoke’s arrival in 2008 – causing havoc by launching the ball into the box.
And now it is happening more and more in the top flight, with Brentford proving to be the masters of it.
Against Chelsea on Saturday, Fabio Carvalho scored a late goal following a Kevin Schade long throw to secure a 2-2 draw.
That was the last of a glut of long throws during the game from first Michael Kayode and then Schade.
Earlier on, Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez had tipped a Schade long throw over the bar even though nobody had appeared to touch it on the way through.
It is the seventh goal that the Bees have scored from long throws since the start of last season, five more than other Premier League team.
It might not be pretty, but it is effective.
“I felt there’s a little bit of snobbery in the game around scenarios like that,” said Brentford boss Keith Andrews.
“If the big boys do it, then it seems to be accepted.”
Asked how to avoid conceding goals from long throws, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: “First of all, try not to concede the throw-in.
“They have Kayode, Jensen, Schade and even Pinnock who are strong on throw-ins.”
BBC Match of the Day pundit Ashley Williams, the former Wales captain, said: “It’s weirdly difficult [to defend long throws].
“The day before a game you practise defending corners and free-kicks but not long throws.
“Because it’s coming in from a different angle, it creates chaos. It’s something teams should work on more.”
Before stepping up into the head coach role, Andrews was Brentford’s set-piece coach.
A defensive midfielder in his playing days, the 45-year-old came up against Delap’s long throws many times, something he recently described as an experience that “wasn’t pleasant”.
That may have played on his mind when he took up his coaching role at Brentford, and last season the long throw was a regular tactic of theirs. As well as scoring five goals from them, they also created 48 chances worth 7.2 expected goals.
Andrews even said it was a factor when they signed Italian right-back Kayode from Fiorentina in January.
“It’s been here for numerous years, it’s not new to us,” added Andrews.
“That was probably the last eight to 10 games of last season, big Champions League games, it was quite prominent and I felt it would probably trickle down the game.”
He added: “I was obviously in a different role last year, where we caused a lot of chaos from situations like that.
“We’ll always try and find ways to get results and win games. It’s nice that we’re able to have multiple players able to take long throws.
Earlier this month, England boss Thomas Tuchel declared that the long throw was back in vogue.
The announcement must have delighted those who can remember Dave Challinor’s hurtling throws, Steve Watson’s somersault flip throw-in at Newcastle and the techniques used by Stoke City and Bolton, among others, that sent Premier League defences into a panic.
Brentford may be good at them, but they aren’t alone in using them, with even Premier League champions Liverpool recognising their value.
In 2018, Liverpool brought Thomas Gronnemark as a specialist throw-in coach, while in the first game of this season 11 of 20 teams launched at least one long throw into the opposition box.
Before this weekend, there were an average of three long throws into the penalty area per Premier League game, double the average of either of the past two seasons.
“Throw-ins are underestimated – by coaches, players, commentators, fans – as something you should just do and see what happens,” said Gronnemark.
The Reds’ possession stats from throw-ins improved from 45.4% to 68.4% under Gronnemark’s tutorship, moving from 18th to first in the league on that metric.
Premier League clubs are trying to harness the power of the long throw – the average number of throws of at least 20 metres ending in the opposition box increased from 0.9 per game in 2020-21 to 1.5 in 2024-25.
Lewis Crocker claimed the vacant IBF welterweight title with a split decision win against Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park.
The Belfast man scored knockdowns in rounds three and five, which proved critical as two cards in his favour read 114-112 and 114-113, while Donovan claimed a 115-111 verdict on the third.
It was a night of vindication for Crocker in this rematch, having won the first meeting between the pair in March by disqualification despite being second best in the fight.
The Belfast man produced a much better performance this time and was much crisper, quicker and sharper with his heavy hands, although using them sparingly, proved vital as he improved to 22-0 with Donovan’s record now at 14-2.
Donovan entered to ‘Better Off Alone’ and although he was away from his native Limerick, he also had a large support to greet him.
He also sought to greet Crocker into the ring but the Belfast man was not interested in engaging as he moved to his corner, gripping his feet to the canvas as a sign he was ready for action.
The Belfast man seemed to be in something of a zone, refusing to be knocked out of his zone and perhaps that was a prelude of things to come as he boxed with discipline for the most part.
It was the first fight at Windsor Park since Carl Frampton defeated Luke Jackson at the venue in 2018 and ‘The Jackal’ kept a close brief at ringside, watching as Belfast saluted its latest hero.
It was a slow burner as although Donovan entered with his confidence sky high with a good performance in the first meeting despite losing by disqualification, but he was still clearly respectful of the danger in front.
The pre-fight narrative was that Crocker perhaps needed a fast start, but he had his own game-plan and after a cagey couple of rounds from both, the first big moment arrived in the third.
Crocker’s approach from the first fight had noticeably changed as he seemed happy to stay at range, seeking to draw Donovan’s lead and counter, getting a brief opportunity in the second as he let his right hand go in another tentative round from the pair.
That approach paid off to an extent in the third as he timed the Limerick man was clipped on the way in and although it seemed more of a slip, a punch landed and Howard Foster issued a count.
It injected some urgency into Donovan, who finished the round well, and the fight began to open up in the fourth, with both landing simultaneously with hooks, but it was Crocker who took the backwards step.
Crocker’s output was not high, but he was opting for economy, popping out the odd tab and in the sixth he landed with the crisper shots despite Donovan again working well off the jab.
It left it brilliantly poised heading into the second half, with Donovan still seeking to take a firm grip but wary of what he may be coming in response.
He did enjoy a good seventh, jabbing and bringing his left into play as Crovker was off target with a couple of raids, while a quiet eighth was hard to call as neither seemed to take a grip.
Donovan was again busier in the ninth, but Crocker landed with a couple of flush counters as he circled to his right, perhaps daring the Limerick man to throw the left hook.
Donovan did have to take a couple of solid rights in the 10th but was a little busier as he varied his attacks, yet there was a sense the Limerick man had to produce the bigger finish going into the championship rounds.
Crocker has changed his approach as he was now coming forward a bit more with his tight guard, and that was suiting Donovan, with the fight seemingly on a knife-edge heading into the final stanza.
Crocker was windmilling a little but did raise the noise with some right hands to the temple of Donovan, but the Limerick man was on the front foot a little more in another round, which was difficult to score, leaving both anxiously waiting for the verdict after 12 engrossing rounds.
It was a nervous wait but the outpouring of joy came from Crocker who had shaded it, opinions divided, yet he is the man to march on towards what could be a lucrative future.
“Never give up on your dream,” Crocker said of his eight-year professional journey to get here.
Although there will be debate surrounding the cards, the ending this time was more satisfactory with the 12 rounds completed and little to get overly vexed about.
After the first fight, there was a huge call for a rematch and perhaps we could see them do it for a third time.
However, Conor Benn’s name has been raised more than once since the final bell and although he has his own work to do with a rematch against Chris Eubank Jr to come.
There is also the possibility of taking on some of the big names such as Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney or Ryan Garcia and with the IBF title in his possession, Crocker is now a sought-after name.
His performance proved his more than just a big puncher, as he showed patience and that ability to adapt which will be crucial against big names.
But for now, he will celebrate this win, savour the moment with satisfaction as he silenced his doubters.
Defending champion Luke Littler had to come from behind to beat Jonny Clayton 6-4 and advance to the World Series of Darts quarter-finals.
Clayton stormed into a 3-0 lead but Littler responded, winning the next five legs, which included back-to-back 180s, before seeing out victory in Amsterdam.
Littler will face Ross Smith, a 6-4 winner over Dave Chisnall, next.
“It was not easy and I can pull myself out of situations, I know I can do it,” said Littler.
“I would rather get off to a good start, but Jonny did there. I managed to get over the line.”
Elsewhere, Michael van Gerwen hit back-to-back 100-plus finishes to edge out Rob Cross 6-5, setting up a quarter-final against Luke Humphries, the world number one coming through 6-4 against Kevin Doets.
Gerwyn Price beat Raymond van Barneveld 6-4, setting up a tie with Chris Dobey, who cruised to a 6-1 win over Cameron Menzies.
Venezuela has accused the United States of illegally boarding and occupying one of its fishing vessels in the country’s special economic zone, further escalating tensions between Caracas and Washington.
In a statement on Saturday, Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the vessel, carrying nine “humble” and “harmless” fishermen, was intercepted by the US destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) on Friday.
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“The warship deployed 18 armed agents who boarded and occupied the small, harmless boat for eight hours,” the statement said, calling the incident a “direct provocation through the illegal use of excessive military means”.
The move follows a US military strike last week in the Caribbean that killed 11 Venezuelans and sank a boat that the administration of US President Donald Trump claimed, without evidence, had been transporting narcotics.
Venezuela has rejected these claims, with Minister of the Popular Power for Interior Diosdado Cabello insisting none of those killed was a member of the Tren de Aragua gang, as alleged by Washington.
“They openly confessed to killing 11 people,” Cabello said on state television. “Our investigations show the victims were not drug traffickers. A murder has been committed against a group of citizens using lethal force.”
The White House defended the strike, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly calling the victims “evil Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists” and saying that Nicolas Maduro is “not the legitimate president of Venezuela” and is a “fugitive.”
Several countries deny Maduro’s legitimacy as a democratically elected leader due to what some have viewed as unfair elections, but the Trump administration has not provided evidence linking the Venezuelan president to Tren de Aragua. US intelligence agencies have said there is no sign of coordination between the government and traffickers.
Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Venezuelan President Maduro announced the deployment of troops, police and civilian militias across 284 “battlefront” locations, reinforcing previous troop increases along the Colombian border.
Speaking from Ciudad Caribia, Maduro signalled Venezuela’s readiness to defend its water, saying: “We’re ready for an armed fight, if it’s necessary.”
The US has also expanded its military presence in the southern Caribbean, sending warships and deploying 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico.
Israeli forces have ramped up attacks on Gaza City, systematically levelling buildings, including United Nations schools sheltering refugees, to force 900,000 residents to make the dangerous journey south to the overcrowded “safe zone” of the al-Mawasi camp.
The Israeli military continued its scorched-earth campaign on Saturday, launching strikes in rapid succession in a bid to clear the area for takeover, and dropping leaflets warning starving and terrified Palestinians to flee for their lives.
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Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that fighter jets were dropping bombs “every 10 to 15 minutes” on residential buildings and public facilities, often failing to give people sufficient time to evacuate to safety.
“The pace and pattern of the attacks suggest one thing: The Israeli army is deliberately putting extreme pressure on places that are densely populated with displaced families,” he said, adding that displaced people were now concentrated in the city’s western flank.
But, he added, even as the army pummels the city, many residents are staying put or even returning after attempting the journey south to the “crammed and under-resourced” al-Mawasi, where Israel has been frequently striking shelters.
Dr Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the head of al-Shifa Hospital, said residents were moving from the east to the west of Gaza City, but “only a small number of people have been able to reach the south”.
“Even those who manage to flee south often find no place to stay, as the al-Mawasi area is completely full and Deir el-Balah is also overcrowded,” said Abu Salmiya, adding that many have returned to Gaza City after failing to find shelter or basic services.
The Israeli army claimed on X that more than 250,000 people had fled the enclave’s largest urban centre.
At least 49 people were killed in Gaza City on Saturday.
Reporting from the south, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary witnessed a steady stream of families arriving from the north to the al-Mawasi camp, believing that they were going to find “water, hygiene – everything that Israeli forces advertised”.
Three of the Israeli-backed GHF aid distribution sites are located in the al-Mawasi area, as part of Israel’s strategy to lure Palestinians southwards. However, human rights groups and governments have harshly criticised the GHF after more than 850 people were shot in the vicinity of distribution sites, according to United Nations figures.
Faraj Ashour, a displaced Palestinian who lost his legs in an Israeli attack, told Al Jazeera that he would be sending his 13-year-old son “to his death” if he dispatched him to find food for the family.
Al-Mawasi was already crowded before Israel’s invasion of Gaza City, filled with Palestinians displaced from the eastern parts of Rafah and Khan Younis. But now, it is at breaking point, with new arrivals unable to find space to pitch their tents.
“I went to al-Mawasi, but the costs were too high… and it was almost impossible to find a proper spot without paying extra,” said Ashour. “We stayed two days. During that time, the tent next to us was bombed even in what they call a safe zone.”
Having travelled from Gaza City, Ashour is now preparing with his family to move back, as part of an apparent trend of reverse displacement, where desperate people return to the north.
“There was no safety. It’s all lies. At first, I believed them, but I realised it was better to return to Gaza City. If they’re going to kill me, may as well be in Gaza City, rather than risk everything in al-Mawasi,” he said.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said on Saturday that 86 percent of Gaza is either a militarised zone or subjected to displacement threats.
At least 62 Palestinians have been killed across the war-battered Strip since dawn.
The bulk of attacks have been focused on Gaza City, where fighter jets bombed three UN schools in the Shati refugee camp, which were sheltering displaced Palestinians.
“People who once lived in apartments are now seeking shelter in packed schools. They are the last refuge for many families. Yet they get attacked and are forced onto the street without a clear path of where to go,” said Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud.
For the past few weeks, the Israeli military has levelled Gaza City’s high-rise towers one by one, repeatedly claiming the buildings are being used by Hamas, without providing any evidence.
On Saturday, Israeli forces continued to target high-rise towers, with Minister of Defence Israel Katz posting a video purporting to show the Burj al-Nur tower crumbling to the ground.
Al Jazeera Arabic reported that three Israeli air strikes targeted the public prosecution building, southwest of Gaza City.
Several Palestinians in Gaza City were also injured after a suicide drone attacked an outdoor dining hall, which was used as a charging point for phones, laptops and lights.
Outside Gaza City, seven of the dead were hungry Palestinians killed while seeking aid in al-Wadi, in the central Gaza Strip.
Al Jazeera Arabic reported an Israeli artillery attack on central Gaza’s Bureij camp that killed at least one person.
Hospital sources say four people were killed in a strike on a tent sheltering displaced people at Palestine Stadium in central Gaza.
Three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack on the al-Amal neighborhood, northwest of Khan Younis.
The Palestine Red Crescent field hospital said that five Palestinians were wounded in an Israeli drone strike on a displaced people’s tent in Khan Younis.