As Everton move: How do teams fare at new stadiums?

With their Premier League game against Brighton &amp, Hove Albion on Sunday, Everton will begin their competitive season at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

They will hope to rebound from last Monday’s 1-0 defeat at Leeds and build on the momentum from their most recent season at Goodison Park under David Moyes.

What is the typical performance of Premier League teams when they relocate?

To date, there have been eight, with the exception of temporary homes, which were only a part of the top flight during the first year of operation at the new stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur (2019)

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After almost two seasons at Wembley, Tottenham moved to their new Tottenham Hotspur stadium in 2019 to replace their former home at White Hart Lane.

On April 3, 2019, they won the league game 2-0 over Crystal Palace at the new venue. They followed that up with victories over Huddersfield and Brighton in the Champions League and Manchester City in the league.

But then they lost to Ajax in the Champions League first leg and West Ham in the league.

Mauricio Pochettino’s dismissal and a disappointing sixth-place finish in the league were the result of their first full season at the new stadium.

That was their worst league position since 2008-2009, which was also their worst.

There was not a single game lost at White Hart Lane in their final season (2016) (2016-17).

They won both domestic cups and league home games, finishing second, and were unbeaten. Wembley hosted both of their Champions League matches.

Record for first season on new ground

Sixth place in the league

West Ham (2016)

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At the beginning of 2016/17, West Ham moved from the Boleyn Ground (better known as Upton Park) to London Stadium, which was the 2012 Olympic Stadium.

To begin playing at their new home, they defeated Slovenian side NK Domzale 3-3 in a Europa League qualifier.

Their first Premier League home game there was a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth, but they lost to Romanian side Astra Giurgiu to force Europa’s play-off exit.

Their next home victory would have to be announced until October 22.

That season, West Ham finished 11th overall, four places below the previous Upton Park performance.

In their final game back at their 112-year home, the Hammers had defeated Manchester United 3-2.

Record for first season on new ground

11th place in the league

Arsenal (2006)

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The first day of the 2006-07 season saw Arsenal draw 1-1 against Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium.

Four days later, they recorded their first victory there, defeating Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 to advance to the Champions League group stages.

The Gunners only lost once this season against West Ham, winning 1-0 at their new home.

The Hammers won their final game of the season at Highbury with a 3-2 victory on February 1, 2006, making it the last away team to do so.

Although they reached the Champions League final in their final season at the old ground, they finished fourth in both of the Premier League competitions.

Record for first season on new ground

Fourth place in the league

Manchester City (2003)

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Manchester City relocated to Eastlands Stadium, which had hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games, at the beginning of 2003-2004.

Later, it changed its name to Etihad Stadium, which is still in use.

In a Uefa Cup qualifier against Welsh side TNS, City won 5-0. Their first competitive game at the new venue.

In their first disappointing campaign, City’s 1-1 draw against Portsmouth was their first league home game.

After finishing ninth in their previous campaign at Maine Road, Kevin Keegan’s side finished 16th. Their final encounter at the old ground was a 1-0 defeat to Southampton on the final day.

Record for first season on new ground

16th place in the league

Southampton (2001)

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The terrible beginning of Southampton’s relocation to St. Mary’s in 2001-2002.

In their first five games there, they lost to Chelsea 2-0 on August 25 and suffered four defeats and one draw.

Stage manager Stuart Gray was fired on November 24 for his first victory at the stadium.

After a 103-year hiatus at The Dell, they came in comfortably in 11th place under Gordon Strachan, just one place below what they did in their final season there.

Their most recent encounter at The Dell was a memorable 3-2 victory over Arsenal, which Matt le Tissier scored in the closing seconds.

Record for first season on new ground

11th place in the league

Derby (1997)

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For the wrong reasons, Derby County’s debut game at Pride Park on August 13, 1997, was forgettable.

The Rams won 2-1 in the 56th minute of the Premier League match against Wimbledon because the floodlights went out and couldn’t be fixed in time.

The replay of the game two months later ended 1-1.

A 1-0 win over Barnsley on August 30 marked Derby’s first full-grown appearance at the new stadium.

The Rams finished ninth overall, just barely missing out on Europe.

In their final year at the Baseball Ground, they had finished 12th overall. In their final game against Arsenal, they lost 3-1.

Record for first season on new ground

Ninth place in the league

Bolton (1997)

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Bolton Wanderers are the only Premier League team to have experienced relegation in their first season at Reebok Stadium (now Toughsheet Community Stadium) between 1997 and 1998.

They had just been promoted, though.

Everton’s 0-0 draw on September 1st marked the start of that team’s upcoming game. On October 14, they won their first league game at home against Wimbledon, and 12 days later they defeated Chelsea 1-0 there.

Their promotion to the top flight was sealed by their victory in Burnden Park’s final season, which was remembered.

Their most recent encounter with the old ground was a 4-1 victory over Charlton on April 25, 1997. Their final defeat was against Chesterfield in the FA Cup on February 4, 2010, when they lost 3-2.

Record for first season on new ground

18th (relegated) position in the league

Middlesbrough (1995)

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Following a two-year break, Middlesbrough relocated to Riverside Stadium in 1995-1996 as they made their way back to the top flight.

And they had a successful season opener thanks to Juninho.

They won their first game at their new stadium on August 26 with a score of 2-0, and they didn’t lose a league game until November 21 against Tottenham.

However, they struggled to win any league matches after Christmas Day, only winning two at home or away.

In their final season at Ayresome Park, Boro had won the First Division title, just like Bolton did two years later.

They won 2-1 at Ayresome Park on April 30, 1995, and last lost 4-2 at Derby on March 18 to finish the season there.

Record for first season on new ground

12th place in the league

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Barcelona defeat Levante with thrilling comeback in La Liga

After falling behind by two goals, Barcelona rallied to defeat Levante 3-1 in La Liga with a late own goal from the hosts.

After the newly promoted Levante had rolled a surprise two-goal lead at halftime on Saturday, champions Barcelona needed Pedri Gonzalez and Ferran Torres to score early in the second half to equalize.

Lamine Yamal then assisted in scoring the winning goal with a header into Levante’s own net after Unai Elgezabal headed in with a cross into the 6-yard box.

Ivan Romero, a Levante striker, earlier struck from a counterattack that had begun with Yamal’s misdirected ball. In the first half of injury time, Jose Luis Morales converted a penalty after Alejandro Balde’s video review called his shot a “handball” when he blocked Morales’ shot.

However, Pedri started the fightback in the 49th when he received Yamal’s pass well outside the area, placed his foot in the corner of the net, and fired a long range shot.

When Ferran fended off his marker and headed in Raphinha’s corner kick, Ferran, who had hit the woodwork in the opening period, levelled in the 52nd minute.

The score was then pressed for by Barcelona, which Yamal assisted in scoring shortly after the 90th minute had passed.

Hansi Flick, the coach of Barcelona, praised Pedri’s goal, saying “it changed the match.”

“The first goal we scored gave us a lot of confidence in the box, but it wasn’t easy for us to get the three points,” we said.

Last weekend, Barcelona won its opening game 3-1 against Mallorca.

In the 52nd minute, Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scores the second goal of the match against Levante.

Rashford debuts in the first-team

Marcus Rashford, a left-sided forward for Flick, made his first league start for Barcelona since his loan move from Manchester United from United.

At halftime, Dani Olmo took the place of the English international after Pedri’s passes in the middle and Yamal’s incursions down the right had mostened the most threats.

Marcus [Rashford] did some things in the first half that demonstrated how good he is and how he can help us, according to Flick.

Robert Lewandowski, who has a muscle injury, started his first game for Barcelona as a substitute.

Next week as Barca fights to defend its title, it will travel to Rayo Vallecano. Levante will travel to Elche in search of a more favorable outcome after losing both of its opening games.

Marcus Rashford and Jeremy Toljan in action.
Marcus Rashford, right, made his Barcelona debut against Levante on Saturday while on loan at Premier League side Manchester United. [Jose Breton/NurPhoto via Getty Images]

Zara McDermott fans go wild for her £775 Loewe straw bag – get the look for £44

Zara McDermott’s £775 Loewe straw bag is the perfect summer accessory, but we managed to track down one that not only looks similar, but is also on sale for just £44

Zara McDermott wowed in her red dress and Loewe basket bag(Image: Zara McDermott/Instagram)

A straw tote bag is the ultimate summer accessory, and is perfect for everything from beach days to afternoons in the park. One of the most sought after styles is the Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza Anagram Basket Bag , which you can pick up for £775 and was Zara McDermott’s accessory of choice in completing her recent summer outfit.

After posting a photo of her in her floaty red dress, her fans were all commenting on how much they loved the straw tote, although unsurprisingly many balked at the price tag. However fear not, because we’ve tracked down the perfect lookalike from Biba, with the Straw Beach Bag now on sale for just £44, down from £62.99.

READ MORE: Shop Olivia Attwood’s £45 Topshop dress as fans rave about her ‘supermodel legs’

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Coming in at a huge £730 less than Zara’s Loewe version, the Biba raffia bag is the perfect alternative. You can snap it up at the discounted price at Frasers and Sports Direct, with both retailers slashing the price down to £44.

Zara McDermott red dress Loewe basket bag
Zara’s exact bag will set you back £775(Image: Zara McDermott/Instagram)

It even features an elaborate embroidered filigree design on the front that gives a nod to the designer version. You can choose from two different colours, with the filigree and straps coming in either tan (like Zara’s) or black.

Made from a woven straw material it’s a great lightweight option, and has grab-top tote-style handles for wearing over your shoulder or in your hand. The Straw Beach Bag also comes with a long strap that gives you more carrying options, and a gold detachable internal pouch that lets you keep essentials safe.

The perfect size for throwing your poolside essentials in or for taking down to the beach, it’s also still practical enough to grab for running errands or hitting the shops. The high street is a great place to pick up designer alternatives, and we also spotted some other great buys if you don’t fancy the Biba Straw Beach Bag.

The Biba straw bag is the perfect affordable alternative
The Biba straw bag is the perfect affordable alternative(Image: Frasers)

At Mango, the Medium Natural Fibre Tote Bag is now 30% off, slashing the price from £99.99 to £69.99, and has a similar resemblance to another of Loewe’s raffia tote bags. It has a woven straw body with large tan leather panels on the side and two short grab top handles in a matching tan leather.

Meanwhile Phase Eight’s Straw Shoulder Bag is a little more affordable at £55, and has cream leather handles and details for a more timeless, understated look. Another great designer alternative is H&M’s Straw Tote Bag, which is priced at £19.99 and comes in both cream and red.

The woven bag was evidently inspired by Prada’s Logo-Embellished Crochet Viscose Tote Bag which costs £1500 and has an open weave. The H&M version features a similar open knit design, with contrasting text on the bottom.

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However if you’re looking for a timeless classic, the Biba Straw Beach Bag is the perfect way to get a designer look on a budget. Pick it up on sale for £44 now.

Scuffles, arrests as protesters across UK rally against asylum hotels

Protesters have rallied in cities and towns across the United Kingdom, demanding that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government stop housing asylum seekers at hotels.

The rallies on Saturday were met with counter protests by anti-racism campaigners, triggering scuffles between the opposing groups, and police intervention to keep the camps separated.

According to UK media, protests against asylum seeker hotels were held in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including in cities such as Bristol, Liverpool, London, Mold, Perth and County Antrim.

In Bristol, police in riot gear and on horses separated dozens of anti-migrant protesters and several hundred antiracism protesters, according to the BBC and Sky News.

In Liverpool, hundreds turned up for the rival rallies, and some 11 people were arrested for various offences, including being drunk and disorderly, and for assault and affray, The Guardian reported, citing the Merseyside Police.

The nationwide protests came days after the country’s high court granted a temporary injunction blocking a hotel in Epping, Essex, from accommodating asylum seekers.

The ruling followed weeks of protests at the Bell Hotel in Epping, some of which turned violent, after an asylum seeker staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

The court decision has prompted several councils across the country controlled by Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK to consider launching legal challenges.

Minister of State for Security Dan Jarvis, however, said on Friday that the government would appeal the high court’s ruling.

“We’ve made a commitment that we will close all of the asylum hotels by the end of this parliament]in 2029], but we need to do that in a managed and ordered way”, Jarvis told broadcasters.

“And that’s why we’ll appeal this decision”.

Counter-protesters hold a banner reading, ‘ Crawley Stand up to racism’, outside the Sheraton Four Points hotel, in Horley, south of London, on Saturday]Ben Stansall/AFP]

Starmer’s Labour government has been facing criticism over its immigration policies after official figures showed arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers at a record high, with more people being housed in hotels compared with a year ago.

Home Office data showed last week that more&nbsp, than 50, 000 migrants and asylum seekers had crossed the English Channel in small boats since Starmer became prime minister last year, a sometimes deadly journey often made in flimsy inflatable dinghies.

And the most recent figures available showed that there were about 32, 345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily at hotels in the UK by the end of March.

Officials also show that a record 111, 084 people had applied for asylum in the UK by the end of June this year.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UK government does not give most asylum seekers the right to work in the country, making them reliant on the government or family networks for support, including housing.

Meanwhile, the leader of the far-right Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, outlined on Saturday how he would pursue “mass deportations” to tackle irregular migration. His party, which won five seats at last year’s general election, has topped recent voting intention polls.

Farage told The Times newspaper that under the plans, people would be arrested upon arrival, detained on disused military bases, and returned under bilateral deals to Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries of origin.

According to Farage, “We can be nice to people, we can be nice to other countries, or we can be very tough to other countries,” “US President Donald Trump has quite successfully demonstrated this point,”

The far-right figurehead also declared that he would outlaw the UK from both the UN Convention on Torture and the Refugee Convention.

INTERACTIVE - Refugees by main country of asylum-1718256897

Just six nations, including Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Albania, Syria, and Eritrea, made up 70% of the total number of people traveling to the UK on small boats between 2018 and 2024, according to The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

According to migration observatory data, 73 people died last year trying to cross the English Channel in small boats, more than in the previous six years combined.

Five things Wales must put right to save World Cup

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Wales’ World Cup hopes were hampered by the outcome of their opening game against Scotland, despite knowing it could depend depend heavily on the outcome.

They lost to Scotland by a record score to start the campaign off with a significant win.

Scotland claimed that their complacency stemmed from their agonizing 2022 defeat to Wales at the final tournament.

However, Wales’ head coach Sean Lynn acknowledged that the 38-8 defeat “simply wasn’t good enough,” while critics criticized the performance as weak, soft, and poor.

sort the strategies

Lynn led Wales for his eighth game, and he still has just one win, though one that was significant in Australia.

After winning back-to-back Premiership titles with Gloucester-Hartpury, he assumed the role with a burgeoning reputation and was the players’ choice.

However, Sioned Harries, the former Wales captain, has not made any progress.

Because there hasn’t been any change on the pitch, she said, “we need to question what changes we’ve seen in this Wales camp.”

After defending for 80 minutes, Wales appeared worn out. But why did they spend so much time defending? Because of poor planning, perhaps.

This Wales team seems to be a group of individuals rather than a cohesive unit.

With the team, Sean Lynn has participated in two tests in Australia and six nations. There is no justification for his performance because he is well-versed in Gloucester-Hartpury players.

There is no way for us to leave the group if we play that way in the following two games.

“Wales’ most significant game was won by them, but they’ve made it 100 times more difficult to qualify.”

Stop bullying

Francesca McGhie of Scotland breaks away with the ball as she evades a tackle from Courtney Keight of WalesImages courtesy of Getty

Former Wales rugby league player Ben Flower had been hired to work on the contact area, and co-captain Kate Williams had praised the more rigorous training.

Wales was “soft” as a result of Scotland’s back three, not least hat-trick hero Francesca McGhie, says ex-international Siwan Lillicrap.

Wales outperformed Scotland by 90%, but they did manage to get 85% of the tackle success rate.

The opening-minute try was unable to be stopped by center Hannah Dallavalle and Courtney Keight, as well as full-back Nel Metcalfe.

And it happened again in the fourth half, when Lleucu George threw a fist at Rhona Lloyd before Keira Bevan and Metcalfe could not stop McGhie from hat-trick.

Scotland made almost twice as many metres after contact (264m) as Wales (139m). This pattern persisted throughout.

Caryl James, a former Wales wing, said, “We got bullied off the pitch.”

“Wales’ defense couldn’t deal with Scotland’s physicality at all,” said the statement. I didn’t expect Wales to be so weak, which surprised me.

It’s disappointing, ex-Wales captain Ken Owens said. Scotland dominated the gainline, despite Sean Lynn’s mention of how they had been working on defense. However, Scotland showed up and discovered the edges to be “way too easy.”

Start more quickly

Wales started off with the worst possible start, as Lynn had suggested, in both halves.

Just 55 seconds into their World Cup, McGhie crossed.

After falling 17-8 at the break, the head coach would have delivered the message for a strong start.

However, just 17 seconds into the second-half, Lleucu George’s clearance was lowered. That caused the scrambling Metcalfe to come in and Scotland quickly won a crucial fourth try to extend their lead 24-8.

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Defend the attack

The differences between the two attacks were stark.

Scotland made eight clean breaks and made significantly more carries than Wales’ seven, which they tellly beat. One was created in Wales.

After the game, Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm expressed concern among her pitchkeepers that if they kept the ball, they would eventually score.

They were also confident in their ability to withstand any challenge thrown at them by Wales. They succeeded, too.

Wales used an open game that was unbalanced and out of step with their forward momentum.

Due to Welsh incompetence, Scotland only managed to score eight points from seven attempts into Scotland’s 22-meter line while also allowing five penalties in the attacking half.

Improve bench impact

Sisilia Tuipulotu is tackled by several Scotland playersImages courtesy of Getty

In particular in Sisilia Tuipulotu, Georgia Evans, Carys Phillips, Kayleigh Powell, and Carys Cox, Lynn would have hoped he had the talent to turn things around or win.

Wales were kept at bay despite the bench being emptied earlier than expected.

Wales, which was 24-8 up at the time, rushed on the replacements as early as the 47th minute, but they were unable to score a single point and only conceded two more tries.

According to Lynn, “some players will be upset about individual performances, while others will be upset about team behavior.” However, it simply wasn’t good enough.

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Five things Wales must put right to save World Cup campaign

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Wales knew their World Cup hopes could rest on the outcome of their opening game against Scotland but were found desperately wanting.

Rather than kick-off the campaign with a major win, they lost to Scotland by a record score.

Scotland said they were fuelled by revenge for the agonising last-gasp defeat by Wales at the last tournament in 2022.

But Wales head coach Sean Lynn admitted the 38-8 loss “simply wasn’t good enough” while pundits branded the performance poor, weak and soft.

Sort the tactics

This was Lynn’s eighth game in charge of Wales and he remains with just one win – albeit a significant one in Australia.

He took over the role with a burgeoning reputation after back-to-back Premiership titles with Gloucester-Hartpury and was the players’ choice.

But former Wales captain Sioned Harries has yet to see progress.

“We need to question what changes we’ve seen in this Wales camp because it hasn’t changed anything on the pitch,” she said.

“Wales looked tired after defending for 80 minutes. But the question is why were they defending for 80 minutes? It’s because the tactics weren’t right.

“This Wales team feels like a team of individuals and not a cohesive team.

“Sean Lynn has had a Six Nations with the team and two tests in Australia. He knows a lot of the players from Gloucester-Hartpury, so there is no excuse for this performance.

“If we play like that in the next two games, then we have no hope of getting out of the group.

“This was Wales’ most important game but they’ve made it 100 times harder to qualify.”

Stop the bullying

Francesca McGhie of Scotland breaks away with the ball as she evades a tackle from Courtney Keight of WalesGetty Images

Former Wales rugby league international Ben Flower had been brought in to work on the contact area and co-captain Kate Williams had praised the higher intensity training.

But ex-international Siwan Lillicrap described Wales as “soft” as they were torn apart by Scotland’s back three – not least hat-trick hero Francesca McGhie.

Wales had a tackle success rate of 85% – compared to Scotland’s 90% – but they missed some crucial ones.

Centres Hannah Dallavalle and Courtney Keight, as well as full-back Nel Metcalfe, all failed to stop the opening-minute try.

And it was a similar story for the fourth – at the start of the second half – when Lleucu George flapped at Rhona Lloyd before Keira Bevan and Metcalfe could not prevent McGhie completing her hat-trick.

It was a constant theme throughout as Scotland made most almost twice the number of metres after contact (264m) than Wales (139m).

“We got bullied off the pitch,” said former Wales wing Caryl James.

“Wales’ defence couldn’t deal with Scotland’s physicality at all. I was surprised at how poor Wales were, I didn’t expect them to be so weak.”

Ex-Wales captain Ken Owens added: “It’s disappointing. Sean Lynn was discussing how they’ve been working on defence but Scotland dominated the gainline. But Scotland turned up and found the edges very easy – way too easy.”

Start faster

Lynn had spoken of playing with intensity but Wales got off to the worst possible start – in both halves.

McGhie crossed just 55 seconds into their World Cup.

The head coach would have hammered home the message for a good start after trailing 17-8 at the break.

But Lleucu George’s clearance was charged down just 17 seconds into the second-half. That led to the scrambling Metcalfe knocking on and Scotland swiftly grabbing a crucial fourth try moments later to stretch clear 24-8.

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Sharpen the attack

The contrast between the two attacks was stark.

Scotland were ruthless and not only made far more carries, they tellingly beat 23 defenders compared to Wales’ seven and made eight clean breaks. Wales made one.

After the match, Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm spoke of a feeling of “inevitability” among her players on the pitch that they would score if they kept the ball.

They were also confident they could repel anything Wales threw at them. And they did.

Wales chased the scoreboard with an open game that was far from their forward power and that they are simply not comfortable with.

Welsh inefficiency saw them score just eight points from seven entries into Scotland’s 22-metre line and even managed to give away five penalties while attacking.

Improve bench impact

Sisilia Tuipulotu is tackled by several Scotland playersGetty Images

Lynn would have fancied he had power among his replacements to either turn the game or see out a win, particularly in Sisilia Tuipulotu, Georgia Evans, Carys Phillips, Kayleigh Powell and Carys Cox.

But despite emptying the bench earlier than planned, Wales were kept at bay.

Wales began rushing on the replacements as early as the 47th minute when trailing 24-8 – but failed to score a single point while conceding two more tries.

Lynn said: “Some players will be upset about individual performances and others by how the team played. But it just wasn’t good enough.

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