Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has praised Cole Palmer and admitted there are similarities in terms of carrying the “creative burden” for a top club.

Palmer has made a huge impact at Stamford Bridge since making the £40m switch from Manchester City in the summer of 2023.

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The 23-year-old has scored 52 goals and registered 32 assists in 115 appearances for the Blues, which is some record.

Steven Gerrard praises Cole Palmer

Palmer has struggled with a groin injury, which caused him to miss virtually the entire first half of the season, and he returned in the defeat against Leeds in December.

The England international has struggled at times, but over the last two games he’s looked like he’s getting back to his best.

Palmer has scored four goals in his last two games. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

Palmer scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 win against Wolves, and scored and got an assist in the 2-2 draw with Leeds on Tuesday night.

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It’s clear he’s still not fully fit, and Palmer himself has admitted he’s yet to play a game feeling 100%, with Chelsea clearly managing the situation.

Despite the good form of Joao Pedro, and the impact Estevao has made, Chelsea still appear to be reliant on Palmer to make things happen, and Gerrard has responded to comparisons between him and the Englishman.

“I’ve heard Carra making those comparisons, and you can see it in the way he looks around sometimes. He’s got that elite frustration when things aren’t clicking,” he told TNT Sports.

“But for me, you look at his output—he’s carrying the creative burden for a huge club at a very young age. It’s a lot of pressure, but he seems to have that inner belief that the top, top players have.”

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Reece James and Romeo Lavia back in training

Whilst Palmer is getting back to his best, Chelsea have been handed a boost by the return to full training of Romeo Lavia and Reece James.

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James has missed the last three games through injury and illness, whilst Lavia has been sidelined since November.

Whether the duo feature on Friday evening against Hull remains to be seen, but having them both back in full training given the games coming up is vital.

Two-division world champion Tim Bradley has made a confident prediction ahead of Errol Spence Jr’s comeback, as the former unified welterweight ruler gears up to take on Tim Tszyu.

Spence has not fought since July 2023, when he was on the wrong end of a brutal beatdown from Terence Crawford whilst bidding for the undisputed crown at 147lbs, but it seems as though ‘The Truth’ will soon return.

The Texas-based operator is being linked to a clash with former WBO super-welterweight world champion Tszyu, who has looked out of sorts since losing his title to Sebastian Fundora in March 2024.

Tszyu has lost three of his last five contests but remains unbeaten on home turf, boasting a record of 25-0 when fighting in Australia. Although, Spence will undoubtedly be the highest calibre opponent to have challenged Tszyu in his own backyard.

Speaking on his YouTube channel following reports of the bout being close to finalised, Bradley said that Tszyu is ‘done’ at the top level and that Spence will score a statement stoppage win, despite almost three years of inactivity.

“I think that Errol Spence is going to beat Tim Tszyu, he is going to knock him out. Tim Tszyu is done, he is 31 [years old] and he is done.

“Too much wear and tear, he got his a** knocked out a couple of times. He seems like he is strong mentally and that he wants it but his body is not responding like it should be.

“[There has been] a lot of knockouts and wars for Tim Tszyu, man. He gets hit too much. That is what happens when you get hit too much, your time is up real fast.”

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Tszyu-Spence is anticipated to take place in June, but Tszyu is reportedly set to take another bout in the interim first.

First Published: Feb 12 2026 | 11:05 PM IST

Madison Chock and Evan Bates have responded to questions about judging in the recent Olympic ice dance pairs final. Chock called for judges to be vetted for the sake of transparency. 

The couple was looking to defend their gold medal, but came in second to the French duo of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron. 

A French judge graded Beaudry and Cizeron higher than Chock and Bates, which helped push the French team to gold over the Americans. The judging has been a topic of controversy on social media, with some arguing that Chock and Bates should have graded higher. 

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Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States compete during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.  (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Chock told CBS News, “It would “definitely be helpful if it’s more understandable for the viewers, to just see more transparent judging and understand … what’s really going on.

“I think it’s also important for the skaters that the judges be vetted and reviewed to make sure that they are also putting out their best performance,” she continued. “Because there’s a lot on the line for the skaters when they’re out there giving it their all, and we deserve to have the judges also giving us their all and for it to be a fair and even playing field.”

Chock’s answer came shortly after she sang a different tune when asked by NBC News about judging.

“We’ve certainly gone through a roller coaster of emotions, especially in the last 24 hours,” Chock told NBC News. “And I think what we will take away is how we felt right after our skates and how proud we were of what we accomplished and how we handled ourselves throughout the whole week. Putting out four great performances at the Olympic Games is no small feat, and we’ve got a lot to be proud of.”

Bates told USA Today, “We felt like we delivered our absolute best performance that we could have. It was our Olympic moment. It felt like a winning skate to us, and that’s what we’re going to hold on to.”

Bates also praised the fans who are speaking out in support of the American couple during the controversy.

“It means a lot that people are voicing their opinions on our behalf,” Bates said. “The way that we skated and the way that we’ve approached chasing these goals hopefully has resonated with people at home even in our response. I think, hopefully, that too can reflect the Olympic spirit.”

Chock and Bates were trailing the French couple by 0.46 of a point entering the free dance Wednesday night, and they were searching for their first ice dance Olympic medal with hopes that it would obviously be gold.

Their matador routine, dancing to a rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black,” drew cheers from the crowd, and they finished with tears in their eyes.

They finished with 224.39 after notching a 134.67 score in their free dance.

Chock and Bates are two-time team gold winners after Sunday’s Team USA victory, but they had to watch one more routine to see if they could capture gold when Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron took the ice.

But the judges decided the French duo did enough to defeat the Americans in the end.

US FIGURE SKATING STAR ALYSA LIU OPENS UP ON BEING TARGETED BY CHINESE SPYING OPERATION

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States react to seeing that their scores earned them the silver medal after competing during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Beaudry and Cizeron scored a 135.64 in the free dance for a total of 225.82.

Chock and Bates were looking to experience receiving their gold medals on the podium after a delayed reception of their medals at the 2022 games. 

Chock and Bates initially had to settle for team silver with their American teammates on the podium at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Team Russia and Kamila Valieva, who was 15 at the time, stood above them with their gold medals. 

It wasn’t until the end of January 2024, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found Valieva guilty of an anti-doping rule violation, when Chock, Bates and the U.S. were declared the rightful 2022 gold medalists. 

Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance, during an anti-doping test at the Russian Figure Skating Championships in December 2021. She was suspended for four years and stripped of all competitive results since that date. 

Chock and Bates spoke about what their message to Valieva would be today during an interview at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee media summit in October. 

“It’s hard to, I think, imagine what a 15-year-old has gone through and under that kind of situation,” Bates said. “And I know how stressful it is, being an elite athlete as an adult, as a 36-year-old. And I think that grace should be given to humans across the board. And we can never really know the full situation, at least from our point of view. … I genuinely don’t know what I would say to her.”

Chock added, “I would just wish her well, like, as I would. I think life is short. And, at the end of the day, we’re all human just going through our own human experience together. And regardless of what someone has or hasn’t done and how it has affected you, I think it’s important to remember we’re humans as a collective, and we’re all here for this, our one moment on earth, at the same time. And I just wish people to have healthy, happy lives, full of people that love them.”

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Silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States skate with their medals after competing in the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Francisco Seco/AP Photo)

Chock and Bates had to wait more than two years after the initial Olympics to get their rightful gold medals, and they were finally presented with them during a ceremony at the Paris Olympics in summer 2024. 

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Arsenal did the difficult part, but then faltered at what they’re supposed to be best at, making this title challenge that bit more testing. Except, much of that was down to Brentford. Keith Andrews’s side beat – or perhaps drew with – Arsenal at their own game.

Brentford fully deserved Keane Lewis-Potter’s set-piece equaliser, and the 1-1 draw ultimately leaves Arsenal’s lead down to just four points.

They even looked likelier to win it at the end, Gabriel Martinelli’s late chance only came after Arsenal required crucial interventions from Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice.

That is why Brentford are still seen as one of the Premier League’s acid tests, perhaps even more testing than ever before. It is the most classic battle, the one teams have to really work through.

Failing to win this fixture isn’t a sign you won’t win the title, but it’s a match that goes some way to showing your mettle and how you can really go through the gears in a title race.

Arsenal’s minimalism wasn’t enough here. It may end up serving as another warning.

Mikel Arteta will nevertheless be most frustrated that it should have been enough. Arsenal had the lead through Noni Madueke’s fine header, only for the team that normally shuts down games to see themselves opened up again and again.

Brentford just forced them open. On conceding the goal, they immediately upped it in so many ways. It’s rare to see Arsenal so threatened on set-pieces.

Maybe part of that was down to the absence of William Saliba.

The Gunners didn’t get going until it was too late in the game, allowing Brentford that margin.

That could be seen in the fact that they had just one shot in the first half, their lowest in an opening 45 minutes since a 5-0 thrashing to Manchester City in August 2021.

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It is a balance that Arteta still has to figure out, as he too often leans towards control too often. The sense remains of a team trying to win the league on calculated probabilities rather than the true end product, of being so close now that the coach is now not taking enough risks.

You almost extend it to the expenditure.

One reason that Arsenal are where they are across all competitions is their squad depth, and yet there are moments when it’s hard not to wonder whether they could have used their budget in a slightly different way.

The starting attack in this game was a prime example. As good as Viktor Gyokeres and Madueke are in their own way, would the club have been better served pooling the money for both together, in the region of £107m, and going for one “killer”. An elevated star that they are still missing.

Even Leandro Trossard, brilliant as he’s been for the club, often feels like he should be the impact sub rather than the starter.

Eberechi Eze was signed to offer that extra stardust, but it is going to be difficult to rise to the occasion when he is constantly in and out.

And, after that first half, Arteta made the changes.

Martin Odegaard was introduced. The Norwegian did have an initial impact, which helped force the opener.

There was a sense of what might have been.

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Madueke remains a tantalisingly frustrating player, as if there are still elements missing to complete his game. One is delivery.

There are so many occasions when he does wonders to beat his man, and often embarrasses them, only to try the same slowly floated cross that is so easy to defend against.

He perhaps saw the benefit of a more traditional effort on 61 minutes, which allowed the 23-year-old to show the productive player he often promises to be.

Arsenal’s changes had admittedly ensured that they were starting to pen Brentford in, with Odegaard looking especially lively.

It was his pressing that forced Andrews’s backline into an error, the ball then arriving at the feet of Piero Hincapie. He hooked over a fine cross, although one where Madueke looked like he might have stepped forward a touch too early. It was instead Caoimhin Kelleher who was wrong-footed, although only because Madueke showed impressive agility.

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The winger arched back to loop a header across the goal and into the bottom corner.

That should have been that, only for Odegaard to then look a bit more culpable at the other end. He only stuck his leg out for one of Brentford’s aerial assaults, allowing Lewis-Potter to plunder a brilliant header.

Arsenal were lucky not to concede from that route again.

Brentford are more than just an awkward team, or a physical one. There’s so much calculation in everything they do, as befitting a modern club built on analytics. You can almost see the science behind every move, the manner in which the ball is played into areas of probability.

A favoured attack is one of the wingers immediately playing a first-time ball across the opposition area on the break, which tends to instantly cause angst.

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Arsenal had to be on their toes, from start to especially raucous finish. The end of the game had a lot of football in it, particularly in a helter-skelter stoppage time. David Raya had already offered one of the saves of the season from Igor Thiago and had to be constantly alert as a relentless Brentford just kept roaring forward. The home side could have won it at least twice in the closing stages, Arsenal once.

Those late blocks may prove important to Arsenal in another way. It may end up a good point in the grander scheme of things. Rather than such one-off moments, though, Arteta and his staff will be looking at those two lost points.

If Arsenal wanted more, however, they should have done more.

J.J. McCarthy has spent two years in Minnesota, but according to Bleacher Report‘s Moe Moton, his stint may end this offseason. Moton predicted all landing spots for high-profile passers in the 2026 quarterback carousel, nominating McCarthy to the Arizona Cardinals in a trade that would send Kyler Murray to Minnesota.

Not much suggests the Vikings want to move McCarthy, but the QB carousel buzz keeps dragging Arizona and Murray into it.

Most Vikings fans don’t consider McCarthy for sale, but without general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in the mix, all bets are off regarding McCarthy’s future.

Arizona Gets Pulled into the McCarthy Plot

McCarthy would get a fresh start in the desert at the age of 23.

Moton: J.J. McCarthy and Kirk Cousins to Cardinals

At the very top of his list, Moton theorized McCarthy and Cousins to Arizona, noting, “The Arizona Cardinals could turn over their quarterback room under new head coach Mike LaFleur. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is ‘likely’ to move on from Kyler Murray before his guaranteed money raises the cost to keep him.”

“The Cardinals should call the Minnesota Vikings about a signal-caller swap to dump Murray’s contract and take on J.J. McCarthy’s rookie deal. The third-year quarterback’s contract would cost only about $6 million against the cap. In addition, Arizona can add Kirk Cousins to replace Jacoby Brissett, who may not fit into the new coaching staff’s plans.”

McCarthy would work with the Cardinals’ new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, who oversaw a couple of offenses years back when Aaron Rodgers won MVP awards in Green Bay.

Moton continued, “Because of the perceived gap between Fernando Mendoza and the other quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft class, the Cardinals are unlikely to add a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Instead, they can develop McCarthy, who’s only 23, and have him battle Cousins for the lead job.”

“If Arizona doesn’t think the former is ready to play, the latter can run the offense as the unquestioned starter for at least a year. In this scenario, LaFleur would have an experienced quarterback under center while working on a high-upside developmental player who showed flashes in the previous season.”

The Cardinals would quickly turn into “Vikings Southwest” with McCarthy and Cousins duking it out for QB1.

A Fascinating Camp Battle to Monitor if So

In Moton’s scenario, the Vikings would employ Murray and a QB2 to be named later, perhaps Max Bromser as QB3. Minnesota would not have much training camp battle intrigue at quarterback, rolling with Murray at QB1 — but the Cardinals sure would.

Vikings fans would hang on pins and needles to learn who would win in the Cardinals’ summer battle, as both McCarthy and Cousins have such in-your-face and longstanding connections to Minnesota. It almost feels too weird to be true that both players would end up on the same team, battling it out for the top job.

The Vikings’ past in Cousins versus the guy who was supposed be the Vikings’ future in McCarthy. Front-row seats needed.

McCarthy’s First Two Seasons in the Pros

The forecast for McCarthy in 2025 wasn’t about eye-popping statistics, but something closer to 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns — incremental growth, competence, and good health. The goal was for the young quarterback to gain experience and show progress by December.

His first six starts were rough. His statistics were unimpressive, and at times, the film was even worse, drawing unfavorable comparisons to 1st-Round busts of years past. His mechanics deteriorated, his footwork became rushed, and routine throws became unpredictable.

Then came the Washington game, followed by Dallas.

Suddenly, his timing improved, his base steadied, and his ball placement became more precise. He attacked tight passing windows with confidence, and the offense moved with rhythm instead of panic. This version of McCarthy looked like a quarterback who understood how to lead a team.

Importantly, even amidst the early struggles, glimpses of clutch potential emerged. McCarthy remained composed during two-minute drills and delivered under pressure in late-game situations. For example, in his first-ever start at Chicago, McCarthy often looked herky-jerky with all operations, but when Minnesota needed him the most, he turned on the jets in the 4th Quarter and won the game. He took home the NFC Offensive Player of the Week in his first game.

With all that in mind, especially considering his lack of durability, the Vikings must decide to remain loyal to McCarthy’s development — or trade him to Arizona, as the BR piece suggested.

Weapons McCarthy Would Inherit

The Cardinals would gift McCarthy just a few core pieces. The offensive line needs 2-3 sturdy trenchmen this offseason, the WR corps will require a WR3, and a healthy Trey Benson would do wonders.

Overall, McCarthy would be asked to cook with these offensive players under contract in 2026:

• Trey Benson (RB)
• Hjatle Froholdt (C)
• Marvin Harrison (WR)
• Paris Johnson (OT)
• Trey McBride (TE)
• Michael Wilson (WR)

His setup is markedly better in Minnesota, so Cardinals fans would have to hope for a momentous offseason, courtesy of general manager Monti Ossenfort.

The betting market believes Murray will land in Minnesota, but whether the Vikings must trade McCarthy to acquire him is not widely agreed upon as of mid-February. It’s just a Bleacher Report theory.

Feb 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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A Slovakian native was in Italy this week, 16 years after prosecutors in the country issued a warrant against him.

The 44-year-old unidentified man traveled to Milan to watch his native country’s Olympic hockey team take on medal favorite Finland, a 4-1 upset victory for the Slovaks.

However, he never got a chance to see the Slovaks’ version of the “Miracle on Ice.”

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Slovakia fans inside the arena before a match against Finland in men’s ice hockey Group B during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.  (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

Police said they tracked down the suspect after he checked into a guesthouse in the Milan suburbs, then escorted him to the central San Vittore Prison before he could attend the game.

The warrant stemmed from a string of alleged thefts in 2010. He now has 11 months, seven days to serve, according to police.

Slovakia will close out the preliminary round on Saturday against Sweden, another squad that could compete for the gold medal.

Juraj Slafkovsky of Slovakia in action during a men’s preliminary Group B match against Finland at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 11, 2026, in Milan, Italy.  (RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)

US SNOWBOARDER CHLOE KIM STUNNED BY SOUTH KOREA’S GAON CHOI, SETTLES FOR SILVER IN WOMEN’S HALFPIPE

Slovakia won the bronze medal in Beijing when NHL players were not yet allowed to compete. Now, the team is led by Montreal Canadiens superstar Juraj Slafkovsky, who has Olympic experience.

Slafkovsky competed in 2022 because he had not yet been in the NHL. He was 17 at the time, the youngest player in the Olympics, yet still managed to be the Olympics’ points leader and the tournament’s most valuable player.

Juraj Slafkovsky of Slovakia celebrates the team’s 4-1 victory in a men’s preliminary Group B match against Finland at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 11, 2026, in Milan, Italy.  (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Slafovsky scored twice against Finland, and Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues got the game-winning goal with less than 13 minutes left.

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Defending champion Rory McIlroy made a solid start to the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune set the early pace with a 10-under 62.

Hisatsune, 23, was six under at the turn and concluded a stunning performance with four more birdies on the back nine on the PGA Tour’s first signature event of the season.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy is still in contention six shots back after carding a four-under 68 in California.

But it was a case of what might have been for McIlroy, who opened with consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes and another on the 17th at Spyglass Hill, with the highlight of his front nine coming when he chipped out of a greenside bunker on the 14th for an eagle.

However, his progress was checked after the turn with double bogeys at the two par-three holes – the third and the fifth – when his putter ran cold.

While the world number two picked up shots on the second, fourth and ninth, he has ground to make up in Friday’s second round, although not as much as the man directly above him in the rankings, Scottie Scheffler.

The American, who has not finished outside a top 10 place since last year’s Player’s Championship, struggled to a disappointing even par 72.

With the opening two rounds of the event split across two courses, Scheffler’s friend and compatriot Sam Burns fared much better at Pebble Beach golf links, to end the day in second on nine under alongside Keegan Bradley.

Chris Gotterup, a two-time winner already this season, began with six successive birdies and is well placed at eight under along with Tony Finau and Patrick Rodgers.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick is at six under and Tommy Fleetwood and Ireland’s Shane Lowry made solid starts to sit at five under with Englishman Harry Hall one further back.

With a $20m (£14.7m) purse available, 18 of the top 20 players in the world are competing in the 80-man field, with Pebble Beach hosting Saturday and Sunday’s third and fourth rounds.