Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris St Germain returned to winning ways in Ligue 1 with a 3-1 home victory over struggling Metz.

Mbappe had been a virtual passenger for long periods before he rifled home his first on the hour mark, and he added a second seven minutes from time to make sure of the points.

It was a welcome response from the shock of conceding a stoppage-time equaliser against Lille at the weekend and maintained PSG’s five-point lead at the top of the table.

But Metz gave them problems and briefly threatened to force their way back into the game after Matthieu Udol headed home their only goal to reduce the deficit in the 72nd minute.

PSG struggled to turn their near-constant possession into chances early in the opening period with Vitinha coming closest during a frantic spell in the visitors’ box.

Mbappe would almost certainly have won a penalty after 15 minutes when he was brought down by Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja in the box, but he strayed marginally offside in the process.

Metz almost grabbed a shock lead 10 minutes later when the persistently dangerous Kevin Van Den Kerkhof crossed into the box and Danilo bounced a header against his own crossbar.

Mbappe drilled his only chance of a frustrating first period into the Metz wall, before PSG finally got on the scoresheet five minutes after half-time.

Lee Kang-in cut inside and found Vitinha whose volley from close-range put the home side 1-0 in front.

Mbappe might have hardly been in the game but he still rose to the occasion when it mattered, unleashing a 25-yard rocket on the hour that gave Oukidja no chance.

Just when the hosts looked set to cruise to victory, Metz gave them something to think about as Udol headed home to reduce the deficit, then the buoyant visitors forced a succession of corners.

But PSG were still carrying plenty of threat and they effectively sealed the win in the 83rd minute when Mbappe pounced on a poor back pass to lift the ball over the Metz keeper.

To round off a memorable night for Mbappe, his 16-year-old brother Ethan made his debut from the substitutes’ bench in the final moments.

Curtis Jones’ double and strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah eased Liverpool into a record 19th League Cup semi-final with a 5-1 win over West Ham.

After Sunday’s disappointing goalless draw against Manchester United, the first time Jurgen Klopp’s side had failed to win at home this season, ended a run of 34 successive matches with a goal the Hammers provided less stubborn resistance.

West Ham manager David Moyes departed after a 21st unsuccessful attempt to win at Anfield as his club’s woeful record at the ground extended to one win in the last 56.

Rangers moved to within two points of cinch Premiership leaders Celtic with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man St Johnstone at Ibrox.

Philippe Clement, who had picked up his first trophy as Rangers boss on Sunday after the 1-0 Viaplay Cup final win over Aberdeen at Hampden Park, watched helplessly as luckless striker Kemar Roofe went off after just 16 minutes with another injury.

However, replacement Cyriel Dessers fired the Light Blues ahead in the 28th minute before Saints forward Diallang Jaiyesimi was almost immediately sent off for a hefty challenge on midfielder John Lundstram following a VAR intervention.

The dominant Light Blues doubled their lead in the 84th minute with a penalty from skipper James Tavernier, who had scored the winner at Hampden, and Rangers moved tantalisingly closer to the Hoops with a game in hand.

As expected Clement shuffled his pack again.

Kieran Dowell made just his third start of the season in midfield as John Souttar, Ridvan Yilmaz, Sam Lammers and Roofe made up the five changes from the starting line-up at Hampden while Saints boss Craig Levein brought back Andy Considine, Oludare Olufunwa and Sven Sprangler.

After barely a minute of a strangely low-key start to the match, Souttar required a lengthy spell of treatment for a facial injury after clashing with Max Kucheriavyi but there was more distressing injury news soon on its way for the home side.

Roofe, making his first start since October 8, had a couple of attempts on goal before he had to go off and the striker looked distraught, with Dessers taking over.

Rangers had the bulk of possession with the game played in the Perth side’s half but the Saints defence looked organised and disciplined until Olufunwa missed a cross from Tavernier which allowed Dessers to knock the ball past goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov and a VAR check confirmed there was no offside.

Almost straight from kick-off Jaiyesimi crunched Lundstram and VAR checked for serious foul play after referee Alan Muir gave the Englishman, on loan from Charlton, a yellow card.

The official checked the pitchside monitor and upgraded the yellow to a red, with Chris Kane soon coming on for Sprangler as Levein reshuffled.

Mitov saved a decent drive from Dessers in the 36th minute and Tavernier fired wide of the far post in added time but there was no sustained pressure on the Saints goal.

Lundstram stayed inside at the interval – where Santa got cheered from the Light Blues fans when he came out with the Viaplay Cup – with Dujon Sterling taking over and within minutes Rangers attacker Abdallah Sima volleyed a Tavernier corner just past the post before Mitov made a series of fine saves from Lammers, twice, and Dessers.

Sima missed the target with another effort in the 66th minute before being replaced by Scott Wright with Todd Cantwell on for Lammers.

There were further efforts from Cantwell and Tavernier before Mitov clearly brought down Dessers inside the box with the Rangers captain slamming the spot-kick low into the corner.

It hasn’t taken long for Lorne Donaldson to secure a new job. The former Reggae Girlz head coach has been appointed head coach Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Donaldson previously coached Jamaica's women's national team, which he led to their historic run to the knockout rounds in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The 68-year-old Donaldson has coached various youth teams from club level to international level. He spent time as Jamaica's U17 head coach and was a U20 and full national team assistant before being named fulltime head coach of the Reggae Girlz.

"Lorne is the right person to lead us next season," said newly appointed club president Karen Leetzow. "Lorne's experiences as a decorated player and as a winning coach on the youth, professional, and international level will be invaluable for our players, coaches, and staff who have the opportunity to learn from him."

Donaldson’s whose contract was inexplicably not renewed following the success of the Jamaica senior women’s team expressed his delight at being selected to lead the Red Stars.

"I'm excited to work with this talented team that includes some of the NWSL's best players to turn the Chicago Red Stars into a championship club both on and off the pitch," said Donaldson. "I look forward to partnering with Laura Ricketts and Karen Leetzow, who are committed to creating a culture of excellence and accountability. What I have most enjoyed in my career is coaching elite athletes and helping them reach and exceed their fullest potential."

Bojan Miovski scored twice as Aberdeen came from behind to beat Livingston 2-1 and pick up a valuable three points in the cinch Premiership.

Livingston had failed to score in their previous seven matches, but ended that run as Kurtis Guthrie turned home from close range.

But Miovski netted either a goal in each half to earn the hosts a second successive league win, which moved them eight points clear of their rock-bottom opponents.

The Dons – looking to move on quickly from Sunday’s League Cup final defeat to Rangers – had the first effort of the match, but American midfielder Dante Polvara curled narrowly over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Livi responded strongly, with Jamie Brandon’s deep cross finding the head of Joel Nouble at the back post, but Kelle Roos was untroubled in the Aberdeen goal.

Aberdeen went closer when Graeme Shinnie’s low shot from range seemed to squirt off the Pittodrie turf and came back off the inside of the post before rolling away for a goal-kick.

But they were shocked in the 28th minute when Livingston ended what had been a seven-game scoreless streak.

The Dons defence failed to deal with a deep throw-in, allowing Ayo Obileye to turn the ball back across goal where Guthrie was perfectly placed to turn home from close range.

They could have been 2-0 ahead 10 minutes later as Scott Pittman turned neatly before firing towards goal, but Roos was equal to the effort.

Aberdeen hauled themselves level three minutes from the interval.

A patient move saw them work their way up the right flank, before Nicky Devlin whipped in a cross and Miovski powered a header past Shamal George in the Livi goal.

George was beaten again on the stroke of half-time as Miovski turned home a neat poacher’s effort after a free-kick from the right, but an offside flag ruled the goal out.

Aberdeen started the second period at a greater tempo, and Richard Jensen saw an effort from distance comfortably held by George.

James McGarry was also denied by the Livingston keeper before Miovski netted his second in the 65th minute.

Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes twisted and turned on the left before drilling a low ball to the near post, where Miovski got in front of his man to turn home his 14th goal of the campaign.

Livi threatened to draw level through former Don Bruce Anderson, just two minutes after coming off the bench, but the striker placed his shot narrowly wide of the post with only Roos to beat.

And at the other end, Miovski was unlucky not to add a third for the home side with a neat flick that was well saved by George.

Harry Kane produced a long-range stunner to help Bayern Munich close out 2023 with a 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.

Kane fired home from 25 yards in the 43rd minute for his 21st Bundesliga goal of the season to put Thomas Tuchel’s side in control after Jamal Musiala opened the scoring on his landmark appearance.

Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time with a fine strike of his own, but Niko Kovac’s men were unable to take points off his former side Bayern, who stayed second and four points behind Bayer Leverkusen going into the mid-season break.

Tuchel could only name six substitutes at Volkswagen Arena and remained without Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich.

It was actually Wolfsburg who made the stronger start with Manuel Neuer forced to deny Mattias Svanberg early on, but it was not a sign of things to come.

Kane got his first sight of goal soon after although failed to connect sufficiently enough with his attempted volley as Bayern tried to stamp their authority on proceedings.

The visitors dominated possession and should have broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, but Thomas Muller failed to find the net with two efforts after Leroy Sane’s centre.

Muller, fresh from signing a new contract on Tuesday, headed against the crossbar minutes later before he turned provider with 33 minutes on the clock.

Bayern’s experienced attacker cut inside and produced a superb cross with his left foot that Musiala headed home to mark his 100th Bundesliga appearance in style.

A second assist followed for Muller 10 minutes later, but it was all about Kane as he curled into the top corner from range for his 25th goal in all competitions this season before he celebrated by sliding towards the corner flag.

It was not a perfect half for Tuchel though after Wolfsburg reduced the deficit in stoppage time when Arnold’s swerving effort beat Neuer from long range.

Wolfsburg pressed for a second after the break and had penalty appeals turned down when Svanberg went down in the area following contact from Kim Min-Jae, but play was waved on.

Tuchel reacted soon after with Matthijs de Ligt introduced for his first appearance since November 1 following a knee injury.

Raphael Guerreiro could have sealed the points with 16 minutes left, but his close-range shot was blocked.

Wolfsburg did fashion one late opportunity and Neuer punched away Arnold’s speculative effort.

Sergi Roberto came to Barcelona’s rescue with a brace to finally see off rock-bottom Almeria 3-2 as the LaLiga champions returned to winning ways.

The hosts looked set to stretch their winless run to four games in all competitions after twice being pegged back by opponents still in search of their first league win of the season.

But the 31-year-old latched on to a through-ball from Robert Lewandowski in the 83rd minute to grab the points which take his side back within four points of second-placed Real Madrid.

Xavi’s men were overwhelming favourites as they aimed to shrug off their recent poor run, and they started on top.

Joao Felix floated a free-kick just over the crossbar then Sergi Roberto saw his first chance well saved by busy Almeria goalkeeper Luis Maximiano.

Joao Cancelo was next up with an effort that he drilled straight at the keeper, before Fermin Lopez headed over from Ilkay Gundogan’s pinpoint cross.

Sergi Roberto blasted over from long-range on the half-hour mark before Barca finally made their seemingly inevitable breakthrough three minutes later when Ronald Araujo’s deflected effort fell to Raphinha who fired it into an empty net.

Lewandowski almost doubled Barcelona’s lead before Almeria snatched their chance to level four minutes before the break, Leo Baptistao lofting the ball over advancing Barca keeper Inaki Pena and surviving a VAR check.

Baptistao had a chance to put his side in front before the break but dragged an effort wide and normal service resumed early in the second period with substitute Ferran Torres and Lewandowski both denied.

Sergi Roberto grabbed his opener on the hour when he met Raphinha’s corner with a header at the near post to put Barcelona back in front.

But the lead lasted barely 10 minutes before the hosts were undone by a calamitous error by Pena, who dropped the ball in a collision with Araujo, allowing the alert Edgar Gonzalez to slide it into an empty net.

The hosts responded well, Araujo making up for his part in the equaliser by heading just wide, before Gundogan contrived to somehow miss his chance with the goal at his mercy.

Sergi Roberto finally grabbed what proved to be the decider in the 83rd minute when he ran on to Lewandowski’s ball through the middle to seal three hard-earned points.

Lewandowski almost added a fourth and the captain was denied a hat-trick deep into added time when his effort rattled back off the woodwork.

Last weekend’s abandoned fixture between Bournemouth and Luton will be replayed in full, the Premier League has announced.

Hatters skipper Tom Lockyer collapsed in the 59th minute of Saturday’s match after he suffered a cardiac arrest, which resulted in the game being abandoned.

The Premier League board has decided to replay the match in full, but no date for the fixture has been agreed yet.

“Following the on-field medical emergency involving Luton Town FC player Tom Lockyer, the Premier League Board has decided last Saturday’s AFC Bournemouth v Luton Town FC fixture will be replayed in full,” a Premier League statement read.

“The game will be rescheduled for later in the season, with a date to be confirmed following consultation with relevant parties.

“The decision to abandon the match in the 59th minute was made collectively between the match officials, players, managers from both clubs and the Premier League.

“The league would like to thank the medical staff and all those involved for their swift actions in responding to what was an extremely upsetting situation for everyone. We wish Tom a continued recovery and our thoughts are with him, his family and all those at Luton Town FC.”

Luton revealed on Sunday that Lockyer remained in hospital undergoing tests and scans, but said they would not provide a “running commentary” on the health of their defender.

Paramedics and staff, including Luton manager Rob Edwards, immediately sprinted to Lockyer’s aid when he collapsed in the second half of a game that was level at 1-1.

Players left the pitch as the 29-year-old was being treated but returned to applaud the crowd after the Premier League announced the match had been abandoned.

Lockyer had surgery to correct an atrial fibrillation in June after collapsing during Luton’s Championship play-off final win against Coventry.

He returned to action for the start of the new season and had made 15 appearances in all competitions before Saturday’s match.

Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps has expressed her frustration at untrue speculation regarding her future.

The 30-year-old capped an incredible 2023 by being voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year on Tuesday night.

She helped England reach the World Cup final and saved a penalty in the showpiece match from Jenni Hermoso. The Lionesses were beaten 1-0, but Earps was voted goalkeeper of the tournament, having been named the best in her position in the world for 2022.

She also kept 14 clean sheets as United finished second in the Women’s Super League, but there are question marks surrounding her club future, with Earps out of contract at the end of the season.

She insisted in the afterglow of her BBC success that the time was not quite right to discuss her future, but she has been angered by reports which claimed she wanted to leave United before the start of the season.

“I don’t really want to talk too much about it tonight because I want to celebrate this win, but what I will say is there is a lot of stuff that’s been put out there that isn’t true,” she said.

“I’ve remained quiet for a reason. I feel I’ve behaved really professionally and with a lot of integrity through this whole situation.

“What I will say is that I play with heart and passion in everything I do and I drive standards.

“A lot of stuff that’s been put out isn’t true. I want to say more, but I can’t at this stage and it’s really hard for me to sit quiet when I see a lot of things that are not right. I think it’s an injustice, but I know the appropriate thing to do is focus on my football and see what happens from there.”

Earps has been linked with following her former United team-mate Alessia Russo to Arsenal and also with a move to Barcelona.

Earps’ BBC award also came in the same year where she successfully challenged Nike to produce replicas of her England goalkeeper jersey.

Asked if she thought other brands would now follow suit, she said: “I’d like to think so. I’ve obviously had that commitment from Nike that it will never happen again.

“For me it’s the principle of making people happy and the messaging that was being sent out was really damaging. Now you don’t have that. People can be whatever they want to be.

“Representation and visibility is so important. The fact that young girls and adults – whoever want the shirts – can have access to them. People might be complaining now that there’s not enough, but I’ll absolutely take that complaint over there being none any day of the week.”

Earps’ ascent is all the more incredible given she was considering her international future after being left out of the England team for almost two years before Sarina Wiegman named her in her first squad in September 2021.

“I made my peace with the fact I would never be an England player again,” Earps said.

“That was where it was for me. It was the facts. It took a while for me to come to terms with that. It’s a hard pill to swallow when it’s all you’ve ever dreamed of.

“Sometimes you give it your all and you’re just not quite good enough, but luckily Sarina Wiegman came in and saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself.”

A decision in the European Super League case, which could shape the future of continental club football for decades to come, is set to be delivered on Thursday.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice must decide whether UEFA and FIFA acted against competition law by blocking the formation of the European Super League in 2021 and then seeking to sanction the clubs involved.

A non-binding decision delivered by the Advocate General in the case last December found rules allowing UEFA to have prior approval of new competitions were compatible with EU law.

The original 2021 Super League proposal was criticised for its ‘closed’ format, with 15 founder clubs set to have been immune from relegation.

A22, a company formed to assist in the creation of that competition, has now drafted revised plans for a multi-division event featuring 60 to 80 teams, which it insists, crucially, will be open to all.

The company will hope that the judgement forces sports federations like UEFA to use non-discriminatory criteria when assessing new entrants to the market, which would open the door for A22 to try again.

“Tomorrow is UEFA Judgment Day,” an A22 post published on X on Wednesday read.

“After almost 70 years as the sole regulator, gatekeeper and dominant commercial operator of the European football market, UEFA’s monopoly may finally end! We are on the threshold of a new, better era for #EuropeanClubFootball.”

There are many obstacles in A22’s path even if the judgement suggests it does have the right to pitch a new competition to UEFA that can operate under UEFA’s auspices, and for UEFA to give that competition full and fair consideration.

Crucially, is there a will from any club outside of original architects Real Madrid and Barcelona to be involved?

In September, the European Club Association, which features 500 clubs either as members or within its network, signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA which runs until July 2030.

Within the MoU is an undertaking that the ECA “ensure that none of its member clubs participate in any competition that is not organised or recognised by UEFA or FIFA”.

A22’s claim that UEFA is the dominant commercial operator is at least challenged by the existence of the Joint Venture between UEFA and ECA which oversees all marketing and commercial matters related to the Champions League and UEFA’s other club competitions. Each organisation has seven members on the JV’s board.

In England, the Premier League has just announced a new domestic television rights deal worth £6.7billion. If there is any risk that the competition A22 proposes that could kill or even harm that golden goose, it is difficult to picture any English club supporting it.

Clubs are also set to be forbidden from joining unapproved competitions as a licensing condition to be set by the English game’s new independent regulator, while the Premier League’s Owners’ Charter agreed in 2022 also contains undertakings not to “engage in the creation of new competition formats outside of the Premier League’s rules”.

In France, it has been reported that an investment into the domestic game from CVC contains a compensation clause should a French club participate in any Super League, while German club ownership structures provide a major obstacle.

That is all before considering another crucial element – the fans.

Supporters in England took to the streets despite coronavirus restrictions when the initial Super League plans became known, and played a key part in its collapse.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund fans have also expressed strong opposition in the past.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a member of Bayern’s supervisory board and a former ECA chairman, issued some scathing comments about Super League in an interview with Italian news outlet Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday.

Asked what would happen if the ECJ authorised the Super League in its entirety, Rummenigge said: “It wouldn’t go far. Thirty years ago the system would have embraced novelty, now it is different.

“The English, Germans and French would never participate. I also believe the Italians and the Spanish (would not), unless there is some president who thinks of going to bed and waking up the next day covered by gold.”

The Grand Chamber judgement’s interpretation of EU law will be passed back to a Madrid commercial court to make a decision, after the Spanish jurisdiction made the referral in 2021.

That court also placed an injunction on sanctions UEFA imposed on the nine clubs who joined Super League but who later withdrew. It remains to be seen whether UEFA will press on with those sanctions, and potentially investigate more serious charges against Real and Barcelona.

New Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo wants to build on Steve Cooper’s legacy at the City Ground.

The Portuguese has returned to English football after two years away following Cooper’s sacking on Tuesday, which came after a run of one win in 13 Premier League games.

Cooper was the man to end Forest’s 23-year exile from the top flight, taking them from the bottom of the Championship to promotion in nine months, while also delivering generation-defining runs in the FA Cup and League Cup.

And Nuno, who says that owner Evangelos Marinakis has not put any expectations on him, wants to be the man to take the club to the next level.

“We didn’t mark ourselves to expectations. That’s a day-to-day process,” he said of his conversation with Marinakis.

“What he told me was that what Steve did here is huge. Getting Forest back in the Premier League is fantastic work. We are trying to improve his legacy, which is amazing.

“What Steve did here at Forest is amazing – getting Forest back in the Premier League and keeping Forest in the Premier League.

“It’s normal (to have that popularity) and it shows how good Forest fans are with the respect they showed Steve even when things weren’t going well. That says a lot about our fans.”

Nuno returns to work after leaving Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in November and takes over at Forest with the club five points above the relegation zone.

His last job in English football was at Tottenham, where he lasted just 10 games before being sacked.

He says he has no regrets about his time in north London and has learned from his time there and a more successful spell at Wolves.

“No, no regrets, it happened,” he said. “It was a pleasure to be at Spurs. Things didn’t go well so we move forwards. But no regrets.

“We learn everything, ourselves everything, you learn everything every day. Different situations.

“What we did in Wolves is totally different to what happened at Tottenham. In Saudi Arabia it was a new experience for me, new learning process for me, new culture, so we are always learning.

“I think we have to prove ourselves every day, as players, as coaches, everybody, it is a constant pressure to prove.

“What I expect is to help, try to transmit my knowledge and work ethic.”

Carlo Ancelotti has lauded the “special” job his Real Madrid players are doing this season ahead of their trip to Deportivo Alaves in LaLiga on Thursday.

Madrid, sitting in second, have added David Alaba to their now six-man long injury list after the Austrian international damaged a cruciate ligament.

And Ancelotti praised his available players for challenging Girona at the top of the table and called for them to finish 2023 on a high.

“We want to keep up the good momentum we’ve had in the last few games, get the three points and finish this 2023 campaign on a high note.” Ancelotti said.

“It’s a very complicated moment of the season.

“Fortunately, I have the players to thank for pulling through. It’s not that we’re doing a special job, we have to invent something, but what is special is what this squad is doing at such a tough time.”

Alaba’s serious knee injury comes after both Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois suffering the same injury this season.

Ancelotti admitted the nature of cruciate ligament damage is horrific and shed some light on when Militao and Courtois could return to action.

He added: “The cruciate injury is an horrific injury. You can’t prevent it.

“Players who haven’t had any knee problems have had this injury. It’s something you can’t control. It’s different from muscle injuries, which can be caused by fatigue.

“Let’s see what happens in the second half of the season. In March or April we may be thinking that Militao or Courtois could come back if everything goes well with their respective recoveries.”

The Real Madrid boss hinted that the club may dip into the transfer market during January to add centre-back options.

He said: “We have spoken to the club and we will evaluate it over the next few days. We have time because the January transfer window ends on the 31st.

“We will look for the best possible solution, but for now we’re not in a hurry. We will try to finish the year well with tomorrow’s game and then we have time to make the best possible decision.”

Brentford and Aston Villa have been charged by the Football Association over the scenes late in their Premier League clash on Sunday.

Tensions boiled over after Ollie Watkins put Villa ahead in the 85th minute and celebrated in front of his former club’s fans, while Boubacar Kamara was sent off in injury time following a scuffle involving several players.

Both teams have been charged with failing to ensure their players and staff did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way at those two points during Villa’s 2-1 win and have until Friday to respond.

Explaining his celebration, Watkins told Sky Sports: “It was a feisty game and it spurred from my celebrations after I scored.

“That’s not down to the lack of respect to the Brentford fans but there was one individual who was abusing me all game so I felt like it was only right to celebrate in front of him. It was directed to him and that caused a reaction in the last 15 minutes.”

Villa backed Watkins, saying on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter: “Aston Villa FC wants to express its support for Ollie Watkins and, with the utmost respect for the big majority of Brentford fans and for the club, we ask the authorities to investigate this incident to find this individual.

“Zero tolerance to abuse in football.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said on Monday that officers would make contact with both clubs.

Referee David Coote showed 10 yellow cards to players in total, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Villa boss Unai Emery also cautioned, while Ben Mee was sent off for a rash challenge in a separate incident.

Emery was unhappy with his players’ conduct, saying: “Our behaviour is usually fantastic but today it was not good and I need to explain to the players how we should react when under pressure and in circumstances.

“We don’t want this behaviour. There were two red cards in a very tight result and I think we were under pressure and were trying to control our minds.”

Crystal Palace captain Joel Ward is set for a spell on the sidelines but the defender’s absence has been offset by the imminent return of Ebere Eze.

Ward was forced off after little more than half-an-hour of the Eagles’ 2-2 draw against Manchester City and must be replaced for Thursday’s home Premier League clash against Brighton.

Boss Roy Hodgson did not offer details but told a press conference: “Joel Ward, as I think everyone knows, picked up an injury, unfortunately, last weekend. He’s had a scan, so we will be missing him for a while. So that is a new injury concern.”

Eighteen-year-old David Ozoh impressed off the bench and could get the chance to continue in the side, while Eze, who ended a three-week lay off with an 89th-minute cameo against City, is pushing to reclaim his place in the starting XI.

“The ones who have been injured are making good progress. Ebere Eze is coming on very well. He is on the cusp, really, and it’s a decision we will have to make over the course of the next few hours (on Wednesday).

“We have had a real (fitness) boost over the last couple of weeks with the emergence of a couple of younger players.

“When given the chance to get on the field, which has happened with the amount of injuries, they have also given us great hope and belief that the future is going to be bright for the club and the team.

“But of course, the immediate future is most concerning and tomorrow night we want to get back to winning ways if we can.”

Palace have not won since November 4, taking just two points from the last 18 on offer, but goalkeeper Dean Henderson was thrilled to help bank a point against City, playing his part with a series of important saves.

Now the 26-year-old is eager to deliver three points when he lines up in front of the home fans at Selhurst Park for the first time.

“It’s been a long year for me, so I’m just delighted to put on the Palace colours. Thanks to all the fans for supporting me,” he told the club’s official website.

“There’s one place to get sharp and that’s in the Etihad goalmouth! It’s nice to get a few saves in there. Now we’re at home. We’ve got to attack the game and have a right go at them (Brighton).

“Obviously, we know they’re a good team, but it’s a derby and the lads will be right up for it. Hopefully the atmosphere can pull us through. We’ve had some tough results, but we’ve just got to keep going and keep fighting for each other.”

Trinidad and Tobago's Tyrese Spicer says he is ready to prove his worth and surprise Major League Soccer (MLS) rivals, after he was selected as the number one overall draft pick by Toronto FC during the MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday.

The former Secondary Schools Football League’s (SSFL) top goal-scorer, who represented St Mary's College and St Augustine Secondary, joins Toronto after a season in which he scored 14 goals and provided three assists in just 16 games for Lipscomb University.