However, together with Atalanta as a whole, Lookman’s form has dropped off in 2025 and he has not managed a single assist this year, although he has still added eight goals.
Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United
A Michael Olise masterclass helped Crystal Palace complete a first ever Premier League double over Manchester United and inflict further misery on Erik ten Hag’s team with a 4-0 drubbing in south London.
Olise has been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford and run amok at Selhurst Park with a dazzling display, scoring twice to move on to nine goals in 12 league starts this season.
Two sparkling efforts by Olise in the 12th and 66th minutes bookended this latest superb result for Oliver Glasner’s side, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also on target to make it four wins in five for Palace.
It was another sorry display for Ten Hag, though, with Jonny Evans and Casemiro given a torrid night.
Injury-hit United have won only two of their last 10 league matches and could be set for a lowest ever Premier League finish.
United had dropped to eighth after wins for Newcastle and Chelsea at the weekend, while the club’s injury list increased with Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes not available for this clash.
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Evans was fit enough to start, but he endured a nervy opening and had to block an early Olise shot after his own poor clearance before Palace wanted a penalty when Evans challenged Mitchell in the area.
Referee Jarred Gillett, who was wearing a small camera for this fixture to help provide insight into the demands of top-level officiating, ignored the appeals.
However, Ten Hag’s side did not heed the warning of how dangerous Olise can be as he broke the deadlock in the 12th minute.
Olise skipped away from Christian Eriksen and left Casemiro sprawled on the floor by the centre circle before he drilled a shot into the bottom corner, having been given the freedom of Selhurst Park by United’s backpedalling defence
It was a wonderful effort from Olise, but one to forgot for the visitors and a sign of things to come.
Two more Olise efforts were repelled, one accidentally by his team-mate Mateta before Andre Onana saved after another fine Palace move.
A brief response occurred from United with a free-kick by Eriksen deflected over and they had the ball in the net through a Casemiro header after 27 minutes, but it was ruled out as Rasmus Hojlund had barged into Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
It looked the correct decision, although Ten Hag appeared bemused when in discussion with fourth official Graham Scott on the touchline.
Five minutes before half-time and United’s bank holiday trip to the capital went from bad to worse.
Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards combined and the latter passed into Mateta, who sped away from Evans far too easily and unleashed a powerful strike into the roof of the net for his eighth goal in nine appearances.
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United had to wait until the 51st minute to have their first shot on target, but Antony’s 22-yard curler was routine for Henderson.
Casemiro had another goal ruled out 60 seconds later when he knocked in the rebound after heading against a post. The makeshift centre-back had drifted offside before Eriksen’s free-kick.
Those fleeting forays for United only momentarily interrupted the Olise show as his skill should have resulted in a third for Palace, but Eze curled wide.
Mitchell was next to go close as Onana thwarted his near-post effort before Will Hughes had a half-volley clawed away.
United’s respite did not last long as a perfectly-weighted chipped pass by Adam Wharton found Joachim Andersen, who teed up Mitchell for a 58th-minute tap-in.
Not long after Hojlund had calls for a spot-kick turned down, Olise made it 4-0 with 24 minutes left.
Daniel Munoz was too strong for Casemiro and teed up Olise, who brilliantly curled beyond Onana from 16 yards before he celebrated with Glasner.
There would be no hat-trick for Olise as he was replaced in the 85th minute and United avoided further embarrassment in stoppage time when Odsonne Edouard hit a post on a night to remember for Palace.
Taiwo Awoniyi out of induced coma, begins recovery
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is out of an induced coma and recovering steadily following emergency surgery on an abdominal injury sustained in a frightening collision with the goalpost during Sunday’s clash against Leicester City.
The Nigerian forward underwent a procedure on Monday night, with doctors placing him in a medically induced coma to limit movement and regulate his heart rate. While the injury was not considered life-threatening, the precautionary measure was taken to aid his recovery.
According to Mail Online, the second stage of the procedure was completed on Wednesday, and Awoniyi is now awake and recuperating in hospital, surrounded by family.
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In the aftermath, Nottingham Forest issued a strongly worded statement defending club owner Evangelos Marinakis, who stormed onto the pitch after the match.
The club clarified that the severity of Awoniyi’s injury prompted his reaction and dismissed reports claiming he confronted manager Nuno Espírito Santo as “fake news.”
Liverpool eye Ademola Lookman in stunning swap deal
Liverpool are reportedly considering a sensational swap deal that would see Nigeria International Ademola Lookman and his Italian counterpart Federico Chiesa change clubs.
Italian media outlet, Quotidiano Sportivo, claimed that Chiesa is likely to leave Liverpool and return to Serie A after a miserable first season at Anfield. Despite picking up a Premier League winners’ medial, Chiesa barely featured at all – making just five league appearances totalling 41 minutes, all of them from the substitutes bench.
Incidentally, Liverpool are among the clubs who are big fans of Atalanta’s star Lookman, and the report further claimed that the Reds could consider a swap deal that sees the Nigerian move to Anfield in exchange for cash plus Chiesa.
The African Footballer of the Year is expected to leave Atalanta at the end of the season if the Italian club receives a suitable offer believed to be around €60 million.
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Lookman has been heavily linked with virtually every top team in Europe over the past months.
A return to the Premier League is believed to be the likeliest destination for the 27-year-old, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle all interested. Barcelona and PSG are also big fans.
Earlier this year, Lookman was crowned African Footballer of the Year and finished 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or race after a stunning 2024.
He scored a legendary hat trick for Atalanta in the 3-0 Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen last May. He hit 27 goal contributions for the season before taking that brilliant form into the 2024/2025 season.
In the first half of the season he was arguably the best player in Serie A, as Atalanta looked a good bet for the Scudetto.
However, together with Atalanta as a whole, Lookman’s form has dropped off in 2025 and he has not managed a single assist this year, although he has still added eight goals.
Awoniyi in induced coma after surgery on abdominal injury
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma after having the first phase of surgery on a serious abdominal injury.
The Nigeria international, 27, collided with the post in the 88th minute of the 2-2 draw against Leicester at the City Ground on Sunday as he attempted to get on the end of a cross from Anthony Elanga.
He had surgery on Monday night and remains in hospital, with the rest of the procedure set to be completed on Wednesday.
In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Forest said Awoniyi was “recovering well” following the operation.
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After the incident on Sunday, he received treatment on the pitch and was able to continue but was visibly struggling when the match restarted.
Awoniyi, who joined Forest from Union Berlin in June 2022, had only been on the pitch for five minutes, having come on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis took to the field after the game to express his concern to manager Nuno Espirito Santo over how Awoniyi’s injury was handled.
Marinakis is being kept updated on the forward’s condition.
On Tuesday, Forest said that Awoniyi’s injury was “a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game and why a player’s health and wellbeing must always come first”.
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