A key reason is they are rapidly running out of ways to defend themselves if Iran's counter-attack continues. Iran's neighbours, like the UAE, have been remarkably effective at shooting down Iranian missiles and drones. But the expenditure is not financially, or logistically, sustainable. An analysis by Kirsty Grieco, a security expert at the Stimson Centre in Washington DC, found the UAE had shot down an impressive 92% of Iranian missiles and drones including 165 ballistic missiles, 541 Shahed drones, and two cruise missiles. 👉Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app👈 Assuming it used its American-made Patriot or THAAD missile batteries - one of the few ground-based interceptor systems capable of downing Iran's ballistic missiles - it is a high price compared with Iran's. A single patriot missile costs between $4-5m (export prices can be significantly higher), while an Iranian ballistic missile costs just $1-2m. And when it comes to targeting Iran's drones, the economics get even more dismal. 'The maths clearly favours Iran' Grieco estimates Iran spent in the region of $11m to $27m on the 541 drones it launched on the UAE, with interceptors averaging $500,000-$1.5m per drone to shoot down 506 of them. The UAE's drone defence costs were between $253m and $759m, suggesting it spent 20 to 30 times more defending itself against Iran's drones than it cost the attacker launching them. "The maths clearly favours Iran in this strategy of attrition because we don't know exactly how many Shahed drones they might have in their stockpiles," said Grieco. "But it's much larger than the combined total of the stockpile of interceptor missiles that are available." The race is on The pressure that puts on the US and its allies may also now be influencing their tactical response. "We're now seeing sort of a race between Israel and the US trying to locate this drone infrastructure, to try to destroy it, to reduce the pressure on these interceptors, versus Iran trying to keep it an active, a mobile and active threat, and to be able to sustain this longer," said Grieco. It's being reported that allies in the Middle East asking the US to replenish their supplies are being "stonewalled" by the Pentagon. While the US military can bear the financial costs of its campaign, its ammunition stockpiles may not. Trump said yesterday the US attack on Iran could last four to five weeks. But does he have the resources to do that? 'Long-term strategic risk' Leaks from the Pentagon ahead of the assault indicated it had resources for an attack lasting only a week or two at most. Analysts estimate that the US military may deploy up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles on ships and submarines sent to Iran. That's around 10% of the estimated 4,000 Tomahawks in the US military’s arsenal. Stockpiles of its THAAD interceptor missiles are also thought be depleted. The US launched 150 THAAD missiles in its attack on Iran last June - about a quarter of its total inventory of 632. Read more from Sky News:AI could be giving US lethal edgeIran 'made a mistake' targeting civilians While the Pentagon has moved to increase production of these and other missiles, replacement could take two or three years. "We are using these interceptors at a rate that's much faster than you can possibly replace them," said Grieco. "The US can choose to buy down short-term risk in the Middle East [by] devoting more interceptors to the conflict. "The problem is that increases your long-term strategic risk. Particularly in other theatres because not only can you not replace these interceptors overnight, you can't even replace them necessarily this year." America's watchful adversaries If the conflict continues, the financial and logistical asymmetry of combating Iran's drones is a deadly one for Iran's neighbours. For the US, it's less existential - it can sail away from the Middle East once it has run out of ammo. However, America's other enemies will be counting the rounds fired in this conflict, too. What's to stop a "peer adversary" like China launching an attack on Taiwan, for example, if it knows the US won't have the munitions to prevent it?

He was also disqualified from driving for 17 years. The grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, failed to stop after his BMW struck 20-year-old Yubin Tamang last October. Clarke-Samuel, 41, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in Ilford, northeast London. Mr Tamang, who had come to the UK from Nepal to study, died in hospital from his injuries two days after the crash. Speaking after the sentencing, a spokesperson for Mr Tamang's parents said: "We speak today with hearts broken beyond repair. "Our only child, a precious soul has been taken from us far too soon. He came to the UK to study and create a better life for himself and his family. Justin Clarke-Samuel has stolen our son's future and ours with it. "We are relieved that Justin Clarke-Samuel pleaded guilty and that he has now been jailed, but we can never forgive him for what he has done." The victim's mother, Sharmila Tamang, had earlier broken down in court, describing the "extreme pain" and "unimaginable sense of loss" of losing her only child. Evidence showed that Clarke-Samuel, 41, was driving his BMW M5 at 74mph in a 30mph zone moments before he hit Mr Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane at 11.33pm on 18 October. Clarke-Samuel then failed to stop at the scene. As the judge summarised the case, Clarke-Samuel, who was dressed all in black, sat in the dock with his eyes closed. He showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down. He has been in custody since a preliminary appearance at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on 27 October. Judge Mark Lucraft KC told Clarke-Samuel that CCTV footage showed a "quite appalling litany of incidents" leading up to the fatal collision which he described as "simply shocking". After the crash, Clarke-Samuel had continued to drive for eight miles before going home and having six or seven shots of Ciroc vodka and a "cannabis cookie", the court heard. When he was arrested several hours later, the BMW was found parked near his home, with significant damage including a smashed windscreen, extensive marks on the bonnet, damage to the front bumper and a missing wing mirror cover. The court was told the defendant had claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him, but no evidence of a pursuit was found on CCTV. The judge noted Clarke-Samuel's "genuine remorse" and previous good work in the community, saying: "Your music has provided you with a following and a significant financial reward... I acknowledge that you have used that to good effect and done much to support many others." He went on to say it was a "real shame" that "all that good work is marred by driving in drink and taking the life of another young man". Ghetts describes his 'extreme regret, shame and remorse' Speaking for the defence, Benjamin Aina KC, told the court that Clarke-Samuel had written a letter in which he expressed his remorse for his actions on that night. Mr Aina said the father-of-two wanted to apologise to "the family of Mr Tamang, the community at large, to his own family, and to the court for his actions on that Saturday night of October last year". Reading an extract from Clarke-Samuel's letter, Mr Aina said: "I write from a place of extreme regret, shame and remorse… I cannot express the enormous feeling of guilt and shame for the suffering I have caused." The letter went on: "I want Mr Tamang's family to know that I am so truly sorry. I offer no excuses, and I have let my family and community down." Erratic driving and a further collision The court was shown CCTV footage of Clarke-Samuel driving erratically through the streets of London and showed the moment Mr Tamang was hit by the car. Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court Clarke-Samuel's vehicle had thrown Mr Tamang into the air before he crashed to the ground in the road. Mr McGee said Mr Tamang was hit at 67mph, more than double the permitted maximum speed in that area. The court was also told Clarke-Samuel had been involved in a collision with a Mercedes on the same night, and had narrowly avoided striking a cyclist. In December, Clarke-Samuel admitted a charge of dangerous driving in Tavistock Place, in the Bloomsbury area of central London, and on other roads in Camden, Islington and Hackney ahead of the crash. The court heard that Clarke-Samuel has 12 previous convictions for 27 offences, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, dating back to 2000. Speaking outside the court after the sentencing, Shani Taggart, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Justin Clarke-Samuel knew he was in no fit state to drive and there was clear evidence of his excessive speed and disregard for road users as he drove incredibly dangerously across our city. "After presenting this evidence, we secured guilty pleas to these two charges and today's sentence will see Clarke-Samuel face the consequences of his fatal decision to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking." Detective Sergeant Faye Cook, who led the Met's investigation, said: "We hope today's sentencing brings some measure of comfort to Yubin's family, while also serving as a reminder to the public of the devastating consequences of dangerous driving." Who is Ghetts? The rapper and songwriter, a two-time Mercury Prize nominee, has collaborated on tracks with Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, and performed at Glastonbury several times, including in 2024. He won best male act at the 2021 MOBO Awards and received the MOBO pioneer award in 2024. He also starred as a gang leader called Krazy in the Netflix sci-fi series Supacell about five black south Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers.

An emergency brake is being placed on study visas for people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, while work visas have also been stopped for Afghans. It's the first time such visa bans have been implemented by the UK government. Shabana Mahmood claimed a growing number of migrants from these countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum. According to Home Office figures, 39% of the 100,000 who claimed asylum in 2025 did so after arriving via a legal migration route. A spike in asylum applications between 2021 and September last year was dominated by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Ms Mahmood said: "Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity." The bans will be officially introduced on Thursday, when Ms Mahmood will lay out measures to toughen up the asylum system. They would include asylum seekers having to have their refugee status reviewed every two-and-a-half years. Refugees whose countries are deemed safe will also be expected to return home. Read more on Sky NewsHow UK and Denmark's immigration policies compare Ms Mahmood's tougher approach doesn't sit comfortably with many Labour MPs, but she has warned a failure to address the public's concerns about immigration will lead to a right-wing government. But the government is also coming under pressure from its left flank, after the Greens won the year's first Westminster by-election. Ms Mahmood has argued the level of illegal immigration is "creating division within communities across the country", risking the erosion of public support for the asylum system entirely. The government has committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the next election, though its plans for using old military sites are also proving unpopular.

With at least some of the pre-season talking to stop when the stopwatch on competitive track action starts in Melbourne this weekend, it's almost time to find out who really is looking quick for the start of the sport's new era. So just before then, and for a bit of fun, we caught up with seven members of the Sky Sports F1 team and asked them to look into their crystal balls for some predictions before round one of the 24-race campaign… Martin Brundle's 2026 season preview | New F1 rules and racing terms explainedWhen to watch the Australian GP live on Sky SportsF1 2026: Calendar, line-ups, new regulations, how to watch on Sky SportsNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺What will the 1-2-3 finishing order be this Sunday's Australian GP podium? Martin Brundle: Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri. Simon Lazenby: George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton. Natalie Pinkham: Lando Norris, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton. David Croft: George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris. Karun Chandhok: George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris. Rachel Brookes: George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli. Anthony Davidson: George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris. How many drivers will win a Grand Prix in 2026? Simon: Five. Crofty: Eight. I'm going to go big because there's a lot of opportunity from race to race and drivers having to learn from race to race and, even for the more experienced drivers, there's a lot of learning to be done. So I'll say eight, but it wouldn't surprise me if we had a ninth or 10th in there as well. Rachel: Ten. Every track is going to be so different in terms of energy management. But I think at the start of the year, we will see a lot of different drivers winning races. I think the back end of the year, they'll all be on top of it. I think we could have as many as 10 different winners. Anthony: Seven. Karun: Five. Natalie: Eight. Martin: More than usual because I think it's going to be a bit wild. At least six. Who will win the 2026 Drivers' Championship? Natalie: George Russell. Crofty: George can cope with a lot of adversity but also knows the preparation that he'll need to put in for each and every race and is prepared to do it. So George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar. George will be the favourite but I think Lando and Oscar and Max are running close. Martin: George Russell. Karun: George Russell. Rachel: George Russell. He will be pushed all the way, but I think George will win it. Anthony: George Russell. I think he seems to have started off on the right footing. The car is quick enough to consistently be up there now, rather than the odd performance that was good enough and he's ready to win a world championship. Simon: George Russell. I think he's ready and he will have the car to do it. Who will win the 2026 Constructors' Championship? Simon: Mercedes. Natalie: Ferrari. Martin: McLaren. Crofty: The strongest driver line-up pairing is probably McLaren. I would be surprised if McLaren aren't constructors' champions but it could go right down to the wire and every point is precious. So McLaren as constructors' champions but if Kimi Antonelli drives like he did at certain times last year, then Mercedes might take a bit of stopping. Rachel: Mercedes. Karun: McLaren. Anthony: The top four are incredibly tight. Mercedes have a really strong chance. You can't count out McLaren. Everyone has been super surprised by what Red Bull have achieved straight away, so they're only going to improve rapidly as the season progresses. Ferrari looked genuinely quick in Bahrain. The two McLaren drivers are so evenly-matched at nearly every circuit in all circumstances, I think that gives you as a constructor great strength, so their experience as a driver pairing could be the thing that gives them that slight advantage over the course of a season, with all that it's going to throw at you. Make one BOLD prediction for the season? Karun: Haas to get their first podium. Simon: Isack Hadjar to win a race. Anthony: Kimi Antonelli wins the World Championship. Natalie: Hadjar to be on the podium in the first half of the season. Which race are you looking forward to the most? Anthony: Melbourne. It's that step into the unknown for many teams and fans. I'm excited to see if all that we know about these cars in these early stages will come to light in Melbourne and deliver some quite unpredictable wheel-to-wheel racing. Natalie: Japan because I haven't been at a race since September! Simon: I always look forward to Melbourne, this year more than anything. Saturday in Melbourne, all of the talk stops and we get going and then you're like, 'right, this is where we are, this is the starting pecking order'." Crofty: Silverstone - Best track, best fans, the best place to be in Britain in the summertime. It's a circuit that just comes alive when F1 is there. Rachel: Australia. I can't wait to see these cars on track this year and see firsthand what all the teams have been working on because it's always a complete unknown. Karun: British GP with George, Lando and Lewis all in contention. Martin: The next one! Will Cadillac score their first points - and where - during their debut year? Martin: Ironically, I think it could be towards the beginning of the season, so let's say China. Anthony: If they're going to do it, it's going to come through reliability, which has to be their main focus. They've got two incredibly experienced drivers, so that's going to help. Let's say they'll score their first points in Montreal. Natalie: Austin. Simon: Yes. There will be an anomaly - whether that be weather-related or something else. But I don't think they'll do it on pure pace. I think it will need something special in the first half of the season, particularly. Karun: No. Rachel: Yes. In Brazil because I think it's going to take a very, very long time. I'm not sure they will score a point, but if they do, it could be a wet race with mixed-up conditions, all sorts going on, and it will be a Brazil, like Kevin Magnussen did with Haas when he put it on pole that year, I think it will be a completely mixed up race, mixed up conditions, and they'll take advantage of things going their way. Crofty: They could score their first points in Australia but I'm going to say China because if you're good on your tyres in China it pays dividends and China is going to be a massive headache for the teams and drivers because it's a Sprint weekend. And it may even rain in China, which would be a huge leveller. What will be the surprise/shock of the season? Crofty: Oliver Bearman to score a podium. He is an exceptional talent and I think Haas are in a really good place, so I'm going to go biggest surprise is Ollie Bearman. Biggest shock - Fernando Alonso says he's going to carry on racing in 2027. Rachel: Pierre Gasly on the podium this season. Martin: Aston Martin are heading the way of a negative shock. In terms of a positive shock, probably Alpine. Sky Sports F1's Australian GP schedule Thursday March 53am: Drivers' Press Conference6am: Paddock Uncut9.45pm: F3 Practice10.55pm: F2 Practice Friday March 61am: Australian GP Practice One (session starts at 1.30am)*2.55am: F3 Qualifying*3.30am: Team Bosses Press Conference3.50am: F2 Qualifying*4.35am: Australian GP Practice Two (session starts at 5am)*6.15am: The F1 Show* Saturday March 70.10am: F3 Sprint*1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session starts at 1.30am)*3.05am: F2 Sprint*4.10am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*5am: AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*7am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*9.45pm: F3 Feature Race* Sunday March 812.20am: F2 Feature Race*2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*6am: Australian GP reaction: Chequered Flag*7am: Ted's Notebook*7.55am: Australian GP race replay*10am: Australian GP highlights (also on Sky One)* *Also on Sky Sports Main Event Watch every race of the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

An emergency brake is being placed on study visas for people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, while work visas have also been stopped for Afghans. It's the first time such visa bans have been implemented by the UK government. Shabana Mahmood claimed a growing number of migrants from these countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum. According to Home Office figures, 39% of the 100,000 who claimed asylum in 2025 did so after arriving via a legal migration route. A spike in asylum applications between 2021 and September last year was dominated by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Ms Mahmood said: "Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity." The bans will be officially introduced on Thursday, when Ms Mahmood will lay out measures to toughen up the asylum system. They would include asylum seekers having to have their refugee status reviewed every two-and-a-half years. Refugees whose countries are deemed safe will also be expected to return home. Read more on Sky NewsHow UK and Denmark's immigration policies compare Ms Mahmood's tougher approach doesn't sit comfortably with many Labour MPs, but she has warned a failure to address the public's concerns about immigration will lead to a right-wing government. But the government is also coming under pressure from its left flank, after the Greens won the year's first Westminster by-election. Ms Mahmood has argued the level of illegal immigration is "creating division within communities across the country", risking the erosion of public support for the asylum system entirely. The government has committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the next election, though its plans for using old military sites are also proving unpopular.

During the ceremony, as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award on stage, a racial slur was shouted out by Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, who was there to celebrate a movie about his life. The BBC failed to cut the slur from its broadcast of the 22 February event and viewers could see the offending moment for more than 12 hours before the programme was taken down from BBC iPlayer. By then, the incident was starting to make headlines and create online discourse around the world. Cumming, an actor and presenter who hosts the US Traitors, has now released a statement, saying: "It's now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering shitshow. "I'm so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I'm so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition." Cumming said the "only possible good" to come out of the incident is "a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured". The BBC has said it did cut a second racist slur from the ceremony. Other moments, including a call to "free Palestine" by director Akinola Davies Jr, were also edited out. Cumming finished by referencing this, saying: "We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night's events." The presenter apologised on stage for the language viewers may have heard during the ceremony, but this is his first statement addressing the fallout. Lindo says support 'means a lot' At the weekend, Lindo was in California where he appeared at the NAACP Image Awards, which celebrates outstanding achievements and performances of black and minority ethnic people in the arts. The British-born US actor addressed the incident while on stage with Sinners director Ryan Coogler, saying: "We appreciate - I appreciate - all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us. "It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support. "And it's a classic case of something that could've been very negative becoming very positive. Thank you so much for the support." Lindo praised the ceremony as "a room where being fully seen is not rare, but it is expected". Read more:John Davidson on I SwearWho is Robert Aramayo? What have the BBC and BAFTA said? The BBC and BAFTA both apologised in statements released last week. The BBC later described the incident as a "serious mistake" and said it was carrying out a "fast-tracked" investigation. Davidson, whose Tourette's causes him to involuntarily shout out words, has said he is "deeply mortified" by what happened. He was at the ceremony to celebrate I Swear, a film about his life and struggles, which was nominated for several awards and went home with two - best casting and best actor for Robert Aramayo. Aramayo plays Davidson in the movie and beat the likes of Hollywood stars Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio to win the award.

Even in the chaotic opening weeks of the Ukraine war in 2022, the gas price never doubled. But that is precisely what has happened to wholesale methane prices in the UK. And since gas prices are arguably the single most important price in Britain - the lynchpin of our power network, determining prices for electricity, underpinning industrial production and the manufacture of chemicals, trickling indirectly into the price of food and other sundry items - this is of enormous consequence. Markets latest: FTSE 100 loses £100bn and fuel warning issued The trigger for the sharp rise is the continued chaos in the Gulf, as oil and gas facilities come under bombardment from Iranian drones. No one seems to know how long this will last, but that is among the most important of all questions. The longer it goes on, the higher gas prices are likely to climb. Although the speed of the rise in the past 48 hours is faster than any other comparable period in history, the absolute level of gas prices remains far lower than at the peaks in the Ukraine war in 2022. Then again, given that triggered an unprecedented energy price shock across Europe, not to mention a forced deindustrialisation of the continent that continues today, that is far from reassuring. The longer it continues, the greater will be the impact on household bills in the UK, which have been fixed until June (and benefit from a £150 discount thanks to a measure in the last budget), but are due to reflect wholesale prices as of July. All of which is why the events unfolding in Iran and its surroundings remain crucial for this country's economy. Not that you'd guess much of this from the text of the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest big forecast. To judge from it, and Rachel Reeves's appearance in the House of Commons today, you might have assumed Britain has now vanquished the cost of living problems that beset it for the past four or five years. It paints a picture of inflation dropping down to 2% for an extended period. But you have to flick all the way to page 109 of the spring forecast to find the most important datapoint of all. There, in table A.3, you will find the gas price expectations the OBR's latest forecasts were based on. They are more or less flat. Those, after all, were the prevailing expectations for energy prices when the report was finalised last week. Read more:Iran war latestUK bills cannot escape forces of Iran war But since then, well, as you know, gas prices have gone through the roof. So, essentially most of the key assumptions in the report about inflation are not worth the paper they're written on. It is still way too early to pre-judge what this implies for the UK economy. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that gas prices come down in a few weeks. But by the same token it's also quite possible they go even higher. And if they do so, the implications for a Britain barely recovered from the last energy price shock are profound and somewhat grisly.

Welcome to The Debrief, a Sky Sports column in which Adam Bate uses a blend of data and opinion to reflect on some of the key stories from the latest Premier League matches. This week: Watkins' numbers becoming a concernPope's shot-stopping under scrutinyWhy Garner is now Everton's key manWhat's happened to Watkins at Villa? Given that Aston Villa were, Unai Emery has now admitted, in a Premier League title race until a month ago, it is perhaps surprising to note that their centre-forward Ollie Watkins is having his most difficult season since joining the club almost six years ago. Watkins had a decent chance to give Villa a first-half lead at Wolves but was unable to get his shot away quickly enough after being put through on goal. Emery's out-of-form side went on to lose 2-0 to the bottom club and have now dropped to fourth in the table. Calls for Tammy Abraham to start are growing. Watkins has scored only once in his last 11 appearances. He might point to the absence of Youri Tielemans' passes but his problems are twofold. His finishing levels have dipped and his dynamic movement is down too. Throughout his five previous seasons at Villa, Watkins' goal tally had tracked his expected goals numbers consistently. He had scored 75 Premier League goals with an expected goals figure of 75.11. An average of 0.44 goals per 90 minutes on both metrics in that time. This season, his goals per 90 minutes tally of 0.34 is as low as it has been since being at the same level in the season that Dean Smith was replaced by Steven Gerrard and Villa finished 14th. Interestingly, his expected goals is also at its lowest since that campaign. Why isn't Watkins getting the same volume of chances? Emery needs to work on that with his team but one concern might be that Watkins, now 30, could be losing a little of the spark that set him apart. The intensity of his work up top is integral to his game. His top speed this season is 33.12 kilometres per hour, which is down on last season, which was down on the season before that, which was down on his record high of 36.10 kilometres per hour in the 2021/22 season. A steady dip in speed that looks like a trend. With more clever movement and improved service, it need not be catastrophic. Watkins can find a way. But his struggle to find the spaces that he once did coupled with a lack of confidence in front of goal has put the spotlight on him. Emery is still backing his man. Asked how Watkins could turn it around in the press conference after the Wolves defeat, Emery said: "Hard work and looking forward. Working. Preparing the next game. And of course, he is going to score goals again." Villa need that to be sooner rather than later. Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱No Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Pope's form is a problem for Newcastle Eddie Howe blamed "avoidable mistakes" for Newcastle's 3-2 home defeat to Everton, citing the concession of one goal, in particular, as the pivotal moment in the match. "The second one especially hurt us mentally," argued Howe when speaking to the press afterwards. There could be no denying who was responsible. It was Nick Pope who fumbled Dwight McNeil's shot into the path of Beto. The error was his third of the Premier League campaign, according to Opta. No player has made more such errors leading to goals this season. What will frustrate the Newcastle goalkeeper is that he himself has never made this many mistakes before in any season dating back to his Premier League debut for Burnley in 2017. It is the manner of the mistakes that is surprising given his hard-earned reputation. Pope's kicking has long been regarded as a weakness but his shot-stopping and handling of the ball have always been his strengths. This latest error was another that had nothing to do with his uncertainty with the ball at his feet. It is becoming a problem. Howe will have been aware that there was always a trade-off with Pope. Others were more assured on the ball, but the Newcastle goalkeeper has consistently prevented more goals than expected - outperforming the expected-goals metric year after year. This season, he has dipped below it, costing more goals than the average goalkeeper. With Aaron Ramsdale already sat on the bench and fans encouraging the club to buy a new goalkeeper in the summer, it is a tricky time for a player who turns 34 next month. Asked to elaborate on Pope specifically, Howe added at the weekend: "I think it is difficult for me to comment on any one player or any one position. Just collectively, we have got to defend our goal better." But Pope is surely under pressure to raise his levels again. Why Garner is Everton's key player It was Jordan Pickford's stunning save that allowed Everton to leave St James' Park with three points on Saturday. But it was the performance of James Garner that set it up with a dominant midfield display. He has been Everton's best player this season. In the second half, in particular, Garner screened the defence, providing protection with his interceptions. In total, there were six of them in the game. Nobody else made that many over the Premier League weekend. Nobody else in the game made more than one. It is the intensity of his work in those defensive areas that catches the eye. For high-intensity pressures in central zones inside his own half, Garner ranks ahead of the similarly industrious Dominik Szoboszlai and Joao Gomes as the league's standout player. For overall distance covered in the Premier League, he is fourth. But Garner is more than a runner, he has shown quality in possession for Everton this season, not just tidy in his work but often the midfielder who takes responsibility for making those incisive passes. David Moyes certainly relies on him. Speaking to the Everton boss after Garner scored a fine goal from left-back in the opening Premier League game at the club's new stadium in August, he said: "He is really a midfield player. His versatility is so important to us." Thankfully for Garner, he has since moved to his favoured role and is flourishing. With Everton up to eighth, wider recognition could follow. Uncapped by England, he turns 25 later this month and timing is everything. Do not rule out that World Cup call just yet.