Loan Watch: Balogun scores Reims winner

Folarin Balogun continued his fine season on loan at Reims by scoring the only goal as Will Still’s side won at Monaco on Sunday.

After latching on to Alexis Flips’ pass in behind the defence, our striker kept his composure to squeeze his shot past Alexander Nubel for his 16th Ligue 1 goal of the campaign. He is the youngest player to score 16 times in his first season in the division since Mohammed Salem in 1960/61.

Reims, unbeaten in 19 league matches, remain eighth in Ligue 1.

Nuno Tavares’ Marseille are still second despite letting a two-goal lead slip to draw with Strasbourg. Goals from Chancel Mbemba and former Gunner, Alexis Sanchez, had put the hosts on course for a win but Jean Eudes Aholou struck twice in the closing minutes to rescue a point for the visitors. Nuno played the full match.

Sambi Lokonga started and played the entirety of Crystal Palace’s home defeat against Manchester City. The hosts had frustrated Pep Guardiola’s side for long periods, until Erling Haaland scored from the penalty spot in the 78th minute following Michael Olise’s foul on Ilkay Gundogan.

In Serie A, Pablo Mari was part of the Monza side that drew at Verona, with Stefano Sensi’s strike cancelling out Simone Verdi’s opener.

Meanwhile, Runar Alex Runarsson’s Alanyaspor were beaten 2-0 away at Ankaragucu and Arthur Okonkwo started in Sturm Graz’s 3-1 home win over Austria Vienna.

Marquinhos was a second-half substitute but couldn’t prevent Norwich from losing at home to Sunderland. Abdoullah Ba scored the only goal of the game after 15 minutes, with Marquinhos introduced shortly after the restart.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Auston Trusty helped Birmingham keep a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Rotherham. Reda Khadra and Kevin Long scored in the first half to secure an important three points for John Eustace’s team.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy was brought on in the 64th minute of Coventry’s 1-1 draw with Hull - Matt Godden salvaging a draw after Oscar Estupinan had given the Tigers a second-half lead.

Omar Rekik was sent off after 28 minutes as Wigan were beaten 3-0 at Burnley, for whom ex Arsenal academy graduate, Nathan Tella, scored twice.

In League Two, Mazeed Ogungbo’s Crawley won 3-1 against Harrogate, while Taylor Foran played the duration of Hartlepool’s 1-1 draw with Northampton and Tim Akinola started as National League play-off hopefuls Chesterfield were held to a point by Yeovil.