Michy Batshuayi enjoyed an excellent start to 2022, as he got his hands on the year’s first piece of silverware. The Belgian was part of the Besiktas side which faced Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Cup for a welcome distraction from their league troubles this season.

A tight game saw Besiktas take the lead in the first half through their Canadian captain Atiba Hutchinson, only for the same player to put into his own net for an equaliser, taking the match to a penalty shoot-out. Hutchinson scored again from the spot, after Batshuayi had successfully converted Besiktas’ second, as they won the shoot-out 4-2.

Batshuayi was on target from the spot again as Besiktas returned to league action on Sunday, away at Caykur Rizespor, giving his side the lead with a first-half penalty, but they couldn’t hold on and dropped down to ninth in the table following a 2-2 draw.

There was a clear winner in the meeting between two Chelsea loanees in Italy, as Tiemoue Bakayoko travelled with AC Milan to face Ethan Ampadu and Venezia. Both players were involved throughout, but it was Milan who raced into the lead two minutes in, when Ampadu was unable to prevent a low ball across goal reaching Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a tap in. It continued to go downhill for Venezia, who were reduced to 10 men as the Rossoneri scored twice more after half-time, the 3-0 victory taking Milan top of the Serie A table.

Bakayoko had also been on the winning side earlier in the week after coming off the bench in a match with a heavy Chelsea influence, despite Fikayo Tomori’s absence due to Covid, as Milan beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma 3-1. Former Blues strikers Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham both found the net in the first half, but the Rossoneri powered clear after the break as Roma had two men sent off, and could have won by more as they hit the woodwork twice and had a late penalty saved.

Back in England, FA Cup third-round weekend saw the majority of Blues involved in knockout action. That included Conor Gallagher, who was part of the Crystal Palace side which recovered well to avoid an upset at Millwall, despite a number of off-field disruptions from the crowd at The Den. A mistake by goalkeeper Jack Butland gifted the home side a first-half lead, but after the break the Eagles fought back and scored twice to triumph 2-1.

Armando Broja was in Southampton’s starting line-up for an action-packed tie at Swansea City, played in an empty stadium due to Covid rules in Wales. The Saints triumphed 3-2 in extra time after playing a total of 90 minutes with 10 men. Their joy at taking an early lead was dampened by a red card half-an-hour in and a second-half equaliser took the game past the 90. An own goal then put Southampton behind, but they were level one minute later and found the winner with eight minutes left until penalties.

Between Covid cancellations and a run of six games without a win, Coventry City and Jake Clarke-Salter secured their first victory since 6 November, in only their second game in 28 days, to book their place in the FA Cup fourth round, triumphing 1-0 at home over fellow Championship club Derby County.

There was FA Cup heartbreak for Nathan Baxter and Hull City, though, as the Championship side couldn’t hold on for an upset against Premier League Everton. The Tigers needed less than a minute to take the lead at home but, after Baxter had produced a fine save to deny Michel Keane, the Toffees scored twice to go ahead themselves.

In a game of high drama Hull then equalised in the second half and came close to a late winner but hit the woodwork. That meant the game went to extra time, with Hull hoping to hold on for penalties, but Baxter was beaten by a swerving Andros Townsend effort from range to decide the match 3-2 in Everton’s favour.

Reading and Danny Drinkwater were the victims of this year’s big third-round shock, although the midfielder was unlucky to end up on the losing side against Kidderminster Harriers, the lowest-ranked side remaining in this season’s FA Cup.

A Drinkwater cross had created the opening for Reading to take the lead on the stroke of half-time, and the Royals were still 1-0 up when he left to pitch on the hour-mark, only to see his side concede twice, both from goalkeeping errors, to lose 2-1.

Dujon Sterling suffered defeat with Blackpool, despite taking the lead and dominating the first half, going down 2-1 to a Hartlepool United side two divisions below them. Henry Lawrence was also on the receiving end of a third-round upset, as his Wimbledon side were defeated 2-0 away by National League outfit Boreham Wood.

Jamie Cumming was in League One action with Gillingham, but it wasn’t a day the goalkeeper will be keen to remember, as they were reduced to 10 men and comfortably beaten 4-0 at home by Ipswich Town, making it 10 games without a win.

In France, Emerson Palmieri was unlucky not to be on the winning side in a much-improved performance by Lyon as they hosted runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Starting the day in 13th position, the home side took an early lead and seemed set to for a memorable win, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw when a heavy deflection gave PSG an equaliser, although the point still moved Lyon up to 11th and extended Paris’ lead to 11 points.

Matt Miazga helped Alaves secure a valuable point at home against local rivals Athletic Bilbao in Spain, the 0-0 stalemate keeping them one point clear of the relegation zone in the Spanish top flight.