It’s been one of those very Irish weeks in football – goals flying in, flashes of pure madness, and the weather ultimately having the final say. With a number of fixtures called off, nature proved the toughest opponent of all. Yet amid the postponements, Irish players abroad continued to make their mark, momentum building as we step into 2026 with a bang.
It’s fair to say it was a mixed week for Evan Ferguson. On Monday night he started in Roma’s 3-0 win over Genoa, coming away with a goal and an assist. The assist was a lovely, deft touch to set up Manu Kone, and his goal was that of a classic poacher – a traditional No 9 alive to the rebound and finishing clinically to seal the points inside the opening half-hour. In truth, he’s had better overall performances in a Roma shirt, but he delivered exactly what his manager had called for: decisive contributions. The end product mattered more than the polish.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Atalanta was a tougher outing. Ferguson led the line for an hour, often isolated but still putting in an honest shift. He saw an early effort cleared off the line and later produced a moment of real quality, chesting the ball down and flicking it over his head to volley before being denied by a sharp save. It hasn’t been an easy start in Rome, but he’s trending upward – the numbers are improving and, in the words of Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber, “It’s very unlikely, I would say ... We don’t have that option, so if he were to come back it would be because the club that has him at the moment doesn’t need him in the second half of the season.” A return to Brighton, in other words, looks increasingly improbable.
While this week’s Premier League Irish watch was overshadowed by the news of Josh Cullen’s cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out of the March fixtures, there was far more positive news by Sunday evening.
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Keith Andrews’s Brentford travelled to Merseyside to face Everton and produced an outstanding display, running out 4-2 winners. Nathan Collins scored his first goal of the season with a well-placed header and later turned provider, setting up Thiago to complete his hat-trick. Behind them, Caoimhín Kelleher was as sharp as ever in goal for the Bees. Unfortunately, Jake O’Brien was on the wrong side of the result, playing 90 minutes at right-back in what proved a difficult outing. The victory lifts Brentford up to seventh in the Premier League table, just a point off the European places.
In the Championship, it was an encouraging week for a number of former Ireland under-21 internationals. Sinclair Armstrong, on New Year’s Day, was finally rewarded for his exceptional recent form. Over the past few weeks he has done everything but score – bullying defenders with his pace and power, holding the ball up and linking play superbly to become a key figure for Bristol City. Against Portsmouth on New Year’s Day he came off the bench for the final half hour and promptly scored twice. His first was a classic striker’s finish, while the second was a moment of pure brilliance: a slightly heavy first touch in the box followed by a thunderous strike into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Sheffield United’s Tom Cannon also enjoyed a productive spell. Although Sunday’s game against Oxford was called off due to the weather, he scored on Wednesday against his former club Leicester in a 3-1 win, adding to a goal against another former side, Stoke City, earlier in the week. He’s developing quite the habit of scoring against his old teams.
Bosun Lawal continues to establish himself as one of the Championship’s standout young players. Lining up as a holding midfielder for Stoke in their 1-0 win over Hull on New Year’s Day, he delivered an impressive performance. Although he has mainly featured at centre-half and occasionally at right-back this season, he seized his chance in midfield – composed on the ball, breaking up play intelligently, gliding past opponents and using his physical presence superbly. With Cullen sidelined, he looks a genuine contender for a senior call-up despite being uncapped, and he is the type of player who excites supporters.
In contrast, Gavin Bazunu’s form remains a real worry. In truth, his time at Southampton has been mixed, despite flashes of brilliance such as his superb save against Millwall in midweek. He came back down to earth against Middlesbrough on Sunday, where he will feel he should have done better for the second goal, and the fourth, scored by Alan Browne after the goalkeeper parried the ball straight back into danger, was another difficult moment. While Bazunu has produced big performances for Ireland, his club form hasn’t yet matched expectations, and frustration among Southampton fans has been growing throughout the season.
Player of the Week – Nathan Collins (Brentford)
It’s been a difficult season for Collins, even with Brentford thriving in the league, and at times he hasn’t quite reached last year’s standards. But recent weeks have shown real improvement, and Sunday’s performance against Everton saw Collins back to his brilliant best. He scored with a superb header and added a fine assist, commanding the game throughout. It was also his first Premier League goal as club captain – a milestone that could lift a weight off his shoulders and spark a strong run of form.
Goal of the Week – Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City)
Armstrong’s second goal for Bristol City in their 5-1 victory over Portsmouth on Wednesday was absolutely exceptional. After a slightly heavy touch that actually sat up perfectly for him, he lashed a half-volley into the top corner – an unstoppable finish. It was certainly his best goal in a Bristol City shirt so far, and a contender for goal of the year on the very first day of the year.
Stat of the Week – Keith Andrews’s Brentford are one point off Champions League places
You couldn’t have predicted, at the start of the season, that by the beginning of 2026 Andrews’s Brentford would be sitting just one place off Champions League football – but, with the Premier League highly likely to get five slots in Europe’s top club competition again next season, that is where the Bees are. It’s been an extraordinary start to Andrews’s first managerial job at this level. It’s almost crazy to grasp just how well he has done, building around a strong Irish contingent and getting every ounce out of his squad. Others deserve credit, of course, but no one more than Andrews himself.
