Raphaël Varane excelled and Manchester City stumbled but Tom Lockyer incident put everything in perspective

Sometimes, football has to come second. When Tom Lockyer collapsed in the 65th minute of Luton’s game against Bournemouth, the match rightly became a distant afterthought. The Hatters’ official social media post actually apologised to supporters of both teams when announcing the abandonment of the game, but there was no need, such was the understanding shown by every part of the Vitality Stadium. It must have been an incredibly distressing situation for all, and particularly strange for those connected with Bournemouth. Not that you would have known. Praise is deservedly being dished out to Philip Billing, who was the first to dash over to the stricken Lockyer, and to his teammate Dominic Solanke, who was seen calling urgently for medical support. The speed with which they grasped the severity of the situation was commendable and they played a part in getting Lockyer the help he needed. When the game was abandoned, it was with the full support of Bournemouth’s players, staff and supporters. They showed the best of the beautiful game. Dominic Booth

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