Anan Khalaily Leads Premier League in Tackles in Crystal Palace Debut

Israeli footballer Anan Khalaily made his first start for Crystal Palace on August 28, 2026, in a Premier League match against Manchester City. Despite the team trailing 0-1 at halftime due to an Erling Haaland goal, Khalaily impressed both defensively and offensively during his 45 minutes on the pitch. Defending against Antoine Semenyo, Khalaily successfully completed seven tackles in the first half alone, the highest number recorded by any player in the league's opening round, including those who played the full 90 minutes.

English media and Crystal Palace fan pages praised Khalaily's performance. The Squawka statistics page highlighted his leading tackle count, while the "Let's Talk Palace" podcast described him as "brilliant in the first half, especially in defense against Semenyo." Another fan page, "The Palace Way," commented positively on his overall quality, calling him "a really good player." Khalaily's strong debut has drawn notable attention in England, marking a promising start to his Premier League career.