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Achraf Hakimi was probably the most relieved man inside San Siro when Lautaro Martinez tapped home into an empty net after great work from Romelu Lukaku on the break to send Inter Milan 3-1 up against Lazio last weekend.

Before the Argentine’s 64th-minute strike, the Morocco wing-back had five minutes to forget against Simone Inzaghi’s men: he’d missed an opportunity in the 58th minute to make it 3-0 to Antonio Conte’s side and then conceded a needless foul that led to the visitors fortuitously halving the deficit barely two minutes later.

The wide defender may not have had a telling influence in the game nor carried the same attacking menace that’s typified his first campaign in Serie A and was seen a few days earlier in the Coppa Italia despite Inter’s eventual elimination by Juventus, but he showed a different side of his game on the day.

Hakimi was involved in none of the hosts’ shot-creating actions, a rarity that’d only occurred in three league games this season. In those games, however, the North African had little time on the pitch, featuring for eight, one and 14 minutes against Atalanta, Sassuolo and Napoli respectively. On this occasion, the wing-back played 89 minutes.

Rather than the usual danger in the attacking third, the Moroccan sacrificed himself for the greater good, making 11 recoveries (second-highest count this term), matching his season-high tackles and interceptions tally and making more clearances (four) than he’d managed at any point this season.

The upshot of that Nerazzurri success not only saw them defeat Serie A’s form team in Lazio (Inzaghi’s side were on a six-game winning streak) but equally supplant their fierce rival AC Milan at the top of Serie A. Both sides do battle in Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina that feels like the most fascinating clash between the clubs in about a decade.

Milan’s 2-0 loss at Spezia, the side that went into gameweek 22 with the worst home record in the competition, and could be dismissed in isolation as a freak result; one of those David defeats Goliath shock results. However, the Rossoneri’s recent run since the turn of the year raises questions over the general direction of their season.

Stefano Pioli’s troops have already been beaten by Juventus, Atalanta and Spezia in 2021. By contrast, they suffered just two Serie A defeats in the whole of 2020. Throw in their Coppa Italia elimination against Inter into the mix and Milan have now lost four times since the turn of the year.

While defeats by the Old Lady and La Dea were understandable, the latest reverse against the new boys rankled greatly given it wasn’t one of those smash and grab victories for the little guy.

Vincenzo Italiano’s side prevented any on-target attempt for 90 minutes, outshot Pioli’s team 17-7 and edged the expected goals 2.0-0.4—Milan’s lowest xG value all season.

Interestingly, Franck Kessie’s underlying numbers somewhat typified just how Aquilotti forced the visitors into areas they weren’t particularly keen on. The Ivory Coast star had only three touches in the attacking third, equalling his lowest involvement since mid-October.

Perhaps more striking was the West African’s 28 touches in the defensive third. This was surprising for a player who barely hits the 20-touch mark in his own third of the pitch, averaging 17.2 touches per 90 this season.

In the forward areas, Kessie’s average so far is 11.4 per 90, but the paucity of involvement against Spezia meant Milan couldn’t be beneficiaries of the 24-year-old’s best attributes.

As a consequence, Inter come into Sunday’s mouth-watering meeting top of the table at this stage for the first time since Jose Mourinho guided them to the title in 2010. The Nerazzurri certainly won’t be winning the treble this time around, but there’s a sense claiming the Scudetto is the only justification for the heavy backing Conte has received in the last 18 months.

Even though the ex-Italy boss has deservedly received criticism for the team’s underperformance in Europe and domestic cups, there’s a feeling ending Juventus’ nine-year top flight stranglehold will keep him in the job for another season at least.

Milan were the last side to taste league success before the Bianconeri, guided by Conte, began to dominate.

The Rossoneri, who actually dethroned Inter’s treble winners in 2011, have been away from Champions League football since 2014 and are desperate to return to the continent’s hallowed club competition after seven years away.

Fascinatingly, neither side have met in the derby sitting first and second in the table since 2011, and the current reality emphasises the resurgence of two of Italy’s historic sides.

A top four spot was the goal for Pioli’s team at the start of the season; still, there’ll be a tinge of disappointment if the seven-time European Cup winners fall away in the race for the Scudetto.

The Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs Romelu Lukaku perspective may dominate pre-match headlines, especially after their heated altercation in that feisty cup game in late January. Be that as it may, Kessie and Hakimi remain vital components to the leading sides in Serie A looking for much more than bragging rights for the first time in ages in a Milan Derby like no other.

Liverpool’s 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat to Everton has seen them hit a 98-year low, with the Reds suffering four successive league reversals at Anfield for the first time since 1923.

The Reds have seen the wheels come off their 2020-21 Premier League campaign in spectacular fashion, with the defending champions hitting a serious slump.

Jurgen Klopp’s woes continued against their arch-rivals on Saturday, with Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson netting for the Toffees, and the German must now reflect on a sorry home run that is Liverpool’s worst in almost a century.

When did Liverpool last endure such a run?

You have to turn the clock back to 1923 to find the last time the Reds came unstuck in four straight league games in their own backyard.

Back then, with fixtures coming thick and fast, Liverpool found themselves on the wrong end of results against Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Cardiff and Newcastle.

The last of those setbacks 98 years ago came on Christmas Day, with the men from Merseyside also in action on Boxing Day and again on December 29.

They got back to winning ways that day against West Ham, before going on to finish 12th.

When did Liverpool last lose four straight games in the Premier League?

The Reds have been models of consistency throughout Klopp’s reign, with it rare for them to endure such dips.

Having already been downed by Brighton, Manchester City and Leicester in their last three Premier League games, they have now lost four in a row for the first time in top-flight competition since 2002.

Everton will be revelling in the fact that they are the ones to push their arch-rivals a little deeper into the mire, with the Toffees savouring their first win at Anfield since 1999, while also bringing a 23-game winless run in all competitions against their neighbours from across Stanley Park to a close.

The bigger picture

Klopp’s side had been rock solid on home soil prior to hitting their recent wobble.

A 1-0 defeat to Burnley on January 21 was their first in the league at Anfield in 68 outings – with that sequence stretching back to April 2017.

They have now failed to take three points from a home game since December 16, when they saw off Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham 2-1.

Klopp has already thrown in the towel on their title defence, with Liverpool the first champions to suffer four straight defeats since Everton in the late 1920s, and securing a top-four finish now represents the height of the Reds’ domestic ambition as they slip further off the pace being set by Manchester City at the summit.

Liverpool’s next outing at Anfield will come against Chelsea on March 4, with things not about to get any easier for an out-of-sorts side.

Further reading

Nigeria continued their fine start in the 2021 Turkish Women's Cup with a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in Antalya on Saturday.

The Super Falcons came into the contest on the back of Thursday's 1-0 win against CSKA Moscow thanks to Chinwendu Ihezuo's strike off Francisca Ordega's assist at the Emir Sports Complex.

On Saturday, new coach Randy Waldrum kept faith in the same squad that pipped the Russian champions as the West Africans continued where they left off against the Central Asians.

The Super Falcons started the tie on a high against Bakhrom Norsafarov's side as Ihezuo almost grabbed the opener off a fine cross from Toni Payne after just 10 minutes into the contest.

At the half-hour mark, Asisat Oshoala almost broke the deadlock when she snatched the ball on the edge of the area but she, unfortunately, slipped inside the box to miss the opportunity. 

After the restart, the Nigerian side made a fine return into the match as Oshoala provided a perfect cross for Halimatu Ayinde to open the scoring for the hosts two minutes into the second half.

In the closing stages, Rita Chikwelu and Francisca Ordega combined well before connecting with Oshoala but the latter could not end her goal drought in six matches for both club and country. 

The win puts Nigeria on the brink of the title and moves them to the top of the group standings, with six points from two matches. 

They will now seek to wrap their campaign on a high when they face familiar African foes Equatorial Guinea on February 23.

In the other result in the group, CSKA Moscow claimed their first win of the competition following a 2-0 win over Equatorial Guinea.

John Obi Mikel featured in Stoke City’s 3-0 victory over Luton Town in Saturday’s Championship game at Bet365 Stadium.

The former Nigeria international was handed his 23rrd league appearance since teaming up with the Potters last summer on a free transfer.

The midfielder gave a good account of himself in the encounter after coming off the bench, making two tackles, winning one aerial contest and made one clearance.

Nick Powell opened the scoring in the 21st minute and completed his brace moments after the hour mark before Steven Fletcher sealed the victory with a fine strike.

The win ensured Stoke continued in their winning ways after defeating Sheffield Wednesday last time out which propelled them to ninth spot on the league table after gathering 45 points from 31 games.

Mikel will hope to return to the starting line-up when Stoke take on Barnsley in their next league game on February 24.

On the other hand, South African forward Tom Barkhuizen was afforded his 30th league appearance in Preston North End’s 4-0 defeat to Cardiff City.

The midfielder came off the bench to make his contribution for Preston, replacing Emil Riis Jakobsen in the 46th minute of the encounter.

Barkhuizen made 33 touches on the ball and had a 79 percent successful pass rate but his effort was not enough to save his side from their 16th defeat of the season which saw them drop to 14th spot on the table.

Nigerian forward Sheyi Ojo was a second-half substitute for Cardiff in the encounter as goals from Kieffer Moore, Josh Murphy, Marlon Pack and Mark Harris sealed the victory for the Bluebirds.

Meanwhile, Congolese left-back Marc Bola combined well with Egypt international Sam Morsy to help Middlesbrough secure a 2-0 victory over Ovie Ejaria’s Reading.

After Ashley Fletcher opened the scoring in the encounter, Bola then sealed the victory for the Boro after receiving a fine assist from Morsy.

Reading paraded Nigeria’s Sone Aluko and Ejaria as well as Ghana international Andy Yiadom and Nigeria’s Michael Olise but their contributions were not enough to save Reading from the loss.

Notwithstanding the defeat, the Royals remain in the top six on the league table with 51 points from 31 games.

The African stars will be expected to continue their contribution to their respective clubs in their next Championship outings.

Struggling Kampala Capital City Authority picked their second-biggest win of the season when they downed Malaba Youth Sports Association 5-0 in Lugogo.

Moses Aliro scored the opener in the fifth minute when he provided with an assist from Charles Lwanga. The debutants kept the former champions at bay for the rest of the first half before they capitulated in the second half. Bright Anukani scored his first goal for KCCA when he doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. 

Lwanga, who was the best player for KCCA on the pitch, added the third goal in the 83rd minute. That was also Lwanga's third goal in three games as he continues to enjoy a good season with Kasasiro Boys. He added the fourth for the Kampala team when he found the back of the net with a clinical shot in the 88th minute. Bright Anukani scored the fifth goal in the 90th minute when MYDA conceded a penalty.

At Bombo Military Barracks, Sports Club Villa were lucky to react and win the encounter 3-2 against Kitara FC.

The Jogoos went down in the 20th minute when they conceded to the debutants and the score stood at 1-0 until the half time break. Nicholas Kabonge equalised in the 50th minute as the hosts looked more composed than they were in the first half.

Joseph Nsubuga converted a penalty in the 69th minute before Kitara equalised in the 85th minute via Dennis Monday. Faizo Kazibwe won the match for SC Villa in the added minutes to condemn a hard-fighting Kitara to yet another loss.

At  Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe, Express FC registered a 4-0 win over BUL FC. This is the Red Eagles' biggest victory in a season where they have been rather impressive and they scored via Murushid Juuko, an own goal by Isma Mugulusi, while the other two were netted by George Senkaba and Ibrahim Kayiwa.

It was Juuko's first goal of the season for Express while Kayiwa scored after he came on as a substitute. Juuko would have opened the scoring in the 10th minute but he failed to find a way past BUL's goalkeeper Abdul Kimera. 

BUL's clear chance came in the 19th minute but Walter Okora failed to find the back of the net with no one marking him. In the dying moments of the game, Express would have earned more goals from Frank Kalanda and Kayiwa who saw their clear chances go to waste.

Taiwo Awoniyi has become a forgotten man at Liverpool, having gone almost six years without an appearance for the club, but he is still holding out hope that work-permit issues can be resolved and a competitive debut made.

The Nigerian was snapped up by the Premier League heavyweights during the summer of 2015, with his obvious potential being noted in the Imperial Soccer Academy.

The 23-year-old has, however, been forced to take in a series of loan spells after being prevented from forming part of the first-team fold at Anfield.

What has been said?

“Liverpool will always be the priority for me and I am grateful to everyone at the club,” Awoniyi has told World Soccer Magazine on seeing his path blocked on Merseyside.

“I still don’t have the work permit to play in England. But with the new rules in place, and the minutes I have played in Germany this season, no one knows what the future will hold regarding the UK work permit.

“If I become eligible to play in the UK, I think I can have a say on what my decision will be. Things have changed remarkably with the new rules and this will certainly help me decide my next step.

“Liverpool is a very special club. They are always in contact to see how I am doing and to ensure I know that they are following my progress out here. It motivates me to know my parent club is following up and have my best interests at heart.

“Presently, I am still a Liverpool player until the last day of my contract, but no one knows what the future holds.

“My dream has always been to play in the Premier League and it’s why I signed for Liverpool. I still keep the dream alive but if leaving will facilitate it, why not? At the moment, it is impossible to say what might happen in the future.”

Where has Awoniyi spent the last six years?

Immediately after being acquired by Liverpool, the Nigeria U23 international was loaned out to FSV Frankfurt.

In 2016-17 he headed to NEC in the Netherlands, with the following season spent at Mouscron in Belgium.

From there Awoniyi took in a spell at Gent, another stint at Mouscron, and linked up with Mainz in 2019-20.

He is currently at Union Berlin, with five goals recorded through 19 Bundesliga appearances.

The bigger picture

Awoniyi committed to his last contract at Liverpool in the summer of 2018, with that deal set to run for five years.

He is, therefore, tied to terms at Anfield through to 2023 and has some big decisions to make on his future as he approaches another important career crossroads.

There remains fierce competition for places for him in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, with the reigning Premier League champions being urged to further bolster their attacking ranks in the next transfer window.

Further reading

Not for the first time this season an individual error proved costly for Kaizer Chiefs as they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against SuperSport United at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Amakhosi had the better of the first half and were ahead at the break thanks to superb curling effort from Reeve Frosler just before the half hour mark.

SuperSport came back stronger after the break although they didn't create many clear-cut opportunities to test Chiefs keeper Itumeleng Khune.

And when Matsatsantsa did equalise, it was from a Bradley Grobler penalty after Keenyan defender Anthony Akumu Agay had recklessly pulled at Thamsanqa Gabuza in the Amakhosi box.

"I thought we were good, we should have won the game you know," a frustrated Glamour Boys head coach Gain Hunt told Chiefs media after the match.

"But then we go an make an unbelievable stupid error, pulling the guy in the box and we give a penalty away.

"But we should have won the game by a comfortable score, a comfortable score - we all know that if you watch football."

It's a combination of lacking the cutting edge up front together with costly mistakes at the back that's making Hunt's life difficult - Saturday's stalemate means the Soweto giants have won only four of their 17 league matches this term.

With seven draws and six defeats, they have just 19 points.

"Every week we have chances and we don't score," Hunt complained. "So you're conceding - they get one chance a game and then you're conceding.

"They are top of the league [SuperSport are second]. First half was very good, I mean some of the chances and the movement was very good. It's all good and well playing well, but earning [maximum] points, and obviously we didn't get them," added Hunt, who was up against the team he won the league title with on three occasions earlier in his managerial career.

Next up for Hunt and his side is a Caf Champions League Group C encounter against Guinea champions Horoya, at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Ghanaian defender Mohammed Salisu made his full debut for Southampton as they held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Saturday.

The 21-year-old saw 90 minutes of action to help his side to a point in the matchday 25 fixture at St. Mary's, a result which ends a six-match losing streak on the part of his club.

The full debut comes a week after he made his first appearance in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His maiden outing for the Saints in any competition, however, came against Wolves in the FA Cup earlier this month, a few days before the Premier League bow.

Goals from Takumi Minamino for Southampton and Mason Mount for Chelsea decided Saturday's fixture.

The result leaves Southampton 13th on the league table while Chelsea occupy the fourth position.

Salisu caught the eye of the Saints in his first season of professional football with Spanish side Real Valladolid last season.

With 31 La Liga appearances involving 30 starts and one goal, the Ghanaian did enough to make himself a top transfer target for the English side and French outfit Stade Rennais.

Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United were also reportedly interested in his services.

After joining Southampton in August last year, the 21-year-old had to delay training with the club for a month due to an injury carried on from his time at Valladolid.

It took him three more months to earn a place in Ralph Hasenhuttl's matchday squad for the first time. After seven straight appearances on the bench in December, the Accra-born sustained a muscle injury just before New Year, prolonging his wait for his first appearance for his new club.

He resumed training earlier this month, eventually making his bow in a 2-0 triumph over Wolves in the FA Cup, three days before coming on as a substitute against the same side in the Premier League.

The defender will be eyeing a third straight league appearance when the Saints face Leeds United.

Uncapped at international level, he is likely to be included in Ghana's squad for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe next month. 

Youssoufa Moukoko has "enormous quality", according to Borussia Dortmund team-mate Raphael Guerreiro, but the defender has urged both his admirers and critics to afford him the time to fully develop.

The Cameroon-born striker has etched his name into the record books this season as the Bundesliga's youngest-ever player at just 16, and has set pulses racing with a string of eye-catching performances under Edin Terzic.

Yet while his senior clubmate has predicted that a bright future lies ahead for the teenager, he has insisted that expectations he will be an overnight success will be unfounded, instead stating that the attacker must be given the space to flourish.

What has Guerreiro said?

"He has enormous quality," the Portugal international told the Bundesliga's official website. "He's a very good finisher in front of goal. He's very fast as well. He's young so he needs time to adapt to the Bundesliga.

"He has already scored two goals, which is amazing for a 16-year-old. But I think he needs time to adapt to our game and our football. He's been training with us almost since the beginning of the season, he's getting to know his team-mates.

"It's all new for him - the opponents are different. They're not 19 or 20-year-olds anymore. It's challenging for him. But he's a very good player and I'm certain that he'll show that in the coming years.

"He needs to be given time, he cannot be judged on his first matches. He needs time to work on himself, and in the coming years he'll show his full talent."

What has been Moukoko's rise?

The teenager already looked on track to be a record breaker during his days in the Dortmund youth team, having made his UEFA Youth League debut as part of their Under-19 team against Barcelona at just 14.

His goal a month later against Inter - just under a month shy of his 15th birthday - only further underlined his prodigious talent, earning him further acclaim as one of the game's most promising young players.

But the records he has notched up since his senior debut last November - the youngest player and goalscorer in Bundesliga history and the youngest player in Champions League history - have only intensified the pressure on the starlet to perform.

The bigger picture

Guerreiro's insistence to ease off on expectations for Moukoko may need to be well-heeded, particularly as Dortmund face a genuine struggle to secure Champions League football next term.

The club currently lie below the qualification spots, six points behind fourth-place Eintracht Frankfurt, and could find themselves instead in the Europa League or newly-formed Conference League - or even out of Europe entirely.

However, they will take heart from their midweek victory over Sevilla to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals, and will hope to carry over the same form against Schalke this weekend.

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel questioned Callum Hudson-Odoi’s attitude after subbing the 20-year-old on and off in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Southampton.

The England international was introduced at the interval against the Saints, with Tammy Abraham replaced after failing to meet his manager’s expectations, but saw his number called 14 minutes from time.

The Blues’ demanding boss says he took big decisions on the tactical front as two products of the Stamford Bridge academy system were unable to offer the right level of commitment.

What has been said?

“I am not concerned about Tammy Abraham, it was not about the injury, it was hard for him to show his quality,” Tuchel told BT Sport when asked about his decision to remove the striker at half-time.

“He could not put his stamp in this game so we changed the formation.”

The German added on the introduction and subsequent removal of a player that has been impressing for him in a right wing-back berth: “We brought in Callum Hudson-Odoi but I was not happy with his attitude, energy and counter-pressing.

“I took him off and we demand 100 per cent, I feel he is not in the right shape to help us.

“It was a hard decision but tomorrow it is forgotten and he has all possibilities to start against Atletico Madrid.

“It is always a big week so it is mixed feelings at the moment, it will not be easier to score against Atletico.”

What happened against Southampton?

Chelsea were breached by an opposition player for the first time under Tuchel as they took in a meeting with the Saints at St Mary’s.

They fell behind to a clever finish from Liverpool loan star Takumi Minamino, with the Japan international racing through a gaping hole in the Blues’ back line to finish in style.

Tuchel’s side controlled possession for much of the afternoon on the south coast and finally forced a breakthrough early in the second half.

Mason Mount was felled by Danny Ings inside the area and dusted himself down to roll home from the penalty spot.

Chelsea survived the odd scare from there, as the frame of their goal was rattled, but they left with a point.

Tuchel remains unbeaten through his first six games as Blues boss as a result of the stalemate at Southampton, with positive progress being made in an ongoing bid to secure a top-four finish.

His attention is, however, about to shift to European matters and the first leg of a Champions League last-16 encounter with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday – with it interesting to see where Abraham and Hudson-Odoi figure in those plans.

Further reading

SuperSport United came back to hold a struggling Kaizer Chiefs side to a 1-1 draw in a PSL match at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Amakhosi opened the scoring through Reeve Frosler, who netted his maiden goal of the season, but Bradley Grobler levelled matters for Matsatsantsa from the penalty spot. 

The Glamour Boys were hoping to snap their five-match winless run having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to AmaZulu FC in a league game at home in midweek.

Coach Gavin Hunt made wholesale changes as he recalled Anthony Akumu, Willard Katsande, Njabulo Blom, Bernard Parker and Leonardo Castro to the starting line-up.

Meanwhile, Matsatsantsa were looking to make it two wins in a row after edging out Cape Town City 2-1 in a league encounter at home last weekend.

Hunt's counterpart, Kaitano Tembo, opted to make just one change with Onismor Bhasera replacing Kudakwashe Mahachi in the starting line-up.

Chiefs saw most of the ball in the opening proceedings, but the Soweto giants could not turn possession into clear cut chances.

Castro's glancing header from Blom's free-kick was easily gathered by Bafana Bafana international Ronwen Williams in the SuperSport goal.

Amakhosi upped the tempo towards the half-hour mark and Bongani Khumalo blocked Castro's goal-bound shot on the goal-line after the Matsatsantsa defence was exposed. 

The deadlock was broken in the 29th minute after some good work by Frosler, who was playing out of position as a left-back.

The 22-year-old stole possession from Grobler in the box, before curling the ball inside the far-post - beating Williams hands down to make it 1-0 to Chiefs.

SuperSport then pushed for the equalizing goal and Khune gathered Grobler's long-range shot, before denying Evans Rusike with a smart save to ensure that the first-half ended with Chiefs leading 1-0.

The Tshwane giants piled pressure on the Chiefs defence after the restart and Khune produced two magnificent saves to deny Mahachi and Sipho Mbule as the visitors looked to level matters.

Hunt was forced to make a double substitution after Katsande and Frosler picked up injuries and the duo was replaced by Daniel Cardoso and Philani Zulu.

The visitors continued to press Amakhosi and they were awarded a penalty after Akumu was adjudged to have pulled down Thamsanqa Gabuza in the box in the 66th minute.

Grobler then stepped up and beat Khune from the spot-kick to make 1-1 as the current PSL top scorer ended his four-match goal drought - taking his tally to 13 league goals this term in the process.

Akumu tried to make amends, but his volleyed effort was fantastically finger-tipped on to the crossbar by Williams and Matsatsantsa cleared their lines in the closing stages of the game.

The last chance of the game fell for Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, whose low shot was brilliantly saved by Williams from close range to ensure that the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

The draw saw Chiefs move up to eighth place on the league standings, while SuperSport remained second on the log - four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

Chiefs will now host Guinean giants AC Horoya in the Caf Champions League game on February 23 and SuperSport are set to face Orlando Pirates in a PSL match on February 24. 

Max Kruse has revealed that a prospective move to Liverpool fell through in 2019 after Divock Origi's European exploits helped to change Jurgen Klopp's mind, insisting that he has made peace with his near-miss transfer.

The Union Berlin man, then at Werder Bremen, was on the Reds' radar following an impressive 2018-19 campaign and claims that he was close to sealing an Anfield switch after a string of assured performances.

Fellow striker Origi's Champions League heroics, however - including a 4-0 comeback win over Barcelona in the semi-finals and Liverpool's final victory over Tottenham - put paid to his dream, with the forward stating those performances ensured the plug was pulled on his move.

What has Kruse said?

“Of course, I would have done that," the 32-year-old told Spieltagssiegerbesieger – Der Kickbase Podcast on whether he would have made the move to Merseyside were it not for Origi.

"In my opinion, it was relatively fixed. [Liverpool] actually wanted to give up two strikers.

“Then one scored goals in the Champions League semi-final and final. Then it was over. It was disappointing."

Kruse's relationship with Klopp

The attacker, however, says that he holds no ill-will towards fellow countryman Klopp, adding that he remains in occasional contact with the manager and that he was honoured to have been considered for Liverpool.

“Talking to Jurgen Klopp was awesome," he added. "We spoke on the phone once or twice. Everything is great with him.

"I’m not angry with Jurgen. Every now and then I send him a photo from vacation!"

The bigger picture

Origi's performances at the tail-end of 2019 - including a double in a now-legendary second-leg comeback against Barcelona and the second goal that consolidated victory for Liverpool in Madrid against Spurs - are widely believed to have earned him a stay he otherwise would not have had.

The Belgium international was expected to depart Anfield in search of more regular minutes, and he has remained a fringe player for the club since, behind Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in the pecking order.

Kruse ultimately switched to Fenerbahce on a three-year deal, but returned to Germany just a year later after a dispute over wages, settling at Union Berlin, whom he has helped put in the frame for a top-six finish and European football this season.

Further reading

Mathare United fell 2-1 in their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match away to Bidco United at Kasarani Annex on Saturday.

Tyson Otieno scored for the Slum Boys while the hosts replied through Erick Gichimu and Lennox Ogutu, who scored an own goal.

It was the 2008 champions who started the match better hoping to get an early goal. They were rewarded in the seventh minute when James Kinyanjui picked out the run of Otieno who managed to convert the chance.

In the 20th minute, the Thika-based charges were forced to an early change when Kassim Mwinyi sustained a head injury and Anthony Simasi took his place.

The promoted side settled well and tried to give their best in search of an equalizer but failed to break their opponents' defence.

The Slum Boys had chances to score but Daniel Otieno and Danson Kago failed to hit the target.

Bidco had to wait until the 75th minute to come to level terms through Gichimu, whose header hit the crossbar before bouncing into the net.

With a minute to go, Ogutu played a backpass to his goalkeeper who was out of position and it turned out to be an own goal.

In another league assignment, 10-man KCB suffered a 2-1 loss away to Nzoia Sugar.

The Zedekiah Otieno-led charges scored first in the 10th minute. The Sugar Millers conceded a penalty and captain Simon Munala rose to the occasion and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Gabriel Wandera replied in the 34th minute through a penalty as well. It got worse for the Nairobi-based charges in the 41st minute when Michale Mutinda was sent off. 

Three minutes after the restart, Kevin Juma scored the second for his team which won maximum points for his charges.

At Kisumu Stadium, Western Stima also fell 3-2 to Kakamega Homeboyz.

Sylvester Owino scored first in favour of the visitors in the 17th minute before Kennedy Otieno replied for the hosts two minutes later. 

The Powermen doubled their advantage in the 31st minute through Isaac Mweru. 

In the 83rd minute, Clinton Bulimo was sent off and Homeboyz capitalized on the numerical advantage to equalise in the 85th minute courtesy of Robert Arrot.

The winning goal came in stoppage time through veteran striker Allan Wanga.

Bidco United XI: Adisa Omar(GK), David Kalama, Lambert Otieno, Francis Oduor(C), Mwinyi Kassimu, Gathu Zacharia, Jacob Onyango, Batts Awita, Alex Juma, Alex Juma, Eric Gichimu, Stephen Waruru

Subs: Edwin Omwabani(GK), Geoffrey Gitau, Wilson Anekeya, Anthony Simasi, Nelson Chieta, Hillary Shilaho, Nelson Chieta, Hillary Shilaho, David Orem, Peter Nzuki

Mathare United XI: Job Ochieng, Martin Ongori, Martin Werunga, Lennox Ogutu (C), Norman Ogolla, Cersidy Okeyo, Tyson Otieno, Danson Kago, James Kinyanjui, Daniel Otieno, Klinsmann Omulanga 

Subs: David Okello, Dennis Ochieng, Anthony Otieno, Chris Oduor, Alphonse Ndonye, Boniface Akenga, Khalid Jumaan, John Mwangi, Dani Lual 

Mikel Arteta has vowed not to put the brakes on Bukayo Saka’s development at Arsenal despite the 19-year-old facing the threat of burnout in his second full season as a first-team regular.

Another highly-rated product of the Emirates Stadium academy system has cemented a standing as a key man for the Gunners and England despite his relative lack of senior experience.

Arteta continues to select the youngster whenever he can, with 29 appearances taken in across all competitions in the current campaign, and is not about to start reining Saka in.

What has been said?

“I think he's in a great moment, he's full of confidence,” Arteta has told reporters of Saka ahead of a Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

“He's been really important in recent results. His form is probably the highest that it's been since I've been here and he's been really consistent. He needs to keep going and (we need to) be wise with him because at the moment he's a big part of the team.

“I think we have to protect him and keep the extractions where they should be, but I’m not going to put a brake on his development or how much he can do week in, week out.

“We have to support him and give him the best possible advice all the time, and then manage his minutes so he can maintain this level.

“It is (difficult) at the moment because he’s been a real threat. He’s involved in a lot of goals all the time and his consistent performances make him a starter obviously. So it’s a fine balance, but at the same time he’s 19 years old and we have to protect him.”

Who has played the most minutes for Arsenal this season?

It is easy to see why Arteta is keen to ensure that Saka is not pushed beyond breaking point.

He has seen 2,317 minutes of football this season, with only first-choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno (2,712) taking in more game time.

Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin are the others to have figured in more than 2,000 minutes this season, with the Gunners able to rest and rotate when required.

How important is Saka to Arsenal?

Ever since bursting onto the scene, the versatile teenager has been making an important contribution to the collective cause.

He has six goals and five assists to his name in 2020-21, with his value to Arteta seemingly growing by the week.

With that in mind, it came as no surprise when Arsenal moved to tie Saka to a new four-year contract last summer.

Further reading

The Zambian government has turned down a request by Napsa Stars to allow 4,500 fans to attend their Caf Confederation Cup match against Gor Mahia on Sunday.

According to a statement on the club’s social media pages, despite them writing to the Ministry of Health seeking to have 4,500 fans attend after Caf agreed to their request, the Ministry is yet to grant them the same and hence only 200 fans will be allowed at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka to watch the return leg fixture.

“We regret to announce despite Caf allowing us to have 4500 fans to attend our match against Gor Mahia tomorrow [Sunday], the Ministry of Youth Sports and Child Development has not granted our request to allow those 4500 fans,” read the statement from Napsa Stars.

“Instead, the initial 200 fans will be allowed. Kindly note if you are among the few that managed to purchase the tickets you will be allowed at Heroes Stadium, and you will be required to strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocols of maintaining social distance, masking up, and sanitizing.”

The statement concluded: “Furthermore, be reminded the game will be live on Zambia National Broadcasting Cooperation.”

During the first leg staged at Nyayo Stadium, fans were not allowed to attend with only essential workers, including journalists and elected officials from the two clubs, having access to the match venue.

The Kenyan champions are already facing a tall order to qualify having lost the first leg 1-0 at home a week ago.

It was Daniel Aboko who powered home the lone goal with four minutes left to the final whistle after his powerful shot from outside the box sizzled past Gor Mahia's defenders and beat keeper Boniface Oluoch.

The goal complicated matters for K’Ogalo as they travel for the return leg but Portuguese coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto has put on a brave face, insisting the record Kenyan giants are still capable of turning around the first-leg deficit and return home with a qualification berth.

Gor Mahia were scheduled to travel to Lusaka on Friday but their travel arrangements were marred by hiccups and are now set to take off on Sunday.

On the other hand, Napsa Stars arrived in Nairobi four days before the matchday and their preparations are a stark contrast to Gor Mahia's.

K’Ogalo were relegated to the Confederation Cup after they lost to CR Belouizdad in the Champions League while Napsa Stars defeated UD Songo of Mozambique in the first round of qualifiers. 

With two more games to go in the league stage this season in the Indian Super League (ISL), FC Goa will want to win both of them as the hunt for a play-offs spot heats up.

With FC Goa set to take on Bengaluru FC, for whom any result other than a win will end their slim play-off hopes, sparks are set to fly on Sunday.

FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando believes that their clash against Bengaluru will be an exciting encounter.

"It's a difficult game because for them and for us, it's important to get three points. If we get three points, we have more options to (chances of qualifying for) the play-offs. Bengaluru need six points in the last two games (to stand a chance to qualify). I think it will be a good game because in this case, two teams have the same mentality and both teams want to get three points. I think it's going to be an emotional game," opined Ferrando.

The Gaurs had registered a crucial win against Odisha in their last match after six consecutive draws and Ferrando suggested that the three points boosted the morale of the players ahead of a crucial period. 

"At the end, it's good for us when you take three points because the dressing room feels better. The anxiety and stress are out of the dressing room. When you take the draws, when you're winning the game and in the last minutes you have to take a draw, it's difficult. It was very important to take three points against Odisha to continue fighting for the third or fourth positions, and for our target to be in the semi-finals."

The Spanish coach suggested that his team's progress over the months has been halted multiple times due to injuries and suspensions and he stated that he isn't fully satisfied with the development of his team. He felt that his players are capable of doing much more than what they are doing at present.

"I'm sad because sometimes it's difficult to improve with injuries, red cards and normal problems that are there in all the teams. In this case, it was not an exponential improvement. Our improvement has been slow.

"I'm upset because how we play in the games is a result of the training. Of course, in February it was difficult for us to train with some players with injuries and some with red cards. In this case, I'm not 100 per cent happy because in my mind, the limit of this team is very high. But for these problems, in the end, the team has improved a lot," stated Ferrando.

Ferrando was all praises for 'Super sub' Ishan Pandita who has scored four goals already in this season coming on as a substitute but he felt that the young forward needs to keep improving in order to get more game time at FC Goa.

"I talk with him (Ishan Pandita) all the time. I'm happy, for example, in the last part of the pitch, he's good. When we decide to put him in the last minutes, it's because he's good at controlling the center-backs and his reference is good. But for me, it's very important for Ishan to improve in a lot of details. If he wants to play for more minutes, there are a lot of details.

"He's working and step-by-step he is improving in these details. But I'm not scared because he's young. The problem is when you have a number 9 who is 32 or 33 years old. He's the same as the rest of the players. The most important thing is that they understand about football and this is my job to help them," opined the Gaurs' coach.

The 40-year-old coach agreed that conceding goals from set-pieces have been an issue for his team and he opined that the problem was due to the inexperience of players.

"We need to control these points. This is the problem with experience in the end, but we are working all the time. We practice in set pieces, to change some details. But in this case, it's necessary to improve the mentality. I'm not scared because sometimes it's necessary to work with our mentality. It's necessary to control the space, control man to man, be strong and have a positive mentality," said Ferrando.

Midfielder Princeton Rebello had replaced skipper Edu Bedia at the heart of the midfield in their last match and the Goan player thanked the coach for putting his trust in the youngster which gave him confidence.

"For me, it was a difficult moment after the injury, but the coach motivated me and told me that I will play. So I came in and gave my best. I'm happy that we won the match and now we are looking to win the next match. For me, at the start, it was a bit difficult as it can be for any young player because you don't know when you'll start. But you never know when your time will come.

"The coach believed in me and I want to improve more to be at my top. Jumping from the development team to the first team is something you have to be proud of because any youngster will want to be where I am today. I hope there will be a lot more young players in this team as the management and the coach are helping a lot of young players to be in this team."

Amad Diallo reminds Luke Shaw of Riyad Mahrez, with the Manchester United defender stating that he is relishing the chance to see his team-mate in regular action sooner rather than later.

The 18-year-old officially made the move to Old Trafford from Atalanta last month after agreeing a deal in principle last autumn, as a key youth recruit for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

He made his senior debut this week as a second-half substitute in United's Europa League drubbing of Real Sociedad and Shaw has opened up on his hopes to see more of the winger soon, including comparisons with a Premier League title-winning rival.

What has Shaw said?

"It was interesting because Harry [Maguire] said to me the other day that he reminds him of Mahrez, when he was at Leicester," the left-back told Sky Sports News .

"[He's] really quick, skillful, [has] agility, can turn, great skills. I'd probably agree with Harry, he does remind me of Mahrez, even the way Mahrez plays now.

"I've seen the sort of qualities that he has, that he's shown in training. Mahrez is a quality player so hopefully if he's any good like him, it will be great for United."

What can fans expect from Diallo?

Having enjoyed a brief cameo against Sociedad now, expectation will turn as to when Diallo might get a run in the senior side, and Shaw has whetted the appetite with more glowing praise for the Ivory Coast-born midfielder.

"He's still so young, but he's coming to training and you can tell he's got confidence," he added. "You can tell by the way he plays; his first touch is brilliant, the way he takes the ball, he drives at players, he's got great skill.

"Of course, he's still got a long way to go but you can tell already that he's going to be one for the future.

"I'm sure he's not far away from getting a first-team appearance but he's a wonderful talent and a wonderful player. I'm sure the fans are looking forward to seeing him on the pitch soon."

Further reading

Ghana coach Abdul Karim Zito has expressed satisfaction about their 0-0 draw with Morocco on matchday two of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

With both teams eyeing a win to book qualification to the quarter-final after earlier opening day wins, there was little to separate them at Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou as they each took a point from the Group C fixture.

The Black Satellites and the young Atlas Lions still sit in pole position to make the next round despite each dropping points as since both have four points and are at the top of the table.

“This was an interesting match because Morocco against Ghana is never a joke and today, we manifested that,” Zito said at the post-match press conference.

“We all wanted to qualify to the quarter-finals of the tournament and today was a match of equals. Four points for now with a game to spare is good for Ghana because it is suiting us to make the knockout stage.”

Both teams came into Friday’s game high on confidence as Ghana handed Tanzania a 4-0 thrashing on matchday one while Morocco narrowly beat Gambia 1-0 in the other Group C opener.

“This was a game we didn't want to lose, and we played the way I wanted the team to play. We had many opportunities to score but it didn't happen today against a very good Ghana side. It's a good point for us and we will build on it for the next game against Tanzania,” Morocco coach Zakaria Abboub remarked.

Man of the Match El Mehdi El Moubarik believes his Moroccan side had every opportunity to win all three points on offer.

He said: “It was a great match against a good team from Ghana and we played well today. We had chances to win it, but we didn't take them and naturally, I am satisfied with the team's performance and we want to build on it for the next match.”

Ghana take on Gambia in their final group match on Monday as Morocco square off against Tanzania.