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Harambee Stars forward Michael Olunga has thanked his former team Kashiwa Reysol for the opportunity they gave him to play in the J1 League.

After two-and-a-half seasons, the lanky striker left the East Asian country for Al Duhail SC in Qatar and signed a three-year deal. The forward has further expressed his delight by being part of the Kashiwa family.

"It is with great pleasure that I hereby thank the entire Kashiwa Reysol family for your support for the past two and a half years," Olunga said in a general statement to the public.

"My sincerest gratitude goes to the management, the team, and the supporters. I appreciate the confidence you all showed in me and for the opportunity you provided for me to represent you on the football pitch.  

"I enjoyed my stay in Kashiwa and I wish you all great success in your future endevours."

A couple of days ago, Olunga wished Kashiwa Reysol success, saying he will be open to join them in future.

"Hallo Kashiwa Reysol fans, I just want to thank you for all the support that you showed me and the club throughout my time here in Reysol," Olunga said in a video posted on Kashiwa Reysol’s Twitter handle.

"It has been fantastic to play for this beautiful club and I really enjoyed every moment of it.

"I can just hope that you continue to perform more and more and I wish the club success in all the assignments. I hope one day I can still come back and play for this beautiful team.

"So, cheers and I wish you more success in the year 2021."

The former Tusker and Gor Mahia centre-forward made his name while with Kashiwa Reysol as he emerged their top scorer in the 2019 J2 League season with 27 goals.

He did not look back as he – after helping Kashiwa Reysol win the title in the second division – was key again in the top-tier, where he scored 28 goals in 32 games.

He emerged as the top scorer in the J1 League and was additionally voted as the Most Valuable Player of the completion, a feat no African has achieved before.

Olunga made his Al Duhail debut as they were beaten 3-1 by Al Sadd on Tuesday.

Maxwel Cornet believes the addition of Islam Slimani to Lyon will help the club in their quest to win the Ligue 1 title.

The Algeria international completed his permanent move to the Groupama Stadium outfit on Monday after leaving Premier League side Leicester City, signing an 18-month deal with the French club.

The centre-forward has been recruited as a direct replacement for Moussa Dembele, who moved to La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Cornet is confident the 32-year-old will help the club achieve their target for the season and promised to help him settle into the team seamlessly. 

“We've seen very little of him so far, we'll get to know him more. He smiles a lot -- he's a nice guy, and I think he's going to do us good in the next few matches,” Cornet said in a pre-match conference.

“When you make a move in the middle of the season you know that the coach needs you, so your integration into the team happens faster and easier -- we'll make him feel comfortable."

Lyon currently lead the league table with 40 points from 19 games and the Ivory Coast international hopes they can maintain the impressive run of form.

"It's always nice to be at the top of the table, you just don't fall into winning matches, it is one after the other,” he continued.

“When we are not in first, we want to be and when we are there we want to remain so, it is up to us to give ourselves the means to continue doing what we are doing at the moment.

“We're all pulling in the same direction, we want to go and get back what we lost last season, if we can go even higher we will not try to avoid it. We must avoid defeat.

"We know that we are being challenged by big teams, when we are in trouble we must rely on every player because we do not want our good run to stop, to lose the lead in the standings -- all these elements allow us to come back. It shows the spirit of the group. From the medical staff to the coach, we are all focused in the locker room, we are all motivated.

“We want to continue this unbeaten run. We go out on the pitch hoping not to lose and I know we have the players to make the difference at all times."

Lyon will take on Metz in their next league game on Sunday at Groupama Stadium and Cornet is confident his side is fully committed to extending their winning streak in the encounter.

“We are 100% focused on Metz, we must not take this team lightly, it is up to us to put things together to make the match easy and go with confidence in Saint-Etienne,” he added.

“They have players who can make the difference at any time, who are challenging to play against."

Cornet has made 18 league appearances for Lyon this season, scoring one goal and providing three assists.

Tanzania giants Yanga SC have added to their squad after they confirmed the signing of Fiston Abdoul Razak.

The Burundian striker was unveiled on Friday, hours after the team arrived home from Arusha in Zanzibar, where they beat their rivals Simba SC 4-3 on penalties to lift Mapinduzi Cup on Wednesday night.

Without giving details of the contract signed, Yanga have stated on their social media pages: “Welcome home Fiston Abdoul Razak, you have joined the team of champions and we welcome you with both hands.”

Apart from turning out for FKF Premier League side Sofapaka, Razak also featured for JS Kabylie, LLB Académic, Rayon Sports, CSMD Diables Noirs, Mamelodi Sundowns, Bloemfontein Celtic, C.D. Primeiro de Agosto, and Al-Zawra'a SC.

In 2014, he was named in the Burundi national team squad that took part in the African Nations Championships held in South Africa.

Razak becomes the second signing for the Jangwani giants after they confirmed the acquisition of defender Dickson Job from Mtibwa Sugar on January 11.

In a recent interview, Yanga through GSM’s director of investment Hersi Said confirmed they will strengthen their squad with only one signing before the mini-transfer window shuts on January 15.

“We are in the final procedure to sign a new player and soon, he will be unveiled to the public. At the moment, I cannot disclose more details about him because we want to make it a big surprise,” Said explained as quoted by Daily News.

On his part, Yanga head coach Cedric Kaze explained the reason he is targeting a striker in the transfer window.

“Having been very successful in the defensive zone in the first round, we now want to make sure we add more edge to the attacking zone and that is why we are in the process of recruiting another striker who will strengthen the area,” Kaze told reporters.

“We want to see our team score more goals, to have a better balance of goals scored and conceded if we want to finish in a better position in the standings.”

Whether the arrival of Job means they have closed their transfer business remains to be seen, as they have already been linked with the signing of Congolese striker Ferebory Dore to boost their striking options.

Yanga are currently topping the 18-team table on 44 points from 18 matches.

Mathare United head coach Salim Ali believes poor officiating contributed to their 3-1 loss to Gor Mahia in the FKF-Premier League.

The 2008-league champions hoped to get at least a point from their opponents who had lost their initial four matches in all competitions, but ended up with nothing at all.

The former Ulinzi Stars coach is, however, impressed with the way his charges played.

"I am impressed with the playing unit but unhappy with the results," Ali told Goal on Friday.

"For instance, against Sofapaka, we came down from 3-0 to 3-2 before conceding late into the game. When we played Gor Mahia, we went down 2-0 before scoring a goal. But again, we ended up conceding late and lost 3-1. It was a big effort from the guys.

"First game was an open game, we created many chances as compared to Sofapaka, only that we did not take them. Sofapaka did not create chances to score, but we gave them goals.

"It is the same case with Gor Mahia [on Thursday]; we donated goals."

The youthful coach went ahead to opine why he felt the officials contributed to their loss against the reigning champions.

"The consistency of our referees in terms of decision making is very poor," Ali added.

"Because there was a second booking and a red card to [Alphonse Onyango]. He had been booked earlier and after conceding the penalty, I expected him to receive a second yellow card which would have warranted him his marching orders but it was not the case."

Ali has further explained why he needs about four games to gauge his team after a long lay-off.

"I am having a pre-season in a season which is a situation no coach would love to be in at the moment," he continued.

"Last season, we managed to prepare well for the season by playing some tournaments and competitive matches. This time around, that has not been the case.

"So I am using our first three or four games to prepare and after that, I think the team will be ready. The players are gelling and it does not happen automatically." 

It took Sir Alex Ferguson many years, but he eventually did knock Liverpool off their perch and helped Manchester United become the most decorated club in English league history.

Things have been relatively lean since Ferguson's retirement, but some managers have achieved success, including Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

So, when was the last time the Premier League title found a home at Old Trafford? Goal brings you all the details about their most recent triumph.

When did Manchester United last win the Premier League?

The 2012-13 season was the last time Manchester United won the Premier League. They finished 11 points clear of second-place Manchester City, having secured the title with four games to spare.

It was United's 20th English league title (and their 13th Premier League crown), extending their advantage over bitter rivals Liverpool, who, at the time, only had 18 titles.

As well as being the last time the Red Devils won the English title, it was also the final season of Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure, as the legendary coach brough the curtain down on an illustrious two decades at the helm.

United won 28 games, drawing five and losing five. Their five losses came at the hands of Everton (on opening day), Tottenham, Norwich City, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Some of their notable victories during the campaign include a 2-1 win against Liverpool at Anfield, a 3-2 victory over Man City at the Etihad (secured via a last-minute Robin van Persie free kick) and a hot-tempered 3-2 triumph against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

United also recorded important wins over Arsenal and Newcastle United (in which a last-minute goal from Javier Hernandez secured a 4-3 victory).

They secured the trophy with four games to spare when they beat Aston Villa 3-0 at Old Trafford on April 22, 2013, with summer signing Robin van Persie scoring a hat-trick.

Ferguson was then given an emotional farewell on his final game in charge at Old Trafford with 75,000 fans on tenterhooks as the Scottish coach paid tribute to his players and gave thanks to the support he received.

"My retirement doesn't the end of my life with the club," Ferguson said to rapturous applause. "I'll be able to enjoy watching them rather than suffer with them!"

Who was in the Man Utd squad when they last won the Premier League?

The Manchester United squad that won the Premier League in 2012-13 featured a number of stalwarts, including Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, with the latter hanging up his boots at the end of the season.

Van Persie was the key player for Ferguson over the course of the campaign, scoring 26 goals on his first season at the club since joining from long-time rivals Arsenal.

The Dutch striker was ably assisted in front of goal by Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, who picked up the slack following Dimitar Berbatov's transfer to Fulham.

Notably, 2012 was the year Paul Pogba departed the club for Juventus after a tribunal, but United brought in Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who chipped in with six goals in his first season.

As well as seasoned campaigners such as Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand, United's squad had plenty of youthful talent, including David de Gea, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

How did Man Utd do in other competitions that season?

While Man United won the Premier League in 2012-13, they struggled to make an impact in other competitions.

They were knocked out of the League Cup by Chelsea in the fourth round, and the Blues also dumped them out of the FA Cup in the sixth round.

Things looked more positive in the Champions League after reaching the final the season before.

Ferguson's side topped a group containing Galatasaray, Cluj and Braga, but things came unstuck early in the knockout stage as they were drawn against Real Madrid, who had finished runners up to Borussia Dortmund in Group D.

United actually went ahead in the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu, with Danny Welbeck getting the away goal, but they were pegged by former stalwart Cristiano Ronaldo who ensured it ended 1-1.

Ronaldo was once again the boogeyman in the second leg on his return to Old Trafford as he scored Madrid's second goal in a 2-1 victory, helping the Spanish side through thanks to a 3-2 aggregate scoreline.

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has explained Mohammed Kudus' absence from Thursday's Eredivisie clash with FC Twente, confirming it was only a precautionary measure.

After making his return from a three-month lay-off against PSV on Sunday, the Ghana international was surprisingly missing from the Lancers' matchday squad for the Twente clash.

His absence generated a lot of speculation, with many suggesting a possible relapse on his journey to regaining full match fitness.

However, after the match, Ten Hag allayed those fears, saying the absence was merely part of his recovery process.

“For Kudus, this game was too soon after the last one," Ajax coach Erik ten Hag told ESPN about the absence of the young Ghanaian from Thursday's match.

"Let’s not forget he had a serious injury. I expect him to be back in the squad on Sunday. I don’t think he’ll start, so as a substitute."

Ajax host Feyenoord on matchday 17 of the Dutch league on Sunday. The Lancers will go into the top-of-the-table clash high in confidence following their sensational 3-1 triumph over Twente on Thursday.

Kudus' expected return will be a huge boost for the club, who are keen to consolidate their position at the top of the standings.

The 20-year-old joined the Eredivisie outfit in a five-year deal last July after impressing for Danish fold Nordsjaelland.

He has so far made six appearances for his new club in all competitions, scoring once and assisting there goals.

On his Champions League debut last October, Kudus suffered a big setback as he sustained a meniscus injury and was forced off the pitch in just the sixth minute.

Expected out of action for "many months", the attacker resumed training in December and completed his comeback as an 80th minute substitute during Sunday's 2-2 draw with PSV.

Ghana will be delighted by news that the midfielder was only excluded from Thursday action as a precautionary measure as they will hope to call upon their man for resumption of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

Owing to injury situations, the Black Stars have had to do without Kudus since he was handed a maiden call-up for Afcon qualifying games in 2019.

Tanzanian champions Simba SC have suffered a huge blow after their midfielder Bernard Morrison was ruled out for six months.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi have confirmed the star player, whom they signed from rivals Yanga SC at the start of the 2020-21 season, will have to undergo further tests and probably surgery that will keep him out for a while.

Simba Board of Director Kassim Dewji confirmed the situation of Morrison on Friday, by telling reporters in Dar es Salaam: “Morrison is having some pain which is unsettling him whenever he wants to play and we have now been advised to take him for further tests and it could end with surgery.

“He has not played for us for a very long time despite training with the team but he now has a routine he will follow which includes surgery and he has also been told to stay out for six months.”

The Ghanaian player has not enjoyed a good run with Simba as he suffered an injury which saw him miss the Mainland Premier League derby against Yanga SC late last year.

He also missed the two-legged Caf Champions League clash against FC Platinum of Zimbabwe as Simba went on to win 4-1 on aggregate and qualify for the group stage.

And in the just-concluded Mapinduzi Cup, where Simba lost 4-3 on penalties in the final to rivals Yanga, the player was not used by assistant coach Selemani Matola despite warming up.

In the final, the teams drew 0-0 in full-time but Yanga carried the day after converting their penalties from Tuisila Kisinda, Shaibu Abdalla, Zawadi Mauya, and Saido Ntibazonkiza while Mukoko Tonombe was denied by Beno Kakolanya.

On the other hand, Simba scored through Francis Kahata, Chris Mugalu, and Gadiel Michael while Meddie Kagere was denied by the woodwork and Joash Onyango’s effort was saved by Yanga keeper Farouk Shikhalo.

The latest setback for Morrison means he will miss a number of matches in the league and also Champions League group stage, where Simba have been drawn in Group A alongside Al-Ahly of Egypt, AS Vita from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudanese giants Al-Merrikh.

Wayne Rooney called time on one of the greatest playing careers in English football on Friday, vowing: "I wouldn't change a thing."

Since springing to prominence with a stunning goal as a 16-year-old for Everton against Arsenal in 2002, Rooney has achieved feat after feat in the game.

He retires as the record scorer for both Manchester United and England, having won 120 caps and captained his country, and will focus on his new full-time job as manager of Derby County.

Gary Lineker, third on England's all-time goalscoring list behind Rooney and Bobby Charlton, said the new Rams boss had enjoyed "a truly wonderful career on the field".

The 35-year-old Rooney is now relishing a career in management, and he has shown an early aptitude with Derby conceding only four goals and losing just twice in their nine league matches under his caretaker leadership.

"For me, to try and help the club get back to its glory days is a massive opportunity," Rooney said. "My future is in management. I’ve had a great career with a few ups and a few downs, but I wouldn't change anything. But now, I'd like to write some history in my managerial career.

"My whole life has been playing football, so I'm fortunate that I'm still part of it. It's a new chapter for me.

"Will I miss playing? Of course, but time doesn't stop. I've had my time, it's time for the younger generation to have their time and for me to guide them."

Former England team-mate Steven Gerrard, who is now managing title-chasing Rangers in Scotland, said it had been an "honour" to play alongside Rooney and wished him "good luck" at Derby.

Rooney, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Championship club, is close to lifting Derby out of the relegation zone having taken over at a time when they sat rooted to the foot of the table.

His last competitive match as a player, assuming there is no U-turn, will have been the 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough on November 25.

He won five Premier League titles with United, along with a Champions League and FA Cup and EFL Cup successes, and in the 2009-10 season he was named PFA Player of the Year.

During his Old Trafford career, which ran from 2004 to 2017, he scored 253 goals, while he netted 53 for England.

Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has defended Kylian Mbappe amid accusations the forward has lost form and focus.

France star Mbappe has scored only twice in his past seven games in all competitions, having started the season by hitting nine goals in as many games.

Beyond a lack of goals, the 22-year-old has been enduring a run of performances in which he has made few decisive contributions.

In his most recent five outings, Mbappe has twice failed to have a shot – including in Wednesday's 2-1 Trophee des Champions win over Marseille – and failed to create a chance for team-mates in three separate games.

He has also completed more than two dribbles in a single game on only one occasion in that run and has been criticised for losing the ball too often. Against Marseille, he lost possession 19 times, the most of any PSG player, and only dribbled past a defender twice.

Former PSG midfielder and coach Jean-Michel Larque, speaking via RMC , claimed Mbappe was careless against Marseille as he was trying to "ridicule" his opponents, adding that the  player's current malaise means he "has no place at Paris Saint-Germain."

However, ahead of Saturday's Ligue 1 clash with Angers, Pochettino insisted Mbappe is striving to do his best.

"I'm very happy with Kylian's form," Pochettino told a news conference. "He is an important player for us. He is trying hard for the team. I'm happy with his effort and his involvement against Marseille.

"As with everything, we are always looking to improve but I'm pleased with Mbappe's effort and commitment. He's played 90 minutes in all three games [since Pochettino's arrival], which shows I'm pleased with the way he is performing.

"So much is expected of him and he's in the spotlight, but as I said, I'm very pleased with him and, over time, he'll get goals and more assists."

Asked if Mbappe needed a rest to recover top form, Pochettino said: "There are a lot of myths about the way you manage players in a team in terms of fitness.

"Our decisions are based on the best for all the players. Mbappe has played all three games because he is fit. He will improve with the more minutes he gets."

Morocco will be the host country for the 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations, the Confederation of African Football has announced.

Congo had been due to welcome to the competition in 2020 until they pulled out in July 2019, leaving the event without a host before the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic a year later.

Before the cancellation, Caf had made a positive step with the expansion of the African Women's Cup of Nations from eight to 12 teams, which was the first change to the format after 11 editions.

Besides that, a record total of 36 national teams have entered the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Awcon finals, with 11 countries expected to make it out of the qualification series.

"Morocco has been designated host of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations," interim Caf president Constant Omari confirmed in his response to Goal during a press conference on Friday.

Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea had also been in the running to take over from Congo but reports have suggested a lack of backing from the government swiftly saw it become an unlikely choice.

Morocco will now be the country to benefit from the change, as the tournament takes place on North African soil for the first time.

The Atlas Lionesses, who had previously competed twice, first at Nigeria 1998 before the last at South Africa 2000, feature for the third time, while hosting for the first time in their history. 

The last time Morocco appeared at the event, they suffered three defeats in the group stage, conceding 13 goals and managed to score a goal in South Africa, where Nigeria won her second title.

Kerala Blasters boss Kibu Vicuna feels his team's 1-1 draw against East Bengal on Friday is a result that is hard to accept. 

The Yellow Army took the lead through Jordan Murray in the 64th minute and looked likely to take all three points. However, Scott Neville scored from a corner-kick in added time to level the scoreline and share the spoils. 

After the game, Vicuna said, "It was difficult because we had three points and in the end, we lost two. In the second half, they had the ball more than us but they did not get any clear chance. We had the best chances and we scored one. We almost had three points. It was a hard moment because for us it was important to win two games in a row and climb up the league table."

"In the first half we had the best chances with Jordan coming close and I think it was a good game."

Blasters had Sahal, Gary Hooper and Facundo Pereyra helping out goalscorer Jordan Murray in their attack and Vicuna is pleased with how the combination has worked out. 

"We have Sahal, Facundo Pereyra, Jordan Murray and Gary Hooper in the attack. With these four players upfront and with Jessel and Nishu, both of them are offensive full-backs. We are an attacking team and we are creating more chances. 

"There were patches in the game where we did well. We played against a very difficult team with quality players. Our defensive performance was good, not just defence but the whole team because we didn't concede too many chances. With their quality like Bright (Enokabhare), (Jacques) Maghoma and (Anthony) Pilkington they couldn't create many chances," the former Mohun Bagan boss concluded. 
 

A late equaliser from Scott Neville helped East Bengal earn a point against Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Friday.

The Red and Golds coach Robbie Fowler was not too unhappy with the result as he chose to focus on the positives from the match and he felt that it was a good point to win.

"It is disappointing that we didn't win the game but there are plenty of positives from the game. We didn't lose the game, scored a late equaliser, we could have easily lost a point," said the East Bengal coach.

"When they scored the goal we lost our shape a little bit. It is understandable, they were trying to chase the game, players were trying to force passes on their own. We played three tough games in six days maybe that was the backend of why we were not on our normal selves in terms of performance. The boys showed a lot of grit and lots of desire. It is a good point."

The English coach suggested that Kerala Blasters made it difficult for his side by placing men behind the ball and defending in numbers.

"It is obviously not ideal, it is not something we planned. We go into every game believing that we can get the right result. They made it difficult for us putting lots of men behind the ball. They played in a shape which made easy for them to defend. It was tough but we got it in the end and that is the main thing."

The defence held a high-line when Albino Gomes' long ball found Jordan Murray who scored the opening goal and the East Bengal coach admitted that the defenders could have done a better job while covering the Australian striker.

"We didn't play high-line in the entire game. Maybe our wing-backs went a little bit higher to put pressure on them. When the ball came back into our final third we should have defended better. But it is gone now and the lads will learn from this."

Fowler shrugged off suggestions that East Bengal were the favourites to win the game. He said, "Kerala Blasters have been on a good little run themselves as well. Sometimes the opposition plays and sometimes they put you in a lot of pressure.

"Let's be steady, we have shown what we are all about and we don't give up."

Struggling Premier Soccer League side Chippa United have announced the signings of former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Anthony Laffor and former national U-23 defender Ayabulela Konqobe.

According to a statement from the Chilli Boys, "the duo have signed until the end of the season with an option of renewing their stay in Port Elizabeth for a further two seasons."

Both players are available for the Chilli Boys' league clash with TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The game will mark a return to the club where Chippa coach Dan Malesela started the current season.

“I am thrilled to have the experience of both Anthony and Ayabulela to bolster our squad. We welcome them both to the Chilli Boys family, as we look at reinforcing in key positions, and also towards our ambitions for this season," Malesela said.

Laffor's goal-scoring ability could be crucial for a Chippa side struggling in the relegation zone - they are in 15th position with six points from 10 matches so far this season.

The 35-year-old Liberia international is one of the most decorated players in the PSL and has seven league winners' medals to his name. He's also won the Caf Champions League and has two Nedbank Cups, two Telkom Knockouts and one MTN8  title to his credit.

"I had other clubs I was talking to but I feel that Chippa is the best place for me to be," Laffor told the club's media.

"I'm here to work for my place. I'm happy to be part of the team, the guys here are very friendly and professional. I can see there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"I just want to tell [the fans] that I'm happy to be here and I want to help get Chippa where they are supposed to be."

Laffor began his time in South Africa with Jomo Cosmos before moving on to SuperSport United and then joining Sundowns in 2012.

He’s played a combined 299 matches in the PSL and the Champions League, scoring 63 goals and adding 33 assists.

Laffor was released by Sundowns along with Wayne Arendse in December last year, having not played at all this season. He only made one appearance in the league in the 2019/20 campaign, as a 93rd minute substitute against Highlands Park in August last year

Konqobe spent last season playing in Finland for EIF. This will be his second spell with Chippa after playing 17 league matches for them in the 2017/18 campaign.

The 25-year-old was also formerly on the books of Ajax Cape Town, SuperSport United, AmaZulu and Thanda Royal Zulu.

Jose Mourinho has suggested he is not responsible for the high number of penalties being awarded to Manchester United.

United forward Marcus Rashford revealed the club's increase in favourable penalty decisions seemed to coincide with advice handed down by Mourinho during his spell as manager at Old Trafford.

Amid the debate over United penalties that was recently reignited by comments from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Rashford told the Football Writers' Association : "There's been times when we have not got penalties. 

"I remember when Jose was manager, there were five or six times I can remember where I should've had a penalty. Jose ended up saying to me if you're not savvy about the way you do it then you're not going to get it.

"After that we started to get a few – in terms of development, you have to learn it and understand it."

Mourinho was asked about Rashford's comments when he faced the media on Friday ahead of Tottenham's away Premier League game against Sheffield United on Sunday.

The Spurs boss claimed he did not want to make headlines ahead of the huge clash between Liverpool and United on the same day his team are at Bramall Lane, but he suggested Opta statistics would come out in his favour on the topic.

"Look, first of all, Liverpool versus Manchester United is a big match that doesn't need me to make it bigger, " Mourinho said.

"Or it doesn't need me to do any headlines before such a big match that I know means so much for both clubs and supporters' population, so I'll leave comments for later not for now.

"If you feel the need to write something about it, do it in a very simple way. Stats, go to Opta, stats, go to my history as a manager in my more or less 10 Premier League seasons. Compare numbers and take your conclusions."

Opta statistics show United won seven penalties in all competitions under Mourinho in 2016-17 and six in the following campaign (four and three respectively in the league).

Mourinho's United were then awarded six in 24 games before he was fired in the 2018-19 season, the spot-kick rate rising to nine in 29 when Solskjaer took charge - initially on an interim basis.

United have continued to be awarded more penalties under Solskjaer since he became permanent boss. They had an astonishing 22 in the 2019-20 season, 14 of which came in the Premier League.

This season, United have already racked up six Premier League spot-kicks in 17 matches and 11 in all competitions.

Hansi Flick wants every member of his Bayern Munich team to work on turning their defensive struggles around as they prepare for a Bundesliga clash with in-form Freiburg.

Bayern saw their hopes of a second successive treble ended on Wednesday after they suffered a shock DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of 2. Bundesliga promotion challengers Holstein Kiel.

They conceded a 95th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 at the end of normal time, with the second-tier side going on to prevail 6-5 on penalties.

Flick's side have not kept a clean sheet since the Champions League win over Lokomotiv Moscow on December 9, while the second of just two shutouts in the Bundesliga came back in the 5-0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt on October 24.

Bayern have faced the fifth-fewest total shots in the Bundesliga (160) but have conceded the sixth-most goals with 24, that total 12 more than the league leaders' closest challengers, RB Leipzig, who could have leapfrogged the Bavarian giants by the time Freiburg visit Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Freiburg have won five successive league games and are second in the Bundesliga in big chance conversion rate (58.33 per cent), so Bayern can ill-afford to present them with the kind of opportunities they have afforded their opponents all too often in 2020-21.

"It's going to be an intense game, Freiburg is known for that type of football. They're scoring a lot of goals," Flick said during a media conference on Friday. "It's going to be about us and how we play in defence. It's down to us, the disappointment we had to digest pretty quickly, we have to make the best out of the situation now.

"The whole team is under pressure in defence, it's not only the back four. We're not getting enough pressure on to the ball, not as much as we used to."

Adding that Bayern's remarkable treble-winning efforts of last season were "not normal", Flick said: "I did expect us to experience a bit of a slump a little earlier but my team showed incredible mentality and we made it to the top of the table before the winter break.

"The engine isn't running smoothly, on Wednesday we experienced it in the most brutal fashion.

"We're making it too easy for the opponents to make chances, we have to be in better positions, we have to defend together. It's our job and it's our expectation to get back on top."

Jose Enrique expects Liverpool great Steven Gerrard to manage the Reds one day, but suggests it would be a tough ask to replace Jurgen Klopp.

Gerrard, who played alongside Jose Enrique at Anfield, is making impressive strides in his coaching career, leading Rangers to the top of the Scottish Premiership and on course to end Celtic's dominance of the division.

Having won nine trophies with his boyhood club as a player, including the Champions League, a return to Liverpool has long been mooted.

The Reds are reigning Premier League champions under Klopp and in a title race again this year, trailing rivals Manchester United by three points at the summit ahead of the sides' clash on Sunday.

So, while Jose Enrique anticipates Gerrard will take the helm, he sees no swift appointment and predicts succeeding Klopp will be difficult.

"Definitely, he will be [manager]," the former left-back told Stats Perform News . "I believe everyone knows that. I'm not sure when, but that's always different; I'm talking to you in an interview, but many Liverpool fans have this question.

"I always say, 'Listen, enjoy Klopp first, because we have so much good with him', but Steven will become manager.

"I'm not sure, to be honest, if it's the best decision to be after Klopp. I'm not sure about that.

"Because anyone who is after Klopp is going to have the pressure that we saw with United and Sir Alex Ferguson, and Sir Alex Ferguson was for a longer time with more titles. That's true.

"Klopp, we don't know when he's going to retire from Liverpool and hopefully with many more titles, so going after someone like that, even if you're Steven Gerrard, is not easy.

"It's true he is already doing really well in a big team in Scotland, because Celtic have been the king in Scotland for a really long time, but he's taken over now and is probably going to win the league. In Europe, he's doing well as well.

"So, from what I know – and I don't know him as a manager but as a man – I'm sure the players will be really happy with him and he was a great captain.

"It is a different role, but I'm sure he would have that inside him to be the manager and captain at the same time for the team, and you are seeing that at Rangers. He doesn't care, he will put the best to play and he will be the manager in the future."

Thierry Henry has revealed he is enjoying watching Leeds United playing in the Premier League under the management of Marcelo Bielsa.

The former Arsenal star, now manager of MLS side Montreal Impact, says he likes to watch Leeds as often as he can and is attempting to take tactical tips from the Argentine's style of play.

Henry is managing in North America but keeps an eye on the English and French leagues, and he was full of praise for two underdog Ligue 1 sides as well as Bielsa's team.

In an interview with So Foot , Henry said: "I love to see Leeds play, it's extraordinary. I also continue to watch Ligue 1, whether it's Brest, Lens - I'll watch everything I can."

The former Monaco coach also praised Bielsa for not forgoing his philosophy. He added: "The game is an alternation: you can't always play long and you can't always play short. You have to vary.

"When you look closely, how many teams in history went down because they were playing long balls and how many teams went down because they were trying to build from the back? It is not that clear.

"You can win a championship by playing counter-attack, or by having 80 per cent possession in the opposing half. The same goes the other way. I just wish all philosophies were respected."

Henry began his coaching career with a short and unhappy spell at Monaco, although he did bring through a number of young players and says he has no regrets about his time at Stade Louis II.

He said: "Sofiane Diop, Benoit Badiashile, Romain Faivre - the success of these players does not mean that I was right or wrong. These are players that I helped to mature as best I could and I'm happy for that, because you tell yourself that you saw something, and that was not wrong. 

"I thank Monaco again for giving me the opportunity. Yes, I like to take risks, build from the back, and yes, sometimes it can look silly when you lose the ball.

"The important thing is to keep your philosophy. You can change your system, make it evolve, but the important thing is it is to be in agreement with its ideals.

"Look what Marcelo Bielsa is doing in the Premier League: he can win 4-0 or lose 4-0, but ultimately everyone is watching Leeds. This is also what I like. But be careful, you will never see me criticise the approach of another coach."