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Promising youngster Nondamba Naorem is finally set to leave Kerala Blasters after the current edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). He has agreed terms with FC Goa, Goal can confirm. 

The winger was on his way to ATK Mohun Bagan on a loan deal in the January transfer window. But during his medicals, he was diagnosed with an ACL (anterior-cruciate-ligament) injury, which forced the Mariners to call off the deal. However, Subha Ghosh went ahead and joined the Tuskers from Bagan as part of the deal. However, Ghosh is still awaiting clearance to complete the deal.

In the previous season, Naorem plied his trade with Mohun Bagan and was an instrumental figure in Kibu Vicuna's I-League winning squad. He scored a goal against Real Kashmir, away from home in testing conditions and once again got on the scoresheet against NERCOA in a comfortable 3-0 win at home.

He also provided five assists including one in the Kolkata Derby against East Bengal. 

With Vicuna joining Blasters, it was anticipated that the winger would get regular minutes but that was not the case with the team struggling in the early part of the season. Before he got injured he had appeared only thrice in the ISL and garnered only 183 minutes. 

Naorem broke into the scene in the 2017-18 season of the I-League when he scored a wonder goal against Shillong Lajong for Indian Arrows, dribbling past at least four-five defenders. In that season he made 11 appearances and racked up 520 minutes. 

In 2019, he also plied his trade in the I-League Second Division for Kerala Blasters Reserves and hit the target against South United FC. 

Kerala Blasters are going through a rough patch of form and are 10th on the table with nine points from 10 games. However, they picked up a 3-2 win in their last game and will be hoping to repeat the peat against East Bengal in the next match. 

NorthEast United are all set to rope in Jamaican striker Deshorn Brown from Bengaluru in the ongoing January transfer window.

The Highlanders' Ghanaian forward Kwesi Appiah who is out of action for nearly a month currently due to an injury is set to be replaced by the Bengaluru striker. 

Brown had joined the Blues last season during the January window on an 18-month contract and had appeared in seven Indian Super League (ISL) matches scoring three goals. He has played 10 matches out of which he has started in only four and has not scored a single goal yet.

Kwesi Appiah, who played in eight ISL matches for the Highlanders this season has scored three goals but unfortunately is now out of action due to an injury. It is unlikely that the Ghanian will get fit until the end of the season and hence the Highlanders management has decided to sign a replacement for the former Crystal Palace man.

Both Bengaluru and NorthEast United have not had the best of starts to the season. They are in the sixth and eighth position respectively after 11 matches. Both the teams have scored 13 goals so far in the season. 

Another glaring similarity of the clubs are both of them have parted ways with their managers. While Carles Cuadrat left Bengaluru before their match against East Bengal, Gerard Nus was shown the door after NorthEast drew 1-1 against the Blues. Naushad Moosa is currently in charge of Bengaluru while Khalid Jamil has returned as the interim head coach of the Highlanders.

Brown has had a tough 2020-21 season so far and will look for greener pastures at NorthEast United.

Last year Manuel Onwu had left the Blues in midseason due to poor performance and joined Odisha FC where shined bright in the second half of the season. It will be interesting to see if Brown too can do something similar and change the fortunes of NorthEast.

Meanwhile, FC Goa are set to sign ATK Mohun Bagan's reserve goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem who is expected to join the Gaurs next week. The former India U17 goalkeeper, who made his ISL debut with Kerala Blasters, is yet to make an ISL appearance for ATK Mohun Bagan. 

It must be noted that Goa's regular goalkeeper Mohammed Nawaz's contract is set to finish at the end of the season.

FC Goa put up an all-round show to clinch an important and dominant win over Jamshedpur in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Thursday at the Fatorda Stadium.

Unlike their last three matches were the Gaurs kept it late to either win or seal a draw, against Jamshedpur they looked to dominate proceedings right from the off and score early in the match. Coach Juan Ferrando had suggested on multiple occasions in the past that he wants his team to take their chances and finish off games early and that is exactly what the Gaurs did on Thursday.

Jorge Ortiz, the star of the match, started up front in the absence of Igor Angulo, who was benched for the first time this season due to an illness as confirmed by coach Juan Ferrando after the match. The top scorer of the league was not missed by the Gaurs as his compatriot had a terrific outing against the Men of Steel. Ortiz scored twice in the game, worked extremely hard and was almost everywhere in the attacking third. In fact, the Spanish striker could have very well scored a hat-trick had luck been on his side.

Ortiz was ably supported by Alberto Noguera, who started as the number 10 and played an instrumental role in two out of the three goals. He had an enormous presence in the midfield and his pinpoint through passes split open the Jamshedpur defence on multiple occasions.

Goalkeeper Naveen Kumar, who started for the first time this season, was also in red hot form and stopped multiple goal-scoring opportunities of Jamshedpur. In fact, the goalkeeper earned plaudits from opposition manager Owen Coyle who believed Kumar had a big role in foilling Jamshedpur failing to score.

Jamshedpur did not enjoy much possession in the game but were dangerous in their counter-attacks. They looked threatening at times but could not convert the chances they got. Also, they lost skipper Peter Hartley midway into the game due to an injury. The British limped out of the ground in the second half leaving the Jamshedpur backline vulnerable. 

Their midfield wasn't compact compared to their previous games and it was a rare off day for Mobashir Rahman. The Indian midfielder has been massively impressive under Coyle's tutelage this season. Unfortunately, Rahman had a bad day in the office, allowing too much space for the Goans. 

Jamshedpur, while a team capable of troubling any defence, looked a bit one-dimensional against FC Goa going forward. Striker Nerijus Valskis was shorn of quality service and could not have much impact on the game. However, he did get a good chance in the first half and had he converted that, Coyle's men would've made a better game of it. But it was not to be.

It was a match to forget for the Men of Steel who had a good chance of reclaiming a top-four slot. Instead, Goa reduced their gap with the top two teams and got the much-needed confidence at the half stage of the league.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave little away on Mesut Ozil's future amid clams from Fenerbahce that the playmaker is Turkey-bound. 

Ozil has been frozen out of Arteta's plans in 2020-21, after the trainer left him out of the Gunners' Premier League squad at the start of the season. 

The 32-year-old has not played a single minute for his club and is widely expected to leave in the current transfer window, with Super Lig side Fenerbahce in the driving seat. 

“I look very positively on behalf of the community and the president, but I do not see it easily. We have plans of our own,” club sporting director Emre Belozoglu told reporters on Wednesday.

“Mesut also has a contract with his club. He is a superstar. We are talking about a player who contributed to a goal in every other game at every club he has played for. I would be very pleased if Fenerbahce could have such a player.

“We had a meeting with him and his manager. Mesut is closer than ever. The fact that Mesut had this childhood dream and Fenerbahce had the dream has made this step so close for the first time.”

When asked about the ex-Germany international following Arsenal's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace the following day, though, Arteta remained tight-lipped. 

"Well I don’t know how close he’s been before. There are some conversations going with Edu and the club at the moment, but nothing concrete yet," he explained to reporters after the final whistle. 

Thursday's draw meant Arsenal missed the chance to move into the top half of the table, and they approach the midway point of the season in 11th place. 

Arteta admitted that he was frustrated by the dropped points, while recognising that the tie was a fair reflection of a hard-fought game against the south Londoners. 

"I am disappointed because we wanted to win the game," he added. 

"But I think a draw is a fair result, because we lacked some freshness and some quality in the final third to win this match."

Arsenal are back in action on Monday, when Newcastle United visit the Emirates Stadium.

Zinedine Zidane said missing out on a Supercopa de Espana final showdown with Barcelona was not a failure for Real Madrid after they were beaten 2-1 by Athletic Bilbao.

Raul Garcia's first-half double was enough to knock the holders out and end their nine-match unbeaten run at La Rosaleda on Thursday.

Karim Benzema's 13th goal of the season gave Los Blancos hope after Marco Asensio hit the woodwork twice, but the Basque side held on to secure only a second win over the La Liga champions in 23 matches and a first victory under new coach Marcelino.

Madrid thus suffered the same fate as Barcelona in 2020, when elimination at the semi-final stage to Atletico caused coach Ernesto Valverde to lose his job.

Madrid boss Zidane felt his side fell short of the high standards he expects in the first half, but he will not be dwelling on the setback.

He said: "Our first half was difficult, we didn't get into the game well, they scored two goals. They had two chances and two goals. When you are two goals down it is always difficult.

"Then we had a better second half, we created chances, we had several, scored a goal, but could not score a second."

He added: "It is not a failure. Failure is not trying, not giving everything on the field. Life is like that, you can't always win. What we always try to do is win, but you can't always."

Madrid had not lost since December 1 and Zidane expects his side, who have a weekend off before facing Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey next Wednesday, to respond after missing out on another trophy.

The former France playmaker said: "We had a good run and now it's two draws and one loss [in their past four games]. We have to keep working to change the dynamics quickly.

"The outside will be the same as always, what we can do is keep working and move this forward as a team."

Madrid return to action on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey, when Zidane's charge visit third-tier Alcoyano.

Zinedine Zidane says Real Madrid must be patient with Eden Hazard after he struggled to make an impact in the 2-1 defeat to Athletic Club in the Supercopa de Espana semi-final on Thursday.

Two first-half goals from Raul Garcia was enough to send the Basque side into the final despite Karim Benzema's strike 73 minutes into the clash in Malaga.

Hazard managed one shot on target in the match before he was taken off midway through the second half and replaced by 20-year-old winger Vinicius Junior.

The Belgium international has struggled with injury since his move to the Spanish capital and has scored just two goals in 10 appearances in all competitions this term, with his last strike coming in the 2-0 win against Inter in the Champions League in November.

But Zidane says the 30-year-old needs time to get back to his best and dismissed suggestions Madrid fans are getting frustrated by the former Chelsea star.

"You have to be patient, what you need is to score a goal. You have to be patient. The team has tried. You have to turn the page and keep working. We can't go crazy now," he told reporters after the game.

"I don't think people are tired of him. You have to be patient with him. He wants to get this out. Today it wasn't just Eden. We started the game badly, but he did well in the second half."

He continued: "Our first half was difficult, we did not start the game well. It is what they had, two occasions and two goals. It has been complicated. When you are 0-2 it is always difficult. Then we had a better second half, we created chances, we hit the post, scored a goal.

"We didn't read the first half well. They pressed well and we lost possession. You have to keep working, try to rest well and think about the next game. We tried in the second half.

"What we are going to do is keep working, there is no other option. Now, to rest well and think about the next game."

Mikel Arteta was happy with Arsenal's spirit despite drawing 0-0 at home against Crystal Palace on Thursday.

Although the north London side extended their unbeaten run to five games and kept their fourth consecutive clean sheet, they were unable to breach the Palace defence, registering four shots on target over the 90 minutes.

It is the seventh time the Gunners have failed to score in a Premier League match this season, equalling their number of goalless performances in all of the 2019-20 campaign. The last time they were unable to find the net in more matches in a single season was in 2015-16.

Arteta admits his side failed to create enough chances, but says his players were tired as they came up against a stubborn visiting back line. 

"Some freshness and quality in the final third was missing. We had a lot of entries into the final third but no big, big chances," he told Sky Sports after the game.

"I wanted to see a win today and to score a few goals but we were fatigued. We gave the ball away, but I cannot fault the spirit. It wasn't enough.

"Kieran Tierney is a real threat and the way we attack on the left is really important but he is injured and we have to find a solution. He will have an MRI scan tomorrow.

"Roy Hodgson has done that all through his career, that is how they beat a lot of big teams. We had the plan we just didn't have the execution."

He added: "We created a lot of situations against the low block but lacked the final quality. We probably didn't do enough to win the game.

"We are playing a lot of games and you can see fatigue is paying a price, many players aren't fresh.

"We had a period that was fatugue related where we kept giving the ball away. We lacked the quaity in the final third to win the game."

Arsenal are in action again next Monday when they host Newcastle and then face an away game against Southampton on January 26.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was Schalke's second choice target to strengthen their attack in the January transfer market.

Bild in Germany has reported that Schalke are eager to bring the 37-year-old striker back to the club to help boost their hopes of survival in the Bundesliga this season.

The Gelsenkirchen side are second bottom of the table with seven points from 15 matches, having picked up their first win last Saturday when they hammered four past Hoffenheim at home. Only Arminia Bielefeld, who are 15th, have scored fewer goals than Schalke.

Huntelaar was the second most prolific scorer in the German side's history, having scored 126 goals in his seven-year spell there before he moved back to Ajax in the summer of 2017.

The Netherlands international has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of the season, but when asked by Fox Sports if he could turn back on that decision, he said: "Never say never".

Schalke are hoping he can be convinced to return to the Bundesliga before he calls time on his career and it has been reported that sports director Jochen Schneider has already travelled to Amsterdam to discuss a possible deal. It has also been claimed that Huntelaar is open to moving across the border once again.

But Goal and SPOX understand that they made another option their main priority, with 36-year-old Vedad Ibisevic their favoured candidate, even though they just released him weeks ago.

Ibisevic joined Schalke from Hertha Berlin last September on a one-year contract, but announced the termination of his deal just three months later. He made just four top-flight appearances for Schalke this season, starting one. 

"Vedad and we had different expectations of his involvement with Schalke 04. From our point of view, it is now better to end the cooperation and to part on good terms," ​​Schneider said at the time, insisting that an argument with coach Manuel Baum, who was himself fired in mid-December.

Nevertheless, the director reached out to the Bosnia-Herzegovina international once more, only to be turned away. 

Schneider turned to another former Schalke star in their desperate search for an experienced striker.

Huntelaar still has close ties to the club, telling Schalke TV in the summer that he has kept in contact with many members of staff, even meeting with kit managers and physios over coffee and cake.

The former Real Madrid and AC Milan striker has featured 11 times in the Eredivisie for Ajax and scored seven goals.

He made an immediate and decisive impact for Erik ten Hag's team on Thursday when he came off the bench in the 89th minute against Twente. 

The two sides were tied at 1-1, but Huntelaar went on to net two goals in the dying stages to seal the three points as Ajax moved three points ahead of Feyenoord at the top of the table.

Frank Lampard has responded to increased pressure on 'brainless' footballers to stop hugging during goal celebrations as football comes under increased scrutiny during the coronavirus pandemic.

Outside of football, the new strain of Covid-19 has led to a spike in cases and deaths, which has led to a third UK-wide lockdown.

The sport has continued to operate, albeit with hardened protocols from the authorities, to avoid the spread of the virus within football and beyond.

However, elite football is under threat of being stopped with Julian Knight, the chair of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, labelling some goal celebrations as "brainless".

There have also been examples of footballers breaking rules for New Year's Eve celebrations but Lampard believes that the discussions about the sport offer a one-sided perspective.

“My opinion as you cross the spectrum of society is that some footballers have made mistakes, which some have admitted to when they have been found out and that is wrong," Lampard told reporters.

“Members of the public have done that, some members of the public are absolutely adhering to the rules. Some politicians have also made mistakes that when they’ve been caught out they’ve admitted to, so I certainly don’t think the spotlight should just be on footballers.

"On the other side of that, I think footballers have to understand their responsibility and, now that a few mistakes have been made, you hope we see less of that. But I would certainly get my back up against people who just want to pinpoint footballers who are still going to work and doing their job.

"If they make mistakes then fine, hold their hands up, discipline them and, hopefully, footballers will not make so many mistakes going forward. They have been really tough times for everyone and it’s certainly not just footballers who have made mistakes.

"Footballers are doing everything everyone else has been asked to do as well. Some people are being asked to work from home, footballers aren't. So they're taking themselves into an environment where they're potentially putting themselves in danger and maybe their families they go home to - a pregnant wife, a grandparent, parent, brother, sister as well.

"So we have to understand that footballers are human as well and they're being asked to do their job in this moment. So I think that's one thing and if you understand football and the passion, the instinct which every fan has, every person in the street has for football if they love it, they understand it can bring emotions out in you.

"So to control the emotions is a fair ask but to dictate emotions will probably be very difficult on the pitch. I think we should see how this goes because, as it goes along, we'll see if players can control it. I hope they can, but this game, this beautiful game we all love does bring out emotions on the pitch.

"What I want to be really clear about is that players being asked to come to work and they're doing everything they can to toe the line - as is hopefully every person in the public to toe the line to get us  through this."

Chelsea understands the severity of the pandemic with their £70 million ($94m) signing Kai Havertz having suffered from the coronavirus, along with several members of first-team staff.

Meanwhile, their academy building is currently closed due to an outbreak among players and staff after coming back from a short winter break. The first-team remains unaffected due to the different teams having different bubbles as Chelsea prepare for a short trip to local rivals Fulham on Saturday.

Lampard may implement a ban on hugging in training but he thinks it is hard to do during a top-level Premier League match.

"We practice social distancing as much as we can in the training ground," he added. "On the pitch, it can be difficult because you have to train and get close to each other but every moment you possibly can and in training, the instinct shouldn’t be to grab as much, let’s hope, as it would be in-game when you’re scoring in the Premier League that wins a game or whatever.

"So for sure it’s something I will pass on to the players and you see a lot of these group hugs now when they win a five-a-side so that will be something we’ll look at."

Chelsea have also re-opened the Copthorne Hotel at their stadium to NHS (National Health Service) workers who may struggle to get home after late shifts as pressure on London's hospitals grow.

They have also launched a weekly live stream called Coaches Corner Live for children to practice their football skills while stuck inside.

Marcus Rashford has revealed how Jose Mourinho taught him to win penalties, ahead of Manchester United’s crunch clash with Liverpool.

United’s penalty record in recent seasons has become a bone of contention, with many voicing their opinion over the number Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been awarded. 

Jurgen Klopp was the latest to have a swipe with comments that some believe were made in an attempt to influence referees, as he complained his side aren’t as fortunate in being awarded spot kicks.

United have had 20 penalties since the start of last season in the league compared to Liverpool’s 10, while United have won 67 penalties during Klopp’s tenure at Anfield in comparison to the Reds' 46.

There has been plenty of debate as to why United have been topping the table for penalties awarded and Rashford has explained it is due to the movement of their forwards and some advice from Mourinho when he was in charge.  

“As a forward line, we want to go and score goals, when you are making runs in behind or dribbling with the ball and if you see a challenge coming, you don't want to get tackled because you are looking at an opportunity to score a goal,” Rashford told the FWA. 

“There is no way you are going to let somebody take the ball off you, so, for me, it is just a case of us wanting to score goals and the teams wanting to defend goals and penalties can happen. There have been times when we have probably not got penalties.

“I remember when Jose was manager, there were five or six times where I should have had a penalty and Jose ended up saying to me: 'If you are not savvy about the way you do it, then you are not going to get given it.' 

“After that, we started to get a few penalties. It was something in terms of development you have to learn that and understand it.”

United travel to Anfield on Sunday three points ahead of the defending champions after an impressive run of form in the league, but it won’t be an easy task to extend their lead to six points as Klopp’s side are unbeaten at home in the league going back to April 2017. 

However, Rashford believes United go into Sunday’s game in a better place than they have been in recent years.

“I believe that we have one of the most versatile squads in the Premier League, especially going forward. It is exciting, but it is the beginning of something, we want to keep progressing and keep improving,” Rashford, who was receiving the Football Writers' Association award for outstanding contribution, explained.

“We have to show we are ready to fight for what we want and what we all want is success. We are more ready now than we were two years ago in terms of leaders on the pitch and ready to fight for trophies. But still we need to get our hands on those trophies.”

Khouma Babacar scored twice to help Alanyaspor secure a 4-1 victory over BB Erzurumspor in Thursday’s Turkish Cup tie.

The forward has been in sparkling form for Cagdas Atan’s men since teaming up with the side on a season-long loan from Sassuolo.

The Senegal international was handed his 16th appearance for Alanyaspor and utilized the opportunity to add to his tally this season.

The Bahcesehir Okulları Stadium outfit started the game unimpressively after conceding as early as the eighth minute.

Oltan Karakullukcu opened the scoring with a well-taken strike in the encounter following a timely assist from Armando Sadiku.

Babacar then brought his side back into contention in the game when he levelled proceedings in the 14th minute after he was set up Emmanouil Siopis.

Steven Caulker gave Alanyaspor the lead for the first time in the encounter after receiving a sumptuous assist from Anastasios Bakasetas in the 24th minute.

Babacar then completed his brace moments before the hour mark when he hits his effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Kayacan Erdogan. 

Davidson sealed the victory for Alanyaspor in the 77th minute after he was set up by Bakasetas.

Babacar featured for 73 minutes in the encounter before he was replaced by Salih Ucan. 

The Senegal international has now found the back of the net seven goals in 16 appearances across all competitions this season.

Babacar will hope to continue with his eye-catching displays when Alanyaspor take on Erzurumspor in a Super Lig game on January 21.

Babacar had featured for Fiorentina before teaming up with Sassuolo initially on loan before the deal was made permanent.

Before joining Alanyaspor on loan, the forward has also spent time with Lecce and made 25 league appearances for the side before his temporary deal ended.

Babacar has won only two caps for Senegal and will hope his recent performances will earn him a return to the Teranga Lions for their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

Raul Garcia scored twice as Athletic Bilbao secured a rare 2-1 win over holders Real Madrid to set up a Supercopa de Espana final against Barcelona.

Athletic had won only one of their previous 22 matches against the LaLiga champions but beat them for the first time since March 2015 at La Rosaleda on Thursday to hand Marcelino his first victory.

Raul Garcia was set up by Dani Garcia for the opening goal and struck again from the penalty spot to stun Madrid in the first half.

Karim Benzema reduced the deficit after Marco Asensio struck the woodwork twice, but Bilbao held on to end Madrid's nine-match unbeaten run and ensure they will do battle with Barca for the trophy at Estadio de La Cartuja on Sunday.

Athletic did not allow Madrid to settle and they were in front in the 18th minute when Dani Garcia picked up a sloppy pass from Lucas Vazquez and threaded an incisive ball through for the unmarked Raul Garcia to slot beyond Thibaut Courtois.

Having flashed a venomous shot wide as the Basque side continued to press Los Blancos high up the pitch, the experienced midfielder was on target again seven minutes from time.

Another lapse from Vazquez proved to be costly, the defender bundling over Inigo Martinez and Raul Garcia sending Courtois the wrong way with an expertly taken spot-kick seven minutes before the break.

Nacho Fernandez replaced Raphael Varane at half-time and Iker Muniain ought to have put Athletic three goals to the good when he nodded Oscar De Marcos' cross wide of the near post from close range.

Asensio twice came close to halving the deficit in quick succession, rattling the near post from close range before striking the crossbar with a rasping long-range drive.

Benzema pulled one back when he was ruled onside following a VAR check after the flagged was initially raised with 17 minutes remaining.

France striker Benzema had the ball in the back of the net again but this time he was ruled to be offside after Courtois denied Asier Villalibre and Sergio Ramos headed just wide, then Athletic breathed a huge sigh of relief when the VAR verdict was no penalty for Madrid for a possible handball right at the death.

What does it mean? Promising start for new boss Marcelino

Marcelino suffered a 3-2 defeat in his first game in charge against Barca last Wednesday and the new head coach will have a swift opportunity to gain revenge.

Athletic were excellent in the first half and although they tired somewhat after the break with Madrid applying the pressure, they were able to end a run of 11 games without beating Los Blancos.

Madrid had 21 shots to Athletic's eight, but only six of those were on target and Benzema's 13th goal of the season was in vain.

Evergreen Raul Garcia punishes Madrid

Raul Garcia might be heading for the twilight of his career at the age of 34, but he clearly still has plenty to offer.

As well as finishing clinically, he won six aerials duels, had 41 touches and was a thorn in the side of the Madrid defence, proving to be Athletic's match-winner.

Vazquez lapses costly

Vazquez endured a first-half nightmare in Malaga, with his stray passing giving Dani Garcia an opportunity to expose a gaping hole between Varane and Sergio Ramos, which Raul Garcia capitalised on to open the scoring.

The full-back was also at fault for the second goal, pulling down Inigo Martinez blatantly to gift a grateful Raul Garcia the chance to double his tally from 12 yards.

Key Opta Facts

- Athletic Bilbao will play their fourth Supercopa de Espana final, all of them against Barcelona. 
- Zinedine Zidane has lost his first match against Athletic (P10, W6, D3, L1) and his first Supercopa match (P5, W3 D1 L1).
- Thibaut Courtois has conceded a goal from 16 of the 18 penalties faced as Real Madrid goalkeeper in all competitions, including the last nine in a row.
- No LaLiga team has hit the woodwork more often this season in all competitions than Real Madrid (20), six more than the next highest in that list (Villarreal, 14).
- Marcelino has beaten Real Madrid in back-to-back games for the first time in all competitions (W4, D3, L10). His four wins against Los Blancos have been with four different teams: Recreativo de Huelva, Villarreal, Valencia and Athletic.

What's next?

Athletic go in search of glory in Seville this weekend, while Madrid will be licking their wounds before returning to action at Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey round of 32 next Wednesday.

Sebastien Haller scored a goal and provided an assist as Ajax defeated FC Twente 3-1 in a Dutch Eredivisie match on Thursday.

The 26-year-old returned to the Netherlands last week to join the Sons of the Gods from West Ham United on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

After he made his Ajax debut in a 2-2 draw against PSV on Sunday, Haller returned to Erik ten Hag's starting XI on Thursday and he got them off to a flying start with his eighth-minute opener, courtesy of an assist from Antony.

The Ivorian's effort separated both teams for the majority of the encounter until Julio Pleguezuelo grabbed the equaliser for FC Twente in the 84th minute.

Six minutes later, Haller assisted Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to produce some super-substitute moments after he was introduced in the 89th minute.

Huntelaar restore Ajax's lead on the stroke of full-time and the Dutch forward added another goal in the stoppage-time, after benefitting an assist from Morocco’s Zakaria Labyad, to seal maximum points for the visitors at De Grolsch Veste.

Nigeria right-back Tyronne Ebuehi was also on parade for FC Twente as he made his 16th league appearance this campaign.

Thursday's triumph extended Ajax's dominance at the summit of the Eredivisie table to 38 points after 16 games while FC Twente are seventh in the table with 27 points.

Next up for Haller and Labyad's Ajax is a league match against second-placed Feyenoord at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday.

Arsenal's winning run came to an end in a dour Premier League goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace on Thursday.

The Gunners had won their past four matches in the league and cup to arrest an alarming slump, but their performances have still not been quite as convincing as results would suggest.

Mikel Arteta's men needed extra time to defeat Newcastle United last time out in the FA Cup and lacked any sort of imagination against Palace as the influential Kieran Tierney sat out with muscle tightness.

Indeed, Arsenal were ultimately fortunate to preserve a first home Premier League clean sheet since July 1 as they stayed 11th.

It quickly became clear the hosts would miss Tierney, their outstanding left-back, whose right-footed deputy Ainsley Maitland-Niles did not provide the same balance on that flank.

Home chances were therefore few and far between before the break and Palace instead twice came close to breaking the deadlock.

James Tomkins met Eberechi Eze's free-kick but nodded against the crossbar, then Bernd Leno was required to use the full length of his frame to reach Christian Benteke's header and claw clear.

There was marginal improvement after the break, yet visiting goalkeeper Vicente Guaita was largely untroubled, watching Rob Holding head wide as Palace extended their unbeaten run against Arsenal to five league matches.

What does it mean? No disguising Arsenal's issues

This was no better or worse than many of Arsenal's wins and losses this season.

They bossed 67.3 per cent of the possession, yet Palace were comfortable and the Gunners were unable to produce a moment of magic.

When Arsenal endured a long winless stretch, Arteta insisted they deserved more. It was not a universally held opinion and this stalemate, in which they had just five shots from inside the box, laid their failings bare again.

Tierney too important

Tierney's excellence is no secret to Arsenal supporters, but he was the one Gunner to emerge from the first half with credit, his absence glaring on the left.

The Scotland defender, who has created more chances than any other Arsenal player in all competitions this season (28), was not efficiently replaced by Maitland-Niles.

Arteta eventually relented and moved the versatile Bukayo Saka to the left, yet he finished with only two key passes, not granted the same space without Tierney as a distraction.

Easy ride on the road

Palace had mustered just their second clean sheet of the season in their prior match against Sheffield United.

Not since June had Roy Hodgson's men kept opponents at bay in consecutive matches, yet they were never truly under threat here, with Guaita making four routine saves.

Key Opta facts

- Draws are becoming a familiar outcome when these teams meet. In their last five league games against Arsenal, Palace have won once and the other four have ended in stalemate.

- Palace have kept consecutive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since a run of four in a row between February and June last year.

- Arsenal have kept four consecutive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since October 2016.

- Arsenal have failed to score in seven Premier League matches this season, as many as in the entirety of last season, last failing to score in more games in a season in 2015/16 (8).

- Benteke had more attempts on goal than any other player (6). The last five players to have six or more shots in a Premier League game at Emirates Stadium have all been visiting players: John McGinn (Sept 2019), Raul Jimenez (Nov 2019), Sadio Mane (July 2020), Danny Welbeck (July 2020) and Benteke in this game.

- Palace have kept more Premier League clean sheets in two matches in 2021 (2) than they managed in their final 24 matches of 2020 (1).

What's next?

Arsenal have until Monday to prepare for Newcastle's second visit of the month, while Palace play a day earlier at Manchester City.

Mbwana Samatta has sent Fenerbahce into the Turkish Cup quarter-finals after he scored the only goal in their 1-0 win over Kasimpasa.

Samatta separated both teams with his 51st-minute strike which ended his nine-game goal drought for the Yellow Canaries, since he bagged a brace against Fatih Karagumruk in a league fixture back in October.

The Tanzania striker was later replaced in the 69th minute while Senegal's Papiss Cisse played the entire duration and his compatriot Mame Thiam was introduced as a 46th-minute substitute.

Thursday's effort stretched Samatta's tally to three goals after 12 appearances in all competitions since he moved to Turkey on a season-long loan from Aston Villa in September.

Despite being a man down on the stroke of full-time, Fenerbahce held on to victory and they join their Super Lig rivals Istanbul Basaksehir, Besiktas, Alanyasopor, Sivasspor, Konyaspor and Antalyaspor in the quarter-final stage.

The Yellow Canaries are now on a five-game winning streak in all competitions and Samatta will be aiming to help them continue the fine form when they host Ankaragucu for their next league fixture on Monday.

The 28-year-old recently recovered from a knee injury which kept him out of action in December and he made his return to action in a league outing against Kasimpasa earlier this year.

Fenerbahce are second in the Super Lig standings, level on 35 points with leaders Besiktas after 17 matches.

Portugal legend Pepe believes that Manchester City's Ruben Dias is the best defender the nation currently boasts. 

Dias, 23, signed for City from Benfica at the start of the 2020-21 season and immediately found a spot in Pep Guardiola's first-team plans. 

The centre-back has missed just two of his side's Premier League outings, while he has become a regular for Portugal since making his debut in 2018. 

“Ruben Dias is already the best Portuguese center-back in the world, I have already said that," the ex-Real Madrid star explained to Tribuna Expreso.

"Not only that, but he’s a very smart player as well.”

The pair have played together several times in Portugal colours, striking up a strong understanding despite Pepe being 14 years Dias' senior at 37 years old. 

In October the Porto defender said of his compatriot ahead of the Portuguese side's Champions League clash with City: "I have had huge respect for Ruben from the very first day he arrived at the national team. 

"He has always been an exemplary player in the team and has shown his character. I was also happy to see him leave for a club like Manchester City, where he will keep progressing and growing."

Dias in turn had great praise for his veteran colleague, expressing his admiration that at 37 he continues to star for club and country. 

"It is not normal for a player of Pepe's age to keep up the great performances he has put in," the defender told reporters during the October international break. 

"We should be happy that he still has the ability to play at this level. 

"There are few greater privileges than being able to have his experience and the opportunity to play alongside him, because of everything he represents, where he played and everything he won. 

"I see a great chance to learn every day, every second." 

City return to action in the Premier League on Sunday at home to Crystal Palace, having narrowly overcome Brighton in their midweek fixture.

Guardiola's charges currently sit in third place, four points behind leaders Manchester United having played one game fewer.

Mikel Arteta says he did not want to take any risks with Kieran Tierney as the full-back was left out of Thursday evening's Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Tierney, 23, has been a first-team regular for the Gunners this season and has a goal and two assists to his name from 21 appearances in all competitions.

The Scottish defender played the full 120 minutes as they beat Newcastle 2-0 after extra time in the FA Cup third-round clash on Saturday.

Arteta says the Scotland international complained of some discomfort ahead of the midweek match at home to Roy Hodgson's side, explaining why Ainsley Maitland-Niles started at left-back while Tierney was left out of the team.

"Well, he had some muscle soreness he hasn’t recovered well he wasn’t comfortable to start the game and in this period we cannot take the risk," the coach told Sky Sports before kick-off.

Midfielder Thomas Partey, who has been out with a hip injury since his side's defeat to Tottenham, and centre-back Gabriel, who has been absent since mid-December, were included in the list of substitutes for the encounter in north London.

"Gabi is feeling much better he had a complete week of training," Arteta said.

"Thomas has been trying to push us for a week or so as well and I think he can get some minutes as well today. Good news to get some people back."

Despite recovering from an ankle injury to start Arsenal's last four games, Spanish centre-back Pablo Mari has been left out of the team.

Arsenal are 11th in the Premier League heading into Thursday's clash, having collected 23 points from 17 matches, leaving them 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester United.

Arteta's men are on a four-game winning streak across the league and FA Cup and have kept three clean sheets in a row.

Palace, meanwhile, are 13th in the table and have just one win from their last seven games in all competitions. Three days after their visit to the Gunners, Palace will travel north to take on Manchester City in the league.