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Gwambina FC have fired head coach Fulgence Novatus and his deputy Athuman Bilal after a series of inconsistent results in the Tanzania Mainland League.

The club confirmed the exit of the duo after 17 top tier games where they managed to collect 19 points.

The Mwanza-based side have further revealed their immediate plans as they embark on the process of searching for a new tactician to lead the team.

"The Gwambina management has fired the club's entire technical bench made of head coach Fulgence Novatus and his assistant Athuman Bilal for unsatisfying results," read a statement from the club and obtained by Goal.

"Khassain Salum and Seleman Kisendi will head the technical bench on an interim basis alongside the remaining officials. 

"We take this opportunity to thank [Novatus and Bilal] for their time and services at the club and for helping us reach our current level. 

"We also wish them the best in their future endeavours."

The club, which was only founded a year ago, earned promotion with two matches to spare as they had accumulated 44 points from 20 matches.

Gwambina won 13 games, drew five and lost in two other matches. 

Gwambina were promoted alongside Ihefu and Dodoma Jiji while Mbao FC were relegated alongside Alliance FC, Lipuli FC, Ndanda FC, and Singida United. 

The team went on to sign 12 players in preparations for life in the Tanzanian top tier.

Those signed were goalkeepers Mohamed Makaka from Ruvu Shooting and Stali Nyambe from Buildcon FC of Zambia, while the defenders signed were Aron Lulambo from KMC, Moric Mahela from Stand United­ and Baraka Mtui 'Popa' from Ruvu Shooting FC.

Others signed were Novartus Lufunga who played for Lipuli, Said Mkange from Sahare FC, Paul Nonga from Lipuli, Lameck Daniel from Biashara United, Japhet Makalai from Kagera Sugar and Miraji Saleh, who formerly were on the books off Stand United.

The club also received a huge boost with key players renewing their contracts, among them Mohamed Hussein, Isihaka Ibrahim, Revocatus Richard, Salum Kipaga, Hamad Nassor, Anthony Matogolo, Yusuph Kagoma,Yusuph Lwenge, Salim Sheshe, Rajab Athuman, Jacob Massawe, Meshack Abraham, Jimmyson Steven, and Kapama Kibadeni.

Alvaro Morata is set to sit out Juventus’ crunch Serie A clash with AC Milan on Wednesday on account of injury.

Morata was a surprise absentee from Juve’s clash with Udinese on Sunday, with coach Andrea Pirlo reporting he picked up a knock in training.

The absence of their key forward was not felt by Juve, who ran out 4-1 winners over Udinese to keep pace with Milan at the top of the table.

Juventus trail the Rossoneri by 10 points, albeit with a game in hand, and they will in probability take on Milan without Morata who is struggling to shake off the thigh complaint.

“He had a problem in his last training session; we will have to evaluate him in the coming days,” Pirlo said. “He is unlikely to be available on Wednesday.”

Paulo Dybala stepped in to lead the line against Udinese and was rewarded with his second goal in three outings.

The Argentina international appears to be hitting form at a good time for Juve, and his performance impressed Pirlo.

“We need Dybala, he needs us,” Pirlo said. “He worked very well during the week in training; we could tell during the match that he was in better physical condition and we kept him on to the end because we hoped he would score that goal.”

While Dybala put in an impressive performance against Udinese, he is not a true No.9 and Pirlo may look to push for a striker in the January transfer window to ease the pressure on Morata.

Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud has emerged as a target, and Pirlo confirmed his interest in the France international.

When asked about a possible move for Giroud, Pirlo said to DAZN: “He'd be handy!

“The window opens tomorrow, we already discussed with the club what we want to do and if there are any opportunities. Maybe a striker that can rotate with our strikers.”

Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City left their title hopes on rocky ground, and Giroud may be tempted by a move to Turin - particularly if he can gain more playing time to bolster his chances of booking his place in the France squad for this summer's European Championship.

Jose Mourinho considers Tottenham's Carabao Cup semi-final against Brentford on Tuesday their biggest game since he joined the club. 

Spurs take on the Bees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after overcoming Stoke City in the last eight almost a fortnight ago. 

The club are now just two wins away from a first major trophy since they won the same competition in 2008, beating Chelsea 2-1 through Jonathan Woodgate's extra-time goal. 

Mourinho has won the League Cup four times – three with Chelsea and one with Manchester United – and is looking to become just the third manager to reach the final with three different clubs after Ron Atkinson (United, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa) and Ron Saunders (Norwich City, Manchester City and Villa).

But he will have his work cut out against a Brentford side who have already eliminated four Premier League teams in this season's competition in Southampton, West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle.

Indeed, the Bees are only the second non-Premier League side to achieve that feat in a season after Bristol City in 2017-18.

Mourinho, who has won 15 of his 17 home Carabao Cup and FA Cup matches against teams from outside the top flight, knows only too well the confidence boost a trophy triumph would bring and is determined to end Spurs' drought. 

Asked at a media conference if it was the biggest game since he took over at Spurs in November 2019, Mourinho responded: "I think so, in the perspective that the club has been chasing silverware for many years. 

"We had a match at Crystal Palace [last season] which gave us participation in the Europa League and that match was important. The only thing more important is finals.

"For me, every competition is important. I won the [League] Cup in my first season [in England in 2004-05], so for me, every competition is important; it doesn't matter where you are or what your ambitions are. 

"Especially for a club without silverware for more than a decade. If we win two matches, we win the trophy, which would be a very good thing for the club and players.

"It is not about me winning it five times with two or three clubs. It's about the players that want trophies and fans that want trophies. We just need two victories. 

"We have to look to this semi-final with this ambition and respect a very good team."

Mourinho confirmed Erik Lamela would not feature against Brentford but did not reveal if his absence was due to his breach of coronavirus regulations. 

Pictures circulated on social media of Lamela alongside Spurs team-mates Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso at a festive gathering, with West Ham's Manuel Lanzini also in attendance.

The party went against Covid-19 rules put in place by the UK government as those present ignored social-distancing guidelines.

Reguilon was an unused substitute for Spurs' 3-0 Premier League win over Leeds United on Saturday, but there was no place in the squad for Lamela. Lo Celso remains out injured.

Asked if Lamela would be available, Mourinho said: "Not for me to tell you. Just to tell you that against Brentford he cannot play."

Liverpool forward Liam Millar is set to join Charlton on loan.

The Canada international, who has captained the Reds’ Under-23 side this term, will join the League One outfit until the end of the season. Millar, 21, is expected to sign an improved contract before heading out, with the move likely to be confirmed in the next 24 hours.

He could now make his Addicks debut on Friday, when Lee Bowyer’s men host Accrington Stanley.

Millar, who can play as a No.9 but has performed best on the left flank, made his senior debut for Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round replay against Shrewsbury back in February – a game for which Jurgen Klopp and his entire first-team squad were absent.

He led the line as a young Reds side won 1-0, and had been expected to secure a loan move in the summer.

Charlton, Millwall and Sunderland all expressed interest, but none were able to put together a formal deal. Millar has since impressed at U23 level, earning the captain’s armband from coach Barry Lewtas and twice being nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award. He also featured in all three of his side’s Football League Trophy fixtures.

This will not be his first loan spell. He made 36 appearances across two stints with Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, scoring twice.

Millar spoke exclusively to Goal back in July, discussing, among other things, his friendship with Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, his Liverpool debut and his dream of being part of the first Canada side to qualify for a World Cup since 1986.

“To be the first Canadian to play for Liverpool, it was a big thing, something I’ll never forget,” he said.

“If any generation is going to get us to a World Cup, it’s this one. We have a lot of really good players. We all want to reach a World Cup. For a Canada team to do that, it’s the dream.”

Liverpool will consider loan offers for another U23 player, Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg, with a number of Championship clubs having expressed an interest in the 19-year-old.

Van den Berg joined from Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle in the summer of 2019, and made four appearances in cup competitions for the Reds last season.

But he has found himself overtaken by two more teenagers, Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio, plus Nat Phillips, in the pecking order this season, and it is felt that a temporary switch would be best for his development. 

With Morgan Boyes recalled from a spell with League One side Fleetwood, Van den Berg will be allowed to head out on loan later this month.

John Terry was open to the idea of joining Liverpool in 2003 claims Phil Thompson, with the Reds ready to do a deal before Roman Abramovich completed his takeover at Stamford Bridge and scuppered their plans.

Modern day history in the Premier League could have been very different had the Russian billionaire not rolled into west London and set about changing the face of English football.

Terry certainly would not have been ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ at Chelsea had there not been sweeping changes in the Blues’ boardroom some 17-and-a-half years ago.

Back then, a man who went on to claim 17 major honours as captain of a European superpower was an emerging 22-year-old whose contract was running down.

Cash was in short supply at Stamford Bridge and sales appeared to be on the cards, with Liverpool ready to take advantage of that after playing host to Chelsea in the final game of the 2002-03 campaign.

Then-Reds boss Gerard Houllier took a liking to Terry and had sounded him out over a switch to Anfield, before Abramovich intervened.

Liverpool legend Thompson, who was Houllier’s assistant at the time, told Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast: “In the final game of the 2002-03 season, it was a shoot-out between Liverpool and Chelsea for the last Champions League place.

“This was just before Roman Abramovich came in. We’d heard Chelsea were in dire straits, and they weren’t going to offer Frank Lampard or John Terry a contract.

“After the game, as Chelsea were doing a lap of honour, Gerard Houllier said to me that Terry was a bit of a player. I agreed, adding I didn’t think they’d offered him a contract. So Houllier went and shook John Terry’s hand and asked ‘how would you like to play for Liverpool?’ and John said: ‘I’d love to, Mr Houllier’.

“After, we sent one of our coaches in to the players’ lounge and asked John for his agent’s phone number. John said: ‘I’ll do more than that, here’s my personal telephone number, ask him to give us a call’.

“A couple of weeks later, Abramovich took over, and his first dealings were signing Terry and Frank Lampard to big contracts – so we were that far away from getting him.”

Terry went on to take in 717 appearances for Chelsea, many of them as captain, and helped the Blues to five Premier League titles, five FA Cup wins, three League Cup successes, a Champions League crown and Europa League triumph.

He retired in 2018 after seeing out his playing days at Aston Villa and, amid talk of returning to Stamford Bridge at some stage in the future in a managerial capacity, is currently working as Dean Smith’s assistant at Villa Park.

Cape Town City have announced the appointment of Aaron Mokoena as assistant coach to Jan Olde Riekerink.

The 40-year-old former Bafana Bafana captain replaced Vasili Manousakis, who is reportedly on his way to join AmaZulu as Benni McCarthy’s assistant coach.

“The club is delighted to confirm the appointment of Aaron Mokoena as Cape Town City Football Club assistant coach. The most capped player in South African history, officially a Citizen. Welcome Mbazo,” City announced on Monday.

The Boipatong-born retired defender spent 13 years playing in Europe, highlighted by a stint in the Premier League where he turned out for Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth.

He also played in Germany for Germinal Beerschot and the Belgian top-flight for Genk.

Since winding up his playing career at Bidvest Wits in 2013, Mokoena's only big job was a spell as Bafana Bafana team assistant manager in 2017 and the City job would be his first-ever coaching role.

He is reunited with Riekerink, who coached him at the Ajax Amsterdam reserve side in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“I always felt that Cape Town is like Europe and I have been in Europe for half of my life,” Mokoena told Cape Town City’s media.

“I am from the dusty streets. I played armature football in Boipatong. I am the most capped footballer in the history South African football. It’s not easy to play abroad. One thing that is frustrating in Europe is not to play. That’s why we find a lot of South African players coming back home.

“I would love to guide them. Coming to join such a massive club, the relationship that I had with my ex-coach Jan Olde Riekerink in the days at Ajax Amsterdam makes me already feel at home.”

Mokoena joined City, who are currently placed fourth on the Premier Soccer League standings, six points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

City have, however, played a game fewer than the defending champions.

Having started work on Monday, the former South Africa skipper is expected to be on the bench in Tuesday's league match away at second-placed Swallows FC. 

Pedro Chirivella, once billed as the “next Xabi Alonso” at Liverpool, has revealed that he turned down a long-term contract offer at Anfield before packing his bags for Nantes.

The Spanish midfielder was acquired by the Reds in 2013 after being signed from Valencia. He was always highly regarded during his time on Merseyside, but spent the latter stages of his seven-year stay out on loan at Go Ahead Eagles, Willem II and Extremadura.

The 23-year-old made played 11 competitive games and 650 minutes of action for Liverpool, with his path always blocked by more senior options.

With that in mind, he opted to become a free agent after his deal ran down, with the efforts of Premier League champions to get him tied to fresh terms shunned as he headed for the exits.

Chirivella told AS of severing ties with the Reds: “We were in full negotiations with Liverpool, who offered me a fairly long four or five-year contract and we didn’t know what to do.

“Then Nantes came with an interesting proposal for me and talking to the coach and president, we decided it was the best option, and I came to Nantes in June.

“I know it is a club with a history in France that has done great things and, honestly, I did not expect to go to France. I wanted to go back to Spain, and the confinement changed everything. When Nantes came, I didn’t think twice.

“I wanted to leave Liverpool, and I wanted to play. It was a clear proposal with which I did not have much doubt when signing. It was quick.”

Chirivella is now looking to fulfil his potential away from England and claims to have never read too much into his billing as the man tipped to fill the books of World Cup winner Alonso at Liverpool.

He added: “Those kinds of comparisons are easy.

“A Spanish midfielder who played for Liverpool, the easy thing is to compare, but I don’t like anything like that. Because it is putting pressure on a 17-year-old boy who is very young, and Xabi Alonso had done everything with Liverpool, Real Madrid and the national team.

“It is not something that I focus on, and it gets into my head because I know that there are very few players like that and I was just a young kid who wanted to get to Liverpool.”

Ruben Dias and John Stones are forging a "formidable" partnership according to Joleon Lescott, who says it is clear that the Manchester City duo have each other's backs.

City currently boast the best defensive record in the Premier League, having only shipped 13 goals in their opening 15 fixtures.

Pep Guardiola's side surrendered a clean sheet late on during their comfortable win over Chelsea on Sunday, but they still have two fewer in the goals against column than any other side in the division at present.

Their latest victory saw them move up to fifth in the top-flight standings, four points behind current leaders Liverpool having played a game less.

Dias and Stones played the full 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with the former continuing his bright start to life at City following his £65 million ($89m) move from Benfica in the summer transfer window.

Stones has been the perfect foil for the Portugal international since winning his place back in Guardiola's line up in November, and Lescott thinks their understanding is growing stronger with each passing game.

“The partnership with Dias and Stones, it’s getting formidable,” the former City defender told the club's official website. “That comes with games and that’s a key element to any centre-back partnership, trust.

“I need to know that if I’m exposing myself for a slight second, you’ll have my back. They have that. You see them picking each other up and celebrating tackles like they’re a goal. We conceded but overall, that’s possibly one of the quietest games the goalkeeper has had.”

Nedum Onuoha echoed the sentiments of his old team-mate and expressed his belief that Guardiola now has greater strength in depth at his disposal than his rivals at other top Premier League clubs.

“When Dias was brought in, he was brought in for a reason, the problems that were maybe there, he’s been brought in to fix those,” the ex-City full-back said.

"He’s good on the ball but is a defender first. It’s great he can play and has that confidence but how rare do you see a player who is high-fiving John Stones who’s ended up in the stands for tackling Timo Werner?

“That is different, and that’s what City needed. For the last year or so people would look at City and think they could get at them, but to see Dias playing that well, Stones play that well and to know Aymeric Laporte can come in there and others, teams don’t have that boost.

“This is a guy who could be a really good player for the team.”

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango feels their 1-0 Premier Soccer League (PSL) win over Orlando Pirates was “worth it” and will benefit the side in gearing up for Tuesday’s Caf Champions League first round, second leg clash against Botswana champions Jwaneng Galaxy.

Downs started the year on a high after dismissing Pirates last Saturday in what Onyango feels was the right tonic ahead of their continental fixture.

To add to the victory over the Buccaneers, Sundowns go into Tuesday’s match carrying a 2-0 advantage secured in the away leg.

“It is nice to be back in the New Year and to have played a game on the second day was good for us, it was worth it. The game we played over the weekend was great for us and good preparation for the upcoming clash in the Caf Champions League,” Onyango told the Sundowns website.

But the Uganda captain is refusing to read much from their away victory against Galaxy, insisting that the battle is still halfway done.

The goalkeeper declares that “it’s not over” as he warns his Downs teammates against underestimating their visitors from Botswana, who he says should be respected.

“The game against Jwaneng Galaxy seems easy as we won the first leg 2-0 but it is not over, it is still half time for me and the rest of the team,” said Onyango.

“In football, you can never underestimate your opponents. We must focus on the game and be professional to win the game so that we can take the team to the next stage which is the group stages. It is almost a done deal for us but we do not disrespect the game.

“We must play the game with a lot of respect and win our home game and build up to the league game over the weekend. It is important to seal off the game and go into the group stages as you don’t want to play in the Confederations Cup.

“It is not easy to play in the Confederations Cup. We can’t be losing to a team that we managed to beat away from home. We want to get into the Champions League group quickly so that we can focus on the league as we wait for the draw of the Champions League.”

Sundowns are bidding for their second Champions League crown after clinching the 2016 title.

Rachael Nachula has opened up on her personal struggle when she decided to dump athletics for football, saying "it wasn't easy" for her.

The Zambian had reached the peak of her career as a runner when she competed as a 400m semi-finalist at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Some 13 years after her Olympic debut, Nachula will be making her return to the global showpiece at Tokyo 2021, this time as a footballer.

Having helped her country to a first-ever Olympic qualification last March, the striker has shared her excitement about the prospect of her possible return for the Games later this year.

"I think immediately when I step in Tokyo everybody will be like, 'Ah now we have Nachula here, from the 2008 Olympics she comes in 2021, not as a 400m runner but a striker,’ which is good for me," she told Olympic channel.

At 13, the loss of her father as a young girl saw her struggles in life just getting started, with the development halting her education.

Having been forced out of school as a teenager, she found solace in football before the death of her mother four years later.

Following parents' passing, she recalled her foray into athletics while honing her football skills in the quest to earn a living through sports.
 
She went on to shine in the 2005 Southern Africa Regional Championships in Harare, where she won two individual events -  200m and 400m - and also inspired Zambia's 4x400m team to gold.

"When my mum passed on in December 2003, it wasn’t easy. I decided I must do something," she reflected. 

"I then joined sport out of the need to earn an income. Athletics coach Hanson Mushili had come to watch football at the complex where I played, and he saw how I was moving speedily and running around.

"After the game, he approached me and told me, that he could help me, train, and live a better life as a runner.

“After a few months I went to a local competition, my first, and I won. After that, I stayed in athletics. The Southern region competition was what cemented my life as a sprinter.”

Before quitting athletics, the Zambian ran in two Commonwealth Games (2006 and 2010), in the Beijing 2008 Olympics and two senior World Athletics Championships in Berlin (2009) and Daegu (2011).

“I moved to South Africa [at the High-Performance Centre in Pretoria] after earning an IOC scholarship and continued training and competing until I qualified for the Olympics,” she revealed.

“That was a great day! Each athlete wants to qualify for the Olympics. I ran 51.25 and achieved the A standard, and I had also attained the B standard of 52.21.

"I was happy to be part of the Olympics and to run with top athletes like Sanya Richards, Allyson Felix. It was amazing!”

Since switching to football, Nachula claimed the golden boot at the 2019 Cosafa Women's Cup, scoring 10 goals as Zambia reached the final for the first time before they bowed to South Africa. 

And she opened up on her rough journey to reactivating her career in a sport that she described as her first love.

“I tried to recover my form but struggled. I reasoned it’s not too late, I can still do something else," she disclosed.

“I switched quite late, but it was easy to go back as I had played football before. I have one advantage. I used my speed from track on the football pitch. 

"When they give me the ball, I run quickly and get the ball. I went back to football in 2014 and my first international game for Copper Queens was in 2017.

“When one door closes another opens, don’t keep looking at the closed door. We can also manage to develop another talent. But I am still trying to figure out which is my God-given talent."

On the strength of her fine form at Cosafa 2019 as well as her crucial role in the Copper Queens' triumph in the race for an Olympic ticket, Nachula earned her first professional contract with Zaragoza.

While savouring her consistent rise in football following her move to Spain at 34, the striker is also eager to taste another Olympic experience with Zambia this summer.

“I never had it in mind that I would play professional football now, it was just God’s favour. I have so far played four games and have three goals,” she admitted.

“I think the performance at Cosafa in 2019 opened all doors for me. I have followed the steps of our captain Barbra Banda.

"She showed what she can do for Copper Queens and we are following in her footsteps.

“Some of them have asked me how it feels to be at the Olympics, to participate. I told them that being at the Olympics. It’s very motivating. 

"All the top athletes in the world dream of the Olympics. For us as Copper Queens to go there for the first time, it’s a huge plus for us."

“I think I am one of [a few] Africans who has been there as a track and field athlete and this time around I am going there with a different sport."

Lucas Torreira and Diego Godin have shown their support for Edinson Cavani following his ban for racism, with the pair posting a copy of a statement from the Uruguay Player Association (A.F.U.) which slams the English FA for committing a "serious injustice".

Manchester United striker Cavani was hit with a three-match suspension and a £100,000 fine last week after being found guilty of misconduct following allegations of racism.

The 33-year-old responded to a congratulatory message from a friend on Instagram back in November with the phrase "Gracias negrito", and he accepted the FA's charge of using insulting and/or improper words.

Cavani also took to social media to explain himself after being sanctioned, insisting his comment was misconstrued and that he was merely expressing affection towards an acquaintance.

Spanish language experts have since confirmed that the United star's words were taken out of context, and the Uruguay national team has also come out in his defence on Monday.

"Firstly, we must condemn the arbitrary conduct of the English Football Association. Far from condemning racism, the English FA has itself committed a discriminatory act against the culture and the way of life of the Uruguayan people," a statement released by the A.F.U. reads.

"Edinson Cavani has never committed any conduct that could be interpreted as racist. We would therefore like to publicly defend Edinson Cavani's impeccable character and of course our country's culture.

"We request the FA to immediately overturn the sanction imposed on Edinson Cavani and reinstate his good name and honour in the world that has been so unfairly tarnished by this reprehensible decision."

Arsenal loanee Lucas Torreira and Cagliari defender Diego Godin, who both play alongside Cavani at international level, have shared copies of the press release on their official Twitter pages.

As it stands, United will have to make do without their talismanic forward in both of their next domestic fixtures, with the first game of his suspension already served on Friday.

Cavani sat out the Red Devils' 2-1 home win over Aston Villa, and will also be unavailable for their Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City and FA Cup third round tie against Watford over the next five days.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka says his ongoing development at Manchester United is being moulded by Bruno Fernandes with the Portuguese playmaker always on hand to offer words of advice.

The talismanic midfielder at Old Trafford does not yet have the captain’s armband but he has become a leader in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ranks.

Promising right-back Wan-Bissaka told United Review: “Bruno helps everyone – on and off the pitch. He tells me before the game what he thinks I should do and which positions he thinks I should get into when he gets the ball, and where I should be. He has done it with the other players, and I can see that, along with the impact that he has made.

“When I scored my goal [against Newcastle], he said he couldn’t believe I could shoot! That goal there was to show him!”

Wan-Bissaka still has plenty of potential to unlock in his game, having only burst onto the scene at Crystal Palace in 2018-19, but he claims to no longer feel like a youngster at 23 years of age.

He added: “Yeah – in football now, it might be a few more years before I hit my peak, but once you turn 23, you’re not young anymore. That title ‘young’ has left me now!”

The challenge now is for Wan-Bissaka to become an established senior star at United, with silverware considered to be vital in any progress made at Old Trafford.

Asked about his hopes for 2021, Wan-Bissaka said: “Just for the team to finish as high as we possibly can in the table and, hopefully, bring a few trophies back to the club. The match against Watford coming up is another [FA] Cup game and it’s certainly a competition we want to go far in.

“I think we’ve just had a turnaround since the slow start to the season. You can see the position we are in now, how things have changed. The results have been coming good and I hope it can continue.”

United have moved level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table and have a derby date with Manchester City on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Gianfranco Zola believes Timo Werner would be best used as a wide attacker by Chelsea, as the Germany international's goalless run for the Blues reaches 12 games.

The forward, who had been so prolific at RB Leipzig, quickly found the target on eight occasions for the Premier League heavyweights following a big-money summer transfer. He has, however, looked out of sorts in recent appearances.

Frank Lampard has alternative options available to him down the middle, with Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud impressing of late, while Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech patrol the flanks.

Zola believes Werner should be an alternative in wide areas, along with Callum Hudson-Odoi, saying the 24-year-old is not cut out to be a central striker when used by himself.

The Blues legend told talkSPORT: “I think Werner has got very good qualities, unbelievable qualities, but in my opinion he plays best when he’s got a lot of pitch in front of him, when he has to attack the space.

“The problem with Chelsea is that there many times you play a team that is defending deep; that is a different matter and in that case players with the ability of Olivier Giroud or Tammy Abraham, they can do better in that contest.

“So if you want to play Werner, maybe it’s right to play him in the wide areas. Also I think it’s down to Timo to work and also be effective when the spaces in front of him are less and work as a team.

“This could be a strength for Chelsea, because if you’ve got many players with ability you have to understand very well the abilities of the players and use them differently in the games, because not every game is the same.”

Chelsea have been struggling of late, taking just four points from their last six Premier League games, and pressure is building on under-fire coach Lampard.

Zola believes a fellow club legend will come good if patience is shown, with the Italian another of those that believes long-term planning is in order in west London.

He said of the Blues’ inconsistency: “Well it’s certainly not ideal, otherwise we wouldn’t be having these conversations.

“There are some issues that need to be addressed, something has to be improved for sure, but I believe Frank has the potential, the ability and he has the squad to make it better, that’s for sure and without question for me.

“The balance needs to be better but this will come; it will come through work and experience, it’s something that doesn’t come in a week or a month.

“The expectations are very high and the demands from the club are to get results and to get trophies.

“I understand exactly the situation Frank is going through. Sometimes it’s about trust and believing a coach can do well, can face the circumstances and get the best out of it – I think that is the point, really. There’s still a lot to play this season.”

Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has revealed how dear he still holds Uganda and their football despite leaving over three years ago.

Micho is the current head coach of the Zambian national team and will lead his charges against the Cranes in a pre-African Nations Championship encounter on Monday.

“Uganda, Ugandans and Ugandan football with Cranes live actively in a special suite of my heart,” said the former SC Villa coach. “I am so happy that football in Uganda has moved seven miles into the bright future.

“Monday is a check-up for both Cranes and Chipolopolo and nothing else. I have the highest degree of respect for Johnathan McKinstry [Uganda current coach], his technical team and equally for the players led by veteran Tony Mawejje.

“It is a perfect balance between maturity, seniority, experience and young upcoming players that have a bright future ahead of them.”

The Serb further stated he would be aiming to register a win against the Cranes despite his love for the side.

“It is emotional reunification for me with Uganda that I need to go over as professional and look at my team to get good performance and result while we both prepare for upcoming Chan,” he continued. “Let football be the winner.”

McKinstry talked about the importance of the competition and how he would face his old friend, Micho.

“We feel the value of the tournament and getting used to the conditions here in Cameroon,” the Northern Irish coach said. “Our first game against Cameroon was a great opportunity for us physically to test our players and also tactically.

“All players stepping out on the field are playing for their places on the Chan squad. They are not treating them as friendly matches but preparatory matches.”

“Going into this game will help us give every player a fair chance during the tournament but we will make changes and we expect our opponents to do the same. I will come up against an old friend for both Uganda’s football and me personally."

The game will be the second one in preparation for Chan for both Uganda and Zambia, who previously engaged Cameroon and Niger, respectively.

Manchester United have no interest in allowing Amad Diallo to stay at Atalanta on loan for the rest of the season, with Goal able to confirm that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to integrate the teenager into his first-team squad.

A deal for the winger, which is worth up to £37 million ($48m) including add-ons, was agreed on the final day of the 2020 summer transfer window, and the final parts of paperwork are now being signed off ahead of his move to Manchester, which should be completed by the end of the week.

Diallo posted a picture of himself boarding a private jet on his Instagram account on Sunday, prompting suggestions he was on his way to Manchester already.

But it is understood he was in fact flying to Rome so as to attend the Ivory Coast Embassy there in order to finalise his visa.

The 18-year-old has already obtained the Governing Body Endorsement he needs to move to England after the United Kingdom officially left the European Union on January 1.  Now all that remains to be finialised is his visa and registration.

Despite the deal being all but done, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini revealed over the weekend that the Serie A outfit would be interested in keeping Diallo on loan until the end of the season.

"Let's hope. I launched the idea,” he replied when asked if Atalanta would be able to keep the academy graduate for the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign.

“If Manchester were forced to loan him out, maybe it would be better if he stayed with us again."

However, it is understood that Solskjaer plans is to integrate Diallo into the first-team straight away.

United have already had to wait three months to get their hands on the player having agreed the deal in October, and there is no desire to wait any longer for a player that is viewed as "an exciting prospect".

Goal has also learned that Diallo is viewed slightly differently to fellow teenager Facundo Pellistri, who was signed on the same day back in October.

The Uruguayan has been getting used to English football by featuring for Neil Wood’s Under-23s side, and while it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Diallo could also feature for the reserve side upon his immediate arrival, he is seen as a player who is more likely to go straight into the first team set-up.

Solskjaer was asked about the imminent arrival of Diallo after United beat Aston Villa on Friday, and insisted that his new charge will be given time to adapt to playing in England.

“Amad had the paperwork, I can’t see any obstacles and hopefully within not too long he’ll be with us," he told reporters. "We are very excited about bringing him in.

"I think he has shown his qualities a few times but has to learn to play in England, which is a different way of playing football. We will give him time to develop and express himself.”

Frank Lampard faces a fight to convince Chelsea that he can lead the club towards future glory as experienced managers across Europe begin angling for his position.

Manchester City's 3-1 win in London has added to a run of poor results for the Blues that has seen them collect just one win from their last six Premier League games.

Chelsea have two days off following that defeat and nothing has been communicated to Lampard about his future. There is thought to be no immediate danger of him losing his job ahead of an FA Cup third-round clash against Morecambe on Sunday.

Lampard has publicly expressed his desire to remain at Stamford Bridge and urged patience from all those around the club citing that his squad remains young and unproven.

"I am a perfectionist who wants the best for this club," Lampard said at Stamford Bridge. "The first person who puts on the pressure is me. At times, last year, I wanted to push and be even better than fourth, even though I felt it was an achievement considering the ban and the youth in the squad.

"This season the sixteen game unbeaten run was something I was always trying to temper as it went on. We breezed through our Champions League group. I didn't take much notice of that because I felt that with the players and the way they were playing that we should get through and we showed some really good form.

"At the minute, we are in a tough period. I understand it as I played here for a long time. I understand the minute that you lose a few games in a short period of time then everyone looks and asks questions. Then everyone looks at it differently and says you spent that much money.

"Well, the reality is that a lot of the players who came in are young, new, have been injured, not played together before. I haven't been able to play Ziyech, Pulisic or Timo Werner in the same team.

"If we are expecting the relationship between them three to be the same as Sterling, De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva today then there are expectations that are not real. The expectations after Leeds that we are title contenders was not real.

"I am real now in saying the club has to take pain for where we want to get to. Any build or re-build that we have with the players we brought in takes pain. That means pain on the pitch, pain behind-the-scenes and fight and character. That's how you build.

"Pep Guardiola in year one at Man City, an incredible coach comes in and there's tough times. We know the story with Man City and Liverpool. I am not putting myself on that level because I have to show that in a few years time and I have to show it.

"I can only talk about us and I can say this is a difficult period. I understand the reasons why and we have to keep fighting. I am the first person who needs to keep fighting."

However, with £220 million ($275m) spent in the summer transfer window on his squad, the pressure on Lampard remains intense, with sections of the club's support growing restless.

Furthermore, recently departed former PSG manager Thomas Tuchel has long been keen to manage in the Premier League at a top-six club.

The three Germany internationals in the Blues squad may strengthen his case to take over from Lampard, with Pulisic having also come through in his first major job at Borussia Dortmund.

Tuchel has been considered for a role at Chelsea in the past, but had never topped the club's shortlist.

Mauricio Pochettino has long been admired despite his connection to Tottenham, but he has since gone on to accept a role to replace Tuchel at PSG.

Massimiliano Allegri has been touted as a possible successor and has also expressed an interest in coming to the Premier League after leaving Juventus in 2019. The Blues have not yet contacted Allegri over any future role at the club.

Still, as agents work behind the scenes to insert their clients into contention for a prominent post in west London, there remains caution about Lampard's future.

The Blues boss remains popular with most of the dressing room, which features a host of young players who are grateful for the chance to play for him.

There is, however, some discontent from those on the fringes of a squad which remains oversized. Chelsea are just one of many big clubs that struggled to offload players during the pandemic.

Lampard has previously admitted that he is ready to trim his options to increase the group's harmony, with the likes of Emerson Palmieri, Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori all exploring their options.

Chelsea have included a host of youngsters within the first-team bubble and paused their chance to seek loan moves ahead of debuts in an FA Cup clash with Morecambe this weekend.

Tino Anjorin, Tino Livramento, Lewis Bate and Henry Lawrence are among the Under-23s stars who are being considered for selection.

Tottenham need to be bringing in another Christian Eriksen, says Glenn Hoddle, with James Ward-Prowse considered to fit the bill despite not being the kind of player that Jose Mourinho usually goes for.

Spurs saw a Danish playmaker depart north London during the winter transfer window of 2020.

Eriksen, after six-and-a-half productive years in England, decided against signing a new contract and opened himself up to a new challenge at Serie A heavyweights Inter.

That move has not gone to plan, with a return to the Premier League now being mooted, but a retracing of steps to Tottenham appears unlikely.

Hoddle believes Mourinho needs a player of that ilk, though, with Spurs lacking a ball-playing option to complement the combative enforcers in their engine room.

He believes that Southampton captain Ward-Prowse would tick useful boxes for a title-chasing outfit, but concedes that questions are unlikely to be asked of the Saints with another window open.

Quizzed by the Evening Standard on what Spurs need, club legend Hoddle said: “I would probably look at a player who can pick passes. Someone like Bruno Fernandes.

“When Christian Eriksen was on song for two-and-a-bit seasons, he could hit those passes to Dele Alli or Harry Kane or whoever made those runs.

“I am not sure if it Jose Mourinho’s style of player. They have some decent players there, but Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele are different, they run with the ball, they are holders of the ball. But someone who can hurt you with a pass, a real creative player.

“I have said it before, I do not think Jose would like him but the lad at Southampton, James Ward-Prowse, would be a major asset. Him and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would be a nice balance.”

Ward-Prowse is a senior England international, having earned four caps for his country, and is still just 26 years of age despite being into a ninth top-flight campaign with the Saints.

He has also played alongside Hojbjerg in the past, with another Denmark international having made his way to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer of 2020.

Putting a reunion in place could work in Mourinho’s favour, especially as Ward-Prowse has established a reputation as a dead-ball specialist, but it remains to be seen if Spurs do any business before the next deadline passes.

Sergio Ramos is free to speak to Premier League clubs while the January transfer window is open, with Real Madrid yet to offer their captain a new contract.

Ramos' status as a Madrid legend has long been assured, as the Spain international has helped the club win five La Liga titles and four European Cups since moving to Santiago Bernabeu from Sevilla back in 2005.

The centre-back has racked up 666 appearances for the Blancos, scoring a staggering 100 goals from defence, and despite the fact he will turn the ripe old age of 35 in March, he remains one of the first names on Zinedine Zidane's teamsheet.

However, Ramos has just entered the final six months of his contract, and it has been suggested that he could move onto a new challenge away from the Bernabeu at the end of the season.

Goal can confirm that the World Cup winner is still waiting for an extension offer from the club amid rumoured interest from Tottenham and Manchester United in the English top-flight.

With the winter market now open, Ramos is able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors should he choose to do so, with Madrid at serious risk of losing a prized asset unless they get a move on with a renewal.

Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez will also drop into the free agency pool in June as it stands, but Zidane expressed a desire to see the pair remain in the Spanish capital alongside Ramos for the foreseeable future during a press conference at the weekend.

"We all want [contracts to be signed]," the Frenchman told reporters before his team's 2-0 home win over Celta Vigo. "We want the situation to be sorted as quickly as possible.

"It's in everyone's interests, it would be good for everyone, so hopefully it can be sorted out quickly."

Ramos missed Madrid's latest La Liga victory after reportedly coming down with a stomach illness, but could be in line to return in time for a trip to Osasuna on January 9.

Zidane's side are currently sitting second in the league table, two points behind local rivals Atletico Madrid having played two games more.