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The impact made by Diogo Jota at Liverpool has forced Roberto Firmino to raise his game, says Dominic Matteo, with the Brazilian forward in the process of proving that he remains a game-changer.

Said qualities were rarely questioned as the South American forged the most productive of partnerships with fellow frontmen Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

End product has, however, been in short supply for the 29-year-old of late, with just three goals recorded through 20 appearances in the 2020-21 campaign.

The most recent of those proved to be decisive, with a dramatic late winner nodded home in a 2-1 victory over fellow title hopefuls Tottenham.

Firmino had been leading the line again in that contest as summer signing Jota has been ruled out for several weeks with an untimely injury.

The Portuguese had hit nine goals in 17 appearances prior to being laid low, with plenty suggesting that he should be handed a regular role in Liverpool’s fearsome attacking unit.

With Jota now on the treatment table, Firmino has the chance to prove that he remains the go-to man for Jurgen Klopp, with Matteo expecting a reliable performer to step up to that challenge.

The former Reds defender told Stadium Astro: “Jota has been outstanding – every time he gets on the ball you think he’s going to score a goal. Definitely that might push Firmino forward.

“When you are up against a player who will score goals and make chances, you have to do something to influence the game. Firmino has done that now and hopefully he will get the confidence out of that.

“He had looked a big leggy in the last few games but maybe now after that goal [against Spurs] it will refresh him.

“His keeping of the ball needs to be a bit better, he was so good at that last season. This season he hasn’t kept it as well but people learn a lot about you as a player. Firmino has still got that ability to change a game. I’m sure he will get confidence out of that.”

Matteo added on Firmino’s value to the collective cause at Anfield, with a leading role played in Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League title triumphs: “The one thing we know about Jurgen Klopp and his loyalty to certain players is that he loves Firmino and what he brings to the team on and off the field.

“He’s a brilliant character, a great player. We know Salah and Mane get most of the goals and Firmino chips in, but the work he does is outstanding. He’s a fan favourite as well, they adore him.

“The way he plays, trying to do it the right way. He’s so clever – when the ball comes into him, you never know what he is going to do. He has got a trick in his locker.

“He is probably not as quick as some of the other players but because Mane and Salah are so quick they get away with that.

“The way he links the team together is outstanding. He’s a great all round player. Yes, the goals haven’t come as much as they would like, but sometimes that happens.”

Chelsea will look to shun any interest shown in Olivier Giroud during the January transfer window, says Robert Green, with the Blues more likely to hand out a new contract than sanction a sale.

An experienced French forward has been working on rolling 12-month deals at Stamford Bridge.

Another could be in the offing, with the 34-year-old showing once again that he still has an important role to play in an expensively-assembled squad.

Regular slips down the pecking order have been endured by Giroud during his time in west London, but he has always forced his way back into contention.

A purple patch has been hit in front of goal over recent weeks, with the target found on seven occasions through as many appearances.

Frank Lampard is once again asking the World Cup winner to lead Chelsea’s line and Green believes his services will be retained for the foreseeable future, despite exit talk building again heading into 2021.

“As long as he wants to be there he should be there,” former Blues goalkeeper Green told Stadium Astro.

“It’s one that they are finding very hard to replace. I think Tammy [Abraham] is still a work in progress.

“He [Giroud] is still scoring goals and he’s still massively motivated. I was with him last season and speaking to him then and he was talking about playing in the Euros, playing for France, getting that trophy that he hasn’t got so far and getting into the top ranking of goalscoring for France as well.

“The hunger and the drive is still there. He wants to do it and I can’t see Chelsea going out there and finding a replacement that, if Tammy is playing, is willing to help out and support and when stepping up is providing such a big role.

“I think it’s a massive transfer window in January, I think there will be suitors and people will come in for him and it’s in Chelsea’s interests to keep him there.

“That might include giving him a new contract.”

Giroud has previously admitted that he will be weighing up his options in the new year, but that was prior to earning a regular role in Chelsea’s No.9 berth and it may be that he is now prepared to turn a deaf ear to any interest expressed in him from afar.

Jack Grealish would link up “seamlessly with that Liverpool front three”, says Kevin Phillips, with the Aston Villa playmaker expected to make a move somewhere – possibly Anfield – in the summer of 2021.

The highly-rated 25-year-old shunned interest from afar during the last transfer window and opted instead to sign a new contract at Villa Park.

Grealish has, however, seen his stock continue to rise in 2020-21, becoming one of the Premier League’s top creative talents and an established England international.

Manchester United appear to no longer be casting admiring glances in his direction when it comes to big-money transfers, but various other landing spots are being mooted.

Manchester City are said to hold interest in Grealish, while Phillips believes that Merseyside could be the perfect landing spot for a man who would thrive alongside Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

The former Villans striker said at a Ladbrokes event to launch its 5-A-Side Bet on West Brom vs Aston Villa: "I met Jack Grealish last season, and knowing people that know him well, I always thought he was going to stay at Aston Villa in the summer.

"Part of me just felt he would stay another season and see where he could take them.

"Do I see him leaving next summer? I would imagine so. If he keeps performing the way he does, someone just has to come in with a huge offer and it'll be one of those which is just too good to turn down for both club and player.

"There are only a handful of teams that are going to be able to afford Grealish, but I'd love to see him at Liverpool.

"I don't think Man City would be a right move for him. I think Sergio Aguero will probably move on in the summer and there'll be a little reshuffle there, whereas I don't see many players moving on from Liverpool; they'll just get stronger.

"I can just imagine him linking up seamlessly with that Liverpool front three.

"I can see him suiting Jurgen Klopp's style of play because he's got the work rate; he does a job at both ends of the pitch.

"He would fit into that Liverpool team, no problem. For me he keeps getting better and better.

"He just needs to cut the theatricals out a little bit. Lose that tag and he could go on to be a top, top player for club and country - like a Gazza."

Grealish has remained a talismanic presence as club captain for Villa this season, with six goals and as many assists recorded through 11 appearances.

Manchester United have been warned by Andy Cole that Bruno Fernandes’ head could be turned by Barcelona and Real Madrid if they suffer any more Champions League disappointments.

The Red Devils returned to European football’s grandest stage in 2020-21, but failed to make it through the group stage and into the last 16.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are having to make do with the consolation prize of a spot in the Europa League as a result, with Real Sociedad set to be faced in the last 32 of that competition.

Fernandes will have a key role to play for United in that continental quest, along with efforts to secure another top-four finish in the Premier League.

Cole admits to having been left pleasantly surprised by the impact a Portuguese playmaker has made at Old Trafford, with the 26-year-old exceeding expectations.

The former Red Devils striker told The Target Men Podcast: “I’m very surprised to see how quickly Bruno Fernandes has taken to the Premier League since he joined Manchester United.

“Bruno Fernandes joined the club for a big fee and I have to say I didn’t know too much about him.

“I wondered if he was going to be able to continue scoring goals and producing assists at the same rate this season now that clubs knew more about him, but he’s arguably been even better!

“Bruno Fernandes doesn’t wear the captain’s armband but anyone watching this Manchester United team can see that he is the leader of the dressing room and he leads by example on the pitch. He’s a world-class quality player.”

While hailing Fernandes’ importance to the United cause, Cole is aware that said qualities will be attracting admiring glances from afar.

With that in mind, it is considered imperative that the Red Devils continue to force their way into contention for major honours and prevent any exit doors from being edged open.

“The concern for Manchester United is that Bruno Fernandes has well and truly put himself on the map now,” Cole added.

“It’s probably only a matter of time until there are rumours of a Barcelona and Real Madrid being interested in signing him and if Manchester United continue to not perform in the Champions League, no-one knows if his head could be turned in the years ahead.”

Fernandes, who has contributed 23 goals and 14 assists to the United cause through 40 appearances, is tied to a contract at Old Trafford through to the summer of 2024 – with the option there for a further 12-month extension beyond that point.

When Ferland Mendy arrived at Real Madrid in 2019, he knew he had a battle on his hands.

If the wideman was to establish himself as the first choice left-back at the Bernabeu, he would have to unseat a veritable club legend in Marcelo.

The Brazil international has become an institution at Real since arriving at the club from Fluminense in 2007.

Since then, he’s made over 350 league appearances, and won all there is to win at club level, including five Spanish titles, two Copa del Reys, and the Club World Cup on four occasions.

Most importantly, the Olympic silver medallist has also clinched the Champions League four times, and was part of the side who clinched Real’s Decima—an achievement that is unlikely to be matched any time soon.

However, all good things come to an end, and at 32, Marcelo cannot go on forever.

Since his arrival at Real, he’s seen off competition from the likes of Gabriel Heinze, Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Fabio Coentrao, Royston Drenthe and Sergio Reguilon to retain the left-back slot and establish himself as a club legend.

The arrival of Mendy, however, surely sheds light on Real’s long-term future in the position.

Los Blancos parted with £43.2 million to recruit the Frenchman from Olympique Lyonnais, making him—at the time—the second most expensive left-back in the history of the game, behind only Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy.

“I will be his successor,” Mendy said of Marcelo at the time of his arrival. “He has a lot of time left, but if they’ve brought me here, it’s because they see potential.”

Ferland has all the tools to oust Marcelo permanently and even match the Brazilian’s legacy at Real, becoming a world-class left-back in the process.

He’s a classic modern full-back, capable of bursting forward into the opposition half and influencing events in the final third, but he’s also defensively astute as well.

“[He has] an extraordinary offensive potential, exceptional technique and defensive qualities coupled with his pace,” said his former coach at Le Havre, Thierry Goudet.

“In short, he has the full range of a modern full-back.”

His pace, as noted by Goudet, is one of his key assets—both offensively, as he beats opposition full-backs, and defensively, as he tracks back to cover spaces left behind when Real push forward.

While Marcelo initially retained the left-back berth following Mendy’s arrival—the 24-year-old was made to work for his spot—the Frenchman has begun to earn a larger portion of playing time.

He’s already a Spanish champion, having been part of the team that won the title last season, and Los Blancos didn’t lose a single game that the full-back started last year—testament to how his presence improves the defence.

Perhaps Marcelo still offers more going forward—he’s one of the greatest attacking left-backs in modern football’s history—but Mendy’s calmness and composure have been massive assets to a Real backline that can be got at.

Some would praise Real coach Zidane for his loyalty towards Marcelo, while others may argue that the World Cup winner has been slow to accept the inevitable and integrate Mendy into his starting XI.

Mendy deserves credit for how he has knuckled down and sought to improve his game to oust Marcelo, and the way with which he has taken the demands of featuring for Real—perhaps the world’s biggest club—in his stride.

He’s rarely looked fazed, rarely looked ruffled, rarely looked overawed by the expectation, even though the capital club have endured a particularly testing 18 months.

So far this season, Mendy has made 10 appearances to Marcelo’s five, particularly impressing in the 2-0 victory away at Levante, when the hosts failed to cope with his rampaging runs forward, and the recent 2-0 triumph over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League.

In the latter match, Mendy was given the nod ahead of Marcelo, and delivered exactly the kind of performance that Real required, where his reliability and defensive focus successfully neutralised Alassane Plea and helped keep the German side at bay.

It’s too soon to completely write Marcelo off yet, but when the South American eventually does bid the Bernabeu farewell, Mendy is primed to step into his boots…some would argue he’s already there!

New Young Africans (Yanga SC) signing Saidio Ntibazonkiza has vowed to help the team achieve the targets they set for the 2020-21 campaign.

The 33-year-old is the latest arrival at the Jangwani giants, who are currently topping the 18-team league table with 37 points and chasing for their first title in four years.

Ntibazonkiza made his first appearance in Yanga colours on Tuesday as they beat first division side Singida United 3-0 in a friendly, with the Burundian forward announcing his arrival with a brace while the other goal came via Deus Kaseke.

Yanga spotted Ntibazonkiza during a friendly between Tanzania and Burundi in which he scored the lone goal as they beat Taifa Stars at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

He was signed immediately after the game but could not feature for the side until the mini-transfer window which opened on December 16, meaning he is now eligible to turn out for the giants in the Mainland Premier League.

The striker has now said he will strive to help the team reach their targets after making his debut with the two goals.

“I’m happy to play for Yanga, they approached me in their quest to reinforce their squad and I said let me go for the challenge to see how we can build the team altogether,” Ntibazonkiza said as quoted by Daily News.

“I will use my experience and with a combination of other experienced players, we will achieve the goal.

“I feel happy to see people appreciating what you do, It’s my first experience to play with Yanga but I see a bright future here,” said Ntibazonkiza, who has also played for Burundian giants Vital’O and also Kaysar Kyzylorda in the Kazakhstan Premier League.

On which team will stop Yanga from winning the title, Ntibazonkiza said: “Let’s see how it is going since I’m a new player I cannot say that, it’s is too early considering the fact that I have not yet played for the league match.”

Ntibazonkiza started to play football at Vital'O and as an asylum seeker, he came to the Netherlands in 2005. NEC was the nearest professional football club, and because of that, he trained with their youth team.

Eventually, NEC signed him on a permanent deal. At the beginning of the 2006-07 season, he began playing for the youth team but was shortly thereafter promoted to the first-team squad. On November 18, 2006, against Sparta Rotterdam, Ntibazonkiza played his first game in the Eredivisie.

After receiving a Dutch residence permit, Ntibazonkiza signed a contract binding him to NEC until the summer of 2009. He also signed another contract extension until 2012 in January 2009.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says Chippa United became a tough side to crack when they were reduced to 10 men, which left the Soweto club struggling to break their Eastern Cape visitors in Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League 1-0 win at Orlando Stadium.

For the past five straight matches, the Buccaneers have had to chase their matches by either coming back from behind or leaving it late to get a result.

On Wednesday, they battled to crack a Chippa side despite playing the entire second half with a numerical advantage following a red card to defender Sandile Mthethwa.

Fortune Makaringe’s goal four minutes from time separated the two sides.

“After the red card, they stayed very deep and it makes it difficult for you to score. And you need the right moment,” said Zinnbauer as per Phakaaathi.

“If we had scored earlier then it would have been an easy game for us. It’s always the case when against 10, it’s like they get renewed [energy] and want to fight for the one point. They go at you and work 100 percent harder than before [they were reduced to 10 men] and it becomes difficult for us.

“We had to wait [for our chance to score] and what’s important is that you win the game – we did that. But with the opportunities we had, we had two or three clear ones in the first half. If we used them it would have been easier for us. It’s important to always have belief that you will win. And we did this and we got the three points for it.”

The victory lifted Pirates up to position three on the standings, four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

The match was midfielder Ben Motshwari’s 50th league appearance for Pirates since joining the club from Bidvest Wits in 2017.

The 29-year-old has established himself as a regular starter in the team and one of the outstanding players, but he refuses to regard himself as one of the leaders in the squad.

“I wouldn't necessarily say I consider myself one of the leaders. There are still plenty of leaders amongst the guys, you know,” he told the Pirates website.

“Happy Jele, Nyauza, and now recently, we have Thulani Hlatshwayo. But I'm learning a lot from these guys. They have been leaders for so many years. For me, it's about learning from them and striving to be a better leader.”

Scott McTominay has defended Manchester United needing “a kick up the bum” occasionally, with the Scotland international eager to point out that falling behind in games is not always a sign of playing badly.

The Red Devils have made a habit of conceding first in Premier League fixtures this season, particularly away from home.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have, however, found a way of getting the job done on their travels, with maximum points taken from five games so far.

United have trailed in all of those, setting a new top-flight comeback record along the way, and are showing that they have the stomach for a fight in what is shaping up to be an intriguing 2020-21 campaign.

McTominay believes there are plenty of positives for the Red Devils to take from their efforts so far, with there every reason to believe that challenges for major honours can be staged this term.

He told the club’s official website heading into a meeting with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Thursday: “The [away] record’s brilliant. As I say, we’ve spoke about it as a group. We can’t keep falling behind in games and as you see in Leipzig [a 3-2 Champions League defeat], you can just give yourself too much to do. That was something we have to forget about quickly.

“That’s the good thing about football, it moves on so quickly, but you can still tell that everyone is wanting to get back to that stage where we need to prove we should be really competing this year. We know that and we’ve had multiple chats as a group.

“We have been playing well and people might think because you go a goal down, you’re not playing well.

“We’ve started some games poorly, but some we’ve started really well and still gone a goal down. Don’t take it as if you go 1-0 down, you’re playing badly. I feel like people jump to that conclusion straightaway.

“As I say, [at] Everton we controlled the whole game, from minute one to minute 90, but people see you’ve gone a goal down so they think you’re playing badly. As long as we know as a group what we’re doing well and when we need a kick up the bum, we’re on the right track.”

United’s next journey out on the road could be a notable one for McTominay, with the 24-year-old – who made his debut back in May 2017 - set to take in his 100th appearance for the club if he figures against the Blades.

He added on reaching a century: “Yeah, the time’s gone quick, you know? Obviously you get to that landmark a little bit quicker without injuries. I was out for three months with my knee and eight weeks with my ankle [last season] so that delays the time for getting appearances.

“One of my friends is a Sheffield United fan and he speaks to me regularly about the passion and the love for the football club. Obviously for them, the fans are a big miss and everything that goes on with the fans on a matchday is a big miss, but Sheffield United are a very, very good team and they’ve had some really difficult results.

“It’s a game we have to respect and we can’t take our foot off the gas because they’ve had a difficult start to a different, challenging Premier League season. They’ll be coming at us at 100 miles an hour, and we have to be ready.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first Premier League goal after 648 minutes of action will change everything for the Gunners.

In Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Southampton, the 31-year-old levelled the scores for the Emirates Stadium giants after Theo Walcott had given Ralph Hasenhuettl's men an 18th-minute lead after profiting from Che Adams' assist.

Nevertheless, Arsenal’s ambition of a comeback win suffered a massive blow after referee Paul Tierney gave Gabriel his marching orders for a second caution.

Having gone on a run of six games without a win in the English elite division, the Spaniard believes the goal scored by the former Borussia Dortmund star could prove essential in the team’s attitude.

“Hopefully it's going to change everything dramatically and he's going to score in every game because this is what we need at the moment,” Arteta told the media as captured by Arsenal's website.
 
“We need the points and in order to do that, we need to score many more goals and be more efficient when we have the chances. I think it's going to make him really good.
 
“I don't have to see it, I'm sure that it's going to take a lot of pressure off him and it's going to release him as well.”

Despite the disconcerting draw, Arteta applauded his team for their resilience, although he felt his men bottled several chances to guarantee victory.

“Considering the fact that we played 35 minutes with 10 men, we have to take the point because we showed some resilience and character to hang in there for so long against a really dangerous team,” he continued.

“But at the same time we're disappointed because we came back after conceding the goal, we showed how much we wanted it, created some situations and at half time we corrected a few things.

“We came back really strong in the game, scored a goal and then when we had the best moments, we shot ourselves in the foot. It obviously made it really hard.”

With this result, Arsenal occupy 15th position on the log having accrued 14 points from 13 outings.

Arteta and his team would be hoping to return to winning ways when they travel to Goodison Park for Saturday’s crunch league outing with Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton.

Besieged Gor Mahia general-secretary Sam Ochola attended the Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie against Tusker fully secured as he feared attacks from restless fans.

Ochola and the club’s chairman Ambrose Rachier have been at loggerheads on the StarTimes deal and that is one of the reasons the former had to attend the second season game without taking chances with his security.

“Personal security is very key,” a source close to the secretary-general told Goal.

“He had to come in a manner that assured no one is going to attack him given the frosty relationship that has developed between him and the chairman.

“Gor Mahia fans love their team and the majority see the successes achieved, all have come because of Rachier’s leadership and anyone who is seen as an opponent automatically becomes a target of hooliganism and related attacks.

“Ochola was not only afraid of goons and violent fans alone, you know even the club’s stewards can rain blows on you. They really do not care so long as they see that you are the problem.

“There is no way he could have attended the game without taking steps to assure he was well-guarded. It was not a sign of supremacy in the battle with the chair but it was simply a matter of personal security.”

Ochola, through a letter to FKF, maintained Gor Mahia endorsed the StarTimes deal but Rachier has maintained that the position of the club has not changed.

When he moved to dismiss the Ochola letter to FKF, Rachier suspended the official and claimed he took the decision against the unilateral stand of the Kenyan heavyweights.

“The letter was written without our authority and the secretary-general [Sam Ochola] knows our stance,” Rachier stated in an earlier interview.

“We have external forces pushing me to resign from my post.

“At this moment, that is not important, the important issue is ensuring our rights are not interfered with. I am dealing with it and later on, I will focus on other issues.”

Gor Mahia have already played two games both of which enjoyed airtime.

Zoo FC, Mathare United and Ulinzi Stars have also not endorsed the deal. Zoo and Mathare, after being expelled, have been reinstated to the top-tier by the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

Bukayo Saka has, at 19 years of age, become the only player that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta can rely on, says Kevin Campbell, with too many “big players” letting the Gunners down.

The 2020-21 campaign has quickly become a forgettable one at Emirates Stadium, with a north London heavyweight making its worst start to a Premier League season.

Arteta’s side have become firmly wedged in a serious rut, with their last outing seeing more points dropped – and another red card collected – in a 1-1 draw at home to Southampton.

Changes were made in that contest, with Willian and Alexandre Lacazette dropped to the bench amid struggles for form.

Their replacements fared little better, though, with club-record signing Nicolas Pepe putting in another uninspiring performance.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was able to get back on the scoresheet, but there has been little cause for encouragement from the Gunners of late.

Campbell admits as much, with academy graduate Saka – who became a first-team regular in 2019-20 – considered to be the only chink of light in the dark for Arsenal.

The former Gunners striker told Amazon Prime after witnessing a frustrating stalemate against the Saints: “Arsenal's attitude was better in the second half, they had more energy, which was asked for.

“Where was Pepe? We don't see him, these players who are the gifted, big players we're not seeing them. 

“A lot of people are questioning Arteta but I don't, I'm questioning the players. 

“Saka is positive, he picks the ball up and drives. When you commit defenders, opportunities open for the main men.

“So many senior players are struggling for form that Arteta has to juggle his squad. He's got no-one he can rely on really apart from a young lad.”

Arsenal need to start finding a spark from somewhere as they are currently perched just five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Positive progress has been made through to the last 32 of the Europa League, but domestic struggles are becoming alarming.

Things are not about to get any easier for Arteta either, with the former Everton midfielder set to take his Gunners side to Goodison Park on Saturday for a meeting with Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Gennaro Gattuso complained that Italian referees were too “touchy” and should adopt the tolerance of Scottish officials after Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne was sent off for swearing in the 1-0 defeat to Inter.

The Napoli boss was fuming that Davide Massa dismissed Insigne for his objections to the awarding of a penalty that Romelu Lukaku converted in Wednesday's Serie A clash.

David Ospina brought down Matteo Darmian, and Insigne was quick to express his dismay at the decision, with Massa equally wasting no time in brandishing the red card.

“Only in Italy do I see referees showing the red for these things,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia.

“You're not sent off in the same situation in England. I'm not making it up: I played in Scotland in the past and I still follow their football today. The captain of a team there can't be sent off for a 'f*ck off' to the referee for a dubious penalty.

“This means that the referee is touchy, and if you are then you can't do this job. You can’t leave a team down to 10 men for that. He wasn’t even saying it to his face in an aggressive fashion.”

The former Rangers midfielder added: “Anyone who has played football knows there is a lot at stake in a match like Inter-Napoli, and a word can slip out. Only in Italy it [red cards in these situations] happens and it is not right, because games are changed in this way.

“The players have to calm down, but you must also understand that a 'f*ck off' after a penalty can happen. In my opinion, a referee must have the intelligence and the tact to understand that.

“If there's a red card for every word too many, then everyone should always be sent off. I'm just saying that, in such an important game, a European referee with experience cannot be touchy.”

Napoli had the better opportunities of the evening – even after being reduced to 10 men – and 'Rino' was left feeling short-changed as his side carved out chance after chance without finding the back of the net.

“It was a tactical game, in my view the team put in a great performance and we tried to do something a little new tonight,” Gattuso said.

“If we judge the overall match, then obviously Napoli deserved the points more, but you have to score goals. It felt like we’d be there all night trying to put the ball in the net with our hands and it still wouldn’t cross the line.

“Inter came forward to get us, while we managed to play our game anyway. Unfortunately, the ball didn’t go in the net.”

Jamshedpur FC head coach Owen Coyle feels that his side are on the right track, even as they are struggling to convert draws into wins, ahead of their Indian Super League (ISL) tie against NorthEast United on Friday.

After their opening day defeat at the hands of Chennaiyin FC, Coyle's former club, the Men of Steel are on an unbeaten run of five games that includes a 2-1 win over ATK Mohun Bagan. However, four of them have been draws which sees them placed seventh on the table. 

Most recently, Coyle's side held Mumbai City to a 1-1 draw despite playing with 10 men for more than hour following Aitor Monroy's 28th minute sending off. 

"I thought it was an outstanding performance (vs Mumbai). With the 11 v 11, we felt that we could win the game and that being said, when we were down to 10 men, we showed that we have a great spirit. We still have a number of players who are not available to us. So it's an enormous sort of satisfaction to see how hard the group that we have are working and we are moving in the right direction.

"[We are going to deal with it] in the same way Dinliana (Laldinliana Renthlei) was not available (against Mumbai City due to suspension), David Grande is not available, [besides] Joyner (Lourenco), Narender (Gahlot), Nick Fitzgerald (on account of injuries). The list is endless but it's the boys that we have that we have to focus on and whoever is asked to come in will do a job with tremendous pride," he said.

The 54-year-old took a moment to appreciate NorthEast United's unbeaten start to the season but felt his side are up for the challenge. 

"The foreign and the Indian players in the NorthEast squad have shown that they are hard-working and it's always going to be a tough game as they all (games) are in the ISL. So they have enormous respect which they will get [from Jamshedpur too] but it's a game that we are looking forward to. We know that, if we are at our very best, it's a game that we can win. 

With players like Idrissa Sylla, Khassa Camara and Luis Machado to deal with, Coyle stated, "In terms of strategy, we are very respectful of the opposition and the qualities that they have, but our focus will be on Jamshedpur for bringing in our game - being aware of the threats, trying to nullify them but equally looking for our players to impose our game. We are five games unbeaten but we want three points (against NorthEast)."

Edinson Cavani has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after posting a racially insensitive message on social media, with Manchester United mulling over their response.

A statement from the FA read: “Edinson Cavani has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3, in relation to a social media post on Thursday 29 November 2020.

“It is alleged that, contrary to FA Rule E3.1, a comment posted on the Manchester United FC player's Instagram page was insulting and/or abusive and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.

“It is further alleged that the comment constitutes an 'Aggravated Breach', which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

“The striker has until Monday 4 January 2021 to provide a response to the charge.”

United posted on their official website: “Manchester United and all of our players are fully committed to the fight against racism and we will continue to work with the FA - along with other governing bodies and organisations, and through our own campaigns - in that regard.

“We note the FA decision today to charge Edinson Cavani for his social media reply to a friend's message of congratulations, following the Southampton game.

“Edinson and the club were clear that there was absolutely no malicious intent behind the message, which he deleted and apologised for, as soon as he was informed that it could have been misconstrued.

“The player and the club will now consider the charge and respond to the FA accordingly.”

More to follow…

Columbus Crew star Jonathan Mensah has left the door open for a potential move to a European team in the future.

The Ghana international led Caleb Porter’s Black and Gold to win the Major League Soccer (MLS) title for the first time having defeated Seattle Sounders 3-0 in the finals thanks to a brace from Lucas Zelarayan and a third from Derrick Etienne.

Having featured for Udinese, Granada, Evian and Anzhi Makhachkala between 2010-2016, Mensah joined the Crew in 2017 as the fifth Designated Player in club history and has gone on to make over 100 appearances for the side.

His contract expires at the end of the 2020 and, should Porter’s side choose not to renew his terms, the 30-year-old may be forced to head for Europe.

"You never say never. What would get your name out there is to keep putting in solid performances week in, week out for your team and doors will open,” Mensah told BBC Sport Africa.

"This league has attracted big superstars, the likes of David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane, Wayne Rooney and recently Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"People keep saying this is a retirement league but we've seen it's the complete opposite. We saw Zlatan came here at age 35 and scored lots of great goals.

"He gave the fans something to shout about with great games, he went back to Europe and is still scoring at the top level like he never left. That tells you how great this league has been and it can only get better from here."

The 2009 U20 World Cup winner also revelled in his team’s triumph over Timbers in a year flawed by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's such an incredible achievement for the team because we've been through so much as a club, city and everyone connected to Columbus," he continued.

"The community and everyone behind the Save the Crew movement made it all happen, we the players and staff are just the vehicle that delivered it.

"Their determination, resilience and undying desire gave us the strength and determination to accomplish this mission, because this is pretty special.

"When you look at life in the past three years, what they've done off the field and how this year has been for all, this trophy is our little contribution to say 'thank you' for everything."

Kai Havertz is finding out the hard way that a £70 million ($95m) price tag was always going to weigh heavy on his shoulders, says former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot.

The Blues won the race for a much sought-after signature during the summer transfer window, with a big-money agreement put in place with Bayer Leverkusen.

With Havertz’s star very much on the rise, Frank Lampard was considered to have acquired himself a player that could thrive on a Premier League stage.

Chelsea are still waiting on that fuse to be lit, with a talented 21-year-old taking a while to find his feet in new surroundings.

Melchiot claims that was always going to be the case, given the relative lack of experience a Germany international had under his belt.

He remains convinced that Havertz will come good, but accepts that expectation around him will not be reined in as so much faith and funding has been invested in his potential.

Ex-Blues star Melchiot told talkSPORT: “I knew Kai Havertz before he came to Chelsea. I knew Kai was a great talent.

“The only difference I see is that in the system Chelsea play he comes from the outside, but in Germany he was a No.10 or a striker.

“He had more freedom because the team was built around him.

“When he comes to Chelsea, he’s not going to get that! They have a player that has to get used to a certain way of playing and that takes time.

“People don’t expect him to need more time because of the price tag; people want him to fire straight away.”

Another former Chelsea defender, Jason Cundy, is another that expects Havertz to start firing if he is given the time in which to play himself into peak form.

He added: “He’s 21 years of age, he’s come from Germany and he hasn’t settled yet.

“When you pay £70m for a player of that age you’re mostly paying for his potential. It’s a lot of money and we will see – you can’t judge him after 12 games.

“He’s struggling, right now he’s struggling, but from what we heard and you listen to a lot of people who know German football, he is a great talent.

“I don’t want to be too hard on the kid, he’s just got here and he’s young and he hasn’t adapted yet. So let’s just wait and see – we can judge him in a year or two years’ time.”

Philadelphia Union defender Mark McKenzie has admitted that he is open to a January move to Scottish champions Celtic as the USMNT international looks to follow in the footsteps of Virgil van Dijk and compete at the highest level in Europe.

Neil Lennon's outfit had been in talks with the Union over a summer swoop for the 21-year-old but eventually settled on Brighton's Shane Duffy on loan for a fee of around £2 million.

Reports claim the Hoops are set to rekindle their interest in January, however, and the Bronx-born centre-back feels that relocating to Glasgow could be a good fit as he targets a career at the very top of the game.

Asked if a move could be on the cards next month, McKenzie told Sky Sports News: “Yeah, ultimately it's about the situation being right for all parties.

“As the player you are probably the most important piece in the puzzle, but it's about making sure it's right for the club I'm at now but also the club I could potentially be going to.

“I want to be playing regular and consistent minutes - at least fighting for my spot and then trying to keep that spot. That's the most important thing. It's something I've obviously talked to my agents about and talked to the club and staff about and make sure it's right for everyone.

"I've done my fair share of research [on Celtic and the Scottish Premiership] and I've always loved football so I've known about Celtic for a while. You hear about Celtic and the path of Virgil van Dijk - going from there to the Prem.”

It has been claimed that Premier League and Bundesliga sides have registered an interest in McKenzie, but the player himself is wary of biting off more than he can chew so early in his career.

“I think you have to understand where you're at as a footballer and think 'what is the best option for me? Would it be to go to a top three or four league? What does the club dynamic look like?

“Are there veterans in my position? Are there high-profile individuals in my position? Am I ready to compete in this league? Where are my weaknesses? Do I need more time to develop? Do my strengths align with this league?'

“Ultimately Europe is where every footballer understands is the highest level. I'm not bashing any leagues but when you wake up as a kid on a Saturday and you turn on the Prem. Right after that, there might be a Bundesliga game or El Clasico. 

“Europe is where you want to be and I find myself in that position also. It's out there - my goal is to play in the Champions League, play against the best players in the world, win trophies. That's my goal and those are my personal ambitions.”