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Odisha FC are up against Mumbai City FC next as they continue the search for their first win of the Indian Super League (ISL) season. 

The Juggernauts haven't had the best of starts to the season under Stuart Baxter, falling to two defeats and managing a draw in three games so far. The previous game, against ATK Mohun Bagan, was a bit of a kick in the teeth for them, having been so close to managing a draw, only for Roy Krishna to score a 95th-minute winner. 

Baxter is hoping for a response from his team against a strong Mumbai City FC who seem to be hitting their stride after a 3-0 win over East Bengal last time out. 

"It is a difficult one to take. You just want to get back on the horse and look forward to the next one. We didn't deserve the result but we have to make sure we get what we deserve in the next game," the British tactician said. 

But there were a few positives from that game for Baxter. Not only did Odisha defend well for large parts of the game, they also looked good on the ball. However, poor decisions in the final third and a lack of cohesion meant their attacks were not fruitful.  

The former 67-year-old is looking for improvement from his charges. 

"The final third is about finishing and combination plays and we have been working on those. Our possession has not been of the best quality. We don't get enough bodies inside the box for crosses or make runs around the box to move defenders for combination play.

"The possession has got better and we will get the number of players forward that we need. We will start translating them into goals."

Baxter wants his team to take advantage of the situations when they are in dominance. He cited the example of the game against ATK Mohun Bagan where they didn’t seize the initiative and ultimately, paid the price right at the death with a goal from a set-piece.
 
“If you looked at the ATK Mohun Bagan game what we needed was just a little bit of luck. We played well enough. We did enough to get a good result. If we didn't win at least, we should have got a 0-0. We did not get it and there are reasons for that. But we have got to translate those periods when we are better into strikes on goal,” said Baxter.

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has insisted Alex Iwobi is not a defender and Everton should recruit full-backs during the January transfer window.

The winger featured as a wing-back in the Toffees’ outings against Fulham and Leeds United following the injuries suffered by Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne.

The Nigeria international impressed against the Cottagers to help Carlo Ancelotti’s men secure all three points in the encounter.

The 24-year-old, however, struggled in the position against Leeds and his not-too-impressive showing contributed to his side’s defeat.

Agbonlahor explained that playing out of position is never easy for any payer and advised Everton to bolster their squad in the next transfer window.

"If you’re looking at Iwobi and Davies they’re not defenders so when you ask them to play in that position it’s tough for anyone," Agbonlahor told Football Insider.

"If I had to play in those positions I would be frightened. Those positions are where you do the most running in the team, it’s not their fault they were frightened and asked to play there.

"Ancelotti has got a lot of injuries in the wing-back and full-back roles, he just put his fittest players available in there.

"Maybe it’s something Everton need to look at it in the future, to add more strength in depth in full-back positions."

Iwobi has featured in 11 games across all competitions for the Goodison Park outfit this season, scoring one goal and proving two assists.

The midfielder has endured mixed fortune since joining the Toffees in the summer of 2019 after leaving his boyhood club Arsenal.

The Goodison Park outfit is currently eighth on the Premier League table after gathering 16 points from 10 games.

Iwobi will be expected to feature when Everton take on Burnley on Saturday and help the club return to winning ways.

Having officially concluded the first phase of their privatisation/separation exercise earlier this week, Selangor FC will get down to next season's announcements beginning next week.

In a telephone call with Goal, newly-appointed club CEO Johan Kamal Hamidon (formerly the FA Selangor secretary-general) revealed that the Red Giants will start officially announcing their new signings gradually beginning early next week.

Johan Kamal. Photo by Zulhilmi Zainal

Their new signings are rumoured to include Perak and Malaysia forward Shahrel Fikri, as well as Pahang's 2020 breakout star Nik Sharif Haseefy.

"We'll start announcing the signings starting next week, early in the week. But we will do the announcements bit by bit, not in one go."

The club are also expecting their 2021 kits to arrive soon, although plans for the official launching depend on the gravity of the situation concerning the Covid-19 pandemic in the coming month.

Their annual pre-season jersey launch and meet and greet event has been a staple of their activities calendar in the past two years, and has been well-received by the supporters.

"We've done our work regarding the jerseys, but the actual launching event is the biggest challenge. We haven't decided on the mechanism because of the restrictions (pandemic). Planning has been very difficult and to be honest we haven't done any planning yet, because we refuse to commit resources when there are so many uncertainties regarding Covid-19. We can only assess the current situation for now. The worst case scenario is it (the launching) will all be done digitally, unfortunately.

"The 2021 jerseys have already been finalised. They are already on their way here as we speak now, and will arrive by the end of December. Hopefully, the home kit will be released by early January, early February for the away kit, and then the alternate kit will be launched during our first home match.

"Next year is the final year of our current contract with Joma, but we have already begun discussions on an extension," explained the club official on Saturday.

Kerala Blasters are winless in three matches this season in the Indian Super League (ISL) and they would hope that this run comes to an end this Sunday.

They will be up against an FC Goa side, who like Kerala Blasters, are in search for their first three points of the new campaign.

Coach Kibu Vicuna promised a good game of football for neutrals as he believes that the two teams prefer to take the game to the opponent, as opposed to sitting back and rely on counterattack.

“There are more similarities with Goa than with other teams because of the style of play. They are going to play their cards, we are going to play ours. 

“They have very good players, they have a fantastic coach (Juan Ferrando). Last year they were winners of the league. In football, you decide after the season, not after three matches. I am sure our team is going to improve. We need to train well. 

“We have our own style. We will try to play the ball. In the beginning, both teams are going to go for the points. Both teams want possession and want to create chances. I hope we can watch a good game,” said the Spanish boss.

Arjun Jayaraj, a central midfielder, was in the news earlier this week as he mutually terminated his contract with the Blasters and opted to join I-League outfit Gokulam Kerala FC.

“There is no place for everyone, everyone has to fight to take his place. Sometimes we have a lot of players in this position, he decided to terminate the contract. We wish him the best,” said Vicuna.

The bad news for Blasters is that Sergio Cidoncha picked up an injury in the last game against Chennaiyin FC and could be sidelined for a long period.

“We have to be with Sergio because it is an important period for him, he is the captain of the team. We have to take care of him. Then we will try to improve the team,” Vicuna answered when asked about whether the club would sign a replacement for Cidoncha.

The Spanish coach believes that the club has enough options in midfield to fill in for Cidoncha.

“We have different possibilities. We have Vicente Gomez, Jeakson (Singh), Rohit (Kumar), Givson Singh, Sahal (Samad), Facundo (Pereryra). We are trying to have the best combination possible,” he mentioned.

Interestingly, Blasters have kept Bilal Khan and Abdul Hakku out of the matchday squad in their last three matches.

“Only 20 players can come for the game. If they (Bilal and Abdul) are coming, another two players will go out. It is a matter of numbers."

Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna is confident they have what it takes to challenge APR and qualify for the next round of the Caf Champions League.

The Kenyan champions will host the Rwandese side at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday seeking to overturn the 2-1 defeat suffered in the first leg played at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali a week ago.

The former Western Stima player, who scored Gor Mahia’s vital away goal, has now said the players are psyched up and ready to get a result that will see them reach the next round of the competition.

“I think the players are psyched up and ready for the match and our motivation comes from the weight of the tournament we are going to play and the weight of the opponent, so everybody is ready,” Muguna told reporters at Nyayo Stadium.

“We know what it takes and we know how we are supposed to play because we are playing at home and remember we played the first leg and we were away, and the result was not that bad but maybe come tomorrow [Saturday] we can turn the tables.”

On what style they will apply against the army side, Muguna explained: “I think we have to play as a team because you know this is a big competition and you cannot do it alone, no matter how good you are, you must work as a team, defend as a team, attack as a team and that is what we will have to do.”

On the return of striker Benson Omalla, who missed the first leg as he was with the Kenya U20 team in the Cecafa tournament, Muguna said: “It is a big boost for us as a team, he will help us a lot, if you look at our previous game in Rwanda, we scored one goal and to get a striker like him coming in the second leg is a massive boost for us.

“To the fans, they should just support us, we will miss them [now that they cannot attend matches owing to Covid-19 restrictions] but we are sure we will represent them well and also do the country proud by eliminating APR.”

APR will come into the match knowing that a draw of any kind will see them through to the next stage.

J1 League outfit Vissel Kobe are currently in the middle of a fruitful campaign in the AFC Champions League East Zone tournament being held in Qatar. They have already qualified for the Round of 16 and leading the charge for them are two former Barcelona players. 

Legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta and former Arsenal and Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen are two of the overseas stars in the Vissel Kobe ranks. It must be noted that another former Blaugrana in Sergi Samper is not part of the tournament squad because of overseas player restrictions. 

Vermaelen, who joined the Japanese club in July 2019 from Barcelona, is enjoying life with the Japanese club. 

Vissel Kobe are currently playing their first-ever campaign in the continent's premier club competition and have already made an impact. Vermaelen feels the challenge has not been easy for them. Now that they have achieved qualification to the knockout stages, it was time to focus on tackling stronger obstacles that are expected to pop up. 

"It's not easy. The first time you compete in this competition, there is no experience. It is very important now (after qualification) to start again and put massive results. It's not going to be easy but we have to perform better," he told Goal.

He felt that teams from China and South Korea pose difficult challenges for Vissel Kobe who prefer to play a more European-style football. 

"It is difficult for me to know how good the teams are but in general, the teams are very competitive. They are not afraid to put challenges and they play very physically and make it hard for us. We are a team who wants to play football like teams in Europe, you want to have the ball, playing out from the back. 

"But the teams in China and South Korea - they are physically prepared and put up a fight and that is quite challenging for us."

The 35-year-old has given a good account of himself in the J1 League and the Emperor's Cup. While Vissel Kobe finished eighth in an ultra-competitive league, Vermaelen played a key role as the side won the 2019 Emperor's Cup. 

The Belgian started in defence as Vissel Kobe beat Kashima Antlers in the final, which also helped the club qualify for the AFC Champions League for the very first time. 

Vermaelen is full of glowing praises for the standard of football in Japan, asserting that his stint in the East Asian country has been anything but 'easy'. 

"The thing which a lot of people don’t know and I have told this to others is that for me, personally I still get tested on a daily basis in training and during the games," he told Goal. "It is not like I am sitting on the sofa and taking it easy. I think I still have to work and make sure that  we win games."

He revealed that he had spoken to former Arsenal teammate Lukas Podolski before coming to Japan. Podolski was at Vissel Kobe when Vermaelen joined the club. "I have got some advice from some of the players who have played here...Podolski and all."

Vermaelen, who won four La Liga titles and a Champions League title with Barcelona, feels that the players in J1 League are extremely fast and agile and possess good technique. 

"There are quite a few good players in Japan - very fast, very quick. Technically good as well. If I have to think, I remember one game this year against Yokohama F. Marinos. It was a very tough game away from home. There were some players who gave us a very tough time. I haven't got like one name but they were quite impressive."

However, one area he felt the J1 League can improve is on the tactical side.

"Of course there are things to improve. Compared to Europe, they need more experience, also the tactical side can be improved but in general, it is a good league." 

Interestingly, Vermaelen has continued to feature for Belgium even after moving to the J1 League. He says that the national team coaches have been keeping an eye on the J1 League. 

"When I was in Japan, I was still playing for the national team. Unfortunately, I could not play in the last couple of months due to COVID. I am not sure how other coaches of other national teams think about the Asian leagues.

"I am at a certain age now and I am experienced. I am not sure when a talented 21-year-old player goes, it is a different case. For me personally, I am still in touch with the national coach (Roberto Martinez). They are still following the games. I can only speak for my case."

Gor Mahia fans have requested the Kenyan government to allow them to attend their club's game against APR Rwanda in the Caf Champions League first preliminary round in exchange for 60,000 for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) process.

The two teams are set to meet on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium in the second leg of the competition. The Army have an advantage having won the first leg in Kigali 2-1. The fans believe their team needs support and that they are the only ones to provide it to help the team make it to the next round of the competition.

"We urge (FKF) to talk to the government because this is a game we have to win and our players need our support," a fan by the name of Emmanuel Ochieng' requested. 

"Let them do what Comoros did by allowing fans on the pitch during the Harambee Stars game. We have to show APR that Gor Mahia has a massive following in Kenya."

Tanzania Mainland League giants Simba SC will be playing against Plateau with the fans cheering them at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. It is for this reason another fan by the name of Joseph Otieno feels K'Ogalo should also be supported by their fans.

"Simba will be playing with fans yet here Gor Mahia [play] in an empty stadium. We are ready to meet 60,000 signatures if we are allowed in the stadium," Otieno said. 

"We are begging the government to allow fans only in this match to then revert back to the current situation of playing in an empty stadium. Our players need us in this important match," Trevor Owino added.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has no problem allowing fans to support their teams at home as long as the federation writes to them to ask for permission.

The government should also give a green light for the same.

Gor Mahia need to win the game by a solitary goal to advance to the next round of the competition while the visitors need a draw of any kind to move forward.

Promising forward Benson Omalla has rejoined the team and is expected to be involved.

Neither of the two teams has ever made it to the group stages of the Champions League. 

High-flying Mamelodi Sundowns face a potential upset from bleeding Maritzburg United when the two sides collide in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) game at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday.

Log leaders Sundowns enjoy a two-point lead at the top, but could go into this match pressed to reclaim their lead if second-placed Swallows FC beat Golden Arrows earlier in the day.

It is however not all doom and gloom for Maritzburg who could find themselves a rung up from the bottom if they beat Downs as they would also pray that Kaizer Chiefs beat 15th-placed Black Leopards on Wednesday.

That Maritzburg have lost five successive league games and are desperate for redemption makes them potentially dangerous to Downs.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

The match marks the start of Ernst Middendorp’s third stint as Maritzburg United coach.

Expectations are high for the German to turnaround the fortunes of the KwaZulu-Natal side who are yet to win a single match this season.

Taking over the reins at a team that has suffered five straight league defeats is a mammoth task for Middendorp who arrives with a grim record of a sensational collapse in last season’s league title race while in charge of Kaizer Chiefs.

It appears difficult to explain how his predecessor Eric Tinkler struggled with players like Judas Moseamedi, Rushine De Reuck, Thabiso Kutumela, Daylon Claasen and veteran defender Nazeer Allie at his disposal.

Middendorp arrived at Maritzburg and immediately made his first signing by bringing in midfielder Travis Graham from Cape United.

Sundowns go into this match on the backdrop of an eventful week at Chloorkop.

The Gaston Sirino transfer issue dominated headlines all week as the Uruguayan is pushing for a move to Al Ahly who appear not prepared to part ways with the R90 million demanded by Sundowns.

The Downs camp also saw the loaning of Phakamani Mahlambi out to AmaZulu being talked about, as well as Nyiko Mobbie and Luvuyo Phewa being sent to Chippa United on loan.

Veteran defender Wayne Arendse and Liberian forward Antony Laffor were released by the club.

But crucially ahead of this match, the attacking trio of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus were also a major talking point during the week.

The three are expected to continue with their fiery form that has shot Downs to the top of the standings.

Match Preview

On paper, Sundowns appear poised to walk past Maritzburg after recording four league wins and a draw so far this season.

They face a limping Team of Choice side that has lost all their five PSL matches during this campaign but could prove dangerous as they are desparate to rejuvinate themselves.

Maritzburg’s woes date to the PSL bio-bubble and they have gone for 11 straight league games without tasting victory, plus an MTN8 quarter-final defeat to Kaizer Chiefs.

Now they come up against Downs who last lost a league match in August when they were stunned 1-0 by Baroka.

It would be a tough battle for an already porous Maritzburg United defence to contain the marauding Downs trio of Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus.

The three attackers have combined to score 10 of Downs' 12 league goals this term and will be seeking to tear apart a Maritzburg defence that has shipped in nine goals in five matches.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted they are facing a dangerous return leg clash against Plateau United in the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host the Nigerian outfit at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam seeking to defend the 1-0 advantage picked up in the first leg when they scored through Clatous Chama to carry the day in Abuja.

And despite carrying the 1-0 advantage, the Belgian tactician has still insisted they are not comfortable yet and they must use all the energy they have to make sure they qualify to the next round of the competition.

“I think Saturday's game is still a dangerous one, it is only one goal difference so we have to concentrate, be alert and I hope the fans will come in a big number to the stadium to support us,” Vandenbroeck told reporters on Friday.

“I am saying all this because the Nigerian team [we faced in the first leg] was a very good team and so we still need all the energy we have and all the support from outside so we can qualify to the next round.”

On his style of play, Vandenbroeck insisted they will not open up the game saying it will be the only way to deny Plateau United a chance to hit them on counter-attacks.

“We have the advantage that we scored in ‘Nigeria, so we don’t have to open the game, it will not be that defensive but still with some thoughts we are leading by 1-0 and it is enough to qualify,” Vandenbroeck continued.

With the away goal, Simba will also have another added advantage as the Confederation of African Football (Caf) allowed their fans to attend the match after Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) requested for the same.

Last season, Simba failed to make it past the preliminary stage after losing on the away goals rule to UD Songo of Mozambique. The two sides had battled to a 0-0 draw in Mozambique and in the return leg played in Dar es Salaam, it ended 1-1, meaning Songo advanced on the away goals rule.

Whereas in the 2018/19 season they managed to reach the quarter-finals, and it was in 1974 when Simba managed to get into the semi-finals but were knocked out by Egyptian side Ghazl El Mahalla.

Orlando Pirates’ Premier Soccer League (PSL) unbeaten run comes under scrutiny when they meet Cape Town City at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday.

Going into this match four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who play later in the evening, Pirates would be keen not to lose track of the Brazilians.

Third-placed Pirates are yet to lose a match this season in all competitions but now come up against an unpredictable Cape Town City side that is sixth on the table, having tasted league defeat just once.

A potential upset is real for Josef Zinnbauer’s Pirates, but victory in the Eastern Cape would help them settle on second spot if Swallows FC lose to away at Golden Arrows on the same afternoon.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV and SABC. 

Squads & Team News

Left-back Innocent Maela is expected to return to the starting line-up after being rested in the 1-1 draw against Baroka FC last weekend.

Paseka Mako played in Bafana Bafana defender Maela’s place and did not disappoint much.

Also expected to be back in the starting XI is Ben Motshwari who missed the Baroka match as Zinnbauer would be keen to return to his full strength team after dropping points in their last match.

After coming on as a substitute during that match, striker Frank Mhango could also start at Danie Craven as the Malawian has now fully recovered from injury.

It is not yet clear if DR Congo forward Jean-Marc Makusu has obtained his work permit which has delayed his debut for the Buccaneers.

Cape Town City defender Taariq Fielies and midfielder Thabo Nodada each made their 100th appearances in the Citizens colours against AmaZulu last weekend.

They have both featured in every minute of City’s games this season, with Nodada contributing two league goals.

Being some of the experienced players at Cape Town City, they could play an instrumental role in denying Pirates maximum points on the road.

Captain Thamsanqa Mkhize was taken out towards the end of the AmaZulu match as he appeared to be limping but is expected to start against Pirates after participating in full training this week.

Match Preview

Both sides go into Saturday’s match on the backdrop of dropping points in their last matches.

They registered identical 1-1 draws in their respective games as Pirates came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Baroka FC, while City also clawed back for a 1-1 draw away at AmaZulu.

But it is Pirates who appear the better side this season, having not tasted defeat in their league campaign with two wins and three draws.

Only a point separate the two teams as City are on eight points after two victories, with as many draws and a defeat but they might need to improve on their defence which has conceded six goals in five games.

The last time the two sides met was in October when Pirates eliminated City from the MTN8 following a 1-0 quarter-final win at Orlando Stadium.

But historically, City have a better PSL record over Pirates, having won twice in their eight league meetings.

Pirates have beaten City just once, while the other five games have ended in draws

Needing a new head coach due to former head coach Manzoor Azwira's lack of an AFC pro coaching licence, newly-promoted Malaysia Super League side Penang FC recently landed on Czech head coach Tomas Trucha.

While he has been garnering attention from Malaysian fans mainly due to the similarities in his appearance to one German manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, the story that took place just prior to his arrival in Malaysia also warrants attention.

According to reports by the Kenyan and African press as well as the Kenyan edition of Goal, just before he joined the Panthers, the 49-year old trainer had bizarrely left Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards only one month after he was appointed.

Trucha was appointed to the head coach post in early November ahead of the 2020-2021 season of the league, and despite having received a two-year deal, reportedly later left the side after only one match; a 2-1 season opener win at home against Tusker on November 28.

According to news reports, Trucha and his representative Prince Channis have received physical threats from those purporting to be members of the club.

“It is unfortunate that some people who call themselves our members are trying to destabilise our team. They have seen us doing well and they are surely not happy.

“We have beaten Tusker in the first match and there are no comments on our social media pages had we lost that match, you could have seen a lot of negative comments. But we know we have people who masquerade as AFC Leopards members and fans but in the real sense, they are not,” explained Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda as quoted by the Kenyan edition of Goal on December 2.

Dan Shikanda and Tomas Trucha. Photo from AFC Leopards

Just one day earlier, a source said that there were parties attempting to interfere with Trucha's work at the club.

"[Trucha] is not happy with some officials who are pushing some players to be involved in games.

"He has made his stance known to those who want to have a hand in squad selection and he will communicate the same to the chairman at Tuesday evening's meeting," a source close to the club told the Kenyan edition of Goal.

It did not take long for the Czech trainer to make up his mind. On December 4, the club announced that they have accepted his resignation.

“Today, we accepted Tomas Trucha’s resignation as head coach, effective immediately. This has been occasioned by the coach feeling that his safety is not guaranteed since his manager, Mr Prince Channis, has been threatened by people purporting to be Ingwe supporters. This is disturbing and unacceptable for anyone who claims to be a supporter of this esteemed club.

“True, AFC Leopards’ supporters hold themselves to the highest standard and put the club’s and public before all else. At this time, the remaining technical bench shall take charge as we consider a replacement.

“On behalf of the management, we thank Trucha for his contributions to the club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”

While the real reason behind his hasty departure has not been conclusively revealed by the local media, Leopards have reportedly been a club in turmoil for some time. Their previous permanent boss Casa Mbungo had left in 2019 due to financial issues surfacing at the club, while the fallout of Trucha's departure has resulted in an exchange of accusations between the club board and a former player.

Just one day after his resignation, Tuchel was announced as the Panthers, new head coach. Surely he will be hoping for a more calm working environment at the northern peninsular Malaysia side.

Indian Super League (ISL) matches between Bengaluru and Chennaiyin always had something in store for not only the fans but also for the neutral football lovers in the country. 

It is an interesting fixture because both teams are usually very wary of each other. In the seven head-to-head fixtures before Friday's clash, both teams had won three games each and registered one stalemate. 

Heading into the matchday, Chennaiyin had one win to their name and the Blues had none after two matches. While Chennaiyin had gotten off to fast starts in their first two matches, the Blues had looked overly defensive. 

On Friday, when the game finally kicked off, neither team wanted to concede the first goal. They were both unwilling to leave space behind for the opponent to attack and refused to push more numbers forward into the final third. As a result, it made for a cagey affair featuring an intense midfield battle. 

On a night where the experienced players like Sunil Chhetri and Cleiton Silva failed to meet the expected levels of performance, it was young midfielder Suresh Wangjam who stood out for the Blues. He was excellent throughout the game, ready to tackle, run with the ball and intercept at the right times. 

Bengaluru dealt with Chennaiyin's attacks but they were helped by an unfortunate injury to Anirudh Thapa early on in the game. Edwin Vanspaul was his replacement but Chennaiyin's aggression lacked the usual fervour. It was Vanspaul who dived into an ill-timed challenge that gifted a penalty from which Chhetri scored. 

Ashique Kuruniyan, who remains a left-back under Carles Cuadrat, could have had an early bath for persistent fouling in the initial phase. The Malayali winger-turnt-full-back's discipline and positional issues have cost the Blues in the past but he continues to be a left-back. 

Kuruniyan also should have conceded a penalty when Rafael Crivellaro's header struck his outstretched arm inside the penalty box but the referee thought otherwise. 

Chennaiyin pressed hard in the second half and were arguably the stronger team towards the end. But from the first three matches, it had been the defensive side of Bengaluru that has kept them going. 

FC Goa and Kerala Blasters have a lot in common when you look at their setups for the seventh season of Indian Super League (ISL). 

They both have a new head coach in charge of the team - which is not new in Blasters' case. They have both undergone a squad overhaul - which is new in Goa's case. 

More importantly, both teams are coached by men who believe in playing attractive football to entertain viewers. And they are both winless after the first three matches this season. 

Kerala Blasters opened the season with a clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, whose team mostly consisted of players from defending champions ATK. Vicuna's team saw a lot of the ball in the season opener but lost the game to Roy Krishna's efficiency in front of goal. 

Blasters improved in the second game against NorthEast United and performed well in the first half. Then they allowed the Highlanders to complete a two-goal comeback after the restart. Their third game was a goalless draw - another game where Vicuna's team had the lion's share of possession but failed to make the most of it. They had to thanks Albino Gomes for saving a penalty and were shaky in defence. 

It has been far from the brilliant start that some fans may have expected but there has been gradual progress in the team's style of play. The days of chipping the ball to the striker's chest are already forgotten.

Goa, on the other hand, doesn't have a problem with their identity. Thanks to Sergio Lobera, they have been the frontrunners in treating India to an attractive, stubborn brand of possession-based football in the ISL. They have honed the art for three years and under new coach Juan Ferrando, the Gaurs are looking to build on it. 

Ferrando's problems have been the changes in personnel. Former skipper Mandar Rao Dessai, key players such as Hugo Boumous, Mourtada Fall, Ahmed Jahouh have all followed Lobera to Mumbai City whereas ISL's all-time top goalscorer Ferran Corominas has left the club. 

Brandon Fernandes, the Indian player with the most assists in ISL, has been recovering from an injury he picked up last season and with him fully fit and ready to start games, Ferrando would hope for more in the final third. However, they have been aggressive in their games - they have put in the most tackles. taken second-most shots and passes.

Ferrando will be more concerned about keeping things tight at the back. They have been found wanting in defence more than once and it will be interesting to know if the new coach also follows the approach of 'outscoring opponents' as Lobera did in his first year. The Gaurs already have seven yellow cards and a red card to their name in just three matches. They are one of only three teams yet to keep a clean sheet - another stat to keep an eye on. 

If you consider the gameplans of Kibu Vicuna, Juan Ferrando and Sergio Lobera, they are all so heavily invested in their football philosophies, so much so that they are unwilling to deviate from their plan A. This usually means a new squad will struggle to settle in and adapt right away. 

But when Goa and Blasters face off against each other, fans will know who has made the most progress. 

Despite earlier reports that they were looking to appoint a foreign new head coach, Malaysia Super League side Melaka United have decided to retain Zainal Abidin Hassan's service for the 2021 season.

In a press conference held on Friday, association deputy president Datuk Wira Yusoff Mahadi announced that the former Malaysia international has been re-signed for another season.

"Although the team has underperformed somewhat this season, but the club still trust him to improve on their performance next year."

The 59-year old Zainal has been with the Mousedeer since the 2019 season, and in 2020 only managed to guide them to a ninth-place finish.

Also announced was the appointment of club CEO Datuk Saiful Mat Sapri, as part of the privatisation/separation exercise undergone by Malaysian clubs this season.

Saiful revealed that they are parting ways with former Malaysia star Safiq Rahim, after employing him since 2019 on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim.

"We have decided to not retain him, and he will be replaced with another renowned experienced player. The attacking player still receives Malaysia national team call-ups, and we will decide on this next week," explained Saiful.

Safiq Rahim. Photo by Sports Regime

Jurgen Klopp insisted Liverpool would not use injuries as an excuse, saying the club's status meant they were still expected to win.

Liverpool have endured an injury crisis to begin the season, but are second in the Premier League and have reached the last 16 in the Champions League.

In a boost, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Naby Keita returned to training on Friday, two days before the champions host Wolves.

Klopp said there were no excuses for Liverpool, pointing to expectations of the club despite their injury woes.

"Whoever is available, we are still Liverpool. That's how we see it. It means we want to win the game," the Liverpool manager told reporters.

"Actually, I think most of the people think we have to win the game. You can see that when you speak before a game, or after a game, people don't talk about [who is available] – he is not available, he is not available, yes, yes, no – nobody really would allow you to use such a situation as an excuse. And we don't, we don't.

"The situation is tough, 100 per cent, but we are at matchday – where are we, nine, 10 coming? Not sure. So, it feels quite long already but it's not even a third of the season.

"So, who cares who is where in the moment. We try to play football. We won some games, drew in others, lost one massively. So, that's the job."

Liverpool are on the second-longest unbeaten home run in English top-flight history (64 games) ahead of hosting Wolves at Anfield.

However, they have dropped more points from winning positions this season (six) than they did in the whole of last campaign (five).

Klopp, who has been critical of the Premier League over its refusal to sanction five substitutions, believes the busy period to finish the year and begin 2021 will see even more teams face injury worries.

"This is not a season where you throw a target – at the start of the season – on the table and say we have to be here or there. Everybody tries to come through. Everybody. Some teams are obviously, so far, more lucky with injuries than others. That is the situation," he said.

"But I am pretty sure that it will level off over the season because it is just incredibly intense for the boys. The most intense period starts for all teams. So far it was massively intense for all the teams involved in European football.

"From now on, we play all three days. And all the teams will have to do that. So, some teams will realise now how tough it is. That's why we have still [got] to talk about the five subs, even though we didn't vote yesterday."

Pep Guardiola is convinced Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will still be the "same player" when he returns from his lingering injury problems. 

The 32-year-old Aguero has been limited to 26 Premier League appearances out of a possible 47 since the start of last season, with a series of fitness problems plaguing the Argentinian. 

In 2019-20, Aguero suffered with thigh issues and a knee injury that had him sidelined for four months, missing the start of this campaign.

Although he returned to the pitch in October, Aguero was soon back in the treatment room with a hamstring strain, and is currently nursing another knee injury. 

Aguero is City's all-time leading goalscorer and his pedigree in the Premier League is significant – since the start of 2015-16, his 102 goals is bettered by only Jamie Vardy (106) and Harry Kane (126). 

Despite his record in front of goal, some are concerned Aguero's injury problems will have caused the former Atletico Madrid player to lose his sharpness, though Guardiola has no such worries. 

"When he will be fit, he'll be the same player," Guardiola declared ahead of Saturday's clash with Fulham.

"Of course, age is age, he has to be fit and will need a bit more time than [Phil] Foden or Raheem [Sterling] would, because the physicality of the body is completely different, but I'm optimistic he will help us this season to do what he needs. 

"For that he must have no pain in the knee; we are working on it and today it feels much better. When he is able to train one week and two weeks in normal conditions, he will come back at his best and his sense of goal is unique in this team. 

"That is why it is so important. We cannot forget we have already played five or six months without him – that's a long time without our striker. 

"But I'm confident as he works a lot, he's a lovely person, I have an incredible relationship with him, better than ever. I like him and we want him back as soon as possible for him and for the team." 

Aguero is in the last year of his contract at City, with some long holding the belief he plans to return to Argentina once his time in Manchester comes to an end.

Jurgen Klopp says England boss Gareth Southgate will suffer if the Premier League doesn't change its rules to allow five substitutes per game. 

The Liverpool head coach has been vocal in his belief that the league must change from three to five allowed subs per game, citing the fixture congestion in the coronavirus-shortened 2020-21 season.

Liverpool have already suffered a number of key injuries this season, which has infuriated the German head coach as he believes they have been caused in part by fixture congestion and the lack of extra subs available.

Klopp has now warned that if the rules aren't changed, Southgate's side will pay the price at next summer's rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament.

"I'm sure we will discuss it early again, because of the influence of three subs," said Klopp. "Now pretty much all teams have to play every three days, it will be massive for everybody from now on and every team will feel the difference. Next summer it will be a problem for Gareth Southgate.

"All of the players Gareth wants to pick play [European] football most of them, pretty much all. Most of them are playing three times a week, to do that from February, on again, and play three times a week all the time. Gareth will get what we give him if we stick with three subs."

Klopp has been involved in a continuing feud with Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, who is in favour of maintaining three subs per game because he believes allowing more subs would benefit bigger clubs with deeper squads like Liverpool.

As fixtures begin to pick up through the busy festive period, though, Klopp has warned that even coaches of smaller clubs will regret not supporting a proposal to allow five subs per game. 

“Football, now the most intense period starts for all teams. From now on pretty much all the teams play every three days,” Klopp added.

“And some teams will realise now how tough it is, and that is why we still have to talk about the five subs even though we didn't vote yesterday. It will be massive for everybody from now on and every team will feel the difference."