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Real Madrid are in danger of a dramatic Champions League group-stage exit after they fell to a 2-0 away defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk.

If Borussia Monchengladbach defeat Inter later on Tuesday, 13-time winners Madrid will not have their Group B fate in their own hands.

Shakhtar defeated Madrid in Spain on matchday one and earned another upset victory courtesy of second-half strikes from substitutes Dentinho and Manor Solomon.

Madrid are now third in the pool, behind Shakhtar due to their head-to-head record and a point behind Borussia Monchengladbach, who host Inter later on Tuesday.

Gladbach will be out of reach for the Spanish champions should they prevail against the winless Nerazzurri.

Madrid, who next face the Bundesliga side, would then have to better Shakhtar's result against Inter on matchday six to progress.
 

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has once again come to the rescue of Gor Mahia after they gave them Sh3million to help prepare the team for their Caf Champions League match.

The Kenyans champions are set to host APR of Rwanda in the return leg clash set for Nyayo Stadium with K’Ogalo seeking to reverse the 2-1 defeat suffered in the first leg battle staged at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali last weekend.

Olivier Niyonzima had given the hosts an early lead in the ninth minute before Kenneth Muguna cancelled it out with an accurate taken free-kick in the 28th minute, only for defender Andrew Juma to score in his own net.

A source within FKF has confirmed to Goal the federation will give the club Sh3million to prepare for the return leg.

“Gor Mahia appealed for help from FKF and we have agreed to assist them with Sh3million to aid their preparations for Caf Champions League match against APR on Saturday,” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal.

Asked whether they have given out the cash yet, the source said: “We will give them, we are working on that, and they will have the money, maybe even tomorrow [Wednesday].”

It is the second time the FKF is bailing out Gor Mahia, as before they departed for Kigali they kitted the team with Harambee Stars tracksuits.

Despite losing 2-1, Gor Mahia stand-in coach Sammy Omollo is confident they will reverse the result and qualify to the next stage of the competition come Saturday.

“Despite the loss, the boys played well in that game, and they stuck to our game plan," Omollo told Goal on Monday. “A 2-1 [loss] is not a bad result for us; the important thing is that we scored the important away goal.

“The one goal we scored will be very crucial for us in the return leg because now we just need one goal, or even two if possible, to advance.”

On his part, APR coach Adil Errade Mohamed has cautioned his players not to underrate Gor Mahia as they did in the first leg contest.

“I am told that local media reported extensively about the financial difficulties that our opponents are going through and how it had affected their morale because some players had threatened not to play,” Mohamed is quoted by New Times.

“This might have made our players become a little bit complacent but I don’t want to see that attitude in the return leg, we must be very cautious against them and make sure we don’t crack.”

Gor Mahia have been in the competition in the last four seasons but have always found it hard to advance further and their last attempt, in 2019, was ended by Algeria’s USM Alger.

The Algerian outfit picked up two victories against K’Ogalo and the two defeats came at a time Gor Mahia were strained financially as they operated without a sponsor.

Former West Ham and QPR defender Anton Ferdinand has released a new documentary titled: "Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism and Me" on the BBC, which explores his personal experiences with racism in professional football.

Ferdinand was involved in a high-profile incident involving ex-Chelsea captain John Terry and in the documentary, Ferdinand speaks about the exchange for the first time since 2011.

During a Premier League meeting between Chelsea and QPR on October 23, 2011, Terry was alleged to have aimed a racist slur at Ferdinand in the second half.

It is alleged that Terry called Ferdinand a "f*cking black c***" after the two were embroiled in a heated verbal exchange.

Terry mouthing the words was caught on camera, but after the match, the former England captain stated that he said them in response after being accused of using them.

He said: "I've seen that there's a lot of comments on the internet with regards to some video footage of me in today's game.

"I'm disappointed that people have leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying to Anton Ferdinand.

"I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively, saying that I never used that term. I would never say such a thing, and I'm saddened that people would think so."

Terry was later not found guilty by an FA independent regulatory commission, with the court stating that while “there is no doubt that John Terry uttered the words “f*cking black c***” at Anton Ferdinand,” it was deemed “impossible” to understand the context of the exchange.

Terry was handed a four-match ban and a fine of £220,000 and was later stripped of the England armband.

Ferdinand revisited the infamous incident in his new BBC documentary, "Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism and Me", released on November 30.

In the documentary, Ferdinand spoke of the racist abuse he experienced from social media in the aftermath of the incident.

Because he was told not to comment on the incident in public, he was prevented from speaking out about racism in sport - something that he regrets to this day.

"I still carry a feeling of letting people down for not speaking up," Ferdinand said in the documentary.

"I still feel guilt and it eats away at me more than anything and I don't know how to get rid of it.

"At the time I was angry more than anything and I knew that because I was angry, if I spoke out about it then I would have become a stereotype of a young black man who fires from the hip and shouts his mouth off."

Ferdinand's older brother, former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, contributed to the documentary and also spoke of his dismay of not being able to be more supportive of his brother when the event unfolded - describing himself as feeling "powerless".

He and Terry were both in the England squad as team-mates at the time.

"The incident was probably the catalyst for the downturn of his career," Ferdinand said of his younger brother.

"Who knows how I would have reacted if at every stadium I went to people were making you feel like you were the instigator and aggressor in the situation when you were really the victim.

"Shouting obscenities all the time regarding the case so you can never get away from it.

"I was confused and disappointed with the way it unravelled and we never really spoke about it - I don't know why we never did in depth.

"Everyone was saying, bar a few close friends, family, mum especially and dad, were telling us to say nothing - let the lawyers deal with it and let it go to court and it will be sorted out.

"And I feel guilty because all I kept thinking was - how is this happening to my brother? I should have spoken out but I just felt powerless."

Andrea Pirlo is not worried by Juventus' inconsistent form that has so far defined his first season as coach.

The Juve and Italy legend saw his side held to a 1-1 draw by Benevento on Saturday, leaving the defending Serie A champions six points behind leaders Milan.

That gap would be just two points if not for the four Juve have dropped from winning positions in the 2020-21 campaign, Benevento coming from behind to force them to settle for their fifth draw from nine league games.

It is a much better picture in the Champions League for Juve, with the Bianconeri already sure of their qualification for the last 16 ahead of Wednesday's clash with Dynamo Kiev.

With the derby with Torino on the horizon after their European commitments, Pirlo is under no illusion as to what Juve need in order to gain ground on Milan.

"After Benevento, I said that we need more concentration and desire to bring home the points, even when we are ahead in the games," he told a press conference. "We've spoken about it and we are all aware of it.

"I'm absolutely not worried. In Benevento it was our game to win but we weren't good at closing it out and then they managed to do that well, this can happen. We've analysed the match and we will try to improve.

"We must face all the matches in the same way, both in Europe and in Italy. I would have preferred a little more consistency, but it's normal that it takes a little more time to achieve it. The players know what they must and want to do.

"When you win, everything is fine; when you don't, problems arise that may not even exist. We are working well to improve."

Paulo Dybala, who is yet to score in the league this season and has been the subject of continued criticism, is not expected to feature against Dynamo.

"I don't think we'll see a trident attack tomorrow, Morata will probably play, whilst Dybala will prepare for the derby on Saturday," added Pirlo.

One player who has impressed this season is Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey endured a difficult first season with Juve after joining from Arsenal in 2019. He scored three goals in Serie A, provided one assist and created 20 chances.

He has yet to find the net in the league this term but already has an assist to his name and has created 10 chances. His per-90 minutes average for chances created of 2.67 is second only to Dejan Kulusevski (2.89).

Pirlo said: "I have to say that Ramsey was a great find for me and he can still improve. For me and for the team he is very important."

Mumbai City outclassed East Bengal in their third match of the Indian Super League (ISL) season on Tuesday at the GMS Stadium, Bambolim.

Adam Le Fondre scored a brace (20', 48) and Hernan Santana (58') was on target as the Islanders cruised past the Kolkata giants.

Sergio Lobera made four changes in the Mumbai lineup which defeated FC Goa 1-0 in their last match. Mohammed Rakip, Bipin Singh, Ahmed Jahouh and Vignesh D, replaced Amay Ranawade, Sarthak Golui, CY Goddard and Farukh Choudhary.

Robbie Fowler, on the other hand, replaced two players from the East Bengal lineup from the Kolkata derby as Loken Meitei and Rana Gharami made way for Mohammad Irshad and Wahengbang Angousana.

The Red and Golds received an early blow when skipper and central defender Danny Fox had to leave the pitch after a clash with Adam Le Fondre in the air. Fowler brought in central midfielder Mohammed Rafique and tweaked the formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3.

Mumbai were in control of the game right from the off and commanded proceedings. They got their first chance to score in the ninth minute when Mandar Rao Dessai took advantage of Surchandra's mistake on the right side of the box and found Le Fondre who set it up for Hugo Boumous to fire but thanks to a quality save from Debjit Majumder Boumous failed to break the deadlock.

The Islanders finally scored the opening goal in the 20th minute from an excellent counter-attack. Rowllin Borges sent a long ball for Boumous and who first beat Surchandra in pace and then went past Irshad inside the box before squaring the ball for Le Fondre who converted a routine tap-in.

The Red and Golds never looked comfortable with the ball throughout the first half and their backline was extremely shaky which allowed Mumbai to constantly pose threat on them.

Mumbai picked up things from where they had left in the first half and continued with their dominance. They scored the second goal in the 48th minute of the match from a penalty.

Boumous followed through ball down the middle from Jahouh and entered the box but before he could pull the trigger, Majumder came out of his line and committed a foul resulting in the penalty. Adam Le Fondre converted his brace from the spot-kick.

The Islanders piled on more misery on the Red and Golds as they scored the third goal in the 58th minute. Ahmed Jahouh's out-swinging free-kick was kept in play by Boumous and Hernan Santana sent the ball in with a quality volley.

Mumbai climbed to the top of the league table with six points from three games while East Bengal languished at the rock bottom position without registering a point.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he's "proud" to see Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland closing in on his Champions League record.

Solskjaer is currently the highest-scoring Norwegian player in the history of Europe's elite competition, having scored 20 goals during his illustrious playing career at Old Trafford between 1996 and 2007.

Former Aston Villa and Valencia striker John Carew is next on the list with 18 to his name, while Haaland is just two goals further back after netting a combined total of 16 in the Champions League across his spells at Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund.

The talented young frontman is almost certain to beat Solskjaer's mark given he only recently turned 20 years of age, and he may even reach the milestone this season, having already scored six in four group-stage appearances.

Haaland scored a brace in Dortmund's 3-0 home win over Club Brugge on matchday four, and will likely feature in Lucien Favre's starting XI when Lazio arrive at Westfalenstadion on Wednesday.

Solskjaer saw the ex-Salzburg star's abilities up close while he was in charge at Molde, and feels partly responsible for turning him into the prolific frontman that he is today.

Asked if Haaland will go onto break his European record, the United head coach told a press conference ahead of his team's clash with Paris Saint-Germain in midweek: "He’ll beat it and very quickly, that’s for sure.

"The boy has had a great start to his career.

"It was really good to work with him, to see the potential in him, and some part of me feels proud of having a little bit of an input in such a rise.

"I’m sure Erling will score loads in the Champions League."

Solskjaer reportedly tried to lure Haaland to Old Trafford before his €20 million (£18/$24m) switch to Dortmund in January, and United continue to be credited with an interest in his services along with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Speculation surrounding the Red Devils' possible moves in the market will only increase heading into the winter window, but the man currently occupying the dugout insists he is not yet thinking about any possible changes to his squad.

Quizzed on the possibility of any incomings in the new year, Solskjaer told reporters: "Here we go... on the eve of an important game against PSG and we’re talking transfers.

“With our additions in the summer and last time in January, I don’t think it’s right for me to start commenting on the transfer window already.

“Let’s see where we are in January. I’ve got selection issues already!”

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced that the 2020 MTN8 final will take place at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

The final will be contested by Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates on December 12 and the two teams will battle it out for the coveted trophy and the whopping R8 million in prize money.

The league released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

"The PSL together with MTN are pleased to announce the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium as the venue to host the 2020/21 MTN8 Final," a statement read.

The last time Moses Mabhida Stadium staged the MTN8 final was in 2018 with Cape Town City stunning SuperSport United 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

However, SuperSport won the competition last year after defeating Highlands Park 1-0 in the final at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The final will return to the KwaZulu-Natal Province with Pirates looking to end their six-year trophy drought, while the last time Celtic won a major title was in 2012 which was the Telkom Knockout.

In their road to this year's MTN8 final, Pirates defeated Cape Town City 1-0 in a quarter-final encounter at the Mecca of South African football, Orlando Stadium.

The Buccaneers then thumped their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 5-0 on aggregate in a one-sided semi-final tie and they are hoping to clinch their 10th Top 8 title this year.

They will face a Celtic side which stunned Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in a quarter-final match as they avenged their 1-0 defeat to Masandawana in the 2020 Nedbank Cup final.

Phunya Sele Sele then secured a 2-1 win over the defending champions SuperSport on aggregate in the semi-finals and they reached the Top 8 final for the second time in the club's history.

Celtic defeated SuperSport 1-0 in the 2005 final which took place at Olen Park in Potchefstroom. It remains Siwelele's first and only Top 8 trophy and the tournament was still known as the SAA Supa 8. 

Mamelodi Sundowns say they are abandoning talks with Al Ahly over the transfer of midfielder Gaston Sirino and will only listen to the Cairo giants if they table a “better offer.”

The reigning African champions are pressing to sign the 29-year-old, who is also said to be keen to reunite with his former Downs coach Pitso Mosimane.

Sirino has already made a transfer request through the media, prompting the Brazilians to threaten disciplinary action against him for allegedly bringing the club’s name into disrepute.

While it is not clear how much Al Ahly have tabled, Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh said they will only reopen discussions if the Egyptians make an offer “that shows respect.”

“They made an offer which we rejected‚” Singh told Times Live.

“For us the negotiations are closed and Sirino remains our player. Unless they come back to the table with a better and fairer offer that shows respect for Sundowns‚ nothing is going to happen.

“For us‚ this matter is closed and he remains our player until they come back to us with a better offer.”

With the Brazilians having played five Premier Soccer League matches so far this season, Sirino is yet to make a single league appearance after getting injured in their 1-0 MTN8 quarter-final defeat by Bloemfontein Celtic some six weeks ago.

The Uruguayan was then said to be nearing full fitness a few weeks ago but his continued stay on the sidelines, as well as his public desire to leave the Brazilians, has fuelled speculation that he could be refusing to play in protest of Downs’ unwillingness to let him go.

Sirino arrived at Chloorkop in January 2018 from Bolivian side Bolivar and he has already completed two full seasons in the PSL.

In June 2020, he extended his Sundowns contract by a further five years amid already reported interest from Al Ahly, which is said to have now been spurred by Mosimane's arrival in Cairo.

Since his arrival, the Uruguayan has featured in 100 Sundowns matches across all competitions, scoring 24 goals and providing 29 assists.

AFC Leopards head coach Tomas Trucha has threatened to quit alleging some officials are interfering with his work.

The Czech Republic citizen was appointed Ingwe coach in early November to help the team challenge for the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League title. 

"[Trucha] is not happy with some officials who are pushing some players to be involved in games," a source close to the club told Goal on Tuesday.

"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."

When reached for comment, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda stated he is currently not aware of the issue.

"To be honest, I have not heard anything from the coach or the technical bench," Shikanda told Goal.

"However, we have a meeting later in the day [Tuesday] and from there I will know. There are some issues from Saturday which we also need to address. Until then, I cannot comment on the issue."

Trucha was in charge last weekend against Tusker FC, when Ingwe came from a goal down to win 2-1.

It was Ingwe who started the match well, attacking with every opportunity they got. Elvis Rupia had an effort punched out for what turned out to be a fruitless corner while Nabwire's effort was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

However, a blunder in the midfield after 22 minutes allowed the Ruaraka-based side to steal the ball and David Majak kept his cool to score his first goal of the season.

The goal did little to dent the host's ambition of getting a positive result from the game. In the 26th minute, they were back on level terms courtesy of defender Robinson Kamura.

The 11-time champions looked unsettled and struggled at times to get the better of Ingwe. 

It was no surprise when they conceded a penalty in the 34th minute and Rupia capitalized on it to give his team a lead for the first time. 

Ingwe deservedly headed to the break with a lead as their opponents got a chance to re-organize themselves to put a better performance in the second half.

Neither of the two teams could get a goal in the second half despite numerous changes, especially in the attacking department.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s “desire to win” has rubbed off on those around him at AC Milan to the point that Stefano Pioli’s side are now favourites to land the Serie A title, claims Fabio Capello.

Nine years have passed since the Rossoneri last got their hands on the Italian top-flight crown.

Massimiliano Allegri was their manager back then, with a highly-rated coach proving that he could deliver the grandest of prizes.

Ibrahimovic was another familiar face, with the enigmatic Swede finishing as Milan’s top scorer a year before he headed to Paris Saint-Germain.

Following further stints at Manchester United and the LA Galaxy, San Siro has welcomed a proven performer back with open arms.

Ibrahimovic returned to Milan in January and immediately set about spreading his own unique brand of inspiration throughout the club.

Team-mates that had been struggling prior to his arrival have been reborn, with a talismanic presence dragging everyone along with him.

Milan have even shown over recent weeks that they can cope without Ibrahimovic, as the 39-year-old takes in a spell on the sidelines, and Capello considers them to be the side to beat this season.

A man who delivered four domestic titles and a Champions League triumph during his first spell as Rossoneri boss told Corriere della Sera of goings-on in the present: “AC Milan will win the Scudetto, there's no doubt about it because they are the best team in Italy.

“What really impressed me about them was how well they adapted to playing without Ibrahimovic.

“What's happened is that even without him, they have taken on his winning mentality.

“The team understands his great desire to win. A year ago, the same players showed fear, uncertainty and shyness. Now they show courage and determination. With or without Ibrahimovic on the pitch, they know what to do and they do it.

“I think the lack of fans has helped them. In the San Siro you could hear the mumbles and groans from the supporters. Now they are expressing themselves without fear and anxiety.

“They also have a great manager in Stefano Pioli. He's shown at Lazio and Fiorentina he is a coach with great ideas, but he needed time and trust and Milan have given him that.

“They are a great team and I don't think their run will end soon.”

Milan, who are unbeaten in Serie A through nine games, have suffered just one defeat so far this season – against Lille in the Europa League – and will be back in continental action on Thursday when they take in a home date with Celtic.

Frank Lampard has offered an explanation for the "tough" decision he took to leave Callum Hudson-Odoi out of Chelsea's draw with Tottenham.

Hudson-Odoi scored his third goal of the season for Chelsea against Rennes after being handed a rare start in the Champions League last week.

The 20-year-old's cool finish set the Blues on their way to a 2-1 victory which saw them qualify for the round of 16, but he was subsequently dropped for a heavyweight Premier League clash against Spurs on Sunday.

Lampard did not include the England international in his final 18-man squad for the London derby as he restored Hakim Ziyech to his starting line-up to play alongside Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham in a front three.

Chelsea ultimately missed the chance to move top of the table after being held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham, who are ahead of reigning champions Liverpool on goal difference.

Lampard insists Hudson-Odoi's omission was nothing to do with his recent performance levels, and has urged him to keep his head up and continue working hard behind the scenes in order to fulfil his potential, with his next chance to shine likely to come in a midweek trip to Sevilla.

"It was difficult. I have been pleased about his training recently. His attitude in training at the minute is bang on," Lampard told a press conference of the winger's current standing in the squad.

"That work ethic in training is effective in him scoring against Rennes and playing well, coming on against Newcastle and he was bright after going away with the Under-21s and doing well.

"It was tough. I have tough decisions when I have a fully-fit squad, as we pretty much do now, to leave out players that work hard through the week and are desperate to play for the club.

"I did speak to him personally. I want him to understand where he is at the minute, which is in a progression that's getting better. There will be times where others players have to sit out and that's a conversation we have to have with other players.

"He is in contention for tomorrow and I want to see more of the same and keep that progression going. Like I say, if there are times where he is out of the squad, I want him to stay positive. That's part of my job as well to have that communication level."

Lampard added: "For all these players you are talking about, in my squad, I have to leave out four or five players per game. If I speak about all the permutations of all of them and considered the risk of it then I wouldn't be able to make a decision or do the job.

"I am aware of Callum and where he is at. He took it very well and it is not an easy conversation to have because all players want to play, I expect that. He will get his opportunities.

"He will get minutes tomorrow. It is up to him then to show when he plays that he deserves to start because there is competition in that area. That's the reality of playing for Chelsea.

"At the same time, if I feel like I am taking someone out of the squad when they deserve to be in it, I have to be straight and honest with them to try and keep them positive and working in the right direction.

"Hopefully with Callum, I have got that. His reaction was great and since the game, and in training today, he has been great and it will show when he plays."

Asked if he endured the same struggles as Hudson-Odoi at the start of his own playing career, Lampard responded: "Yes, I can relate to that as we all have steps on the ladder. I think Callum's early career, he got into the team with a lot of talk around him in the year before I came.

"Then he got a really bad injury and a big part of last season, even this season, he was feeling the injury a little bit. I think now time and work is showing he's back with his recent form to where we want him to be.

"At the same time, he is still a developing player because when there's a lot of talk about a player then you think they have been around longer than they have. He is still a young man so unfortunately for him, I have to see the bigger picture.

"It is unfortunate he is not part of the squad but there's hundreds of games ahead of him and progressions to make. He will have a big impact with his talent, as long as he has that hard work, which he is showing at the minute."

If Arsenal are making Thomas Partey a key part of their plans then Mesut Ozil should be brought back in from the cold, says Paul Merson.

The Gunners have bolstered their options in the middle of the park by snapping up Ghana international Partey from Atletico Madrid.

Partey is considered to be cut from the same cloth as Gunners greats Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, with much-needed physical presence added to the Emirates Stadium engine room.

Mikel Arteta has, however, seen his side struggle for creativity and goal threat this season, with Arsenal unable to bring all of the pieces together that will deliver much sought-after consistency.

Merson believes the answer to that problem remains on the club’s books, with Ozil having been omitted from Europa League and Premier League squads.

A World Cup winner heading towards free agency is playing no part for the Gunners in 2020-21 due to some bold selection calls, with his days in north London seemingly numbered.

Merson remains bemused as to how the talented 32-year-old has found himself in this position, with Arteta’s side crying out for his playmaking qualities.

The former Gunners star told Sky Sports: “For me, Mesut Ozil comes back in the team if Thomas Partey is fit. Partey gets around the pitch, dominates the midfield and dictates the game. Him playing opens up a chance for Ozil.

“At the moment, Arsenal have nobody in there to provide the forwards. You can make runs all day long, but if you're a centre-forward, your runs are only as good as the players playing behind you.

“When these Arsenal players are getting the ball in midfield, with time, is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang making the run? Is he confident they are going to see his run and are capable of getting that ball through the eye of a needle? I'd say no, so they need creativity. Fernando Torres made runs when Steven Gerrard got the ball. They didn't even have to look.

“Teams are sitting back against Arsenal, and they don't have the creativity in midfield to break them down.

“If Partey doesn't play, Ozil can't play. Without Partey, Arsenal are not going to dictate the midfield, and then can't afford to play with 10 men. But if Arsenal have the midfield, and Ozil is playing behind Aubameyang, with two flying wingers. You ask the back four to stay still, including the full-backs.

“You'd play Granit Xhaka next to Partey, then Ozil in front, then have Aubameyang central, Bukayo Saka on the left, and try and get a tune out of Nicolas Pepe. Get the ball to Ozil, and before you know it, if you make runs, he'll find you.”

Merson added: “Is Arteta to blame for Ozil's exclusion? I don't know if it's Arteta or the club. I'm not sure. Arteta has been in the game long enough to know when a player is or isn't a good player.

“You never, ever know when you're going to need a player. The name of the game for so many top managers is to keep the players who aren't in the team happy. Because they know, one day, they might need that player.

“If you treat them badly, and all of a sudden you have a few injuries and you need them to play, it's bad news. If you treat them well, they'll run through a brick wall for you. You will need them.”

Ozil has not figured for Arsenal since March 7, prior to football shutting down amid the coronavirus pandemic, and is now running down a lucrative contract with no role to play at the Emirates.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed both Edinson Cavani and the Football Association as the governing body looks into the 'Gracias n******' Instagram post that was sent from the striker's account.

Cavani apologised for any offence caused after he replied to a friend’s congratulatory message on his Instagram story, with him later deleting the post after he was made aware of how the wording could be interpreted in the UK.

The FA has asked the Uruguayan for his observations and Solskjaer has backed both the governing body and his player over the incident.

The Norwegian told reporters: "We’ve communicated with Edinson and he’s deeply sorry for the mistake he made. There was no malicious intent at all, it was just an affectionate greeting to a friend of his.

"We explained to him and he’s been asked by the FA to explain so of course he will cooperate with them and we will support him. It’s one of those unfortunate situations. He's just come into the country, in Uruguay it’s used in a different way than what we have here.

"We will support him but we support the FA too. It’s important that the FA has asked him to explain and it’s out there for everyone to see because we want to be in the fight against discrimination with everyone.

"I saw Gary (Neville) said something about all players coming from different cultures should be educated and I’m sure Edinson has learnt the hard way."

The 33-year-old is in contention to face his former side Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night as they visit Old Trafford for the penultimate Champions League Group H fixture.

Solskjaer, who has an almost fully-fit squad to select from, says he has no concerns over Cavani’s mindset despite what has happened off the pitch over the last couple of days.

"Edinson is ready to play. Of course, it’s special for him to play against PSG, his old club where he is the top scorer, so that will affect him mentally.

"From knowing him I think that will give him energy and he will be ready. He is so professional, experienced and he will work on his mindset today and tomorrow to be ready for the game.

"The same goes for the FA… he’s learnt a lesson. It might affect him but he’ll have to put it to one side when the game’s on and the best players can put problems, or other thoughts, away for a while and perform when he has to."

Solskjaer’s side need just a point to qualify for the last 16 while a win would see them top the group with a game to spare.

With so many fixtures coming up domestically in December, the Norwegian is hoping his team can get the job done at Old Trafford and offer him the chance to rest players in the final group game against RB Leipzig.

"The quicker you can qualify the better, with a win we win the group, that’s our intent," Solskjaer said. "We want to go out there in our style, attacking intent, defending well against a top team with some top individual players. Our mindset is win this game and we’ve won the group."

Dean Henderson has been warned that he faces a “nightmare scenario” at Manchester United, with Roy Keane seeing the exits at Old Trafford being blocked off for a goalkeeper who needs games.

The highly-rated 23-year-old did get an opportunity to impress in the Red Devils’ last outing as David de Gea picked up an injury.

United’s established number one suffered a knee problem at Southampton, allowing Henderson to step in between the sticks.

De Gea crashed into the frame of his goal as he tried in vain to keep out a free kick from Saints star James Ward-Prowse.

Henderson was summoned off the bench and kept the hosts out for the remainder of a thrilling contest that saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side hit back from two goals down to win 3-2.

United are hoping that De Gea will be in contention to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, but no risks will be taken with his fitness.

That may allow Henderson to provide cover once again, but the England hopeful is very much a back-up option for Solskjaer this season.

Red Devils legend Keane believes a man who has previously starred across two loan spells at Sheffield United deserves better than a bit-part role in Manchester.

He cannot see another move being sanctioned, though, meaning that a promising shot-stopper who signed a new contract over the summer will be left stuck in De Gea’s shadow.

Keane told Sky Sports: “It’s a nightmare scenario for him. He wants to play for Man United, of course he does.

“Being in goal for Sheffield United and Man United every week is completely different, but he had to go back. Ole wanted to see him and work with him closely.

“You want to get better by playing the games, you can do all the training sessions you want, but if you’re not playing every week, the kid’s going to go backwards - and that’s going to cost him, ultimately.

“For example, if [Jordan] Pickford has a difficult spell - which he always seems to be, in my eyes - then it’s probably difficult for Gareth [Southgate] to go and pick a goalkeeper who’s not playing regularly.

“It’s a difficult situation for Henderson. Come January, do United really want to let him go out on loan?

“I don’t think so, because then they need cover for De Gea in case something happens to him.”

Henderson has remained part of England manager Southgate’s thoughts across recent squads, with a senior bow made against the Republic of Ireland, but more minutes are required at club level in order to compete with Everton shot-stopper Pickford for the number one job.

The honourable Union Minister of Sporting and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju interacted with the members of the India U17 Women’s World Cup squad in a virtual session organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). AIFF president Praful Patel too was present at the meeting

The Union Minister interacted with several players from the squad and mentioned that he was looking forward to gathering feedback from the players which will help the central government to further contribute to the sport.

“I want to thank the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for organising this virtual meeting with all the players. I want to meet all the girls of the U17 team personally and listen to them as it is very important for the players to speak which will help me and the government of India to gather information on what can we do more for the development of the sport.”

The U17 World Cup was supposed to be held in November 2020 initially, only for the pandemic to force a change in schedule. FIFA then revised the schedule and the tournament was to be held in February and March in 2021

After discussion with several stakeholders, FIFA decided to take a 'health and safety first' approach and cancel the tournament. India was then selected as the host nation for the 2022 edition.

Rijiju advised the players to remain motivated despite the cancellation of the competition and also congratulated Praful Patel and the Indian FA for successfully getting the hosting rights of the World Cup once again from FIFA.

“Our U17 team which is together at this time, I am sure they will be disappointed that the World Cup got postponed but I hope they don’t get demotivated and their spirit does not go down. They are just under 17 and their career has just begun.

“The World Cup which got cancelled is not because of anyone’s fault, it is because of the global pandemic. But the tournament will be held in 2022 and once again India has been chosen as the host. So I want to congratulate Praful Patel and the entire team who managed to convince FIFA to get the hosting rights again.

“I assure you that there will be full support be it financially, manpower or anything that is required. The only thing I am sad about is that some of the girls from the current U17 squad will not be able to play in 2022 due to age bar. But I must say that the girls should not lose heart because after this there is the U20 level and then senior team. They are the future. I assure full support from the government,” said the sports minister.

Rijiju also said that he hopes the women’s national team plays the World Cup very soon as they are ranked much higher than the men’s team in the FIFA rankings and also added that it is very important for the country to become a footballing nation.

“I know that the Indian women’s team is higher ranked than the men’s team and this proves that we can qualify for World Cup even if we are not the hosts and I believe that in near future we will make it to the Women’s World Cup.

“Football is the biggest sport in the world and we cannot afford to be left behind. If India wants to be a sporting powerhouse we have to grow in football. We have to promote football.”

Lionel Messi should have the yellow card he was shown for his on-pitch tribute to Diego Maradona rescinded, according to Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman.

Former Barca and Argentina great Maradona died last week at the age of 60 and was honoured before all La Liga matches over the weekend.

Messi scored his side's fourth goal in fine style during Sunday's 4-0 home win over Osasuna.

Afterwards, he removed his Barca shirt to reveal a Newell's Old Boys jersey emblazoned with Maradona's famous number 10.

He then pointedly saluted the sky in honour of his compatriot, who spent a season towards the end of his career with Newell's - the club where Messi began his youth career.

Following the victory, Koeman told the media how impressed he was, both with his captain's finish and with the way he chose to pay his respects to his compatriot.

The yellow card shown to Messi, which regulations state will come with a €3,000 fine for Barca, has attracted attention after the match and Koeman believes it should be overturned.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's away Champions League match against Ferencvaros, for which Messi will be rested, Koeman said: "We know that there is a rule [relating to the award of] the yellow card.

"But we also know that it was his dedication to Maradona when he took off his shirt. It's not my decision, but for me I would take it off."

Barca are hopeful the yellow card decision will be changed.

According to Sport, they will use the precedent of Sergio Ramos having a booking overturned on sentimental grounds in 2007 after he paid tribute to Sevilla star Antonio Puerta to argue their case.

Barcelona have won all of their previous five competitive meetings with Hungarian sides and dominated the Camp Nou fixture against Ferencvaros in a 5-1 triumph last month.

Messi opened the scoring with a penalty in that game and also laid on a late assist for Ousmane Dembele.

However, he will now sit out of a second straight Champions League match, having also been rested for the 4-0 win over Dynamo Kiev last time out in the competition.

Barca have fared surprisingly well without Messi, winning eight of their last nine Champions League games that he missed since losing to Ajax in 2013.

The club are looking to win each of their first five Champions League group stage games for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.

Jordan Henderson admits nobody is doing Liverpool any favours at present, with a gruelling schedule taking its toll, but the Reds skipper intends to be in contention for major honours come the spring.

In order to be in the mix at the end of the season, Jurgen Klopp’s side must first make their way through a testing winter.

The games continue to come thick and fast across multiple competitions, with Champions League football back on the agenda against Ajax on Tuesday.

Klopp has aired his grievances with the make-up of Liverpool’s 2020-21 calendar on a regular basis of late, with a flurry of untimely injuries considered to be an indicator of players being pushed too hard.

Henderson shares the concerns of his manager, but he insists no excuses are going to be offered by the reigning Premier League champions in their pursuit of more silverware.

The Liverpool captain told the club’s official matchday programme: “Now that we have given ourselves a platform, we have to build on it. At this stage of last season we were in a similar position and we went on to make it count. That’s the challenge again this time around.

“It’s one thing having a decent autumn, but only if you push on through winter - when the games come thicker and faster than ever - do you have a chance of making the most of spring. 

“A lot has been said about the schedule and, without wanting to reopen the debate, it’s fair to say that this season’s is tougher than ever. But it is what it is and our job as players is to try to clear every obstacle that is placed in our way.  

“No-one is going to do us any favours and we’re not looking for any, so the best thing that we can do is stick to our mantra of taking one game at a time and being as competitive as we can be no matter who our opponents might be.”

Liverpool are well on course to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League, with two Group D games left to take in, but Henderson and Co will be taking nothing for granted, with Ajax expected to put up a fight at Anfield.

“People will look at the fact that we won [1-0] in Amsterdam and make us favourites but, as Atalanta showed last week, football is rarely that straightforward,” Henderson added.

“I know from my own experience at Liverpool that whenever we lose a game we want to put that right by showing what we’re capable of. I have no doubt whatsoever that Ajax will approach this game with exactly the same mindset. 

“There’s a banner that gets displayed on the Kop sometimes and I love it because of its simplicity. It just says ‘Liverpool FC: European Royalty’ and is one of many things that makes me incredibly proud to captain this club.  

“One of the reasons for that pride is because that statement puts us alongside clubs like Ajax who have made such a contribution to football in Europe over the years. They have our admiration and our respect and I hope that the game lives up to the best standards of both clubs.”

There will be “a lot of teams regretting” not signing Edinson Cavani, says Luke Chadwick, with the former Manchester United winger admitting that an experienced frontman has proved him wrong.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made the acquisition of another goal-getter a top priority during the summer transfer window.

Many expected the Red Devils to snap up a player of promise that could fill an important role in the present and future.

In the end, options proved to be in short supply and former Paris Saint-Germain star Cavani was plucked out of the free agent pool on deadline day.

He is not a long-term solution for United at 33 years of age, but he is proven at the very highest level and has shown over the course of a prolific career that he knows where the back of the net is.

Those qualities have been showcased across his early weeks in England, with a match-winning brace helping the Red Devils to recover from two goals down in their last outing at Southampton to claim another three points on the road.

Starting berths look set to be in short supply for Cavani, despite his efforts so far, but Chadwick concedes that Solskjaer has pulled off quite the coup in landing a striker that many will now be wishing they had approached.

The ex-United midfielder told CaughtOffside: “I think obviously Cavani coming on made a huge difference in terms of the two goals and an assist [against Southampton].

“I think his movement was brilliant around the box. United started the game well and were by far the better team for the first 20-25 minutes but just lacked that cutting edge in front of goal, but Cavani completely turned the game on its head in the second half.

“I’m sure after seeing his performance on Sunday a lot of teams will be regretting not signing him, but when you get to a certain age it does count against you a little bit.

“He seems to fit into just what United need at this moment in time in terms of a real penalty box predator.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent convinced when they first signed him in terms of what he still has to offer, but he looks in incredible physical shape and his movement – you don’t lose that, that movement he’s had over the years that’s made him a world-class goalscorer.

“Although he set up the Bruno Fernandes goal with a lovely cross, you don’t see a huge amount of him outside the box, all he’s interested in is getting in that box, getting across the front post and that’s something United haven’t had for many a year now – a really natural goalscorer.”

United will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Cavani’s former employers PSG in the Champions League.