Looking for Soccer News?

Edinson Cavani may have been the hero for Manchester United as they overturned a two-goal deficit against Southampton to secure a crucial 3-2 victory, but his actions online after quickly took the sheen off.

The Uruguayan striker scored two important goals for the Red Devils on Sunday, including an injury-time winner, and he rightly drank in the plaudits for his timely intervention.

However, as he was glorying in the adulation on Instagram, the veteran sharpshooter posted a racially insensitive message which could well see him punished by the English football authorities.

So, what did Cavani post on his Instagram feed and will he be banned?

What did Edinson Cavani's Instagram post say?

The offending message appeared on Edinson Cavani's Instagram stories and it read, "Gracias negrito", along with a handshake emoji.

It was soon deleted, reportedly after the offensive nature of it was explained to the former Paris Saint-Germain star. 

Cavani had been sharing and engaging with some of the messages of support he had been receiving from Man United supporters for his two-goal saviour act.

In this particular instance, a fan had written, "So, I love you Matador!" and the 33-year-old forward was apparently responding to show his gratitude.

However, the phrase he chose to use on this occasion just happens to be one of the same racially insensitive terms that Luis Suarez was alleged to have directed towards Patrice Evra during a Liverpool-Manchester United game in 2011.

Could Edinson Cavani be banned for his Instagram post?

The Football Association (FA) could potentially suspend Cavani over the content of his now-deleted Instagram post, with such offences carrying a minimum three-game ban.

A hefty fine is also a possible punishment for the transgression, along with the need to undertake an educational course.

However, a punishment will only be meted out once the FA has looked into the matter and if they decided to charge the player after assessing the circumstances.

While Cavani deleted the post relatively quickly, that does not necessarily mean he will avoid sanction, though it would be taken into account in any investigation.

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva was banned for one game and fined £50,000 ($64k) by the FA in 2019 for a racially insensitive tweet which was directed at his team-mate Benjamin Mendy.

More recently, Tottenham playmaker Dele Alli was sanctioned with similar punishment - a one-game ban, a fine and an obligation to undertake an education course - for a joke posted online relating to coronavirus.

The FA rule that may be applicable in Cavani's case is Rule E.3., which relates specifically to players' conduct and general behaviour.

Cavani's compatriot and friend Luis Suarez was hit with an eight-game ban for using the same phrase in his altercation with Patrice Evra in 2011.

In his book, Suarez wrote that he spoke to Evra in Spanish and did not use the word 'negrito' "the way it can be used in English", insisting that it was a term of endearment.

He claimed that the term "can refer to anyone with dark hair as well as dark skin", saying that he was "used to the word being used in Spanish in this way all my life."

The striker said that his wife uses the term to describe him, as his grandmother also used it to refer to his grandfather.

While the word in question used by Cavani is the same used by Suarez, the scenarios are certainly different - one being part of a positive Instagram engagement with fans and the other part of a heated disagreement.

Jurgen Klopp claims to be setting no targets for Liverpool in the 2020-21 and has no desire to achieve “perfection” as a coach.

The Reds have delivered remarkable levels of consistency across the last two seasons, allowing them to claim Champions League and Premier League crowns.

UEFA Super Cup and FIFA World Club Cup triumphs have also been achieved, with the intention on Merseyside being to deliver more major honours in the years to come.

Klopp is the man charged with the task of overseeing trophy quests, however the sporting scene has shifted dramatically during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, making short and long-term planning difficult.

With that in mind, and with anything still possible in 2020-21, Klopp insists no plans are being set in stone at Anfield.

“This is not a season, this is not a time in life when you should limit yourself, in a positive and a negative way, with targets. It's just we all have to get through this situation. That's how it is,” Klopp told UEFA’s official website.

“For the players, it's incredibly intense what we are doing. We're all happy and it's without any alternative that we play. It's great – love it, fantastic – but it's all on the backs of the players.

“They have to deliver. You watch the game and if they don't play well, you still think: ‘That's not really good!’ You don't think about what they go through in the week, because we all have normal lives, obviously, left and right of the games we play.

“That's pretty much the same for all of us, where you cannot see friends, you cannot see your family, and all these things. Recovery is not only sleep, it's not only treatment.

"It's really giving yourself a bit of freedom to think about things you want to think about and not what you have to think about. In the world out there at the moment, the biggest problem is that we don't have this time often enough and it keeps us quite tense. That doesn't help if then you have a game to play every three days at 110%, in the best way.”

Klopp has always demanded, and normally delivered, the very best from those around him. The 53-year-old is adamant, though, that is no perfectionist.

He added: “As a human, as a person, probably the first thing I realised that helped me a lot in life is that I don't have to go for perfection because it's not possible. I didn't even try; I just always tried to make the best of the things I had, and it never went anywhere close to perfection, to be honest.

"With football, it's pretty much the same. So, we are always trying to be as good as possible, but perfection, I never saw it, and I watch a lot of football.

“As long as you are not perfect, you have space to improve, which is nice and gives you the drive to get through all the different challenges you face during a football season, a football career, or life. So, I'm not a specialist in perfection, obviously – probably the opposite – but I still try to push my boys to get there as close as possible.

“There is so much space for improvement. That's what we're working on, but while you try to improve, you should never forget what is good already and use that, and that's what we do as well.

"So, it's not an obvious thing to do every morning: ‘We have to get better, we have to get better’. No, we know some things are that good that it would sometimes be enough just to bring them consistently on the pitch.”

Lionel Messi "loves Barcelona", according to Joan Laporta, who expressed his confidence that the Argentine superstar will stay after announcing his second club presidency bid.

Speculation over Messi's future at Camp Nou is raging as he approaches the final six months of his current contract.

The 33-year-old tried to secure a way out of Catalunya in August following a humiliating Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich, but saw his exit path blocked by Blaugrana and La Liga officials.

Although he agreed to remain on Barca's books for at least one more season , rumours of a possible move to Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 continue to overshadow his exploits on the pitch at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned along with the rest of the board of directors in October after being blamed for the team's recent failings, and elections to appoint his successor are due to take place on January 24.

Laporta, whose first spell in charge between 2003 and 2010 garnered unprecedented success, announced his candidacy for a second term on Monday, before addressing Messi's current situation.

"No one can have any doubt that Messi loves Barcelona, ​​in our relationship we respect and love each other," the 58-year-old told a press conference.

"I have not spoken with him because I think it would not be convenient to speak without having the power to decide, the elections have to pass, I hope to have the confidence of the members to be president and then I'm sure we'll talk but we haven't done it yet.

"Leo loves Barcelona."

Laporta added on the need to ensure that Messi remains comfortable in his current surroundings amid talk of a possible switch to England or France: "He lives in a place where his whole family is comfortable and there is not much to encourage leaving a city like this, it is a kind of life that is very good for them.

"[Change it for Paris or Manchester?] well, it is not a question of money but we have to rise to the occasion and we must give them an almost familiar treatment, esteem and professional appreciation.

"I think there will be time to talk, although the calendar and the dynamics are what they are, if they had been before the elections, agreements could have been reached earlier."

Asked what is the most important factor in convincing Messi to see out his playing days at Camp Nou, Laporta responded: "Messi loves Barcelona, ​​it is something that I know, no one can doubt it, my relationship with him is one of respect and esteem, of affection; I think the best thing for him is to wait and see who wins and what proposal is made to him.

"I hope I can tell you we are more convinced than ever that we have a good sports project, we want to recover all this and do it with Leo in the squad and the other excellent players we have.

"When I talk about motivation I also believe that it is important that joy returns to convince the best player in history, I hope to arrive in time and that any pressure does not prevent this conversation from happening."

Mikel Arteta is aware that he will be forced out of Arsenal at some point in his coaching career, but the Spaniard says he does not fear getting the sack.

The 38-year-old is finding out the hard way just how tough life in a Premier League dugout can be.

He has been thrown in at the deep end, after cutting his teeth alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, with a demanding role in north London presenting him with plenty of challenges.

Arsenal have made their worst start to a season – Arteta’s first full campaign at the helm – in 39 years and find themselves languishing in 14th spot on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Wolves on Sunday.

Questions are being asked of the direction in which the Gunners are heading, with changes off the field doing little to deliver a reversal in fortune on it.

Arteta has been around long enough to know that pressure comes with the territory in professional sport, with it rare for players or managers to spend too long at any one club.

He is, however, adamant that expectation will not weigh heavy on his shoulders and that no thoughts will be given to potentially being axed from the most prominent of posts.

“It’s something that the day I decided to be a coach I know that one day I will be sacked or leave the football club,” Arteta told reporters after overseeing another disappointing display at home to Wolves.

“I don’t know if it’s the day after I sign my contract, in a month’s time, a year’s time or six months’ time. I never worry about it.

“My only concern is to get the best out of the players, give the best possible service to the club and become better and better.

“I know, I repeat, in this profession, one day I will get the sack or leave but I don’t know when that is going to happen.”

Arteta appeared to have Arsenal back on track after delivering FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs, while also dipping back into the transfer market, but inconsistency remains a problem for the Gunners and a solution needs to be found quickly if more tangible success is to be savoured in the near future.

We at Goal.com have teamed up with the gaming series FIFA 21 to identify the top 11 players existing in the game today.

Join us in the poll sponsored by FIFA 21 and vote for your favorite attacking midfielder (off the five below) but before that here is a quick snippet on the players:

Keving De Bruyne: Kevin is living a whole process of chang to become a more complete player. Besides his outstanding skills as an attacker, KDB is acquiring some great defending and pressing skills and becoming one of the best player in the world . Overall FIFA 21 rating: 91

Paulo Dybala: The Argentinian is rising as one of the best players in the world. Fast, skilful and makes the best decisions at the right time. Overall FIFA 21 rating: 88

Hakim Ziyech: The Moroccan has fit into Lampard's vision and strategy smoothly. It has resulted not only in him contributing greatly to the team’s performance but also in him improving as a player. Overall FIFA 21 rating: 85

Bruno Fernandes: A player who simply thinks from his feet, who can not only keep the ball very close to it, but also release it as quickly as he gets it. There are only a few players in the world that can do that and Bruno is among the best. Overall FIFA 21 rating: 86

Thomas Muller:  Muller is considered as one of the best players in his position  - a diligent,  highly technical, clever and got some great passing and shooting skills. Overall FIFA 21 rating: 86

Boca Juniors paid a moving tribute to club legend Diego Maradona, whose daughter was in the stands during their 2-0 win over another of his former sides, Newell's Old Boys, on Sunday.

Argentina great Maradona, regarded by many as the best footballer ever, died at the age of 60 last Wednesday.

Tributes have been paid across the world, from compatriot Lionel Messi revealing a Newell's shirt during a goal celebration earlier in the day, to Napoli confirming plans to rename their stadium Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and revealing an Argentina-inspired fourth kit in their weekend win over Roma.

Boca, where Maradona spent two spells, had their Copa Libertadores clash with Internacional postponed just a few hours after the 1986 World Cup winner died, meaning the visit of Newell's to a mostly empty La Bombonera was their first game since his passing.

Colombia international Edwin Cardona opened the scoring with a free-kick, before the team ran over to the sidelines and produced a Maradona jersey, laid it on the floor and applauded in front of the private box where his visibly emotional daughter Dalma was watching on.

Boca coach Miguel Angel Russo, a former Argentina team-mate of Maradona, said after the game: "I knew it was going to be an uphill struggle. The phrase I used was that, to pay homage to the best in the world, you have to play well and that Boca needed to win.

"It was the best way to pay homage to him, to play this beautiful sport well that he played to an incomparably high level. We got through it in the best way. I am happy for the victory. The day has been covered by a blanket because of what Diego Maradona was as a player and person."

Every Boca player wore Maradona's name on the back of their jersey throughout the match and defender Carlos Izquierdoz could not help but feel humbled. 

"The truth is that wearing a name like that on my shirt gave me a little embarrassment, so to speak," he told Fox Sports. "We tried to do it responsibly. I'm happy for tributes that have been paid to him everywhere. We were able to win, to show that we wanted to play – the best tribute was to give his family a win.

"They were special moments. The truth is that all this generates emotion, remembering such an emblematic player who represented so much for Argentine footballer, the country.

"He always put the flag on his shoulders. He deserved recognition."

Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi said Carlo Ancelotti has a similar tactical plan with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Iwobi has been working with Ancelotti for almost a year on Merseyside after the ex-Chelsea coach returned to England last December.

Before joining Everton from the Emirates Stadium in August 2019, the Super Eagles midfielder broke into Arsenal's first-team in 2015 under Wenger and he went on to make himself a regular fixture for the Gunners.

Having spent time with both managers in England, the 24-year-old revealed the similarities they share which include giving opportunities to youngsters.

"The way they trust their tactics is one of a kind, it’s almost like playing for the same manager," Iwobi told talkSport. 

"They both want the best out of their players, they give an opportunity to each and every player and the youngsters in cup games and use the whole squad, everyone is involved.

“It’s almost like playing under the same manager and the accomplishments speak for themselves what they’ve been able to achieve.

“I’m lucky to play under both managers.”

Iwobi has been playing in an unfamiliar position in Ancelotti's team in recent weeks due to injuries to Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman.

The former Arsenal midfielder put in fine performances as a wing-back in Everton’s last two league matches against Fulham and Leeds United. He shared how he has adapted to his new role.

“The manager spoke to me and said ‘we’re thinking of trying a new system and trying you in a different position’," the Nigeria star said.

"I was like ‘I’d be open to do that’ and he told me it would be right wing-back and I said I could do it and didn’t mind.

“Before we played against Fulham we were working on it in training and it seemed to work, especially going forward.

“When we played against Fulham it was working, especially in the first half and was working very well.

"It was something we experimented with and turned out to be okay.

“Me collecting the ball deeper means the left-back isn’t as tight to me. He’s either going to follow James (Rodriguez) inside or give me that extra space.

“When I have that space to run at a defender I’m picking up speed and I feel like it’s easier for me to get by the defender.

“That second goal I was able to glide by a couple of players. It suited me, especially in that first half.”

Young Africans (Yanga SC) forward Deus Kaseke has explained the reason he has managed to score in two consecutive matches for the club in the Mainland Premier League.

Kaseke was on target as Yanga beat rivals Azam FC 1-0 at Chamazi Complex in a match that saw them move top of the table and repeated his exploits yet again with another goal against JKT Tanzania, which saw them open a six-point gap at the summit.

The diminutive player has now revealed his understanding with Yacouba Songne, which has enabled him to score twice in a row in the league.

“I use his abilities to penetrate available open spaces so that he can easily judge my movement before releasing the pass,” Kaseke said as quoted by Daily News. “I believe we have something in common which later contributes to the positive results for the team.”

On his part, head coach Cedric Kaze says he is happy to have a squad of experienced players since they are playing two matches in a week adding it will help him to rotate his squad.

“We have played three games in eight days hence you definitely expect to see fatigue from players and their total work rate cannot be maintained under such circumstances.”

On managing to score only one goal against JKT Tanzania despite dominating the match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, the Burundian tactician explained: “Due to this, we lacked confidence to source the second goal which could have given us full dominance of the match but, in the end, three points was better even though it is hard to get them.”

The win has now seen Yanga stretch their lead at the top of the log to 31 points, while Azam are second on 25, and champions Simba SC, who are away in Nigeria to play Plateau United in a Caf Champions League match, are third on 23 points.

The win also saw Yanga maintain their unbeaten start to the season while also extending coach Kaze’s unbeaten run since joining the team after replacing fired Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, to five matches.

Yanga will next take on Ruvu Shooting on Sunday.

Ben Chilwell has sought to ease any concerns regarding the ankle knock he picked up against Tottenham, with the Chelsea defender confident he will be ready for midweek Champions League duty.

The England international was left in some discomfort during a heavyweight Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

He rolled his ankle during the second half of that contest and it looked for a while as though he would be unable to continue.

Chilwell did, however, complete the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Spurs and is not expecting to suffer any lasting damage.

A man who has already taken in unwelcome spells on the treatment table since linking up with Chelsea told the club’s official website: “I was desperate to carry on and thankfully I ran it off.

“It’s fine now so I’m just looking forward to recovering and hopefully playing again in midweek.”

Frank Lampard’s side are due to take in a European encounter with Sevilla on Wednesday.

They will head into that fixture buoyed by their performance against Premier League leaders Tottenham, with another clean sheet collected against a fellow title hopeful.

Chilwell added: “When you’re battling up the top, you don’t want to give them points and they don’t want to give you points. We wanted to win but we’ll take the draw – we’ve got to be happy with that.

“I don’t know if it was entertaining to watch but I found it pretty entertaining on the pitch because it was two good teams who were tactically very good on the day.

“I’d have loved for us to win the game at Stamford Bridge against our rivals but for myself and the rest of the defence, the clean sheet is really important for us moving forward.”

After taking in a trip to Spain, Chelsea will be back in domestic action when they play host to Leeds on Saturday – with Stamford Bridge set to welcome fans back through the doors for that game.

“Myself and a few of the other players haven’t played at the Bridge with fans so we’re very excited to have them back next week,” said Chilwell.

“Hopefully they can give us that little push.”

Bruno Fernandes says he's not been surprised by Edinson Cavani's immediate impact at Manchester United, with the striker considered to be the kind of player that "smells the goal".

United brought in a man who had scored 341 goals in 556 matches across his club career on a free transfer in October, beating the likes of Atletico Madrid and Benfica to his signature.

Cavani scored 200 of those goals at Paris Saint-Germain, becoming their all-time top scorer in the process, but he left the French champions at the end of his contract in June.

The 33-year-old struggled with persistent injuries towards the end of his time at Parc des Princes, which is why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's decision to bring him onto the Red Devils' books raised a few eyebrows initially.

However, the Uruguayan has quickly laid any doubts over his fitness and sharpness in the box to rest, adding a new dimension to United's attack despite only one of his eight appearances to date coming as a starter.

Cavani was introduced as a second-half substitute when United were 2-0 down at Southampton on Sunday, but he provided an assist for Fernandes to reduce the deficit before heading in two late goals to give the visitors an unlikely victory.

Fernandes says only a player with the ex- PSG star's instincts in the final third could have scored such an impressive brace , and he is expecting his contribution to increase with each passing game.

“When you have strikers who move a lot, and they give you the chance to play balls for them, it is really good,” the Portuguese told MUTV . “I think every striker we have gives us options.

"I don't want to go on personally about Edi or another player because it's not fair, but of course Edi has qualities, everyone knows that.

“For me, he's one of those strikers that can smell the goal as you saw twice. He smelt the goal, you need to have this feeling to score these two goals.

"As I said some weeks and some months ago, Edi will help us and he is helping already. For me, one of the best games he played was against Basaksehir in the Champions League and nobody talks about that because he didn't score but he did an amazing game.

"He helps a lot and he will help more and more in the future.”

Another of United's summer signings, Donny van de Beek, was also handed his first Premier League start against the Saints, and Fernandes felt he slotted into Solskjaer's line-up nicely alongside Nemanja Matic and Fred.

“Every midfielder in our team has quality. Donny has a lot of quality," he said. "We know we can play together and also with other players we have in the team. Everyone has quality to play and we know each other.

“We can play with three today then switch and play the next game with another three or another four. It doesn't matter because all of them have quality and we can all be together on the pitch, and everyone can make a difference.

"Donny played a really good game but Fred and Nema [Matic] were really important to us. They worked and they worked and they were two players who calmed down the game and moved the ball.

"In the second half, that was crucial, they recovered a lot of balls and they ran a lot.”

Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has admitted he had his doubts during half-time of the Caf Champions League final against Zamalek at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday night.

Zamalek had been looking for their sixth Champions League title and first since 2002, and Al Ahly were out for a ninth crown, and their first since 2013, having lost in two finals since then.

In a tight and thrilling game, Al Ahly took an early fifth-minute lead through Amr Al Sulaya. But the Whites hit back 25 minutes later through Shikabala. Ultimately the winner came in the 86th minute through Mohamed Magdi as Mosimane claimed his second Champions League title as head coach after winning it with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016.

Normally confident and authoritative and not short on words, Mosimane admitted to feeling anxious at half time with the scores locked at 1-1 and with the pressure on to end the club's seven-year wait to win the title - by their incredibly high standards, a fairly long time.

And so he managed the situation as best he could, preferring to take a back seat to his experienced goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy.

“Of course I was nervous but when you fly a plane and face some challenges you can’t show the passengers how you’re really feeling because they depend on you," Mosimane told Al Ahly TV, as quoted by Kingfut.

“I let Mohamed El-Shennawy to talk to the players during half-time. His speech was powerful and effective, while I was waiting in another room because he understands their culture and they’ll understand what he’s saying. My role is to talk about the technical aspects,” the former Bafana Bafana coach continued.

“You also have to listen to the people around you and try to see and listen to everyone and respect their culture and religion and make them accept you. Then you share with them your vision and your style of play."

It's this ability to humble himself when needed and to adapt to surroundings that is one of Mosimanes's strengths and will surely stand him well, for his time in Egypt and beyond.

“All things must be done rationally and you shouldn’t just sell people an idea or a dream. You have to be precise and know their strengths and weaknesses to correct them,"  Mosimane explained..

“The main question we asked ourselves was why didn’t the club win this trophy in the past seven years? And after the first 45 minutes, the team wasn’t sure if we would win the game, which is a normal feeling taking into account the fact that we haven’t won it in seven years.

“You have to understand the situation you’re in. I came to coach a big team in a very critical period and that’s why I couldn’t start everything from scratch but I had to start implementing my ideas little by little."

Wolves have confirmed that Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull in a clash of heads with David Luiz after the Mexico striker underwent an operation on Sunday night.

Jimenez was stretchered off the pitch early on during Wolves 2-1 win over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, having been involved in a nasty collision with Luiz while challenging for a header in the box.

The 29-year-old was subsequently taken to a London hospital for treatment, with Wanderers head coach Nuno Espirito Santo delivering the following update on his condition post-match: "He speaks, he's aware.

"We have to have a proper assessment. He's in good hands."

Wolves have now confirmed that Jimenez was called in for immediate surgery, and that he will be required to remain in hospital for the next few days as a precautionary measure.

The club confirmed that the experienced centre-forward "suffered a fractured skull during the early stages of last night’s win at Arsenal" on Monday morning, before releasing an official statement thanking all the medical staff involved for their expert care.

“Raul is comfortable following an operation last night, which he underwent in a London hospital," the statement reads.

“He has since seen his partner Daniela and is now resting. He will remain under observation for a few days while he begins his recovery.

“The club would like to thank the medical staff at Arsenal, the NHS paramedics, hospital staff and surgeons who, through their skill and early response, were of such help.

“The club ask that Raul and his family are now afforded a period of space and privacy, before any further updates are provided in due course.”

No time frame has been given regarding Jimenez's recovery, but Nuno will likely have to make do without his star frontman heading into the Christmas period.

The Mexican star had four goals to his name from nine Premier League outings prior to Wolves' trip to north London, which had taken his overall tally for the club to 48 across 110 appearances.

Wolves fought on admirably without a talismanic performer against Arsenal, with first-half goals from Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence wrapping up a famous win.

Nuno's side moved up to sixth in the Premier League standings after their latest triumph, while the Gunners are now sitting down in 14th - only eight points above the relegation places.

Wazito FC Sporting Director Stephen Ochiel Otieno has stated a slow start was expected as the team is still undergoing transition after recent changes.

The Nairobi-based side opened their Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign with a 4-0 loss to Kariobangi Sharks. It was the first league game for coach Francis Kimanzi and his technical bench that took over from the fired Fred Ambani and co.

"We lose a few, draw some but win more," Otieno stated after the embarrassing loss on Sunday.  

"The league is a marathon race. Consistency will be key. The team is undergoing a period of transition so a slow start is possible this season. New players. New Technical staff. New philosophy but high levels of professionalism so it will gradually roar into a formidable side."

The official has now pointed out the team will be targeting a strong finish and the team will soon be dining with the big boys in the continent.

"A strong finish will be our target this season and beautiful football as well," Otieno continued.

"We [will] play [Caf] Champions League football within three seasons. Constructive and constant criticism keeps us in check and will make us grow." 

On Sunday at Kasarani Stadium, Daniel Sakari, Erick Kapaito, and Julius Masaba scored the goals that took Kariobangi Sharks to the top of the table.

Sakari gave Kariobangi Sharks the lead in the 34th minute with the hosts are looking a more comfortable side in how they dealt with their opponents.

Francis Kimanzi made a first-half change in the 41st minute when he withdrew former Kakamega Homeboyz defender Ronald Omino for winger Kelvin Kimani. The tactical change did not bring a much-needed edge at the front as Wazito went into the break trailing by a 1-0 margin.

In the 54th minute, Amos Asembeka and Whyvone Isuza were substituted and their places were taken by Ali Hassan and Kennedy Owino.

Kapaito, the newly-named Kariobangi Sharks captain, scored the second three minutes after the hour mark. The concession of the second goal pushed Kimanzi to make another two changes; Musa Masika and Clinton Okoth replaced Kevin Okumu and Boniface Omondi.

The changes did not stabilise Wazito as Kapaito grabbed his second in the 78th minute to give Kariobangi Sharks a healthy cushion going into the last 10 minutes.

Masaba scored in the 89th minute to ensure Kariobangi Sharks downed their Nairobi opponents by a 4-0 margin.

Jamshedpur and Odisha lost their respective opening games of the season and badly wanted to make an impact in their second game on Sunday. 

They were up against each other in the second round of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) and the fixture produced two distinct halves of football. 

It was Jamshedpur who looked solid right from the off. Owen Coyle's team made use of the width of the pitch to good effect and worked the ball well in midfield to claim early dominance in the match. 

The Odisha defence, led by former Newcastle United man Steven Taylor looked shaky with 2019-20 ISL Golden Boot winner Nerijus Valskis waiting pounce in and around the box. 

Eleven minutes into the game, Odisha made a mess of a cross into the box and put their goalkeeper TP Rehenesh under pressure. While the first attempt on target was blocked, the rebound which was sent towards goal was blocked by Gaurav Bora with his hand. Valskis gleefully slotted the ball past the former Kerala Blasters keeper to score his second goal in as many games, 

Odisha's defence succumbed to pressure again before the end of the half. All Shubham Sarangi had to do was clear the ball if he was unsure in the defensive third. But the attacker's instinct in him forced to head the ball back towards his goal and unfortunately, there wasn't enough power in his pass. Valskis pounced, like a true fox in the box, and lashed at the ball to send it past a helpless Rehenesh once again. 

It was argued that Odisha head coach Stuart Baxter made a mistake in playing Manuel Onwu out wide in their season opener. Onwu lead the line on Sunday and was only marginally better. He had one golden chance that he couldnt put away and 15 minutes after the restart, Baxter made his move. The former Bengaluru striker was replaced by Diego Mauricio who brought much-needed flair to Odisha's attack. 

Odisha grew into the game more as the second half progressed. By the 75th minute, Jamshedpur were facing an onslaught and Coyle's changes - bringing on Isaac Vanmalsawma and Amarjit Singh - did little to influence the game. 

Rehenesh's best and worst moments in the game were only 13 minutes apart. After producing a brilliant stop to deny Steven Taylor from close range at the hour-mark, the Malayali keeper handled the ball outside the box and received his marching orders. By then, a comeback was on the cards. 

And it came in style. an Odisha free-kick hit the post and the rebound made its way into the path of Maurico who smashed the ball home from inside the box in the 77th minute. The equaliser arrived in stoppage time. 

Mauricio picked the ball up from the left flank, shifted the ball to his right foot and hit a stunning effort that was destined for the top corner from the second it left the Brazilian's boot. 

Baxter will be pleased by the attitude of his team in the second half. There was spirit and fight in the display which is a positive to build on going into the next gme. Jamshedpur, once they recover fron this fixture which will hit them like a loss, will need to work on how to to manage games in a better way. 

Jack Wilshere believes the truth regarding Mesut Ozil’s exile at Arsenal will come out “one day”, with the former Gunners midfielder still baffled as to how the World Cup winner can be overlooked.

Mikel Arteta has shown that he will not shy away from making big calls at Emirates Stadium. Plenty have, however, questioned the decision to omit Ozil from his Premier League and Europa League plans given the German midfielder’s ability and lucrative contract in north London.

Wilshere is among those to have suggested that the proven 32-year-old should be playing a prominent role for Arsenal and that there is more to his absence than meets the eye.

The England international expects his instincts to be proved correct at some stage, with Ozil set to lift the lid when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2021.

“I think he'd be a big player in that team,” Wilshere told Sky Sports. “I would love to see Ozil play in that team under Arteta but obviously that's not happening at the moment. He could get on the ball and feed the likes of [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette.

“I loved playing with him. He was a top player. It's a shame, but what is happening is happening, and no one knows but I'm sure everyone will find out one day.”

While Ozil finds himself stuck in the shadows at Arsenal, former team-mate Wilshere is without a club altogether following his release by West Ham.

Interest has been shown in the 28-year-old, but no deal has been done as yet and a man who has endured his fair share of injury struggles down the years is keeping doors open to MLS and the CSL.

“I'm in a position now where I can make a decision based on footballing reasons and pick the team that I think I could fit into,” Wilshere said.

“I will have a look at the team, the players, the league they're in and how the manager wants to play. I don't think being at a smaller club like West Ham really suited me. There have been a few talks with clubs, but nothing that I have ever fancied quite yet.”

He added on where he could end up: “I don't think I have a preference to be honest. It has to be the right club for footballing reasons whether that is in England, Spain, North America or anywhere, across Asia.

“I'm up for trying anything and I think at this point I have to be as well because I have been at a top club in England, I've been at a smaller club and I'm realistic to know that the chances of getting a big, big club in England are slim, so it might have to be somewhere else I have to look.”

Sergio Lobera's Mumbai City have had a limping start to their campaign in the Indian Super League (ISL). Although they won against FC Goa after going down to NorthEast United in the first game, their performance was far from convincing. The coach asserted that he is not going to change his philosophy and his team needs to pull up their socks to implement his ideas. 

"The most important thing as a coach is to implement my style. It is non-negotiable. I try to make the best of the quality that I have. To implement a new idea will take time. The short pre-season made things more difficult. We had only three sessions with the full squad. But this is no excuse. We need to be competitive and win games. We have to implement our style of play.

"We lost possession a lot of times in the previous match. It is very important to keep the ball. Losing the ball makes the game very open. That is not an ideal situation for us. All games are important to win. It gives you confidence. Everyone wants to win as this is a short season. We have to get more points as soon as possible. I'm happy with the response from my team after losing the first game," stated the Spaniard. 

East Bengal, who are Mumbai City's opponents in the next game on Tuesday evening, have a new-look squad with a new coach at the helm in Robbie Fowler. But Lobera does not want to take them lightly and believes that the Red and Golds have enough firepower to challenge the Islanders. 

"They are new in the league but they are a very good team. We need to work very well to win the match. We need to improve. You can have a new team but with experienced players, you can adapt quickly to different situations. Both teams are ambitious and are in the same position. It is a very competitive league. 

"Our plan is the same for East Bengal.  We do not want to make the mistakes that we made in the last two games. I want possession on the ball. I want to create chances. It will not be easy to find spaces. We have to be good at transitions. It will not be an easy game tomorrow," stated the former Las Palmas manager. 

Lobera heaped praise on Mandar Rao Dessai, his trusted lieutenant who plays as a left-back position. The Goan player is set to play his 100th game in ISL against East Bengal and his coach had nothing but praise for him. 

"At Goa, we wanted offensive full-backs. They needed to arrive in attacking positions and we looked to make the most of it. He is a very good player. He can play in the national team in this position. I am happy with the performance. He has achieved great things. He can help a lot in this position. When (Subhasish) Bose left (Mumbai City), Mandar was the best option to replace him and we are happy that he chose to come with us," said Lobera. 

Mandar is also happy that he has been able adapt to the new position of a left-back as opposed to being a winger earlier in his career. He also spoke of how India coach Igor Stimac also likes his attributes as a left-back.

"It is important for a player to play as many games as possible. The next game will be my 100th. I dedicate this to my teammates and coaches. There have been so many players who are playing since the beginning of ISL. Two years ago, my position was changed from being a winger to playing as a left-back. The coach believed in me more than myself and I am continuing as a left-back. The national team coach (Igor Stimac) also likes the way I play. I am growing as a player. I am doing well but I look to do better," said the defender. 

But Mandar abstained from comparing FC Goa and Mumbai City under Lobera as he thinks the dynamics of the two teams are different. 

"It is completely different. But we want to work on the same lines. We are adapting well to the coach's philosophy. We will do it in a couple of days. As games go by, we will achieve that," signed off the defender. 

AFC Leopards captain Robinson Kamura might be on his way out of the club as his contract is almost over.

The experienced defender has been with Ingwe since 2017 and is still regarded as one of the key players. However, it seems his days at the den are numbered if a recent post on his official social media account is anything to go by.

"No one likes goodbyes," the former Mathare United player posted on Facebook on Monday morning.

A source close to the player explained why the player might be on his way out of the 13-time league champions.

"Kamura's contract with the club is almost over and negotiations about the renewal were going on," the source told Goal on Monday.

"I cannot authoritatively reveal the agreement but I understand the two parties were to sign the new contract this week.

"But again, we all know football business is tricky, maybe he has secured a better offer and is not keen on extending his stay with the club."

On Saturday, Kamura was part of the Leopards team that beat Tusker FC 2-1 in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League game staged at Kasarani.

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 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 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 the lead for the first time. 

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

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

Edinson Cavani is a frontman performing at a level that “not many strikers can reach” says Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, with the experienced Uruguayan considered to be a “nightmare” for defenders.

The Red Devils’ skipper knows all about those qualities from working with the 33-year-old forward every day in training.

Questions were asked of whether Cavani, in the latter stages of his career and having spent several weeks without a club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, was cut out for life in the Premier League. He is, however, proving to be a shrewd addition for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Cavani proved to be United’s match-winner in their latest outing as he stepped off the bench to bag a brace in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Southampton, and Maguire says the South American is an example to all other strikers in the game.

He told MUTV: “I am so pleased for him. He has been without a club for a few months so he is coming in and catching up. He is a great professional, he is great to have around the place, he is great in the dressing room and I think you saw what he brings to the club.

“His movement when the ball is wide is to a level that not many strikers can reach. He is always on the move, always getting across people and that’s why he has always scored goals.

“So if there are any strikers out here wanting to learn and watch, I am sure they are studying his movement and what he has done in his career.

“He is great for our strikers to learn from him in training, because he is a nightmare to mark in training as well. Every day he is making those runs across you and we have seen today his movement is very, very good.”

While Cavani stole headlines on the pitch for all the right reasons against Southampton, he made uncomfortable ones off it as he basked in the glory of earning United three points, with the FA investigating a racially insensitive social media post from the ex-PSG and Napoli star.