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As the first-ever Kolkata in the Indian Super League (ISL) is upon us, we take a look at some of the interesting facts about the marquee clash of Indian football.

First derby

The arch-rivals met for the first time in 1925 and East Bengal had won the fixture 1-0. Nepal Chakraborty walked into the history books by scoring the only goal. Mona Dutta captained the victorious East Bengal side.

Centenary, bicentenary and tricentenary derbies

The 100th Kolkata derby was played on December 16, 1967, in the Rovers Cup final where East Bengal defeated Mohun Bagan 2-0. The 200th match between them was an Airlines Cup final in April 1993, in which Bagan again won 6-5, courtesy of a tie-breaker. The 300th meeting between the two sides was in a championship-leg encounter of the Calcutta Football League's premier division held on January 8, 2012. Nigerian Odafa Okolie and Manish Bhargav scored as the Mariners sealed the game 2-0.

Biggest margin of victory

The highest margin of win in the Kolkata derby is the famous 5-0 victory of East Bengal on 30th September 1975 in the IFA Shield final. Shyam Thapa (2), Ranjit Mukherjee, Surajit Sengupta and Subhankar Sanyal were the scorers for East Bengal and Ashok Banerjee was the skipper of the Red and Golds. 

Umakanto Palodhi

Umakanto Palodhi, a Mohun Bagan supporter committed suicide after the 0-5 loss in 1975. His suicide note read - “In my next birth, I will take the revenge by becoming a Mohun Bagan footballer.”

Black Day

A fatal pandemonium occurred in the derby on 16th August 1980 taking a toll of 16 young lives. This marks the darkest day of Indian football. As the referee gave Dilip Palit and Bidesh Basu the marching orders in the second half, the gallery burst into agitation. A stampede at the Eden Gardens resulted in the disaster.

1,31,000 strong Salt Lake Stadium

The Federation Cup 1997 semifinal witnessed the madness of the city reach its all-time high as 1,31,000 supporters came to the Salt Lake stadium to watch the derby. East Bengal won the match 4-1 with Bhaichung Bhutia scoring a hat-trick, while Najimul Haque had scored the other goal. Chima Okorie scored the consolation goal for the Green and Maroons.

First foreigner to score a derby hat-trick

Nigerian forward Chidi Edeh was the first-ever foreign player to score a hat-trick in the Kolkata derby. The striker also holds the record of scoring the maximum number of goals in a single match. He had scored four goals as Bagan registered a 5-3 win over their rivals in an I-League clash on 25th October 2009. Manish Maithani scored the other goal.

Most derby goals by a player

Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia has scored the maximum number of goals, 19, in the history of Kolkata derby. Among his 19 goals, 13 are for East Bengal, while the other six are for Mohun Bagan. Jose Ramirez Barreto comes second with 17 goals, all scored for the Mariners, which obviously is the highest number of goals for one side by a player.

Skippers

Only four players - Goutam Sarkar, Prasanta Banerjee, Dulal Biswas and Renedy Singh - have captained both the sides in a Kolkata derby. An interesting similarity is that all four had been the captain of the East Bengal side first and then went on to lead the Bagan side later in their career. Interestingly Renedy Singh will be in East Bengal on November 27 as an assistant coach to Robbie Fowler.

Head to head record in NFL/I-League

The two teams have faced each other 45 times in the National Football League and I-League combined. East Bengal have won 17 of them, while Mohun Bagan have snatched the bragging rights in 15 games. 13 matches ended in a tie. The last time these two rivals clashed was January 19, 2020, where Mohun Bagan emerged victorious 2-1. Joseba Beitia and Baba Diawara scored for the Mariners while Marcos De La Espada scored for the Red and Golds.

When Anirudh Thapa burst on to the scene with Chennaiyin FC in the 2017-18 Indian Super League (ISL) season (though he made his first appearance in 2016), he was a precocious talent with a bright future.

Fast forward to the start of the 2020-21 season, the talented youngster has morphed into a capable leader in midfield and is one of the cornerstones around which this Chennaiyin FC team is built. 

And his importance to the team was proclaimed by head coach Csaba Laszlo who named him a vice-captain of the team ahead of their season opener against Jamshedpur FC on Tuesday. It has been a satisfying journey for Thapa at the club where he made his professional debut. Much of it has come from a desire to learn the tricks of the trade and get better, as seen by the 22-year-old's obsession to improve and match the best midfielders in the country. 

"People call me young because of my age but to be honest, I don’t consider myself as young. I am playing with people like Rowllin (Borges) bhai in the national team. I want to be past that stage where I am (just) a talented youngster. I want to be like him (Borges). I want to be better than him. I feel he is one of the best midfielders in India and I want to improve myself and be the best," Thapa told Goal.

"Coaches have helped me evolve and even the teammates have helped me start controlling games. I’ve been learning and getting more experience. Especially in understanding what tempo I need to play in and how I should control games and of course, the coaches have helped."

Thapa had a brilliant 2019-20 season for Chennaiyin FC, playing the role of a fulcrum in midfield to perfection. He anchored the midfield with elan alongside the likes of Germanpreet Singh and Edwin Vanspaul, helping out defensively as well as offensively. He made 20 appearances, scoring one goal (against FC Goa in the play-offs) and registering six assists. 

More importantly, his performances as a number 8 helped Rafael Crivellaro focus on his playmaking duties, underlining how important Thapa has been to the Marina Machans. It is a role he has made his own in the national team as well, under Igor Stimac. 

"I like to play as a number 8. I like to start the game from behind and then move forward rather than waiting for the ball to come to me in the attacking third. I am more comfortable playing as a number 8.

"I have played this role for a very long time now, even during my youth days and at the national team. That is the position I love to play. But the coach might want to put me in another position. If coach Csaba Laszlo wants me to play as a 10 or elsewhere, I will play there." 

One of Thapa's aims ahead of the upcoming season will be to improve upon his performances from the last campaign. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown up challenges galore. The players have had to be holed up without football or even training for almost six months since March when the lockdown was imposed. Moreover, the pre-season has not been foolproof, thanks to the Covid protocols that have meant that the players are in a bio-bubble for the duration of the tournament. 

Thapa explains that staying in the bubble for the entirety of the ISL will be a huge challenge for the players mentally. 

"We are staying in a bubble and to be honest it is very difficult because we are doing the same thing every day and we can’t do anything else," he revealed. "We can’t interact with others and we can't go outside the area that has been allotted.

"It is difficult to stay like this for five months. Also, for the last six months, during the lockdown, we’ve been staying in the same place. We haven’t been able to go out or train or do anything like this. And now we are in a bubble and it is difficult for us as a player."

However, the AIFF Elite Academy graduate understands that these are challenges that must be dealt with as the season approaches. And when the matches start, with the first game coming up against Jamshedpur FC on Tuesday, their only focus will be on football. 

"But we need to stay focused on our matches and do well. We need to start and finish off the season on a good note and do as much good stuff as you can."

Juan Ferrando's objectives at FC Goa includes winning trophies and making a mark at the continental level. He has replaced Sergio Lobera who had tried his best to shape the Gaurs to perfection. Clearly, there is pressure on the Spanish head coach to succeed. 

On Sunday, the Ferrando era at FC Goa officially began on the field with their first match of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season against Bengaluru FC. 

Facing off against Bengaluru was not the easiest of starts for Goa because of the Blues' compactness at the back and the fact that they put their physicality to good use upfront. Tall, strong players in Bengaluru make it tough to defend setpieces against them.  

Moreover, the last time Goa won against Bengaluru was in November 2017 - three years ago. In the six fixtures in the last three seasons, the Blues have won five. The Gaurs always struggled against the team from the South. 

Neither team got off to an explosive start at the Fatorda Stadium. Frequent fouls, stoppages of play and sideways passing affected the tempo of the game in the first half. Goa dominated the proceedings in the centre but they couldn't get past a solid, organised defence led by Juanan and Fran Gonzalez. 

For the Blues, Ashique Kuruniyan found a lot of joy down the left flank but his marauding runs forward weren't enough to break the deadlock. The opening goal came from a Harmanjot Khabra throw-in which the Goan defence failed to clear. Cleiton Silva pounced inside the box and headed in a debut goal as newcomer Sanson Perera failed to keep a check on the Brazilian. 

It was turning out to be a match where the more efficient team would get the win and Juanan ensured a two-goal cushion in the 57th minute, with the Goan defence going to sleep. Bengaluru were able to put together of four straight headers in and around the Goan box uncontested which eventually led to Juanan slamming it home. It was almost inexcusable from the Goan defence.

Ferrando had read the game well in the second half and made two changes just before the Blues' second goal. Alexander Jesuraj and Brandon Fernandes were introduced and the changes turned the game around. Also key was the entry of Alberto Noguera in place of James Donachie.

Igor Angulo, who was looking for a service provided in midfield, got his man and the connection was switched from 2G to 4G LTE. Brandon was instrumental in creating the opportunity that led to two goals in three minutes for Ferran Corominas' replacement at the club and the striker did not disappoint. Angulo was fed in behind by Noguera and the forward slotted the ball past Gurpreet Sandhu for the first goal. Soon enough, Jesuraj latched onto Brandon's pass and crossed into the box from the right for Angulo to score the second with his abdomen. It wasn't the Hand of God, it was the Abdomen of Angulo!

However, Bengaluru were unlucky to see this goal not disallowed, since Angulo was in an offside position when Jesuraj crossed the ball. 

The changes made a huge impact as FC Goa then embarked on their pursuit of a winning goal. But Cuadrat, wary of a late onslaught, opted to be conservative with his tactics and the Blues ensured that they only lost two points and not three. 

Jurgen Klopp praised Roberto Firmino for a "super game" after Liverpool's 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League.

Firmino headed in the sealer at Anfield on Sunday as Liverpool extended their unbeaten league run at home to a club record 64 games.

Often criticised, Firmino scored his second goal of the season and the Brazilian's 48 passes, 41 successful passes and six shots were the most he has managed in any Premier League game this campaign.

Klopp lauded the forward and said he was pleased to see the 29-year-old also get on the scoresheet, heading in James Milner's 86th-minute corner.

"We were really happy and relieved. He deserved it so much. He played a super game, he played a super game and was so important for us again," the Liverpool manager told a news conference.

"You could see in the face of all the players when he scored that everybody thought, 'Yes, exactly the right goalscorer'."

Firmino's goal came after Diogo Jota doubled Liverpool's lead following Jonny Evans' 21st-minute own goal.

Klopp was proud of his players for setting a club record with their unbeaten league run at home, but said it was something he would reflect on at another time.

"Look, my problem is that in the moment I spoke so much about football, I have so much to think about how we can play the next game and things like this," he said.

"So, it doesn't feel it. Maybe it's not right but there will be a moment, for sure, in the future when I think back – and hopefully it will be a different number and not only 64.

"It's absolutely incredible, but it's all about the boys. It's really difficult to achieve something like this but when you think about how tight a lot of games were then it doesn't happen just like this. You have to really dig in for that and the boys did that.

"I said it a few times before, we really enjoy playing here. It's our ground, it's our home, everything feels home – even when the people are not here. It doesn't feel right but we have to do it and we are happy that we can play.

"So, what the boys put out there on the pitch performance-wise is absolutely incredible and it's the only reason for the number. Obviously it's pretty tricky and pretty difficult to set records for this incredible club because our fathers or grandfathers, they were obviously pretty good. So having this record now, I'm happy for the players but it doesn't feel like a big moment, to be honest, because we play on Wednesday and that's actually my only concern at the moment."

Jamshedpur FC will eye their first-ever play-off berth in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) after missing out on a top-four finish in its three-year history so far. They finished eighth last season after two fifth-place finishes.

Last year's ISL runner-up in Owen Coyle was roped in as the head coach, after he dramatically led Chennaiyin to the final after languishing at the bottom in the league phase at one stage. The club has made some interesting signings for their new campaign.

Golden Boot winner Nerijus Valskis chose to follow Coyle among other key signings such as former Sunderland defender Peter Hartley, Brazilian midfielder Alex Lima and Nigerian international Stephen Eze. Jamshedpur have also roped in speedy winger Jackichand Singh from FC Goa besides having a plethora at talented youngsters at the club.

However, they have also lost significant figures like defensive midfielder Memo (Chennaiyin), centre-back Tiri (ATK Mohun Bagan) and most notably goalkeeper Subrata Paul (Hyderabad FC).

The shotstoppers who have been handed the task to fill in the void are TP Rehenesh from Kerala Blasters and Pawan Kumar whose last stint was at NorthEast United. The other options are in the form of Niraj Kumar, Raj Mahato and Vishal Yadav - all in their teens.

Coming in on a two-year deal, Pawan Kumar has seen better days when he was an instrumental figure in NorthEast United's maiden run into the play-offs in ISL season 5 where he kept six clean sheets with 35 saves from 16 appearances.

However, he would play as the second choice goalkeeper under Robert Jarni who preferred Subhasish Roy Chowdhuy in between the sticks in the recently concluded season wherein the Gurdaspur-born custodian conceded six times in two games - the last being a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Hyderabad FC.

The 30-year-old, who started his professional career 10 years ago with JCT FC, has no doubt won the I-League and Federation Cup with Bengaluru FC (now in the ISL), but there also he was benched for an entire season when Lalthuammawia Ralte made his way in. 

Kumar would boast of two ISL titles with Chennaiyin FC, but in his entire three seasons at the club, he made just the one appearance in a 1-0 win over Mumbai City. That makes an average of barely four games in his five-year experience in the ISL compared to the outgoing Subrata Paul. Paul averages close to 15 league matches in all the editions of the ISL and 16 with Jamshedpur in the last three years with 13 clean league sheets.

On the other hand, Rehenesh TP was particularly impressive in the inaugural season of the ISL where he kept five clean sheets in 12 appearances out of the 18 matches for NorthEast United. But that campaign also happens to be the only season in the league when he conceded an average of less than a goal thus far.

That performance earned him a permanent contract at the Highlanders. He also had loan spells at Shillong Lajong and East Bengal for two successive seasons in the I-League before he joined Kerala Blasters last season. But he put in below par performances from 13 ISL matches in which Kerala conceded 25 goals. Rehenesh managed to keep only two clean sheets and had made 23 saves in total.

His last outing saw ended in a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Chennaiyin FC for Kerala Blasters in front of their home support at Kochi. In his last three appearances, he conceded as many as 12 times. However, to be fair, it was only in this campaign that his save percentage dropped from an average of around 70 percent from his previous five seasons at NorthEast United to 47.91 percent in a year to forget with the Blasters.

The 27-year-old will have to revive his confidence with a strong start at Jamshedpur but for which he has to prove himself above Pawan Kumar who has been handed the number one shirt.

Who among Kumar and Rehenesh will start in Jamshedpur's opener against Chennaiyin FC on November 24 will be interesting to watch and it remains to be seen who grabs the opportunity presented. 

Taiwo Awoniyi scored his first goal for Union Berlin in their 2-1 win over Cologne in a German Bundesliga encounter on Sunday.

After five games in the German top-flight this season, the Nigeria youth international finally broke his duck in Berlin since he joined on a season-long loan from Premier League champions Liverpool in the summer.

Three minutes before the half hour-mark, Awoniyi dusted off challenges from Cologne defenders to break the deadlock after shooting from close range.

The strike was his second goal in the Bundesliga, having previously scored a goal against the same opponent during his loan stint at Mainz 05 last season.

Awoniyi's lead was cancelled out by Tunisia's Ellyes Skhiri in the 36th minute but Max Kruse restored the lead with the match-winning effort in the 72nd minute, after his initial penalty was saved by goalkeeper Timo Horn.

The Liverpool loanee was on parade for 73 minutes before he was replaced by Cedric Teuchert while his compatriot Tolu Arokodare came off Cologne's bench to replace Salih Ozcan in the 83rd minute.

The victory at the RheinEnergieStadion extended Union Berlin’s fine unbeaten run to eight matches, and they have won three league games in a row.

They are now fifth in the German Bundesliga table with 15 points from eight matches while Cologne languish in the drop zone with just three points after the same number of games.

Next up, for Awoniyi and Union Berlin is a home fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt on November 28.

Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is better now than he was 10 to 12 years ago following his match-winning display for AC Milan.

Ibrahimovic scored twice as Milan returned to the top of the Serie A standings with a 3-1 win over 10-man Napoli on Sunday.

Evergreen AC Milan star Ibrahimovic became the oldest player to score at least 10 goals in the first eight Serie A matchdays, the 39-year-old surpassing Lazio's Silvio Piola (29 years old in 1942-43) for the record.

Ibrahimovic – who struck in the 20th and 54th minutes before hobbling off with injury – also matched Gunnar Nordahl for second-most Serie A goals from the first eight games played of a season by a Milan player, only adrift of Marco Van Basten (12 in 1992-93).

Gattuso played alongside Ibrahimovic at AC Milan between 2010-12 – the pair helping the Rossoneri to their last Scudetto in 2011 – and the former hailed the veteran.

"Milan believe firmly in Ibra, they believe 100 per cent in what they are doing," Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia. "He seems I think even stronger now than he was 10, 12 years ago.

"They put the crosses in because they know he'll get on the end of them. What we did today was create lots of chances and not believe in them fully.

"It's about mentality. Football is about helping each other out, clubbing together, having a kind, reassuring word for your team-mate when they're struggling.

"There are too many people who act like professors, who want to teach you everything. This hurts me."

AC Milan, two points clear of high-flying Sassuolo, have collected at least 20 points from the first eight matchdays for the second time in the three points for a win era – the Italian powerhouse also achieved the feat in 2003-04 as they went on to secure the Scudetto.

Napoli are six points off the pace in sixth position, having lost two of their past three Serie A fixtures and next face Rijeka in Europa League action on Thursday. 

Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, is a now a doubt to feature in AC Milan's next Europa League clash against Lille. 

Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde has confirmed that he has previously held transfer talks with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

The 22-year-old was one of the stars of the Sevilla team that won the Europa League last season, defeating Inter in the final after eliminating Manchester United.

He has continued that fine form into the present campaign and is quickly being recognised as one of the outstanding young players in his role.

With City looking for solutions in their defence, the former Bordeaux man has confirmed they sounded him out over a move.

“Yes, I spoke with Pep Guardiola. He had him on the telephone,” he confirmed to Canal Football Club. “We spoke in Spanish. Everything went well. I was interested in going there and I had guarantees that I would play. But it didn’t happen.”

Indeed, Guardiola would ultimately move for Benfica centre-back Rafael Dias before the summer transfer window shut.

Meanwhile, Kounde is targeting a role in France’s Euro 2020 squad at the end of the season.

He has previously been capped on five occasions by the nation’s Under-21 side but is untested in Didier Deschamps' senior squad.

“My objective is the European Championships,” he went on to say. “That was the case last year before the tournament had to be postponed.

“It’s something that drives me. It’s something I’m going to fight for. It’s something that is going to guide me every day.”

Kounde has had a disjointed season to date because of a coronavirus infection that laid him up for a couple of weeks, though it was notable that two of Sevilla’s three league defeats came during the period he was absent.

His side have since got back on track and picked up a 4-2 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Kounde notching the opener with a right-footed shot – his first goal of the season.

In midweek, Sevilla’s attentions turn back to European football with a trip to Russia to face Krasnodar, a side they overcame 3-2 prior to the international break.

Victory in that encounter would likely ensure Sevilla’s progress through to the last 16 of the competition.

Napoli were without Victor Osimhen as Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer helped AC Milan secure a 3-1 away victory in Sunday’s Serie A outing.

Osimhen suffered a dislocated shoulder during Nigeria’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone and he did not recover in time for the encounter at the Stadio San Paolo.

In the absence of the Nigeria forward who has scored two Serie A goals this campaign, Gennaro Gattuso opted to have Dries Mertens lead Napoli's attack while Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly marshalled the defence.

Kessie and Bennacer produced fine performances in the middle of the park for AC Milan while the latter assisted Jens Hauge to seal all three points for the Rossoneri in the stoppage time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring at the Stadio San Paolo in the 20th minute, and he later made it 2-0 with his second goal of the night in the 54th minute.

A few minutes after the hour-mark, Mertens reduced the deficit for Napoli but it was not enough to inspire a comeback as they suffered their second straight loss at home.

Bennacer completed the most tackles in the encounter (5) while Kessie managed the best pass accuracy (94.1 per cent) and they were both in action for 90 minutes.

Sunday's triumph stretched AC Milan's dominance at the summit of the Serie A table to 20 points after eight matches as Napoli dropped to sixth with 14 points.

Gattuso will hope to have Osimhen ready for Thursday's Uefa Europa League clash against Rijeka at home, after he missed their last match due to a red card he picked up against Real Sociedad on October 29.

Caleb Ekuban scored the only goal that gave Trabzonspor a 1-0 victory over BB Erzurumspor in a Turkish Super Lig game on Sunday.

Ekuban’s effort in the 23rd minute handed Trabzonspor their first league victory since September 26 and it ended a five-game winless run in the Turkish top-flight.

The Black Stars forward linked up with Abdulkadir Omur before firing a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Kayacan Erdogan.

It was Trabzonspor’s second win of the season after a 3-1 triumph over Yeni Malatyaspor two months ago.

Ekuban was on parade from start to finish, while DR Congo's Benik Afobe and Nigeria's Anthony Nwakaeme were replaced in the 62nd and 86th minutes respectively.

Nwakaeme could not add to his tally of three goals on his seventh league appearance of the season. It was a similar fate for Afobe who did not increase his record of three goals after eight league games since he arrived in Turkey on a season-long loan from Championship club Stoke City in the summer.

The victory fired Trabzonspor to 15th in the Super Lig table with nine points after nine matches, a point above BB Erzurumspor who are 17th in the standings with a game at hand.

Ekuban, Nwakaeme and Afobe will have their sights set on Friday's Super Lig trip to bottom-placed Ankaragucu as they aim to build on Sunday's result and grab their third win of the campaign.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at British broadcasters for failing to adjust their schedules during the coronavirus pandemic, claiming they don't care about player welfare. 

The Reds are set to play in the Champions League on Wednesday night against Atalanta before being forced to play Saturday against Brighton in the Premier League's midday match. 

Klopp's side are already short on players with the squad plagued by injuries and Liverpool suffered another casualty on Sunday after Naby Keita was forced off in their 3-0 win Leicester City. 

Speaking after that match, Klopp let loose at broadcasters, calling on them to ensure clubs aren't being forced to play so many games in such a short space of time. 

"It was never about us when I talked about it, it was about all the players. If you don't start talking to BT [Sport] we are all done," Klopp told Sky Sports. 

"Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and Saturday [at] 12:30, I'm not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players.

"I know you [the broadcasters] don't care and that's the problem. We've discussed it for a long time and nothing's happened. 

"I don't talk about Liverpool, I talk about all the football players out there. Yesterday, [Gerard] Pique massive knee injury. Today, [Bukayo] Saka, maybe, I'm not sure, a knee injury - he played all three games for England during the international break.

"Now people tell us to rotate players but who? We have some offensive players but the rest are kids. 

"It's a massive problem. Wednesday and Saturday 12:30 is a broadcaster problem and nothing else. We play against Atalanta on Wednesday and then 12:30 [Saturday] against Brighton. It's an early Christmas present. We will show up there shaking. I think about sending the points. That's how it is."

In response to Klopp's charges, the interviewer on Sky brought up the contracts that clubs agreed with broadcasters – a subject that touched a nerve with Klopp.

"Gentlemen, start talking and making decisions. I like the relationship with you. If someone tells me again about contracts I'll go really nuts. Because these contracts aren't made for a Covid season," Klopp continued.

"We all have to adapt. Everything's changed, but the contracts with the broadcasters is still: 'We have this, so we keep this'. What? Everything changed, the whole world changed!" 

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has previously called for early Saturday games to be scraped altogether after his side were forced to play the fixture after the international break.  

AC Milan’s 3-1 win over Napoli on Sunday was soured by a potential injury to leading marksman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

With 78 minutes of the Serie A encounter gone, the 39-year-old Swede went down clutching his left leg and had to be replaced.

His club will now have to evaluate the severity of what appears to be a muscular problem.

Speaking after the game Daniele Bonera – who was filling in for Stefano Pioli, who has Covid-19 – expressed his hope that the injury wouldn't be a severe one.

“We don’t have much information right now, it looks like a muscular problem, but we have to wait a few days to see the extent of it,” Bonera told Sky Sport Italia.

The timing of the injury could scarcely be any worse as the Rossoneri’s fixture schedule prior to Christmas is packed. Indeed, they have nine fixtures to play in around a month and are already without Portugal international forward Rafael Leao because of a physical complaint.

They are due to travel to Lille in Europa League action on Thursday and will seek to avenge a thumping 3-0 loss to the Ligue 1 side at San Siro.

Thereafter, they will host struggling Fiorentina in the league, while before Christmas they will also have to face the likes of Lazio and second-placed Sassuolo, though the latter of those fixtures does not take place until December 20.

As such, Milan must now cross their fingers and hope the issue does not prove to be anything serious for Ibrahimovic, who has scored 10 goals in just six league outings this season and has already missed four games due to Covid-19.

On Sunday, he was a chief protagonist as Milan earned three points at Napoli that kept them at the summit of the Serie A table.

He had opened the scoring midway through the first half and added a second shortly after the break to propel Stefano Pioli’s side towards the win.

Jens Petter Hauge would later add the third in stoppage time against an opponent down to 10 men.

Milan will have to assess the extent of Ibrahimovic’s injury, but it was a sad way for the Swede to leave what had been a historic match for him.

By finding the back of the net, he became just the fourth player in the modern era of Serie A to have scored in the first six league matches he had played of a season. He joined the likes of Gabriel Batistuta and Christian Vieri in doing so.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is worried the club's injury crisis will continue to get worse, with Naby Keita the latest player to suffer an issue during the 3-0 win against Leicester City.

Keita was forced from the Anfield pitch in the second half of Sunday's match after being seen stretching out his right leg shortly before physios came to examine his complaint.

Despite being boosted by the return of Fabinho, Liverpool's injury list features likely long-term absentees Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, while Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Xherdan Shaqiri are also unavailable currently.

However, the German coach intimated that he faith in his squad and suggested the talent that had come into his training squad had earned the right to be there.

"[Keita] felt his hamstring and was not able to play on," Klopp said in his press conference.

He added to BBC Sport: "It's a tricky situation and when Naby goes off with a muscle injury you know the problems will not get smaller. The boys know when they are allowed to train with us they have the quality to do so, we don't give tickets for training, you have to qualify with talent and aptitude. It is a tough school, there a lot of steps to go.

"We have to make sure we recover but the Naby injury didn't help at all."

Even with a raft of absent players, the Reds had no issues dispatching a disappointing Leicester outfit with Jonny Evans' unfortunate own goal getting the home side off to the perfect start midway through the first half.

Diogo Jota became the first Liverpool player to score in his first four home matches just in the shadows of half-time, before Roberto Firmino put the finishing touches on the content with four minutes to play.

Klopp was delighted with the performance of his stretched squad and singled out emergency right-back James Milner for his efforts before moving back to the middle of the park.

"We scored three goals and didn't concede one, we defended exceptionally well, controlled the game, there were a lot of good things, I can't pick one that pleased me most - maybe the performance of James Milner at right back. He played an exceptional game, first there and then in midfield.

"That is what we expect from ourselves, injuries were a massive shock in that moment but the boys have to offer solutions. We have centre halves, they are really young. They are not experienced, you saw the bench tonight."

Liverpool's victory sees them go top of the Premier League alongside Tottenham on 20 points, but be ranked behind Jose Mourinho's side on goal difference.

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Mohamed Salah has tested negative for coronavirus and will resume training with Liverpool on Monday.

The Egyptian missed the Reds’ 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday evening after testing positive for Covid-19 during the international break.

But Klopp revealed after the game that Salah could now return in the Champions League against Atalanta on Wednesday night, with the 28-year-old set to be part of the Liverpool squad which undergoes a round of UEFA testing on Monday.

Klopp said: "That's what I've heard. A negative today. I think from now he is pretty normal in all the testing. 

“Tomorrow [Monday] we have UEFA testing for the Champions League and I am pretty sure he will be in that. He can now train with us tomorrow. 

“There could be Premier League tests the day after? Yes, there are two tests in the next two days so he will be tested, like all of us.”

The news will come as a significant boost to the Reds boss, who saw Naby Keita join a growing injury list on Sunday. Keita lasted just 53 minutes against Leicester before suffering a hamstring issue, which will be assessed at Kirkby.

Liverpool could also be without Xherdan Shaqiri for their upcoming games, with the Swiss star having picked up a problem during international duty.

Klopp said: “Naby felt his hamstring and was not able to play on, otherwise he would have stayed on the pitch.

“Shaq had a muscle injury with the national team which he didn’t really realise. He trained with us, and after that he felt it a little bit. We made a scan and they found that he has an injury from five or six days. 

“Nobody knew about it, not even Shaq, and so he was not able to be involved.”

Liverpool moved level on points with Premier League leaders Tottenham after a dominant display against Leicester, a result which means the Reds set a new club record of 64 home league games unbeaten. 

“It is incredible but all about the boys,” Klopp said. “It is really difficult to achieve something like this but when you think about how tight a lot of the games were the boys had to dig in and they did that. 

“We really enjoy playing here, it is our ground, our home and everything feels like home even when then the people aren't here - which is absolutely b***ocks or bulls**t, whatever the right word is. 

“The boys on the pitch performance-wise are incredible and that is the only reason for the number. It is difficult to set records at this club because our fathers and grandfathers were obviously pretty good. 

“I am happy for the players but it doesn't feel like this in the moment because we play on Wednesday!”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned that his side must be careful as they look to work Sergio Aguero back into the team.

City have made their worst start to a Premier League season for more than a decade following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.

Club-record goalscorer Aguero was an unused substitute at Spurs after missing the last month with a hamstring injury.

Guardiola’s side sit 13th in the Premier League table and the City boss, who this week signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2023, says his side need to start winning games quickly.

Aguro could be key to any turnaround, as City have scored just 10 goals from their opening eight Premier League fixtures and just five from their last six matches.

The Argentinian has made just three appearances in the last five months after suffering a knee injury in June and Guardiola says they must carefully manage his return.

“I'm not going to say we don't need Sergio, we need him,” Guardiola said. “But Sergio is 32 and was five months injured with a difficult and dangerous injury.

“He came back, he played 50 minutes and 55 and got injured again. We want and I want Sergio fit because I know how important he is for us and what he has done in the Premier League.

“But we have to be careful, to not get knocked back again and injured again and you have to see the right moment to put him back in the side. Hopefully it can be soon and maintain the regularity to play games.”

Though City could potentially use some tweaks after a poor start, Guardiola has said it is impossible for managers to work on tactics because of the hectic schedule.

With at least two games a week between now and the new year, the 49-year-old says there’s no time to work on changes in training.

“It's impossible,” he said. “But it's the same for all clubs so I'm not saying we're at an advantage or a disadvantage. But it's impossible, there's no time.”

Guardiola insisted it was his responsibility, rather than the players, to solve their issues with City taking just 12 points from their opening eight matches, winning just three and losing twice.

“I never said it was the responsibility of the players, it's my responsibility as a manager to lift them and to give them everything that's possible,” he said.

“Never in my career of 12 years have I complained or pointed at someone that everything is going to solve. I love having Sergio back, I love having Gabriel [Jesus] back, but they are not going to solve all the situations.

“We scored in two seasons, more than 100 goals and 80 or 90 per cent of the players are the same, especially up front.

“Maybe we lost Leroy [Sane] but Leroy didn't play much last season because he was injured all season and we still scored 100 goals.

“We are the same but football is like this. Sometimes one season is completely different to another one. We will find a little bit the way to get better.”

James Milner described Roberto Firmino as the "unluckiest man alive" after seeing the Liverpool forward fail to find the back of the net until the 86th minute in their 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League. 

Jurgen Klopp's side were leading 2-0 at half-time thanks to a Jonny Evans own-goal and a fine header from Diogo Jota, who has continued his strong start to life at Anfield. 

Firmino, who took a game-high six shots across the 90 minutes, then hit the post twice in the second half before finally heading home the Reds' third goal with less than five minutes to play. 

That goal was Firmino's second strike in the Premier League this season with Milner glad to see the Brazilian rewarded for his good work in the final third. 

"Bobby is the unluckiest man alive for the first 80 minutes. He deserved his goal. He was outstanding," Milner told Sky Sports post-match. 

"First half very good, second half not as good. There were a lot of miles in the boys' legs with internationals. We kept the ball pretty well and took the sting out of it.

"It's hard to get that rhythm with all the international breaks but it’s a long wait until the next one.

"It’s impressive we’ve kept it [their unbeaten home run] going without the fans. Hopefully we can keep it going until they can come back."

On making a rare start for Liverpool this season, Milner added: "I want to start as many games as I can - I know that won’t be every game these days."

While Firmino got a deserved goal late in the match, Jota gave the Reds some earlier breathing space as he continued his record run of scoring in his first four home league games for the club. 

The Portuguese star is loving life at Anfield and is determined to continue making an impact. 

"Playing in this team, world champions, means a lot, I just wish we can keep winning matches and I can be important as well, of course," Jota told Match of the Day. 

"We did a great job, offensively, creating chances, as well as defensively. In the end it was a great match.

"Every squad feels the same, everyone can be important, we need everyone physically and mentally ready to help us. It is three points, but they were there near the top, on Wednesday we go again."

Andy Delort scored a brace as Montpellier pipped Strasbourg to a 4-3 victory in Sunday’s Ligue 1 encounter.

Delort found the back of the net twice in the first-half as the hosts grabbed their first win at the Stade de la Mosson since September 20.

The 29-year-old striker doubled Montpellier's lead five minutes after Pedro Mendes opened the scoring in the eighth minute.

The lead, however, was short-lived as Strasbourg earned two quick penalties within four minutes with Kenny Lala making it 2-1 before Senegal's Habib Diallo drew both teams level in the 26th minute.

Delort restored Montpellier's lead in the 31st minute, with his sixth goal of the season but Ludovic Ajorque pegged the visitors back just on the stroke of half-time.

After the restart, the Algeria international assisted Gaetan Laborde to score the match-winning goal in the 68th minute.

Delort played the entire duration while South Africa's Keagan Dolly was later introduced in the 82nd minute for Florent Mollet.

Bafana Bafana star Lebo Mothiba did not make the trip to Montpellier as he continues from a knee injury while Cameroon's Ambroise Oyongo, Ghana's Alexander Djiku and Senegal's Bingourou Kamara are also on the sidelines.

Montpellier climbed to fourth in the Ligue 1 table with 20 points after 11 games while Strasbourg remain unmoved in the 19th spot after suffering their ninth loss of the season, with six points from the same number of matches.

Delort will hope to inspire La Paillade to victory when they host league leaders Paris Saint-Germain in their next Ligue 1 fixture on December 5.

Odisha FC take on Hyderabad FC in their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season opener at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa, on Monday. 

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Odisha FC Possible XI:   

Injured - None
Doubtful - Jacob Tratt, Jerry Mawihmingthanga  
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Marcelinho, Diego Mauricio    

Hyderabad FC Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - Fran Sandaza  
Suspended - None

Key Players - Aridane Santana, Subrata Paul