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Paris Saint-Germain are prioritising contract extensions for Kylian Mbappe and Neymar amid rumours of a possible transfer swoop for Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos.

Ramos is being heavily linked with a move away from Santiago Bernabeu after entering the final year of his current deal.

The 34-year-old will be free to speak with any potential suitors in January, and PSG are reportedly leading the race for his services.

Goal has reported that Ramos is eager to commit to Madrid through to 2023 while remaining on his current salary, but the two parties have yet to reach a final agreement.

It has been suggested that PSG are willing to offer the veteran centre-back more lucrative terms at Parc des Princes, and he has added fuel to the ongoing speculation surrounding his future by withdrawing from a press conference while away on international duty with Spain on Monday.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will address the media alongside Spain head coach Luis Enrique instead of Ramos ahead of this week's Nations League clash with Germany, which will effectively decide who wins League A , Group 4.

Despite intensifying talk of Ramos approaching the end of his time at the Bernabeu, Goal has learned that PSG are more focused on tying Mbappe and Neymar down to fresh terms than on bringing in any new players in the winter transfer window.

The two men are due to drop into the free agency pool in 2022, however, the French champions are determined to ensure that the prized duo remain at Parc des Princes well beyond that.

Mbappe has been linked with Madrid and Neymar was tipped to force through a return to Barcelona at the start of the year, but both players have insisted that they are happy in their current surroundings in more recent times.

PSG are also planning to take a far more conservative approach in the transfer market due to the ongoing financial constraints caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with matchday revenue still very low as stadiums in France continue to operate with a reduced capacity.

Making a move for Ramos would contradict the club's new policy when it comes to recruitment too, as experienced performers such as Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani have been allowed to leave to pave the way for the next generation of talent.

Lionel Messi remains an irreplaceable presence for La Liga, claims former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Luis Milla, with the Argentine urged to stay put despite seeing “life go on” after Cristiano Ronaldo swapped life in Spain for that at Juventus.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner pushed for a move away from Camp Nou over the summer.

Frustration towards the end of a disappointing 2019-20 campaign boiled over as the 33-year-old opened himself up to a new challenge.

Barca, unsurprisingly, refused to bow to pressure and Messi eventually revealed to Goal that he will be honouring the final year of his contract.

A fresh start in 2021 may still be sought, with suitors able to hold talks from January, and there remains a serious threat to those in Catalunya that a talismanic figure could force his way through the exits.

Milla hopes Messi will avoid heading the same way as eternal rival Ronaldo, who linked up with Juve in 2018, as the South American remains the undoubted star turn in Spanish football and would leave a void that could prove almost impossible to fill.

“I think it is great for Spanish football that Messi has stayed. He's an ambitious player and wants to win titles,” Milla told Tribal Football.

“That didn't happen for him last season and, on top of that, he wasn't connecting well with the sporting director and there wasn't a good feeling with the directors and president in general. Also, there were tensions regarding the change of managers during last season too.

“Essentially, Messi is a mature player in his approach to situations like this. He knows that Barcelona is a club that fits with his style of playing football and shares a winning mentality too.

“Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo has left La Liga and life goes on and Messi could go in the future and life would go on in La Liga too… with other great players…but players like Messi are just not replaceable, they are one-of-a-kind, one-off players.

“Yes, La Liga would survive without Messi but it wouldn't be the same. I'm glad that he has stayed.”

Barca are still hoping that Messi can be convinced to pen fresh terms, extending his career-long association with the club, but they are not due to hold their presidential elections until late-January 2021 and a door is being left open for European rivals to swoop in.

South Africa needed two late goals to secure a 4-2 victory over Sao Tome and Principe in the 2022 Afcon qualifier at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Joazhifel Soares and Harramiz Soares netted the Falcons and True Parrots Team's first two goals in their Group C campaign, but Themba Zwane and Percy Tau each grabbed a brace to hand Bafana Bafana the victory. 

The victory saw South Africa go level on points with Group C leaders Ghana on the standings, but the Black Stars are on top on head-to-head record, while Sao Tome remained fourth on the table.

Bafana were expected to record a routine win and complete a double over Sao Tome and Principe having defeated the island country 2-0 in their first-ever meeting on Friday. 

Coach Molefi Ntseki made two changes to the team which faced Sao Tome in Durban with Bongani Zungu and Lyle Lakay replacing Kamohelo Mokotjo and Innocent Maela in the starting line-up.

Meanwhile, Sao Tome were officially the home side and they were looking to end their stay in South Africa with a shock victory over the 1996 Afcon champions.

Coach Adriano Eusebio kept his faith in Harramiz Soares and Luis Leal despite the two experienced strikers having failed to score during the team's Group C campaign.

Sao Tome took a surprise lead just 12 minutes into the match after the South Africa defence was caught ball-watching and they were punished by Joazhifel Soares.

The 29-year-old midfielder headed home Jardel Nazare's cross to make it 1-0 to Sao Tome, but South Africa then took control of the match as they searched for the equalizing goal. 

Lebogang Manyama looked the likeliest Bafana player to score, but he could not take his chances as he dragged his shot wide of the target, before placing his effort from a free-kick just over the crossbar.

Ntseki's charges were combining well in midfield with Themba Zwane operating as playmaker just in front of central midfielders Bongani Zungu and Dean Furman.

Parity was restored when Zungu's pass found Furman and the England-based midfielder set-up Zwane, who finished off a beautiful team goal to make it 1-1 six minutes before half-time.

The momentum was with Bafana, but the Falcons and True Parrots Team managed to contain the visitors and the score was 1-1 at the interval.

South Africa piled more pressure on the hosts after the restart with Manyama beating Sao Tome goalkeeper Aldair D'Almeida, but the crossbar came to the home side's rescue.

Tau's effort was then cleared off the goal-line after some good work by Bafana's livewire Manyama, before D'Almeida denied Zungu with a good save.

However, Tau was not to be denied with 20 minutes left as the 26-year-old forward dribbled past a few Sao Tome defenders and fired past D'Almeida to make it 2-1 to South Africa.

The goal did not demoralize Sao Tome as they pushed forward and they managed to level matters when Harramiz scored to make it 2-2 in the 75th minute after the away side had failed to deal with a cross which was played into the box.

However, Ntseki's side ran riot in the closing stages of the match with former Mamelodi Sundowns teammates Zwane and Tau grabbing two late goals to save Bafana from an embarrassing draw against the 182nd-ranked minnows.

Zwane beat D'Almeida for the second time to make it 3-2 after being set-up by substitute Kermit Erasmus in the 87th minute and a minute later, and Tau grabbed his own brace to seal a 4-2 win to Bafana.

The next round of the qualifiers will take place in March 2021 with Bafana hosting Ghana, while Sao Tome are scheduled to play host to Sudan. 

Manchester City could have Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Raheem Sterling in the squad for this weekend’s trip to Tottenham as they all battle back to full fitness.

Aguero has played just 178 minutes of football in the past four months but is stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury he suffered in last month’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, which forced him to be substituted at half-time.

The 32-year-old has been training alone but is expected to take part in sessions with the first-team squad this week.

Aguero missed the first five games of the season as he recovered from a knee injury that ruled him out of last season’s Premier League run-in and the Champions League mini-tournament in Portugal in August.

City have been without a recognised striker for much of the campaign with Gabriel Jesus suffering a groin injury in the opening game against Wolves.

The Brazilian returned just before the international break, scoring against Olympiacos and Liverpool before heading back to South America for World Cup qualifiers.

Fernandinho is also moving closer to a return after training alone last week following a leg injury suffered in the 3-1 Champions League victory over Porto a month ago.

City were severely hit by injuries and illness during the opening weeks of the season with Pep Guardiola unhappy about a lack of pre-season and enhanced risk of injury.

They are close to having a full-strength squad although they suffered a couple of setbacks during the international break.

Sterling missed England’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland and the Nations League clash with Belgium as a precaution after feeling a muscle twinge in training.

He is also likely to miss Wednesday’s game with Iceland but could potentially be back for Saturday’s clash against Spurs with the injury thought not to be too severe.

However, Nathan Ake is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury playing for the Netherlands.

The 25-year-old, who joined from Bournemouth in the summer, has returned to Manchester for treatment with no timescale yet on his return.

Title rivals Liverpool have suffered a major injury crisis in recent weeks, losing central defensive pairing Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to knee injuries while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson have suffered muscle injuries.

Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were united before the international break that the players needed more protection and that the football schedule should be looked at.

“My business is to protect my players. It’s all I want, to be fit, no injuries. When they arrive to the training sessions, they are exhausted,” the City boss said.

“LeBron James won the NBA title and now he is on holiday for one, two, three months. These guys [footballers] have eight days, two weeks and after games, games, games.”

Kenya coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has scoffed at those calling for his sacking after the team suffered a 2-1 defeat against Comoros in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Sunday.

The Harambee Stars went into the match played in Moroni seeking their first win in the qualification campaign as they had drawn their last three matches, against Egypt, Togo, and Comoros.

However, they could not manage to secure a win as Comoros scored goals through Mohamed Ben El-Fardou and Mattoir Faiz to hand the Kenyan side a defeat, with Cliff Nyakeya scoring the Kenyan goal.

And despite a section of Kenyans fans calling for his sacking, ‘Ghost’, who took of the mantle of handling the team from Francis Kimanzi on a three-year contract, has said he is not bothered with the calls but is focused on ending Kenya’s poor run of winning away matches.

“I don’t have any fears and I don’t know what the people are talking about when I look at things, I only came back to the national team a few weeks ago and we have played two matches, where I managed to pick one point and lost one, not a bad record,” ‘Ghost’ told Goal on Monday.

“And if you look at our away record as Kenya we have always have tough times winning away from home and it is something we are working hard to make sure we rectify the same and get it right, and start winning away matches.

“If you check the records, the last time Kenya won away in a competitive match is 2002 and it is something that is troubling Kenya for a while now but we are working very hard to make sure we improve on that.”

Earlier on Monday, FKF president Nick Mwendwa claimed he will not sack ‘Ghost’ Mulee.

“Why should we [sack ‘Ghost’? It is normal for coaches to lose matches and ‘Ghost’ is not the first one, we are not ready to make changes now because our target is to have consistency with the team,” Mwendwa told Goal.

On Kenya’s chances to qualify for a second successive Afcon, Mwendwa said: “We have to work hard but it is harder now for us to qualify for the Afcon. We must keep working hard, 2016 was just like this one, but actually, I can say this looks even better.

“Our target is to continue working hard, we have the World Cup and another Afcon event coming up after this so we must make sure we build a strong team for the coming events.”

Kenya will have to wait until next year to host the Pharaohs on March 22 before wrapping up their campaign with a trip to Lome against Togo on March 30.

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been given the green light to complete their stunning takeover of Wrexham.

The Welsh outfit have been owned by their supporters' trust since 2011, but are now preparing to change hands.

Members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of two famous faces from the world of acting taking control at the Racecourse Ground.

A statement from the current owners read: “The Wrexham Supporters Trust Board would like to thank all members who took the time to vote and take part in the process relating to the extraordinary ballot.

“There was a significant turnout for the ballot at 91.5%.

“We are now in a position to confirm the result of the vote, which has been independently verified by Mi-Voice, the company assisting the trust in the process.

“As can be seen, members have voted for all three resolutions.”

They added: “As such – subject to final agreement, league and FA confirmation – the RR McReynolds Company, LLC will take 100% control of Wrexham Football Club Limited from the WST.

“Both parties will now proceed with finalising the details of the takeover, and we will update Wrexham supporters as soon as we can.

“The Wrexham Supporters Trust Board would like to thank Mr Rob McElhenney and Mr Ryan Reynolds, and their advisors Inner Circle Sports and Walker Morris, for their professional and considered approach and for the time they have already put into the process.

“As Wrexham supporters, we would like to wish them the very best of luck in charge of our football club and look forward to what the future brings.

“Finally, to WST members, we would like to thank you for all your support since we took control of the football club in 2011.

“We will update supporters in due course as to the future plans for the Wrexham Supporters Trust.”

‘Deadpool’ star Reynolds and McElhenny, who created the TV series ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’, have laid out an ambitious blueprint for Wrexham.

They have vowed to pump £2 million into the club after taking the reins, while there are also plans for the National League outfit – who have sat outside of the Football League since 2008 – to appear in a Netflix-style documentary.

“That's happened. We're documenting it,” McElhenny has said of the takeover process.

“We should be thinking about Wrexham the way Man U thinks about Man U. Engage in club, communities. What a great way to do it.”

Reynolds added: “It's the storytelling that gets me. What the player overcame to get on the pitch. We're interested in that in every level.

“We can attract great players too. We're excited to have some documentation - and no one has to speak (in it) if they don't want to.”

Mikel Arteta believes the future is “really bright” for Arsenal, but admits that he needs to find “solutions to win more football matches”.

Having represented the Gunners in his playing days, taking the captain’s armband under Arsene Wenger, the Spaniard knows all about the weight of expectation in north London.

He was under no illusion as to the size of challenge he was taking on when returning to Emirates Stadium in December 2019.

Arteta had no managerial experience of which to speak when accepting an SOS call from Arsenal, with his coaching teeth cut at Manchester City as assistant to Pep Guardiola.

He has, however, shown himself to be a good fit for an ambitious outfit looking to move in a different direction.

A fresh approach has been embraced by most of those working under Arteta, with others frozen out, and optimism is building again.

The Gunners remain a work in progress, with there still a number of issues to iron out, but their current boss believes he can be the man to recapture former glories.

Arteta – who admitted after a 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa that his side are not “the team we’re supposed to be” - told the club’s official website on how things are developing: “It's part of a process. The results have to be immediate, and the challenge we have with the club we are representing is that we have to win as quickly as possible every game in every competition. 

“So far we have played 14 games in all competitions this season, we won 10 and lost four and the four of them have been in the Premier League, so it is a little bit imbalanced. 

“There are a lot of things to do, short term and medium term, we have seen a lot of changes not only on the pitch but structurally as a club as well, it's been difficult, it's been a challenging time in the last three or four months, a lot of things have happened. 

“We have to settle and everyone has to realise where we are now, but I see the future as really bright. I am a really positive person and I tend to learn much more when things don't go well and we have a defeat like we had the other day that really hurt after the performance we had at Old Trafford. 

“We have to understand why it happened, be really critical first of all with myself and try to understand the players better, and give them more solutions to win more football matches.”

Arsenal will return to Premier League action on Sunday with a trip to Leeds.

Manchester United will not have taken kindly to Paul Pogba’s comments regarding the France fold feeling more like a “family” than the domestic squad he forms part of at Old Trafford, says Frank Leboeuf.

A World Cup-winning midfielder is seemingly never far from the headlines.

Pogba’s form, fitness and future have been called into question on a regular basis over recent years, with a return to English football in 2016 not going entirely to plan.

Success has been enjoyed on an international stage, while collecting the odd piece of silverware at club level, but the 27-year-old remains a divisive figure for many.

Pogba has already revealed this season that he still harbours the ambition of representing Real Madrid at some stage in his career.

Those comments will have won him little favour in Manchester, with his latest comments on the most “difficult period” of his career also expected to ruffle feathers at a Premier League heavyweight.

Pogba, who is taking in UEFA Nations League duty with his country, has told RTL: “I had never known such a difficult period in my career.

“The France team is a breath of fresh air, the group is exceptional, it’s magic.

“It’s not that in the club we don’t have fun, but here it’s not the same. We laugh. It’s really a family.”

France boss Didier Deschamps claims to understand Pogba’s frustration, with United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having taken to playing him in a wide attacking role or leaving him on the bench of late.

“He is in a situation with his club where he cannot be happy, neither with his playing time nor with the position he is playing,” Deschamps has said.

While Pogba has every right to feel aggrieved at his situation in England, fellow World Cup winner Leboeuf has warned that more bridges are being burned in Manchester.

The former France international, who took in a productive spell at Chelsea in his playing days, told ESPN FC: “You have to be always cautious of what you say.

“It’s true that this is not going to be very well interpreted with Manchester United - it’s meaning that he is belonging to a group with friends which is not the case with Manchester United.”

France, who have already reached the Nations League finals, will be back in action on Tuesday when playing host to Sweden, while United will return to Premier League competition on Saturday with a home date against West Brom.

Edinson Cavani is a "great attacker", according to Marquinhos, who has admitted that the Manchester United striker helped him raise his game at Paris Saint-Germain.

Cavani spent seven years playing alongside defender Marquinhos at Paris Saint-Germain after they both joined the Ligue 1 giants in July 2013. 

The Uruguayan left PSG at the end of the 2019-20 campaign as the club's all-time record goalscorer having found the net 200 times. 

Indeed, only Lionel Messi (432) and Cristiano Ronaldo (416) have scored more goals in Europe's top five leagues since Cavani (250) debuted for Palermo in 2007.

Cavani will come up against his old team-mate when Uruguay face Brazil in a 2022 World Cup qualifying clash on Tuesday, fresh from his goalscoring turn in a 3-0 win over Colombia last week.

The Selecao have won all three of their qualifiers so far, but Marquinhos says they need to be acutely aware of the danger posed by Cavani – who joined United on a free transfer in October – in Montevideo if they are to extend their perfect start.

"For me, it was very good to work with Cavani because he is a great attacker," The PSG star told a pre-match press conference. "In confrontations, you had to be very careful with him and try to cancel him in the best way. 

"I really like to face great attackers, to be able to raise my level and train in the best way. That is what makes you improve and grow every day. 

"Cavani is a very decisive player and one who gives a lot to his teams. We know how important he has been for his team. He plays everywhere on the field, attacks and defends. 

"We will have to be 100 per cent focused because at the slightest mistake, he can score a goal."

Cavani's effort against Colombia marked his 51st international goal in 117 appearances for Uruguay and he will likely start up front alongside Luis Suarez again against Brazil, with the Atletico Madrid striker also scoring in the victory in Barranquilla.

Marquinhos is well aware of the danger posed by the potent pair, but he remains quietly confident Brazil's defence has enough experience to keep them quiet.

"We are always concerned with the great attackers," he added. "They are players that I will have to face individually, but ours is a collective work. 

"There are many things we can do to make the game difficult for those players and make it easier for us in defence. Sure, we are concerned, but collectively we will try to limit them."

Antoine Griezmann’s struggles at Barcelona are not a result of ego or conflict with Lionel Messi, claims Philippe Montanier, with the Frenchman told he merely needs to start enjoying his football again.

It has been claimed that the 29-year-old forward endures a strained relationship with his superstar captain at Camp Nou.

Montanier admits that Messi’s mood can influence proceedings in Catalunya, with the Argentine’s push for the exits over the summer likely to have impacted collective harmony.

The French tactician is, however, adamant that a World Cup winner he worked with at Real Sociedad is capable of rediscovering a spark if he knuckles down at club level and plays with a smile on his face again.

“Everyone loves Antoine,” Montanier, who oversaw Griezmann’s move to Atletico Madrid in 2013, told La Voix du Nord.

“Apart from his immense talent, he's a real fighter, he works hard, he always puts himself at the team's service.

“He has never had any ego problems as long as I've known him and I don't think he ever will.

“We've seen what he is like with France. When Kylian Mbappé came onto the scene, he immediately stepped to one side to give him a chance to break into the side.

“He's had the misfortune to slip into a difficult moment, at a Barcelona which is in the middle of a crisis and dependent on the moods of Messi, which affects every level of the club.

“Sometimes a beautiful flower asphyxiates another.

“Griezmann needs to enjoy his football, play and joke to get the most out of his potential. But that's not the impression you get watching him at the moment.”

Griezmann was expected to star for Barca on the back of his switch from Atletico in the summer of 2019.

He has, however, registered just 17 goals through 57 appearances and is yet to become the talismanic presence that La Liga giants hoped he would be.

That has led to questions being asked of his future, alongside those which continue to see Messi linked with a move in 2021, but time is on Griezmann’s side after penning a contract through to 2024.

Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has conceded their chance of making it to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals are slim.

The East African nation fell 2-1 to Comoros in a Group G Afcon qualifier on Sunday night. Mohamed Ben El-Fardou and Mattoir Faiz scored the goals for Les Coelacantes and Harambee Stars denied them a clean sheet courtesy of Cliff Nyakeya’s effort.

After the loss, the Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee-led charges are now on three points after four Group G games, five points behind the islanders.

"Kenya have a minimal chance of making it to the Afcon finals but it will be hard," Wanyama told Goal on Monday.

"I am not saying we should relax after the Comoros loss, but to be honest, our chances of making it to Cameroon are very slim." 

The 29-year old has also stated the game was a tough one despite the players giving their all.

He has also stated there was a problem on the technical side but that the coach is the right person to address the issue. 

"We were unlucky [to lose], it did not go as planned, we lost but at times football is like that," Wanyama continued.

"It was a tough game but it is gone and now our focus is on forthcoming assignments, we have to look for a solution now.  

"In football, we can win, lose, or draw; there are about one, two areas where we need to rectify. But that is not my job, it is the job of the technical bench. The players give absolutely everything."  

Acknowledging how difficult it would be for Kenya to qualify, Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa said the only secret remaining is to work hard in the remaining qualifiers.

“We have to work hard but it is harder now for us to qualify for the Afcon,” Mwendwa told Goal on Monday. “We must keep working hard, 2016 was just like this one, but actually I can say this looks even better.

“Our target is to continue working hard, we have the World Cup and another Afcon event coming up after this so we must make sure we build a strong team for the coming events.”

“If Togo beats Egypt, then we have a lifeline because we still have two other matches coming up against them [Togo] and Egypt, so this match will be very important for us if Togo wins it.”

Kenya had picked up three consecutive 1-1 draws before the loss in Moroni while Comoros had a win and two draws.

France head coach Didier Deschamps says Anthony Martial was a "bit clumsy" and his finishing was "lacking" against Portugal.

Martial replaced Olivier Giroud in Deschamps' starting XI for a Nations League clash in Lisbon on Saturday night.

France booked their place in the finals of the competition by beating Portugal 1-0, with N'Golo Kante netting the all-important winning goal in the 53rd minute.

Les Bleus might have earned a more emphatic victory had Martial made the most of his chances, but he twice failed to find a way past Rui Patricio after being played through on goal.

The Manchester United striker has only scored once for his country in 25 appearances, and is still on the lookout for his first goal of the 2020-21 campaign after drawing another blank on the international stage.

Although Deschamps was disappointed that Martial was unable to convert any of his opportunities against Portugal, he acknowledged the fact the 24-year-old has only just returned to the France set-up and is still finding his feet.

"His finishing was lacking - it seemed a little bit clumsy," the France boss told a post-match press conference.

“But sincerely, having watched the moments again, it came down to small margins.

“He is part of the group of players who have not been here for a long period of time, but he has changed during this period, on the pitch and off of it.”

Deschamps' men will conclude their League A, Group 3 campaign when Sweden arrive at Stade de France on Tuesday, with Martial in line to make his second consecutive start.

The French forward will then return to Old Trafford ahead of United's Premier League meeting with West Brom on Saturday, which they can ill-afford to lose after slipping to 14th in the standings after seven fixtures.

Martial's barren run in front of goal continued upon his return to action following a three-game suspension when the Red Devils beat Everton 3-1 on November 7, and he is now facing extra competition up front from Edinson Cavani, who came off the bench to score the final goal of the match at Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard says he will never let power go to his head at Chelsea, with the Blues boss prepared to make mistakes and let everyone at Stamford Bridge be responsible for their own actions.

The former England international is still relatively inexperienced when it comes to the art of management.

He is taking in just a third season as an elite coach, having spent one year at Derby before making an emotional return to west London in the summer of 2019.

Lampard has been on a steep learning curve, but he has cleared many of the obstacles put in front of him and is looking to remain grounded as he calls the shots at one of the biggest clubs in England.

He told Chelsea’s official website of his approach: “It’s of utmost importance to me as a manager and it’s a message that you really have to drill home, because it’s very easy when you’re a coach or a manager and you’ve been there and had your career and you know you made a million mistakes, when you sit at the top of the tree, or in my office at Chelsea, not to think like the 21-year-old who’s making those mistakes you made and just think you’re above it.

“You have to get on the level of these players and they all have different thoughts, they all have different reasons, something at home, on the training pitch, how they see things. So I can’t think that my morals or my values just transmit to everybody and then everyone will be a great trainer like I was and make the most of their talent. Because I didn’t, I made mistakes.

“I have to be very open to that. So for the players to try to take responsibility is a daily chip away at trying to create something that feels that way and we’re in that process at Chelsea. I’m not going to lie, we’ve not won that battle yet, because it definitely takes time, particularly with a younger squad and we have a lot of young players.”

Lampard is prepared to keep making big decisions that he believes will benefit the collective cause, on the back of a big summer spend that has raised expectations at Chelsea, but accepts that not every call will go to plan.

He added: “My view now as a manager is that I am responsible and I think that the only way you can create an environment that looks like you’re asking for everyone to be 100 per cent responsible is by them seeing that from yourself.

“So I don’t think it’s a problem to show weakness. I don’t think it’s a problem for me to try to prepare a team for a week and work on a shape and then you come up and it doesn’t work at the weekend, to be a bit open with the players.

“One of my things that I really try to do is look at myself and say; ‘what could I have done there, I can’t blame the players for that performance’. At moments you’ll sit down with reflection, and of course you look at how the squad looks, but I must make myself 100 per cent culpable as well.”

Lampard has seen his methods start to deliver desired results over recent weeks, with Chelsea hitting the November international break on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run across all competitions.

Jack Grealish is considered to have “that Eden Hazard quality”, with Ashley Cole singing the praises of an Aston Villa playmaker who is staking a serious claim to being England’s creative influence of choice.

The 25-year-old midfielder has had to be patient in pursuit of senior international opportunities.

He is now getting his chance, with Gareth Southgate bowing to pressure as he finds a prominent role for Grealish within his plans.

The Villa captain has figured in both of England’s games during the November international break, with a first competitive start made for the Three Lions in a UEFA Nations League clash with Belgium.

He was unable to prevent Southgate’s side from slipping to a 2-0 defeat in that contest, but he did catch the eye again and has been likened to a Belgian superstar who once illuminated the Premier League at Chelsea and is currently on the books at Real Madrid.

Former England left-back Cole told Sky Sports: “Grealish was pulling the strings and running the show. When you talk about little magicians who can win you games, he's one of them. 

“Grealish should go to the Euros if he keeps producing the quality he's currently producing. 

“He's got that Hazard quality, he can beat players left and right, can get fouls for Mason [Mount] and Harry [Kane] to take free kicks. He will win England points.”

Cole is not the only ex-England star to have been impressed by Grealish, with Jamie Redknapp seeing shades of other iconic figures in the Villa midfielder.

He said: “It's been a long time since you looked at an individual and thought ‘give him the ball’ in the same way Paul Gascoigne and John Barnes were. 

“That's what I want to see Jack Grealish do. I wanted him on the ball. Playing alongside the steam engine that's Kevin De Bruyne, he ran the game. He was so confident.

“The bigger the occasion the more you see Jack Grealish play and I want to see him in an England shirt more regularly. 

“It doesn't always work out. So many times England fans have wanted a certain individual, but he showed what he's all about. 

“People don't like that he draws a lot of fouls and spends a lot of time on the floor but he goes past people effortlessly.

“I've watched Jack for a while now, I'm convinced he's the real deal. He's got everything if we play him in the right positions. 

“What you want from a player is to show the manager what you can do in every training session.”

England will be back in action on Wednesday against Iceland, in what will be a dead rubber as progress into the Nations League Finals is no longer an option for Southgate’s squad.

Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry has given an injury update from his camp ahead of the South Sudan Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Nyayo Stadium.

With Joseph Ochaya suspended, McKinstry believes he has other players who can capably replace the TP Mazembe star. On a positive note, the Irish coach revealed Ronald Mukiibi could be available after he had picked an injury in the reverse fixture.

“Obviously, [Joseph] Ochaya is not with us because of the suspension but it gives an opportunity for someone to step in and play,” McKinstry told Football256.

“In terms of [Ronald] Mukiibi, he did a full training session on Sunday, he is feeling good and is in line of consideration for the team we pick on Monday.”

The coach did not speak about Khalid Aucho who was also injured and replaced by Halid Lwaliwa.

McKinstry once again hinted he might ring more changes in the team given how close the return match has been scheduled.

“When you have games in close proximity with each other, you have to look at changes anyway. Playing the same eleven especially in a period like this is challenging,” he added.

“But the guys we choose to start the game and the ones who come off the bench, they are ready to go and put up a performance.”

A win against the Bright Stars would help the Cecafa champions go close to sealing a third straight Afcon place and the coach has revealed his expectations of the game.

“We are looking forward to the Monday game, the players have a lot of energy,” he added. “It’s a good playing surface which gives them more enthusiasm to go out there and play and get the job done.

“It has been a very short turn around; we have had a few days to look at things although we have done some great stuff and the players have a clearer understanding of what we need to do to get the win.

“We have looked at some tactical tweaks which will get us into even better positions on the field. Everyone is ready to go out and make amends for the result.

“There are many ways to get there but it’s about every time we get onto the field, can we get three points and if we do that, then we put ourselves in a strong position for qualification.”

The game will start at 16:00 EAT as South Sudan host Uganda away from home.

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has revealed that Phil Neville almost talked him into joining Everton once the decision was taken to step out of retirement in 2012.

The former England international hung up his boots in 2011 after 17 years as a first-team star at Old Trafford.

He was, however, to find life away from the pitch difficult to stomach, despite filling a coaching role within United’s academy set-up.

At 36 years of age, Scholes opted to have one more go at competitive football and revealed to those closest to him that he would be making a professional U-turn.

Sir Alex Ferguson eventually paved the way for a modern-day great to rejoin the Red Devils’ ranks, but only after a stunning move to Goodison Park had been mulled over.

Scholes told DAZN of his return to a Premier League stage: “I came back in September [2011] with Warren Joyce and the under 23s and I was training every day.

“I felt as fit as I probably ever had done after having four months off - it was just the break I needed. I said to Joyce that I wanted to play again - I just wanted to play.

“Where it was I didn't care. I didn't expect United to want me back. I spoke to Phil Neville and he said, 'Come and play for Everton.'

“I've never really wanted to play for anyone else or be involved with any other club but if that was the only option I had then I might have done it, I don't know.”

Scholes stepped back into the spotlight with United during an FA Cup derby date with arch-rivals Manchester City in January 2012 and would prolong his career for a further 18 months on the back of a big call that few saw coming and required him to buy his own boots in order to keep secret.

He added: “The next step had to be Mike Phelan, the assistant manager. I must have spoken to him at 7.30 in the morning because I was so nervous the night before waiting to see what he thought and he thought it was a great idea.

“Then there's one more person to get through which was the most important. As soon as I saw Mick I went to see the manager and told him I want to play again.

“I said that I feel fit and I feel okay and [he said], 'Do you want to play here or do you want to go somewhere else?'

“There's no way I wanted to go somewhere else. He said, 'Right I'll sort your contract out,' and that was within five minutes.

“He was on the phone to David Gill and I think it was the next day I signed for another six months. And then you think, 'What have I done?'

“He brought me into the squad to play Man City in the FA Cup. He told me not to tell anybody and the players had absolutely no idea.

“My wife knew and I think I might have told my dad but nobody else knew.

“We get to the ground on the Sunday and my kit is there. I actually couldn't get any boots. They couldn't know I was playing.

“If I'd asked for a real pair from Nike then they'd know something was going on. I went to the local JJB and I think they were £40 at the time, which I thought was quite expensive!”

Gor Mahia assistant coach Patrick Odhiambo is not worried by other teams who have made key signings in preparation for the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

Some believe K'Ogalo will have a tough time to defend their crown after the likes of Sofapaka FC and AFC Leopards brought onboard established players ahead of the forthcoming campaign. However, the former Sony Sugar tactician is not worried at all.

"Gor Mahia have always prevailed season in season out and the forthcoming one will not be any different," Odhiambo told Goal on Monday.

"Yes, they have prepared and made signings to challenge for the league and we have done the same as well. We are not worried, it will be business as usual for us. 

"We are not tired of winning the league, and we are going to offer a stiff challenge to win it again."

K'Ogalo played Posta Rangers in a pre-season friendly match on Sunday and ended up winning by a solitary goal.

The lone goal was scored by former Ulinzi Stars man Samuel Onyango from the penalty spot after Salim Hamisi was punished for handling the ball in the danger zone. It turned out to be the only goal in the game as chances went begging for either side. 

"The coach [Roberto Oliveira Goncalves] was also using the match to test some of the players," Odhiambo continued.

"But it should not worry our fans; we are ready for the start of the league. Most of the things have been done and we have now to wait to prove it on the pitch. It will be another season and another chance for us to win something for the club and the fans."

Gor Mahia will have to fight and win against Rwandan champions APR if they are to progress to the next stage, first at home, before going to Kigali for the second round.  

Just like APR, Gor Mahia have been conducting training sessions for the past month in readiness for the competition even though they have not been in competitive action since March when the leagues were cancelled by their respective federations.  

"We have about two more weeks to prepare for the game and by the time we will be ready for them.

"The new players are adapting well and we are confident they will help us perform well in both domestic and continental assignments."

Zack Steffen is embracing the challenge of competing with Ederson for competitive game time at Manchester City, with the United States international claiming that “iron sharpens iron” in a battle for number one berths.

As things stand, the highly-rated American goalkeeper is very much a back-up option at the Etihad Stadium.

He continues to figure between the sticks for his country, with the USA excited by his potential, but the 25-year-old has seen only two outings at club level in 2020-21.

They have both come in the Carabao Cup, with Steffen – who spent time on loan in Germany at Fortuna Dusseldorf last season – taking on number two duties at City from Claudio Bravo.

He has no complaints at his current standing, with Brazilian shot-stopper Ederson widely considered to be one of the best in the world, but Steffen is an ambitious character and believes a starring role at a Premier League heavyweight can be his in time.

He told ESPN: “This is my team, this is who I signed for. I want to be with them, I want to come in here, learn and get better, push the players and have them push me.

“I want to win trophies and stay here for a while and enjoy the ride. I'm just happy to be here.

“I definitely have that competitive nature, I want to play games. I want to get better and I know I can get better.

“I know I have to get better so I'm here to do those things and push my team-mates and have them push me. Iron sharpens iron.

“I'm happy to be here and I'm looking forward to this year.”

Steffen kept a clean sheet in his most recent outing, a 0-0 draw for the USA with Wales, and says the future is bright for Gregg Berhalter’s side as they welcome a number of exciting youngsters into their senior squad.

“We're a very young team,” added Steffen.

“Talented, but also inexperienced at the international level. We want to get games, camaraderie. We're close off the field, but we have to become close on the field.”

The United States will be back in action on Monday when they take in a friendly date with Panama.

Asante Kotoko head coach Maxwell Konadu believes their performance in Sunday's 2020-21 Ghana Premier League (GPL) opening game against Eleven Wonders was impacted by the venue of the match.

The Porcupine Warriors' hopes of beginning the new term with three points ended in disappointment as they were held 1-1 by their visitors in Accra. 

The match was played at the Accra Sports Stadium, the temporary home ground of the Porcupine Warriors due to ongoing renovation work of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

"This playing from home started from last season and it hasn’t been helping us," Konadu said at the post-match press conference.

"It's always better to be in front of your home fans, playing in Kumasi means a lot to the team.

“This is the first league match. Yes, we wanted to secure the three points but unfortunately, it couldn’t happen. But we’ll still work hard. It's just the first match.

"The team is still gelling together and I believe that as time goes on, the team will become better than we did today."

After Kwame Opoku netted in the 54th minute to give Kotoko the lead, Karela hit back four minutes to full-time as substitute Prince Opoku found the back of the net to ensure the sharing of spoils.

“Everybody thinks Asante Kotoko will win the league, and so if we can draw with them, it means that we are equal,” Eleven Wonders coach Ignatius Osei Fosu said during the post-match interview.

“Their pedigree is big in Africa, their pedigree is big in Ghana. But when it comes to talent, we can match them boot for boot. And everybody on TV in the world and everybody in the stadium can testify to that [after watching the game]."

Kotoko's next game is away to Berekum Chelsea who similarly settled for a draw (1-1) with Legon Cities on Saturday.

The Porcupine Warriors have set their sights on winning the GPL for the first time since 2014. They are the most successful club in the history of the championship, having won 23 titles to date, four more wins than archrivals Hearts.