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Cristiano Ronaldo may be 35 years of age, but Luis Figo says the Juventus superstar can “keep scoring goals” at the highest level for many seasons to come if “injuries are kind to him”.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been fortunate on the fitness front throughout his remarkable career to date.

By keeping himself in the best possible shape, an all-time great has been able to avoid lengthy spells on the treatment table.

That has allowed him to maintain record-setting standards that show no sign of slowing down as he enters what should be the twilight of his playing days.

Many have suggested that Ronaldo could play on past his 40th birthday, with there no reason for him to hang up his boots any time soon, and Figo believes a fellow countryman can continue to thrive in Serie A.

The legendary former Portugal international told Marca of Ronaldo, who left Real Madrid for Italy during the summer of 2018: “I'm not surprised by his form because Cristiano has always been a great professional.

“If injuries are kind to him, he'll keep scoring goals because it's a gift he has and, if the physical side allows him - age has an influence in terms of recovery and speed, sure - but if that and his hunger to be decisive and score goals continues, he'll [score] many more.

“I think that, in Italy - and I say this from experience - they have a way of thinking in relation to footballers' ages that's not like Spain. Here, you get to 30 or 31 and, after one bad game, they say you're finished. In Italy, they judge you solely on the form that you're in, not by your birth date.”

Ronaldo remains a talismanic figure for club and country and present, but Portugal have a number of young pretenders ready to take his crown.

Joao Felix falls into that category, with Figo expecting the 21-year-old Atletico Madrid forward to take his game to even greater heights once full potential is unlocked.

He added on the exciting youngster: “Joao is a young player that has a lot to learn. He's going to be much better than he is already because of the time he still has to improve.

“He's a player that has to play in his natural position to be able to perform at his best. He can play on the wing, but it's difficult. In terms of performance, you're going to notice him more if he plays in the middle.

“He's a goalscorer, he picks up good positions and that's a unique gift in football.”

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has come up with incentives to help boost the Harambee Stars as they prepare to take on Comoros in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.

The Harambee Stars have arrived safely in Moroni ahead of the reverse fixture against the island nation, with the team targeting to get their first win in the qualification campaign having drawn their first three matches.

And ahead of the team’s departure to Comoros, FKF boss Nick Mwendwa confirmed to Goal they had partnered with betting firm Odibet to support the team and if they win in the away fixture, the players and the technical bench will pocket Sh5million.

“Allowances were being paid by Ministry of Sports but the policy of the government was Sh1, 000 at home…you see, so for football players, it is really paltry so what counts for this boys is when they win what do they get?” Mwendwa told Goal.

“And it is the reason our partners Odibet gave out Sh2.5million [against Comoros had they won in the first meeting] and the money had already been given to the team captain, he had it in the pocket, now we are debating away it will be Sh5million if they win.

“Between us [FKF] and Odibet, [our betting partners], it is Sh5million so we are motivating the team now the question is how many more partners can we get to reward these boys?

“Because if they win all the three matches remaining that is Sh15million and the money they had it, on Sunday we had said we don’t have the Sh5million, but if you win we give you the money in January”

Mwendwa continued: “We are saying we want to have a structure, we want them to know what they are supposed to get when you play for Harambee Stars and it is not a conversation anymore, because we are staying in Safari Park, we are flying in jets, we are now giving the players the equal treatment other big nations in Africa are getting.

“Now we want to get ready, and get the win away in Comoros, if they win on ‘Sunday they will get Sh5million in January, from both Odibet and FKF, but now already they have the Sh2.5million, so the coach has to decide to take it away because they did not win, it is upon the coach and the players.”

After the Comoros match, the Harambee Stars will have two more matches to play in the qualifiers - against Egypt at home and Togo away.

Eric Bailly’s future at Manchester United is to be “assessed” by his representatives, with the Ivorian defender experiencing a frustrating time at Old Trafford.

Fresh terms were agreed with the Red Devils back in January, with a new contract signed through to the summer of 2022.

Bailly has, however, struggled for game time since then, with the injury-ravaged centre-half finding himself down Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s pecking order.

Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have been United’s go-to partnership at the heart of their back four.

That is leaving Bailly as a bit-part figure, with just four appearances in total and 97 minutes of Premier League football taken in this season.

The 26-year-old is not planning on pushing for the exits just yet, with another transfer window fast approaching, but the agency that looks after his career is prepared to start weighing up options.

Graziano Battistini, head of Promoesport in Italy, told Calciomercato of one of his clients: “The experience with the Red Devils depends, as always, on luck, who you meet, on the opportunities.

“If he has the right chances, for me he can be an important player to solve some problems of the team.

“If all this does not happen, it is clear that the situation will need to be assessed, but now it is too early to say certain things.

“My Spanish partners who manage him are cautious in all respects, but the boy is very focused on Manchester United.”

Bailly did see a switch to AC Milan mooted over the summer, with the Serie A giants said to be in the market for defensive additions.

Battistini claims a move to San Siro was never on the cards, but he appreciates that speculation will continue to be sparked for as long as an ambitious performer remains short on opportunities.

He added: “The boy is in an important context such as that of United, before evaluating an exit there must be absolutely valid situations.

“The Milan idea may have logic, but we need to evaluate many implications, today we are talking about nothing.”

Bailly’s last outing for United came in their humbling 6-1 defeat to Tottenham on October 6, with another untimely fitness setback having returned him to the treatment table since then.

Sierra Leone coach John Keister has hailed his side’s 4-4 draw against Nigeria in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game.

The Leone Stars fought back from a 4-0 down to secure a crucial draw against the three-time African champions at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Rodney Strasser and Alhaji Kamara, who bagged two goals in the game, were introduced into the match in the second half.

Keister has praised the contributions of his substitutes and explained why his side fell behind in the first half.

“It’s a good result away from home especially coming into Nigeria which we knew was going to be very difficult, we’re really happy,” Kester told Punch.

“We had a lot of respect for them in the first half. We showed them a lot of respect and that was why we had to come out and that was why we came out in the second half.

“The difference was the changes that we made. We got some players we left out in the first half and we were trying to work around the players we have, obviously, it didn’t work out so we had to make the change.

“I’m not disappointed we didn’t win the match. We can’t be too greedy. We’ll take the draw, we’re going home to Freetown. I think it was a game of two halves.”

Sierra Leone defender Kevin Wright admitted his side started the game on an unimpressive note but he is pleased they improved on their performance in the second half.

“I think it was an interesting game, we had a sloppy first half but obviously the boys that came on did well and we brought the game back,” he continued.

“I am disappointed we didn’t win the game, obviously if we had a better first half, we could have gotten a win but I think we’re happy with the result and we’re looking forward to the second leg in Freetown.

“I don’t think Nigeria underrated us but in the second half we upped our game, we attacked much more.”

The reverse fixture will take place on Tuesday in Freetown and victory for the Leone Stars would brighten their chances of qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Liverpool find themselves alarmingly short on centre-half options heading towards the January transfer window, but Kenny Dalglish says “in Jurgen we trust” as Klopp mulls over some big recruitment calls.

Opinion on whether the Reds need to dip into the winter market remains mixed.

For some, reinforcement is essential after seeing Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk suffer untimely knee injuries that have forced both to undergo surgery.

Others believe that the reigning Premier League champions should keep faith with the cover options already on the books, with proven performers currently laid low set to return at some stage.

Dalglish is reluctant to position himself in either camp, with the iconic Scot prepared to leave important decisions in the hands of a German tactician who has got little wrong to this point.

The Reds legend told the Liverpool Echo on a defensive headache at Anfield: “I'm trusting the manager to make the right decision - he has done so far!

“It's a really unfortunate thing, the transfer window is closed and we've picked up a few serious injuries and the likes of Thiago are still out too.

“But in Jurgen, we trust.

“There's no problem as he will make the right decision - the two boys in [Rhys] Williams and [Nat] Phillips did really well when they came in for the games they played.

“The manager has got options in those two but if it's possible to get a free transfer in then he might think that's the best route, but whatever he decides is the best route for Liverpool.”

Joel Matip is the only senior option available to Klopp at present, but Fabinho is edging his way closer to fitness, Jordan Henderson could step in if required and academy graduates Phillips and Williams have shown that they can be relied upon in domestic and continental competition.

“It's difficult for anybody to step in, but at 19 years of age Williams didn't do too badly against Atalanta,” Dalglish added.

“He was there and stood up, the first header he cleared everybody out and made sure it was his and Nat Phillips did well in the game at Anfield as well [against West Ham].

“Whether they're ready long-term it remains to be seen, but Nat was over in Germany on loan last season and did really well so maybe he is a little bit more experienced.

“As I say though, you've got a couple of choices there - they'll want to play.

“It might not be perfect timing for them because the next game is difficult against Leicester but Jurgen gets most of his decisions right and I have no doubt he'll get this one right too.”

Jack Grealish “could be somebody for the future at Arsenal”, claims Gilberto Silva, with the Aston Villa playmaker considered to “play beautiful football” in the Dennis Bergkamp mould.

The England international has seen a big-money move mooted for some time.

His creative qualities have never been in question, but he needed to prove himself at the very highest level in order to convince his many suitors that he would be worth investing in.

Manchester United are said to have monitored his progress for some time , but the Red Devils have splashed the cash on alternative midfield options such as Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek.

Grealish has been happy to avoid being dragged into long-running transfer debates, with the 25-year-old remaining fiercely loyal to his boyhood club.

A new long-term contract was signed at Villa Park over the summer, with no push for the exits being made.

He has, however, burst onto a senior international stage this season and continued to prove his worth among the Premier League elite.

That is expected to see more admiring glances shot in his direction during future windows, with Arsenal legend Gilberto suggesting that Emirates Stadium could be a potential landing spot.

The Brazilian believes that the Gunners are crying out for another proven playmaker, with Grealish ticking plenty of boxes for those in north London.

He told The Invisible Wall Show : “Grealish, amazing. It seems like he could be a player that Arsenal missed.

“With his ability, he was one of the guys in the middle who can play beautiful football. He controls the ball, assists and can score goals.

“He is slightly different from Dennis Bergkamp, but he could be somebody for the future at Arsenal.”

Grealish offered the Gunners another look at what he is capable of prior to the November international break as he ran the show for Villa in a 3-0 victory for Dean Smith’s side at the Emirates.

That performance came as no surprise to England colleague Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal star saying of a player he is now lining up alongside for the Three Lions: “He is a top player.

“When I came here [on England duty] before in my first camp he was probably the player who impressed me the most in training.

“Before we played against Villa we did analyse him and we picked him out as one of their main threats and he showed it in the game. He was amazing from start to finish.”

Renowned coach Francis Kimanzi has stated no deal has been completed between him and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side Wazito FC.

The immediate former Harambee Stars coach has been linked with the vacant coaching job at the club after the sacking of Fred Ambani and his assistant Babu Salim alongside goalkeeping coach Elias Otieno.

"Nothing has been completed between me and [Wazito] but who knows, maybe something will happen between today [Saturday] and Monday," Kimanzi told Goal on Saturday.

"I also have a team with me, I do not work alone and once they get comfortable with whatever deal we get, then I will be comfortable taking the job. But as stated earlier, nothing has been completed.

"Once we get a deal, the team considers the offer and on most occasions, what we consider is whether the working environment is conducive." 

Earlier on, Goal revealed Kimanzi has already agreed on terms to sign for the Nairobi-based club after Nicholas Muyoti turned down the offer to leave Kakamega Homeboyz.

"Wazito have now reached a deal with Francis [Kimanzi] and he will be unveiled on Monday," the source privy to the transfer, and who did not want to be named, told Goal on Saturday.

"The club was keen to hire [Nicholas] Muyoti but after a week of negotiations, it seems they failed to agree on terms, Muyoti has decided to stay at Homeboyz and it is the reason they turned to Kimanzi, who was free, having left the Harambee Stars job.

"Furthermore, the club boss [Ricardo Badoer] also preferred Kimanzi ahead of Muyoti hence the move to hire the former Mathare United coach."

Should Kimanzi take over the job, he will start his Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign with a clash against Kariobangi Sharks on November 21 before playing away against Mathare United on November 29.  

Wazito will then take on Sofapaka on December 5, tackling Ulinzi Stars on December 9, and then wind up their opening five fixtures with a clash against KCB on December 13.  

The team is aiming at performing better this season after struggling to a 13th place finish in the abandoned 2019/20 season.

Hugo Lloris has backed under-fire France midfielder Paul Pogba, insisting the Manchester United star "knows how to raise his level".

Pogba has been the subject of intense criticism for his performances at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

The 27-year-old has only scored once in 11 appearances in all competitions for United, and is no longer a guaranteed starter under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Indeed, Pogba played just eight minutes of United's last game - a 3-1 win against Everton at Goodison Park - while he gave away the penalty that saw Arsenal win 1-0 at Old Trafford on November 1.

And his miserable form transferred over to the international stage on Wednesday as he was hooked early in the second half during France's surprise 2-0 friendly defeat at home to Finland.

Didier Deschamps admitted that Pogba is struggling to live up to his usual high standards post-match, telling reporters: "Like all players who have a club situation that is not positive, they are also impacted mentally.

"I know him well enough and it can happen at some points."

Lloris, who serves as the first-choice goalkeeper for both Tottenham and France, has defended the Red Devils playmaker, pointing out that he has overcome "adversity" plenty of times over the course of his career.

"He lacks a bit of rhythm, compared to his situation at his club. Like [Raphael] Varane or [Antoine] Griezmann, he comes with a smile," the Spurs captain told a press conference ahead of Les Bleus' UEFA Nations League clash with Portugal on Saturday night.

"We see him ready to meet the challenges, the jersey of Les Bleus is close to his heart. 

"He is one of the leaders of this team. He has a long history [with the national team] and also knows how to raise his level when necessary, especially when there is adversity. 

"Tomorrow (Saturday), he will be keen to do well."

France must beat Portugal to move top of League A, Group 3, with goal difference separating the two sides after four rounds of fixtures.

Deschamps will then start preparing his side for another Nations League encounter at home to Sweden on Tuesday.

Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has absolved Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr from blame after their 4-4 draw against Sierra Leone on Friday.

The three-time African champions surrendered a four-goal lead in the encounter to share the points with the Leone Stars in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game in Benin City.

Fans have taken to social media to lambast the Super Eagles for their shambolic second-half display while the teams captain Ahmed Musa has apologized for their unimpressive performance.

Lawal also expressed shock at the draw and believes the players have to take the blame for the uninspiring showing.

“Only the players can explain what happened even the coach cannot tell you this because they are the actors,” Lawal told Goal.

“The coach has no blame. The players know there were a lot of things they did wrong. They knew they have complete control of the game and suddenly something went wrong, of course, it is the players that will take responsibilities for that.

“The coach did everything right, it’s the players that disappointed. If their tactics were not good how did they score four goals? The players were not disciplined. They exposed themselves.

“The players are professionals and they know what is at stake. They knew they did not do well. When you take chances that is what you get. Many of the fans were expecting something like 7-0 after 4-0 lead.

“We don’t know what went wrong only the players can tell. Nobody thought the Sierra Leoneans can come back into the game after 4-1. We were lucky because we could have also lost that match.”

The Super Eagles played the game behind closed doors in adherence to directives from Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

Some analysts believe the disappointing performance from the West African giants could be as a result of playing without their fans at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, a suggestion that Lawal has dismissed.

“When we scored four goals fans were not in the stadium. Fans not been in the stadium has nothing to do with the draw," he added.

“We were up by 4-0 within 40 minutes and conceded three goals in the second half, so it is not about the fans. Only the player can explain what happened.”

Despite the draw, Nigeria maintain their lead in Group L with seven points from three games after securing victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

The reverse fixture of the game is scheduled for Freetown on Tuesday and a win for Nigeria could be enough for them to secure an early ticket to 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Zesco United defender David Owino, who is commonly referred to as Calabar, is set to start for Kenya in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group G qualifying game away to Comoros.

The defender put up an impressive performance after coming in as a substitute during the first leg in place of Samuel Olwande who struggled to tame his opponents. 

"I was impressed with [Owino's] display after coming in as a substitute," Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee told Goal before the team's departure to the South Eastern coast of Africa.

"When someone performs well when given an opportunity, it means he deserves another chance."

The 52-year-old is optimistic his team can get maximum points from their Sunday hosts.

"The [Harambee Stars] players are motivated and the only thing is to strategise; of course, it is going to be a very difficult hunting ground," Mulee continued.

"However, I believe we can still sneak in and get three points from Moroni."

The soft-speaking tactician has included Sofapaka FC midfielder Lawrence Juma in his 25-man squad to play Les Coelacantes

The former Gor Mahia player was not part of the squad that drew 1-1 with Comoros. 'Ghost' saw the need to include the combative midfielder which will give him more options in Moroni.

Arnold Origi, Ian Otieno, and Brian Bwire are the goalkeepers who will travel with the team. In defence, Wazito FC centre-back Johnstone Omurwa has made it to the squad alongside David Owino Ambulu of Mathare United. 

Musa Masika, who was also left out of the initial squad for Wednesday's game, has also been included in the team alongside the likes of Gor Mahia captain Kenneth Muguna.

Earlier, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa confirmed they will charter a flight for the Harambee Stars as they travel to face Comoros in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Harambee Stars are due to leave the country on Saturday for the must-win reverse fixture in Group G that has Egypt and Togo as well.

Goalkeepers: Arnold Origi, Ian Otieno, Brian Bwire

Defenders: Joseph Okumu, Brian Mandela, David Owino Odhiambo, Johnstone Omurwa, Samuel Olwande, David Owino Ambulu, Eric Ouma

Midfielders: Victor Wanyama, Cliff Nyakeya, Johana Omollo, Eric Johanna Omondi, Ayub Timbe, Ismael Gonzalez, Hassan Abdallah, Bonface Muchiri, Kenneth Muguna, Anthony Akumu, Musa Masika, Lawrence Juma

Forwards: Masud Juma, John Avire, John Mark Makwata

Liverpool will be favourites to win the Premier League title again if they sign a centre-back in January, according to Jamie Carragher.

The Reds have made a solid start to their title defence by winning five, drawing two and losing only one of their opening eight Premier League fixtures.

Jurgen Klopp's men are only one point behind leaders Leicester at the moment, having picked up a hard-earned 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last time out.

However, Liverpool are facing an unprecedented injury crisis at the back after losing both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term injuries.

Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips are now the only natural centre-back options for Klopp to choose from, with Fabinho also likely to fill in at the back again once he returns from a hamstring issue.

The Reds have been tipped to dip into the winter transfer window for a new defender to provide cover in the second half of the season, and the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ben White have all been mooted as potential targets.

Carragher thinks it is a necessity for his old club to bring in defensive reinforcements in order to continue their march towards a second consecutive title.

“I think if Liverpool buy a centre-back, and a good one, in January, I think they'll take some stopping, I really do,” the former Liverpool defender told Punching.TV.

“Defensively, they have injury problems in that position (centre-back), and if they rectify that in January, I think Liverpool would be my favourites.

“But right now I think it's 50/50 between them and Man City because of Liverpool's injuries and the setback of Van Dijk.”

Carragher doesn't think Klopp's men will run away with the title in the same manner they did last season, with it his belief that a number of clubs will be in the mix for the trophy due to the more competitive nature of the division in the coronavirus climate.

He added: “I just don't think there'll be as big a gap between them (Liverpool and City) and the rest as we've seen in the last couple of years."

Liverpool will start preparing for a top of the table clash against Leicester after the international break, with the Foxes set to arrive at Anfield on November 22.

The reigning Premier League champions will turn their attention back to the Champions League three days later as they are scheduled to play host to Italian side Atalanta, whom they beat 5-0 away from home on matchday three.

AC Milan were forced to cancel a training session on Saturday after head coach Stefano Pioli tested positive for coronavirus.

Pioli was "promptly placed in quarantine" after the club's latest round of medical checks at the weekend, with the rest of the squad subsequently granted an extra two days off before returning to the training pitch.

The Milan boss is asymptomatic, and all other tests undertaken returned negative results.

A club statement read: "AC Milan announces that Stefano Pioli has tested positive following a quick test carried out this morning.

"The health authorities have been informed, and the coach, who is currently showing no symptoms, has gone into quarantine at home.

"All other tests carried out by the squad and staff came back negative.

"As a result, today's training session has been cancelled. Training ahead of the match with Napoli will resume on Monday, subject to the checks set out in the federal protocol."

Pioli is the latest in a growing number of Milan figures to have contracted the illness, with first-team quartet Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Daniel Maldini, Matteo Gabbia and Leo Duarte also having taken in spells in quarantine after posting positive Covid-19 tests at the start of the season.

Despite those health setbacks, Milan are sitting two points clear of surprise package Sassuolo at the top of Serie A at the moment, and are unbeaten in 19 league matches.

Pioli's men have picked up five wins from their opening seven fixtures, scoring 16 goals while only letting in seven at the other end of the pitch.

Milan are scheduled to face Napoli at Stadio San Paolo next Sunday, where they will be aiming to get back to winning ways after being held to a 2-2 draw by Hellas Verona at San Siro before the international break.

The Italian giants are due back in Europa League action four days later, with a trip to Stade Pierre-Mauroy to face Lille on the cards, before preparations begin for another domestic clash against Fiorentina on November 29.

Lusaka Dynamos bought out Duncan Otieno’s contract from AFC Leopards before signing him, Goal can report.

Otieno had been unveiled on November 1 by the FKF Premier League side but it is now clear he would not be part of the 2020/21 squad as he has already left to sign for the Zambia Super League side.

A source from AFC Leopards has told Goal Otieno’s return to Zambia was made possible after the Lusaka club decided to buy out the two-year contract the Kenya international had signed.

“Lusaka Dynamos came and bought his contract out,” an official, who did not want to be named, told Goal on Saturday.

“You know Otieno had already signed a new contract with AFC Leopards and a way out would have been only sealed by following all the procedures laid down on matters of the contract.

“Lusaka Dynamos exhausted all those avenues and that is why Otieno has been allowed to join them.”

The midfielder has already confirmed the Lusaka Dynamos deal on Saturday.

“It is true I am in Zambia and close to signing a contract with Lusaka Dynamos,” Otieno told Goal on Saturday morning.

“We have agreed on most things and we will be finalising the length of the contract today [Saturday]. It is a good team and it will be a pleasure playing in the Zambian league once again.”

Otieno signed the new two-year deal for the Premier League giants, a club he had left in 2018 for Nkana FC. His contract with the Zambian champions ended when the 2019/20 season came to a halt.

He joined AFC Leopards for the pre-season programmes that started in Kisii town with a match against National Super League side Shabana FC. He also took part in a 10-day training camp at Elgeiyo-Marakwet county before the team travelled to Nairobi where he was unveiled early in November.

His move to join Lusaka Dynamos means he will link up with the former Nkana teammate Musa Mohamed who was unveiled on November 4 after agreeing on a two-year deal.

Mohamed, Otieno, Duke Abuya and Harun Shakava were part of the squad that fought for the Super League title last season that was won on the last day of the campaign.

Otieno’s return to Zambia means he joins other Kenyans like Jesse Were and John Makwatta at Zesco United alongside defender David ‘Calabar’ Owino and goalkeeper Ian Otieno, while former AFC Leopards midfielder Andrew Tololwa is at Red Arrows.

Jack Wilshere "could have made the big time at Real Madrid or Barcelona", according to Cesc Fabregas, who says the ex-Arsenal star had the potential to become an "English legend".

Wilshere enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence at Arsenal after graduating to the senior squad under Arsene Wenger back in 2008.

The midfielder quickly became a regular in the Frenchman's starting line-up, while also establishing himself as a full England international.

He proved himself as a more than capable performer in both the Premier League and Champions League, with his most notable performance coming in a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the first leg of a last-16 tie in 2011.

Wilshere was touted as one of the most talented players in Europe after that display, but unfortunately was never able to reach the same heights again after being ravaged by a series of niggling injuries.

The 28-year-old eventually left Emirates Stadium as a free agent before joining West Ham in 2018 and Fabregas was left lamenting what could have been for his old team-mate.

"Jack was such a good talent, one of the most talented players I've ever played with," the former Gunners midfielder told The Daily Mail.

"He was just 16 when he first came to train with us and I was like 'wow this guy is good, strong, sharp'. It's a big shame what has happened to him, I feel sorry because he could have been a proper English legend of the game.

"We always talk about how British players would adapt to teams in Europe - I always believed that Jack was one of the few Brits who could have made it big time at Real Madrid or Barcelona.

"Same with Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. These guys are so talented, without injuries they could have done much more."

Wilshere's fitness problems continued at West Ham, who terminated his contract one year early in October after seeing him appear in just 19 games for the club in two seasons.

The former Arsenal midfielder is still on the lookout for his next challenge, but ruled out the possibility of joining Tottenham if they ever expressed an interest in him during an interview with Sky Sports earlier this month.

"They wouldn't have me!" he said. "But I don't think I could do it. It's not as if Arsenal got rid of me and kicked me out and there is bad feeling, they offered me a deal and I wanted to try something else.

"I'm an Arsenal man."

Harambee Stars have landed safely in Comoros ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations reverse fixture against the host nation on Sunday.

The Kenyan team left Nairobi on Saturday morning at 7 am via a chartered flight and have now landed in Moroni ready to start preparations for the match.

Kenya have already played three matches, managing to secure consecutive draws – 1-1 Egypt, 1-1 against Togo, and 1-1 against Comoros on Wednesday at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

On departure, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa remained confident they still have a chance to make it to the Afcon finals for the second straight campaign despite the start with three draws.

“Yes…we still have a chance,” Mwendwa told Goal before the team left for Comoros for the return leg. “I am confident, there is a path, even if we draw away in Comoros there is still a path because the other teams are also dropping points, so we are still in the game.

“The big question is Togo and Egypt, what do we do? Is it a guarantee we win the matches? It is not, we never said it is a done deal, so what do we do?

“We have to be ready to get something out of the two nations, it is either we win or at worst we get a draw, we must prepare well for the remaining matches and as FKF we are doing everything possible to make this team happy and make sure they give us the good results that we want as a country.”

Meanwhile, captain Victor Wanyama has also promised an improved display against the island nation.

“Every point in such qualifiers is very vital,” Wanyama told Goal on Friday. “We are not satisfied to have managed only a point in the first meeting but it is better than nothing, it is very important to keep us on course.

“Of course we had targeted to carry three points from the fixture but it was not the case, so our focus now is to make sure we battle very hard in the away match and at least come with maximum points, if not a point will not be bad, we are eyeing a positive result in Comoros.”

On his part coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee is also confident of a good show in Moroni.

“We have now gauged our strengths and weaknesses, and when we play them in Moroni, we will do our best to remain in contention, for a place at the 2022 Afcon finals," Mulee told Goal before the team left for Comoros.

Goalkeepers: Arnold Origi, Ian Otieno, and Brian Bwire.

Defenders: Joseph Okumu, Brian Mandela, David Owino Odhiambo, Johnstone Omurwa, Samuel Olwande, David Owino Ambulu, Eric Ouma.

Midfielders: Victor Wanyama, Cliff Nyakeya, Johana Omollo, Eric Johanna Omondi, Ayub Timbe, Ismael Gonzalez, Hassan Abdallah, Bonface Muchiri, Kenneth Muguna, Anthony Akumu, Musa Masika, Lawrence Juma.

Forwards: Masud Juma, John Avire, and John Mark Makwata.

The cancellation of the 2020 Malaysia Cup is a reminder that professional football in Malaysia must transform itself into an economically indespensable industry to the country, said Selangor secretary-general Johan Kamal Hamidon to Goal.

After round one of Malaysia's annual post-season competition was played last weekend, Malaysia's National Security Council unilaterally announced that the cup had to be postponed due to the second wave of Covid-19 infections in the country. Attempts to persuade the government into allowing the rest of the competition to be played failed, and the Malaysian Football League (MFL) was forced to abandon the Malaysia Cup altogether, with this being the first year since 1947 that no winner will be had for the competition.

Fans pointed out that although the government's decision seemed unfair due to the fact that professional football have not been known to spread the coronavirus as compared to other Malaysian industries, the government's absence of reluctance in putting a stop to footballing activities is mainly due to the notion that professional football in Malaysia is not an economically-significant sector.

READ: Economic irrelevance hindering Malaysian pro football's bid to return sooner

In Goal's telephone conversation with Johan on Saturday, he stated his belief that the competition could still have been carried out safely.

"I get that there are risks involved [in letting the Malaysia Cup continue], but it is almost zero. When everyone on the pitch has been tested negative for Covid-19, how can they infect others? Sure, you can't socially distance during a game of football, but these players have all tested negative.

"There have been zero cases from professional football in this country, as we have argued, and I believe this should have been considered before the decision was made [by the government]," he noted exasperatedly.

JDT v Kuching Malaysia Cup round one match. Photo by Sports Regime

While he conceded that professional football in Malaysia is not a strong economic sector, Johan is of the belief that the abrupt cancellation will adversely affect the economic potential of professional football.

"We all know that football is not a mature industry in Malaysia and that it's not yet a business. We cannot deny that. But it doesn't mean that we just stick to the status quo, and we at Selangor have been trying to make it more sustainable.

"Even though it's not as strong an industry as others, it can't be denied that it engages many employees and stakeholders throughout the country. Yes, government funding is utilised, but there are also private sector contributions to the industry.

"How are we supposed to increase the percentage of private funding into the football industry when it can easily be dismissed by the government without any strong reasonings and facts?

"The decision (Malaysia Cup's forced cancellation) has not supported the effort of turning it into a business-driven industry. When it is seen as a sector that can be easily pushed around, it will erode the confidence of the private sector in pro football as one of the avenues of advertising and partnership. It has given a poor impression to prospective partners," explained the club official.

When asked how professional football in Malaysia can avoid getting mired in a similar situation in the future, with the pandemic still gripping the world, he offered a brief answer:

"The solution is to make professional football lucrative [as an industry], that's all I can say."

South Africa head coach Molefi Ntseki says he knew Bafana Bafana were bound to defeat Sao Tome and Principe despite a poor first-half showing by his charges on Friday night.

Bafana had to dig deep for their 2-0 victory over the Falcons and True Parrots Team in the 2020 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in Durban. 

Ntseki's side struggled to create clear-cut chances and they were indecisive in front of goal at times in the first-half, but an improved second-half performance saw Percy Tau and Bongani Zungu grab two goals. 

The Botshabelo-born tactician lauded Sao Tome, who are ranked 182nd in the world following the match which was played at Moses Mabhida Stadium. 

“They [Sao Tome] gave a good account of themselves in terms of how they played in the first half," Ntseki said during the post-match conference 

"But we knew we have good quality in our team, and knew making tactical changes in the team the players would gain confidence and belief to say they could win. It worked for us, but we must also give respect to our opponents, they are not here because someone did them a favour."

Sao Tome reached this stage of the Afcon qualifiers after eliminating Mauritius in the preliminary round in October 2019.

The Falcons and True Parrots Team came into the encounter with South Africa having displayed their stubbornness in their narrow 1-0 defeat to Ghana in a Group C match in Sao Tome in November 2019.

“This is a team that won against Mauritius to be in the group, that only lost 1-0 against Ghana," the former South Africa under-17 head coach added. 

"With the patience and tactical awareness we showed. We managed to take our chances, it was a bit tense in the first-half, but ultimately we knew we would do well.”

Ntseki will be hoping to mastermind another victory over the Island country when they face Bafana in the reverse fixture at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium where Sao Tome will officially be the home side on Monday.

A victory for South Africa will see them go level on points with leaders, Ghana on the Group C standings.

Ghana are set to travel to Al Hilal Stadium in Omdurman where they will take on Sudan on Tuesday. 

Mikel Arteta is still "trying to find his team", according to Cesc Fabregas, who says the Arsenal boss needs time to implement his "exciting" ideas.

Arteta has received plenty of praise for his work at Emirates Stadium since being appointed as Unai Emery's permanent successor in December 2019.

The Gunners have rediscovered a distinctive identity under their former captain, with a high-pressing system based around defending and attacking as a team reaping plenty of rewards over the first year of his tenure.

Arsenal concluded their 2019-20 campaign with a thrilling run to FA Cup glory, and have been aiming to build on that platform at the beginning of the new season, with mixed results.

Arteta's men are sitting 11th in the Premier League standings after eight fixtures , having suffered damaging defeats against Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester and Aston Villa.

Encouraging signs have been shown during wins over Fulham, West Ham, Sheffield United and Manchester United, but the north Londoners will need to develop a consistent streak in order to challenge for a place in the top four.

Fabregas has called for patience as Arteta bids to transform the Gunners into an elite force once again, and has expressed his belief that a fellow Spaniard is still trying to assemble a squad in his own image.

"Listen, it's a transition period," the ex-Arsenal midfielder told 90min . "Mikel has his ideas, but it takes time. The problem for a coach nowadays is that you have no time. You lose three games, everyone is asking for your head.

"I know it's very, very difficult because you want to implement your ideas, and it's a process. Sometimes it's difficult because football is moving very quickly, everyone wants to win, there's pressure from the board, from the fans, from the players. You're on the spot every single day.

"He's trying to find his team. They have [Dani] Ceballos, they have [Granit] Xhaka, now they've added Thomas Partey from Atletico, who's a very good player as well. They have Willian, they have [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang - top, top players, that's 100 per cent sure. Maybe they still need a little bit more time."

Fabregas added on Arteta's managerial credentials: "You can see that he's a leader, that he knows a lot of football. He obviously learned from one of the very best coaches in history, Pep Guardiola, and for him, that must have been a masterclass. I have no doubt about that.

"He was at Barcelona, he knows what it takes to win. It's an exciting moment for Arsenal, because I believe that even though it's his first job, he's showing personality, and hopefully, he can do well for the club."