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Wycombe Wanderers forward Uche Ikpeazu Mubiru has revealed his eagerness to earn a debut for Uganda in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Cranes are lined up to face South Sudan in a Group B double-header set for November, and the burly striker has pointed out he is ready to represent the country after being named in the squad for the match.

“It’s an honor to be called up and I am looking forward to representing my country in the up and coming fixtures,” Mubiru wrote on his social media pages.

Mubiru was due to make his debut for Uganda in early March after coach Johnathan McKinstry named him in the squad to face South Sudan, but the clash was postponed over the coronavirus outbreak.

Five days ago, McKinstry once again named the striker in his provisional squad of 20 which only featured foreign-based players.

The Cranes are set to face South Sudan on November 11 and 16 for match days three and four of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Fahad Bayo and Timothy Awany, both of Ashdod FC, Kizito Luwaga of Hapoel Kfar Saba as well as Michael Azira of Chicago Fire were also included despite missing a training camp in Dubai during the international break.

The camp was planned in order to help the players gel ahead of the qualifiers and the African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament but some players failed to turn up due to travel restrictions.

Derrick Nsibambi has also returned to the national side even though he also did not take part in the Dubai training sessions.

In a recent interview, McKinstry revealed he had held talks with Mubiru before he signed for Championship side Wycombe Wanderers.

“I have been in constant contact with Mubiru,” McKinstry began as per Kawowo. “We spoke about the prospect of moving to the Championship after he called to consult for advice and I gave him a go-ahead.

“The Championship is one of the most - if not the very best of the - competitive leagues in the world, with thrilling action week in, week out. It is definitely a great platform for Mubiru to develop further.”

The 25-year-old, born in London to a Nigerian father and a Ugandan mother, had managed to score two goals in 23 Scottish Premiership games for Hearts last season before he moved to Wycombe.

He previously played in the English League One with Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Blackpool, and Doncaster Rovers, and he has expressed his readiness to play on the international scene with the Cranes.

Upon being called up to Cranes squad before the qualifiers were suspended owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Mubiru said: “It’s always been a dream to represent my country.

"I thank God for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to testing myself at international level and hopefully achieving great things with Uganda Cranes.”

Uganda are seeking to qualify for the Afcon for a third successive time.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Cedric Kaze says he is happy with his first two matches in charge of the club but has promised more is still to come from the team.

The Burundian tactician signed a three-year contract to sign for the Jangwani giants following the abrupt exit of Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, who had overseen the club for only 37 days.

So far, Kaze has overseen two matches – winning 1-0 against Polisi Tanzania before beating KMC 2-1 at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.

Kaze has now revealed he is yet to get satisfied with his players despite the two wins and has promised the fans to expect more from the team when they start playing his style of football.

“I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from Yanga fans, thanking me for the few changes the team has had since I took over, especially the team holding well to the ball when in possession and also attacking the opponent at any given time,” Kaze is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“I want to tell Yanga fans that it is just the beginning, more good things will come as you know I have only been around with the team for a few weeks, so we will have a few things we must work on to improve because my aim is to see the team playing the passing game, it is what I like most.

“For now, I am working on improving areas which are not 100 per cent, for example, the striking force, who are not using the chances they create and it has affected our goals not coming in, we have to improve on that.”

Kaze continued: “Another area I want to see improvement is the recovery process, when the team loses possession we take a long time to recover the ball, so we are working on rectifying such mistakes as we move forward.”

Yanga are currently second on the 18-team league table with 19 points from seven matches while Azam, who lost their first match this season against Mtibwa Sugar, are still perched at the top on 21 points.

They will next face Biashara United on November 1.

Azam FC have maintained they will continue to fight for the targets they set for the 2020-21 season despite suffering their first defeat of the campaign to Mtibwa Sugar on Monday.

The Chamazi-based giants had gone for seven matches unbeaten and were sitting at the top of the 18-team league table before their impeccable start came to an abrupt end courtesy of Jaffary Kibaya’s second-half strike at Jamhuri Stadium.

Kibaya scored two minutes after the hour mark after the two sides fought hard but were unable to break the deadlock in the first half and in the first 15 minutes of the subsequent half.

Despite the defeat, Azam media officer Thabit Zakaria has maintained they will not be distracted by the outcome but will continue to fight and make sure they achieve some of the targets they set before the new season began.

“In football, you have three results, a win, draw or lose, we lost our game despite the boys putting up a very brilliant fight,” Zakaria is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“The players did a tremendous job, they worked very hard to get us a win but it never came, the result did not come our way, we have lost our first match this season but must not stick to that, we have to plan for our next match, we don’t want to be distracted by the defeat.

“I strongly believe it is part of football to lose and win and we will continue to fight hard and achieve our targets, our focus has already shifted to the next league match, one thing I am happy about is that we have a very good squad and fans should not panic, we will bounce back.”

Against Mtibwa, Azam missed the services of key players – striker Obrey Chirwa, who has so far scored four goals, with injury and winger Salum ‘Sure Boy’ Abubakar – who was serving a one-match ban from accumulated cards.

The defeat saw Azam fail to keep a clean sheet – as they had done in six out of seven matches while goalkeeper David Mapigano was in charge - for the second time since the league began.

The Aristica Cioaba-coached side had established themselves as a ruthless team in front of goal given that they had scored 14 goals in the seven matches but were unable to breach Mtibwa’s defence which had failed to keep a clean sheet in five of their last six matches.

Mtibwa Sugar are now in position 10 with 11 points and their next game will be against Kagera Sugar on November 1 while Azam will hope to resuscitate their campaign when they host JKT Tanzania at Chamazi Sports Complex on the same day.

Simba SC fans have categorically told those of Yanga SC they will recover their six points from recent consecutive defeats by beating them home and away.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi suffered their second defeat in a row after losing 1-0 to Ruvu Shooting in a Mainland Premier League contest on Monday, and this came after they had also lost to Tanzania Prisons by the same margin four days earlier.

The two defeats have elicited excitement within Yanga circles, especially the fans, who took to social media to celebrate, and further claimed they now have a good chance to win the league title for the first time since the 2016-17 season as they are still unbeaten from seven matches played so far this campaign.

With the first derby between the two giants earmarked for November 7, 2020, Simba fans have told their rivals they will recover the six points dropped from the two defeats by beating them home and away and will also win a record fourth straight league title this season.

“The points that we have dropped now are six points, they are very crucial but I want to assure our fans that we will recover the points when we play against Yanga [home and away],” a Simba fan explained to Sokaonline TV after their match against Ruvu Shooting at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es salaam.

“Yanga will pay for the suffering if we have gone through [losing two matches in a row], they like it or not, we will beat them and recover the points from them, we ask them to rejoice now, let them celebrate but the time will come, they will not be seen anywhere near social media.

“It is very normal for a team to lose a match but the way Yanga are celebrating it is as if Simba are out of the race, they will cry soon, you will see and I want you to come back for another interview after the derby.”

Prior to Monday's meeting, Simba and Ruvu Shooting had met 18 times in all competitions and Wekundu wa Msimbazi had managed to win 16 games, drawing the remaining two.

Coach Sven Vandenbroeck tinkered with his squad, giving Beno Kakolanya and Francis Kahata a chance. Bernard Morrison, the returning John Bocco, and Aishi Manula were the players who started on the bench.

However, Ruvu took a deserved lead when Fully Zulu Maganga, who made no mistake from three yards, sent his team into the break with a deserving lead.

Simba were given a lifeline in the 80th minute when they were awarded a penalty after foul play by their opponents in the danger zone but Bocco, who had been introduced, took it and despite beating the goalkeeper, he could not beat the crossbar.

Monday’s defeat has definitely cast doubt on the future of the Belgian coach, who has arguably the best squad in the Tanzania Mainland League.

Simba have now dropped to fourth position with 13 points from seven games.

A report on Tuesday morning has linked former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Oupa Manyisa with a move to Swallows FC.

Manyisa had seemingly been set to start a new chapter in his career with Limpopo-based side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), after the club bought Bidvest Wits' franchise to earn their spot in the top flight.

This was after the former Bafana Bafana playmaker had found his career stagnating at Sundowns, where he had struggled to get game-time during his three seasons, his cause also not helped by some serious injuries.

He was reportedly signed by TTM in July but was not among the new players paraded by the club a few weeks back.

And according to a report by the Citizen, TTM have been unable or unwilling to meet Manyisa's salary demands and have therefore decided not to sign him. The club have yet to fully clarify the situation.

The same publication also claims that Manyisa is now in discussions with Swallows FC.

“They are talking. But I am not sure how far they are with their negotiations," an unnamed source was quoted saying.

"He would obviously be a good addition for my team as we all know his capabilities. But the stumbling block could be that Swallows have already signed too many players and are already getting stick for it."

Manyisa’s most recent league action was more than a year ago, when he came on as a late substitute in a match against Baroka FC on April 20, 2019.

The Birds have signed more than 10 new players already, including the likes of Musa Nyatama, Thabo Mosadi, Kamohelo Mahlatsi, Sammy Seabi, Keegan Ritchie, Ruzaigh Gamildien and Wandisile Letlabika.

They started life back in the top flight, following a five year absence, with a 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch FC.  Gamildien opened the scoring with a 16th minute penalty but the Cape side equalised 11 minutes later through a Robyn Johannes spot-kick.

The Birds, coached by Brandon Truter, play their first home match of the 2020/21 campaign when they take on Bloemfontein Celtic at the Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday night.

East Bengal have signed 25-year-old German midfielder Matti Steinmann for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Steinmann comes to the Kolkata side with the experience of playing in the Bundesliga and Danish Super League. A former graduate of the Hamburger SV academy, he has represented Die Rothosen in 12 Bundesliga matches in total.

Steinmann last played for A-League club Wellington Phoenix in the 2019-20 season where had played 24 matches for the New Zealand club.

Debut and Bundesliga experience

Steinmann was a part of Hamburger SV from 2009 to 2014. During that time, he had played for the club’s U-19 as well their reserves team in Regionalliga (Fourth tier of German football) and youth leagues.

The midfielder was promoted to the senior team ahead of the 2014-15 season and he made his senior debut against German giants Bayern Munich when he came on as a late substitute. Hamburger had managed a goalless draw against the champions in that match. In the same season, he once again took the field for Hamburger against Bayern Munich in a DFB Pokal match which Bayern won 3-1.

In the subsequent, Steinmann was sent on loan to third division side Chemnitzer FC where he had appeared in 16 league games. He had also played against Borussia Dortmund in a DFB Pokal match which Chemnitzer lost 0-2.

During the 2018-19 season, he was once again sent on loan to Danish top division side Vendsyssel Forenede Fodboldklubber where had appeared in eight matches and scored one goal.

International football

While Steinmann has never represented his country at the senior level, he has played for Germany's U20 side in the 2015 U20 World Cup. He had played four matches in the tournament out of which he started in two games and came on as a substitute in the other two. The Germans were knocked out of the competition in the quarterfinal as they lost to eventual champions Mali in the penalty shootout.

Last stint

The midfielder joined A-League side Wellington Phoenix ahead of the 2019-20 season on a one-year deal and had made 24 league appearances last year. He was one of the important figures in the Kiwi club’s midfield. His deal ran out after the 2019-20 season after which he decided to join East Bengal.

The Indian transfer window came to an end on October 20. What this meant was that the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs cannot anymore sign players who are not free agents.

However, the ISL registration window ended on October 23. So if a club had to sign a free agent then they should have done so and get him registered by October 23. 

An ISL side can register a maximum of 35 players in their squad. 

The clubs must bear in mind that they must have at least six and not more than seven foreign players in their squad. Out of which one of them must belong to an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) member association nation. 

Additionally, there must be at least three developmental players (born after 1st January 2000) included in the squad. 

Previously, it was also mandatory for the clubs to get the approval of the league for three of their foreign signings. Players who have played a minimum of 1000 minutes last season were automatically approved. But this rule has now been scrapped and the clubs no longer need to approach the ISL for approval. 

As earlier mentioned, the ISL registration window closes on October 23. So under normal circumstances, no player can be registered after that stipulated date. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.  

If a player is injured and ruled out for at least two months, the club can permanently replace him only after the league’s approval.

Also if the club terminates the contract of a registered player, then a replacement can be signed. 

But if a club registers less than seven foreigners (and the squad length is still less than the maximum size of 35) by October 23 they can still fill the quota post the stipulated date provided the player is a free agent. 

For example, if a club has signed only six overseas players and their maximum squad strength is 33, they can sign a free agent at any point during the season. 

Moreover, if the ISL club sells or loans a player to another club of a different country, then it can register a replacement. 

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone said Luis Suarez could still start the club's Champions League fixture against Salzburg, despite training away from the squad.

Suarez trained individually ahead of Tuesday's Group A showdown with Austrian visitors Salzburg in Madrid.

Simeone - whose Atletico were routed 4-0 by defending champions Bayern Munich on matchday one - provided a fitness update on Suarez, telling reporters on Monday: "He'll be in the squad.

"We agreed with the doctor that it was best for him to work away from the group [on Monday] and then, according to what we see tomorrow, he'll [either] start or be on the bench."

Suarez has been in red-hot form since swapping embattled La Liga giants Barcelona for Spanish rivals Atletico at the start of the season.

The 33-year-old has scored four goals in five league games, including the second goal in last week's 2-0 victory at home to Real Betis.

Suarez also scored his 150th La Liga goal earlier this month, becoming the second fastest player to reach that milestone in the competition this century - quicker than Lionel Messi and only behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

Asked if he was surprised by Suarez's impact, Simeone replied: "Surprised, no.  I've found a player who I listened to on the phone when we first made contact in that first chat to see if there was a chance he could join us.

"He wanted to be here and he's proving it. Let's hope we can help him."

Simeone also hailed Atletico attacker Joao Felix, who has impressed during the early stages of 2020-21.

Joao Felix arrived from Benfica for a club-record €126 million fee last season but injuries hampered the Portuguese after a solid start.

He has a goal and one assist through five La Liga appearances and Simeone added: "It's always the same. For me, he's had some very good games since the start of the season. Granada, Huesca, Villarreal despite being tired, the whole game in Munich...

"He's looked dangerous on a number of occasions. The other day [against Real Betis], when he came on in the 25th minute, the team had a good fluidity.

"I'm happy with his work, except for a few minutes against Celta [Vigo], which weren't the best. We're always looking for a situation to find him [on the pitch]. He's a boy who's in good form, like many of his team-mates."

With news having emerged that Nigeria's military opening fire on citizens and killing 12 protesters, sports stars and athletes all over the world have voiced their solidarity in support of ending Sars.

But what is the End Sars movement about and which footballers are supporting it? Goal takes a look.

What is the End Sars protest about?

The End Sars movement is a protest fighting against the police brutality of Sars, Nigeria's Special Anti-Robber Squad, which was launched in 2017.

Sars have been accused of several unjust arrests, discriminatory profiling, extortion and torture, which has led to and protesters banding together.

End Sars protests began in early October, with thousands of young Nigerians taking to the streets to peacefully protest the injustice of Sars' methods.

The Nigerian military had opened fire on thousands of civilians who attended an #EndSars protest in Lagos, with the city's state governor stating that it resulted in just one death.

Amnesty International, however, have confirmed that the Nigerian army and police had killed at least 12 peaceful protesters.

Though the unit was disbanded after several days of protests following tensions within the country, activists still believe that there is much left to be done.

"Opening fire on peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of people’s rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Soldiers clearly had one intention - to kill without consequences," said Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

"These shootings clearly amount to extrajudicial executions. There must be an immediate investigation and suspected perpetrators must be held accountable through fair trials.

"Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families."

Which footballers have supported the End Sars campaign?

Several athletes have spoken out in support of the End Sars protests , with the movement having several links to the world of sport.

Nigerian sports stars have a personal connection to the End Sars campaign since the death of Nigerian footballer Tiamiyu Kazeem in February 2020, with Kazeem having been killed by a hit-and-run driver after being stopped by Sars officers.

Izu Joseph, also a footballer, was shot during a community raid by law enforcement agents in 2016.

Victor Moses dedicated his first Russian Premier League goal for Spartak Moscow to the End Sars protesters in his native Nigeria during a 3-1 win over Krasnodar.

“Brilliant win today and delighted to get my first goal for the club,” Moses tweeted.

“I dedicate my goal today to the people of Nigeria. Enough is enough! Nigerians have the right to protest and not be killed for it. Pray for Nigeria.”

Other high-profile footballers both Nigerian and non-Nigerian such as Odion Ighalo, Tammy Abraham, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Antonio Rudiger have also voiced their support for the protesters.

“Sending the military to kill unarmed protesters because they are protesting for their own rights? It’s uncalled for," Ighalo said in a video posted to his Twitter.

“I’m calling the UK government and all the leaders in the world to see what is going on in Nigeria and help the poor citizens. The government are killing their own citizens.

“We are calling you guys in the United Nations to see to this matter. I want to tell my brothers and sisters back home to remain safe, be indoor and please don’t come out because the government are killers and they will keep killing if the world doesn’t talk about this.”

"#EndSARS for the safety of Nigerians... we are scared to visit home because the people who are meant to protect us are killing us. Looking good with dreads is not a crime," wrote Ndidi.

The likes of Marcus Rashford, Mesut Ozil and Rio Ferdinand have also voiced their solidarity.

Ahmed Hegazi said a fond farewell to West Bromwich Albion in an emotional statement published on social media following his move to Al Ittihad.

The 29-year-old joined the Baggies on loan from Al Ahly on July 17, 2017 and after his impressive maiden season for the English side, West Brom signed the centre back on a permanent basis.

After helping the Hawthorns giants return to the Premier League, his progress stalled as he failed to establish himself in Slaven Bilic’s squad that boasts of Nigeria international Semi Ajayi.

His only game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign was in the 0-0 home draw with Burnley.

However, he has teamed up with the Saudi Professional League club on an initial loan deal where he would be hoping to get regular playing time.

Now, as he prepares to commence on a new journey with Fabio Carille’s squad. Hegazi reiterated his affinity for West Brom.

“To my dear Baggies, I would like to thank you deeply for all the support you have given me over the past three years, through all the ups and downs. You have been amazing to me and my family,” the Egyptian wrote on Instagram.

“And I have always endeavoured to repay this faith by giving absolutely everything on the pitch for this great club, the fans and my team mates.

“I would also like to thank my team mates, coaches, and all the staff at West Bromwich Albion for welcoming me from day one, you have become family and I will miss you all, I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season and the future.

“Now I'm looking forward to starting a new challenge with Al Ittihad club, which is one of the biggest and most popular in Arab region, Asia.”

At the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the former Perugia and Fiorentina player unites with Cape Verde’s Garry Rodrigues, Cote d’Ivoire’s Wilfried Bony, Tunisia's Anice Badri, Morocco's El Ahmadi and Mali's Ahmed Eldin for the 2020-21 Saudi Pro League campaign.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he is expected to make his debut against Al Ahli on October 31.

Tottenham Hotspur duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are fast closing in a Premier League record currently held by Chelsea greats Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

In a largely toothless outing at Turf Moor on Monday night, Jose Mourinho’s men recorded a 1-0 away win against Burnley.

With 14 minutes left to go, South Korea international Son headed in from close range after a fine work from strike partner Kane as Sean Dyche’s men lost their fourth game of the 2020-21 campaign.

The pair have now combined for 29 goals in the English topflight – equalling a feat achieved by Manchester City’s David Silva and Sergio Aguero (29) as well as the duo of Thierry Henry and Robert Pires (29).

Arsenal’s French connection was a huge part of the Gunners’ most successful period of the English elite division era. Before heading for Barcelona, Henry won a record four Golden Boots but his profitable partnership with his compatriot proved the best, scoring 19 goals with Pires finding the net on 12 occasions.

Another Spurs combo Darren Anderton and Teddy Sheringham sit fifth in the ratings for the competition’s most deadly partnership having combined for 27 goals during their time with the North Londoners.

Top of the charts are Lampard and Drogba, who combined for a whopping 36 goals during their celebrated time together at Chelsea. The current Blues manager assisted his teammate on 24 occasions with the former Cote d’Ivoire international returning the favour 12 times.

Their partnership also yielded three Premier League diadems including back-to-back triumphs in 2005 and 2006.

Barring any form of injury, Kane and Son are on course to match Drogba and Lampard’s tally this term.

Thanks to their latest result, Mourinho’s side now occupy the fifth spot in the log after accruing 11 points from six outings so far. Their attention shifts to the Europa League as they travel to Belgium on Thursday for a date versus Royal Antwerp in a Group J showdown. 

Marcus Rashford has been spearheading a movement to make sure underprivileged schoolchildren are able to have access to free food over the holidays.

The Manchester United footballer has been vocal about his efforts to put an end to child food poverty, and Goal has what you need to know about the campaign.

What is Marcus Rashford's free school meals campaign?

Rashford has been working to extend the government's free school meals campaign to function over the holidays until Easter 2021, instead of only during term time.

The Manchester United star has been passionate in his efforts to combat child hunger across England, following his efforts over the summer in which he was able to change the course of the UK Government's decision in order to provide free meals for underprivileged children during the summer school holidays.

It followed an extension for free school meals available to eligible children during the Easter holidays earlier in the year, but another road block was hit in October when the Labour bid to extend free school meals was rejected by MPs in Commons 322 to 261.

The government blocked the bid and decided not to follow in the footsteps of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, stating that they had already given councils £63 million in funding for families who are in disadvantaged positions financially due to Covid-19, in addition to increasing welfare support by £9.3 billion.

But Rashford has voiced his disappointment at the UK Government, taking to Twitter to express his frustrations and launching a petition urging the government to double down in their efforts to end child poverty.

And though Labour's bid was rejected, several businesses promised to aid Rashford and start their own campaign to provide free school meals during holidays, with the forward retweeting the locations of those who had stepped up.

"Put aside all the noise, the digs, the party politics and let's focus on the reality," Rashford had written on Twitter. "A significant number of children are going to bed tonight not only hungry but feeling like they do not matter because of comments that have been made today.

"We must stop stigmatising, judging and pointing fingers. Our views are being clouded by political affiliation. This is not politics, this is humanity.

"We talk about the devastating impact of Covid-19 but, if projections are anything to go by, child food poverty has the potential to become the greatest pandemic the country has ever faced.

"We must start working together and unite to protect our most vulnerable children. No more sticking plasters.

"Let's face this head on. Let's level up once and for all. The asks of the Child Food Poverty Taskforce remain the same. We are endorsing Government-commissioned policy recommendations that were built from extensive research and data analysis.

"These policies are vital to stabilising millions of households across the UK and need to be implemented without delay. Child hunger should never be faced with looming deadlines."

He has since invited Downing Street negotiate further plans of action.

"Following private and public approaches, I once again invite Number 10 to sit around the table with the taskforce so that, together, we can collaborate on how best to combat child food poverty in the UK," he continued. "We are here to help, but we require guidance and insight from those in Number 10.

"I don't have the education of a politician, many on Twitter have made that clear today, but I have a social education having lived through this and having spent time with the families affected.

"These children matter. These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic, and for as long as they don't have a voice, they will have mine. You have my word on that."

How can I sign Marcus Rashford's petition?

The petition, created by Rashford in October 2020, beckons the UK Government to provide during meals during all holidays for schoolchildren, and for free school meals to be extended to households who are on universal credit.

The petition can be accessed using this link.

"If you can do one thing for me tonight, sign the petition," Rashford wrote on Twitter.

"It’s time we put party politics aside and worked together to find a long-term sustainable solution to child food poverty in the UK.

"Implement the three asks. I appreciate you all."

The statement on the petition states: "Government should support vulnerable children & #endchildfoodpoverty by implementing 3 recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals & activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger & increase the value of and expand the Healthy Start scheme."

The petition passed 250,000 signatures two days after it was launched, and reached 800,000 signatures in the nine days since.

Jose Mourinho has praised former Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino for his role in the flourishing deadly attacking partnership between Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

Kane and Son once again combined to score the winning goal as Spurs downed a stubborn Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor on Monday night.

The duo have now combined to score 29 goals in the Premier League, which ranks them only seven strikes behind Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba as the most prolific pairing in the competition's history.

When asked why the connection between Kane and Son was so profound, Mourinho was quick to credit Pochettino for establishing the initial connection, but did point out the England international was playing in a different position.

"It is an understanding that comes from Mauricio's time," Mourinho said. 

"I don't want all the credit myself, let's share with Mauricio. They played together for a long time, probably a different way because Harry is not always a nine now.

"What pleases me more about them both is that they are two top players but close friends, no jealousy, they both play for the team.

"Credit to them, two great players, two great boys."

Pochettino, who was replaced by Mourinho as Spurs manager in November last year, oversaw Kane's rise to becoming a world-class striker, while also bringing Son to the club from Leverkusen in 2015.

The star Tottenham attackers' combination against Burnley was one of their more unusual, with the usual deft pass by foot replaced by Kane using his head to flick Lamela's corner to the back post, where Son arrrived unmarked to fire his own header into the net.

Mourinho admitted his team's rhythm during the 90 minutes was below what he desired, but crecited Sean Dyche's Burnley with making things difficult for a side that has scored a total of 20 goals in their last five games.

"My players didn't play the quality football that we want but that was because of Burnley, not because of us," Mourinho said.

"Second half, the game was much more under control. I had some question marks and some doubts because this is the kind of match that if you take too many risks you can lose it.

"I know Sean, I know the difficulties he can bring to the best attacking teams. He's very clever, he plays with what he has and he gave us what I was expecting – a very difficult match."

Tottenham captain Harry Kane believes the team is capable of achieving “something special” this season after a 1-0 win at Burnley lifted them up to fifth in the Premier League.

Son Heung-Min’s second-half header from Kane’s flick-on earned the points for Jose Mourinho’s side, who had struggled to break down a resolute Burnley defence up to that point.

After falling to defeat on the opening day of the season against Everton, the north London side are now unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, progressing through to the Europa League group stages and the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

That has raised expectation levels among the club’s supporters, with Kane equally excited about the team’s potential.

"I think we are at a stage where we have been so close for so many years, a lot of us have been together for four or five years,” he told Sky Sports.

“The additions this year have been great and we are all getting more experienced. We know with the team we have got and the players we have got we can do something special.

“It's making sure when you come to places like this you are fighting for every point and result. To bounce back and grind these results out, these are the results that count at the end of the season.”

The early Premier League table meanwhile has an unusual look about it, with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City currently languishing in mid-table.

That has raised the prospect of a shock title winner, with reigning champions Liverpool joined by the likes of Everton, Leeds and Aston Villa at the summit of the table.

Tottenham are also in the mix thanks to their fine run of form, though Kane is not getting carried away with any title talk just yet.

"It's still early on. We need to take each game as it comes,” added the England captain. “I know it's a cliche. We still have a lot to learn and build on but I think nights like this will give us a lot of confidence."

Former Manchester United star and current Wales manager Ryan Giggs says that he has felt "different" at times due to his mixed-race heritage, although he says he is "immensely proud" of his background.

Giggs' father Danny Wilson, a former rugby union player, is black, while his mother Lynne Giggs, is white, and the former Red Devils star says that he didn't experience anything that made him notice his own background until moving from Cardiff to Manchester due to his father's rugby career.

It was at that point that Giggs says he began to feel "different", especially since most people could not guess that he was mixed-race.

 "I didn't experience anything in Cardiff. I was seven, so I can't remember a lot before that. It wasn't until I moved to Manchester," he told ITV Wales.

"Where I lived, my dad was very well known, because he was such a good player. He was probably the best player in the team in that town.

"As you can guess, to look at me, you wouldn't think my dad was black.

"But obviously everyone knowing that was my dad, and my dad quite clearly being black, that's really when I sort of experienced the first time. Which was a bit weird, because I'd never experienced that before."

He added: "It was weird because when I was in Manchester there was no black people at my school. One or two. And obviously when I go back home I'm just surrounded by my dad's family.

"I loved it. There used to be a carnival every year down the docks, and I used to love going to that. It was just normal for me. It was great for me to have that diversity."

Giggs and his staff recently took a knee ahead of recent Wales matches as he wanted to show his support for the "important message" of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Wales began the international break with a 3-0 friendly loss to England before then drawing with Ireland and beating Bulgaria in Nations League matches. 

The Wales boss said the demonstration was done to make sure he reiterated that the country doesn't "put up with discrimination or racism", as he added that there was "no hesitation with myself and with my staff and with the team".

Bernardo Silva admits he'd love to see Manchester City try to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe. 

The 21-year-old, who already has six goals from five Ligue 1 games this season, continues to be linked with a future move to Real Madrid.

PSG club ambassador Youri Djorkaeff recently revealed the plan for Mbappe is for the forward to help the French side win the Champions League before he signs for a "big club".

While Real Madrid are reportedly front of the queue for the France international, Premier League side Liverpool have also been linked and Silva seemingly hopes City could enter the race too. 

Asked which France player he'd like to take to City following Portugal's draw with Les Bleus, Silva told L'Equipe: "Kylian Mbappe. He was already a special player for Monaco when I was there and he's also a friend. If we could buy him, that wouldn't be bad!"

City could certainly use the attacking spark of Mbappe right now as Pep Guardiola's side currently sit 13th in the Premier League after a stuttering start to the new campaign. 

Silva has called for changes to be made at the Etihad to ensure they remain competitive moving forward and admits playing without fans as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has changed the complexion of the game. 

"Without the supporters, there is no longer this pleasure, this atmosphere, this passion. We miss the supporters very much," Silva said. 

"We have to accept reality, everyone has to change their way of life a little to try to protect us. But the truth, we are not going to lie, it is not the same football."

City travel to Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday night having won their group opener against Porto 3-1. 

Silva has good memories of playing against Marseille during his time with Monaco and knows just how challenging the away trip can be.

"I scored my first goal with Monaco against Marseille. During my last season at ASM, I also scored twice at the Velodrome," he added.

"It's not easy to play at the Velodrome, even if we know that now it's a different reality without the supporters. It will be a physical, complicated match." 
 

Serie A President Paolo Dal Pino has warned the Italian government that football “is close to collapsing” in the country after fresh coronavirus restrictions banned supporters from stadiums once more.

Up to 1,000 fans have been allowed into Serie A stadiums over recent weeks since restrictions were eased in September.

However, following an increase in cases Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has imposed tighter restrictions once more in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.

Bars and restaurants must now close at 6pm each evening, while sports centres and gyms will remain shut until November 24.

Professional sport is allowed to continue but must now take place behind closed doors, meaning Monday night’s Serie A clash between AC Milan and Roma took place at an empty San Siro, while Wednesday’s blockbuster Champions League clash between Juventus and Barcelona will also be played without fans.

Dal Pino understands the need to safeguard public health but has questioned the severity of the regulations and wonders whether the government appreciates the damage it is causing to the football industry.

He has also called on the government to provide some economic support to try and mitigate some of the losses caused by the lack of supporters at games.

"I hope the government understands the value of football as an industry, beyond any superficial demagogy,” Dal Pino told reporters.

“We are very concerned, we are close to collapsing and I fear that the country’s economy will pay dearly for the restrictive measures that have been put in place.

“Health comes first but it is important to do the right things, planning in the medium and long term and think about the consequences on employment.

“The side effects of the recent measures affect many sectors, including our own, which lost €600m (£544m/$708m) in 2020 due to the closure of stadiums.

“We expect attention and sensitivity from the government. The Prime Minister has clearly said that the sectors affected by forced closures will have an economic aid and we expect that an industry like ours, which pays more than €1 billion (£907m/$1.2bn) in taxes every year, will receive what was announced.”

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has called for changes to be made after the club's disappointing start to the new season . 

Pep Guardiola's side are currently 13th in the Premier League after their first five games have produced just two wins. 

While they began their latest Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win against Porto last week, City were held to a 1-1 draw with West Ham in the league on Saturday as their stuttering start continued. 

Silva is used to much higher standards at the Etihad and believes City must mix things up if they are to remain competitive this season. 

"The truth is that we haven't started the season well at all, we have to do a lot better than two Premier League games won out of five," Silva told L'Equipe .

"It's true that we had a lot of injuries, and players who get injured again and again. But that can't be an excuse with the team we have.

"I don't have a good explanation, we have to talk among ourselves in the team, with the coach, because if we want to win a title this season, something must be changed. 

"We have the impression of a team that lacks punch, taking offensive responsibilities. All the teams know how to play. And we find ourselves against teams that do not want the ball, they are only waiting for the counter. At the start of the season, we didn't manage to be dangerous, to create a lot of chances, or to be effective."

Silva himself is yet to score or claim an assist across five appearances this season, with Guardiola recently backing the Portugal international to rediscover his best form . 

The 26-year-old concedes his performances have dipped over the past year but he is ready to step up whether his side needs him moving forward. 

"It turned out that it was not a very good season for us, and neither for me personally. We have a very complete squad, with a lot of world-class players and competition," Silva said.

"On the right, I have Riyad [Mahrez] and Ferran Torres, even Raheem Sterling. In the middle, I had David Silva, [Ilkay] Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne. But of course I have to do better this season. 

"I'm not a fast player, I can't be an eccentric like Raheem Sterling or like Leroy Sane was. But I can play on the side. The last few seasons I've played right, middle, left, striker, I can play anywhere actually."

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has hinted that Eden Hazard will be involved in some capacity during their Champions League clash against Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday. 

Hazard has struggled with injuries since securing a move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Chelsea in 2019 and made just 22 appearances for Zidane's side last season - scoring once.

The Belgium international suffered another injury setback at the start of the new campaign  and is yet to feature for Real this season. 

On the back of the club's 3-1 win over Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday, Hazard appears ready to play again - with Zidane excited to have another attacking option up his sleeve. 

"If Hazard is with us it is because he is well and that is good news. We are all happy to see him with us," Zidane said on Monday.

"Tomorrow we will see how we are going to use him. It is very positive news for us.

"We know that the season is long and we are going to need everyone. It is true, I have always said it, because they are players who always play.

"It is true that we have had problems on the wing, but there are other players who can replace them and it will not give us problems." 

Gladbach could prove tricky opponents for Real on Tuesday with the Bundesliga outfit undefeated across their past five matches, which included a 2-2 draw with Inter in their Champions League group opener last week. 

While Zidane saw his side triumph in El Clasico, it's been a difficult start to the new campaign for the reigning La Liga champions with Real losing to Cadiz and Shakhtar Donetsk in the space of a few days . 

Despite reports pressure is mounting on Zidane's position as manager, the Frenchman remains focused on taking each game as it comes during a busy period. 

"We want to continue what we did over the weekend, playing a good game for the full 90 minutes as a team," Zidane said.

"Every three days we play a difficult team, like tomorrow. If we use what we have inside us, give a strong performance for 90 minutes, we'll have chances to win.

"That's what we want to do tomorrow."