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England cancel Germany friendly after positive coronavirus test

Phil Neville's Lionesses had been set to face the two-time world champions in Wiesbaden in their first international fixture since March

England have cancelled their friendly match with Germany on Tuesday after a member of the team’s backroom staff tested positive for coronavirus.

In Germany, any individual who tests positive for Covid-19 in the country must self-isolate for 14 days, and it was decided not to run the risk of this happening to another member of the group.

The Lionesses squad will return to their clubs on Sunday after their training camp at St George’s Park was also cut short.

Phil Neville’s side last played in March, when they beat Japan but lost to Spain and the United States in the SheBelieves Cup.

England have played some intra-squad friendly matches recently in the absence of any other fixtures and fans were keenly anticipating the clash with Germany, currently second in the FIFA world rankings.

They are next scheduled to play Norway on December 1.

Star players Lucy Bronze and Nikita Parris had returned to the England squad for the trip to Germany, with seven uncapped players also called up. In-form Chelsea forward Fran Kirby had been forced to withdraw with an ankle injury.

Head coach Neville said: “While we all wanted to play Tuesday’s game, this was absolutely the right course of action. I thank Germany’s staff for their understanding and our FA colleagues for their support. I know the fans were hoping to see us play again but I am sure they will understand the decision.

“We have still had a good week of training and are looking forward to getting together next month before our match against Norway in Sheffield.”

Mark Bullingham, chief executive at the FA, added: “This has been a difficult but necessary decision.  Nothing is more important than the safety, health and wellbeing of the players and colleagues under our care. We are very grateful to the DFB for their cooperation and understanding and look forward to the possibility of a future fixture in healthier and safer times.”

England are winding down to the end of the Neville era, with the former Manchester United and Everton defender set to step down from his role in September 2021 after the rearranged Olympic Games.

Current Netherlands coach Sandra Wiegman will take his place on a four-year contract ahead of the European Championship in 2022, which England will host.

Arsenal vs Leicester City BigiBet Tips: Latest odds, team news, preview and predictions

The Gunners host the Foxes for a league tie with the hope of extending their home record against the rivals

Arsenal will welcome Leicester City on Sunday for what is expected to be an explosive encounter between the former Premier League champions.

Arsenal vs Leicester City Latest Odds

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 27 home meetings with Leicester in all competitions (W20 D7) and another victory for them has been priced at (1.95) with BigiBet .

Leicester have played more Premier League away games against Arsenal without ever winning and for them to end the poor record has been priced at (3.75) .

The Foxes 1-1 draw at the Emirates last season ended a run of 12 straight away league losses against the Gunners and another draw has been tipped to happen at (3.75) .

Arsenal vs Leicester City Team News

For Mikel Arteta, Dani Ceballos and Willian are doubtful for the match due to their ankle and calf injuries respectively. Shkodran Mustafi and Smith Rowe could miss out due to their match fitness level.

Pablo Mari, Rob Holding, Miles Chambers, and Gabriel Martinelli will all automatically miss the match due to long-term injuries.

Brendan Rodgers will have to assess Jamie Vardy who got a calf injury to see whether he is fit to face the Gunners while Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey, and Wilfred Ndidi are all injured and will not be part of the squad.

Arsenal vs Leicester City Preview

Only Aston Villa (2) have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Arsenal (6) this season coming into the weekend’s games. However, the Gunners haven’t kept a clean sheet since their opening day victory at Fulham.

Leicester have the best shot conversion rate in the Premier League this season, netting with just under 25% of their efforts (12/49). However, the Foxes have failed to score with any of their last 15 attempts across their last two games.

Arsenal vs Leicester City Tips and Odds

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has scored 10 goals in his 10 Premier League starts against Arsenal, more than he’s netted against any other opponent in the competition.

Only Aston Villa (2) have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Arsenal (6) this season coming into the weekend’s games. However, the Gunners haven’t kept a clean sheet since their opening day victory at Fulham. Therefore, punters can take an offer of under 2.5 goals being scored at (2.10) with BigiBet .

Under 2.5 goals at (2.10) with BigiBet .

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

 

Original author: Kiplagat Sang

Conte reveals reason for Lautaro anger following substitution during Inter win at Genoa

The Nerazzurri coach played down any suggestion of friction between him and the Argentine after watching his side triumph on Saturday

Antonio Conte has revealed the reason for Lautaro Martinez's anger following his substitution during Inter's win at Genoa

Inter moved up to third in the Serie A standings with a hard-earned 2-0 victory on Saturday.

Conte's side took a while to breakdown Genoa's stubborn rearguard, but were eventually rewarded for their persistence when Romelu Lukaku produced a trademark finish just after the hour mark.

Danilo D'Ambrosio's 79th-minute header wrapped up a crucial victory for the Nerazzurri, who bounced back from their defeat to AC Milan in last weekend's Derby della Madonnina in impressive fashion.

The only negative for Inter was Lautaro's frustrated reaction to being substituted in the second half, as he was seen punching his seat in the dugout after being replaced by Andrea Pinamonti.

Conte has played down any notion of an issue with the Argentine though, insists his outburst was a result of his failure to get on the scoresheet rather than a disagreement over his early withdrawal.

"They told me that Lautaro slammed his fists on the chair when he was replaced, but I don't think he was mad at me because we have a good relationship," the Italian boss told his post-match press conference.

"Maybe something happened on the pitch with some team-mates. The players are guys who leave without any problems after the game and forget what happened. I want people who always give their best.

"Lautaro is a very good guy and everything is fine with him. Even today he put in a lot of effort and gave his contribution. A striker lives for the goal, but it is important that they also play with their team-mates."

Conte added on Inter's latest performance: "We were good, patient and we only allowed one shot. I wasn't worried before the match and I'm not enthusiastic now because for me the situations have always been positive so far. Now we have to recover our energies and prepare for the Champions League because this will be a road with many difficulties."

The Nerazzurri were held to a 2-2 draw by Borussia Monchengladbach in their Champions League group stage opener, but will have the chance to put that result behind them when they travel to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Inter beat the Ukrainian outfit 6-0 in last season's Europa League semi-finals, but Conte is wary of the threat they'll pose this time around having seen them beat Real Madrid 3-2 at Santiago Bernabeu last week.

"This is a completely different situation because the one in August was a mini-knockout tournament, Shakhtar still have great qualities and the semifinal with that 6-0 does not represent the value of the two teams," he said. "Shakhtar are a highly motivated team that won 3-2 against Real, who beat Barcelona [in El Clasico] today."

'It's time for Pogba to move on' - Real Madrid-linked star has been nothing but a 'problem' for Man Utd, says Ince

The former Red Devil sees no reason for the enigmatic Frenchman to stick around at Old Trafford beyond the end of the current season

Paul Ince says Paul Pogba has been nothing but a "problem" for Manchester United since his return to the club and that it's time for him to "move on" amid links with Real Madrid.

Pogba has endured a frustrating start to the 2020-21 campaign which has seen his commitment to United's cause called into question yet again.

The 27-year-old has faced constant criticism since making his way back to Old Trafford from Juventus for £89 million ($116m) in 2016, with form and fitness issues ultimately preventing him from living up to that huge price tag.

He now finds himself playing second fiddle to Bruno Fernandes, Fred and Scott McTominay in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans, having had a spell in quarantine between August and September after contracting coronavirus.

Pogba has had to make do with a cameo appearance from the bench in each of the Red Devils' last three fixtures, with the 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea on Saturday his latest outing.

United decided to trigger the one-year extension in the World Cup winners' contract earlier this month, having seen him admit to harbouring dreams of a move to Madrid while away on international duty with France.

Madrid are being tipped to launch an official bid for the midfielder next year, but Solskjaer talked up his importance to the squad following the stalemate against the Blues.

"I think Paul, all three games this week, he's really come on and made a very positive impact," said the Norwegian boss. "He's been out for a while with coronavirus this summer, so he's getting better and better and maybe more his shape. Maybe I was unfair to him starting him that early in the first few games but he's coming on and he's done great when he's come on."

Ince doesn't think Pogba is having a positive effect on the rest of the group at Old Trafford though, and has urged the Red Devils to part ways.

"Paul Pogba should be on the pitch, this is a big, big game," the ex-United star told beIN Sport. "For him to be sitting on the bench and watching, with no disrespect, McTominay and Fred playing in his position, I would be saying, ‘I must be doing something wrong if I can’t get in this team’.

"I know he has had an injury and he might be trying to bring him on a little later on. But I think it is time to move on. He has come out in the last two weeks and said he wants to join Real Madrid.

"I think his performances since he has been here have been inconsistent. Paul Pogba is a world-class player and when he moved to Old Trafford I thought, ‘great’, but all he has done is been a problem. The fans have gone against him and now Bruno Fernandes has come in and shown what you need to do to be a Manchester United player.

"He has performed consistently and Paul Pogba hasn’t done that and that is why he finds himself on the bench."

Champions League qualification for Everton 'doable' says Rooney - on one condition

The former Goodison Park favourite is confident that the Toffees are heading in the right direction under Carlo Ancelotti

Wayne Rooney believes Champions League qualification for Everton is "doable", but only if they solve one key issue in January.

Everton have emerged as the surprise early pacesetters in the Premier League after an impressive start to the 2020-21 campaign.

Hard-earned wins over Tottenham, West Brom, Crystal Palace and Brighton saw Carlo Ancelotti's men rise to the summit before they welcomed reigning champions Liverpool to Goodison Park for the first Merseyside derby of the season last weekend.

The Toffees showed they can mix it with the elite during a pulsating 2-2 draw, with goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin cancelling out Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah efforts for the visitors.

The Reds bounced back from that result by beating Sheffield United 2-1, but Everton can move three points clear at the top of the table if they get back to winning ways away at Southampton on Sunday.

Goodison legend Rooney, who currently stands as both Manchester United and England's all-time record goalscorer, believes his old club can qualify for Europe's elite competition if Ancelotti can add at least two more players to his ranks in the winter transfer window.

The Derby County player-coach says a lack of squad depth is the only thing holding Everton back, and he wrote in his latest column for The Times: “The top four is doable.

“It will be difficult because there are seven or eight teams competing for those spots and some big clubs will have to miss out but top four has to be the target, given Everton’s start.

"If they can get to January still in the frame and let Ancelotti bring in another couple of players, they will have a great chance.

"Their biggest issue is squad depth. In Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bernard, they have a couple of players who can come off the bench to provide something different but they need one or two more; players who don’t have to be world-beaters but who can slot straight into the team without a major drop in quality if there are injuries.

"They need a real back up for Allan and another striking option for games where the opposition is equipped to deal with Calvert-Lewin’s threat, but as we saw against Liverpool, this is an Everton that can handle challenges."

Rooney went on to credit Ancelotti for transforming the Toffees into a formidable force, highlighting his ability to maximise the output of a condensed group of players.

“The transformation comes from the manager,” said the former Everton striker. “Everything I thought Carlo Ancelotti could bring to Everton, he has brought. His work has been brilliant.

"If you look at the very best managers, while they might have different systems and styles, the thing they tend to have in common is a clear idea of the team they want.

"Selection is simple and consistent: they have eight or nine players who, if fit, always play.

"Through this, they build confidence and understanding and from a man-management point of view make their own job easier - instead of having to keep a squad of 20 engaged and happy, they only have to worry about the ten or so who aren’t getting the game time.”

Rooney also reserved praise for Calvert-Lewin, who he thinks is beginning to deliver on the potential he showed during his earlier years at Goodison.

“When I returned to Everton he was entering his second season with the club. I looked at him in training and thought ‘he has everything’. He was quick, strong, good in the air," he added.

"His only downfall was he was snatching at chances but he was already working hard to correct that and Duncan Ferguson deserves a lot of credit because Duncan would always stay with him after training and give him finishing drills. These were for finishing with his feet - the heading ability you see, that is more natural.

"The leap Dom is blessed with is incredible. In the gym, when we did box jumps, he would jump a full box above everyone else. What has improved is his timing and the positions he is taking up in the box."

Harry Kane is not the striker Man City should be targeting

A look at the key moments and stats as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 in El Clasico at Camp Nou.
Original author: Goal

Transfer news and rumours LIVE: Real Madrid closing in on Alaba deal

The Algerian winger hasn't ruled out a return to France despite being contracted to remain at Etihad Stadium until 2023

Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez has opened the door to a future move to Paris Saint-Germain or Marseille.

Mahrez has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since moving to Leicester from Le Havre for just £450,000 (€500,000/$600,000) in January 2014.

The Algeria international went on to play a key role in the Foxes' run to the Premier League title in 2015-16, before making an impressive bow in the Champions League the following season.

Mahrez contributed 48 goals and 38 assists to Leicester's cause across 179 appearances in total, attracting attention from Pep Guardiola in the process.

City forked out £61 million (€67m/$80m) to lure the 29-year-old to Manchester from the King Power Stadium in the summer of 2018, and he has since managed to take his career to the next level.

Mahrez helped the Citizens win an unprecedented domestic treble in his first year at Etihad Stadium, and although they failed to reach the same high standards last season, he stood out with his individual performances.

The ex-Leicester talisman has now firmly established himself as one of the most consistent performers in Guardiola's squad, but he hasn't ruled out embarking on a new challenge away from the Etihad as he advances into the latter stages of his career.

City defender Benjamin Mendy quizzed Mahrez on the possibility of a return to Ligue 1 one day on Canal Plus, to which the Algerian responded: "He's crazy, but it's true that I was a supporter of Marseille when I was little.

"Regarding PSG - it's not relevant because I'm still under contract and I'm fine in Manchester, but Paris is my city. I was born and raised in Paris. You never know. 

"I could have gone to play in Marseille [in 2014-15] and I can still play in Marseille. You never know in life, you shouldn't close any door. I didn’t know at the time and I was fine at Leicester but they ruled that I didn’t have the required level [to play there]."

Mahrez played the full 90 minutes of a 1-1 draw away at West Ham on Saturday, and will be back in contention for a spot in Guardiola's starting XI when City travel to Stade Velodrome to face Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday.

'He didn't put his foot down and say you're a striker' - How Ancelotti coaxed Ronaldo to play centre-forward

Video: Lampard heaps praise on Mendy after display against United | Goal.com

Manchester United v Chelsea

10:13 GMT 25/10/2020

Mendy Chelsea 2020

Frank Lampard said Edouard Mendy's performance against Manchester United was 'very good'. Frank Lampard said Edouard Mendy's performance against M

Original author: Goal

Transfer mistakes: Pogba, Hazard, Pepe among the worst since 2010

Our experts look at the sixth round games of the 2020/2021 Premier League Season and other various leagues
Original author: Goal

Klopp: 'Biggest joke' to say Mane is a diver

The Jangwani giants’ skipper warns his troops not to underrate their Sunday opponents in a league match at CCM Kirumba

Young Africans (Yanga SC) captain Lamine Moro has called his teammates to play with caution and respect their opponents KMC when the two sides battle at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza on Sunday.

The Jangwani giants’ skipper is aware of the threats posed by KMC and has also rallied their fans to come in large numbers and give them support as they seek to protect their unbeaten run in their seventh match of the season.

“We will have to be careful against them [KMC], they can hurt you and we must be ready to play a good game, covering for one another and attacking as a unit,” Moro is quoted by Sokaletu.

“Another thing that we need most is the support of the fans, we want them to come and support us, without them we cannot be able to accomplish the mission of bagging maximum points, we need them and they should come.”

In an earlier interview, KMC coach Habibu Kondo sent a clear warning to Yanga, suggesting they are the ones who will beat them first in the Mainland Premier League this season.

“We thank God we arrived safely in Mwanza in readiness for our match against Yanga, we have also got the chance to train at the match venue and we are now ready looking forward to the match,” Kondo is quoted by Sokaletu.

“We are all happy with the weather down here in Mwanza and my warning goes to Yanga that we have prepared well, studied how they played their last match [against Polisi Tanzania] and are ready to beat them, we don’t care nor fear them, we want to end their unbeaten run on Sunday.

“We played against a very tough Ruvu Shooting side while Yanga got it easy against Polisi, it shows you we are much prepared than them, they should not think we are not ready, we are very prepared to beat them.”

Some of the key players in the KMC squad include captain and veteran keeper Juma Kaseja, who has also played for Yanga before, Israel Mwenda, Hassan Kapalata, Reliant Lusajo, Keny Ally Hassan Kabunda, and Andrew Vicent “Dante”.

KMC are currently in the sixth position on the 18-team league table with 11 points from seven matches.

Original author: Dennis Mabuka

Leicester Lead Man City, Wolves, Everton & European Trio in Pursuit of Celtic Defender Kristoffer Ajer

The 67-year-old has further stated Wekundu wa Msimbazi will win the league consecutively until 2028

Simba SC communications officer Haji Manara has boldly stated his charges will win the next 20 Tanzania Mainland League matches consecutively.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi were humbled in their last league outing by Tanzania Prisons. Samson Mbagula scored the only goal that separated the sides in their first engagement after returning from the international break.

However, that does not worry the vocal official who believes his team will still bounce back effectively.

"In [2018] we lost to Mbao FC, in Mwanza, early in the league and I recall our fans throwing bottles against us at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in Dar es Salaam," Manara posted on his official Facebook page.

"Just last season, we lost to Mwadui in early proceedings in the league and we were told we will not defend our league title and at the end of the season, we managed to win the title with a record number of points."

The 67-year-old has confidently stated his team will collect 60 points consecutively in their next assignments.

"What is my point? We are going to win 20 matches in a row starting Monday [against Ruvu Shooting], after those matches, we will now sit and make calculations," Manara continued.

"I am confident we will win the Tanzania Mainland League title until 2028, from there we can decide what next."

After the loss, head coach Sven Vandenbroeck revealed he would like his players to keep the ball and create more chances with it in order to stifle the opponents.

"You know my preference is always to play an attractive football where we have to enjoy ball possession more than our opponents and create more passes that will help us consequently create more goal-scoring chances," Vandenbroeck told reporters.

"This will ensure our opponents find it hard to deal with us and their primary target will always be getting a formula of stopping us."

The former Zambia head coach stated his players are learning the art of the playing style and how it would help them deal with any opponent going forward.

"My players have been accustomed to the demands of such playing style," he added.

"If one has been watching keenly, they will realise that passes created in a game are always fewer than in the subsequent games. This is what I want us to do whether we are playing away or at home.

"If we manage to possess the ball and create more passes, the opponents will always be thinking how to stop us and we will not be thinking much about them. We have been trying to work on this, every day during our training programmes."

Original author: Seth Willis

Carlinhos: Yanga SC midfielder loses Instagram account to hackers

Kenya will host the first leg at Kasarani on November 11 with the second leg coming in four days later away

Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee has named his provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying doubleheader against Comoros.

Among those who have been given a chance to prove their worth is goalkeeper Brian Bwire of Kariobangi Sharks and Tusker's Robert Mboya, who will be competing for the number one spot with HIFK's Arnold Origi, Ian Otieno of Zesco United, and Ulinzi Stars' Timothy Odhiambo.

Kariobangi Sharks' Daniel Sakari has been considered in defence, along with Andrew Juma and Mike Kibwage, who turn out for Gor Mahia and Sofapaka FC, respectively. David Owino of Zesco United has been given a lifeline as well to prove his worth to the national team.

Ismael Gonzalez makes a return to the national team, so does Tusker FC's Boniface Muchiri. Others who have been given a chance in midfield include Peter Thion'go, who has recently signed for AFC Leopards, Elly Asieche, and little known Mathew Olake.

Local-based players will report to camp on October 28 with the foreign-based players expected to report on November 2. Only 20 players will be included in the final squad to play Comoros.

The first match will be played at Kasarani on November 11 with the second one four days later away.

Goalkeepers: Arnold Origi (HIFK, Finland), Robert Mboya (Tusker, Kenya), Brian Bwire (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya), Ian Otieno (Zesco United, Zambia), Timothy Odhiambo (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya)

Defenders: Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito, Kenya), Brian Mandela (Unattached), Joash Onyango (Simba, Tanzania), Daniel Sakari (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya) Andrew Juma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Mike Kibwage (Sofapaka, Kenya), Joseph Okumu (Elfsborg, Sweden), Samuel Olwande (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya), Baraka Badi (KCB, Kenya), David Owino (Zesco United, Zambia), Hillary Wandera (Tusker, Kenya), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden), David Owino (Mathare United, Kenya)

Midfielders: Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Victor Wanyama (Impact Montreal, Canada), Ismael Gonzalez (UD Las Palmas, Spain), Eric Johanna Omondi (Jonkoping’s Sodra, Sweden), Cliff Nyakeya (Masr FC, Egypt), Antony Akumu (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Musa Masika (Wazito, Kenya), Bonface Muchiri (Tusker, Kenya) Lawrence Juma (Sofapaka, Kenya), Johanna Omolo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Ayub Timbe (Unattached), Peter Thion’go (AFC Leopards, Kenya), Hassan Abdallah (Bandari, Kenya), Elli Asieche (Sofapaka, Kenya), Mathew Olake (Unattached), Moses Mudavadi (Kakamega Homeboyz, Kenya), Austin Odhiambo (AFC Leopards, Kenya)

Forwards: Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), Benson Omala (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Masud Juma (JS Kabylie, Algeria), John Avire (Tanta FC, Egypt), Oscar Wamalwa (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya)

Reserves: Dennis Sikhayi (Wazito, Kenya), James Kinyanjui (Mathare United, Kenya)

Original author: Seth Willis

'Saliba will succeed, it's certain' - Arsenal starlet has 'enormous potential', says ex-Saint-Etienne team-mate

The Frenchman has been backed to make a breakthrough at Emirates Stadium despite a frustrating start to life in English football

William Saliba has "enormous potential" and he "will succeed" at Arsenal, according to his ex-Saint-Etienne team-mate Harold Moukoudi.

Arsenal invested £27 million ($35m) in Saliba's talent in July 2019, before allowing him to remain at Saint-Etienne on loan for the duration of the 2019-20 campaign.

The 19-year-old joined up with his new team-mates at Emirates Stadium over the summer but is still waiting for his chance to shine at senior level for the Gunners.

The Frenchman hasn't seen a single minute of Premier League, EFL Cup or Europa League action at the start of the season, and has had to be content with just two outings for Arsenal U23s to date.

Saliba was touted for another loan move before the domestic transfer deadline, with Watford and Norwich reportedly leading a long line of potential suitors in the Championship.

Saint-Etienne also tried to bring back the defender on a temporary basis prior to the closure of the European market on October 5, but a final deal never came to fruition.

The Ligue 1 outfit expressed their frustration via an official statement on their website, which read: "Long before the transfer window closed, AS Saint-Etienne had reached an agreement with William Saliba and accepted Arsenal's offer for a one-season loan. 

“Unfortunately, all the administrative conditions could not be met in time, in England, for the completion of the deal. 

“The disappointment is great for ASSE and William Saliba, who was particularly determined to return to a club where he has flourished.”

Saliba now has no choice but to bide his time and fight for a place in Arteta's squad, with Moukoudi confident he will make the grade at Emirates Stadium if he continues to put in the necessary hard work behind the scenes.

"I told him not to worry and to keep working. It will pay off," the Arsenal centre-back's old colleague told ButFootballClub. "With the qualities he has, I am sure he will bounce back. He has enormous potential, no one can deny that. 

"He has to hang on, take his situation patiently, but he will succeed. It's certain."

Saliba will be back in contention for minutes when the Gunners play host to Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday night.

Bayern Munich 1-0 Arminia Bielefeld: Player ratings as Leroy Sane sends Die Roten top

The full-back was left bemoaning the brilliance of the Senegalese shot-stopper as the Red Devils' poor start to the Premier League season continued

Luke Shaw says Edouard Mendy's "wonderful saves" kept Chelsea in the game against Manchester United, who he believes "created the better chances" at Old Trafford.

United missed the chance to move into the top half of the Premier League table after being held to a 0-0 draw by Chelsea on Sunday.

The home side mustered 14 shots on goal compared to the visitors' six in a dull affair which failed to live up to the pre-match hype, with Marcus Rashford squandering the best chances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

Rashford only had Mendy to beat after being played through by Juan Mata midway through the first half, but he saw his effort kept out by a strong right leg from the Senegalese shot-stopper.

The Red Devils striker was also denied in the dying moments of the match as he curled a strike towards the far corner of the net from just outside the box, only for Mendy to fly across his goal and parry the ball out for a corner.

Chelsea were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty shortly before the interval as replays showed Harry Maguire had wrapped his arms around Cesar Azpilicueta while defending a free-kick, but Frank Lampard's men were otherwise unable to create any opportunities of note in the final third.

Shaw felt United would have secured all three points were it not for Mendy's brilliance between the sticks, as he told the club's official website: “I feel like we created the better chances.

"Their keeper made wonderful saves at times. I was right behind it [Rashford’s shot] and, like I said, their keeper was very good today. He made a couple of very good saves that kept them in the game.

“We defended much better than we have been, especially against a very good team like Chelsea who have high-quality players all around the pitch.

“I feel like they didn’t really create much, and we did well in that aspect - but higher up the pitch, we should have maybe grabbed a goal, or maybe even two, and taken the three points.”

Asked to address suggestions of both teams being happy to play for a point, Shaw responded: “Yeah, they were saying up there [on the TV] that neither team wanted to lose.

“You could see that with maybe the way they turned up with that formation – they haven’t played it [a back five] this season, so it was the first time. So I think maybe we felt that from them, but we always want to win every game.

"Of course it was important we didn’t lose today, and we’ll take one point rather than zero, but also we’re disappointed in the back of our minds that we didn’t take three.”

Shaw also expressed his belief that the Red Devils are beginning to hit their stride after a slow start to the campaign, before defending Solskjaer's decision to rotate his starting line up following Tuesday's 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

“When we’re on the pitch now, it feels different to what it was before [at the start of 2020/21]. Before, we made a lot of sloppy, silly mistakes – individual mistakes – and I think we’ve learned from that and we’ve worked hard in training," the Red Devils defender added.

“It’s very good for the manager to maybe have those changes that he can make, but also very good for the team, because everyone wants to play. Everyone’s pushing. The ones on the bench want to be in the starting XI, so it’s good to have that healthy competition that is going to push the lads.

“We need to keep pushing. Of course, we’re a bit disappointed we haven’t got three points but we need to just get our focus back, [because] we have a massive game on Wednesday [against RB Leipzig] that we need to win.”

Samuel Umtiti Claims He 'Doesn't See' Himself at Any Other Club Apart From Barcelona

The midfielder completes the Islanders' overseas quota...

Mumbai City FC have completed the signing of Spanish midfielder Hernan Santana ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season. 

The 30-year-old has joined the Islanders on a season-long loan deal from Sporting Gijon. 

Santana's signing completes the foreign contingent recruitment at Mumbai City FC. Mumbai have already signed Hugo Boumous, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Ahmed Jahouh, Mourtada Fall, Adam Le Fondre and Cy Goddard as their overseas players. 

Santana, who came through the ranks of Spanish club Las Palmas, was an integral part of the Canaries for the better part of the last decade. From 2011-2018, he played for Las Palmas in the Segunda division and the La Liga

He helped them gain promotion to the La Liga after 13 years in the 2014-15 season, making 36 appearances that campaign. 

Santana, a central midfielder who also plays as a defensive midfielder, made his La Liga debut against Atletico Madrid and has even scored against Real Madrid once. In 2018, he joined Sporting Gijon who are incidentally owned by City Football Group (CFG) who also owns Mumbai City FC. 

Mumbai City will hope Santana plays a key role for the side as they look to embark on an exciting ISL season under the tutelage of new head coach Sergio Lobera. 

It must be noted that Santana knows Lobera well, having played under him at Las Palmas between 2012 and 2014. 

 

Original author: Ashwin Muralidharan

Excluding Marcus Rashford Defeats the Whole Point of 'Sports Personality of the Year'

A combination of goalkeeping errors and what appears to be a jittery defence saw Amakhosi fall heavily to the Brazilians

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin has conceded that the biggest "problem" in his team is their defence as his side went down 3-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in Saturday’s Premier Soccer League opener at FNB Stadium.

In his first league match in charge of Chiefs, Hunt started the centre-back pairing of Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Daniel Cardoso, while Reeve Frosler and Yagan Sasman operated as wingbacks, with Willard Katsande the defensive linkman.

The Amakhosi coach could be increasingly worried about his backline as Chiefs have now conceded four goals in two matches following a 2-1 MTN8 win over Maritzburg United the previous weekend.

Against Sundowns, the Chiefs defence let Peter Shalulile head home the Brazilians’ opener from a corner kick, before allowing Kermit Erasmus a free shot inside the box with four defenders in front of him to make it 2-0.

Itumeleng Khune, on the other hand, came off his line more often and almost gifted Sundowns a goal but had to thank Mphahlele for desperately clearing Shalulile’s goal-bound lob.

It was Khune’s ill-timed intervention which brought down George Maluleka inside the box and saw Themba Zwane converting the resultant penalty to complete a woeful afternoon for Amakhosi.

Hunt, whose team are banned by Fifa from signing players, also highlighted the huge gap in quality between his side and Sundowns as having cost his side.

“It doesn’t look good obviously. If you look at the whole game we had some good opportunities ourselves,” Hunt told SuperSport TV.

“But we have to defend better if we know where the problems are. I know the problems from day one. But it is what it is. We ended up with six academy boys on the field. We have to start building, we have to start somewhere planning against a team that has invested very heavily in their squad.

“As you can see, just look at their bench and that’s what you are up against. So we just have to dust ourselves off and go again. I think we created some good opportunities but as I said, defensively-wise, we leave a lot to be desired.”

Chiefs visit Chippa United for their next match on Tuesday as they seek to recover from the Downs setback.

As for Sundowns, the coaching trio of Manqoba Mngqithi, Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela shook off the criticism from the previous weekend’s MTN8 elimination by Bloemfontein Celtic.

Despite a convincing display against Chiefs, Mngqithi feels they could have won by a wider margin as he demanded more from his charges.

“One is just happy to have kept a clean sheet first. Though in some moments we looked like we wanted to give them something,” Mngqithi said.

“But I also believe we could have scored more goals. We missed far too many chances. At times in football when the game allows you to score more you should score more because you don’t know what is going to happen next.

“But the game was a little bit scrappy. It was never really smooth as one would have wanted especially when you have taken a comfortable lead you expect to have a little bit of better possession, a little bit better penetration.

“But we played in patches and we still have to really improve in that regard because our personality as a big team we should be trying to dominate games and not only look for goals but also to dominate possession, to dominate duels, to dominate penetration and to just dominate the field in general in terms of our width and depth.

“From time to time I felt we did a lot right especially in the first half. Structurally we made it difficult for them to identify what we were trying to do. It caused a lot of confusion on Parker and Reeve Frosler. They couldn’t find Themba Zwane. It made our lives a little bit better. But I don’t think we were clinical enough.”

Sundowns now prepare to host Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in Pretoria in their next match on Wednesday.

Original author: Michael Madyira

Meite: Reading aiming to extend unbeaten run against Blackburn Rovers

The Tykes are just above the relegation zone after seven matches as the new manager is set to take charge

Harambee Stars defender Clarke Oduor featured as Barnsley failed to record a first Championship win of the season against Millwall at The Den on Saturday.

Barnsley and Millwall had plenty of concerns in the game as the latter had to play without their manager Gary Rowett after positive coronavirus test.

Oduor’s manager Adam Murray – who was in charge for the final time – had to make a change for striker Cauley Woodrow and defender Jordan Williams after they were injured 10 minutes before the kick-off.

They were replaced by Conor Chaplin and the Harambee Stars defender, respectively.

The Tykes took the lead before the half-time whistle through Alex Mowatt's 25-yard strike as the new boss Valerien Ismael watched from the stands.

The hosts equalised via defender Jake Cooper’s header but Millwall failed to register a third straight win.

Murray was satisfied with the draw and said the pre-match plan worked for them.

"I thought, for us, it was a really good away performance,” Murray said as per BBC Sport.

"I think when you come to a place like this, with a team that's in the play-off places before the game, there are times where you're going to be stressed out but I thought our game plan worked well.

"I think we caught them a few times on the counter-attack, but again our final pass needs to be a little bit better for us to take the opportunities that we do have."

On his part, Millwall assistant manager Adam Barrett said the game came at an unusual time especially after his boss tested Covid-19 positive.

"Obviously, it's not ideal,” Barrett said.

“Your manager goes down with Covid-19, so it's been an unusual 24 hours, but the good thing with modern technology now is you can keep in contact and the gaffer was still able to do his meeting by video.

"Firstly, he's feeling okay, so we wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully he's back in the dugout soon.

"They were very aggressive on the press and I thought we turned the ball over too cheaply, so we were disappointed with that, but the second half was a much better performance."

Barnsley will remain just above the relegation zone after the draw while Millwall moved up a couple of places and are now seventh.

 

 

 

Original author: Kiplagat Sang

Joan Laporta makes statement on Barcelona pursuit of Bernardo Silva

The Everton loanee was delighted to get off the mark for the French champions in Ligue 1 during their victory over Dijon

Moise Kean said he is happy to play "wherever the coach decides" after netting his first goals in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt.

PSG raised more than a few eyebrows when they decided to bring in Kean on a season-long loan from Everton on October 4.

The 20-year-old's first season at Goodison Park was underwhelming, as he scored just twice in 29 Premier League outings following a €28 million (£25m/$33m) move from Juventus.

The Italian frontman was unable to get to grips with the intensity of English football and quickly fell down the squad pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti, but he has now been given the chance to get his career back on track at Parc des Princes.

Kean produced an encouraging display on his PSG debut during a 4-0 win over Nimes, before making a cameo appearance in a 2-1 Champions League defeat to Manchester United on Tuesday.

He returned to Thomas Tuchel's starting line up for the home fixture against Dijon, and opened the scoring after just three minutes when he volleyed home a pinpoint Mitchel Bakker cross at the near post.

The Everton loanee doubled his account 20 minutes later, tapping into an empty net after great work from Neymar, before a late Kylian Mbappe brace wrapped up another comfortable 4-0 victory for the French champions.

Kean was deployed in his natural role through the middle for the second consecutive domestic fixture against Dijon, but he is open to taking up different positions should Tuchel feel the need to rotate.

"It's going well. The squad and the staff are wonderful. We are working hard to move forward. I trained a lot this week to be able to score and help the team," the Italy international told Canal Plus of his impressive start to life at PSG.

"The second goal is Neymar who gives me a good pass. He could have shot, but he gave me the ball and I thank him very much. My favourite position is to score goals. I'm ready to play wherever the coach decides. I give my best for the team."

Tuchel has been forced to shuffle his pack over the past week amid an injury crisis which has seen a number of key senior stars sidelined, with Marqinhos among those adapting to a different role.

The Brazilian was delighted with PSG's response to their European defeat against United, and is already looking ahead to a midweek meeting with Istanbul Basaksehir.

“We tried to put the commitment back, we also tried to be serious in pressing and counter-pressing. We missed it in the Champions League. Players have come back like [Julian] Draxler and me," he said. "It's not our best match, but the important thing was to win, even if it was Dijon, the most important thing was to win again. You had to win at home. The season is not easy. 

"We are going to do a lot of matches. It's good, the team has turned and there have been a lot of changes. We remained competitive and that's the best way to prepare for Wednesday's match.

"I was warned this week that Danilo [Pereira] was going to play in central defence. We're here to serve the team. Even if it was not our favourite positions, we respected the coach's instructions."

Liverpool's record with and without Virgil van Dijk

How much do you know about overseas players in ISL this season....

Over the years, the Indian Super League (ISL) has seen a lot of brilliant foreign players make the journey to India and wow the fans.

This year, there are some established names as well as some promising names who have embarked on an Indian adventure. 

This edition of Goal 's 'Sharp Minds' quiz is for the fans who are up to date with the foreign acquisitions. 

As we see football take a backseat among the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, here's your chance to while away some time.

We will bring you a set of 10 questions, a mixture of easy and tough ones, every week on Indian football. Try answering them on your own (without googling, we hope) and see how much you know about Indian football.

Share your scores with others and showboat. The latest edition of Sharp Minds is right here. Have fun.

NOTE : You are welcome to contact us through social media, if you need any clarification on the answers. We will try, to the best of our abilities, to explain.

Original author: Ashwin Muralidharan

Electric blow-out threatens Ronaldo debut

The Canadian side remained firm until after the hour mark when they conceded three goals to record the loss

Victor Wanyama’s head coach Thierry Henry has taken the blame after Montreal Impact went down 3-1 to New York FC on Saturday.

Montreal Impact remained firm until midway through the second half when they leaked the first goal which was scored by Jesus Medina after an error in judgment by Rudy Camacho.

The other goals were scored by Maxi Moralez and Tony Rocha. Romell Quioto scored Montreal Impact's consolation goal and missed an opportunity to add one more while Maximiliano Urruti and Bojan Krkic would have scored but were caught offside.

“It was my fault. Maybe we should have stayed [in New York] and trained,” Henry said in reference to the travel back to Montreal in the week.

“I wanted to have faith in my guys and think about the mental aspect. But it’s my fault, no problem. We made, again, a clear mistake that changed the rhythm of the game and changed everything.

“But I take the blame. For everything that’s been happening, I take the blame. Those guys are dealing with something that’s very difficult and I take the blame. It’s as simple as that.”

The French tactician claimed his side would have, however, emerged winners had they been clinical enough.

“It was a game in which we were in control and in which we needed to score much earlier. And once again, we put ourselves in trouble,” Henry added.

“We could have been ahead in this game, let’s be honest, before [the first goal] easily. We disturbed them easily.

“They couldn’t play through us apart from maybe two plays in the first half. But then, obviously, when you do this type of thing, you punish yourself.”

Montreal Impact remain firm in the play-off race despite the loss to New York City.

“It’s not the first time that this happens to us, but what’s nice with football is that there is always another game to respond,” Henry concluded.

“We have a game on Tuesday against a team that’s really hard to handle. A solid team that’s really aggressive, so it will be up to us to manage all of that, it won’t be easy, but sometimes it’s better to play right away in order to move on to better things.”

 

Original author: Kiplagat Sang

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