Looking for Soccer News?

Zambia internationals Hellen Mubanga and Racheal Nachula have left the country for Spain to join their new side, Zaragoza, on Friday.

In June, Zaragoza completed the signings of the Copper Queens duo, becoming the third and fourth Africans at the Spanish outfit after Nigeria's Peace Efih and Morocco's Hanane Ait El-Haj.

Mubanga and Nachula are making their first professional moves abroad after parting ways with Zambia Women's Premier League sides, Red Arrows and Green Buffaloes, respectively.

The duo were pivotal in Zambia's historic maiden qualification to the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games after a triumph over Cameroon.

Having procured their visas in August, the forwards were scheduled to travel a week ago but could not make it due to their flight being cancelled before they finally made their trips to Spain.

Before leaving Zambia, Mubanga expressed her delight over the finally heading out to Spain and pledged to do the country proud.

“Firstly I want to say thanks to God, my family Red Arrows, my coaches, teammates, and everyone that has been involved in my career," she told the media in Lusaka.

"I am excited to start my career at Zaragoza and promise to put in my best to make my country proud and also my new club.

“I am going there with Racheal is good for Zambian football because it will open doors for more players to play in Europe. 

"On my part, I will continue working hard and being determined because I believe the sky is not even the limit.”

Nachula and Mubanga become the latest Copper Queens players to ply their trades abroad after BIIK Kazygurt duo Misozi Zulu and Rachael Kundananji and Shanghai's Barbra Banda.

Zaragoza has long resumed training for the new season in August and the Zambian stars will be aiming to inspire their Spanish side to top-flight promotion this season.

The 2020-21 edition of the Carabao Cup began in August, with Championship, League One and League Two sides entering the competition.

Manchester City lifted their seventh Carabao Cup and third title in a row after beating Aston Villa in the final in March.

This season's final will be played on February 28, 2021 at Wembley Stadium.

Goal has your complete guide, including participating teams, full draw information, fixture schedules and results.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 format

All 92 clubs competing in the Premier League and the English Football League enter the 2020-21 Carabao Cup, with participation distributed across the divisions.

The competition will be played over seven rounds, with single-leg ties throughout. The previous two-legged tie for the semi-final was scrapped in favour of one.

In round one, the draw was split into northern and southern clubs with 22 Championship sides and all League One and League Two clubs entering.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 third round

The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were automatically registered for the third round due to their participation in European competitions.

The draw was conducted on September 6, and will be played the week commencing September 21.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 second round

Fifty teams are involved in round two of the Carabao Cup, including Premier League clubs that are not participating in European competition.

Like previous years, the draw was again split into 'northern' and 'southern' sections. The draw for the second round was made on September 6.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 first round

Seventy clubs participated in the first round, with 24 teams from League Two (tier four), 24 from League One (tier three), and 22 from the Championship (tier two).

The draw was divided between 'northern' and 'southern' sections. Teams were drawn against a team from the same section.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 on TV

In the United Kingdom, the Carabao Cup will be broadcast and live-streamed on Sky Sports.

In the United States, the competition will be shown on ESPN channels.

Carabao Cup 2020-21 rules

As was the case in 2019-20, extra-time will be abandoned for all rounds except for the final, with ties advancing straight to penalties in the event that the score is a draw at the end of regular time.

This was introduced in order to limit issues of "additional fatigue", as Carabao Cup fixtures typically take place in the middle of the week.

The ABBA penalty system trial was also eliminated, with the format for penalty shoot-outs now reverting to the standard ABAB penalty-taker order.

Seeding has also been removed from the first two rounds.

Video assistant refereeing (VAR) will continue to be in use in fixtures played at Premier League grounds.

Additionally, this will mark the first instance in which the winner will also qualify for the play-offs of the brand-new Europa Conference League, instead of the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

All ties will be played as single legs.

Will away goals count in the Carabao Cup semi-finals?

If both teams are level after the end of full-time during the second leg of either of the semi-final ties, the game will go directly to a penalty shoot-out with a no away goals rule implemented - a rule which began in 2018-19.

Previously, the away-goal rule was used in the semi-final stage in the same manner as it is in the Champions League knockout rounds. If, for instance, the away team scored a goal in the first leg that ended in a 1-1 draw, with the second leg ending 0-0, then that team would have progressed to the final courtesy of the away-goals rule.

Now, no such rule will be considered and second-leg stalemates will be decided ultimately by a penalty shoot-out.

Why is the League Cup called the Carabao Cup?

Until 2016, the tournament was named the English Football League Cup (EFL Cup) instead of the League Cup, following the rebranding of the Football League to the English Football League.

Officially, the EFL Cup is known as the Carabao Cup due to the energy drink being the tournament's official sponsors.

Prior to Carabao's sponsorship of the tournament starting from 2017, the competition was called the EFL Cup (2016-17), the Capital One Cup (2012-13 to 2015-16), the Carling Cup (sponsored by Molson Coors from 2003-04 to 2011-12), the Worthington Cup (sponsored by Worthington's from 1998-99 to 2002-03), and the Coca-Cola Cup (from 1992-93 to 1997-98).

Carabao & League Cup past winners

Liverpool have won the Carabao Cup the most times, winning their eighth in 2012 when they defeated Cardiff City on penalties.

Behind them are Man City, who lifted their seventh Carabao Cup in 2020 when they beat Aston Villa through penalty shootout. Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea have all won the Carabao Cup five times each.

Tottenham and Nottingham Forest have both won the competition four times apiece.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has been given a 10-day holiday ahead of the 2020/21 Kenyan Premier League season which might start in October.

The tactician has been in the country despite lack of games since March 16 owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. With the league resumption just around the corner, the tactician has opted to refresh his mind ahead of the new season.

"The coach [Polack] requested for some days off, and we gave him 10 days and he will be travelling [on Friday night] to Finland," Gor Mahia vice-chairman Francis Wasuna said as quoted by the club's official portal.

However, the administrator is admitted he is not sure if the 59-year-old might stay longer.

"The plan is to have him back after 10 days but we are not sure of any quarantine programs at the other end," he added.

"If it happens and his 10 days are interfered with, then an extension of his stay in Finland might be necessary."

Whether the tactician will return or not is yet to be seen considering his predecessors Hassan Oktay and Dylan Kerr left in that manner.

Former Gor Mahia head coach Jose Marcelo Ferreira (Ze Maria) could be on his way back to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), according to the latest reports.

The Brazilian succeeded Frank Nuttall, who had led K’Ogalo to the 2015 KPL title without losing a single match, but resigned in 2017 abruptly before joining KF Tirana.

He exited the club after it had just won the SportPesa Super Cup and were on top of the KPL table with 27 points.

Ze Maria’s rumours of return come amid reports Gor Mahia are in the market for a new coach to replace Polack.

Polack took charge of K’Ogalo when they faced huge financial constraints as they operated without a sponsor. His time was characterised by reported go-slows by members of the playing unit but he managed to register solid results on the pitch nonetheless.

They fought and topped the league table consistently, especially after they had been eliminated in the Caf Confederation Cup by Daring Club Motema Pembe.

They had managed to see off competition from Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz, who were seen as strong contenders given their strong financial state compared Gor Mahia at that time.

Emiliano Martinez has been left out of Arsenal's squad to face Fulham on Saturday as he edges closer to the exit door in north London.

Goal has learned Brighton have now joined Aston Villa in the race for the goalkeeper, who played a starring role in Arsenal's FA Cup success last season having filled in for the injured Bernd Leno during the final weeks of the season.

Villa have so far tabled two offers for Martinez, but have yet to meet Arsenal's £20 million ($26m) asking price. Their second bid was close to that figure, but only after add-ons and bonuses were factored in.

Sources close to the Argentine keeper have confirmed to Goal that Brighton have now entered the running for the 28-year-old and have tabled an offer that exceeds that of the Midlands club, but it has not been accepted by the Gunners.

Villa are expected to return with another bid imminently, however, and remain confident that they will ultimately land Martinez, who will now not be involved on Saturday when Arsenal begin their new Premier League campaign at Fulham.

Mikel Arteta has taken the decision to withdraw the keeper from his squad amid such heightened transfer activity, with Martinez having now almost certainly played his final game for the club.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday, Arteta was quizzed on the future of his goalkeeper.

“I cannot stop speculation about all our players,” he said. “I don’t want to comment on any individuals at the moment without having the right answer to give.

“We have some really good players in many different positions and some of them are duplicated. Obviously clubs come to us and are interested in getting our players.

“It’s very difficult to promise our players game time or that they will be first choice. So it’s part of this period in the market. We try to manage the situation as well as we can.

“What the players expectations are and what we can achieve with them at the club. We are making decisions towards that.”

Martinez has been with Arsenal for more than a decade and his preference has always been to stay at the club, but having proved himself when standing in for the injured Leno at the end of last season he does not want to find himself back on the bench once again.

He has a contract until 2022 and the Gunners have been in talks to extend his deal, but Goal has learned the terms on offer are less than what Villa were willing to pay him, even before Brighton emerged as competition.

Villa have also given Martinez assurances over playing time should he make the move to Dean Smith's side, something that is key to Martinez's hopes of making himself Argentina number one in the near future.

The latest development over Martinez’s future means that Matt Macey will be on the bench for Arsenal against Fulham on Saturday, with Leno back in goal for the first time in the Premier League since he damaged his knee ligaments against Brighton last season.

Arsenal have long expected to lose one of their keepers this summer and have started looking for replacements.

Brentford keeper David Raya has been identified as a target, but the Bees are determined to keep hold of him as they look to challenge for promotion from the Championship once again.

Yanga SC's partner GSM's investment director Hersi Said has explained the concept behind their new home and away jerseys.

Said revealed the new kits have been influenced by African culture and that they will be unveiling jerseys based on different concepts ahead of every season.

“Every year we will be launching a jersey with a concept. We will not be just launching a jersey for the sake of having it green and yellow only, no. Concepts will be our guiding principle,” Said told Azam TV.

“There is the main reason why we design our jerseys in a particular manner. We all understand that Yanga are a team for the people and for that reason, the design of the new jersey is in line with the concept of a belonging to the people.

“It is in line with African culture and specifically the Tanzanian culture. We have launched our home and away kits and later on, we are going to launch the third kit.”

Meanwhile, head coach Zlatko Krmpotic has revealed he might be forced to draft new players Mukoko Tonombe and Tuisila Kisinda against Mbeya City on Sunday.

The former AS Vita duo did not start during Yanga’s season-opening match against Tanzania Prisons which ended in a draw last weekend.

“I have not been here for a long time but during our opening match [Tuisila] Kisinda and [Mukoko] Tonombe played as they were told to in the second half,” the former Zesco United coach told Mwanaspoti.

“What they showed during the Prisons match has also been seen in our subsequent training sessions. I can simply say they are good.

“What they have shown so far can even push me to include them in the starting line-up for our next match so that we can easily fight for a good result and not like what we got in the previous tie.

“My target is to give chances to every player that shows hard work and readiness. This will be good as it will help us get points regardless of how many goals we can score at a given match.”

After the Mbeya match, Yanga will face Kagera Sugar, Mtibwa Sugar and Coastal Union in subsequent ties.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Electoral Board has cleared five presidential aspirants for the national elections scheduled for October 17.

In a list released on Friday, September 11, the Board announced the five are now ready for the exercise after their nomination papers, presented a couple of days ago, were accepted.

"Having examined the nomination forms submitted by candidates for the Football Kenya Federation 2020 presidential elections, the following is the final list of candidates who have been cleared to vie for the presidential position...," the Board confirmed on their website.

Among those cleared are the incumbent Nick Mwendwa and his running mate Doris Petra Mao. 

Gor Mahia CEO Lordvick Omondi Aduda will also be in the ballot with is running mate Athanas Obala, same as journalist Bonface Odhiambo Osano and his running mate who is also a former Harambee Stars forward Innocent Muthini Mutiso.

Former AFC Leopards chairman Daniel Mule Anthony and his running mate Peter Chiselemi Lichungu are also in the race.

Completing the list is former FKF deputy CEO Herbert Mwachiro alongside former international defender Harold Onyango Ndege. 

The list for those vying for the National Executive Council (NEC) membership has also been released.

Gordon Davis Chege is unopposed from Central, same as Timothy Muriithi Nabea of Eastern, Western's Enos Bishop Tony Kweya, and David Kipkoril Bunei from Lower Rift Valley.

In Nairobi, Michael Ouma Majua, Tom Otieno Onyango, and Isaac Macharia Wambui will be battling out for the ticket while Nyanza will have two candidates: Joseph Oduor Andere and Western Stima chairman Laban Adero Jobita to battle for the position.

Ahmed Qadar Mohamed Dabar and Mohamed Abdi Farah are in the race from North Eastern with Upper Rift Valley fielding Bernard Korir Lagat and Nyongesa Masinde.

Former Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo will be battling for the slot of Women's Representative alongside Violet Kerubo Momanyi and Margaret Anyango Omondi. 

The County elections are scheduled for September 19 while the National ones will be held on October 17.

Whether the elections will be held or not lies with the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT).

Top candidates Sam Nyamweya, Nicholas Musonye, Twaha Mbaraka, and Sammy Shollei refused to be involved stating the Electoral Board and the outgoing office have no legal mandate to oversee the process.

Bloemfontein Celtic skipper Ndumiso Mabena says they have to respect Mamelodi Sundowns in their Nedbank Cup final clash on Saturday night.

The Phunya Sele Sele skipper says the fact that the Brazilians have regularly featured in the Caf Champions League means they are experienced and a strong side.

On the other hand, the former Orlando Pirates striker says they must be wary of the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions who managed to grab the title under Kaizer Chiefs’ nose.

“This is a big game for us. It’s the first time we play in the final and we will give our all, do our best on the day,” Mabena told the media.

“We hope to make our fans proud. Credit should go to the boys and coach for motivating us and after a long time we have a chance to play in the final.”

Despite showing respect to Sundowns, Mabena said the final is a big occasion for his men and will look to make their fans happy.

“Sundowns are the Caf Champions [2016], they have experience and are a good team,” he added.

“You could tell they have experience of managing games, having come from behind [13 points] to catch Kaizer Chiefs to win the title. It shows the experience gained in Africa.”

The former Buccaneers player finished the 2019/20 season with nine goals and he is fully aware of the task ahead of them when they face the Tshwane giants at Orlando Stadium.

Under coach John Maduka’s guidance, Celtic finished the season without a defeat in the Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) and the Malawian legend will be pinning his hopes on his skipper to unlock the opponent’s defence.

Mabena scored in the two previous meetings between the two sides but they lost 2-1 in the league at Loftus Versfeld back in February.

On the other hand, the Mpumalanga-born player was on target when they demolished Baroka FC 3-0 in the semi-final last month.

Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Alessandro Florenzi from Roma, with the defender arriving on a loan deal with an option to buy. 

The 29-year-old has been contracted to Roma throughout the duration of his career, however he spent the second half of last season on loan with Valencia in the Primera Division.

Goal confirmed a deal was close on Thursday, and it has now been confirmed.

The 36-time Italy star will team up with international team-mate Marco Verratti in the French capital.

“I’m especially proud and happy to become a PSG player,” he said in a statement on the club’s official website. “It’s one of the biggest clubs in Europe today, as was confirmed with their run to the Champions League final last month.

“I’ve got the desire to give my maximum for PSG and the supporters of the club. There are enormous challenges ahead of us this season. It will be a pleasure and an honour to turnout at the sides of my new team-mates, who are among the best players in the world.”

Florenzi is a versatile player but is expected to be the solution to the club’s search for a right-back, which began when Thomas Meunier departed the club to move to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer at the end of his contract in June. 

Thilo Kehrer took up the position during the final Champions League fixtures, while in Thursday’s Ligue 1 clash against Lens, it was left-back Layvin Kurzawa took up the mantle, with youth player Colin Dagba on the bench.

Florenzi has made 280 appearances for Roma and was the club’s captain in the 2019-20 season. His career has been hampered by serious cruciate knee ligament injuries, while he has three times finished a runner-up in Serie A behind Juventus.

He is PSG’s third major signing of the summer, with the French champions having made loan deals for Mauro Icardi and Sergio Rico permanent. 

PSG suffered a 1-0 loss against Lens in their opening Ligue 1 match of the season on Thursday and will be trying to bounce back against great rivals Marseille on Sunday, though they face being without numerous stars because of a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has warned his troops against taking Bloemfontein Celtic lightly, saying if they can beat Kaizer Chiefs, his men can also lose the Nedbank Cup final.

As they already have two trophies in the bag, ‘Jingles’ remains cautious of their chances to clinch a treble this term, saying they still have to win the match against Siwelele.

On the other hand, the Chloorkop-based club has also snapped up Ricardo Goss, Haashim Domingo, and Gift Motupa from Bidvest Wits, and Mosimane suggests they are not done in the transfer market as of yet.

“The treble is not there until you win the match. First, the league was not on our side until those last 20 minutes and then we managed to win it,” Mosimane told the media. 

“The worst thing is to think that you’ve won the treble without playing it. It will be a difficult game, of course, they are a very difficult team that is enjoying themselves.

“They are free-spirited, they pass well. Yoh, they can pass the ball and they have got nothing to lose and will give everything. They came with a different formation in the bubble.

“I was surprised, but they have been winning and they contributed to us winning the league title by stalling Kaizer Chiefs [with a 3-1 win]. If they can beat Chiefs, they can beat us also.”

The 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions signed Mauricio Affonso and Sammy Seabi at the beginning of the season before luring George Maluleka from Kaizer Chiefs.

Moreover, the Chlookrop-based giants have reportedly signed Highlands Park’s duo Peter Shalulile and Mothobi Mvala as they continue to bolster their ranks.

“I think we also deserve a chance to sign a few players now. Everyone has been signing - give us a chance also,” he added.

“There’s a myth and perception that we’ve been signing without acknowledging youngsters. But we’ve put them on the pitch and in starting line-ups.

“So, we don’t sign because we have to sign but we sign because we need to strengthen the team.

“There won’t be an overhaul, you must be very careful. The guys have won many titles and the league five times in just seven seasons.

"The majority of them are the most important players, the seniors. So, we are not rocking the boat here.”

Marseille star Dimitri Payet has played down the prospect of Paris Saint-Germain being out for revenge when the sides meet at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

While the Parisians have held the upper hand on the field in recent years, there remains a fierce rivalry between the clubs.

Payet stirred that up in the aftermath of PSG’s 1-0 Champions League final loss against Bayern Munich as he mocked the club, tweeting in reference to OM being the only French club to have lifted the European Cup.

He has played down the possibility of the Parisians treating his tweet, which accumulated over 70,000 likes, too seriously. 

“It's not a story, it's a tweet that made me laugh a lot,” he said. “I reposted this GIF. It made me laugh a lot. There is no story. I do not regret it, it is fair game. 

“I remember one of our matches in Limassol in the Europa League, after which the official PSG website made a tweet. Between rivals, it’s normal. I do not regret it and it does not put pressure on me.

“Against Paris is an important match for us. Obviously, I’m preparing myself to give my best.”

Payet admitted that Marseille’s winless run of 20 matches against their rivals, including a current sequence of five successive losses, is weighing heavily on them. 

“Of course we are thinking of this run,” he said, before reflecting on the 4-0 defeat in their sole clash last season. “Last year, we tried something. We will have to try to win the ball from them as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, Payet does not believe that PSG’s difficult start to the season, which saw them lose their opening match against Lens 1-0 on Thursday, will be too much of an issue.

“Honestly, I don't think this poor start is going to prevent them from finishing first at the end of the season, but if we can take points there, that would be good,” he said.

Marseille will be missing Bouna Sarr for the fixture, while Morgan Sanson is a doubt. PSG, meanwhile, could be severely shorthanded due to a number of players, including Kylian Mbappe, having been struck with Covid-19. Neymar returned to training on Friday after the illness.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttle believes new Ghanaian acquisition Mohammed Salisu will need a bit more time to play his way into the club's starting set-up.

The Saints are set to kick off their Premier League season with an away clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Salisu is among the new faces in the camp of Southampton, having signed for the club from Spanish outfit Real Valladolid last month. He began training with the English fold earlier this week.

"It may take a few more weeks, maybe [to break into the starting set-up]. After the next international break [in October], I hope to have him in the first eleven. He has good drive and is a very ambitious guy," Hasenhuttl told Hampshire Live.

 "He is working hard on his fitness at the moment after a long break from injury and there are a few issues we must work on but you can see his physicality.

"The potential he has is amazing and he wants to learn quickly. He is exactly the type of player that we need to have here.

"We have very clear and strict limits on any transfer we make. We have to have a player that really likes to come to us for money we can spend.

"If we find such a player then I am sure he will enjoy it and develop very quickly when he is with us.

 "He will not be a short-term project, he will be more of a long-term project. Therefore I think he was a fantastic transfer."

Salisu joined Southampton on a four-year deal after being linked to top clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes also expressed interest in his signature.

He caught the attention of many last season with a run of fine performances for Valladolid in La Liga, where he made 31 appearances, started 30 of the games, scored once and assisted one other goal.

After the October international break, Southampton are set to host Chelsea in their first league games, a match that could potentially become a starting debut fixture for the Ghanaian.

He is yet to be capped by Ghana at any level.

Casey Stoney believes Manchester United have sent a statement out to the rest of the Women's Super League (WSL) by signing US Women’s National Team (USWNT) players Tobin Heath and Christen Press.

The pair were confirmed this week on season-long deals and their arrivals will boost United’s strike force as they look to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal for the WSL title and Champions League qualification.

“When you sign the three players we have from this week it does send a statement, we’re always looking to bring in quality where we can and improve our squad and we’ve done that this week,” Stoney said about United’s new arrivals.

Stoney is hoping the World Cup winners can bring a different mentality to her dressing room as they look to build on last season’s fourth placed finish in their first campaign in the top tier.

“I think they bring a winning mentality,” Stoney said of Press and Heath.

“When I was a player, playing against America, their winning mentality and competitiveness was unbelievable so hopefully they can bring that to our squad and our younger players can learn from being in and around them about what it is to be an elite player at that level and how they bring that to the pitch. I think they’ll bring an awful lot to our dynamic.

“The players are excited and they’re looking forward to having them in and around the dressing room and adding to our squad to give us a greater capability to make sure we can consistently improve.”

Alessia Russo was also confirmed on deadline day and the three new additions along with earlier summer signings Ona Batlle, Ivana Fuso and Lucy Staniforth have given United a strength in depth which they have been lacking in the past.

“We struggled last year. We got a couple of injuries out in wide areas and we had to reshuffle the pack and play people out of position, and we don’t have to do that,” Stoney explained.

“We want to be able to rotate the squad, I think we’ve got real strength in depth now. Some exciting youth that I’m really looking forward to seeing develop and some experience that know how to win games.”

So what about that illustrious top spot and the chase for Champions League football? Can they match those above them?

“People said before this week said we would be fortunate if we broke into the top three but I believed before these signings,” she said. “That was always our ambition before this week to be honest. On Sunday against Chelsea we showed we are capable. It’s about winning more games, it’s about keeping more clean sheets and giving ourselves a chance.”

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Paul Pogba will miss his club’s friendly with Aston Villa on Saturday – but he is optimistic that the midfielder will return for the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace the following week.

Pogba is one of the players who has been troubled by Covid-19, having tested positive for the virus while he was with the France squad.

He was sent home by Didier Deschamps’ side in order to self-isolate. That prevented him from featuring in training, thereby losing sharpness and any prospect of turning out at Villa Park.

Speaking to MUTV, the Norwegian explained: “Paul’s had a couple of training sessions, so he’s lost out on a few sessions because of the virus, of course. But Paul is quick to get fit.... hopefully, he’ll be ready for next weekend. I am not 100 per cent sure, though.”

The World Cup winner is coming off a frustrating 2019-20 campaign, in which he was able to feature only 22 times in all competitions because of a couple of spells out with an ankle injury.

He played 16 Premier League matches, scoring a single goal, while two of his four assists came in a 4-0 win over Chelsea on the opening day of the season.

Other than the 27-year-old, United are hopeful of having a full squad for the Villa fixture.

Solskjaer has confirmed left-back Luke Shaw will be available for the clash.

“Luke is looking really good in training. He's come back looking strong and will play in the friendly against Villa,” he confirmed.

Meanwhile, Pogba is not the only member of the France squad to have suffered lately from Covid-19, with Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe having succumbed to the virus. Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was the third member of the initial 23-man squad to be sent home after returning a positive test.

Additionally, the man who succeeded Pogba as the world’s most expensive footballer, Neymar, returned to training on Friday ahead of PSG’s fixture against Marseille on Sunday, having returned a negative test after contracting the virus.

AmaZulu FC general manager Lunga Sokhela says they are yet to receive offers for their star striker Bonginkosi Ntuli.

The bulky marksman is coming off his best season in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in which he hit the back of the net 13 times from 30 matches.

Ntuli, who was once on the books of PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns, has been constantly linked with Orlando Pirates since last year.

Sokhela explained that they have no intentions of selling the 29-year-old striker after he played an integral role in helping the team survive relegation from the top-flight league this season. 

“We haven’t had official offers for Mr Bongi Ntuli. He is our player. We’ve heard rumours and talks but we don’t have anything official,” Sokhela told the media. 

“He is a critical member of our squad, especially in his position and what he brings. He is still contracted with the club. We don’t have any desire to release him."

Ntuli formed a deadly partnership with former Pirates striker Lehlohonolo Majoro in the bio-bubble as they scored three goals between them from five matches.

The 34-year-old Majoro is excepted to stay at the Durban-based side after reviving his career under coach Ayanda Dlamini.

Dlamini recently signed a three-year deal with Usuthu as a reward for guiding the KwaZulu-Natal giants to safety as they finished 13th on the league standings - a point above the relegation zone.

However, AmaZulu have decided to trim down their squad by releasing four players including Pirates loanee Thembela Sikhakhane.

"Dlamini has also trimmed down the current squad, as the club have agreed to mutually terminate the contract of the Slovakian attacker, Milos Lacny, midfielder Jabulani Ncobeni and defenders Phumlani Gumede and Thembela Sikhakhane," a club statement read.

The 27-year-old Sikhakhane has spent the last three seasons on loan at Usuthu where he made 49 appearances in the league. 

It remains to be seen whether Pirates will recall him ahead of the 2020/21 season which is expected to start next month.

He joined the Buccaneers from Lamontville Golden Arrows in 2016 and he played 10 league games for the Soweto giants before leaving to AmaZulu in 2017.

Gareth Bale could “get back to his highest level” in the Premier League, says Steve McManaman, with the Real Madrid outcast once again being urged to push for a move that can reignite his career.

The Wales international has become a fading force at Santiago Bernabeu.

That is not entirely his own fault, with Zinedine Zidane having taken to dropping him down the pecking order after seeing the 31-year-old become a scapegoat for certain supporters.

Bale has, however, done little to aid his cause by opting to stay put.

He recently revealed that efforts to leave in 2019 were blocked by Real, but he has seen windows of opportunity pass him by on a regular basis.

Another is now open and McManaman feels a player that has been linked with a return to Tottenham, amid various other landing spots, should be putting himself first and forcing a transfer through.

The former Blancos star told ‘Football Talks’ with FIFA Legends: “I think Gareth Bale could play in the Premier League and get back to his highest level. I certainly hope so.

“I know he's 31 years of age. Of course he's had a number of injures but I don't think he's played a lot of football in recent years so he should be fit and strong.

“The most important thing for Gareth is to play football and if he's not going to do that at Real Madrid then I think he should try somewhere else.”

McManaman is an avid follower of both La Liga and Premier League action, having split his own playing career between England and Spain.

He is currently keeping a close eye on the recruitment market, which remains open until October 5, and believes one of his former clubs – Manchester City – will continue to spend in a bid to close the gap on Liverpool, another of those that he once represented.

“Liverpool are back from a fantastic season,” McManaman added.

“Manchester City have secured a top talent like Ferran Torres. They lost David Silva but will integrate a couple more players. 

“Chelsea have bought several stars, big names. The market isn't over yet.”

The new Premier League season will get underway on Saturday, with Liverpool opening the defence of their crown with a home date against Leeds.

Watford winger Ismaila Sarr is the kind of player that Jurgen Klopp could take to “the next level” at Liverpool, claims Neil Mellor, with the Reds advised to consider a swoop for a close friend of Sadio Mane.

The Premier League champions already have one Senegal international forward on their books.

Interest in landing another has been mooted ever since Sarr netted a stunning brace while inflicting Liverpool’s first top-flight defeat of 2019-20.

He has since suffered relegation into the Championship, with a move away from Vicarage Road expected to be made before the current transfer window slams shut.

Mellor believes those at Anfield could do a lot worse than look to the Hornets for inspiration, with the general consensus being that Klopp needs greater depth in his attacking ranks.

“When you look at players like Sarr, you think if he was to go and maybe work under a manager like Jurgen or someone, he could take him to the next level,” Mellor told Gentingbet.

“I think he has that ability and he showed that. He's had a good season at Watford even though they've been relegated and he cost them a lot of money.

“The thing is with Sarr, he's got a big future if the right sort of manager can be around him and guide him in these important times.

“He's good mates with Mane, and we all know about players helping deals get over the line with friends.

“Sarr wouldn't start but he's a player who could certainly offer help to the front three and say, well, I can freshen it up for this game so there isn't an overuse for the front three.

“I think he’s a really exciting player, a top talent who somebody like Jugren at Liverpool could get more out of in a few years.

“But I think he will be very much in demand this window and the price would have to be right, and that could be something that could put Liverpool off. He’s young and still got so much to learn, so I think Jurgen would help him.”

Liverpool are yet to show their hand when it comes to Sarr, but they have been heavily linked with a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

Opinion is divided on whether the Reds need another body in the engine room, but Mellor believes a classy Spain international would be a useful addition if a deal can be thrashed out.

He said of a long-running saga: “There’s no desperate need for Liverpool to bring in any players and I think Thiago has been linked for a while now - it seems to be going on a bit too long. You start to think it why is it not being done if it is going to be done?

“There's no doubt about it, he's a very talented player. I think he would certainly bring quality to Liverpool which they already have in midfield. It's just a case of if he suits the manager.

“I’d be surprised if he didn't want to come to the football club and I'd be interested to see if Liverpool do get that one over the line or not.”

When it comes to fantasy football, the topic of midfielders is a contentious one thanks to which players are deemed to play that position in the official Premier League game.

A number of players who are otherwise known as forwards have been designated as midfielders in FPL and that should make things interesting in terms of scoring points this season.

As the 2020-21 Premier League season gets under way, Goal takes a look at the best fantasy football forwards, as well as a few bargain options.

Check out the top 100 funniest fantasy football team names!

Best Premier League fantasy football midfielders

The main things to consider when picking midfielders in fantasy football are goals and assists. The other thing to keep in mind is a team's likelihood of keeping clean sheets and the player's overall discipline.

Kevin De Bruyne | Man City | £11.5m

PFA Player of the Year Kevin De Bruyne was the highest scoring midfielder in fantasy football last season, having been directly involved in 36 goals for Man City.

The Belgium international enjoyed his best season in the Premier League with 13 goals and 23 assists, amassing a total of 251 points - nearly 20 ahead of the nearest high scorer.

Remarkably, De Bruyne is still cheaper than the most expensive midfielders in FPL - albeit only slightly!

Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | £12m

Mohamed Salah has endured somewhat of a downturn in fortunes since his breakout season in 2017-18, but he remains one of the best players in the division, who scores and creates goals.

There is no player more expensive than Salah in FPL and that's down to the fact that he regularly scores well over 200 points on the game.

Last season he scored 19 goals and supplied 10 assists, but he has shown he can do much more than that, having contributed to 44 goals for Liverpool two years ago.

Sadio Mane | Liverpool | £12m

Like Salah, Sadio Mane has evolved into one of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League while at Liverpool and he has really sharpened his finishing ability in the last two campaigns.

The Senegal international scored over 200 points on FPL last season and that has seen his price shoot up, but there is nothing to suggest that it won't be an investment worth making.

Unfortunately, unless you scrimp in other areas of the team, it's unlikely you'll be able to fit both Mane and Salah in, so you'll probably have to make a choice.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Arsenal | £12m

The alteration of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from forward to midfielder in FPL raised a few eyebrows, but it is good news for his point-scoring ability.

The Arsenal attacker has scored over 200 points as a striker in the past two seasons, having scored 22 in the last campaign and the term before, and he is also good to chip in with assists.

Raheem Sterling | Man City | £11.5m

Raheem Sterling enjoyed his best ever season in terms of goals last year as he struck 20 times for Man City in the Premier League and, like De Bruyne, he is slightly cheaper than the top three priced midfielders.

The England international is an excellent option, given his ability to score, but he is also an excellent provider too.

Bruno Fernandes | Man Utd | £10.5m

Manchester United appear to have landed a brilliant player in Bruno Fernandes and the Portugal international hit the ground running at Old Trafford.

He contributed directly to 16 goals in the Premier League last season (eight goals and eight assists), despite only playing half of the campaign.

The fact that Fernandes is a penalty taker is a plus and, with Donny van de Beek joining, he will have another willing runner in the midfield to play off.

Marcus Rashford | Man Utd | £9.5m

Marcus Rashford is a forward, but he is a midfielder in FPL and that is good news based on his previous record of goals and assists for Man United.

The England international, who is also adept at free kicks, scored 17 and laid on eight more last season in what was his best year at the club, suggesting that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have found the player's best position.

Heung-min Son | Tottenham | £9m

Tottenham forward Heung-min Son is considerably cheaper than the likes of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne, but he performs a similar role to them and, crucially, scores points.

The South Korea international has scored in double figures in the past four campaigns and really honed his ability to create goals last year with 13 assists - his best tally yet.

Riyad Mahrez | Man City | £8.5m

Riyad Mahrez is £3 million cheaper than his team-mates Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, despite being a similarly strong scorer in FPL. 

The main concern is that the Algeria international isn't a guaranteed starter, but he got nearly 200 points playing for Man City last season, even though he started just 21 matches.

Kai Havertz | Chelsea | £8.5m

New Chelsea signing Kai Havertz is available at a reasonable price and the Germany international has shown his ability as an incisive attacking midfielder at Bayer Leverkusen.

Havertz is a goalscoring midfielder, but the fact that he is new to the club is something that should temper any decisions, so weigh up the risk-reward in terms of your budget.

Hakim Ziyech | Chelsea | £8m

Former Ajax star Hakim Ziyech is set to play a key role at Chelsea this season once he is fit and he could prove something of a bargain if he lives up to expectations.

The Morocco international is an out-and-out winger who likes to get the ball into the box and he also pops up with a few goals himself, including the odd spectacular.

Best Premier League fantasy football bargain midfielders

Jack Grealish | Aston Villa | £7m

One of the heroes for Aston Villa last season as they avoided relegation, Jack Grealish is still at Villa Park despite suggestions that he could make a move to Manchester United.

Now an England international, the playmaker will be eager to build on his form from last season - eight goals, seven assists and 149 FPL points! - as he looks to prove his doubters wrong.

James Rodriguez | Everton | £7.5m

Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez is a major addition to Everton this season and seems to be priced rather lowly considering his stature.

James has scored goals at every club he has been at and, as he enters the final stages of his career, he will be desperate to show exactly why Carlo Ancelotti trusts him so much.

Allan Saint-Maximin | Newcastle | £5.5m

Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin is modestly priced in FPL and, given his capacity to score and assist goals, that means he can be a bargain addition.

The Magpies No.10 started 23 games last season, scoring three goals and laying on four for his team-mates. He will have to work hard to remain part of the team, but he has shown plenty of promise.

Matheus Pereira | West Brom | £6m

Matheus Pereira will be a key player for West Brom in their struggle to avoid relegation this season and he will relish the challenge, having starred in their promotion campaign.

He was involved in 24 of the Baggies' goals last season, which was roughly a third of their total. 

Mason Greenwood | Man Utd | £7.5m

Mason Greenwood has been identified by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the best finisher at Manchester United and he is a midfielder in FPL.

Already an England international, Greenwood has been tipped to serve as Harry Kane's deputy for the Three Lions and he demonstrated his worth last term with 10 goals in the Premier League.

Abdoulaye Doucoure | Everton | £5.5m

Abdoulaye Doucoure is a new signing at Everton but he is no stranger to the Premier League or FPL players.

The former Watford midfielder has scored over 100 points in each of the last three seasons, scoring goals and setting them up. In theory, he should have greater opportunities playing for the Toffees.

The Premier League has barely been away, but already excitement is at fever pitch ahead of the new campaign, with questions aplenty as the top flight kicks off this weekend.

Every match of the Premier League this weekend will be live on the brand new SS Premier League channel, so fans can stay in touch with every pass, every tackle, and every goal as the world's greatest league returns to our screens.

Defending champions Liverpool will begin their title defence against newly promoted Leeds United on Saturday, while two of the championship hopefuls—Arsenal and Chelsea—will also give fans a chance to glimpse what’s in store for them this weekend.

The Gunners are the first to take to the field, when they begin their campaign away at Fulham—another new face to the Premier League—at 13:30 CAT on Saturday on SS Premier League, a new SuperSport channel dedicated to the top flight action.

Arsenal have every reason for optimism heading into the new campaign; following the muddled reign of Unai Emery, they won two trophies in a month under Mikel Arteta, having clinched both the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Those victories—against Chelsea and Liverpool respectively—were evidence of what they could achieve against tough opponents in one-off fixtures, but can they do it consistently across a season?

Defensively, the arrivals of William Saliba and Gabriel bolster an area of concern, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s decision to remain at the club (for now at least) will guarantee a consistent goal threat.

The likes of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah have continued to improve under Arteta’s tutelage, while the Spaniard will be hoping for more from Nicolas Pepe following his underwhelming debut season in England.

There’s much more to come from the winger, who cost £72 million when he signed from LOSC Lille, but will Arteta be able to unlock that talent?

Arsenal’s first test comes in the form of Fulham, whose playoff victory over neighbours Brentford came just over a month ago.

Scott Parker has done well to galvanise the Cottagers since their drop into the second tier, and they’ll hope that a settled squad—which has retained Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney, Anthony Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro—has learned their lessons from 2018-19.

Last term, they demonstrated an ability to absorb opposition pressure and hit teams on the counterattack, but can they trouble the Gunners’ backline on Saturday?

Also in action on the opening day, Liverpool host Leeds in a fascinating bout between the reigning Premier League champions and last year’s Championship winners.

The match will pit Jurgen Klopp against Marcelo Bielsa, and represents the sternest possible test for the newly promoted Yorkshiremen.

They will, however, have nothing to lose, and after returning to the top flight for the first time in 16 years, will be desperate to make a splash on their first match back.

Liverpool will be keen to rediscover the relentless winning mentality that appeared to have deserted them towards the latter end of last season, after the title had been wrapped up.

No one can fault a side who reached back-to-back Champions League finals and accrued 97 points and still finished as runners-up in 2018-19.

However, there are concerns that a thin squad may be found out if any of Klopp’s leading men sustain injuries.

This match will also be broadcast live on SS Premier League at 18:30 CAT on Saturday.

SuperSport Fixtures

Saturday 12 September – Key Matches

Fulham vs Arsenal | Kickoff at 13:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

TTM vs Black Leopards | Kickoff at 15:00 (CAT) | SS PSL (SA) & SS Variety 4 (ROA)

Liverpool vs Leeds | Kickoff at 18:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Celtic vs Sundowns | Kickoff at 20:00 (CAT) | SS PSL (SA) & SS Variety 4 (ROA)

Sunday 13 September – Key Matches

West Brom vs Leicester | Kickoff at 15:00 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Spurs vs Everton | Kickoff at 17:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Villarreal vs Huesca | Kickoff at 18:30 (CAT) | SS LaLiga

Valencia vs Levante | Kickoff at 21:00 (CAT) | SS LaLiga

Monday 14 September

Sheffield United vs Wolves | Kickoff at 19:00 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Brighton vs Chelsea | Kickoff at 21:15 (CAT) | SS Premier League

In Premier League action this weekend, SuperSport viewers can enjoy West Bromwich Albion’s first match back in the top flight when they take on Leicester City, Everton’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur, and Sheffield United’s meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The weekend’s action concludes on Monday, when new-look Chelsea travel away to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Frank Lampard has overseen an ambitious summer as the Blues look to close the gap to the top two, with a series of bright new recruits arriving at Stamford Bridge.

The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are all promising additions, but how long will it take for them to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.

There are also concerns between the sticks, where Lampard is yet to truly solve his goalkeeping woes, and Brighton will hope to exploit the Londoners’ ongoing weak points when they welcome them to the Amex Stadium on Monday.

The match will also be live on SS Premier League, at 21:15 CAT on Monday.

As well as the new SS Premier League channel, La Liga also has its own new dedicated channel on SuperSport, with every match set to be broadcast live as the league kicks off this weekend.

The action begins with Villarreal’s showdown with Huesca on Sunday, as the Yellow Submarine have an early opportunity to demonstrate their continental credentials.

Samuel Chukwueze could prove to be one to watch in the Spanish top flight this term, although having had a hand in only five goals last term, doubts remain about his ability to make an impact in the final third.

If he wants to be considered among the league’s top stars, it’s a weakness in his game that he must correct.

That match will be broadcast on SS LaLiga at 18:30 CAT on Sunday, ahead of Valencia and Levante who meet in the evening’s later kickoff at 21:15 CAT.

Finally, we also have Nedbank Cup action this weekend, as Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns collide in Saturday's Nedbank Cup final at 20:00 CAT on the SS PSL channel.

Downs coach Pitso Mosimane has cast doubt over the availability of midfielder Andile Jali, goalkeeper Denis Onyango, defender Mosa Lebusa and Ricardo Nascimento for Saturday’s showdown, as they newly crowned PSL champions look to complete a domestic treble.

The Brazilians beat Black Leopards 3-0 to overhaul Kaizer Chiefs and clinch the PSL title in dramatic fashion last weekend, but they may have their work cut out against Celtic, with Hlompho Kekana reportedly suffering from fatigue and Gaston Sirino also injured.

“The treble is not there until we win the match. The worst thing is to think you have won the ‘Treble’ without playing it,” Mosimane told journalists. “You have to earn it, and history against Celtic in the cup is not good for us.

"If you look at it, you can say they need it more than us in terms of what has been happening lately, but football does not go like that.”

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "still active" in the transfer market but warned it might take more than "one or two windows" for him to build the squad that he wants.

Arsenal have brought in Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes and Dani Ceballos so far this summer, but have struggled to move players on - with Henrikh Mkhitaryan the only senior player to leave the club.

Arteta admits that has left his squad unbalanced ahead of the new season and that there is still plenty of work to be done before the window closes on October 6.

“We are still active in the market,” he said. “We are looking at different options, with players in and out. At the moment the squad balance is not ideal and what we want to achieve. There is still some work to do but we have to bear in mind the complication of this market and the complexity as well.

“Numbers wise, some positions are overbooked and some others, in terms of specific qualities that we need, they are still not there.

“But it’s going to be very difficult to achieve what we want in one window or two windows. It’s a process, it has to be evolving and most importantly it has to be a sustainable model that we can consistently fit in using our academy players.”

Arsenal are still hoping to sign at least one midfielder in the coming weeks, with Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar two priority targets.

Lyon’s sporting director Juninho has admitted that Arsenal technical director Edu has spoken to him about Aouar and discussed the possibly of including Matteo Guendouzi in a swap.

“Houssem Aouar is really well liked by Arteta,” said Juninho. “There were some discussions for Guendouzi, who is also a good player. He was brought up during the discussion.

“But we don’t need his profile, we were very clear. If it is like that, we are not interested at all, we cut the conversation, that is where things ended.”

When pressed on his interest in Aouar, Arteta was staying tight-lipped. “I don’t want to talk about players at other clubs,” he replied.

The Spaniard also refused to be drawn on whether Guendouzi’s mindset would be impacted by being offered elsewhere this summer.

He did, however, say that the French midfielder had been training well, having been brought back into the group following his exclusion from the squad during the final weeks of last season.

“Matteo has been training like any other player in the squad,” said Arteta.

“Obviously it’s a new season, we had some really positive conversations between both parties and now he’s back with the group training. He’s been training really well.”

Alexandre Lacazette is another player who has been linked with a move away this summer, but Arteta says the France international has told him he wants to stay and fight for his place.

“He’s really happy here,” said the Spaniard. “He wants to keep improving and keep contributing to the team.

“I know how good he is, the impact he’s having. He knows about the competition we have with the front players so he needs to demand himself to be the best striker at this football club, the same as the rest.

“He was very happy to hear that and the way he’s been training and conducting himself has been excellent.”

When asked whether Lacazette had told him he wanted to stay, Arteta added: “Yes, I think he is very happy here and that’s what I got from that conversation.”

Ligue 2 side Amiens have announced the signing of Stephen Odey on a season-long loan from Belgian First Division A side Genk.

The 22-year-old centre-forward arrived at the Luminus Arena outfit in the summer of 2019 but has struggled to establish himself with the club.

 Odey only featured in 11 league games for the Blue and White in his debut campaign with Hannes Wolf’s men.

In his quest to enjoy more game time, the Nigeria international has teamed up with the Unicorns until the end of the season.

“Amiens SC and KRC Genk have reached an agreement for the Stephen Odey buyout loan,” read a statement from the club website.

“Aged 22, he is therefore joining Amiens SC for the 2020/2021 season and will wear the number 9. Welcome, Stephen.”

Odey will link up with Ghana’s Emmanuel Lomotey, Senegal duo of  Moussa Konate, Amadou Ciss, the Democratic Republic of the Congo pair of Nathan Monzango and Chadrac Akolo, Ivory Coast’s Cheick Timite, Morocco’s Driss Khalid, Cameroon’s Aurelien Chedjou and Mali’s Molla Wague.

The forward bursts into the limelight during his time with Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side MFM.

Odey was MFM’s top-scorer in the 2015–16 NPFL season and remains the all-time highest scorer for the club.

His eye-catching performances earned him a move to Swiss club FC Zürich, where he scored 12 goals in 45 league games during his two-year stay.

The striker then signed for Genk in 2019 and will now continue his development with French side Amiens.

Odey has been capped three times by the Nigeria national team, having made his debut in August 2017 against the Republic of Benin.

The centre-forward will hope to fire the Stade de la Licorne outfit back to the French top-flight at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.