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Eduardo Camavinga found the back of the net as Rennes secured a 2-1 win over Montpelier in Ligue 1 on Saturday, with both teams finishing with 10 men.

The same incident occurred in the Red and Blacks season opener with at Lille where they had Franco-Cameroonian right-back Sacha Boey sent off for a violent challenge while Mozambique left-back Reinildo Mandava got a straight red card for similar conduct.

The first bit of action at Roazhon Park saw Rennes take the via Damien Le Tallec who put the ball into his own net in the 22nd minute.

More misery was to follow Montpellier as midfielder Florent Mollet was given a red card for a dangerous tackle that left Franco-Congolese left-back Faitout Maouassa in pain. Mollet was initially given a yellow card but after a VAR review, it was changed to a straight red card.

Rennes would have a second player sent off in the space of one week when Martin Terrier was given a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Montpellier’s Gaetan Laborde in the 73rd minute.

Despite being a man down, Julien Stephan’s men did not relent and extended their lead three minutes later thanks to Camavinga.

The Franco-Angolan midfielder made a run into the box before making a meal of some opposition players and then tapping in from a tight angle with his left foot.

Montpellier’s consolation goal came in added time courtesy of Larbrode, Cameroon left-back Ambroise Oyongo providing the assist.

Camavinga played for 86 minutes, producing 78 touches, 55 accurate passes at 91%, the second-highest among the Rennes starters. The 17-year-old wonderkid also had a total of two shots and was successful in three of his five dribble attempts.

He was replaced by 19-year-old Franco-Ivorian Yann Gboho.

Camavinga was recently called into the France squad that will take on Sweden and Croatia in the Nations League, replacing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba who tested positive for Coronavirus.

The game also saw Sehrou Guirassy make his Rennes debut having completed his move from Amiens during the week. He replaced Adrien Hunou in the 65th minute.

Rennes will next be on the road to tackle Nimes on September 13.

Ghana striker Jordan Ayew reveals he is looking to inspire Crystal Palace to a top-half finish in the Premier League next season despite calls for him to pursue a career with a 'bigger' club.

The 28-year-old is looking to continue from where he left last term, having notched nine goals to finish as the club's top scorer, helping the side to 14th spot in the end.

Former Chelsea ace Marcel Desailly and erstwhile Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng recently urged the Black Star to take a step up after last term.

“Everyone wants to play in big competitions. We want to finish in the top half of the table. We hope to get a good start to the season and we’ll see how it goes,” Ayew said, as reported by Citi Sports.

“There haven’t been too many changes. The manager is trying to find solutions and different options, which is normal. The most important thing is to stay focused and start the new season well.

“I’m a Crystal Palace player, I’m happy here. My family is also happy here. Everything is in Palace’s hands. I’m a very ambitious player but I intend to give my best for Palace this season."

Ayew also looked at his club's performances last season where after a run of four straight wins towards the end of the term, The Eagles failed to find a winner in their last eight games, losing seven of them.

“I think it’s quite simple. I think we had a good season until March, then [there was the] Covid-19 [suspension] for three months, then [we] started the league again. I think we won our first game after Covid-19 and after, I think we didn’t win until the end of the season,” Ayew explained.

“I think we won one game out of eight. I think overall it’s been a good season. We didn’t do well at the end but like I said we are a team and our target was to stay in the Premier League and we managed to do that."

"Overall, it was a good season. The target was to stay in the Premier League and we managed to do that. [The break from] Covid-19 didn’t help us like it did for other teams but we’re getting ready for next season."

Ayew will be hoping to get off to a flying start when Palace face Southampton in the 2020-21 Premier League season opener on September 12.

On Saturday, the striker showed his readiness for the task ahead as he netted twice to ensure a 3-0 triumph over Charlton Athletic in a pre-season fixture.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has challenged Ainsley Maitland-Niles to produce his best form more consistently after he celebrated his 23rd birthday with a Community Shield triumph and a maiden England call-up.

Maitland-Niles was named man of the match as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Premier League champions Liverpool at Wembley before prevailing 5-4 on penalties.

As he did during the respective FA Cup semi-final and final wins over Manchester City and Chelsea, Arteta selected Maitland-Niles at left wing-back.

After full-time, the youngster learned this versatility had earned him a place as cover in Gareth Southgate's England squad to face Iceland and Denmark in the Nations League next week.

Southgate did not select a recognised left-back in his original party and has also called up similarly uncapped Wolves captain Conor Coady to a group now lacking Manchester United's Harry Maguire.

Maitland-Niles' Arsenal future has been far from certain in recent weeks, with Wolves and Newcastle United both touted as having an interest in his services, and Arteta told a post-match news conference that the London club's academy graduate still has plenty of work to do.

"Has to be able to convince me every day in training that he can compete at this level – not once every three months but every three days," he said of a player who told BT Sport amid the celebrations: "I'm an Arsenal player until I'm told otherwise".

Arteta added: "The way he's playing at the moment shows me that he can do it. His mentality, the way he is going about every single detail for the preparation of a football game is much better than before.

"I'm delighted and very happy for him as he’s changing a lot of things around him to become the player that he can be.

"The best way to show a player what a manager thinks about him is to give him the chance to play or not. Today, in a final again, he has started – like he did against City in the semi-final, against Chelsea in the final."

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who once again impressed on the big occasion, although Bernd Leno's return from injury could leave the Argentine as the odd man out once the Premier League season kicks off next month.

"We are in the market and there is a lot of speculation," Arteta said. "Emi has shown over the past few months what he is able to do for this football club.

"I am convinced that he has the level to play for us consistently at that level. He showed that today in a final.

"But I cannot stop speculation and what all the people can write about this."

Asked whether there had been any offers for Martinez, Arteta replied: "I'm not going to discuss publicly what is happening with our players."

Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie has completed a move to Juventus. 

The 22-year-old joins the Italian champions on a one-year loan deal worth €4.5 million, with Juve holding an €18.5m (£16.5m/$22m) purchase option plus up to €7m in bonuses if certain performance-related clauses are met.

Juve will also have the option to purchase McKennie should he not meet those clauses.

The U.S. international moves to Serie A after establishing himself as a key player at Schalke, where he made his debut on the final day of the 2016-17 season.

McKennie would go on to make 74 more appearances in the Bundesliga over the next three seasons, playing a variety of roles in midfield and defence for the Royal Blues.

The 2019-20 campaign saw McKennie set career highs in Bundesliga appearances with 28, and goals with three.

McKennie becomes the first signing made by new Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo, who took over from Maurizio Sarri earlier this month.

The U.S. international will join Arthur Melo as new arrivals in Juve's midfield, with the Brazilian's move from Barcelona in a swap deal involving Miralem Pjanic confirmed in June.

Meanwhile, Pirlo has also begun to move players out as midfielder Blaise Matuidi left the club this summer to join MLS outfit Inter Miami,  while Goal has reported that  Gonzalo Higuain and Sami Khedira have both been told they can leave .

Juventus won their ninth consecutive Serie A title in 2019-20, but the club once again fell short in Europe when they lost to Lyon in the Champions League round of 16. That defeat meant the club's Champions League drought reached 24 years, with the Bianconeri last winning in 1996.

On the international level McKennie made his USMNT debut in 2017 and has gone on to earn 19 caps for his country, scoring six goals.

The Texas native had been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Southampton, Newcastle and Leicester among those reported to be interested. 

A reported switch to fellow Bundesliga outfit Hertha also didn't materialise, with Schalke looking to sell the USMNT man to raise funds amid a difficult financial period for the club.

Sevilla have won the race for the highly coveted Oscar Rodriguez, who arrives from Real Madrid on a five-year deal.

Oscar, 22, will reportedly cost Sevilla €16 million (£14.2m/$19m) for 75 per cent of his ownership rights, with Madrid retaining the remaining 25 per cent.

"Real Madrid C. F. and Sevilla F. C. have agreed the transfer of Oscar Rodríguez," the Merengue signalled in a statement released on the club's official website.
 
"Real Madrid would like to thank Oscar for his dedication, professionalism and exemplary conduct throughout the time he has been at our club and wishes him the best of luck in this new chapter."

The gifted midfielder came through Madrid's academy but had spent the two previous seasons on loan with Leganes in LaLiga, helping them to preserve their top-flight status in 2018-19.

Leganes were unable to repeat the feat in 2019-20 as they were relegated on the final day of the season, but Oscar still managed to enjoy a fine campaign individually.

His haul of nine goals made him Leganes' top-scorer and he also supplied a pair of assists.

A fine technician and dead-ball specialist, Oscar's arrival will help alleviate the loss of Ever Banega.

Experienced Argentine playmaker Banega joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Shabab after helping Sevilla to a sixth Europa League crown against Inter.

Oscar had been strongly linked with several other clubs, particularly Milan, but he moves to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan where he will get a taste of Champions League football.

The transfer caps a special couple of weeks for the midfielder, who received his first call-up to Spain's senior side on August 20.

It is reported that, as part of the deal, Sevilla will keep Madrid informed of any bids they receive for highly rated centre-back Jules Kounde.

Leeds United have confirmed the signing of Robin Koch, with the Freiburg defender arriving in a deal estimated to be worth around £13 million ($17m).

Koch, 24, has impressed in the Bundesliga since moving from Kaiserslautern in 2017, earning his first Germany cap last year against Belarus in the nation's European Championship qualifying campaign. 

And he will now pursue his career with the Premier League new boys, who reportedly pipped Tottneham to the signature of the highly rated centre-back. 

"Leeds United are pleased to announce the signing of Robin Koch from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg for an undisclosed fee," the Whites revealed in a statement published on the club's official website on Saturday. 

"The 24-year-old has signed a four-year deal at Elland Road, running until the summer of 2024."

After losing out in the Championship play-offs in 2018-19 during Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa's first season at Elland Road, having led the table for a large part of the campaign, Leeds ensured their return to the top flight after a 14-year absence this summer by finishing top of the English second tier, 10 points clear of nearest challengers West Brom.

And they have wasted no time in strengthening their ranks as El Loco prepares to get to grips with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and the rest of the division's heavyweights. 

Koch is the side's eighth new face of the current window, following hot on the heels of Rodrigo who became the club's record signing when he completed a move from Valencia earlier on Saturday. 

Former Lorient goalkeeper Illan Mesler has also arrived at the West Yorkshire team, who have additionally signed a number of young faces including ex-Arsenal trainee Sam Greenwood and Fulham teenager Cody Drameh. 

Leeds mark their return to the Premier League with a baptism of fire, travelling to Anfield to take on runaway 2019-20 champions Liverpool on September 12. 

The Whites then face Fulham and Sheffield United before hosting Manchester City in the fourth round of fixtures on October 3.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has taken on the blame for Rhian Brewster's decisive miss in their penalty shoot-out defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield.

The Premier League champions finished seven places and 43 points ahead of the Gunners last term, but Arsenal ultimately lifted the trophy on Saturday at Wembley.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the Gunners an early lead with a fine strike but Liverpool, who attempted to dictate proceedings, levelled 17 minutes from time through Takumi Minamino.

The game went to penalties and Aubameyang netted the decisive kick after Brewster failed to convert, as the Gunners won the shootout by a 5-4 margin.

Klopp was insistent that the miss won't damage the 20-year-old, who looks set for his first season with Liverpool's senior squad after playing on loan for Swansea City last term.

“This will not harm Rhian,” said Klopp. “If anyone is to blame, it is me. I wanted him in the position because he is a real finisher and confident. Today, not. That happens in life and in football.

“We all have to learn and prove we can deal with defeats. If he would have scored and someone else missed, it is the same theme. There are bigger reasons than that. Missing it like this is possible. I have never seen him miss one but it happens.”

Liverpool were made to rue wastefulness in front of goal and perhaps a lack of sharpness in attack, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah all unusually subdued, and their issues in the final third did not go down well with Klopp.

He told BT Sport: "Today I was sad. When you play against a formation like this – which happened to us pretty much always, not only when we are 1-0 down, even when it's 0-0 a lot of teams play like this – then you need to be in the final third really fresh.

"You want to force it sometimes, create angles, create crosses, passing in behind, all this kind of stuff. The rhythm for that fell a little bit. 

"We couldn't create exactly the chance we wanted but we had two of them and the third one that we scored with. Against a team with the quality of Arsenal, on some days it must be enough.

"When you finish it off, it is enough. When you don't finish it off it's not enough and today it was not enough."

Klopp was adamant Arsenal hardly threatened after taking the lead, adding: "I think they had exactly two shots at goal and one situation that was similar.

"After a long diagonal ball, we left Neco [Williams] alone and Auba could come inside to finish it off. The the other moment Ali [Alisson] made a save. That was it, pretty much," he said.

"Apart from that we had to play against a low block with an incredible counter-attacking threat. In these games you need then the final touch.

"In the end we created enough moments but we should have created more. We had the ball a lot but had to play around.

"We had a few good moments, Sadio had chances, we deserved the equaliser for sure and then could have scored more.

"We didn't do that and have to take it. A penalty shoot-out can always be a bit of a lottery. We were unlucky there and congratulations to Arsenal. We respect the competition."

Liverpool begin their Premier League title defence at home to promoted Leeds United on September 12.

Nico Kovac’s appointment at AS Monaco was supposed to signal a new lease of life for Henry Onyekuru but, despite a small sample size of one game, doubts could creep in again.

The attacker was selected in the former Bayern Munich trainer’s first Ligue 1 game against Stade de Reims but was withdrawn at half-time after an underwhelming showing at Stade Louis II. Onyekuru lost possession on four occasions, won a single duel from five tussles and, surprisingly, played just one shot at goal in 45 minutes, which was blocked.

For a frontman whose principal asset has always been his goalscoring, it was quite meagre that he could only muster one attempt of Les Monegasques’ 13 in the opening 45 minutes.

His replacement Sofiane Diop was more lively, completing nearly twice as many passes as the 23-year-old Nigeria attacker (17-9), attempting two shots at goal while winning fouls for his side.

Also, the 20-year-old France youth international won four of five total duels after the interval and largely got involved in the game more, evidenced by the fact he made 29 touches to Onyekuru’s 15.

While the below-par showing doesn’t indicate as to how the former Everton man will perform throughout the season, a desire to start on a positive note has surely been defeated. This continued a disappointing year for the West African forward whose goalscoring potential was so great that the Merseyside giants swooped after his breakthrough 16/17 campaign at Belgian side Eupen.

Work permit issues meant that transfer never truly got off the ground but encouraging spells at Anderlecht in (17/18) and Galatasaray (18/19) suggested Onyekuru could still become a pretty consistent wide forward who got a fair share of goals. While reaching the level of African icons like Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah may have been out of reach, there was a feeling that the young inside forward could reach a level below the brilliant Liverpool pair.

Unfortunately, the year-long decline for the ex-Eupen forward came about after a transfer to Monaco last year.

Indeed, he started the first two games of the campaign, and even assisted Islam Slimani’s strike against Nimes, but was soon dropped by Leonardo Jardim as a major move to another top-five league in Europe quickly turned sour.

A hamstring injury sustained in the opening months of the campaign meant the forward couldn’t show what he was capable of and was already down the pecking order by the time he returned.

Onyekuru’s last league appearance for the Ligue 1 outfit, a 15-minute cameo against Stade de Reims, came in September, a truly telling fact. The attacker was rarely seen on matchdays by the time Robert Moreno replaced Jardim in December, weeks before another temporary return to Turkey to play under Fatih Terim.

Even though a return to the Yellow-Reds promised much, the Monaco loanee didn’t thrive at the Turk Telekom Stadium the second time around as Terim’s troops ended sixth, outside the European spots.

There were mitigating factors for the forward’s inability to pick up where he left off months earlier when he netted 14 league goals in 31 appearances (28 starts), with the team’s topsy-turvy season a contrast to the settled atmosphere in 18/19.

In fairness, Onyekuru wasn’t at his sharpest in front of goal either, with his confidence seemingly shot after a fairly miserable six months in the Principality. Statistics showed that he missed seven clear-cut chances in just 10 appearances, a contributing factor to his return of a solitary strike on his short second spell.

The mere fact that the loanee missed only eight in his 14-goal campaign proves his finishing wasn’t as top-notch as it was previously, raising questions about him and his stalled development.

The new season is still in its infancy, but another disappointing performance when presented with another opportunity to make his mark in the French top flight under Kovac. Monaco play Metz on Sunday afternoon and it remains to be seen if the Croat will give Onyekuru another opportunity in the starting line-up.

Despite stalling in the last 12 months, the hope for the once-prodigious forward would be to return to the goalscoring form he showed in Belgium and Turkey. Still 23, Onyekuru has time to reach his potential and a better season in the Principality this year would put him on the right path.

Mikel Arteta refused to reveal whether Arsenal had received any bids for Emiliano Martinez following the goalkeeper’s starring role in Arsenal’s Community Shield success against Liverpool on Saturday.

Martinez, who impressed during the final 12 games of last season having replaced the injured Bernd Leno, was brought into the side to face the champions at Wembley and made two excellent saves to deny Sadio Mane as the Gunners beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.

The 27-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away in recent days, with Aston Villa one of several sides believed to be showing an interest.

But, speaking after his side’s victory at Wembley, Arteta would not be drawn on what he described as "speculation."

“Emi has shown in the last few months what he is able to do for this football club,” sad Arsenal’s head coach. “I am convinced that he has the level to play for us consistently at that level.

“He showed that today in a final. But I cannot stop the speculation. That is something I cannot stop and what other people can write about us.”

When asked whether any firm bids had arrived for Martinez, Arteta added: “I am not going to discuss publicly what is happening with other players.”

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is also being linked with a move away, was another player who impressed during the victory against Liverpool.

The Gunners’ academy product was named man-of-the-match having lined up on the left side of Arsenal’s 3-4-3 formation against the champions and has since been called up by England for the upcoming Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark.

Maitland-Niles, who is wanted by Wolves, told BT Sport “I’m an Arsenal player until I’m told otherwise” when quizzed about his future immediately after the full-time whistle.

And Arteta said his decision to pick the 24-year-old was another indication of the trust he now has in him.

“He has to be able to convince me every day in training that he can compete at this level,” said the Spaniard. “Not once every three months but every three days. The way he is playing at the moment is showing me that he can do it.

“His mentality and the way he is going about every single detail about the preparation of a football game is much better than before. I am delighted and very happy for him because he is really changing a lot of things around him to become the player he can be.

“The best way to show a player how his manager thinks about him, is to give him the chance to play or not. And today in a final again he started. He played the 90 minutes, like he did against City in the semi-final and Chelsea as well in the final.”

Chelsea have made an improved bid of €20 million (£18m/$24m) for Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Goal can confirm.

With the future of current No.1 Kepa Arrizabalaga in doubt, the Blues have identified Mendy as an ideal option to provide competition for the Spaniard. 

The Sun reported earlier in the week that Rennes turned down Chelsea's offer of €17m (£15m/$20m) for Mendy, and Frank Lampard's side have now returned with an improved bid. 

The Blues made Kepa the most expensive goalkeeper ever in 2018, paying £72 million ($93m) to bring him to Stamford Bridge from Athletic. However, the 25-year-old has failed to live up to expectations in London.

Lampard dropped Kepa late in the 2019-20 season after a string of inconsistent performances, opting for veteran Willy Caballero instead. 

The Blues boss is now hoping to bring in another option between the posts, though Kepa could be heading for an exit with Sevilla and Valencia having registered interest in a loan.

But Kepa's wages could prove problematic for the Liga sides, meaning Chelsea could have three goalkeepers in their first-team squad should Mendy arrive. 

Rennes are determined to hang on to the 28-year-old, however, after the Senegalese international helped his team to their first ever Champions League spot with a third-place finish in Ligue 1 last term.

Mendy only arrived at Rennes last summer following several solid campaigns with Stade de Reims, and has a contract through 2023.

Having started last week's Ligue 1 opener against Lille, Mendy missed his side's win over Montpellier on Saturday due to personal reasons.

Rennes have yet to respond to Chelsea's bid, as Lampard continues to spend big in the hope of building a contender for the 2020-21 Premier League title. 

The Blues have already brought in a host of new faces ahead of the start of the season including Ben Chilwell, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr and Thiago Silva.

Their most expensive signing appears yet to come as well, as they continue to close in on a move for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.

The 21-year-old would cost Chelsea £90m ($118m), with £72m ($95m) coming up front and a further £18m ($24m) in instalments.

Temwa Chawinga helped Wuhan maintain their 100 percent record after defeating sister Tabitha Chawinga's Jiangsu Suning 3-0 in a Chinese Women's Super League encounter on Saturday.

Temwa and Tabitha were set up against each other for the first time after both competitively turned out together for Malawian club DD Sunshine, then to Swedish side Kvarnsveden and the national team.

They went head to head on the back of their impressive start to the season, having scored two goals each to inspire their respective teams to back-to-back victories in two matches so far.

Besides the grudge contest between the sisters, Wuhan aimed to avenge their home and away defeats at the hands of Jiangsu last season, with both matches ending 1-0 in favour of the champions.

Wuhan made the brightest start in the match as they gained an early lead when Liu Shanshan beat goalkeeper Peng Shimeng with her superb strike from a free kick in the 10th minute.

Wuhan doubled the lead when goalkeeper Shimeng denied Liu Shanshan's attempt off Han Peng's corner but Wang Shanshan was in the right position to fire home the rebound in the 26th minute. 

After the break, Wuhan continued from where they left off and were rewarded with the third in the 53rd minute when Shimeng saved Liu Shanshan's effort for Wang Shanshan to tap in the winner.

Temwa was in action from the start to finish as Wuhan claimed their third win in a row, while sister Tabitha could not rescue holders Jiangsu from their first defeat of the season.  

The result means Wuhan are now second on the log with nine points from three matches, while Jiangsu are fourth with six points.

Wuhan will aim to consolidate on their winning run against Beijing Phoenix in their next encounter, while Jiangsu will eye a return to winning ways against Zhejiang on Wednesday.

The lack of transfer movement at Manchester United should not concern the club’s supporters, says Darren Fletcher, as “every agent in the world links their players” to the Red Devils.

A loyal fan base at Old Trafford are trying to distinguish which rumours have substance and which are merely noise during the current window.

Several high-profile performers have been linked with moves to Manchester, but no deals have been done as yet.

Jack Grealish appeared to be a top target at one stage, with the Aston Villa midfielder able to offer the creativity that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is seeking to bring into his ranks.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has also seen a big-money switch mooted, but negotiating a deal for the England international is proving to be tricky.

Atletico Madrid star Saul Niguez is another to have sparked talk of interest from United, as has Ajax schemer Donny van de Beek, while Napoli centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly is registering on the recruitment radar of a number of Premier League outfits.

Fletcher believes Solskjaer will show his hand at some stage, with the ambitious Red Devils needing to strengthen if they are to hit ultimate targets.

He is, however, reading little into the lack of movement, with recent purchases proving that patience can be rewarded.

Ex-Red Devils midfielder Fletcher told reporters of goings on at Old Trafford: “The problem with this is that every agent in the world links their players to Manchester United, so fans get their hopes up and see that, then it's 'why are we not doing this'?

“The recruitment under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been fantastic so I would just like the fans to trust the manager, trust the board and trust the people in charge.

“Their track record so far has been fantastic since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been the manager. They're identifying the right targets, they're being patient.

“Like everything, Manchester United transfers are the most difficult because of the money involved and they want to maximise it. It's no different in this current situation (with Covid-19).”

Solskjaer’s side will not be opening their 2020-21 Premier League season until September 19 at home to Crystal Palace, with the start of their campaign pushed back by a week after reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League.

New Crystal Palace signing Eberechi Eze hailed the quality of Wilfried Zaha after playing alongside the Ivorian forward in the Eagles’ 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic in a pre-season friendly.

The 22-year-old Anglo-Nigerian moved a short mile from Queens Park Rangers in a five-year deal worth a reported £20 million on Friday.

He was thrust into the starting XI on Saturday afternoon, playing alongside Zaha and Ghana international Jordan Ayew, the duo getting the goals while Eze was taken off in the second half for Jeffrey Schlupp.

Eze enjoyed his first outing in a Palace shirt but was most appreciative of Zaha.

"It was good," he said on the club website after the game. "[I] enjoyed it. Linking with the attacking players was fun, it was good for me to get my fitness up and it’s just been a good performance.

"[Wilfried Zaha is] an amazing player. It’s good to play with guys like him and guys of his quality, because they see things others don’t see and it makes life a lot easier for yourself."

Eze asserted that his fitness is in shape having already started doing that with QPR and he is fully aware of what manager Roy Hodgson’s demands are.

"[Fitness] is good. I’ve obviously been training with QPR, doing a bit. But games like this are what I need to top me up,” he continued.

"I know that [roaming] is what the manager wants me to do, he wants me to link-up and feel free to go where I want to go and where I feel comfortable - which is obviously inside. But it gives me a license to be free, which is good."

Hodgson praised Eze’s performance as excellent and a promising debut, saying he hardly did any wrong in the 45 minutes he played.

"He was excellent in the first half. It was as if he’s been with us longer than one day and one day’s training,” Hodgson said.

“His understanding of the position was very good...It was a very promising debut for the team. I don’t think he did very much wrong at all and, like the other forwards, he got in for plenty of goal chances and shots at goal. We’re looking forward to working with him."

Rangers have matched a record that has stood for 114 years and made SPL history by securing a sixth successive clean sheet in the Scottish top flight.

Steven Gerrard’s side have been in impressive form at the start of their 2020-21 campaign.

The Old Firm giants are determined to prevent arch-rivals Celtic from claiming a 10th successive crown.

The best possible start has been made to that quest, with the Gers collecting 16 points from their opening six games.

Rangers have found the target on 11 occasions through that run and are yet to concede

Aberdeen, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Livingston, Kilmarnock and Hamilton have all tried and failed to breach the Gers’ back line.

The Accies are the latest side to come unstuck against Gerrard’s side, with the Glasgow giants claiming a 2-0 win on Saturday which has them three points clear at the top of the table.

Rangers made history in the process of securing that success.

They have become the first side since the rebranding of the SPL in 1998 to open a season with clean sheets in six consecutive outings.

You have to turn the clock back to 1906 to find the last Scottish side to have achieved that feat.

Celtic did so early in the 20th century, as they keep Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Morton, Hearts, Third Lanark and Airdrie at bay.

Wille Maley was Hoops boss at that time, with Gerrard now able to boast a similar defensive record.

He had goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin to thank for keeping the Gers blemish-free against Hamilton, with the 32-year-old custodian making one stunning save in the second period of that fixture.

The Ibrox outfit will not be action again until facing Dundee United on September 12, with an early international break being taken in during the 2020-21 campaign.

Gerrard will be looking for a notable run to continue in that outing, allowing the Gers to build on their ever-growing confidence.

Back in 1906, Celtic were able to take their impressive haul of shut-outs to eight before finally allowing an opponent through, with Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park also failing to find the target against them in the Glasgow Cup.

Lionel Messi and his legal team have informed Barcelona that the Argentine will skip pre-season medical tests as he continues to push for a way out of the club. 

The Blaugrana are beginning to prepare for the 2020-21 campaign, with a number of players having already reported for pre-season training. 

Most of the first-team squad are still away after Barca were demolished 8-2 by Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final on August 14, ending their 2019-20 season.

Sources have confirmed to Goal, however, that when Barca players do begin arriving for standard pre-season medical tests, Messi will not be among them.

On Tuesday, Messi dropped a bombshell declaration on Barca, expressing to the Blaugrana that he wished to opt out of his contract and leave the club after 20 years. 

Although his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, Messi and his legal team have activated a clause they believe will allow him to terminate his deal unilaterally.

Messi and his team believe that his contract has expired and as such, the club legend will not report for pre-season testing. 

Carrying out the examinations could be construed by Barcelona as recognition that he remains part of the club, an assertion that Leo and his lawyers reject.

The 33-year-old wants to leave the club on good terms, however, and wants to meet with the board to negotiate his exit from the Catalan side. 

Messi is hoping to avoid a drawn-out saga, as Barcelona could potentially challenge his assertion that he is able to activate the clause allowing him to opt out of his contract at the end of each season. 

That clause expired in June but Messi's legal team will argue it was valid until the end of the 2019-20 season, which was extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rumours of Messi's unhappiness have been rampant for months, with Barca enduring a difficult 2019-20 campaign that saw them sack two managers and fail to win any trophies. 

Ronald Koeman has taken over as head coach at Camp Nou to replace Quique Setien, who was sacked after the Bayern defeat along with sporting director Eric Abidal. 

Messi cut his vacation short to meet with Koeman last week, telling the Dutchman in their meeting that he no longer believed in the club's project.

The likes of Manchester City, Juventus, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter have all been linked with the Barca sensation, with L'Equipe having reported that he has chosen to join Pep Guardiola's side.

Jordan Ayew bagged a brace while Wilfried Zaha scored the other as Crystal Palace recorded an easy 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday with new signing Eberechi Eze getting some minutes of action.

The 22-year-old Anglo-Nigerian attacker sealed a move from Queens Park Rangers on Friday and was placed right into the starting XI showing some bright sparks of quality until he was substituted at the start of the second half for Jeffrey Schlupp.

The game was goalless for the entire opening half and didn’t come to life until the hour mark thanks to Ayew who tapped home Zaha’s delivery on the left from close range.

It was not long after the Ghanaian made it 2-0 with a powerful effort from 12 yards before Zaha added the third by brilliantly linking up with Brandon Pierrick.

The result marked Palace’s second win of the pre-season having gotten the better of Oxford United on Tuesday.

Ayew was the Eagles top scorer last season with nine goals, a personal best in England and he reaffirmed his commitment to staying put at Selhurst Park and even doing better in the upcoming season.

“I’m a Crystal Palace player, I’m happy here. My family is also happy here. Everything is in Palace’s hands. I’m a very ambitious player but I intend to give my best for Palace this season,” Ayew said as per Citisports.

Last term Palace were close to the European places following a four-game winning run in which the Ghana international scored in three of them. However, an eight-game winless run that included seven consecutive defeats saw them ultimately finish in 14th position. Ayew is aiming for a much higher position on the table this time around.

“Everyone wants to play in the big competitions. We want to finish in the top half of the table. We hope to get a good start to the season and we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Roy Hodgson’s charges will begin their quest for a much-improved season when they host Southampton on September 12.

Mikel Arteta has reiterated his belief that Arsenal are “close” to agreeing a new contract with star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gunners have seen speculation regarding their captain’s future drag on for longer than anyone at Emirates Stadium would have liked.

It has not proved to be a distraction, though, with the north London outfit putting themselves back on the trophy trail.

Aubameyang inspired them to FA Cup glory in 2019-20, with match-winning performances put in against Manchester City and Chelsea to emerge victorious in that competition.

He was back among the goals in a Community Shield clash with Liverpool on Saturday, with his stunning first-half strike breaking the deadlock in that contest.

Arsenal were unable to get the job done in 90 minutes against the Premier League champions as Takumi Minamino grabbed an equaliser, but the Gunners  held their nerve to prevail on penalties.

Aubameyang converted the decisive spot-kick, allowing him to lift another piece of silverware.

Inevitably, he was quizzed on his future afterwards and continues to remain coy when it comes to the penning of fresh terms.

Arteta, though, is hoping that a positive update will be delivered soon, with the Arsenal boss telling BT Sport: "We are close."

Arsenal are desperate to see their skipper extend his association with the club as his latest outing further underlined his value to the cause.

Arteta added on another match-winning display: "Big games, big moments, big players. He has responded really well to that kind of pressure. He was magnificent in the FA Cup final and the same today."

While Aubameyang has been a talismanic presence for the Gunners, improvement has been made as a collective under Arteta’s stewardship.

He has offered a loyal fan base cause for optimism, with two trophies collected in the month of August.

Arteta said of the progress being made and his impact on Arsenal: "I'm so happy. I knew the challenge we were facing today. Thank you to the players for the effort and the performance.

"The courage of the team [was the most pleasing thing], how aggressive we were without the ball and to break the pressure of Liverpool. I knew in the second half we would suffer.

"This generates belief, to be able to compete against a team like this in a final makes me happy."

Cape Town City continued with their winning ways as they beat Golden Arrows 4-1 in their Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash on Saturday evening at Ellis Park Stadium.

A hat-trick from Fagrie Lakay and a solitary strike from Tashreeq Morris handed the 2017/18 MTN8 champions the full three points to see them move to seventh spot from 28 games with 39 points.

Resulting from their fourth defeat since the restart, Arrows occupies 11th spot with 33 points and has two remaining games on their programme.

Fresh from two consecutive losses against Black Leopards and Mamelodi Sundowns, Abafana Bes’thende were under enormous pressure to secure a win and move up the log table.

On the other hand, the Mother City-based club has had a mixed bag of results, they lost to Stellenbosch before overcoming Orlando Pirates last weekend, but their mission was to qualify for the top eight.

Despite a slow start in Johannesburg, the Citizens broke the deadlock when Devine Lunga failed to clear the ball, and Lakay capitalized when he beat goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana on his right corner in the ninth minute.

In two minutes, Lakay completed his brace when a rebound fell on his path, he stunned Mlungwana on the near post from a deflected cross, to make it 2-0 to Arrows.

City enjoyed dominance in the midfield and in the 34th minute, Arrows came close to pulling one goal back but Siyabonga Dube saw his shot sailing wide for a goal-kick.

However, coach Jan Olde Riekerink’s charges were dealt a massive blow when striker Kermit Erasmus was substituted for Morris with 10 minutes to the interval.

Arrows would have a shot on target in the 41st minute through Seth Parusnath from the edge of the box, as his effort was easily collected by keeper Peter Leeuwenburgh.

With one minute left to half-time, a real opportunity came for Mduduzi Mdantsane who made a run into the box, but the shot was blocked by Mlungwana who read the situation well.

City went to the dressing leading 2-0. The visitors continued to control the proceedings in the heart of the park in the 56th minute and following an interchange of passes, Mdantsane was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, but the set-piece was easily blocked, allowing Mlungwana to collect the follow-up shot.

In the 63rd minute, City ensured they cemented their lead when Morris finished Bradley Ralani's pass whose brilliant play on the left flank set up the lanky striker to make it 3-0.

Forward Knox Mutizwa managed to pull a consolation goal for the hosts in the 74th minute to score his 13th goal of the season with a superb free-kick to beat Leeuwenburgh on his right corner.

Arrows regained their confidence and Parusnath nearly caught Leeuwenburgh napping in the 83rd minute with a thunderbolt, but the 26-year-old netminder was equal to the task to punch the long-range shot away for a corner.

In search of their second goal, midfielder Gladwin Shitolo could have made it 3-2 in injury time, his first touch was clever but he failed to connect with the ball to unleash a powerful shot.

On the opposite half, skipper Thamsanqa Mkhize who came from the bench was fouled in the box and Lakay blasted from the spot to complete his hat-trick as City clinched their 10th victory of the season.

Experienced Simba SC defender Pascal Wawa has welcomed the arrival of Joash Onyango and Ibrahim Ame.

The Ivorian centre-back will have to fight for the first-team position with the two new rivals but he says he has no reason to fear competition at all.

The number of centre-backs at Simba is now five as Erasto Nyoni, Juma Kennedy and Wawa were the only defenders before Onyango and Ame were signed.

Last season, the former Azam star played regularly at the back as his partners rotated between Nyoni and Kennedy.

“I have had to deal with competition before but because I believe in my abilities, there is nothing that has always put me under pressure,” Wawa told Mwanaspoti.

“What I hope should happen is team unity so that we can go on and win titles together.”

Meanwhile, Winger Shiza Kichuya has responded to the speculation surrounding his new deal at Namungo FC.

Whereas it has been claimed at some quarters the Tanzanian joined Namungo on loan from Simba, Kichuya has emphasised he crossed over to the Premier League side on a permanent deal after the expiration of his Wekundu wa Msimbazi contract.

It has been widely reported Kichuya signed a two-year deal with Namungo who are set to feature in the Caf Confederation Cup.

“Let people keep guessing as they are doing now. But the truth is that I have been signed by Namungo as a free agent after my contract with Simba ended,” Kichuya told Mwanaspoti.

“What I can assure my fans is that the kind of football life which was there before will still be there. What I have just done is to change the environment.

“I started at Morogoro [Mtibwa Sugar], signed for Simba and now I am at Namungo.”

On his part, Namungo’s head coach Thierry Hitimana revealed why he supported the move made by the star to join them.

“Kichuya is a very good player and we are confident he is going to help the team especially given the massive experience he possesses. That is why I advised that he be signed,” Hitimana told Mwanaspoti.

The Tanzanian failed to nail a regular spot at Pharco FC of Egypt before was loaned to ENPPI SC where he also struggled.