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AFC Leopards have shown keen interest to sign Kariobangi Sharks midfielder Harrison Mwendwa ahead of the new season.

Ingwe are keen to strengthen their squad as they have vowed to end their 22-year wait for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) trophy by wrestling it from rivals Gor Mahia in the 2020-21 season.

The club chairman Dan Shikanda has admitted they are interested in signing the Sharks player to help beef up their midfield area which was their main undoing in the just-concluded season.

“Yes, we have had an interest in the player who is a very creative midfielder and I believe he will add the much-needed impetus in the attack,” Shikanda is quoted saying by People Sports.

“He is open to talks with AFC Leopards’ management but we cannot finalise his paperwork for now because of the vagaries of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hopefully, that will be done later.”

Mwendwa has enjoyed a good season at Sharks under coach William Muluya, and was on two occasions called up to the Kenyan national team.

In a recent interview, Shikanda revealed he was confident the club will not go 30 years without winning the KPL title and are determined to win the league title soon to avoid waiting as long as Liverpool.

Liverpool finally won the league title after a 30-year wait and Leopards, who won their last title in 1998, are keen to avoid that length of time without a league title

“Liverpool went for 30 years without a Premier League title. We have gone 22 years and we don’t want to go the Liverpool way. We are keen to build a team that will lift the KPL title sooner,” Shikanda told Goal.

Shikanda also confirmed they will not take any risks with their signings as they still have a young squad that can help them to fight for the titles.

“We believe in continuity and that is why we are going to be cautious about the players we sign and release. But for a fact, we have a very young and strong team that can continue working together for years to come," Shikanda added.

"Therefore, we are not going to gamble on any signings.

Ingwe have also been linked with a move for former captain Duncan Otieno and ex-Gor Mahia skipper Musa Mohammed, both who turn out for Nkana FC in Zambia.

Mason Greenwood produces every time he plays, according to Jesse Lingard, who says the teenage striker has been the "driving force" behind Manchester United's recent resurgence.

Greenwood was thrust into the limelight at the start of the season following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's decision to offload Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to Inter.

The Norwegian boss trusted the 18-year-old to serve as United's main backup forward behind Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, and has been richly rewarded for his faith in the academy graduate.

The England U21 international has hit 18 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils in 2019-20 to help them move to within touching distance of a top-four finish as well as success in the FA Cup and Europa League, with four of those efforts coming in his last five starts.

Greenwood became the first teenager since Wayne Rooney to net in three consecutive matches for United when he struck during in a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on July 9, and he is now appearing on Solskjaer's team sheet week in, week out.

His recent performances have come as no surprise to Lingard, who says the young frontman is "fully focused" on reaching the very top as he develops his all-round game.

"He's a good lad," the United midfielder told 90min of Greenwood's unique talents. "He's humble. He's obviously waited a long time for his chance, and each time he plays, he produces, he helps the team. He's got skills in his locker, he's got goals in his locker. He's really been a driving force for the team.

"Of course, we have a lot of young players as well who can add to the team, and when they get the chance, I'm sure they'll be ready.

"Like I said, Mason's took his chance, he's always been ready, he's always willing to learn. The most important thing is he's fully focused and he's humble at the same time."

The facet of Greenwood's game which has been talked up most frequently is his ability to score with both feet, and Lingard admits that he still isn't sure which side his team-mate is more deadly from.

"He's been scoring goals since he was young," he added. "That's nothing new for him, and he's obviously brought that to the big stage as well.

"You see him after training, he's practising every day, he's working on both feet. I still don't know what foot he is! He might be left, he might be right, but it seems to be working. I've seen it in training anyway, the things that he can do, and he's getting lots of games as well."

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes George Maluleka will bring a different dimension to how his team plays next season. 

The 31-year-old midfielder joined the Brazilians from Kaizer Chiefs on July 1 following the expiry of his contract and Amakhosi's decision not to offer him a contract extension to finish the suspended campaign. 

He has already been training with the Tshwane giants in Rustenburg, and Mosimane said he has spoken to him about what he expects whichever role he plays for the team.

"He is a good boy, a good player, intelligent, intrinsic also and I have spoken to him about tactics and I have put him through the process of how our number six and eight plays," Mosimane told the Sundowns website. 

Furthermore, Mosimane is excited about what Maluleka will bring to his team, and he's pleased that the midfielder is willing to learn.  

"He comes with a lot of set-piece delivery and he can score, can shoot from outside the box and is willing to learn which is good and we wish him all the best," added the 55-year-old mentor. 

Meanwhile, Maluleka spoke about his first day at Sundowns and the welcome he received from his new teammates and the technical team. 

"The first day was good and great to be back on the field, a lot of physical training and I enjoyed myself," said Maluleka.

"The guys have been good, I received a warm welcome, it was very good and I am happy."

Maluleka will be eligible to play for Mosimane's team at the start of the 2020-21 season as he's currently not registered with the PSL. 

He will be fighting for a place in the starting line-up with the likes of Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda and Andile Jali among other players. 

His arrival may have well ended Oupa Manyisa's career at the Chloorkop-based outfit.

Manyisa, who featured 47 times for Sundowns since his arrival from Orlando Pirates, is still waiting to hear if he still has a future at the club as his contract has already expired. 

The former Bucs skipper is not with his teammates in Rustenburg but the club is expected to make a decision on his future in the next few weeks. 

After the termination of the Joint Venture between East Bengal club and their investors Quess Corp on Friday, a huge cloud of doubt hanging over the Kolkata giants' season has been lifted. 

They have finally obtained the sporting rights back from Quess East Bengal FC (the Joint Venture) and will now apply to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for club license for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

East Bengal senior official Debabrata Sarkar told Goal that the Red and Golds will apply for the license in the name of a new company East Bengal Club Private Limited.

“We were confident from day one that we will get back the sporting rights and No Objection Certificate (NOC). There were no doubts whatsoever. Club licensing process will start via the new company East Bengal Club Private Limited,” said Sarkar.

Earlier on Friday, Quess Corp had sent a letter addressing to the Department of Corporate Services of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited where they stated, “Please note that the Board of Directors has considered, approved and noted execution of termination of the Share Subscription and Shareholder’s Agreement (“Agreement”) dated July 5, 2018, executed between Quess East Bengal FC Private Limited (“QEBFC”), East Bengal Club (“Club”) and the Company.”

Quess chairman Ajit Isaac too had confirmed the termination of the agreement between the two parties in a statement and also conveyed his best wishes to the club.

His statement read, “We are pleased to inform that the JV agreement closure has taken place between Quess Corp and EBC on mutually agreed terms. The formalities pertaining to termination of the JV agreement between Quess, QEBFC and EBC was concluded on 17 July 2020. Consequent to this the sporting rights have been returned to the Club and the shares held by the Club in QEBFC have been returned to Quess.

“Upholding the future of the game as well as its supporters have been our sole intent from the very beginning and we are glad that we have been able to resolve all points of discussion in good faith. We believe that the club has fantastic potential and we leave with good memories of the diehard supporters, its talented players and its many sporting victories which we still cherish. We wish the club only the best as we move forward.”

Christian Pulisic has acknowledged that Premier League defenders are starting to become more physical with him as the Chelsea winger joked that he is adjusted to rough treatment from his time playing in CONCACAF matches with the U.S. men's national team.

Pulisic has been in incredible form since the Premier League's restart, having provided three goals and an assist in seven matches for Chelsea.

After overcoming an initial adjustment period as well as a mid-season injury, Pulisic has become a vital part of the Chelsea team, drawing comparisons to former Chelsea winger Eden Hazard.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard shied away from those comparisons, but was full of praise for the American's ability to score and create goals in recent weeks.

However, as Pulisic has found success, he has also found a response, with the 21-year-old the recipient of a number of fouls.

Over the last five games, Pulisic has been fouled 11 times and, when asked about the rough treatment on SiriusXM Radio, the American defender said that it's nothing new.

Pulisic is routinely a target of foul play in CONCACAF, a region notorious for opposition's harsh treatment of stars, and those experiences have helped prepare him for life in the Premier League.

"When players start to get to know you more, watch films, see how you play, then it is normal," Pulisic said of the physicality. "With how I play it is normal, they do anything they can to take you off your game.

"It is a physical league, I have been kicked a few times in CONCACAF a few times well so I am used to it. I will be alright!"

Chelsea are at a vital point in their season, with the Blues pursuing a top-four place and the Champions League berth that comes with it.

Like all teams, Pulisic and Chelsea have faced a condensed schedule since the Premier League's restart, with the Blues also still competing in the FA Cup and Champions League.

As a result, their schedule won't let up in the coming weeks and, although he admits this period has been gruelling, Pulisic says the potential rewards will all be worth it.

"It is tough right now, honestly, I am not used to this many games," he said. "The schedule has been pretty crazy since we have been back. It is good, there’s not a lot of time to dwell after each game, it is just regeneration and we go for the next one so I have just been enjoying it.

He added: "I just try to take it game by game. You can’t think three games left and grind it out. You have to push for the next one, be ready for the next game, be ready and make sure my body is right. We have a big game coming up, multiple competitions and we want as many games as possible.

"Beat Man United and get to a final, get a top four spot. Bayern is not going to be easy by any means, but we are never going to give up and we want to go on in that competition as well."

Zinedine Zidane "has a huge stake" in Real Madrid's latest La Liga title triumph, according to ex-goalkeeper Bodo Illgner.

Madrid were crowned champions of Spain for the 34th time in their history on Thursday night after extending their winning run since the resumption of the season to ten matches.

Zidane's men beat Villarreal 2-1 at Santiago Bernabeu thanks to a Karim Benzema double, while second-placed Barcelona suffered a surprise defeat to Osasuna at Camp Nou.

The Blancos now hold an unassailable seven-point lead at the summit with only one round of fixtures remaining, with supporters now free to celebrate the club's first domestic crown since 2017.

Zidane has enjoyed unprecedented success in the Champions League as Madrid's head coach, but had only picked up the Liga trophy once prior to the club's latest success during a dominant period for arch-rivals Barca.

The likes of Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric have all played a key role in the Blancos' run to glory this time around, but Illgner says Zidane deserves most of the credit for maximising the output of an ageing squad.

The former Madrid shot-stopper told Goal and SPOX: "Zidane, of course, has a huge stake in the title. A lot of people thought that the squad had become a bit too old and, above all, too big, including me, but he got the team going again and motivated them, which is why Lopetegui and Solari failed before and after him. I take my hat off to that."

"After the big gap to Barca in the past years, winning the championship is very important. For the club and the fans, but also for Zidane himself, because he had announced the title as his main goal before the season."

Illgner, who won La Liga and two European Cups at Madrid between 1996 and 2001, went on to insist that the Blancos' impressive recent form makes them worthy champions ahead of Barca, who have been held back by off-field issues throughout the campaign.

He added: "Real and Barca have had many ups and downs during the season and were not consistent, but Real definitely deserved the title because they were the strongest team after the corona break, and of course, they also benefited from the fact that they had much more tranquillity off the pitch than Barcelona."

Quess Corp chairman Ajit Isaac has wished East Bengal the best after confirming the termination of the Joint Venture (JV) between the Bengaluru-based firm and the club on Friday.

In an official statement, Ajit Isaac stated that the development was done on mutual terms and the sporting rights to field a team in a recognised tournament has been handed back to the club.

The statement read, “We are pleased to inform that the JV agreement closure has taken place between Quess Corp and EBC on mutually agreed terms. The formalities pertaining to termination of the JV agreement between Quess, QEBFC and EBC was concluded on 17 July 2020. Consequent to this the sporting rights have been returned to the Club and the shares held by the Club in QEBFC have been returned to Quess.

He went on to wish the club well in their future endeavours and praised the supporters of the Red and Golds.

“Upholding the future of the game as well as its supporters has been our sole intent from the very beginning and we are glad that we have been able to resolve all points of discussion in good faith. We believe that the club has fantastic potential and we leave with good memories of the diehard supporters, its talented players and its many sporting victories which we still cherish. We wish the club only the best as we move forward.”

Earlier on Friday, the company had sent a letter addressing to the Department of Corporate Services of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited where they stated, “Please note that the Board of Directors has considered, approved and noted execution of termination of the Share Subscription and Shareholder’s Agreement (“Agreement”) dated July 5, 2018, executed between Quess East Bengal FC Private Limited (“QEBFC”), East Bengal Club (“Club”) and the Company.”

Pep Guardiola has labelled the much-maligned David Luiz "an exceptional player" ahead of Manchester City's FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal.

City have won seven matches in succession against the Gunners, a run that stretches back to the same stage of this competition three years ago.

The last of those was a 3-0 Premier League triumph at the Etihad Stadium last month – a game perhaps most notable for David Luiz's nightmare individual outing.

Introduced as a replacement for the injured Pablo Mari during the first half, the Brazil international misjudged Kevin De Bruyne's searching pass for Raheem Sterling's opening goal. Luiz then pulled back Riyad Mahrez to be sent off and give De Bruyne the chance to double City's lead from the penalty spot – one the Belgium star gladly accepted.

Not for the first time in his career, the 33-year-old found himself as the subject of derision, but he has gone on to play a key role in Arsenal's revival on the other side of a two-match ban.

"I have incredible respect for his career. He's an exceptional player with incredible mentality and especially personality," Guardiola told a pre-match news conference, where he had particularly sharp words for Luiz's critics.

"I laugh a lot about all the pundits, they were defenders and believe they didn't make one mistake in their careers when they played for 20, 10 or 15 years.

"I like that he is still playing football and I'm pretty sure he's going to make more good actions and mistakes as that's part of the game, but with a lot of dignity. I have a lot of respect for this player. A lot."

Guardiola's admiration for Mikel Arteta, his City assistant until he took the top job at Arsenal last December, is well established.

The Gunners' 2-1 comeback win over Premier League champions Liverpool in midweek was their fourth in the past six top-flight games, and City's manager believes the north London club are in the early stages of a transformation.

"I expect an incredibly tough, tough, tough game because they have something special already," he said. "They have team spirit. Mikel has created, from the outside, maybe I'm wrong, I see in the game how they celebrate the goals, how they fight every single ball.

"They have started to create something special for this club. Everybody fights for everybody and that's why it will be difficult."

Baroka FC coach Dylan Kerr has confirmed his squad has been hit by the coronavirus, saying four of his players have tested positive. 

Although the Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele manager could not disclose the names of the players, he admits this is a major setback as far as their preparations are concerned.

Baroka are in a battle for survival in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) as they have six matches to wrap up the 2019/20 PSL season.

“All is good at training despite the sad news that four of my players tested positive and are not with us,” said Kerr as quoted by DailySun.

“Our hearts and prayers are with them to recover fast and join us. During this time and the position we are in, you need all your players in the team.

“So this is a sort of setback for us. The boys have been working on their own for almost three months. So, their fitness is not up to the standard we want,” he said. 

Speaking about their mandate to survive relegation to the National First Division (NFD), the former Black Leopards boss is aware of the importance of the fitness levels of those that are infected.

“We are left with a few games and four players who tested positive will join us later,” he added.

“They will have to work harder to gain the same fitness level as those who are training now.”

The Limpopo-based club is placed 13th on the log standings with 23 points from 24 games and will be gunning for at least three victories to secure their top-flight status.

Meanwhile, they were scheduled to face off against fellow relegation candidates AmaZulu when the season was forcefully suspended due to the coronavirus in March.

Kerr recently expressed unhappiness with the fact that their counterparts such as the log leaders, Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town City returned to training earlier than the rest of the teams in the league, saying they will gain an advantage.

On the other hand, Cape Town City announced on Wednesday that none of their players and staff members tested positive in the second round of testing as mandated by the league. 

Paul Pogba is "still a few levels off from his best", according to Rene Meulensteen, who wants to see the Manchester United star "driving forward" rather than sitting deep.

United have enjoyed an impressive run of form since the resumption of the season last month, winning six of their last eight fixtures.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park on Thursday night to extend their unbeaten run to 19 games across all competitions, thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

Pogba played the full 90 minutes against the Eagles after being handed his sixth consecutive Premier League start, and produced another assured display in midfield alongside €55 million (£50m/$63m) January signing Bruno Fernandes.

The World Cup winner has adopted a more disciplined role in the Solskjaer's set-up recently, dictating the pace of games from the centre of the pitch while freeing up Fernandes to operate in a free role between the midfield and attack.

Meulensteen, who served Sir Alex Ferguson's number two at Old Trafford between 2007 and 2013, thinks Pogba will be happy to be a part of a free-flowing team full of exciting talent, but he has challenged the 27-year-old to make a bigger contribution in the final third.

“I’m 100 per cent sure that Paul will be delighted with this sort of play,” the former United assistant told Talksport. “You can see that, and we’ve already seen flashes of he and Fernandes linking up together.

“Paul is still a few levels off from his best. I think he can sometimes get the ball nicked off him too easily, and I still want to see him going from box to box, driving forward, and bringing a bit of unpredictability to that midfield.”

Pogba is reportedly open to signing a new long-term contract with the Red Devils after overcoming a frustrating injury-enforced period on the sidelines, and Meulensteen believes clarity over the midfielder's future will be crucial as Solskjaer looks ahead to next season.

“It’s one of the situations that needs to be cleared up soon,” the Dutchman added. “Just so everyone knows this is what’s happening for next season, that’s what we need.”

Meulensteen went on to express his belief that United are still lacking a traditional centre forward, while also highlighting a number of key areas that need reinforcing in order for the club to start challenging for the title again.

“United need to start competing for the Premier League, but that’s a big ask,” said the 56-year-old coach. “I still think they need to strengthen in the back-line, and I would definitely get something in the midfield, for sure.

“I still think, at the moment Manchester United are in form, they could beat any team that comes in front of them, but at the same time they could still lose to any team as well.

“The front three works, I have to say, but they’re obviously very young, especially with Greenwood. I can see a more experienced player coming in, but that depends on whether they want to play with a real out-and-out striker, because they don’t really have one.

“Obviously Martial can play there and plays it in his way, so does Rashford, but he’s not an out-and-out striker like for example [Robert] Lewandowski or [Harry] Kane.

“With all the strength United have going forward, I think a really top, top striker who you know is going to score 20 goals-plus every season would be a massive help.”

Liverpool failing to beat Manchester City's record Premier League points haul does nothing to diminish their accomplishments this season, says Pep Guardiola.

Jurgen Klopp's side dropped points for the third time since being crowned champions when they lost 2-1 at Arsenal in midweek, a result that means the most they can amass this term is 99.

City became the Premier League's first and only centurions in 2017-18, with Gabriel Jesus' last-gasp winner at Southampton on the final day of that dominant campaign bringing up three figures.

Liverpool looked set to tear the record books to pieces before their loss of rhythm over recent games, but Guardiola thinks the comprehensive nature in which they picked up a first top-flight title in 30 years remains worthy of considerable acclaim.

"From my point of view, that doesn't cancel for one second the incredible Premier League that Liverpool have done," he told a news conference ahead of City's FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal. "Ninety-nine points or 102, 107 - the league was incredible. We congratulate them again.

"Always I've thought that records are there to be broken and sooner or later it's going to happen, but also 100 points is not easy. We were incredible two seasons ago when we did it, we were incredible when we made 98 last season.

"Liverpool made 97, this season they can do 99. Both teams did incredible things. Nothing's changed.

"It shows that doing the incredible season Liverpool have done and not getting 100 points, how incredible it was us doing this achievement two seasons ago.

"One day it will be broken, but it shows the season they've had but not getting there shows how incredible ours was two seasons ago."

City lifted the EFL Cup thanks to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa before a packed Wembley at the beginning of March, shortly before the global situation changed irrevocably.

Their return to the national stadium behind closed this weekend comes amid the UK government announcing plans to allow fans to return to live sporting events from October, subject to successful test events and wider COVID-19 realities.

"This is the most important thing, we miss the fans. All the clubs and all the sports," Guardiola said. "Fans are the reason why [we play] but they have to be safe.

"Hopefully the authorities, the medics, the scientists can allow so people come back to the stadiums. The security for our lives is the most important thing."

N'Golo Kante has been ruled out of Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday.

Kante suffered a hamstring injury in the 3-0 Premier League win over Watford a fortnight ago and Frank Lampard revealed the midfielder is not ready to return.

While the Blues boss said a few players will be monitored ahead of the clash with in-form United, Kante was one he definitely ruled out.

He said on Friday: "N'Golo Kante won't be fit for the match, he's still not right, so he's out.

"Other than that, we have a few people with little niggles, which I'll monitor over the next 24 hours or so and then we'll be ready to go."

Lampard has challenged his players to grasp their opportunity to win a trophy in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues also battling to attempt to finish in the top four.

The west Londoners will also face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on August 8 although their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals are slim, given they trail 3-0 from the first leg.

On his side's trophy chase, Lampard said: "Considering where we are, we're in the semi-final [of the FA Cup], we know what's in front of us.

"The league is obviously huge but at this point you fight on two fronts and we have to give everything to try and do that. A club like Chelsea will always want to win these kinds of trophies, it's what we've done very well in the modern era.

"Of course, it feels like a slightly different position this year because of the circumstances of the season, but we have an opportunity and it's up to the players and ourselves to make the best of it on Sunday.

"We're playing a good team, they are in good form and whoever would await us in the final will be a good team, so the work is to be done."

Lampard also discussed Christian Pulisic's progress, with the winger having been one of the Blues' best players since the Premier League restart.

He added: "Well I have seen a real improvement in his all-round game. Coming to the Premier League is very difficult because of the physical nature of the league and we have to remember how young he is and the summer he had.

"I think he found those physical demands pretty strong in the beginning and now you are seeing him deal with it better. A lot of that can be credited to himself and how he has approached it.

"He has worked a lot with our strength and conditioning coach, Adam Burrows, who is fantastic. They have worked a lot together, but it is Christian who has to take on that responsibility and he has. Physically that has helped him.

Also, just his talent is coming through. Looking forward I probably want to see more of what he has shown in recent times, which is goals and assists, because that is what the best in the world do in that position.

"I feel he has the capability to do that as he improves. That can be the edge as his game goes on and moves on levels."

Wigan Athletic captain Sam Morsy has revealed the players' determination to save the club from Championship relegation. 

The DW Stadium outfit were recently handed a 12-point deduction after the club went into administration which they have appealed.

The Latics are 13th on the league table with 57 points from 44 games, 12 points clear of the relegation zone and Morsy has revealed the resolve of his teammates to help the club avoid the drop at the end of the season.

"The advantage we had when the news came out was that we only had two or three weeks left of the season," Morsy told Sky Sports News.

"For two or three weeks you can focus and put all the other things to the side. If it was three months, it would be very difficult.  

"Not getting paid for three months and all the speculation, that could definitely turn your head. But for the sake of three weeks, we all said, 'Listen, let's sacrifice three weeks'.

"Obviously, agents would be involved and players could be leaving. But the situation we have now, with just a week left of the season, you can fully clear your mind of that, you can do something special.

"There will be players who go on to big things, play at a higher level, and that's all great. But if we can survive this season, this will be one of the best accomplishments of our footballing careers."

To signal their resolve of saving Wigan from relegation, the team inflicted an 8-0 defeat to Hull City on Tuesday, which compounded the woes of the Tigers, who are in the relegation zone.  

"We didn't expect it. I woke up on the morning of the game thinking it was going to be a cagey affair," he added.

"They are a good team, even though they're not in great form. It wasn't a game where we thought it was going to be a pasting.

"We were just at it and everything seemed to go in and that's just the confidence we're playing with at the minute."

Morsy has been with the Latics since 2016 and this season he has made 42 appearances for the side across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

The Egypt international will hope to inspire Wigan to victory when they take on 21st-placed Charlton Athletic in their next league game on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta is not dwelling on Arsenal's dismal recent record against Manchester City ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Arteta took the reins at Emirates Stadium shortly after Pep Guardiola's side sauntered to a 3-0 win in north London last December.

That was City's seventh win in nine attempts against the Gunners during Arteta's stint as Pep Guardiola's number two, and the tale of misery continued as Arsenal went down to another 3-0 loss at the Etihad Stadium in their first game after the Premier League restart.

Indeed, City have won every match between the sides since losing at this stage of the FA Cup three years ago.

However, Arsenal head to the national stadium buoyed by victory over champions Liverpool – who boasted a similarly imposing head-to-head record before a 2-1 midweek reverse – and Arteta insists lingering on past failures is no way to approach their remaining shot at silverware this season

"It's a different [City] team, we are a different team as well," he said, having twice lifted the FA Cup under Arsene Wenger in his playing days. "I know their strength and I know the flexibility they have, the things they are going to try, but even then it is difficult to stop.

"I want to focus on what we will try to do. If I worry about them, it's not the message I want to send to the players.

"[The message is] what we have to try to do to win the game, to give us the best chance to compete against them over the 90 minutes to give them difficulties. That's the same as every game.

"If I look at the trends before we played Liverpool, in the last two calendar years they had, you get depressed.

"What I need now is energy, trust in my players, belief. It is the FA Cup, we have a lot of experience here, we have a history related to that. Let's got for it."

City have won six of the past eight major honours on offer in English football and speculation remains over the next move of the man who has masterminded this run.

Guardiola has one more year to run on his contract, which will mean his City tenure overtakes his previous longest stint in charge of a club – four years between 2008 and 2012 with Barcelona.

Arteta is unsure whether his former colleague will make good on suggestions he is open to an extended stay, even in light of the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifting City's two-season ban from UEFA competitions earlier this week, but he believes the 49-year-old's happiness in Manchester is beyond doubt.

"I don’t know. He's been there four years which for him is quite a long time already, and look at the success he's had," Arteta said.

"He feels really happy there. He is surrounded with great people across the club and feels the players, the identity and the style belong to him as well. He feels really close to the fans. I see him as really happy but I don't know. That's a question for him."

The futures of a number of key names at Arsenal have been a matter of conjecture since the resumption.

Arteta restated his confidence that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is prepared to sign a new contract and confirmed talks with Real Madrid over making Dani Ceballos' loan switch a permanent one remain ongoing.

Mesut Ozil is training with the first-team squad ahead of the semi-final, with the head coach refusing to be drawn on his continued exile.

"Pure football reasons," he replied over the decision to proceed without Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi for a number of weeks. "My decision is always that. My only ambition is to put the best squad and best players who give us the best balance on and off the field."

Jose Mourinho has told his Tottenham stars they can boss next season's Europa League, but they must be in it to win it.

The Portuguese finds himself in the unfamiliar position of facing a major challenge just to earn a place in a competition which is overshadowed by the Champions League, however he insists his Spurs players belong at Champions League level and is confident they would be among the favourites to win the Europa League, providing their name is in the draw.

Mourinho may need his Tottenham side to beat Leicester City and Crystal Palace in their remaining two Premier League games to earn qualification.

The match against Leicester on Sunday comes with added spice, given the visitors to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are battling to keep a grip on a top-four place.

Seventh position, which Spurs occupy, could yet prove to be enough for a Europa League spot.

Mourinho said: "In quite a funny way I am telling the players, two more victories to win the Europa League.

"I know it's not like that, the competition is long with good teams. Some teams go from Champions League to Europa League which makes it really difficult, but it's just a feeling to motivate the boys.

"Our level is Champions League. The players have played a Champions League final. That's the level of our club.

"I'm just trying to motivate the troops, because it's important to keep that motivation. It's not possible that Wolves, Sheffield United and Arsenal have more motivation than us. To play Europa League is good – you can play and develop players. I think we have to try."

He added: "Football is not about what you deserve, it's about what we get. We need to win these two matches."

Mourinho had hoped to guide Spurs into the Champions League, which he has won previously with Porto and Inter, after succeeding Mauricio Pochettino in November.

However, a spate of injuries, affecting the likes of Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris, and mediocre form made that too much to hope for. Dele Alli will miss the Leicester game due to injury, Mourinho confirmed.

The former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United boss is reconciled to the reality Tottenham will not be competing at the top level in Europe next season.

"It's not possible now, mathematically it's impossible. We know that for us now it will be a fight until the end to get a Europa League position," Mourinho said.

"We are sure that without the problems we had during all of the season, we would be of course in a much different situation. But that was our season, since Hugo's big injury at Brighton, then everything that happened.

"I arrived mid-season, impossible to be better than what it is. We need points to finish in the position that gives us Europa League next season."

Tottenham have won three Premier League home games in a row and a fourth would be a huge boon, as well as a record at their new home.

"More important than that is the points that we need," Mourinho said. "Like when we play Arsenal, important to win the derby, the only thing that matters is the points that we need. I just think that we need these points."

Quess Corp has officially ended their joint venture with East Bengal on Friday by executing a termination of the Share Subscription and Shareholder’s Agreement executed between Quess East Bengal FC (QEBFC), East Bengal Club and the Company.

This development follows months of speculation as to how the partnership between Quess and East Bengal would end. It also means that the sporting rights, needed to field a team in any recognised competition, has been handed back to the Red and Golds.

In a letter addressed to the Department of Corporate Services of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, Quess Corp states, “Please note that the Board of Directors has considered, approved and noted execution of termination of the Share Subscription and Shareholder’s Agreement (“Agreement”) dated July 5, 2018, executed between Quess East Bengal FC Private Limited (“QEBFC”), East Bengal Club (“Club”) and the Company.”

The Bengaluru-based business service providing company had formed a joint venture (QEBFC) with East Bengal in July 2018, acquiring 70 per cent stake in the newly formed company to promote and operate the sporting teams, particularly cricket and football, on behalf of the club. This meant that the sporting rights of the club belonged to QEBFC and could not be transferred back to the club without the express permission of the Quess officials in the QEBFC board.

But with the termination of the contract, the company has decided to return the sporting rights back to East Bengal.

Quess Chairman Ajit Isaac has sent a letter addressing senior East Bengal official Debabrata (Nitu) Sarkar where he conveyed his regards and best wishes to the club for their upcoming endeavours.

The letter read, “My best wishes to you for the future and we will always be your well-wisher as the club moves into a new chapter."

The Red and Golds have been trying to get back their sporting rights from their investors for a while now. Without the sporting rights, the club would have neither been able to complete the club licensing process nor take part in any competition. 

With that particular issue sorted, the Kolkata-based club can start planning for the upcoming season.

Frank Lampard is aware of the threat posed by Manchester United's in-form front three and has called for his Chelsea side to be confident in their ability to handle them in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final clash.

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford both reached 17 Premier League goals for the 2019-20 season as they netted against Crystal Palace on Thursday, while Mason Greenwood has also emerged as a significant goalscoring threat.

And Lampard has identified the attacking prowess of the trio, accepting that stopping them, and midfielder Bruno Fernandes, will be vital to his side's chances of winning at Wembley.

He told reporters: "We know they are playing well, they've got a very, very potent front three, probably the most potent front three in the country, in terms of pure numbers and goals.

"And obviously Fernandes has made a huge difference coming in in January. So you see the strength that has brought to their team with individual quality.

"But we know that. So we have to be confident ourselves, deal with their threats, and worry about us as well."

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has expressed his frustration at the fact that the Red Devils have less time to prepare for Sunday's fixture, with their Premier League win at Palace being played two days after Chelsea's victory over Norwich City.

Lampard doesn't agree, however, insisting that with both sides having played twice this week, it is a level playing field.

He added: "No, I don’t think we do [have an advantage]. We played Saturday/Tuesday this week, they played Monday/Thursday so we have both played two games this week as it stands.

"We are in a period where we are playing games very regularly and it becomes; play, recover, play again and recover and you work with the squad as it is.

"It’s an age-old question for a lot of managers. You can probably dig out times where I have mentioned it, but at the same time it isn’t about having an advantage or not. Sometimes it is in your favour playing regularly and keeping ticking over, so no I don’t see it."

The Blues boss also ruled N'Golo Kante out of the match as he continues to recover from injury. He said: "Kante won't be fit for the match, he's still not right. So he's out.

"Other than that we have a few people with a few little niggles that I'll monitor over the next 24 hours or so, and then we'll be ready to go."

Arsenal should be finding a role for Mesut Ozil, says Tony Adams, with a club legend claiming that the World Cup winner is Dennis Bergkamp-esque in his ability to “open up doors”.

Questions continue to be asked of how long mercurial German playmaker Ozil will stick around in north London.

The 31-year-old is approaching the end of his seventh season in England, with 254 appearances for the Gunners having been taken in.

Ozil has contributed plenty to the collective cause, including 44 goals and 77 assists, but has not always convinced with his laid-back approach and tendency to go missing in big games.

A lucrative contract extension was still earned in January 2018, but Arsenal have struggled to get full value for money form that deal.

That continues to see exit talk generated, as Ozil enters the final 12 months of his current terms, and Mikel Arteta has helped to keep the rumour mill ticking over by omitting his former team-mate from his plans.

Adams can understand why the enigmatic talent divides opinion, but he feels anybody with match-altering ability should be embraced by Arsenal as they continue to struggle for consistency.

The iconic former Gunners captain told talkSPORT of Ozil: “As a coach those kind of players can really make or break you.

“If you don’t get the results and you have a player like that on the sidelines that you’re not using, everyone’s going to point to it.

“If you’re getting results and no-one’s looking they’re going to say: ‘Get him out of the club, he’s not needed’.

“He’s a talent. The guy can win games. He’s a bit like Dennis Bergkamp, a World Cup winner and can open up doors.

“There would be a place in my team if they toughened up behind him to be honest with you.

“That is the job of the coach to get the best out of his squad of players – not to avoid it and say: ‘No good, don’t want you.’

“The board should say to him: ‘These are your players – go and work with them.’ He’s paid so much money.”

Another of those who has failed to convince of late is Brazilian defender David Luiz, with costly errors continuing to blight his game.

Adams concedes that the South American is a nightmare for any coach, with the legendary former centre-half admitting that he would find it tough to play alongside a lively character.

Having once been told by Pat Rice that he could make any partnership work, Adams said: “He told me that anybody could play with me. But even I’d struggle with Luiz!”

Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson admits he and Arsenal rival Kieran Tierney are “sick to death” of the comparisons that continue to be made between the pair in their battle for Scotland’s starting berth.

Two prominent Premier League performers are looking to occupy the same position for their country.

Robertson, who is now a title winner in England at Anfield, is the regular choice to slot in on the left of Scotland’s defence as he now dons the captain’s armband.

Many, though, feel that former Celtic star Tierney would be a better choice in that role after rediscovering form and fitness on the back of a £25 million ($31m) move to Arsenal.

Robertson can appreciate why such a debate has been sparked, with Steve Clarke faced with a welcome selection headache, but the 26-year-old Glaswegian is growing rather tired of it.

He told the Lockdown Tactics Podcast: "I've spoken to KT about it before.

"Me and him are probably sick to death of everyone comparing us. One good performance from each of us and it's one of us is better than the other. It's just two players playing at a good level.

"It gets a bit tough when everyone in Scotland starts comparing you. Steve Clarke will have his own ideas and whatever he does it's for the best of the team. Whether that's playing one of us or two of us, we both have to deal with that."

While Robertson hit the ground running on the back of his move from Hull City to Liverpool in 2017, seeing him quickly earn a billing as one of the finest left-backs in world football, Tierney had to overcome a number of hurdles after linking up with Arsenal.

"KT is a fantastic player, I watch him a lot and he's excellent at what he does," Robertson said of a domestic and international rival.

"He's had a troubled time with injuries but now he's back, he looks special."

Tierney is looking to thrive under the brightest of spotlights in north London, with his combative approach earning widespread praise, and Robertson knows all about the challenges a compatriot faces.

He added on the expectation he faces for club and country: "Playing for Liverpool there's a lot of pressure on your shoulders as it is, but wearing the armband for your country is probably bigger.

"Some of my performances in a Scotland shirt the last couple of years haven't been good enough.

"I spoke to Darren Fletcher about it. At times when you play for Manchester United or Liverpool, even though you're a left-back they maybe expect you to win the game from that position. It's not possible."

Watford winger Ismaila Sarr has stated his side would approach their Premier League game against West Ham United on Friday like a ‘final’.

After a poor start to the season, where they failed to secure victory in their opening 11 games, including suffering a heavy 8-0 defeat against Manchester City, the Hornets dropped to the relegation zone.

In their quest for a turnaround, Nigel Pearson was appointed as manager in December 2019 and has since been trying to salvage the season for them.

Having won their last two games, against Newcastle United and Norwich City, the Hornets are one place and three points above the relegation zone.

Sarr, who joined the club last summer for a record fee of £30 million, has revealed his side will leave no stone unturned in their quest to secure victory against West Ham as well as win their remaining games.

"I think we were seven points adrift at the bottom when Nigel arrived. We had started very badly," Sarr told Sky Sports.

“It's a big achievement to get the situation to where it is now, and restart for next season with better ambitions, but we are all really focused to help the team keep ourselves up this season.

"He's changed a lot of things. First of all, the mentality and also the balance between defence and attack. Personally, for me, he's changed a lot, I now am playing regularly and he's given me his confidence, so I try to do my job in the best way to satisfy this confidence.

"Going to West Ham will be a very difficult, very tough game, we know that, but we are focused on the game altogether to play like a team, improve our quality on the pitch, and we know that it is very much going to be like a final. We've prepared for it like that, in the best way.

"Coming into the game after back-to-back wins are very important because since the restart we had been in trouble, but these games have given us a lot of confidence to fight until the end of the season to stay in the Premier League.

"The mood in the dressing room is better, obviously we needed to win these two games and it's not easy to do that when the pressure is on but to get two in a row, six points, is very difficult."

Sarr has scored six goals and provided five assists in 27 appearances across all competitions since joining the side from French side Rennes.

The fleet-footed forward was part of Senegal’s squad that finished as runner-up at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.