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Godfrey Oboabona says winning the Erovnuli Liga is Dinamo Batumi’s target this season following Thursday’s 4-1 win at Locomotive Tbilisi.

Flamarion Junior’s first-half brace plus strikes from Malkhaz Gagoshidze and Jaba Jigauri inspired George Geguchadze’s men to a comprehensive away victory at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium.

The triumph was their first this term having secured draws in all their previous four games.

Oboabona, who has been a key figure in Batumi’s squad, was rested for the encounter ahead of Saturday’s clash versus Torpedo Kutaisi revels in the important win which he claimed was a ‘big deal’.

“It’s great to have a win after a very long time. After so many draws, it is so important to secure an away win,” the Super Eagles defender told Goal.

“Locomotive Tbilisi are a very solid team and are well organised defensively, so getting all points at stake on their ground is a big deal and we are all happy.

“Yes, we scored four goals but it wasn’t an indication that the encounter was a stroll in the park for us. It was really tough but what gave us the upper hand was our high level of fitness, resilience and the attitude to win.

“This result is a sign of greater things to come for because it will boost our confidence level going into our next game.”

Thanks to this result, Geguchadze’s side sits in the third position after garnering seven points from five league outings.

Now that Dinamo Batumi entry’s into next season’s Europa League has been guaranteed, the Sunshine Stars legend claims their next target is to win the Georgian elite division diadem.

“We still have so many games to play but that was our target at the beginning of the season and it has not changed,” he continued.

“We were so close last season but we got a Europa League ticket as our consolation.

“Everybody in Dinamo Batumi knows it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we will keep fighting and continue working hard having in mind that others are also eyeing the league title.

“I am a positive man and we have what it takes to make this season ours.”

Manchester United have got their momentum back, according to Roy Keane, who is confident that the Red Devils will secure a top-four berth come the end of the season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's bid to revive past glories at Old Trafford has gathered pace since last month's Premier League restart.

United had gone 11 matches unbeaten before the campaign was postponed for three months due to the coronavirus outbreak, with January arrival Bruno Fernandes helping to lift the mood of gloom surrounding Old Trafford while inspiring his new team-mates to raise their game.

The Red Devils have picked up from where they left off in March, winning four of their last five top-flight fixtures to move to within just a single point of fourth-placed Leicester City and two behind Chelsea - who currently sit in third.

A 3-0 win away at Aston Villa marked their latest triumph, as goals from Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba helped Solskjaer's men etch their names into the record books.

United have become the first team in Premier League history to win by three or more goals in four consecutive games, with Liverpool the last club to achieve the same feat way back in 1987 - when the competition was known as the first division.

Keane, who won seven league titles and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, has been impressed with his old club's recent form, and expects them to go on and leapfrog their main rivals in the race for Champions League qualification.

The ex-United captain also thinks the players will be determined to go all the way in both the FA Cup and Europa League, as he told Sky Sports after the Villa clash: “I think we’ve said it now for a few months. Even before the lockdown, the momentum was getting back into the club.

“All of the new signings have seemed to have settled in. Paul’s back, Fernandes has been a huge boost for the club.

“What they have at the moment is a bit of momentum. Forget that Man City and Liverpool are ahead of them - there’s no getting away from that, but in terms of a few months ago, we’d ask if they could hunt teams like Leicester down, who had a huge advantage.

“To me now, they look favourites to catch Leicester and Chelsea. The momentum is there at the club. They’ll still want to get their hands on a little bit of silverware.

“Everyone at the club should be pleased. They’ve got the momentum back into the club, they just need to keep it up now.”

Keane added on United's quality in the final third of the pitch: “Man United fans want to see good attacking young players. That’s what gets United fans off their seats. United fans will be buzzing tonight.

"That’s what United’s all about, good attacking young players enjoying their game and hitting the back of the net.”

Seko Fofana provided an assist to help Udinese secure a 3-0 victory over SPAL in Thursday’s Serie A game.

The Ivory Coast international was afforded his 20th league start in the encounter and delivered an impressive performance to help his side clinch all three points.

After securing victory against Roma, the White and Blacks then played out a draw with Genoa before bouncing back to winning ways at Stadio Paolo Mazza.

Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring for Luca Gotti’s men with only 18 minutes into the game before Stefano Okaka Chuka doubled the lead in the 35th minute.

With nine minutes left to play, Kevin Lasagna made it three for the White and Blacks after receiving a sumptuous assist from Fofana.

The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international featured for 90 minutes before he was replaced by Marco Ballarini.

Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong, who has made 26 appearances for Udinese in this campaign, was an unused substitute in the encounter.

With the result, the Stadio Friuli outfit are now 14th on the league table, five places above the relegation zone after gathering 35 points from 31 games.

Fofana has played 29 games for Udinese this season across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing seven assists.

The midfielder has been with the White and Blacks since 2016 when he joined the side from Premier League club Manchester City for a fee of £2.5 million.

The Paris FC and Lorient academy graduate will hope to continue his consistent form in their next league game. 

Troost-Ekong, meanwhile, will look forward to playing a part and make his 26th Serie A appearance this season against Sampdoria on Sunday. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has encouraged his Manchester United squad to listen to Paul Pogba’s advice to push on to the next level.

Man Utd extended their unbeaten run to 17 in all competitions with a 3-0 win against Aston Villa making Premier League history as they became the first team to win by a three-goal or larger margin in four consecutive games.

While there were plenty of positives to take from the Villa Park display, Pogba, who scored the third of the night, warned their records won’t count for anything if they don’t push on to win the Premier League.

“We are really pleased with ourselves but know we have to carry on," Pogba told Sky Sports.

"We talked before the game, we talked in training that we have to carry on, that’s what Manchester is, it’s a big club and we want to keep the level up always, and the performance today and in the last few weeks, they are very good and they are at the standard of Man Utd.

“We didn’t win the Premier League, that’s the goal, and we didn’t win anything this year so we have to keep working, there’s lots to do. A lot.”

And Solskjaer agreed with the midfielder and said those words need to be taken into the dressing room.

“I'm sure Manchester United will mount a challenge and get back to winning the league," Solskjaer said. "

When that's going to happen is up to every single one who's here and how quickly we can make this process go, we're developing as a team, improving and we've come a long way in one season so let's take Paul's word into the dressing room and expect and demand more every single day.

Despite another fine attacking display and another three goals the Norwegian wants to see more from his forwards and believes they should have scored far more goals over the past two fixtures.

“I think we could have scored many many more goals and we're keeping clean sheets but of course we keep going into every game wanting to win, 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 hopefully the goal difference won't be the deciding factor in the end,” he said. “We should have had 10 more goals in the last two games.”

United’s first came from the penalty spot but there was some controversy as to whether or not Bruno Fernandes was actually fouled by Ezri Konsa and whether or not United should have been awarded the spot kick. But, for Solskjaer it was the right decision.

He said: “I think the boy has done a Zidane turn and the boy has stuck his leg out and Bruno has landed on him, if I try to land on someone and they tackle me, for me, it's a pen.”

Paul Pogba said Manchester United's two goals this season are to win both the Europa League and FA Cup as their good run of form continued on Thursday. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side proved too strong for Aston Villa as they claimed a 3-0 win with Pogba scoring the game's final goal after Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood had given them a first-half lead. 

The Red Devils are now the first team in Premier League history to win four straight games by three or more goals as they find their stride late in the season. 

While currently fifth in the league and simply hoping to secure a top-four spot, United are intent on ending their season with not one, but two pieces of silverware.

"I have been injured for a very long time, I focused on myself to get back," Pogba told Sky Sports post-game. 

"This year we have two goals, to win the Europa League and the FA Cup, so we focus on that.

"We are really pleased with ourselves because we know we have to carry on. We talk before the game, in training, Manchester is a big club and we want to keep the level up always. The performances of the past few weeks are Manchester United.

"We have to keep working, there is a lot to do."

Greenwood's strong form in front of goal continued against Villa with the 18-year-old firing home his 18th goal of the season in all competitions to join Wayne Rooney in the record books. 

Though the teenager has shown plenty of quality in the final third, Pogba stressed there's even more to come from him as the Frenchman looks to unleash his full potential. 

"I enjoy to see them play, this kid in training and in the game and will keep pushing him to reach the top," Pogba said of Greenwood. 

"He has so much to do again, he can do even more than what he is doing, he is a talent."

Manchester United will look to keep their good form going on Monday when they host Southampton, with Solskjaer's side now just one point shy of fourth-place Leicester City. 

Manchester United have set a new Premier League benchmark after winning by a margin of three or more goals for the fourth game in a row by thrashing Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side arrived at Villa Park on Thursday looking to extend their recent winning run in the top flight to four matches, and their unbeaten streak stretching back to January to 17 across all competitions.

The United boss named the same starting XI that managed to secure comfortable victories over Sheffield United, Brighton and Bournemouth, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood leading the line and January signing Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings in midfield.

Villa managed to minimise the Red Devils' considerable attacking threat in the opening 25 minutes of the match, as Dean Smith's side aimed for an upset in their ongoing bid to avoid relegation.

However, the breakthrough was eventually made just before the half-hour mark, as Bruno Fernandes won a penalty following a rash challenge from Ezri Konsa in the box.

The Portuguese confidently struck the ball into the bottom corner for his eighth goal in 15 appearances for United, which sparked a dramatic shift in momentum.

Solskjaer's men quickly began pushing for a second goal and were rewarded for their efforts just before half-time when Greenwood picked the ball up 25 yards from goal. The 18-year-old set himself before firing a fearsome drive past Pepe Reina in the Villa net, giving the visitors a healthy lead heading in at the break.

Paul Pogba rounded off the scoring to continue his recent resurgence with 58 minutes gone, as he expertly placed the ball into the far corner of the net after receiving a pinpoint Fernandes corner just outside the penalty area.

The game finished 3-0 after a subdued last 30 minutes, with United becoming the first team in Premier League history to win four successive games by three-plus goals.

The Red Devils' latest win over Villa also means that they have now beaten the Lions on every day of the week in the top-flight, a feat no other side has managed against an opponent in the competition.

Solskjaer will now start preparing his side for a meeting with Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, with United now only one point behind Leicester in the race for a top-four finish.

Prospective Marseille investor Mohamed Ayachi Ajroudi has admitted that he “dreams” of one day seeing Zinedine Zidane in the OM dugout and Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the club’s famous white shirt.

A consortium led by Mourad Boudjellal is hoping to buy the club from its American owners this summer and reinstate the Stade Velodrome outfit as one of the country’s foremost clubs on a consistent basis.

Although OM finished second in Ligue 1 this term, they were 12 points distant of Paris Saint-Germain and in order to close the gap, they are ready to be ambitious, hoping to draw some of the biggest names in the world game to the club.

One of those is local lad Zinedine Zidane, who was famously born in the city and went on to become one of the most talented players of his generation then a three-time Champions League-winning coach with Real Madrid.

But while Boudjellal would love to see Zidane return home, he admits that it may be some time away.

"A new coach? The one in place is very good,” he told Le Figaro, “but what would be better than bringing back a local lad? Zinedine Zidane? The future will tell us.”

On the playing front, meanwhile, there is one outstanding candidate – another legend of the Bernabeu.

“I love football. I love the noble side of sport. I love German discipline, especially that of Bayern Munich. I enjoy the grinta of Barca. And a player that I will never forget is Cristiano Ronaldo. I like respect and discipline. He embodies that,” he said of the current Juventus star, who turned 35 in February but continues to go strong in terms of his contribution. 

“Do I dream of signing him for Marseille? Everything is possible in life. He is generous and gives a lot. It makes me vibrate. It would be a dream to have him in Marseille… But that is the task of [potential future club president] Mourad Boudjellal.”

Marseille discovered on Thursday that they will open their Ligue 1 campaign for the 2020-21 season up with a clash against Saint-Etienne, with PSG, Lille and Lyon all to follow in what promises to be a very testing start to the term.

Miguel Veloso scored late on as Hellas Verona snatched a 2-2 Serie A draw with Inter at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on Thursday.

The hosts had taken a second-minute lead courtesy of Darko Lazovic's superb solo effort but Inter stormed back early in the second half thanks to Antonio Candreva and an own goal from Federico Dimarco.

There was a late sting in the tail for Antoino Conte's side, however, with Veloso coolly stroking home with four minutes remaining to secure a share of the spoils.

The result leaves Inter in fourth, one point behind third-place Atalanta, while Verona remain ninth.

The hosts started in scintillating fashion as Lazovic cruised past Milan Skriniar down the left flank and lashed a fine finish past Samir Handanovic from an acute angle.

Inter's miserable start almost got worse but Veloso struck the post with a long-range effort and Dimarco flashed a volley wide of the upright in quick succession midway through the first half.

Inter belatedly woke from their slumber and tested Marco Silvestri through Roberto Gagliardini and Alexis Sanchez, while Marcelo Brozovic twice fired wide from outside the penalty area before the interval.

Inter started the second half with a spring in their step and pulled level after 49 minutes, Candreva slotting into the bottom corner after Romelu Lukaku's effort crashed back off the post.

Candreva was the architect of Inter's second just six minutes later as his right-wing cross was diverted past Silvestri by the hapless Dimarco.

Inter substitute Lautaro Martinez squandered a golden opportunity to put the game to bed nine minutes from time, failing to beat Silvestri after being played clean through.

He was duly punished when Veloso kept his composure to fire past Handanovic and seal a point for Ivan Juric's side.

What does it mean? Inter fail to respond to Conte's challenge

Conte's call for his players to channel their "bitterness and disappointment" in a positive way following the shock home defeat to Bologna on Sunday seemingly fell on deaf ears.

Inter were dismal in the opening period and were lucky not to be more than one goal down at the break. They somehow clawed themselves back into a winning position but for the second time in five days conspired to throw it away.

Veloso gets his reward

The Portugal international was at the heart of everything good about Verona's display. He struck the post with a fierce effort in the first half and gave Handanovic little chance with a fine strike to grab a point for his side.

Sanchez fails to take his chance

Chosen ahead of Martinez, who missed a crucial penalty in the defeat to Bologna, Sanchez did little to suggest he should hold onto his position in the starting XI. The on-loan Manchester United man huffed and puffed but, as has been the case for a few years now, a spark was sorely absent.

What's next?

Inter will hope to return to winning ways against Torino at San Siro on Monday, while Verona visit Fiorentina a day earlier.

Caf has confirmed the new dates for the outstanding African U17 Women's World Cup and U20 Women's World Cup qualifying matches. 

As the world gradually eases from the coronavirus lockdown, Africa's football governing body has announced the resumption of the women's qualifying games on the continent on Wednesday. 

Three U17 World Cup qualifying fixtures initially fixed for May 1-3 and 15-17 after first-round triumphs in March will now be played in November after it was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The first leg of the final stage is slated for October 30 to November 1 and the reverse fixture three weeks later as South Africa battle Morocco and Uganda face Cameroon, while Nigeria take on Ghana.

The development leaves Botswana in limbo as no new date was set for the second leg of the second round tie with Morocco following Caf ruling in favour of the Southern Africans in May.

In the build-up for the qualifiers resumption, Goal can confirm Morocco, who hold a 1-0 first-leg advantage over Botswana in Gaborone have resumed training at Mohammed VI since July 5.

The 2020 finals earlier scheduled to take place in November 2020 was moved and will be held from February 17 to March 7, 2021 in India with three representatives expected to emerge from Africa.

At U20 level, Caf announced the first round of the African qualifier will now be played in September, and the second in October, while the third and final stage comes up in November. 

Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, earlier drawn a bye, will enter in the first round of the series which was initially slated for March, will see both legs now to be staged by September 3-5 and 10-12. 

The second round of the qualifiers will follow between October 1-2 and 8-9, while the third round fixtures are fixed for November 5-7 and 12-14.

The 2020 finals will be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama. They were earlier slated for November 2020 but rescheduled for January 20 to February 6, 2021, with two representatives from Africa.

Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for Europe were dealt a blow as they were held to a scoreless draw against Bournemouth, with manager Jose Mourinho once again criticising VAR.

Throughout his career, the Portuguese has not been slow to lay the blame at officials but has been particularly prickly over the subject of the new system and referee Michael Oliver, who disallowed Harry Kane’s equaliser in a 3-1 loss to Sheffield United.

On Thursday, he felt his side should have been awarded an early penalty when Kane appeared to be shoved in the back, yet it was overlooked and an uninspired display from his side failed to break the resistance of their opponents. 

"The game has the most important moment and I don’t want to say any more in relation to that. Everybody knows. You know who, you know when... Everybody knows,” he told Sky Sports.

"The same referee who did the VAR decision against Sheffield United - Michael Oliver. Opinions matter. It’s not only mine, everybody knows that is a penalty and when I say everybody, I mean everybody. Everybody.

"I’m not saying Harry Kane 100% would score but his penalty range is high so usually we could win 1-0 against teams."

Mourinho, however, was aware there were shortcomings with his side after the early drama.

"The performance was not good enough,” he admitted. “Bournemouth surprised me in the way they played. It was a good result for them and they got the point they wanted. We were dominant behind but then there was lack of sharpness in the attacking areas. I made changes; I think the changes helped to improve the game in the last half but we didn’t score."

"I prefer to say the team understood it was more intense they were played, with certain levels of fatigue clearly for some players, like Moussa Sissoko and Giovani Lo Celso.

"I feel I got enough desire and they couldn’t give more today. For me it wasn’t a surprise but there’s always a negative when you have a huge penalty decision against you."

Tottenham have a north London derby to look forward to against Arsenal on Sunday, before a home match against top-four chasing Leicester is sandwiched between trips to Newcastle and Crystal Palace as their campaign draws to a belated close.  

Bloemfontein Celtic midfield duo of Lucky Baloyi and Given Mashikinya will remain at the club until the end of the season, according to their agent and business manager Jazzman Mahlakgane. 

The agent confirmed the two players were handed contract extensions to complete the remainder of the campaign. 

The pair's contracts came to an end on June 30 and the club could have decided to let them go. 

"The club has given them an extension of two-month contracts until the 2019-20 season is completed," Mahlakgane told Daily Sun. 

Furthermore, Mahlakgane said talks are ongoing behind the scenes for the two players to stay longer at Celtic. 

"We are engaging Celtic and we now wait for the season to finish," he revealed. 

The latest developments will come as good news to Mashikinya who recently rejoined his teammates after recovering from Covid-19. 

On June 22, the former Cape Town City midfielder tested positive for the coronavirus and had to self-isolate for 14 days. 

His results came back negative from the latest tests conducted by Phunya Sele Sele and he was subsequently given the green light to resume training. 

Baloyi, on the other hand, will hope to have done enough for the club this season to earn himself a new deal. 

He has been one of Celtic's standout players over the past three seasons and was instrumental during Lehlohonolo Seema's tenure as head coach.

That was before Seema dumped the Mangaung-based side for Chippa United; the move that happened earlier this week. 

Baloyi, 29, has featured 79 times across all competitions for Celtic since his arrival from Kaizer Chiefs in 2017. 

He has contributed just a single goal and two assists and this is largely because he's playing more as a central defensive midfielder. 

Meanwhile, Mashikinya has been used far less than Baloyi in the three seasons he has been with the club. 

To date, he has played 67 matches for Phunya Sele Sele - scored once and recorded a single assist.

The remaining matches of the season will determine if Celtic will keep both the players beyond their current deals. 

Baloyi and Mashikinya will have to do that under the stewardship of John Maduka who was appointed head coach when Seema left the club.

Paul Pogba scored his first Premier League goal in 15 months as Manchester United broke a Premier League record in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side became the first in the division's history to win four successive matches by a margin of three goals or more as they extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes set them on their way by converting a controversial penalty, before Mason Greenwood took his tally to four goals in three games prior to the break.

Pogba picked out the bottom corner of the net from a Fernandes corner in the 58th minute to leave United one point outside the top four.

Despite United's recent purple patch, it was Villa who began brighter and Jack Grealish missed the target with a volley early on from a back-post Ezri Konza cross.

They came closer still when Trezeguet dispossessed Pogba and bent a low effort against the outside of the post.

Yet, a minute later, United had a penalty. Fernandes attempted a double drag-back to go beyond Konza, but his left leg came down into the defender, an act that referee Jon Moss deemed worthy of a spot-kick.

The contentious decision stood after a VAR review and it was Fernandes, rather than Marcus Rashford, who stepped up to slot home United's record-equalling 13th Premier League penalty of the season.

Greenwood and Fernandes then both came close before the former continued his fine scoring streak by blasting home right-footed in first-half stoppage time.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka really should have added the third early in the second half with a header that missed the target, and although he could not register his first goal of the season, Pogba soon did.

Fernandes picked out the Frenchman on the edge of the box from a corner and the World Cup winner steered his effort inside the post.

Pogba's compatriot Anthony Martial came close to adding a fourth - firing against the woodwork - but relegation-threatened Villa suffered no further misery.

What does it mean? Free-scoring United continue rich vein of form

Villa had good opportunities to open the scoring - and they may feel aggrieved at the manner in which United went ahead - but once Fernandes slotted in the penalty only one team looked like winning.

United are two points behind third-placed Chelsea and one behind Leicester City in fourth, and they still have to play the Foxes. In this form, it is hard to imagine them not finishing in the top four.

Brilliant Bruno

The impact January signing Fernandes has had on United is clear to see and this was another awesome display from the playmaker.

He has now had 28 goal involvements in 27 league goals this season with Sporting CP and United, scoring 15 and providing 13 assists.

Mings not merciless

England international Tyrone Mings was the latest target for Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane's ire at half-time, the ex-United captain ripping into the Villa defender for not closing down Greenwood.

Anyone who has seen Greenwood of late knows he possess a venomous shot from distance and Mings' inability to close the teenager down was emblematic of Villa's problems.

What's next?

United will hope to make it 18 unbeaten against Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, while Villa will see the visit of Crystal Palace on Sunday as a more realistic chance to pick up points.

Former Orlando Pirates assistant coach Teboho Moloi has described the late Gift Leremi as a rare breed of a footballer whose kind will take South Africa another 20 years to discover.

A life cut short by a tragic car accident at the age of 22, Leremi was touted as the next big thing to happen for South African football.

Moloi who was the midfielder’s development coach at Pirates narrates a tale of his former player as someone who would, interestingly dream of an attacking move in his sleep and wanted to recreate it in on the football pitch.

“Gift was a dreamer. He would wake up and tell you he dreamt taking a shot. He would practice that and would want to see it come to reality,” Moloi told Far Post.

“He would force Cheeseboy [Lebohang Mokoena] to give him a pass he saw in his dream. He would insist they come early for training so they can keep trying the move from the dream. He was a gift.

“It’ll take us another 20 years before we can be able to find a player of that sort. I’ve coached everywhere, schools, the Vodacom League, I’ve scouted in all provinces, I’ve not seen something close to Gift. We’re still going to have to search.”

After joining Sundowns in July 2007, he passed away two months later and Moloi goes on to liken Leremi to Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He saw himself becoming this big star, he understood what it meant to play for Pirates. He had a body that resembled Cristiano Ronaldo, but with more muscle especially in the upper body. He was a dedicated player, but very humble. He was a people’s person. On the field, he was arrogant,” said Moloi.

Leremi was already a Bafana Bafana player at the time of his death and seen as one of the bright prospects for the 2010 Fifa World Cup that was to be hosted by South Africa.

Having come through the development ranks at Pirates, his move to was a shocker to most Buccaneers faithful.

Lebohang Mokoena who grew up with Leremi at Pirates chips in to confirm Moloi’s story of the late player always keen to act his dreams in real life.

“He was a prophetic footballer. The guy would dream of a move and he would explain it to me. Sometimes we’d score in the exact same way and after the game he would remind me of it,” said Mokoena.

Mason Greenwood has joined Wayne Rooney in Manchester United's record books after scoring in three consecutive appearances, with his latest strike coming against Aston Villa.

Greenwood has been one of the stars of the 2019-20 campaign, emerging as a key member of United's squad after being trusted to play alongside Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial up front by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 18-year-old has scored 18 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, and he's stepped his game up another level since the resumption of English football last month.

The teenage forward scored in a 3-0 victory over Brighton on June 30, before producing arguably his best performance yet for the Red Devils in a win against Bournemouth four days later.

United ran out 5-2 winners at home to the Cherries, with Greenwood bagging a brace, which earned him praise from the Premier League's all-time record scorer Alan Shearer.

The former Newcastle striker tipped the youngster for a call up to England's senior squad, telling The Sun: “The postponement of Euro 2020 for a year could actually be a blessing for Greenwood and I’m sure Gareth Southgate will be watching closely. I would not be surprised if he gets a call-up later this year."

Greenwood has built on that hugely impressive display by getting his name on the scoresheet again at Villa Park on Thursday.

After picking the ball up on the edge of the box, he rifled the ball past a hapless Pepe Reina in the Villa net, putting the Red Devils 2-0 up right on half-time.

Greenwood's latest effort saw him become only the second teenager to find the net in three successive outings for United, following in the footsteps of club legend Rooney, who achieved the same feat at the age of 19.

His ninth Premier League goal also saw him become the highest-scoring player below the age of 19 in the club's history, one ahead of his Old Trafford colleague Rashford.

Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring for United against Dean Smith's side from the penalty spot, and Paul Pogba's low strike gave the visitors a three-goal advantage just before the hour mark.

The Red Devils are closing in on 17 games unbeaten and a place in the top four with only four fixtures left to play following their clash with Villa.

Ghana international Afriyie Acquah has disclosed his 2013 transfer to German side Hoffenheim was to get him a step closer to the English Premier League.

On top of his game at Italian Serie A fold Parma, the midfielder joined the Bundesliga outfit on a four-year deal during the January transfer window.

The move would end up a bad decision as he left Die Kraichgauer in 2015 without making a single competitive appearance.

“The Hoffenheim deal came too early for me. January transfers are hard. It’s rare for players to do well when they are signed in the winter window," Acquah Godfred Akoto Boafo, as reported by Citisportsonline.

“I was also in the form of my life in Parma. I had even earned another call-up to the Black Stars and scored my first goal against Malawi.

“Roberto Donadoni who was then the coach of Parma did not want me to leave. We were doing well and were in the top half of the league at the time.

“I opted to leave because I was convinced it was going to be a good stepping stone to the Premier League."

Acquah failed to make a single appearance for Hoffenheim as the 2012-13 season drew to a close.

Frustrated, he rejoined Parma on loan for the 2013-14 term where he made 27 league appearances.

A good show on his return saw the loan extended for one more season. The second year on loan was, however, cut short in the winter as he headed for Sampdoria.

In June 2015, Acquah permanently cut ties with Hoffenheim, signing a four-year contract with Torino.

After three seasons at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, the midfielder was on the move once again, this time around joining Empoli.

At the start of this term, he made a switch to Turkish outfit Yeni Malatyaspor for whom he has made 26 league outings. He netted his first goal for the side on Wednesday as the club secured a 1-0 victory over Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig.

A full Ghana international, Acquah made his first appearance for the Black Stars in a friendly tie against Chile in 2012.

He went on to represent the west Africans at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as well as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) where he missed a penalty in a final shoot-out defeat to Cote d'Ivoire.

He also played at the 2017 and 2019 continental gatherings.

After winning their first ever Premier League title in style - becoming the fastest team in top-flight history to win the Premiership - Liverpool will commemorate their status as newly crowned champions with a brand-new kit under Nike.

Goal has the latest information about the Premier League winners' 2020-21 shirts - home, away and third - as well as when they expected to be fully released and more.

New 2020-21 football kits: Chelsea, Bayern Munich & all the top clubs' shirts & jerseys revealed

Liverpool's 2020-21 home kit & release date

Liverpool are set to launch a completely all-new kit, with Nike having taken over previous suppliers New Balance starting with the 2020-21 season.

The Reds' five-year deal with New Balance was set to expire on June 1, but due to Covid-19 disrupting the season and delaying the final games of the season, Nike's partnership with the club will now begin on August 1.

A full kit release is not expected to take place until then.

An agreement was reached with the parties involved to have Liverpool lift the Premier League trophy with their current New Balance kit, whose deal will now expire on July 31.

Aside from some leaks, however, details about Liverpool's brand-new jerseys have been scarce, and information about their new look might not be unveiled until closer to August.

What is certain is that Liverpool are sure to be decked out in their traditional all-red kit - with their shirt, short and socks all in the famed shade of crimson.

Prior to New Balance, Warrior supplied the club's kits from 2012-15, with Adidas being the supplier from 2006-12.

Liverpool's 2020-21 away kit & release date

With Liverpool's new home jersey not expected to be unveiled until August 1, their away and third strips probably won't be released until then either - if not much later.

Clubs usually release their home kits first, and their away and third kits a few weeks after the initial launch, but Liverpool and Nike might be tempted to celebrate their new partnership by revealing all three kits (as well as the goalkeeping strip) at the same time.

Liverpool's 2019-20 away kit was a white number, and their third kit sporting a black base with aqua blue accents - so expect the Nike jerseys to take a completely different turn.

Manchester United have equalled the Premier League's all-time record for penalties given in a single season, with Bruno Fernandes netting their opener against Aston Villa from 12 yards.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side travelled to Villa Park on Thursday night for a must-win game in their continued pursuit of a top-four finish.

The Red Devils have been in scintillating form since the Premier League restart on June 17, winning three of their last four fixtures, scoring an impressive 12 goals in the process.

Villa were able to stifle United's attacking players in the opening quarter of the game, but a breakthrough was eventually made when the referee awarded the visitors a penalty just before the half-hour mark.

Fernandes was felled by Ezri Konsa after spinning just inside the box, and Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot-kick after a VAR review.

The Portuguese midfielder showed nerves of steel to send Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina flying the wrong way and sweep the ball into the bottom left-hand corner, taking his tally in a United shirt to eight goals since his €55 million (£49m/$62m) move from Sporting CP in January.

The Red Devils have now been awarded the joint highest number of penalties over a 38-game season in Premier League history, level with Leicester in 2015-16 and Crystal Palace in 2004-05.

Man Utd have been awarded 13 of the 79 penalties taken in this season's Premier League, making up 16.5 per cent of penalties given.

That 16.5 per cent is the highest proportion of any side in a season in the competition's history.

Fernandes, meanwhile, has been directly involved in 12 goals in his first ten outings for Solskjaer's side, as he continues to set English football alight.

Only former Newcastle striker Mick Quinn has hit more (13) in their opening ten appearances for a new club in the top-flight, and his brilliance in the final third could now see United move to within a single point of Leicester - who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.

The Red Devils also look set to extend their recent unbeaten run to 17 games, with Mason Greenwood doubling their advantage against Villa with a fearsome strike just before half-time.

Former Werder Bremen and Hannover 96 defender Frank Fahrenhorst has praised Borussia Dortmund youngster Youssoufa Moukoko.

The 15-year-old has been turning heads in the youth setup of BVB and his impressive showings in front of goal have seen him compared to four-time Africa Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o.

Moukoko has racked up more than 150 goals for Dortmund’s youth teams since joining the side from 2016, including 34 strikes in 20 games for the U19 side last season.

Fahrenhorst, who is currently the youth coach of Schalke 04 U17, recollected how the forward posed danger to his side and hailed his development.

“He [Moukoko] hurts us very often. [Laughs] He is without a doubt an exceptional player. The maturity and serenity he has at 15 are impressive,” Fahrenhorst told Goal and SPOX.

“You have to see how he can handle physically in the professional area, but you can only be curious to see what his future path will look like. His potential is unparalleled in old age.”

Moukoko has been allowed to train with the Borussia Dortmund senior team since January this year and could make his debut for Lucien Favre’s men when he turns 16 years in November after the German football authority lowered the age limit for a player to make his first senior appearance.

"We are very happy. The majority of clubs now want to give exceptionally talented young players the opportunity to take a new step in their development in absolutely exceptional cases," Lars Ricken, Dortmund's youth director, said in a recent interview.

Moukoko started his career with St. Pauli academy and scored 23 goals in 13 games during his two-year stay with the side before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2016.

The youngster has also been compared to Arsenal and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored 141 goals in all competitions during his time with Dortmund, following his impressive showings in front of goal.

Moukoko will be expected to be a good addition for the Black and Yellows first team and help them compete for the Bundesliga title next season after finishing the 2019-20 campaign as runner-up behind Bayern Munich.

The 15-year-old forward currently represents Germany U16 but he is eligible to play for the Cameroon national team, should he desire to switch his allegiance to the West Africans. 

Mbwana Samatta and Mahmoud Hassan ’Trezeguet’ will start for Aston Villa as they face Odion Ighalo’s Manchester United.

Thursday’s game at Villa Park will see both teams battle for all the points at stake as they chase contrasting ambitions. While the hosts are battling against relegation, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are fighting to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Tanzania international played as a substitute in the Claret and Blue Army’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, however, he has been recalled to the starting XI for the Red Devils.

This game will be his 10th in the English top-flight since joining from Genk on January 20, 2020 to become the 117th different nationality to play in the competition.

For Egypt’s Trezeguet, this will be his 30th Premier League fixture in his debut season at Villa Park following his move from Kasimpasa.

His compatriot Ahmed Elmohamady and Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba will start proceedings from the bench as Dean Smith’s men will be gunning for their first win in 11 matches.

Former Nigeria international Ighalo will start from the bench as the Old Trafford giants will play this fixture with the same team that dismantled Bournemouth 5-2 on Saturday.