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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola does not believe Sunday's surprise Premier League loss to Southampton highlights the need for the club to sign new players.

Guardiola's City suffered their third consecutive away defeat in the Premier League after going down 1-0 to Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday.

After routing newly crowned champions Liverpool 4-0 last time out, City – who rested Kevin De Bruyne and others – succumbed to Che Adams' first Premier League goal as they fell 23 points adrift in second position.

Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly and Bayern Munich's David Alaba have been among the players linked with moves to City at the end of the season.

But when asked if City's defeat was a question of needing new players, Guardiola told reporters: "No, I don't think so.

"I think we play good, honestly. We play with the character and desire to drive until the end. We played against Southampton who had 10 players in the penalty area. We did it really well.

"We will review the game, and with the chances that we had, we can do more. It's difficult to create more chances than we created and the way we did it.

"I'm so proud, so I liked the way we played but it's not enough. There's no complaint about the players. We played really well, I like it but it's not enough to win the games."

Guardiola, meanwhile, does not feel City goalkeeper Ederson is to blame for the loss to Southampton.

Adams scored the only goal of the game in the 16th minute, catching the Brazilian keeper off his line after Oleksandr Zinchenko had been dispossessed of the ball.

"We use our keeper to build up our play. We use our keeper to play better," Guardiola said. "It gives us a lot. The mistake is part of the game but we didn't lose for that reason.

"It happens many times this season this situation. The amount of chances we have but it's football. The amount of chances we have but not able to score goals."

Moussa Marega found the back of the net as Porto demolished Belenenses 5-0 in Sunday’s Primeira Liga game at Estadio do Dragao

The 29-year-old striker was afforded his 24th league start in the encounter and delivered an impressive performance to help the Blue and Whites extend their winning streak to three games.

Marega led his side’s attack along with Soares, who opened the glut of goals in the 31st minute after benefitting from a fine assist from Otavio.

The Mali international then doubled the lead after he was set up by Jesus Coron moments before the hour mark.

Alex Telles found the back of the net from the penalty spot to further extend the Estadio do Dragao outfit's lead in the 75th minute.

Eight minutes before full time, Fabio Vieira added the fourth before Luis Diaz sealed the comprehensive victory at the death.

Marega featured for the duration of the game along with Guinea star Alhassane Keita, who ended with the losing side.

The former Maritimo striker has now scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 39 appearances across all competitions in this campaign.

With the result, Porto firmly maintain their lead on the league table with 73 points from 30 games, six points above second-placed Benfica.

Marega has been with Porto since 2016 and has made 91 league appearances for Sergio Conceicao’s men, scoring 41 goals.

The Mali star will hope to continue his eye-catching displays when his side takes on Tondela in their next league game on Thursday.

Quique Setien praised Antoine Griezmann after the forward finally returned to the scoresheet in Barcelona's 4-1 La Liga victory over Villarreal.

Griezmann netted his first goal since February to go with strikes from Luis Suarez and Ansu Fati after Pau Torres' own goal as Barca pulled back to within four points of leaders and rivals Real Madrid.

Setien was happy with what he saw from Griezmann, whose goal was his 15th in his first season at Barcelona.

"He has associated himself very well and has been gaining confidence," the Barcelona head coach said, via AS.

"I am very satisfied as I suppose he will be after the goal so beautiful that he has scored, reminded me of one of [Lionel] Messi's at [Real] Betis."

Setien hailed Barca's performance as they claimed just their second win in five games.

"All teams are different. Today, we have had everything," he said.

Setien added: "Other teams like Atletico [Madrid] or Sevilla, firmer in defence created more problems for us. Perhaps they were stronger than this.

"This helps us a lot in confidence. We have pressed very well and we haven't allowed them to leave. We have made a very balanced match. I would have liked to be right before."

Meanwhile, there was further controversy in Real Madrid's win over Athletic Bilbao as another Sergio Ramos penalty saw Zinedine Zidane's men claim three points.

The spot-kick was awarded via the VAR and Setien said the system was becoming more confusing.

"I understand it [the VAR] less and less," he said.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique urged the Catalans to continue fighting despite the deficit to Madrid.

Pique called for his side to keep pushing ahead of hosting Espanyol in a derby clash on Wednesday.

"We don't like to be behind in the standings, but we will fight to turn the situation around, knowing how complicated it is," the Barca defender told Movistar.

"We will fight to the end."

Barcelona's draws against Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid have allowed Madrid to take the initiative, with Los Blancos winning all of their seven games since the restart - and only conceding two goals along the way.

Madrid finish the season with matches against Deportivo Alaves (home), Granada (away), Villarreal (home) and Leganes (away), while Barcelona face Espanyol (home), Real Valladolid (away), Osasuna (home) and Deportivo Alaves (away).

Barcelona reached 9,000 goals in all official competitions following their 4-1 rout of Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday.

Barca celebrated the milestone thanks to teenage sensation Ansu Fati, who came off the bench and scored the team's fourth goal away to Villarreal.

The two-time reigning La Liga champions, who are four points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid with four matches remaining, netted their first official goal in April 1909.

Just over 111 years later, Barca have scored their 9,000th goal – superstar captain and six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi contributing 630.

Of Barca's overall tally, 6,165 goals have been scored in La Liga, followed by the Copa del Rey (1,474) and the Champions League (543).

The Blaugrana added four goals to their league tally against Villarreal with the first coming in the opening three minutes of the match.

Barca's blistering start and they were rewarded when Pau Torres turned the ball into his own net just three minutes in with Antoine Griezmann waiting to pounce on Jordi Alba's cross behind him.

Quique Setien's side were causing the home side all sorts of problems going forward but looked vulnerable on the break and Moreno levelled clinically against the run of play with 14 minutes played after Marc-Andre ter Stegen palmed away Santi Cazorla's strike.

Barca wasted little time in regaining the lead, though, Messi running from just inside the Villarreal half and beating two players before finding Luis Suarez, who picked out the far corner with a sublime first-time finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Arturo Vidal and Suarez came close before Griezmann added a third just before half-time, lobbing Sergio Asenjo with a superb effort after Messi set him up with a cheeky backheel following another penetrating run.

The busy Asenjo denied Suarez and Vidal after the break and Messi had a goal chalked off after VAR ruled he had been offside before tucking in Sergi Roberto's cutback.

Fati came off the bench to put the icing on the cake, cutting in from the left to fire home and Messi rattled the crossbar with a free-kick before Asenjo superbly saved Martin Braithwaite's header following up.

Farouk Miya scored the only goal in Konyaspor’s 1-0 win over Rizespor in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The 22-year-old midfielder has continued to impress since teaming up with the Anatolian Eagle last summer from Gorica.

The Uganda international came off the bench for his 22nd league appearance for the Konya Buyuksehir Arena and shone, helping his side to bounce back to winning ways, after a three-game winless run.    

With only seven minutes into the encounter, Konyaspor got a glorious chance to open the scoring from a free-kick but missed the target.

After both sides failed to break the deadlock, manager Bulent Korkmaz brought on Miya for Levan Shengelia in the 57th minute in his quest to ensure his side clinches the victory.

The midfielder then went on to score the match-winner with a well-taken strike from the penalty spot, leaving goalkeeper Tarik Cetin with no chance.

The Uganda star has now scored seven goals and provided one assist in 26 appearances across all competitions, amid other dazzling displays.

With the win, Konyaspor are 14th on the league table with 30 points from 30 games, two places above the relegation zone.

Miya will hope to continue his impressive performances when his side takes on Gaziantep FK in their next league game on Thursday.

Victory in the encounter will steer Konyaspor further away from the drop zone and brighten their hope of maintaining their Super Lig status.

Miya started his career with the Vipers in 2013 before he joined Belgian side Standard Liege in 2016, where he spent two years.

The midfielder, who made 33 league appearances for Gorica before his departure, is a key member of the Uganda national team and has 64 caps for the East African side.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has accused the VAR of favouring the same team as he hinted the system was stacked in favour of La Liga title rivals Real Madrid.

The Blaugrana official made the statement following Barca's 4-1 victory over Villarreal, which saw the Catalans move four points behind Madrid with four games remaining.

Bartomeu referred to watching Madrid's 1-0 victory over Athletic Club in San Mames on Sunday before revealing his dismay at the decisions made by the video technology.

Madrid's game-winning goal came after the referee viewed the VAR pitch-side monitor to award a 76th-minute penalty dispatched by Sergio Ramos, while Athletic appeared unlucky to not receive a late spot-kick themselves.

"I watched San Mames match until almost the end of the second half," Bartomeu said after Barca's victory. "I feel bad because we have the best league in the world and VAR after coronavirus isn't fair.

"It has changed some results and always favours the same team."

Since the restart after the coronavirus-forced hiatus, Barcelona's two point lead at the top of La Liga's standings has evaporated with Madrid currently clear by four with the same number of matches left to play.

Barcelona's draws against Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid have allowed Madrid to take the initiative, with Los Blancos winning all of their seven games since the restart - and only conceding two goals along the way.

Madrid finish the season with matches against Deportivo Alaves (home), Granada (away), Villarreal (home) and Leganes (away), while Barcelona face Espanyol (home), Real Valladolid (away), Osasuna (home) and Deportivo Alaves (away).

Barca's victory against fifth-placed Villarreal was a positive performance, with Lionel Messi's 18th and 19th assists breaking his personal record for most in a La Liga season.

A Pau Torres own goal in the third minute got Barca off to the best possible start, before the Yellow Submarine hit back through in-form attacker Gerard Moreno.

But then Messi took a hold of the match, setting up Luis Suarez in the 20th minute before helping to end Antoine Griezmann's goal drought on the stroke of half-time.

Seventeen-year-old prodigy Ansu Fati then put the finishing touches on Barca's victory four minutes from time with a well-taken solo goal.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has addressed the speculation surrounding the future of Lionel Messi, insisting that the Argentine superstar will remain at the club for the rest of his career.

The rumour mill was sent into overdrive earlier this week when Cadena SER claimed  Messi was ready to quit Barcelona when his contract expires next summer.

Goal has previously confirmed that Messi does not want to leave Camp Nou - but he is immensely frustrated with how the club is presently being run, with the suspension of talks over a contract extension evidence of his dissatisfaction.

Messi has yet to publicly comment on the rumours, though his silence in itself is telling and believed to be vote of no-confidence in Bartomeu’s stewardship, whose position is now looking increasingly perilous as a result.

The presidential elections, originally scheduled for next year, may now be brought forward in the hope it may placate Messi and prevent one of the game’s greatest ever players leaving the club where he has spent his entire career.

That prospect has been swiftly dismissed by Bartomeu himself, who remains confident the 33-year-old will sign a new contract and see out his playing days at the Catalan giants.

"I am not going to give details but Messi has said many times that he will end his football life in Barcelona,” he said.

“We are focused on [the] competition and there are negotiations with many players. Messi wants to continue and wants to end [his career] here. He has many years left and we are going to enjoy him for much longer."

Messi once again displayed his enduring influence on the side with two assists in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Villarreal. The Argentine now has 19 La Liga assists for the season - the most prolific of his career to date.

Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Pau Torres' own goal were on target for Quique Setien’s side, who narrowed Real Madrid’s lead at the top back to four points, though with just four games remaining it is Los Blancos who remain firmly in the driving seat for the title.

Galatasaray crumbled 3-1 to Trabzonspor in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig clash with Jean Seri finding the net.

Needing a victory over Huseyin Cimsir’s men to stay in contention for the Turkish elite division title, they bowed at home to the rampaging visitors.

Algeria international Sofiane Feghouli – who was featuring in his 25th game of the season was given the marching orders by referee Cuneyt Cakir in the 31st for a dangerous play.

Even at their numerical disadvantage, the hosts showed great mental strength but blew away several scoring chances.

For their opportunities, however, it was the Black Sea Storm who took the lead with four minutes left into the half-time break thanks to a well-taken penalty from captain Jose Sosa after a foul by Ryan Donk.

Sosa turned provider for Filip Novak in the 70th minute to help Trabzonspor race to a two-goal lead at the Turk Telecom Stadium.

Despite the deficit, Gala kept fighting got their consolation through the Cote d’Ivoire star who beat goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir from the penalty spot.

Seconds later, Cimsir’s team regained their two-goal advantage courtesy of Alexander Sorloth with the last kick of the encounter.

Seri who now boasts of two goals this season was on parade from start to finish, while Morocco’s Younes Belhanda was replaced in the 77th minute by Emin Bayram.

Nigeria's Jesse Sekidika was brought in for Omer Bayram early in the 46th minute, while DR Congo’s Christian Luyindama was not listed for the game.

For Trabzonspor, Anthony Nwakaeme was brought in for Sosa with four minutes left to play, as well as Ghana’s Caleb Ekuban for SosaBilal Basacikoglu.

On-loan Stoke City midfielder Badou Ndiaye made the starting lineup, albeit he was substituted for Brazil’s Guilherme in the 71st minute as Morocco’s Manuel da Costa was in action from start to finish.

Defeat leaves Galatasaray with 52 points after 30 games – 11 points behind leaders Istanbul Basaksehir and nine points adrift of Trabzonspor who are in second place.

Seri would be targeting victory with his team when they face Alanyaspor on Wednesday as Nwakaeme is expected to lead his club’s attacking set up versus Antalyaspor on the same day.

Jurgen Klopp highlighted Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa as a prime example of why his side are Premier League champions. 

The Reds, playing their first game at Anfield since ending a 30-year title drought, were made to work hard by their relegation-threatened visitors. 

Late goals from Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones got the job done as Klopp's side continued their 100 per cent home record in the league in the 2019-20 campaign. 

And the German, who was left angered by Thursday's 4-0 loss to Manchester City, felt it showed just why his side have reigned supreme this season. 

"A very difficult game for different reasons," Klopp told Sky Sports. 

"Villa are obviously organised and made it tricky for us. The wind made it tricky for both, but it was really hard to play normal football. 

"We had to stay on track and do the right things and in the second half we had more of the good moments. You could see we needed time to get used to it." 

The result took Liverpool to 89 points, with just 11 more needed from their remaining five matches to equal the record tally achieved by Manchester City two seasons ago.

They could also end the season with the record for most wins and become the first side to win every one of their home games, putting the gloss on what has already been a dominant season by the Merseysiders.

Klopp, however, insists records were not his mind on Sunday and believes obsessing over them would actually prove counter-productive.

"The only thing I can say is there's no chance to win records if you constantly think about records," he added. 

"We don't want a record we want the three points. We don't think about these things, three points is difficult enough. 

"Aston Villa was fighting with all they had and it makes life uncomfortable. I like it, it was not a brilliant performance but it was a good performance that gets us three points." 

Next up for Liverpool is a trip to Brighton on Wednesday before a home game against Burnley next Saturday.

Lionel Messi wrote another page in the record books when he set up Antoine Griezmann for Barcelona’s third goal against Villarreal for his 19th La Liga assist for the season - the Argentine’s best ever tally in the Spanish top-flight.

The 33-year-old had already set up Luis Suarez midway through the first half at El Madrigal, becoming the first player to reach 18 assists for the season since Messi himself did so in 2014-15 and prior to that in 2010-11.

He went one better shortly before the break, with his neat back-heel teeing up Griezmann who stroked home his ninth La Liga goal of the campaign. Messi has now up set up three of those nine goals, more than any other team-mate.

It was perhaps a timely reminder to the Barcelona hierarchy of Messi’s continued importance to Barca despite his advancing years.

Not only is he top of the assists chart, he is also La Liga’s top scorer with 22 goals - five goals clear of nearest challenger Karim Benzema. He thought he had taken his tally to 23 on Sunday evening but his close range strike was ruled out following a VAR referral.

It was also a memorable evening for Suarez, whose 194th goal for Barca moved him level with Laszlo Kubala on the club’s all-time scoring charts, with only Cesar Rodríguez and Messi ahead of the Uruguayan.

Teenage prospect Ansu Fati made sure of the win with a fourth goal late on to narrow Real Madrid’s lead at the top of the table back to four points, though Los Blancos remain in the driving seat for the title with four games remaining.

Messi’s latest match-winning antics comes after a week of frenzied speculation over his future at Camp Nou , with the striker yet to respond to Cadena SER's  claim that he could leave Camp Nou when his contract expires next summer

As previously confirmed by Goal , Messi does not want to leave Barcelona – but he is immensely frustrated with how the club is presently being run, highlighted by the cancellation of talks over a new contract.

It has now piled the pressure on Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and may force the presidential elections to be brought forward, highlighting the influence Messi wields at Camp Nou.

Bernardo Silva accepts Manchester City cannot afford to drop points away from home with such regularity if they are to compete for the Premier League title again next season.

Deposed champions City thrashed title-winners Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium in midweek but came unstuck on the road at Southampton, losing 1-0 to a stunning Che Adams goal on Sunday.

It was a third consecutive defeat away from home in the league for City, manager Pep Guardiola's worst such run of his coaching career.

City star Silva could not explain the disappointing streak but recognised the team must improve before the 2020-21 campaign.

"I don't know. I don't have the answer to that," the Portugal international said. "Of course, it's always better to play at home, a place where we're used to being.

"But there's no excuse for that. We need to improve next season if we want to win again the Premier League."

However, after mustering 26 shots and forcing Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy into six stunning saves, Silva felt City had performed well in defeat.

"I honestly think we played well today," explained Silva, whose City are second and 23 points behind Liverpool with five games remaining. "We created plenty of chances but couldn't score them. Then little mistakes cost us the game.

"Overall, I think 88 minutes of the 90 of this game were spent in the Southampton half of the match. But congratulations to them.

"We didn't play a bad game. I thought we started well in the second half especially - we put a lot of pressure onto them - but we couldn't finish our chances.

"I think we need to improve. We need to check the mistakes that we made today, the little mistakes that, for example, cost us the goal and the few chances they had.

"But overall, the way we played, I honestly thought it was good."

Guardiola's side next face Newcastle at home on Wednesday before facing Brighton away as City are given a chance to end their losing streak on the road. 

City are currently 23 points shy of league leaders Liverpool but eight points clear of third-place Leicester City with six games remaining. 

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's 1-0 defeat at Southampton on Sunday told the story of their Premier League season.

Just three days after thrashing champions Liverpool 4-0 in a stunning response to the failure of their title defence, City could find no way past Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

McCarthy made a series of superb saves, while Che Adams pounced on an Oleksandr Zinchenko error to score from 40 yards and pinch the points for Southampton.

The result – a third consecutive away league defeat – left City 23 points behind Liverpool again, with manager Guardiola bemused as he reflected on a largely positive display.

"It was a little bit our season," the Spanish boss said. "We played really well but allowed mistakes in our box and they punished us a lot.

"Afterwards, we created a lot and we could not score. It was a little bit today resuming what happened this season in the Premier League.

"We must improve, but in terms of performance, in terms of the way we played, there's nothing to say. We attacked incredibly well and had 10 guys in the box.

"They scored a goal and they had one chance at the end, but no more than this. We played really, really well."

Reflecting on the season, Guardiola added: "This season, in the Premier League, we've lost a lot of games - but not for a lack of [good] games.

"In general, I think we've played really well in most of the games. But when you have 20 shots and 10 players in the box, you have to score goals.

"When one team has a lot of chances and they beat us and we don't create enough chances, it can happen. But it happened very few times in all competitions.

"We create a lot, but we struggle. In a few they do, they score a goal. We do a lot and we cannot score."

But Guardiola was hopeful City could take a lesson from their setbacks as they prepare for key FA Cup and Champions League ties against Arsenal and Real Madrid respectively.

"Maybe it's going to help us, this situation, to arrive in key moments a little bit better," he said. "But we have to get better.

"The first goal in Chelsea [a 2-1 defeat] was our present to them. In a lot of games, always we give them a chance. When an opponent does a good thing and scores a good goal, it's okay. But that didn't happen."

Ross Barkley has cemented his place in Frank Lampard's thoughts and is rewarding Chelsea and his manager with goals and assists, after notching both in the 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday night.

The 26-year-old set up Olivier Giroud's opening goal and then rounded off the scoring by hitting a left-footed shot past Ben Foster at the near post to see his side reclaim fourth spot, after Manchester United jumped over them earlier in the day.

Lampard has been selecting Barkley regularly since just before the lockdown, and he now has three goals and five assists in his last 10 starts.

With the Blues battling for Champions League football against Manchester United, Leicester City and Wolves, Lampard has been impressed with the complete nature of the performances of his midfielder.

"I don’t think it is a new level for Ross. I played with him for England and against him. He has got great quality and I knew that. I think what he is doing is he is playing a very complete role," Lampard told reporters on Zoom at Stamford Bridge.

"His work rate, for instance, is great, recovering, jumping out to defend at times from midfield areas. Obviously, he always has that goal threat with his technical qualities: right and left foot, great strikes. I have seen that and Ross has been absolutely dedicated to the cause.

"In lockdown, just before lockdown against Everton and Liverpool. I am delighted with him and he just needs to keep those levels. There is more to come, there is more to come and his attitude has been first class.

"Competition earlier in the season was tough. In certain games, you decide whether you want to be more offensive or not. That effected it and players have to fight their way into the team.

"[Barkley and Mount] were key [against Watford, I think that was always going to be the case. I think when you pick the team, you look at the opposition and you know they want to defend in big numbers and are a counter-attacking threat but the onus is on us to break them down.

"We struggled just before Christmas in games doing that. With the technical abilities of Ross and Mason, I thought they were really positive today, it changed our game to get the ball through the lines for Willian and Christian. For themselves, they got higher up. It is absolutely key in these sorts of games."

Chelsea have won six of their last seven games, with a 3-2 defeat away at West Ham as the club's only black mark on their recent run.

Another challenge for Chelsea is the loss of N'Golo Kante to a minor hamstring injury, while Mateo Kovacic has already been ruled out of the upcoming Crystal Palace game with an Achilles problem.

Still, Chelsea's squad can handle the rigours of post-lockdown football which sees clubs playing three games a week. The likes of Jorginho and Michy Batshuayi haven't featured at all since the return to action following the coronavirus enforced stoppage in play.

Meanwhile, there are a host of others who have only featured infrequently. Lampard sent a message to those players on the fringes of his squad as he closes out his side's season in the league and cups.

"In terms of the changes, I have to make the calls where I see it," Lampard added. "We have a squad here that we can use. If I feel like we can improve it or change it; then there’s that element of freshness because we are playing so many games which is key.

"There’s also always a tactical element of how I want us to look, what the opposition look like, so yes, I am happy to change around the squad. The important thing from my part then is the players who change, are on the bench, and may have to train in the morning, stay really positive with the group so the spirit stays strong.

"I can’t pick all the players for the 20 man squad. If I make changes then they have to come in and do well or better and tonight was a good example of players coming in and contributing really well."

Having signed both RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and Ajax's Hakim Ziyech already, Chelsea have designs on competing with England's two best teams Liverpool and Manchester City in the near future.

However, they are stuck in a top-four battle and Lampard admits that his side will have to deal with pressure better than their rivals to achieve Champions League football next season.

"We are talking about top four being a success and for us as a club it is this year," he concluded. "We know we want to bridge the gap and challenge right at the top but those are the pressures that come with it. Where you are a younger group, the position that we are in is one we can improve on.

"In terms of how you deal with those pressures, sometimes maybe you can have individuals who slip or don’t quite perform so the rest of the group have to pull them through and fight for a result. There will be moments like that this season.

"I think it is a similar pressure now for all the games. No matter whether you play last or first, we are aware of the teams around us. You have to block that out and focus on ourselves. I thought we did that really well today."

Ross Barkley believes Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic has benefited from the three-month break in play due to the coronavirus outbreak, as he used the time to get fit.

The 21-year-old US Men's national team star has been in scintillating form since the restart for Chelsea after scoring twice and winning two penalties in his side's first five matches since the return to action.

The Blues pair were heavily involved in the 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday night and Barkley has seen a different side to Pulisic after he got himself fit during the stoppage in play.

“Since he came back from lockdown he has been on fire," Barkley told reporters at Stamford Bridge. "He had a couple of little niggles earlier in the season - and he didn’t have much of a break last summer before he joined us. So maybe this break has done him a world of good.

"Since he came back he has been blazing. He has been scoring great goals in training and now he has been doing it in matches.

"He is such a difficult player to defend against because he is so direct. He is also so confident. He is always ready to try and take a player on. He is a real problem for defenders.”

Chelsea had a blip in their recent run of form after losing 3-2 away at West Ham in midweek but they have generally found a good rhythm since coming back and have won four of their five games.

Barkley has enjoyed regular action himself having got a goal and an assist against Watford to make it three goals and five assists in his last 10 starts.

It is quite the turnaround for a player who had injury problems earlier in the season, while he made headlines for the wrong reasons due to his off-field conduct.

However, manager Frank Lampard has put the incidents behind him to lean heavily on the former Everton star and Barkley himself has admitted he has done wrong.

"We are all humans, we make mistakes and I am no exception. But it was not taking any attention away from my football for me. It never did. I am a professional and I always work hard," he said before discussing his recent run of games under his former England team-mate and current manager.

"I’ve been feeling fit and I worked really hard during the lockdown to make sure I was ready. I feel that is paying off now because I feel really fit and really good. I just want to carry this on now. It is great that the goals are going in as well.

"You are always pleased when there is an end product to your play. We have been working on that in training and it is great when it pays off in matches. With the players we have like Mason [Mount] and Christian in the team, we are always going to get goals."

Chelsea's ambition this season centres around qualifying for next season's Champions League and they will have to finish in the top four to do so.

The win at the weekend put them back into fourth, two points ahead of Manchester United and five ahead of Wolves. Meanwhile, Leicester are a point ahead of Chelsea in third as four teams battle for two spots.

“We were not at our best at West Ham," he concluded about the run-in. "We needed to get back to winning ways. It was important that we performed tonight and we did. It was a good all-round performance, and we needed it.

“It was important because teams were gaining on us in the chase for Champions League places and we need to put some space in between them and us. We have got so much to play for now - with the FA Cup as well.”

Musa Juwara arrived in Italy in 2016 on a boat as an unaccompanied minor, and since then, a new family and football have changed his life.

The 18-year-old Gambian striker equalised for Bologna in the 74th minute against Internazionale on Sunday, following Romelu Lukaku’s opener, before his compatriot Musa Barrow netted a winner six minutes later to secure an unlikely victory over Antonio Conte’s Serie A title hopefuls.

It was an ill-tempered contest, with both sides having a player sent off, but that will matter little for Juwara, who has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence in recent years, having first set foot in Europe four years and one month ago.

Born in 2001, he arrived in Italy when he was just 15, landing on the coasts of Sicily after crossing the Mediterranean on a boat.

The teenager had been orphaned at a young age, and was raised by his grandfather before deciding to travel to Europe in search of a brighter future.

He spent time in Ruoti, in the province of Potenza, before discovering his passion for football with Virtus Avigliano, where coach Vitantonio Summa took him under his wing and also acted as a legal guardian.

Summa, along with his wife, eventually became Juwara’s custodial parents.

The first club to bet on Juwara's youthful promise was Chievo Verona, although he truly caught the eye with Torino at the 2019 Torneo di Viareggio, an annual youth tournament held in Tuscany.

Here, he scored three goals in as many games, demonstrating the potential that had seen him named in The Guardian’s Next Generation 2018 list.

Last summer, Bologna took a punt on Juwara, and he initially joined their U-19 squad.

He made his debut in an Italian Cup game against Udinese in December, and made his first Serie A appearance two months later against AS Roma, coming on for his fellow Gambian Barrow.

The teenager caught the eye in a brief cameo against Juventus after being brought on for the final eight minutes of the 2-0 defeat on June 22, making an impression with his speed and movement.

Bologna coach and former Lazio defender Sinisa Mihajlovic firmly believes in Juwara’s talents, despite having used him sparingly so far this term.

The Yugoslavia great gave the 18-year-old a longer run-out against Inter, introducing him with 25 minutes to play as Bologna looked to overcome the deficit.

"Sinisa told us at the interval that, with a goal, we would win the game,” Juwara told journalists after the victory.

And so it proved, as Juwara equalised after capitalising on Roberto Gagliardini’s mis-kick, nine minutes after his introduction, before Barrow, who had earlier struck the woodwork, secured an outstanding victory and further dented Inter’s faint title aspirations.

Four years and one month after first arriving in the country on a boat, following a dangerous and treacherous journey, Juwara is the name on Italy's lips.

Nigeria international Halimatu Ayinde is delighted after being named the Player of the Match (POTM) in Eskilstuna United's 1-1 draw with Goteborg on Saturday.

The Super Falcons star has been a standout for Eskilstuna this season, having helped the Swedish side to a fourth-place finish last term in her first term since arrival from Asarums early in 2019.

Over the last four matches, she has won three Player of the Match awards for her influential showings, including in her side's Damallsvenskan’s 3-3 opener against KIF Orebro a week ago.

Julia Roddar's 42nd minute strike gave Goteborg the lead at Tunavallen but a last-gasp equaliser from Loretta Kullashi ensured Eskilstuna avoid defeat against the last season's runners-up.
 
Having bagged another POTM award, the 25-year-old vows to continue to impress in her position for her side's success, while lauding her teammates' showing against Goteborg.

"It wasn't a bad result against Goteborg, they are a good side with nine national team players," Ayinde told Goal. 

"We knew we have to give everything to win and the draw with them was a product of our good teamwork and a huge result for us.

"As a defensive midfielder, I was just doing what the coach instructed me to do and making sure I helped my team get the best possible result as well. 

"I am happy to receive all the accolades and glad my hard work on the pitch is paying off, even though I believe we can do better."

So far, Mangus Karlsson's side have failed to record a win after two outings this season, having played out a 3-3 opener with Orebro before 1-1 against Goteborg this week.

And Ayinde, who lasted the duration in the two away ties, has assured her side will continue to fight to garner victories in their coming games.

"At this point, it doesn't matter which side scores first but scoreline at the end of the match should judge the performance of the teams," she continued. 

"I know we are struggling now to get victories but also understand it will not last as we are all working hard as a team to get better.

"It's football, it's either you get a win, draw or lose but as a team, we just have push ourselves and go for the wins."

Ayinde will be keen to build on her fine form when Eskilstuna hosts Linkopings, who boasts of Nigerian trio of Ebere Orji, Chinaza Uchendu and Uchenna Kanu, on July 14.

Seko Fofana was on target as Udinese played out a 2-2 draw with Genoa in Sunday’s Serie A encounter.

Having made a substitute appearance in the Little Zebras' 2-0 win at AS Roma on Thursday, the 25-year-old was handed a starter’s role by manager Luca Gotti alongside Nigeria international William Troost-Ekong.

He justified his inclusion by handing the hosts a 44th-minute lead courtesy of Rodrigo De Paul’s assist. Paul received a pass from Ilija Nestorovski before finding the Cote d’Ivoire international, who headed past Mattia Perin after beating his markers.

In the 73rd minute, Fofana turned provider after helping captain Kevin Lasagna for his team’s second goal when he unleashed an unstoppable left-footed drive that flew into the roof of the net.

When it looked like the hosts were cruising home to secure all points at stake, the visitors launched an impressive comeback.

First, it was substitute Goran Pandev who got the ball rolling before Andrea Pinamonti levelled matters after scoring from the rebound of his missed penalty kick.

Fofana, who once featured for Premier League giants Manchester City, was replaced in the 83rd minute by Brazil’s Walace. The strike was his first since his last effort against Cagliari on December 21, 2019.

Nigeria’s Troost-Ekong was on parade for the duration for his 25th appearance in Serie A so far this term.

Thanks to this draw, Udinese moved up to 15th in the Italian top-flight log having garnered 32 points from 30 games – seven points above the relegation zone. For Genoa, they are 17th with 27 points from the same number of games.

Fofana will be hoping to add to his goal tally when Gotti’s team visit SPAL who are at the base of the log.

After completing loan spells at Fulham and Bastia, the midfielder joined the Stadio Friuli giants on a five-deal worth £2.5 million.

Despite featuring for France at U16, U17 and U19 levels, Fofana pledged his allegiance to Cote d’Ivoire – the country of his parents.

He made his debut in the Elephants’ 2-0 loss to Morocco on November 11, 2017 in a 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification game.

Manchester City’s defeat at Southampton set an unwanted career milestone for boss Pep Guardiola, who has now lost three consecutive away league games for the first time as a manager.

Guardiola’s side had 74 per cent possession and the better of the chances on the south coast, managing 26 shots at goal and winning 13 corners, but came up against a well-marshalled Southampton rearguard.

Even when they broke through the Saints backline they found goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in inspired form, meaning Che Adams’ long-range lob over Ederson in the first half was enough to give Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side all three points.

The result completes an unhappy hat-trick of defeats for former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola, taking in March’s 2-0 Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford and last month’s 2-1 reverse against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The defeat in west London also relinquished the Premier League trophy to Liverpool after back-to-back title successes at the Etihad Stadium, with Jurgen Klopp’s side now 23 points clear at the summit.

City sent out a message with a 4-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday, their fourth successive home win without conceding a goal, but this latest defeat on the road means they have now lost nine Premier League games this season, the most they have lost in a single campaign since losing 10 matches under Manuel Pellegrini in 2015-16.

City finished in fourth place that year with 66 points, the same as their current tally, with Guardiola succeeding the Argentine in the Etihad hot seat that summer.

Though the league has proven to be a disappointment for City, they could still end the campaign with three trophies. Having retained the Carabao Cup in March, Guardiola’s side beat Newcastle at St James’ Park last month to set up an FA Cup semi-final date with Arsenal at Wembley.

They also hold a 2-1 lead over Real Madrid after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, with the second leg scheduled to take place when European football returns next month.

Kaizer Chiefs team doctor Jerome Mampane has admitted that he is scared for his life as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The Soweto giants have several of their staff serving patients at various health facilities in South Africa including their doctors, Mampane and Mohammed Moosajee.

“It has been an eye-opening experience. It is scary at the same time, posing a challenge. Beyond the everyday medical stuff, we are called upon to add value with our voices," Mampane told the club's official website.

"We are required to help the people interpret and understand the information they are consuming from media outlets and social media. We need to also debunk the myths and false ideas which are fed by fear and misinterpretation.

“People are scared – so are we. These are uncertain times, but we can beat this if we follow good plans and actually apply the measures we have been advised to apply to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As clinicians, we are concerned about this situation. People’s attitudes need to change. We need to make the effort to educate more and more people.”

There have been seven positive tests for coronavirus at four PSL clubs including Chiefs and Moosajee urged the public to be more responsible as the country continues to witness an increase in the number of infections every day.

“We are living in unprecedented and extraordinary times indeed. Covid-19 pandemic looks to peak in South Africa over the next month or two; and has raised anxiety and fear within our communities," he said.

"This is mainly attributed to many uncertainties over the novel coronavirus, including how contagious it is, the role of asymptomatic cases, transmission methods, and the unpredictable course of the disease. Unfortunately, these factors are also fuelling harmful stereotypes.

“This has been a challenging and demanding time for all Health Care Workers, with mental and physical fatigue setting in. A significant number of medical practitioners have also contracted the virus during the selfless efforts of fulfilling their duties."

The PSL has also been affected as the 2019/20 season was suspended in March due to the pandemic, but the campaign will resume soon behind closed doors.

“Now more than ever, the South African public needs to guard against complacency," Moosajee added.

"There should be a fine balance between remaining vigilant, but avoiding becoming paranoid, as we look towards a change in social behaviour, which remains the primary mode to halt the increased spread of the virus."

" We should remain mindful of the absolute importance of physical distancing, avoiding unnecessary social interactions, adequate hand hygiene and the wearing of facial masks. Remember, the virus does not move, but people do. Saving lives starts with you and I, and ends with all of us.”