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Quique Setien felt Barcelona lacked a cutting edge, as well as a bit of luck, following the 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo - leaving them with "little margin for error" in the Liga title race.

Luis Suarez scored a brace but Barca were twice unable to hold onto a lead on Saturday, despite dominating for long periods of the game. 

They were impressive in the first half in particular, youngster Riqui Puig catching the eye on his first league start of the season, but only led 1-0 at the break. 

Setien felt the performance in the first 45 minutes deserved more with Barca denied by the woodwork when a Gerard Pique header hit the crossbar prior to Suarez's opener in the 20th minute.

"They took a lot of risks in the last few minutes and they found a goal that gave them a point," Setien told the media. 

"We should not have got into that situation because we were much the better team in the first half.  We had to have gone in at the break with a more comfortable scoreline. 

"We're not in that moment of clarity. 

"We did a lot of things well. It should have been a more comfortable game. 

"We definitely lack conviction to turn our play into goals. The superiority we had in the first half was enough to have won the match and gone into [the second] more relaxed. 

"We're finding it difficult. Scoring is sometimes a question of luck." 

Iago Aspas' late free-kick denied Barcelona victory on the road. While the point picked up is enough to take them top for now, Real Madrid have the opportunity to leapfrog them when they face Espanyol on Saturday.

Zinedine Zidane's squad also have the added cushion of owning the better head-to-head record against their rivals this season.

Setien acknowledges that Barca may now require help from others if they are to retain their crown in Spain.

"We've got little margin for error now and, in theory, we have to win all our games and hope our rival slips up," he admitted. "We'll try to keep picking up maximum points."

Next up for Setien and his players is Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has set his sights on lifting the FA Cup with the Red Devils after he proved an unlikely goal hero in Saturday's quarter-final clash with Norwich. 

United made hard work of Premier League strugglers Norwich at Carrow Road, going ahead in the second half through Odion Ighalo only to be pegged back by Todd Cantwell 15 minutes from the end. 

Maguire then stepped up in extra time to end the last-eight tie, jumping on a loose ball in the Norwich penalty area to beat Tim Krul with just minutes left to play before penalties loomed.

Saturday's victory makes United the first side to seal a place in the FA Cup semi-finals and Maguire is keen to go all the way and lift the famous old trophy. 

"It would mean everything," the centre-back, who joined United from Leicester City in the summer of 2019, told BBC Sport after the final whistle. 

"I joined this club to win trophies, it's a great tournament and hopefully we play a lot better in the semi-final than tonight."

Maguire's late heroics aside, it was a far from vintage performance from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men, who struggled throughout against the relegation-threatened Canaries. 

The Red Devils captain was not certain why his team failed to impress, having comfortably beaten Sheffield United 3-0 in midweek, but insisted that making it through to the semis was more important to United than the nature of their performance.

"It was a difficult game and we made hard work of it. We weren't at our best, but that's what happens in cup games sometimes," he added. 

"We had a tough game in the heat on Wednesday but we made changes so that shouldn't be the reason. I can't really put a finger on it at the moment, we'll have to watch it back and see.

"We played a little slow and went through the middle a bit too much, we should have gone wide a lot more. We're in the semi-final and that's all that matters."

Maguire is also hoping that his match-winning cameo in front of goal pushes him to score more often in United colours.

"I'm always pleased when I chip in, especially when it's a big result in the last minute of extra time," he explained. 

"I'm a bit disappointed that I've only scored three goals, it's something I'm working on and looking to improve between now and the end of the season and hopefully I can carry that into next season."

United and Maguire are back in action on Tuesday, when they visit Brighton in the Premier League.

The Nigeria Professional Football League season should be negated, according to Authentic Nigeria Football Supporters Club boss Abayomi Ogunjimi.

Football in the country has been on a hiatus following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which crippled several activities globally.

Leagues in several countries have resumed owing to the relaxation of lockdowns, albeit, the future of the NPFL remains undecided.

Recently, the Nigeria Football Federation disclosed consultations are in top gear on how to end the 2019-20 league season,

Nevertheless, the supporters club’s chief feels it would be rewarding calling off the league rather than risk the spread of infections – owing to the shortage of clinical amenities in case of emergencies.

“Life is more important to me than anything. Do we have the medical facilities and the structure to rescue lives [in case of emergency] when we resume?,” Ogunjimi told Goal.

“You know the way things work here; this is Africa and we are still growing. You cannot compare the NPFL with the Premier League, La Liga, or the German Bundesliga – we will get there someday hopefully – but I don’t think we should gamble with peoples’ lives.

“We have few matches left to play and I feel the government, LMC and the sports ministry should observe the situation and take a positive decision as soon as possible.

“For the supporters’ club which is my primary zone, I don’t think I would love to risk the lives of my members.

“All I know is that we will return to our normal lives, so why are we in haste? I feel we should be patient before we make decisions.

“However, if we have adequate facilities to start the league again, then why not? But if the reverse is the case, I think we should call it quits.”

The League Management Company (LMC) had proposed four options to end the league, including a points-per-game (PPG) method, which was subjected to a vote some days ago.

Plateau United currently lead the table with 49 points from 25 games while Rivers United are second with 45 points, both in the Caf Champions League spots.

Lobi Stars are third with 43 points while Nasarawa United, Jigawa Golden Stars, Kwara United and Adamawa United occupy the last four spots on the table.

Captain Harry Maguire scored a late extra-time winner to secure Manchester United's place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 victory at Norwich City.

United forward Odion Ighalo and Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell scored with their respective sides' first shots on target as an entertaining second half followed a forgettable first.

Norwich took the contest to extra time despite seeing Timm Klose receive a straight red card in the 89th minute.

The game looked destined to be decided by penalties but Maguire popped up in the 118th minute to book United's place in the last four at Wembley.

The first half was most notable for Maguire blocking a goal-bound Lukas Rupp effort, but both teams emerged from the break with greatly improved intent and Ighalo broke the deadlock with a clever show of improvisation.

Juan Mata deflected Luke Shaw's left-wing cross into his half and Ighalo's hooked volley beat Tim Krul from point-blank range.

Norwich responded well to going behind, though, and Cantwell superbly restored parity with a swerving long-range drive that beat the dive of Sergio Romero.

Yet their hopes of a cup shock were dealt a substantial blow when Klose correctly saw red for holding back Ighalo as the last line of Norwich defence just outside the area.

The hosts survived six additional minutes to force extra time thanks to successive Krul saves to deny substitutes Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood.

Norwich were again grateful to Krul in the 22nd minute of extra time as he clawed away a Maguire header and then turned behind a fierce effort from Bruno Fernandes.

However, Krul was finally beaten for a second time as Maguire slid in to convert from close range after Norwich failed to deal with Pogba's ball into the box.

What does it mean? United still on track for double

United are through to their 30th FA Cup semi-final, more than any other club in the history of the competition. While the focus has been on their top-four chase, their narrow victory keeps them on track for a FA Cup and Europa League double.

Their cup run over, Norwich's hopes of salvaging something positive from the campaign look slim. Daniel Farke's men are six points adrift of safety with seven games left.

Ighalo maintains 100 per cent record

Eyebrows were raised when United brought in Ighalo on the final day of the January transfer window but he continues to justify that decision.

He has five goals in his four starts - scoring in each of those games - and his intelligent play in leading the line saw Klose dismissed.

Too Klose for comfort

There was no doubt about Klose's red. Having allowed Ighalo to get the wrong side of him, he then denied a clear goalscoring opportunity by holding onto the Nigerian and left Norwich with an arduous task in extra time.

Key Opta Facts:

- Manchester United have reached their 30th FA Cup semi-final, more than any other team in the competition.
- The Red Devils have won 11 of their last 13 away games at Norwich in all competitions (L2), winning each of their last four.
-  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the first manager to make six substitutions in a competitive match in English football.
- Cantwell's seventh goal of the season ended Man Utd's run of 448 minutes without conceding in the FA Cup, last conceding in last season's quarter-final against Wolves.
-  Ighalo has scored in all four of his starts for Man Utd (five goals), scoring with his first shot in this match, with what was the game's first shot on target.

What's next?

Three points behind fifth-placed Wolves after their win at Aston Villa earlier on Saturday, United will look to pull level when they visit Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Tuesday. Norwich's increasingly desperate survival bid next takes them to Arsenal on Wednesday.

Arsenal’s decision to extend David Luiz’s contract is understandable, says Paul Merson, as the experienced Brazilian defender “never goes hiding” after making mistakes and remains a “proper player”.

Eyebrows were raised when the Gunners revealed that they had taken up a 12-month option on the enigmatic South American centre-half.

For many, Luiz is too error-prone to plug defensive leaks in north London, while at 33 years of age he is also no long-term option.

He will, however, be sticking around at Emirates Stadium after Mikel Arteta decided to keep the larger-than-life character on his books.

Merson believes the right decision has been made with the former Chelsea star, who is a Premier League and Champions League title winner, with the positives he brings to the fold helping to counter the obvious negatives.

“On his day, he is a proper player and there's no grey areas, he's black or white,” former Gunners star Merson told Sky Sports.

“You've seen it at Chelsea where he's absolutely outstanding and we've seen him at Arsenal where he's been atrocious. But for me, on his day, I think he's top drawer.

“If he can help the centre-halves coming through and the youngsters there with his experience, because he's won everything in the game, I don't think it's a bad year.

“I hear people saying 'oh get rid of him, he makes mistakes' - of course he makes mistakes, but he might be able to help other players while he's there.

“The one thing I like about him is that he never goes hiding, he always keeps getting on the ball, he's always in the thick of it and sometimes, that's probably why he makes too many mistakes. But I can understand where Mikel Arteta is coming from.”

Luiz’s only outing since the Premier League restart saw him endure a nightmare evening at Manchester City.

After being introduced off the bench, he proceeded to tee up Raheem Sterling for the opening goal of the game before conceding a penalty and being sent off.

Arsenal came unstuck in that outing, and in their next against Brighton, but did return to winning ways last time out against Southampton and will be hoping to carry that momentum through an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Sheffield United on Sunday.

That competition represents their best chance of ending the 2019-20 campaign on a high, with top-four dreams having been dashed for another year as they sit 11 points off the pace.

Luis Suarez admitted Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo left a bitter taste as there was a potentially crucial twist in the La Liga title race on Saturday.

Barca led twice but were pegged back on both occasions, Celta grabbing an 88th-minute equaliser through captain Iago Aspas' free-kick.

Suarez scored both goals for the visitors, ending a personal drought that stretched back to early January before he suffered a knee injury, but was left frustrated by the teald the head-to-head advantage over the reigning champions, having picked up four points from the two Clasico meetings in 2019-20.

m's failure to see out the win.

While Quique Setien's side moved back top of the table courtesy of the point picked up on their travels, Real Madrid have the chance to leapfrog over them again if they avoid defeat at rock-bottom Espanyol on Sunday.

Zinedine Zidane's side also ho"It was a vital match to fight for the title," Suarez admitted in his post-match interview for La Liga TV.

"We had a good first half, creating chances, but in the second half it was different, Celta wanting to be more aggressive.

"It [the result] leaves a bitter taste, one of sadness and frustration because we have lost two points."

Lionel Messi set up both goals for Suarez, the first of which saw him head in a clever free-kick from close range after Celta had put players on the line to protect against a direct shot.

The Uruguayan striker found the net again in the 67th minute following Fedor Smolov's leveller earlier in the second half, but his brace was not enough as Aspas swooped late to put a further dent in Barca's title aspirations.

Barca, who next face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, have now won just once in their last four away games in the league.

"For my part, I am happy to help with both goals, but you are angry because things have to be corrected," Suarez added.

"This was a complicated away game, as will be the trip to Villarreal. Then, in between, we host Atletico."

Odion Ighalo opened the scoring in Manchester United’s FA Cup quarter-final game against Norwich City on Saturday, extending his fine scoring record for the Red Devils.

After a scoreless first half at Carrow Road, the former Nigeria international handed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men a 51st-minute lead.

Luke Shaw dashed into the hosts’ penalty area, looped a cross onto the penalty area with Ighalo firing past Tim Krul after Juan Mata managed to poke the ball through to him.

That stretched his fine goalscoring run this term, with the ex-Watford man justifying his loan extension from Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua.

This was only his fourth start for United, but he has found the net five times across those appearances.

Todd Cantwell cancelled out the goal with his 75th-minute strike as the game went into extra-time.

The 31-year-old was a surprise addition at Manchester United at the end of the mid-season transfer window following Marcus Rashford’s injury worries.

However, his stay was extended to allow him to finish this campaign, with his original spell due to finish at the end of May.

Ighalo has had limited time to make an impression, as he did not make his debut until February 17, with the coronavirus pandemic halting the season a month later.

The 30-year-old made a total of 10 appearances for United across all competitions, four of which were starts, accumulating over 400 minutes on the pitch.

Also, he has created eight chances for his team-mates, which includes his one assist.

No player has scored more than his five goals across all competitions since February 17, and the only forward who matches him in that tally is in fact team-mate Anthony Martial. 

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored three, comes the closest.

Solskjaer’s side who are now unbeaten in their last 14 games [with 90 minutes] across all competitions are guests of Brighton and Hove Albion in Tuesday’s Premier League encounter before welcoming Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth on Saturday.

Victory for them in those games would be very crucial as they continue their chase for a place in Europe next term. Currently, they are sixth in the log having accrued 49 points from 31 league outings.

Goal can exclusively reveal Gift Motupa's proposed move to Mamelodi Sundowns will only be finalised next week. 

According to a source privy to the situation, the deal is as good as done after both the Brazilians and Bidvest Wits reached an agreement this week. 

Motupa has been discussing personal terms with the Tshwane giants, and contrary to reports that he has put pen to paper, Goal has been told otherwise. 

"There is a deal in principle but until he has put pen to paper, we cannot say the deal is done," the source told Goal.

"Having said that, we expect him to finalise everything with Sundowns next week. They are the only team he has been in talks with at this stage," added the source. 

The 24-year-old marksman is set to have been offered a five-year deal but that will be split into a three-year contract with an option to renew for two years, the source revealed. 

"It's a five-year deal but the final two years will be optional, meaning he will sign a three-year deal with an option to renew for a further two years."

"However, I think the club will announce the deal at the end of the [current] season," concluded the source. 

Motupa has been in top form for the Students since his arrival in July 2018. 

He scored 11 goals across all competitions in his first season - the goals that came on the back of a difficult period which saw Orlando Pirates loan him out to Baroka FC. 

With lesser expectations, Motupa has proved that he can reach his full potential provided he's given enough of a chance to showcase his talent.

This season only, the former Bucs marksman has scored 12 goals in 25 games to take his tally of goals with Wits to 23 in 50 appearances.

He still has an opportunity to increase the number of goals he's scored already this season after it was confirmed earlier this week that competitive football can resume under strict medical measures. 

Motupa will get to compete with the likes of Mauricio Affonso, Lebohang Maboe and Phakamani Mahlambi among other attackers at Sundowns.

Montreal Impact captain Jukka Raitala has praised Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama for his strength and his positive vibes in training.

Wanyama moved to Canada in March to team up with Thierry Henry’s side as a designated player after bringing an end to his two-year stint at Tottenham Hotspur.

Eight days after his arrival, the 28-year-old midfielder made his debut for Montreal Impact in a Concacaf Champions League quarter-final fixture against C.D. Olimpia which ended in a 2-1 defeat on March 11.

The suspension of football in the United States of America and Canada due to Covid-19 is delaying Wanyama’s MLS debut but Raitala revealed he has seen the midfielder’s physicality, and he is hoping to see his contribution in the team.

“There was a situation where he was protecting the ball and I tried to tackle him and he didn't move at all,” Raitala told MLS Soccer.

“I asked him a question after practice: 'Has any player ever managed shoulder-against-shoulder to put you on the ground?' He was quiet, he didn't say anything.

“I think that's, for sure, something where this guy is strong, a very clever player, very good with the ball and confident, very confident. Good teammate, he's happy. I don't know, I can only say positive things about him and I think he will be very good for us.”

The 2020 MLS season is scheduled to resume in a one-off tournament in July after almost four months of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The competition will be staged in Florida and Montreal Impact have been drawn in Group C against New England Revolution, Toronto FC and DC United.

They will begin their campaign against New England Revolution on July 9 and all games will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Wanyama left Tottenham earlier this year after struggling for regular playing time in Jose Mourinho's team. He made 97 appearances for the North London outfit and he scored seven goals in total.

After featuring in the Kenyan Premier League with Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards, the combative midfielder started his European career in Sweden with Helsingborg in 2007 before moving to Belgian outfit Beerschot and then Celtic where he spent two years after which he completed a move to England to join Southampton in 2013.

There was little joy for Ghanaian players in the German Bundesliga as the top-flight drew to a close on Saturday.

A total of five men, divided across two teams, suffered nothing but disappointment.

Ghana centre-back Kasim Nuhu Adams, wingers Nana Ampomah and Bernard Tekpetey, as well as youngster Kelvin Ofori, all slumped with Fortuna Dusseldorf while German-born Christopher Antwi-Adjei went down with Paderborn.

The last two on the Bundesliga table at the end of each season suffer straight relegation while the third from bottom club goes into a play-off showdown with the third-placed side in the second-tier league.

In the end, Paderborn finished rock-bottom in the log while Dusseldorf took the second-from-bottom position.

Heading into the final matchday with only a chance to finish third to keep their hopes alive, Dusseldorf needed either a win in their clash with Union Berlin to clinch 16th position for a play-off or a draw in the least, with a hope that contenders Werder Bremen fail to register a convincing win over Cologne.

It ended in tears for the Flingeraner as they succumbed to a 3-0 away defeat while Bremen sealed an emphatic 6-1 victory.

The defeat saw Dusseldorf finish second-from-bottom on the log, effectively confirming a season, at least, in the second division.

Interestingly, all four Ghanaians on the books of Dusseldorf did not make the matchday squad.

Adams, though, will not be joining the side for the Bundesliga 2 campaign as he was loaned from six-placed Hoffenheim for only the 2019-20 term.

Ampomah, who signed for Dusseldorf on a long-term deal at the start of the season, has been rumoured to be on his way out of the club, having struggled to impress at Merkur Spiel Arena.

Tekpetey, like Adams, joined the Flingeraner on loan but a two-year agreement means he has one more year on his contract to fulfil, the kind that pulls him to the Bundesliga 2. Parent club Schalke 04, could, however, prematurely terminate the loan deal and bring the attacker back to the elite division.

Ofori, 18, is the fourth Ghanaian with Dusseldorf.

Elsewhere, Paderborn ended their disappointing campaign with a 3-2 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Steffen Baumgart's side was already confirmed as relegated before the final matchday.

Antwi-Adjei, who saw full minutes of action on Saturday, could, however, stay up in the elite division as he has been linked to seventh-placed Wolfsburg. 
 

Players from the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage knelt during the playing of the US national anthem on Saturday in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. 

The protest has been repeated across the world of football in the weeks since Minneapolis resident George Floyd was killed through alleged excessive force on the part of officers during a police operation. 

Bundesliga stars Jadon Sancho and Marcos Thuram were among the first to show their support of Black Lives Matter, while the Premier League also saw players wear the movement's name on their shirts in place of their own surnames. 

Saturday's NWSL Challenge Cup match marked the return of professional sport in the US following lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and members of both teams 'took a knee', echoing the gesture first brought into the public eye by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. 

Players also wore Black Lives Matter shirts during the playing of the anthem, which was performed on a saxophone. 

The issue of kneeling prior to sports matches has long been a focus of fevered discussion inside US sport, and was in fact banned by US Soccer in 2016 when national team star Megan Rapinoe performed the act in sympathy with Kaepernick. 

Earlier in June, however, the governing body repealed its policy forcing players to stand, and the NWSL saluted the act in a message shared on its official Twitter account. 

Among the most vehement critics of 'taking a knee' is President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has suggested in the past that doing so during the anthem should be a "deportable act".

Trump vowed to stop watching football due to the U-turn on kneeling, while Republican congressman Matt Gaetz went further, calling for the US national teams to be disbanded if they refuse to stand. 

"I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem," the Florida politician stated in a message that was shared by Trump. 

"You shouldn’t get to play under our flag as our national team if you won’t stand when it is raised."

Dr. Sujan Chakraborty, who is a Minister of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and also CPI(M) leader, urged the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to facilitate East Bengal's move to the Indian Super League (ISL) this season.

Chakraborty, an MLA from Kolkata’s Jadavpur constituency, has written a letter to the Chief Minister of West Bengal on 18th June, 2020. He also thanked Banerjee for having reached out to Praful Patel, who serves as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, for East Bengal's participation in the top division league. 

It must be noted that East Bengal's arch-rivals, namely Mohun Bagan would ply their trade in the ISL after merging with ATK.

"From recent news, I have come to know that you had called All India Football Federation (AIFF) president (Praful Patel) over East Bengal’s participation in the ISL. Despite tough times during the pandemic, you took this initiative and I thank you for that.

“East Bengal club, Mohun Bagan club and Mohammedan Sporting have a rich legacy and they are the pride of Bengal. Out of these three clubs, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are worthy enough to play in the ISL. Mohun Bagan have already merged with ATK and will play in the ISL and you have taken the right initiative to help East Bengal enter the ISL. It is indeed a great pleasure for the sports lovers in the state and I thank you for your initiative," wrote Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, he also cited the example of their neighbouring state, namely Odisha, who have gone out of their way in order support Odisha FC, a team which was earlier known as Delhi Dynamos in the ISL. Chakraborty believes that if the government of West Bengal follows suit, the possibility of East Bengal playing in the ISL could soon be a reality.

"The Odisha government has been actively aiding Odisha FC and are helping them to play in the ISL. We hope that the West Bengal government too will help the clubs from our state and also improve the sports infrastructure of the state.”

East Bengal are yet to finalise an exit plan from their joint venture with Quess Corp which was formed two years back. The Bengaluru-based business service provider have on multiple occasions in the past mentioned that they would have no liability in the joint venture post-May 31 2020. It was initially a three-year partnership but Quess reportedly decided to make an exit after just two years. 

It's an interesting move for a CPI(M) leader to request Banerjee, who is the head honcho of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress (TMC), in order to help East Bengal make it into the ISL this season.

Loris Karius is the only player that Jurgen Klopp has not improved at Liverpool, says Mark Lawrenson, with a Premier League title-winning coach considered to have been “Shankly-esque in everything that he’s done”.

The German tactician was appointed by those at Anfield in October 2015 in the hope that he could follow in the footsteps of some legendary bosses that went before him.

The shadow of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley continued to loom large on Merseyside, with Liverpool edging their way towards three decades without an English top-flight crown.

That barren run has been ended at the 30-year mark, with Klopp delivering on his initial remit.

He has also savoured Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs, with a star-studded squad assembled through clever recruitment.

Liverpool have seen big-money additions thrive, but those already on their books – such as captain Jordan Henderson – have also raised their games.

Lawrenson considers that to be the mark of a top manager, with German goalkeeper Karius – who endured a nightmare showing in the 2018 Champions League final before being sent out on loan – the only blot on Klopp’s copybook.

“It doesn’t feel like 30 years, and if 30 years ago when they won it you would have said to the football club that you’re not going to win that again for 30 years, the men in white coats would have come and taken you away. It’s fantastic,” Liverpool legend Lawrenson, who won five league titles in his playing days, told BBC Sport.

“When Jurgen Klopp came to the club, you felt this sea change. Within months you knew this was something completely different.

“I hate that thing when a player comes through and he’s small and he’s Argentinean and you say ‘he’s the next Lionel Messi’. He’s not, he’s just him.

“Klopp came and everyone went ‘he’s next the Shankly’. You know what, he’s been Shankly-esque in everything that he’s done.

“He gets the history of the club, he gets the supporters. Of all the players that he’s bought, I can’t remember him buying one that’s not made it.

“And all the players that he’s got, he’s made them better. Karius is the only one, but he’s made all of the rest better.

“Wherever you’re manager, if you make all of the players better – and they are already very, very good – you’re doing a heck of a job.

“And the way that they are playing as well. When he got here I said Liverpool would be everyone’s favourite second club and I got slaughtered, but I think they are because of the way they play.”

Klopp has been quick to play down the impact he has made on Merseyside, with there no desire on his part to see a statue erected in his honour, and Liverpool are being urged by those calling the shots to turn their attention towards the next challenge, which is to maintain their current standards and become serial winners of the biggest prizes on offer.

Nigerian nationals Anthony Ujah and Suleiman Abdullahi each found the back of the net after Union Berlin wrapped up their Bundesliga season with a 3-0 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Die Eisernen came into the game with their survival long secured while for Die Fortunen, they needed to secure a win to keep their hopes of survival alive by securing the relegation/promotion play-off spot.

Ujah got things off for Union in the 26th minute by tapping in Joshua Mees’ fierce shot from a corner which was hacked away but still able to cross the line.

The seven-time capped Nigeria international then turned provider for their second goal, playing the ball into the path of Christian Gentner who fired from outside the penalty box.

Ujah went off in the 62nd minute and in came Abdullahi who sealed the deal in the 90th minute with Gentner passing the ball to the former El Kanemi Warriors player and doing the rest from 12 yards, Dusseldorf goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier failed to stop his not-so-powerful shot.

While on the pitch, Ujah produced 20 touches and seven accurate passes. He was also strong in the air winning seven of 14 aerial duels. His goal was the third in the Bundesliga this term.

Ujah also scored in the 6-0 German Cup first-round victory over Germania Halberstadt and provided two assists in the next round which ended in a 3-1 win at Freiburg. Union Berlin ultimately reached the quarter-final, losing 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen.

Abdullahi meanwhile scored his first-ever Bundesliga goal in what was just his sixth appearance of the season.

The 23-year-old missed a huge chunk of the season with fitness problems. He played 19 games while Union were in the second-tier last season, on loan from Eintracht Braunschweig.

He played a key role during the relegation/promotion play-off against Stuttgart, scoring in the first leg 2-2 draw which was enough to see Union Berlin promoted to the top-flight for the first time in their history via away goals.

After 11 wins and eight draws from 34 matches, Urs Fischer’s men finished in 11th position with 41 points, 11 points clear of the drop zone.

Fortuna have been relegated after Werder Bremen bagged a 6-1 win over Cologne to squeeze into the relegation/playoff spot.

Matteo Guendouzi needs a Patrick Vieira-type figure alongside him at Arsenal, admits Lee Dixon, with the “petulance” of youth getting the Frenchman into trouble as he lacks clear leadership.

That would not have been an issue for the Gunners in years gone by, with some iconic figures having graced the club’s books during the glory days of Arsene Wenger’s tenure.

Vieira was a talismanic presence to provide inspiration from the middle of the park, with Guendouzi among those charged with the task of following in the footsteps of an illustrious countryman.

His potential is clear for all to see, but questions are being asked of his attitude on a regular basis.

Mikel Arteta has gone as far as dropping the 21-year-old from his squad, with a line crossed when grabbing Brighton striker Neal Maupay by the throat at the end of a 2-1 defeat at the Amex.

Transfer talk has now been sparked around Guendouzi, with Dixon of the opinion that the right stance is being taken with a young player in need of greater guidance.

The Gunners great told PA Sport: “I completely agree with leaving him out. It wouldn’t have happened in my day – well, it might have happened once but it wouldn’t have happened again.

“Somebody needs to have a word with him and I’m sure Arteta has done – he wouldn’t have just left him out at Southampton and not said anything.

“There will have been a conversation and then it is about the ability of that player to take that message on board and see what he does with them.

“You don’t just do what the coach says, you listen and use your football intelligence to work out the good bits, the bad bits and what will get you to the next level.

“The next level for him is not being sat at home and watching the game on TV, it is about being in the team every week.”

The legendary former Arsenal defender added on Guenzous's outburst: “It is not the first time we have seen a bit of petulance from him.

“He is a talented boy but, unfortunately for him, he has got his chance in a team that has not really got a lot of leaders on the pitch.

“If you picked Guendouzi out of the team now and stuck him next to Patrick Vieira, he would be a totally different player because he would be led around the pitch and told where to go.

“He almost needs to be coached both tactically and behavioural-wise from within the team group and I don’t know if that is going to happen.

“That is the problem he has got, he needs someone to grab hold of him and give him a little socially-distanced hug – sit down with him and talk to him, analyse his game with him.”

Kenya's Ayub Timbe made a cameo appearance as Zimbabwe's Andy Rinomhota scored Reading's consolation goal in their 2-1 loss against Derby County.

Derby County got off to a flying start in Saturday’s Championship encounter with Thomas Lawrence and Wayne Rooney scoring the goals that put them 2-0 up at half-time.

After the restart, Rinomhota halved the deficit for the visitors with his maiden goal in the English second division but it was not enough to save them from defeat.

The Zimbabwean midfielder was on parade for the entire duration alongside Ivory Coast's Yakou Meite while Anglo-Nigerian Ovie Ejaria featured for 82 minutes before making way for Timbe's introduction.

It was Timbe's third league game for Reading since his loan signing from Chinese Super League club Beijing Renhe in January, and he is yet to start a match for the Madejski Stadium outfit.

Despite playing just 31 minutes of football in the Championship so far, the Royals on Friday confirmed ongoing talks with the 27-year-old’s parent club over the extension of his temporary contract until the end of July.

Reading are yet to win a game since the restart of the league from the coronavirus hiatus. Saturday's defeat moved them to 14th in the table with 49 points after 39 matches, seven points above the relegation zone.

They will be aiming to return to winning ways when they host high-flying Brentford at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday.

On the international scene, Rinomhota earned his first invitation to the Zimbabwe national team in May 2018 for the 2018 Cosafa Cup but he was unable to join the Warriors because he did not renounce his British citizenship to get a local passport as required by Zimbabwean law.

The 23-year-old joined Reading in 2015 and rose through the ranks before establishing himself in Mark Bowen’s team.

Rinomhota has made 30 league appearances for the Royals so far in this campaign.

With Liverpool having wrapped up the Premier League title, Joe Cole says the time has come for Jurgen Klopp to experiment with Trent Alexander-Arnold in a midfield role.

The 21-year-old Anfield academy graduate has helped his boyhood club to a first top-flight crown in 30 years.

Success arguably means more to Alexander-Arnold than many of those around him, with the home-grown star enjoying a meteoric rise to prominence.

He has already accrued 127 appearances for Liverpool since making his debut in October 2016, while also picking up nine senior caps for England.

Said recognition has been earned while filling a right-back berth, with the highly rated youngster considered to embody what modern-day defenders are all about.

His energy and creativity allows him to influence proceedings at both ends of the field, with 33 assists recorded across the last three seasons.

Many have already suggested that his future lies further up the field, allowing him to have an even greater impact on proceedings, and Cole feels the perfect opportunity has presented itself for that tweak to be made.

The former Liverpool and England playmaker told BT Sport: “Trent has won everything in the game he can win. He is 21 and I bet he doesn't even think about that.

“He goes onto the pitch and is free. If I was Jurgen Klopp now I would use this opportunity to have a look at him in the midfield.

“He is one of the best passers in the country anywhere. I would maybe even try him in the midfield for England.

“That range of passing, the set-pieces, he is just a fantastic talent and he is going to be having the time of his life.”

Cole’s comments echo those of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who has previously claimed that Alexander-Arnold could become a Kevin De Bruyne-esque figure for the Reds.

He told Viasport in October 2019: “People talk about the future and could he come into midfield and be a Kevin De Bruyne type player and he has more quality now than Liverpool’s midfield players and you think about the crosses that De Bruyne puts in from the right midfield position and maybe that’s a position where Trent could play.”

Barcelona's hopes of winning LaLiga for a third successive season suffered a blow as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo – handing Real Madrid a huge boost in the title race. 

Luis Suarez scored a brace – both of his goals assisted by Lionel Messi – as Barca twice held the lead on the road on Saturday.

However, after Fedor Smolov had equalised earlier in the second half, Iago Aspas curled in an 88th-minute free-kick to bring Celta level again in a see-saw contest in Galicia.

The hosts missed a golden opportunity to snatch victory in the closing minutes too, Nolito shooting straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen after being set up Denis Suarez.

While the result is good enough to move Barca a point clear at the summit, Madrid – who hold the head-to-head edge over their rivals – can retake top spot so long as they avoid defeat at Espanyol on Sunday.

The dramatic late twist means Barca have now failed to win on their last five trips to Balaidos, while Messi remains stuck on 699 career goals after a third straight outing without scoring. 

The Argentinian opted to set up Suarez rather than have an attempt himself from a 20th-minute free-kick well within range, Celta's decision to put a player on each post allowing him to clip the ball into the six-yard box for an unmarked Suarez to nod in his first goal since January.  

Both teams hit the woodwork in the first half but Celta replied five minutes after the break, Okay Yokuslu breaching a high defensive line with a run from deep before squaring for Smolov to finish. 

Suarez reclaimed the lead when he swivelled impressively and fired a low, left-footed shot across goalkeeper Ruben Blanco, though Quique Setien's men were once again unable to hang on to their advantage. 

Substitute Rafinha, on loan from Barcelona of course, was fouled to give Aspas the opportunity to curl his set-piece attempt around the side of the wall and into the net.

What does it mean? Real trouble for reigning champions

Despite an improved display after drawing a blank at Sevilla and labouring past Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona missed the opportunity to put the pressure back on Madrid. 

Instead, they will now have to hope Zinedine Zidane's squad slip up somewhere in the run-in, or else the title is heading to the Spanish capital.

Impressive Puig seizes opportunity 

Who needs Miralem Pjanic when you have Riqui Puig? The 20-year-old impressed in his first league start of the season, completing 92.4 of his attempted passes before making way for Arthur, who is seemingly on his way to Juventus for next season. 

Pique caught out 

There was no VAR help to spare Pique and Barcelona with Celta's first equaliser. While centre-back partner Samuel Umtiti stepped up with the rest of the defence, the 33-year-old dropped back. His decision to do so allowed Yokuslu to break clear. 

Key Opta Facts:

- Lionel Messi has made his 250th assists for Barcelona in all competitions (179 in LaLiga).

- Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas is the second player to score a direct free-kick against Barcelona in LaLiga this season, after his team-mate Lucas Olaza in November 2019.

- Fedor Smolov is the second player to score against both Barcelona and Real Madrid in LaLiga this season, after Levante's Borja Mayoral.

- Barcelona's five game winless run at Balaidos is their longest ongoing streak without victory at any ground in LaLiga. Indeed, it is Celta's joint-longest unbeaten home record against Barcelona in the top-flight (five).

What's next?  

Barca have little time to recover ahead of another tough game on Tuesday, as they host Diego Simeone's in-form Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou. As for Celta, they travel to struggling Real Mallorca on the same day.

Azam FC surrendered second place to Yanga SC after drawing 1-1 against Bashara United on Saturday.

Yanga have been fighting hard to overtake their Mainland Premier League rivals and their dream have been achieved courtesy of their own 3-2 win against Ndanda FC and Azam's failure to pick up maximum points away from home.

Azam were indeed headed for a slim win when Frank Domayo scored in the second minute of the second half but conceded a goal in the fourth minute of added time. Gershon Kabeja scored to ensure Azam will go back home with only a point from the encounter.

Alliance FC were victors in their respective tie against Coastal Union. Martine Kiggi scored the all-important goal for the hosts in the 47th minute.

Kagera Sugar fought to share the points against Kinondoni Municipal Council FC in Bukoba. Abdul Hassan was KMC's scorer in the 22nd minute but the Sugar Millers fought to ensure they got a point at home when their top scorer, Yusuf Mhilu, struck five minutes before the end of the first half.

Another one 1-1 was registered from the Ruvu Shooting vs Namungo FC tie. Abeid Athuman scored for Namungo in the 16th minute before Ruvu Shooting equalized on the half-hour mark via William Patrick. 

The draw will see Namungo remain fourth with 56 points while Ruvu Shooting have 42 points, level with Tanzania Prisons, who will be in action against defending champions Simba SC in Mbeya on Sunday.

Mbeya City, who saw the government ban their fans from attending their home matches on Friday, emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline against JKT Tanzania.

Peter Mapunda broke the deadlock in the 37th minute before Patson Shigala added the second one in the second minute of added time.

Mbeya bounced back after they had been defeated at home by Simba in their previous mid-week clash at Sokoine Stadium.

Finally, Lipuli FC defeated bottom-placed Singida United 3-2. Daluesh Saliboko, via a penalty, broke the deadlock in favour of Lipuli in the 32nd minute and added the second goal a minute later.

Joseph Ntamack scored the third goal in the 57th minute as Stephen Sey's brace earned in the 35th and 41st minutes were not enough to secure at least a point for Singida United.