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Arturo Vidal has bemoaned the "strange" atmosphere of behind-closed-doors fixtures, insisting it is "difficult to concentrate" without Barcelona fans being present to cheer the team on.

The 2019-20 La Liga campaign was postponed in March due to the coronavirus outbreak, along with every other major league in European football.

The green light was given for the action to get back underway earlier this month after an easing of lockdown restrictions in Spain, but supporters have been barred from entering stadiums with social distancing rules still in effect.

Clubs are now having to adapt to a new competitive set-up in empty stadiums, and Vidal admits that his motivation to even "want to go on the pitch" has been in short supply since the restart.

"It's strange and complicated, from the things we have to do before games to the fixed protocols, as they are things you couldn't imagine before," the Barca midfielder told Radio Cooperativa.

"People gave you feelings we don't have now before we even got to the stadium. Now the atmosphere has changed completely.

"You don't have the motivation of your fans and it's very difficult to concentrate or, even, to want to go on the pitch.

"Football is about the atmosphere its fans create."

Barca got straight back to winning ways by seeing off Mallorca and Levante in comfortable fashion, but relinquished top spot in La Liga after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sevilla on Friday.

Athletic Club are next up for Quique Setien's men on Tuesday night, and Vidal acknowledges the fact that the reigning Spanish champions will have to raise their game to keep pace with Real Madrid.

"It will be a very intense and very hard game and we have to improve because Athletic are very complicated," he explained.

"We have to recover as soon as possible between matchdays."

Barca also still have the Champions League to play for, with a revised format set to see the competition reach its conclusion over the space of 16 days in August.

The Blaugrana will first have to see off Napoli in a round of 16 second-leg tie before the tournament becomes a straight knockout affair, with all remaining fixtures set to be played in Lisbon.

Vidal added on the changes: "If we beat Napoli, it'll be one-legged games and I like that because you're playing for it all in 90 minutes.

"In those circumstances is when important players have to show up, I want to do that."

Young Africans coach (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has confessed he has now run out of ideas on how to help under-fire striker Gnamien Yikpe.

The towering striker was signed by the Jangwani Street-based giants in January from Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, after penning a two-year contract, but he has failed to live up to expectations and has so far scored just one goal for the team.

On Sunday, after Yanga secured a 0-0 draw against Azam FC, the club's fans stormed outside the team’s dressing room, calling for the release of Ivorian striker, whom they accused of letting down the team.

A poor performance in the 1-0 win against Mwadui - where he missed one gilt-edged chance - and another lacklustre display in the goalless draw against Azam, forced the fans to call for the management to do away with the burly striker.

The Belgian coach has now exclusively told Goal he has done all he could to help the player and does not have any remaining options.

“Now about Yikpe, it is a terrible problem, he is so good in training sessions but he is not repeating this good style in-game time, then is a big problem and I give him so many times a chance and now the fans are there, they are on his neck, and it will be worse and it is for sure for now it will be difficult to give him playing time,” Eymael told Goal on Tuesday.

“But fans have to know, I am not the one who signed Yikpe, fans should know we don’t have the real solution for a striker, if we had one top striker, one of the strikers that I recommended to the club, we should have scored more than 15 or 20 goals by now, fans should know that I have recommended top strikers but until now the situation is the same.

“But until now we are just waiting for the decision from the stakeholders who are taking decision for signing new players, the coach can only recommend and the work of management is to sign, the only player I recommended for the club is Bernard [Morrison] and you can see the job he is doing for the club.

“It will be very difficult for Yikpe, it will be very difficult for him, even going into training on Monday the fans were still on his neck again on the road [going to training and back] and to recover will be difficult for the player.

“But I think since the beginning the fans did not appreciate Yikpe and I even told the club you signed Yikpe before I came, I asked them if you know you did a mistake, what do you do?

“You need to sit down with the player and agree if whether to terminate the contract on a mutual agreement because when the coach looks at the player in training sessions, he is scoring goals but when given the chance in a really match he doesn’t.

“I think Yikpe has a psychological problem and what happens the fans don’t watch training sessions but watch the match day, and it is normal the fans are on his neck, and also it is normal for the coach to select a player who is doing very well in training sessions and not a player who is absent and doing nothing in training sessions.

“We have a big problem in the striking force, we know that we try everybody until now, but did I sign any player in the striking force? No it didn’t.

“The fans are on the neck of Yikpe, why because they are not attacking the people who signed, him, and I can tell you Yikpe is very perfect during training sessions, he is his doing very well and even scores goals, but on the pitch, he is not doing the same, because he has a psychological problem, he has an issue.”

Yanga are preparing to face Ndanda FC in a league contest on Saturday.

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez has thrown his weight behind his teammate Phil Foden to become a top player for the club in future.

The England U21 midfielder starred along with the Algeria international in City’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley in Monday’s Premier League game.

Foden ignited the flurry of goals in the 22nd minute and then grabbed his second moments after the hour-mark to wrap up the commanding display after Mahrez’s brace and David Silva’s strike.

The victory helped Pep Guardiola’s men maintain their second place on the league table and reduced the gap between them and leaders Liverpool to 20 points.

Mahrez is delighted with the development of the young midfielder and is confident he will become a star player for City in future.

"Since I arrived, Phil has improved a lot. He's been training with us and he's still young. He's been improving a lot,” Mahrez told CityTV.

"He has a lot of quality and he needs to keep going in a good way to improve more and more. He has a lot of time to improve and be a top player in this Club and the country."

With his two goals against Burnley, Mahrez has now scored at least ten goals across all competitions in five successive seasons.

The forward joined the Citizens in the summer of 2018 from Leicester City after impressive showings for the side, where he helped win the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season.

The £60 million paid to the Foxes saw the Algeria star became the most expensive African footballer and City's record signing.

Mahrez has played 52 Premier League games since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, helping the Citizens clinch the 2018-19 league title.

This season, the winger has enjoyed more playing time than his debut campaign, having featured in 39 games.

The 29-year-old former Le Havre forward has scored 11 goals this season and provided 15 assists across all competitions.

Mahrez has also been playing a prominent role for Algeria and in 2019, the winger inspired his side to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The forward will hope to continue his impressive performances in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for the North Africans.

He will also be expected to feature prominently when Manchester City take on Premier League rivals Chelsea on Thursday.

Phil Foden will be an integral player for Manchester City over the next decade, according to Pep Guardiola, after the midfielder enjoyed his self-proclaimed best game to date for the club.

The 20-year-old played a starring role in his side's 5-0 demolition  of Burnley at the Etihad Stadium on Monday, netting two goals and proving key in the build-up to two more with a pair of exquisite passes.

Foden is already a two-time title winner with the Premier League champions and started their Carabao Cup final triumph over Aston Villa earlier this season two years after he came on at Wembley as a late substitute, but now Guardiola has predicted that he is poised for an even greater career with the club over the coming years

"We cannot forget he is 20 years old [and that] he has to improve," the Catalan said after the match. "But he will be an important player for the next decade in this club.

"The minutes he has earned, he deserves it. Every minute he plays, it’s a joy to watch. His behaviour and his attitude [are excellent].

"It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play. When he plays, he never plays bad. I think every time he plays with us, since he was promoted, he [has] played at a high level."

Guardiola pointed to Foden's abiding love for life and the game away from matchday as key to his rise through the ranks, adding: "He loves to play football.

"You’ll see on Twitter and Instagram, when he’s on his day off, he’s with his friends, with the ball. He loves to go on the beach, and just pass [it around]. He loves to play."

When asked whether he agreed with Foden's own assessment that it was his finest performance in a City shirt, Guardiola was not drawn on the subject while admitting that it was "perfect" if the player thought so.

“I’m not going to discuss it with Phil," he added. "But I remember some games in the cup, he played quite similar.

"I’m happy for him and if he says that he feels it was his best performance, then perfect."

Talk of Declan Rice attracting admiring glances from Chelsea and Manchester United comes as no surprise to David Moyes, but the West Ham boss has no intention of sanctioning a sale.

A versatile England international is expected to generate plenty of transfer talk heading towards the next window.

A big-money move to Old Trafford has been mooted in the past for the 21-year-old, while rumours regarding a return to west London for the former Stamford Bridge academy star are now starting to gather pace.

Moyes can appreciate why a player with such potential would be of interest to leading sides across the Premier League.

With West Ham currently stuck in a relegation battle, it may be that matters are taken out of their hands.

There is, however, an understandable desire on the part of all of those at London Stadium to retain both their top-flight status and the services of prized assets heading towards 2020-21.

Moyes told talkSPORT of the speculation surrounding Rice: “I think he will be wanted anyway (if West Ham avoid relegation). I keep reading it and keep getting told it.

“He’s a West Ham player and I want him to be a West Ham player for a long time and our intention is to stay in the Premier League.

“Nothing is crossing my mind about being in another league except the Premier League. We have to win our games and perform better than we have done.”

West Ham returned to action after a coronavirus-enforced break with a 2-0 defeat at home to Wolves, with Rice asked to operate at centre-half in that contest.

He broke through in that position, but has flourished as a holding midfielder in more recent times.

Moyes considers the youngster to be the best option he has in both roles, with there no immediate desire for Rice to nail down any one position.

The Hammers boss added: “I think Declan could arguably be my best centre-half and my best midfield player so we have to try and see what we’ve got and who is fit (against Tottenham on Tuesday) and use him the best we can.

“We know he will give us something else as a midfield player but he showed he was defensively sound when he goes into the back line as well.

“It’s really good for Declan that he’s improved so much and can play both positions. Going forward for himself and for us it’s a great thing to have, the ability to use him at the back and as a midfield player.”

Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has ruled out re-signing Jan Vertonghen this summer, due to the fact the Tottenham star is "no longer a left-back".

Vertonghen began his professional career at Ajax back in 2006 after rising through the club's youth ranks, and went on to help the club win two Eredivisie titles.

His performances at Johan Cruyff ArenA attracted the attention of Spurs, who forked out a reported fee of £12 million ($15m) to lure the centre-back to north London in 2013.

The Belgium international has since featured in over 300 matches for Tottenham, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's top defenders in the process.

Vertonghen was due to become a free agent at the end of the month, and although Spurs have managed to tie him down to fresh terms until the end of the season , his future remains unclear.

The 33-year-old expressed a desire to learn a new language in May, while opening the door to a move to either Spain or Italy.

A potential return to Ajax has also been mooted for Vertonghen, and although Overmars admits that the club have been in contact with the player's representatives, he insists that a final transfer is unlikely to come to fruition.

Overmars told Ajax TV : “I did speak to his [Vertonghen's] agent, but we made other choices. Jan is no longer a left-back either.

"We have confidence in Sven Botman and Lisandro Martínez can also play there."

Vertonghen is currently preparing with the rest of the Tottenham squad for a crucial meeting with West Ham on Tuesday.

Jose Mourinho's men drew 1-1 with Manchester United in their first game back following the three-month break in the season caused by coronavirus, which came as a major blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Spurs are sitting eighth in the top-flight standings at the moment, nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, but they could still gain entry to Europe's top competition by finishing fifth if Manchester City's two-season ban is held up.

They will benefit from 10 days off after their clash with the Hammers, with their next outing against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane not scheduled to take place until July 2.

Any manager would “take 11 James Milners” in their side, says Martin O’Neill, with the former Aston Villa boss billing the Liverpool star as an “identikit pro”.

It remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old will figure again for his current club in the 2019-20 campaign, with an unfortunate injury forcing him out of the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp is hoping that Milner will not be sidelined for long, with his versatility proving to be a useful weapon in the Reds’ armoury.

That has been the case wherever a seasoned performer has gone, with Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City among the others to have benefited from the presence of a model professional.

O’Neill worked with Milner in the West Midlands and still considers the ex-England international to be one of the finest performers he had the pleasure of coaching.

He had no desire to sanction a transfer to City in 2010, but accepts that there was to be no holding back a man who is fast closing in on a third Premier League title of his career and one who is thoroughly deserving of all that he has achieved.

“Perhaps I took it too personally when he wanted to leave because we were getting a lot of money for him from Manchester City,” O’Neill told the Daily Star.

“At the end of the day he was consistently excellent for us. We were doubling our money but he was irreplaceable for me.

“James was going there to further his career and certainly further his future financially. But to me, we were trying to compete with the likes of City and Tottenham at that particular point in time. Maybe another season and we might have done it. It was disappointing.

“But I've got to say, I could not be more pleased for him for getting the career and the medals he so thoroughly deserves.”

O’Neill added on Milner, who started out as a tricky winger but is also capable of filling defensive berths when required: “He can run with the ball, score you a goal. He was terrific. He was never my teacher's pet, but he was terrific for me.

“James just covered so much ground. He is like the identikit pro. He doesn't drink. He puts everything into his training and his game. He's put football at the top of his list of priorities so it's certainly no coincidence he's still going strong.

“Klopp's played him in virtually every position at Liverpool. You'd take 11 James Milners in your side if that were possible.

“I tried to get him first and on deadline day he was less than three miles from Villa's training ground and he was told to go back. He would have been very cheap then – about £4m, if I recall. I chased him again and kept going and when things weren't working out for him at Newcastle we paid £12m for him. Not bad business.”

Stellenbosch FC have confirmed that three of their staff members have tested positive for coronavirus. 

According to a statement released by the club on Tuesday, all the players have tested negative for the deadly virus. 

"Stellenbosch FC confirms that three of our staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 while the clubs' players tested negative," reads the statement. 

The PSL rookies said the testing was arranged and conducted last week while they also educated every member of their squad about this global pandemic. 

"Last week, the club arranged the testing of all staff and players and provided additional education on the pandemic as well as what will be expected once we get the go-ahead to start training. 

"It is very unfortunate that three of our staff members tested positive," continued the statement.  

Stellenbosch have pledged support for the three unnamed staff members and confirmed they are doing well and self-isolating at home. 

"However, after obtaining this information, we can now assist the individuals to recover as safely and speedily as possible as well as mitigate the risk of exposure to other employees.

"The three members are doing well and are now self-isolating at home," concluded the statement.     

The latest developments bring the number of confirmed positive cases in the PSL to five. 

In May, Orlando Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari became the first PSL player to test positive for Covid-19 but he has since recovered after self-isolating for 14 days. 

On Monday, 

Scott McTominay has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester United to keep him at the club until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.

The midfielder, who was given his debut by Jose Mourinho in 2017, has become a key part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side and established himself as a regular starter for the club.

Indeed, McTominay has made 28 appearances in all competitions this season and has been rewarded for his consistent performances with a new deal.

The midfielder said: "Whilst I understand that we all have so many other things to think about at the moment, I’m so happy to sign this contract and play a part in the future ahead for this team.

"All I have ever known is United and I hope that my passion for the club shows every time I go onto the pitch. I’ll continue to give everything for this club whenever I pull on the shirt.

"I want to thank the manager for the faith he has shown in me and everyone at the club that has helped me to get where I am today. I’m looking forward to finishing this season on a high and hopefully achieving our aims."

Since Solskjaer was given the manager’s job following Mourinho’s sacking in December 2018 he has been determined to bring through academy talent and the Norwegian remains committed to keeping homegrown players in the squad.

"Scott has done tremendously well since I joined and has been a vital part of our midfield. He brings determination, tenacity and skill to the game and we know that Scott’s attributes will be a major asset to the squad over the coming years," Solskjaer said. 

"As we always say the academy is the bedrock of the club and having come through the system everyone knows that Scott has shown the exact mentality that you need to succeed at Manchester United.  I look forward to seeing his continued improvement in the years to come."

McTominay has made 75 appearances for the first team since making his debut against Arsenal in 2017 and has scored six goals. His last being United’s second in their derby day win against Manchester City in March.

And he will be in contention to feature for the Red Devils in their next fixture, as United face Sheffield United at Old Trafford before turning their attentions to Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Norwich City.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has hailed the return to fitness of two key defenders – Philemon Otieno and Wellington Ochieng.

Otieno injured his leg while turning out for Kenya’s Harambee Stars in the African Nations Champions (Chan) qualifying match against Tanzania, and had to undergo surgery which kept him out of action for the better part of last season.

On the other hand, Ochieng picked up an injury during the early stages of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season, against Mathare United, and despite trying to make a comeback after feeling better, he aggravated the injury and was also forced to go under the knife, thus missing most of the season.

The British coach has now told Goal the two players have recovered fully from their respective setbacks after a turbulent campaign and they will be of help when the new season kicks-off at the end of August.

“I am really very happy to see the two boys [Otieno and Ochieng] back, they have really worked hard to return from the setbacks they suffered in the early stages of last season but they have fully recovered now,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“All the two players are fit now, for Otieno he played a game for us before the coronavirus pandemic, a friendly where we gave him 45 minutes and he came out unscathed, you could see how he battled well to impress the bench in the build-up, he is very okay now.

“Let us see when we start training for the new season, and we check them again, the two will be our first signings, they will come back stronger and will fight to play for us, I think they will be our first signings as they are coming back after a very long layoff, we must be happy to be covered in their positions.”

Gor Mahia, who were crowned the league champions for the fourth season in a row after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to end the season owing to the Covid-19, will represent the country in the Caf Champions League and Polack believes for the team to do well, they must keep their best players.

“I have talked to the team’s top brass and told them the importance of keeping our squad intact,” Polack continued.

“We must fight very hard to keep our best players, we need consistency to prevail in the Caf competition and it's the reason I want my key players to stay.

“I have asked the management to start talking to players whose contracts are running down, or have already run down, we need the team together, we want to build a strong team and this can only be achieved if we stick with our squad for another two or three seasons.”

Goal understands captain Kenneth Muguna and his assistant Joash Onyango are among the key players who could leave K’Ogalo in the next transfer window.

Experienced tactician Bobby Williamson believes AFC Leopards have what it takes to emulate their bitter rivals Gor Mahia's recent success.

K'Ogalo have been dominating the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) in recent years and since 2013, they have managed to win six titles. For Ingwe , it is a different story; the last time they tasted league success was back in 1998.

"I might not know much about AFC Leopards' structures, but I believe they have what it takes to emulate Gor Mahia," Williamson, who led K'Ogalo to the 2013 title for the first time in 18 years, told Goal on Tuesday.

"Leopards match Gor Mahia in some aspects. For example, they enjoy massive following in the country and their fans are passionate just like Gor fans. I believe the league needs strong AFC Leopards."

The 58-year-old former Harambee Stars coach believes the secret lies with stability on technical bench.

"There must be continuity in the coaching department; if the club can stand by a coach for 4-5 years, they can be successful," Williamson added.

"Players cannot be complacent if they know the coach is going to be around for the long term.

"The tacticians need the backing of the chairmen as well, and by doing that, the team will slowly realize its potential and hit greater heights. Then we have the winning mentality which has to be installed to the players."

In an earlier interview, the Scot revealed why K'Ogalo have been doing well consistently.

"It is all about the mentality they have; that winning mentality," Williamson told  Goal .

"Before I arrived, they were close to winning the title, they then got over the line. I said after we had won the league, that they would never wait 18 long years again and that has been proven. The recruitment is important and they have brought coaches on board that have kept that momentum going."

The experienced tactician has also revealed the influence of chairman Ambrose Rachier.

"The chairman has been important to the club's success. He said I was the catalyst back then but to date, I believe he was and still is since he has seen coaches coming and going but the winning is ongoing," Williamson added.

"It is not just the team on the park but it is also about the team off the park that is important and also the fans' hunger for more success."

Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Wade du Plessis has lauded Kaizer Chiefs as the biggest club on the African continent.

The retired shot-stopper was on the books of Amakhosi between 1990 and 1993, and he helped the team clinch two National Soccer League (NSL) titles.

Du Plessis, who was Chiefs' first-choice keeper between 1991 and 1992, explained what it meant to play for the Glamour Boys.

“Kaizer Chiefs represents success, trophies, league titles, professionalism and quality players,” Du Plessis told the club's official website.

“It’s the biggest club in Africa. Every youngster dreams about donning the Gold and Black one day.”

Du Plessis was part of the Amakhosi team which included the likes Doctor Khumalo, Neil Tovey, Lucas Radebe, Gardner Seale, Ace Khuse, Shane MacGregor and Fani Madida in the early 1990s.

The 1991 season proved to be his best season as a Chiefs player as he inspired the team to the NSL title, having conceded only 20 goals in 34 games.

As a result, the Durban-born legend scooped the Goalkeeper of the Year and Save of the Year awards that season.

“The 1991 and 1992 side was phenomenal,” Du Plessis, who had a trial stint at English side Chelsea in 1986, recalled.

The former Durban City shot-stopper proudly remembered the Amakhosi supporters and he explained their importance to the club.

“The Chiefs supporters are the soul of the game, and as with the biggest clubs in Africa, come with a massive following," he said.

In 1993, Du Plessis decided to leave Amakhosi for D’Alberton Callies having also helped Chiefs clinch two BP Top 8 Cups (MTN8) and Bob Save Super Bowl (Nedbank Cup) titles.

“I should never have left Kaizer Chiefs despite the increased financial benefit I would receive from my new club,” he reflected.

“Playing for Amakhosi is just so exceptional. One only realizes how special it is after you have left the club.”

Du Plessis went on to play for Chiefs' arch-rivals Pirates, Michau Warriors and AmaZulu FC, before retiring from professional football in 1999 due to a serious back injury.

The former Bafana Bafana keeper was proud to be part of Amakhosi's rich history as the club celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

“This moment is still history in the making. But, when I kept goal for the club in the early nineties, it represented Golden Years," he concluded.

He has two Bafana caps having played against Ivory Coast and Cameroon in 1994.

After three seasons of Spanish flavour, Odisha FC have roped in British manager and former South African national team coach Stuart Baxter to lead the club in the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Baxter, who has vast managerial experience in eight different countries, will head to India for the first time in his career. The former Bafana Bafana head coach spoke about the upcoming project with the ISL side and what he wants to achieve.

He believes the factors behind winning a game are the same everywhere and it is the same in India as well.

“In principle, you can take every country in the world, you can take every team in the world. Especially, the successful ones and you can say the same things that you see here in India are in the Premier League. The same six things to win a game of football and those are principles. Let’s call those the supporting walls of this building. If you want to put a window there or a door there and paint the wall red or blue that is about style. But, whichever style, you have to achieve those six things.

“So, I will be using these six things because that is what everybody uses and then, it will depend on the players we have, will depend on what suits them best and will depend on my ability to communicate. Hope, the players will learn quickly, I will learn quickly and we go on the same page and then we will be able to do those six things whichever style we decide goes with the best.”

Baxter also suggested that he is not a great believer of completely moulding the existing style of the team and imposing his own philosophy on the players.

“The Spanish coaches before me must have given the players a certain flavour and I don’t believe in breaking everything down and rebuilding it because there’s obviously some good work done. I remember after I won a league a new coach came in and said, ‘No, just because you won the league, doesn’t mean everything is ok.’ So, he broke everything down and the team finished eighth.

“I think there’s some good work done and I will retain that good work and hopefully, I will build upon it and hopefully, I will find a way of playing which we all will enjoy and it will give us some result. I don’t have expectations. The people I have spoken to say that the Indian players are ambitious.

He took an interesting analogy to assert that he will try and help Indian footballers play to their strengths.

"I had an interesting conversation with Faf du Plessis (the South African cricketer). He said that the Indian cricketers (sportsman) are fantastic when on the front foot when they go on the back foot, they have too much to do. If they don’t do that they will be totally unplayable.

“So, my job, I believe, is to make sure that my Odisha players feel like mentally on the front foot in any case and I think all of those things will go together into a style. We will bring in together the works that have been done until now and new stuff that we wanna do and describe it in a way that the players feel “Yeah! Let’s go on the front foot.

He also insisted that he was looking to adapt to the squad rather than imposing his philosophy on them.

“The onus is on the coaches because I know a lot of coaches (good friends or colleagues of mine) - they go to a new setup, not even a new culture may be in the same country they are working. They take their way of playing football and they impose it on the squad. Many times, the squad doesn’t want that.

"I need to be the coach that the squad needs and not the coach that I always wanted to be no matter what the culture, no matter what the personality, no matter what the style, I impose myself; I don’t think that’s right. I need to be the coach that this squad of players need.”

Dean Henderson is destined to inherit Manchester United’s No.1 spot from David de Gea, says Oliver Norwood, with the Sheffield United loanee considered to be “confident” enough to handle the added pressure that will soon come his way.

Many are tipping a custodian who has enjoyed two productive stints at Bramall Lane to become a long-term option between the sticks for those at Old Trafford.

Henderson is, however, just 23 years of age and continues to see his route to the first team blocked at the Theatre of Dreams.

Questions are being asked of Dea Gea, though, with the Spain international no longer considered to be the model of consistency that once landed him three Player of the Year awards at United.

That could see a door swing open for Henderson, while there has also been talk of the highly-rated youngster inheriting starting duties with England from Everton shot-stopper Jordan Pickford.

Norwood, who has been working alongside Henderson in Sheffield for the last two seasons, believes it is only a matter of time before prominent roles are filled, with there every reason to believe that he will relish the added responsibility coming his way.

“Definitely, he's proven himself this season, he's up there with most clean sheets in the league so he's obviously doing something right,” Blades midfielder Norwood told Sky Sports when asked if he can see Henderson becoming a go-to option in Manchester.

“I've read a few things from different people and I do agree that there would be a lot more pressure on him going and playing as Manchester United's No.1 rather than Sheffield United's - the scrutiny he would be under being England's No.1 as well.

“I'm sure Hendo can handle that. He's sure of himself, he's very confident.

“I'm delighted he's staying until the end of the season to help us, I have no doubt over the next [eight] games he will pick up some points for us.

“Next season is next season, we are not looking that far ahead.”

Norwood and Henderson will be lining up against Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Both are products of a famed academy system in the North West, with Norwood having come through the Red Devils’ youth ranks at the same time as Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard.

He has kept a close eye on the development of those he once chased the same dream alongside and considers France international Pogba to be a “misunderstood” character – with the 27-year-old continuing to divide opinion when it comes to his ability and attitude.

“Paul I've known for a long time, a World Cup winner, a Serie A winner - he's done everything in the game. The amount of stick he gets is incredible at times,” said Norwood.

Asked directly if Pogba is misunderstood, the Northern Ireland international added: “I think so, yeah. He's actually a really nice down-to-earth lad, he was when I knew him.

“When we were in the youth team he was always singing and dancing then, so it's nothing to do with the hype [surrounding] him now.”

Jose Mourinho has vowed to be patient with Harry Kane as the Tottenham striker bids to return to his "normal level".

Kane made his first appearance for Spurs in six months against Manchester United on Friday, taking in a full 90 minutes as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in north London.

The England international was sidelined with a hamstring injury at the start of January, and was a major doubt for the rest of the season before the coronavirus outbreak stopped play in March.

The 26-year-old used the three-month hiatus to get himself back into peak physical condition, with a view to helping Tottenham fight for a place in the Premier League's top four.

Kane was criticised for his subdued performance in the stalemate with United, but Mourinho has defended his talismanic forward while promising he will be given all the time he needs to rediscover his best form.

"Harry did amazing," the Portuguese told Sky Sports . "I don't think any player being six months without playing football and after an important surgery and after a very difficult period to recover because of the lockdown rules affected a lot the recovering of players, I think nobody could do better than what he did for the team.

"Seven goals in 10 matches [under Mourinho, prior to his injury] would give an average of 14 in 20. An average of 28 in 40. So we are there. But of course, now we have to wait.

"And just because of one game, in a fixture where the majority of the strikers in the Premier League struggle to show that sharpness, to show that quality that they all have, people only turn to Harry. Because Harry is special, because with Harry anything less than scoring a hat-trick is not good enough.

"But I'm not that way. I don't analyse things that way. I'm very, very patient. He will have all the time he needs to recover to his normal level."

Spurs were decimated by injuries prior to the break in the season, with Son Heung-min, Moussa Sissoko and winter signing Steven Bergwijn all joining Kane on the crocked list.

However, Mourinho will have all four players available when his side play host to West Ham on Tuesday, along with Lucas Moura, Eric Lamela and Dele Alli.

The Tottenham manager insists he won't need to dip into the summer transfer window for reinforcements in the final third if everyone can stay fit, as he added: "It's fantastic.

"Tottenham always had a fantastic group of attacking players and in the January market Steven Bergwijn coming even improved that. Not just to be one more, but to be one more fantastic player with great ability.

"So now we have the six players available which is a very, very good attacking force that allows us to start the game and have players on the bench to make changes in case we have a need.

"All I can say is with six attacking players available in this moment, I don't need [to sign] attacking players."

Tanzania Mainland League side Azam FC have lodged an official complaint to the Tanzanian Premier League Board (TPLB) against the three officials who were in charge of their game away to Yanga SC.

In the match that ended in a goalless draw, Heri Sasii was the centre referee with Mbaraka Haule and Soud Lila assisting him. According to Azam, the trio made some grave mistakes - a denied penalty for either side and two legit goals flagged for offside.

"We have written to the board regarding the officiating witnessed on Sunday in a league game away to Yanga SC," read the letter to the TPLB and obtained by Goal.

"Azam were denied a legit goal scored by Abdallah Kheri who converted an Iddi Selemani cross with the officials arguing the former was in an offside position which is not true.

"The same happened in the 47th minute, this time around Never Tigere converting a Richard Djodi pass, but again the assistant referee flagged the goal scorer for offside which again was not the case. 

"With 15 minutes to go, our defender Nicholas Wadada was fouled in the danger zone and we expected the referee to award [Azam] a penalty. To our dismay, the referee waved play-on and the opportunity was lost."

The FA Cup champions have now urged the Board to consider their complaint and take the necessary action.

"We are writing this letter asking for an investigation in the aforementioned matter and action to be taken to those responsible," the letter continued.

"This is not the first time such incidents are happening against Azam; we believe the Board will find a lasting solution."

Wadada was again the centre of attention in the 70th minute when he appeared to foul David Molinga in the danger zone but the referee chose to ignore the incident.

Azam custodian Benedict Haule, who was deputising for Ghanaian Razak Abalora, was the hero for the visitors after making several saves including in two one-on-one situations to deny David Molinga and Patrick Sibomana.

He was commanding and bailed out his defenders on numerous occasions to ensure his side got at least a point.

"Even when we had taken a break owing to Covid-19, I continued practising harder to remain fit because I knew the league was still on," the custodian told reporters after the match.

"My main aim was to remain as fit as possible in that I could help my team when the chance comes my way. 

"Goalkeeping department is a critical department; when your competitor gets a chance and proves his worth, then you will have to wait longer. So when my chance came, I had to prove my worth and show I am capable of stepping in.

"I believe I did enough to convince the technical bench my services can be depended on."

Matteo Guendouzi is “not good enough to go around giving people stick”, says Perry Groves, with the Arsenal midfielder urged to learn some “humility” on the back of his spat with Brighton striker Neal Maupay.

The Gunners saw their French youngster spark an angry on-field exchange following the full-time whistle in their 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

Maupay had netted a dramatic winner for the Seagulls in that contest, but had previously played a part in the unfortunate injury suffered by Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno – as he nudged the Germany international while he was in the air and forced him to land awkwardly.

Guendouzi did not take too kindly to that and was in the ear of his fellow countryman for much of another disappointing outing for Arsenal.

Groves believes the 21-year-old needs to focus more on his football than running battles with opponents, with there still much for him to learn on and off the pitch.

The former Arsenal star told talkSPORT of a player whose attitude has been questioned on a regular basis of late: “Guendouzi is playing in centre midfield, he hasn’t got the awareness to play that role – getting on the ball, getting on the half turn, bringing people into games.

“He’s about energy, he’s a dog chasing a tyre. His enthusiasm, that’s what he’s about.

“But I’ve heard a few things that haven’t been great about Guendouzi’s attitude, about having a bit of humility.

“You want your players to be confident and a little bit arrogant on the pitch, but he’s not good enough to go around giving people stick and giving people verbals. The team isn’t good enough.

“If Maupay has been getting it in his ear all game from Guendouzi and then scores the winner, he’s absolutely within his rights to go ‘really, what have you got to say now?’

“For Guendouzi to then grab him around the throat, someone needs – whether it’s Arteta or a member of the coaching staff or senior players – to tell Guendouzi to wind his neck in and concentrate on playing.”

Guendouzi has escaped punishment for his confrontation with Maupay, but Groves is not the first to suggest that a player with obvious potential needs to change his ways and start maturing.

Ex-Arsenal forward Jeremie Aliadiere told Goal in May: “He’s like my little brother and I always told him that Arsenal would be a very good team for his development as a player and as a human being.

“He took my advice and came to the club, but I just feel Matteo hasn’t grown up as a human being yet. He’s grown up as a player, he’s matured massively as a player and every year he gets better.

"But unfortunately as a man, he hasn’t grown and matured as much as I thought he would by joining Arsenal.

“I think that’s what he’s missing and that’s why he’s not playing as much under Mikel [Arteta] because Mikel is not really up for that.”

Mason Greenwood is the "real deal", according to Quinton Fortune, who says the Manchester United starlet 'couldn't ask for a better manager' to develop under than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Greenwood has proven himself as a key member of United's squad in 2019-20, while competing with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for a regular spot in Solskjaer's line-up.

Despite the fact that most of the 18-year-old's 39 appearances have come from the bench, he has still managed to notch 14 goals, and his ability to score with both feet has seen him compared to former United striker Robin van Persie.

He made an impressive return to action following the three-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus against Tottenham on Friday, coming on as a second-half substitute during a 1-1 draw in north London.

Greenwood made a strong case for a starting berth in United's next outing at home to Sheffield United in midweek, which is a must-win game in their ongoing pursuit of a top-four finish.

Fortune is in awe of the teenager's ability, but says what really sets him apart from the rest is his drive to improve behind the scenes.

“This is how amazing Mason is and why he’s a little bit different,” the ex-United midfielder told the club's official website.

“I’m walking through the building at the Aon Training Complex and there’s a computer room where the analyst team work.

“Mason was in there, looking at games and how he can do better. He’s on it. He’s just a natural. He’s an unbelievable finisher. He’s the real deal.”

Fortune added on Solskjaer being the ideal man to help Greenwood reach his full potential: “Mason is fortunate he’s got Ole as a manager.

"Obviously there’s all the coaches he’s had through his youth-team career but he couldn’t ask for a better manager because Ole’s done it at the highest level."

Greenwood has been tipped to earn a call up to Gareth Southgate's England squad if he continues on his current trajectory, with the European Championship now a realistic goal due to the fact the tournament has been pushed back to 2021 amid the continued threat of Covid-19.

Fortune went on to highlight the qualities that make the United forward such a dangerous player in the final third, while insisting he already has "everything" to be a top player.

“There’s not many players in world football that are able to go both ways like Mason does. Equally, left and right foot, he’s ridiculous," said Fortune.

“I thought he was left-footed and then he takes penalties with his right! And I’ve seen him take a free kick with his right foot, his left foot.

“I’m like ‘what’s wrong with you!? Just pick one! Are you okay?’

“I’m waiting for him to have a burst of speed but he’s so good around the box. Stepover, boom! He’s just created that one little yard for him and boom!

“As a defender, which way do you show Mason? He can go right, he can go left. I don’t even know, the guy’s got everything.”

Malaysia U-19 goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Nazrel Sikh Azman could see the funny side of the recent 2020 AFC U-19 Championship draw. Alongside Qatar and Yemen, the Young Tigers have also been drawn together with Tajikistan in Group D in the finals, which will be held in Uzbekistan from October 14 to 31.

The young custodian has gone through a memorable experience against the Tajiks, the last time they met back in 2018.

Then playing for Malaysia U-16 in the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship, he helped the hosts record an exciting 6-2 win over the Tajiks in the tournament-opening encounter. Unfortunately for Izhan, he found himself sent off for a dangerous in-the-air challenge with seconds remaining on the clock, a lunge that he maintains was not a malicious one to this day.

When contacted by Goal for comments on the draw on Tuesday, the teenager could afford to joke about the fact that the two teams will be meeting again, at a higher age level.

"I'm reliving my trauma once again! (Laughs) But on a serious note, that incident was a very good lesson for me, and Lim Teong Kim (Malaysia U-16 head coach at the time) told me that as a youth footballer I could not avoid making mistakes like that.

"For now I just want to build on my place in the Selangor 2 first eleven in order to earn a Malaysia call-up spot. But my targets are admittedly lofty; I want to play in the AFC finals and help the team reach the [2020 U-20] World Cup (by reaching the AFC semi-finals). This is my second chance to get to the World Cup,"

But before that could happen, his attention is now on training with Selangor 2, where many of his Malaysia U-19 teammates also are. The Premier League side were the second Malaysian league team to be allowed to return to training last week, post-Covid 19 quarantine.

He revealed to Goal what training amidst coronavirus concerns entails, with the Malaysian government permitting only non-contact sporting activities and training to be conducted for the time being.

"For us at the reserve team, we've been divided into three training groups of ten players each. Today for example, the first group will train at 4.30 pm, the second at 5.30 pm, and the last group will undergo training at 6.30 pm.

"As a goalkeeper, I would begin with warm-up, then a 10-minute jog, before proceeding with goalkeeping sets. For the outfield players, they would continue with ball-control drills. 

"There's not much that's different to be honest, but what is different for me is that while previously goalkeepers would train together, we now train separately because each group will include only one goalie. It's a little lonely that way, and also tiring. While previously the goalkeeping duty during practice, for example in outfield players' shooting drills, was shared among all the squad goalkeepers, now each goalkeeper has to do everything because he would be the only custodian on the pitch at the time," explained the former Mokhtar Dahari Academy graduate.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) giants AFC Leopards are set to open their official club merchandise shop by the end of June.

The 13-time league champions have been trying to set up structures to enable them to get a sustainable financial income.

After revealing their intentions of setting up a sports facility a couple of weeks ago, the KPL side has already made another step.

"We have done most of the things regarding the merchandise shop, and by the end of this month, we believe it will be up and running," excited Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda told Goal on Tuesday.

"It will be located at the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) where it will be easier for our fans to locate. We will have club replica jerseys, caps, t-shirts, bands, watches... everything with Ingwe brand.

"The fans will have a way of directly contributing to the club's growth by purchasing the Ingwe merchandise from the shop.

"We will also have our match-day tickets sold at the shop at any given time."

The former striker did not hesitate to comment on the quality of the goods to be stocked.

"We will have quality jerseys for our fans which will be durable as compared to the counterfeit ones which do not last," Shikanda added.

"Cheap is expensive, so for those who want to go for low-quality merchandise by other vendors, we cannot stop them. But buying in our shop will help us grow.

"Our plan is to expand and have branches all over the country."

Wazito are the only club in the top tier with an official merchandise shop.

Recently, AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia entered into a sponsorship deal with a new betting firm Betsafe.

The two local giants and Betsafe, yet to launch their services in the Kenyan market, signed a partnership deal that will last for the next three years.

According to the details of the deal, AFC Leopards will get KSh45 million per year while Gor Mahia will get KSh55 million per year from the sponsor.

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been struggling since SportPesa, their previous sponsor left, leaving the clubs to depend on fans, members, and other well-wishers to honour matches and settle players' allowances at times.

Salary delays saw AFC Leopards lose key foreign players like Vincent Habamahoro, Ismail Diarra, captain Soter Kayumba, Tresor Ndikumana and Rwandan coach Casa Mbungo.

Whyvonne Isuza, Brian Marita, John Makwatta left for Wazito FC, Tusker, and Zesco United, respectively, when life without pay at AFC Leopards became difficult.

Gor Mahia were hit hard given that they had to look for finances to help the team honour both local and continental matches without a financial partner.

K'Ogalo players, at times, had to boycott training sessions in protest of a lack of payment.

It is the second time the two Mashemeji Derby rivals are signing a joint sponsorship deal with a betting firm after enjoying a similar relationship with SportPesa.