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Kaizer Chiefs starlet Nkosingiphile Ngcobo says winning accolades boosts his confidence after winning the club's Player of the Month award for December/January. 

It is the 21-year-old midfielder's second successive monthly award as he was also named Player of the Month for December 2020.

His teammate Njabulo Blom scooped the accolade for February/March with the 21-year-old having established himself as Amakhosi's first-choice central midfielder. 

Ngcobo explained that winning such awards motivates them as he enjoys his breakthrough season in the PSL having netted four goals from 22 matches.

“It boosts our confidence as players and we want to compete more for such things. It’s a motivation for us‚” Ngcobo told the media on Wednesday. 

“This was a great opportunity and I think we used it‚ we made sure that we worked hard to contribute to the team performance."

Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has opted to use youngsters with the club banned from signing new players by Fifa. 

“So I think it was a good season for some of us‚ especially the young ones. But as a team‚ I think we didn’t do things the way we wanted to," he added. 

“But I think there are a lot of positives and going forward I think we are going to do better.”

Meanwhile, Blom pointed out that Chiefs' senior players have played an important role in helping them perform well on the pitch.

“It’s a great feeling. Obviously, it shows the hard work that we’ve been putting in on the field‚” Blom also told the media.

“Though we also have to come back and thank them for guiding us and leading us on and off the pitch and showing us the way.”

The South Africa under-23 international, who has played 37 matches across all competitions this season, said they should remain level-headed after being voted for by the fans. 

“We as youngsters have to be careful in terms of how the fans hype us. It can make or break you. We have to keep our feet on the ground and not be over-excited," he added.

Chiefs are set to face Simba FC in the Caf Champions League quarter-final second-leg match in Dar Es Salaam‚ Tanzania on Saturday with Amakhosi having won 4-0 in the first-leg clash last weekend. 

Football fans have taken to social media to sympathise with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

The 22-year-old suffered an Achilles injury during Eagles training on Tuesday, and as a result of that, he could be out of action until 2022.

Eze has been an integral part of Roy Hodgson’s squad following his move from Championship side, Queens Park Rangers.

In the 2020-21 campaign, he accounts for 34 league games with four goals and five assists to his credit.

Following this appalling news, so many of his fans have taken to Twitter to wish him a speedy recovery.

Nigeria have announced a friendly against Mexico at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 3.

Gernot Rohr’s side will take on the Concacaf nation as they step up preparations for their World Cup qualifying campaign as well as next year’s Africa Cup of Nations billed for Cameroon.

The last meeting between the two countries was in a friendly match en route to the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

After 90 minutes of entertaining action, the Super Eagles and El Tri settled for a 0-0 draw at the Georgia Dome, with goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa making a couple of fine saves to deny Stephen Keshi’s men.

The two teams will be meeting for the sixth time ever with four of their previous encounters ending on a no winner, no vanquished note. The only win in the series belongs to Mexico, who defeated Nigeria in a US Gold Cup fixture in Texas.

Despite taking the lead through Jonathan Akpoborie inside the Cotton Bowl Stadium, the Mexicans clawed back to record a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Alberto Garcia Aspe and Ignacio Ambriz.

“We are happy to be able to announce this match, which is a clash between two very big teams from two different continents. Mexico against Nigeria is a big match any day and the venue is class,” Fifa match agent Jairo Pachon told the Nigeria Football Federation media.

For Mexico, who are the most successful team in the Concacaf Gold Cup with eight titles, this game is part of their MexTour series. The countries are expected to announce their squads for the match next month.

Before then, Rohr’s side will take on the Indomitable Lions in a friendly slated for Vienna on June 4.

The last time Nigeria and Cameroon battled each other was in the Round of 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. There, the Super Eagles claimed a 3-2 win, thanks to Odion Ighalo's brace and Alex Iwobi’s match-winning effort.

The West African are zoned in Group C of the World Cup qualifiers with Cape Verde, Liberia and the Central African Republic with the competition set to commence in September.

A police investigation is underway in Glasgow after emergency services were called to the residence of outgoing Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Fire and rescue services were alerted to reports of a car on fire around 1am (BST), with eight fire engines having been deployed to extinguish the blaze.

Lawwell's family escaped the scene physically unharmed but have been left “shaken and shocked” following the events.

Celtic statement

A spokesperson for Celtic released a statement on Wednesday afternoon, which reads: “We can confirm that significant damage has been caused to Peter Lawwell's house and vehicles there, following an explosion and fire early this morning, forcing the family to leave the property.

“Clearly, Peter's family are extremely shaken and shocked by these terrible events, but thankfully all are safe. We understand that Police Scotland are currently undertaking a criminal investigation.

“Peter and his family will of course receive the full support and care of everyone at the club.”

Police investigation

Police Scotland, meanwhile, released a statement of their own, which read: “Around 1am on Wednesday, 19 May, officers were called to a report of vehicles on fire outside a house on Peel Road, Thorntonhall.

“No one was injured and officers are currently working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of the fire.”

Fire and Rescue added: “Operations Control mobilised eight appliances to the scene to extinguish the fire, which was affecting a number of cars as well as the detached two-storey property. There are no reported casualties.”

Lawwell leaving his role

After 17 years as chief executive at Celtic Park, Lawwell is set to step down at the end of the season and be replaced by Scottish Rugby's chief operating officer Dominic McKay.

The 61-year-old's time in Scottish football was largely positive, but a dreadful 2020-21 campaign saw questions asked of the club's management as Rangers dethroned the Hoops as Scottish champions. 

Further reading

Chelsea great Frank Lampard has become the fifth inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Lampard joins Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane in the top-flight history books following a vote from the public.

The former Blues midfielder has been handed the league's highest individual honour after an outstanding 20-year career which also saw him take in spells at West Ham and Manchester City.

Lampard's Premier League record

Lampard began his career at West Ham in 1995, where he spent six years before being snapped up by Chelsea for £11 million.

The former England international went on to win three league titles while also receiving the coveted Player of the Year award for 2004-05 and becoming the Blues' all-time record scorer.

Lampard took in a brief spell at Manchester City in 2014 before hanging up his boots after a stint in MLS with New York City FC, leaving the Premier League as the highest-scoring midfielder in the competition's history with 177 goals.

How many more players will be included in the class of 2021?

Newcastle legend Shearer and ex-Arsenal frontman Henry were named as the only two automatic inductees into the Hall of Fame last month, but a total of eight players will make up the class of 2021.

Cantona, Keane and Lampard are the first of the remaining six men to make the cut after a fan vote from an all-star shortlist containing 23 of the finest players in top-flight history.

Who are the remaining nominees?

The final three inductees will be revealed by the end of the week, with Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand and Rio Ferdinand among the remaining nominees.

The prestigious group is completed by Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Vieira and Ian Wright.

Further reading

The Premier League have officially unveiled their new Hall of Fame, where fans can choose their favourite players to be included and honoured for the prestigious award.

There have been so many iconic players to make their name in England's most prestigious competition and, after three decades, league bosses have decided to establish a definitive list of undisputed stars.

Goal has everything you need about the inaugural Premier League Hall of Fame, with the full list of inductees and shortlist.

What is the Premier League Hall of Fame?

The Premier League Hall of Fame honours and celebrates the very best who have played in the competition.

Individuals will be awarded with a membership to the Premier League Hall of Fame, set to recognise the true greats of English top-flight football.

Only players who were retired as of August 1 2020 are eligible for the Premier League Hall of Fame, and only their career in the Premier League will be taken into consideration during the selection process.

Each Hall of Fame inductee receives a personalised medal engraved with their induction year.

In 2021, the Premier League announced the first two players to be added to the Hall of Fame, alongside a shortlist of nominees. Fans were also able to vote for their preferred candidates.

In an official statement the Premier League said: "Membership of the Premier League Hall of Fame will be the highest individual honour awarded to players by the League."

League chief, Richard Masters added: "Since 1992, the Premier League has been home to world-class players who have defined generations and provided us with compelling football season after season.

"A place in the Premier League Hall of Fame is reserved for the very best. It will be an occasion for our fans around the world to look back over the years and help us celebrate some truly exceptional playing careers."

Which players are in the Premier League Hall of Fame?

Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry were the first two Premier League Hall of Fame inductees, announced in April 2021.

They were joined by Manchester United legends Eric Cantona and Roy Keane in May, with Chelsea hero Frank Lampard also being included on the list.

A total of eight players will be inducted in 2021 from a list of a 23-man shortlist.

How to vote for Premier League Hall of Fame inductees

Voting is now closed.

Fans could vote for their Hall of Fame nominees on the official website. They were able to vote for a total of up to six candidates out of the 23-man shortlist.

Voting closed on May 9 at 6pm BST (1pm ET).

Premier League Hall of Fame shortlist

The 23-man shortlist that fans could vote from include a glittering array of English football greats, including the legendary likes of Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Frank Lampard and Ian Wright.

You can view the full list below.

Further reading

Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa has defended the Football Kenya Federation’s decision to award the Caf Champions League ticket to the team on top of the FKF Premier League table on June 30.

On Monday, in a statement obtained by Goal, the FKF confirmed the team leading the table on June 30, the deadline provided by Caf for submission for representative clubs, will be given the slot to represent Kenya in the 2021/22 Champions League.

The statement left football stakeholders in shock, others wondering what will happen to the remaining matches after June 30, and if the league will not be played to a conclusion.

However, the Batoto ba Mungu boss Kalekwa has now told Goal the federation acted within the laws governing football in the country and that clubs must now work hard to make sure they reach the target if they want to represent the country.

“I don’t want to fault FKF because they worked as per the laws of the game in the country,” Kalekwa told Goal on Wednesday. “The laws are very clear, if teams have played second-round matches and anything happens to the league, then the team at the top will be declared champions.

“That is what FKF have done, they have said if you are on top of the table by June 30, then you get the slot for Champions League, and that is very okay because by June 30 we will have played second-round matches as per the law, so they [FKF] have not breached the rules at all.”

Asked if the effect of the FKF statement on the league, Kalekwa said: “It is very clear now teams will up their game, and also fight to finish at the top by the stipulated date so I foresee a very competitive league starting with the upcoming matches.”

On his part, Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula said the decision will lead to a congested fixture list because the FKF will strive to beat the deadline.

“We will face a marathon league and all teams must now get ready to use all their players in the squad,” Shimanyula told Goal. “It will be a battle as both teams will fight for the top spot, it will not be easy, and players on reserve bench must also be ready to help the others.”

On Tuesday, FKF president Nick Mwendwa clarified the team that will be on top of the table by the end of June 30 will only represent the country in the Caf Champions League, but will not automatically be the champions for the 2020-21 season.

“The team that will be at the top of the table by June 30 will only get a ticket to represent the country in the Champions League but the overall winner for the 2020-21 season will be decided at the end of the season, and they are the ones who will receive the golden trophy and prize money,” Mwendwa told Goal.

“It doesn’t mean whoever is at the top by June 30 will be the outright champions for the season, that will not be the case, after June 30 the league will continue and teams will have to fight to win the golden trophy and also the prize money, maybe the team at the top [by June 30], will be crowned if they keep the spot to the end of the season.

Tusker have been at the top for most of the season and stand a good chance to grab the slot while among the top five teams, only KCB have not participated in the continental competition.

Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac has 28-man provisional squad for India's upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers which will be held in Qatar.

The Blues Tigers are set to play against hosts Qatar on June 3, Bangladesh on June 7, and Afghanistan on June 15. India are currently fourth on the points table and from the remaining fixtures, they will hope to collect as many points as possible and finish third so that they can seal automatic qualification for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying third round.

FC Goa midfielder Glan Martins has been named in the Indian squad for the very first time while players like Subhasish Bose and Pronay Halder return to Stimac's team. ATK Mohun Bagan's Prabir Das and FC Goa's Seriton Fernandes miss out after testing positive for coronavirus. 

Players like Ashutosh Mehta, Rahul KP and Asish Rai miss out due to injuries.

Stimac believes that it is not the “ideal situation” ahead of the June Qualifiers, but the Blue Tigers will be putting in “intense” sessions before their matches get underway.

“It’s not an ideal situation as we move ahead to the Qualifiers in June. Due to the pandemic, our national camp which was slated to begin in Kolkata at the beginning of May had to get cancelled. The pandemic also robbed us of a friendly match in Dubai,” the head coach stated.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Dheeraj Singh.

Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Narender Gehlot, Chinglensana Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Adil Khan, Akash Mishra, Subhashish Bose.

Midfielders: Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Rowllin Borges, Glan Martins, Anirudh Thapa, Pronoy Halder, Suresh Singh, Apuia, Abdul Sahal, Yasir Md, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Ashique K.

Forwards: Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Ishan Pandita.

India's journey so far in the Qualifiers

India started their journey with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oman at home followed by a historic goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha. In their third and fourth matches, the Blue Tigers managed 1-1 draws against Bangladesh and Afghanistan respectively and then they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman away from home.

Further reading

Covid-19 challenges for Stimac 

Arduous test awaits Igor Stimac's India

Al Nasr have launched an official complaint with the UAE Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday as they believe that there were several contentious decisions in the President’s Cup final on Sunday evening.

Al Nasr suffered a 2-1 defeat to Shabab Al Ahli at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium at Al Ain. Federico Cartabia scored a couple from the penalty spot in each half while Mehdi Ameid scored for Al Nasr.

However, Al Ameed have alleged that the two penalties awarded to Shabab Al Ahli were incorrect decisions and played a massive role in the result.

In the 44th minute, Yuqiub Hassa was alleged to have fouled Walid Abbas and therefore, Al Ahli were awarded a penalty.

Late in the second half, Mohamed Ali Ayed brought down Eduardo and following a VAR review, the defender was deemed to have fouled the Brazilian.

It will be interesting to see the response from UAE FA on the said matter.

Joan Laporta has teased imminent changes at Barcelona, with the club president telling reporters "renovation work" must be done in the organisation following an "incomprehensible" failure to win La Liga.

His comments come as manager Ronald Koeman and several high-wage players have had their futures called into question.

Elected earlier this year, Laporta must immediately confront rising debt at Barclona while trying to build for a post-Lionel Messi era that could arrive as soon as the summer.

What has been said?

"A cycle has come to an end and we are working on a renewal process," Laporta said at a Diario Sport event. "From next week, you will see several decisions which must be taken. We have to work hard to build a competitive team to win league titles and Champions Leagues.

"When I speak of a cycle coming to an end or about renovation work, it's because it's what I believe must be done.

"We won the Copa del Rey, which we are proud of, but we were knocked out of the Champions League early and have lost La Liga incomprehensibly from my point of view."

Nothing left to play for

Barcelona have fallen into an ill-timed slump over the past month, losing to Granada and Celta Vigo and drawing with Levante.

They enter the final weekend of the season already eliminated from La Liga title contention, with their upcoming game against Eibar holding little meaning.

Further reading

Jurgen Klopp has called Alisson's match-winning header against West Brom "fate" but has warned his Liverpool side that they must treat their final two games as sudden death encounters to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

The Reds face Burnley and Crystal Palace in their final two games of the season, with both matches set to welcome back fans for the first time this year, knowing that victory in both will be enough to secure them a top four berth.

They looked to have blown their shot at the weekend against Sam Allardyce's Baggies, held to a draw until goalkeeper Alisson landed a last-gasp finish deep into injury time to ensure victory - and Klopp admits that the moment felt "like it was meant to be".

What has been said?

Asked ahead of his side's trip to Turf Moor on Wednesday whether Liverpool need to be wary of buying into a sense of inevitable success, the German warned to The Mirror: "I will not guard against it, no chance.

“There is no reason for guarding against anything. It was a very positive moment and, when Alisson scored, it looked like it was meant to be.

"That is what we as human beings are always like. Don’t we all believe in fate until we realise this time it is not meant to be?

“That means there is still a job to do. One of the lessons I learned very early in my life is don’t celebrate the day before the night. That is what we say in Germany. Does it make sense?

“If we finish the season now we are fifth, and if we keep the points tally we currently have we will not even finish fifth, so we’ll see if it is fate or not at the end of the season.

“Since I’ve been here pretty much every ­season has gone to the wire, for different reasons. I can’t remember a season when we haven’t had finals,” said Klopp.

“It was either a big cup competition or we have had to fight in the league to the very last second. So here we are again. Now we have to make sure we have something to fight for on Sunday.

“It is a semi-final at Burnley and, if we win it, we have a final. If we don’t win, then probably not. Six weeks ago no one would have imagined we could get that close. But close is not there.”

The bigger picture

Liverpool have been handed a boost in their aspirations thanks to Chelsea and Leicester City's encounter on Tuesday, in which the Blues avenged their FA Cup final defeat with an immediate response.

That result means that the fourth-place Foxes sit three points ahead of Liverpool, with an inferior goal difference to boot - meaning that as long as Liverpool win both of their remaining games, they are assured of a Champions League berth.

Further reading

Timo Werner says that the two VAR decisions to disallow his efforts in the first half are a "mirror of the whole season" for him on a personal level, as Chelsea gained revenge for their FA Cup final defeat against Leicester City.

With fans welcomed back to Stamford Bridge, the Blues held off a late Foxes fightback to overhaul them in the race for the Premier League top four and further bolster their Champions League credentials for next season, ahead of their final clash with Manchester City.

Yet they could have been long out of sight had Werner not seen two early finishes chalked off, and the forward admitted that he has often felt personally thwarted by the VAR system this term.

What has been said?

"The first half was a bit like a mirror of the whole season for me," the Germany international acknowledged to Match of the Day. "Always close, then at the end not really.

"[But] when you are young and in the final of the Champions League it's no problem. It's good that we have fans back in the stadium. We missed it so much.

"That's why you play football because you want a full stadium. There was only 8,000 here today but it was so loud. It made it a lot of fun to play today and you saw that on the pitch."

"It was really hard [to bounce back] after the final. You want to win every final. The game was so big that we couldn't have so much things in our head about the final because we had to concentrate on this game.

"It was much more important because when you don't play Champions League next season, it means a lot."

The bigger picture

Chelsea's victory at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday means that they have now leapfrogged Leicester to take third in the top-flight, putting them in the proverbial driving seat to seal Champions League football next term over the Foxes and Liverpool.

The Reds still have to play Burnley this week before Sunday's finale, when all three will go down to the wire for the last two spots.

Tuchel will know that destiny sits firmly in his side's own hands, though unlike his other rivals, his side will have a second bite of the cherry if they miss out thanks to the Champions League final with City.

However, the Blues would surely not wish to leave their European future up to the last-chance saloon of their game in Porto with Pep Guardiola's heavily-fancied favourites, making their final game against Aston Villa a must-win encounter.

Further reading

Chelsea players met Thomas Tuchel's high expectations in their 2-1 win over Leicester City on Tuesday, with the manager afterward lauding their outstanding performance that was driven by the return of fans at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues, coming off an FA Cup final defeat against the Foxes, took a two-goal advantage through Jorginho in the 66th minute after having a pair of goals ruled out by VAR and a strong penalty shout denied. They were, in Tuchel's words, competing "with high intensity and aggression" in the face of "horrible" circumstances.

With the victory, Chelsea moved into third place in the Premier League with just one more match to go. They would seal a top-four finish with a victory over Aston Villa next Sunday.

What has been said?

"On Sunday we had the post match talk and you go on from there," Tuchel told BBC Sport. "Today is what we demand, played with high intensity and aggression and the team did very good.

"It was a strong performance and well-deserved performance. No time for celebration, the job is not done yet, two more games to go. Very happy to play in front of supporters, it was a huge difference today.

"We defended so strong, did not give many chances but escaped with a deserved win. It is a different game with fans."

The manager added to Sky Sports: "The fans made a huge difference. The speed in our game, the hunger, the ambition. It was a very strong performance and I'm delighted the team can present itself like this in front of our fans."

Tuchel rips VAR

Tuchel was infuriated by the denied penalty claim in the first half, when Timo Werner appeared to be kicked in the box by Youri Tielemans.

"It's a clear penalty," he said. "They are horrible against us. It's the third time in a row. This has to stop of course but we were not worried at half-time."

What's next?

Chelsea visit Aston Villa next weekend with their own fate in their hands, as nothing Liverpool or Leicester do from here matters as long as the Blues earn all three points.

Tuchel's men will encounter visiting fans for the first time in the Premier League this campaign, which he said will present a unique challenge.

"It's still in our hands," he said. "We need another huge performance but with fans in the Aston Villa ground will be super hard."

Further reading

Kelechi Iheanacho becomes the first player in Premier League history to score a goal on all seven days of the week within a single season.

The striker was on target for Leicester City as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in Tuesday’s league encounter.

With the hosts taking a two-goal lead through Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho, the Iheanacho was introduced for James Maddison on the hour mark.

In the 76th minute, he reduced the deficit for Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes. Receiving a pass from compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, Iheanacho knocked the ball calmly into the bottom right corner of Edouard Mendy’s goal.

As a result of that effort, he wrote his name in the English elite division’s history books.

Furthermore, the 24-year-old now boasts 12 goals in 24 outings so far in the 2020-21 campaign. Overall, he is Leicester’s highest goalscorer in all competitions this term with 19 goals – four more than veteran Jamie Vardy.

Having lost 1-0 to the King Power Stadium giants in Saturday’s FA Cup final, Thomas Tuchel’s men came into the game hoping to avenge their defeat as well as dent the visitors’ Champions League ambitions.

Eleven minutes before the half-time break, Timo Werner headed Cesar Azpilicueta’s corner kick past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. However, the effort was chalked off as VAR claimed the Germany international accidentally handled the ball as he guided it into the net.

Two minutes into the second half, Rudiger put the Blues in front. Ben Chilwell’s corner nicked off a Leicester defender into the 28-year-old who bundled the ball into the net.

The German centre-back has now scored more Premier League goals against the Foxes than he has versus any other team, with each of his last three in the competition coming against the Rodgers’ side.

In the 66th minute, Jorginho doubled the hosts’ advantage from the penalty mark after Wesley Fofana hacked at Werner inside the box.

While Ndidi was in action from start to finish, Ghana’s Daniel Amartey and Senegal’s Nampalys Mendy were unused substitutes.

Chelsea's victory lifted them to third in the EPL, just one point above Leicester City who occupy the fourth spot.

Pep Guardiola is optimistic that Ilkay Gundogan will be fit in time for the Champions League final after suffering an injury setback in Manchester City's 3-2 defeat to Brighton.

The German international opened the scoring before being substituted in the 56th minute with a injury.

Bu the City boss said Gundogan was taken off as a precaution with the final against Chelsea just 11 days away.

What's been said?

"Tomorrow we will check it - the doctor is quite optimistic," Guardiola told a news conference.

"The problem is he had a kick and was running in the second half with disturbance.

"I didn’t want to take a risk, that’s why I did the substitution."

The bigger picture

City's defeat, in front of 7,495 fans at the Amex Stadium, brought an end to two record-breaking away streaks.

Ahead of the game they had won 12 consecutive away games - the longest run away by a team in the top four tiers of English football - and were unbeaten in 23 matches away in all competitions - also a new record for an English side.

The game changed on Joao Cancelo's red card in the 10th minute and while Guardiola would not be drawn on the decision, he said his side need to be careful.

"We have to be more careful and finish games 11 v 11," he added. "11 v 10 versus Brighton is difficult.

"We have to improve for the final, always we have to finish with 11.

"We’re the champions. In four or five days we lift the trophy and prepare for the final.

"I am concerned because it’s a Champions League final and the opponent is so tough."

Further reading: