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Gary Neville has described the Glazer family as ‘scavengers’ and has urged them to sell Manchester United and leave England.

The Red Devils are one of the 12 sides who have signed up for the proposed Super League, prompting a huge backlash among fans and pundits.

Former Manchester United defender Neville was angry on commentary on Sunday, and his stance has not shifted in the following 24 hours.

What has been said?

“I’ve stayed quiet over the Glazer family on the basis that it’s still Manchester United, I can still watch them play, I can still be happy and sad," he said on Sky Sports. "If they take dividends out, I can live with that slightly. I can’t live with them attacking every football fan in this country.

"They’ve overstepped the mark. They are scavengers, they need booting out of this football club and out of this country.

"They are scavengers, they want the big money for themselves and it must be stopped.

“We have to stop this. They’ve created a monopoly, a closed shop, a tournament they are guaranteed to be in. They are taking the honesty and integrity of our competition.

“What's the point? They take everything away from this country. The pyramid, the sincerity of competition. The honesty and integrity of the competition that we value, they are taking it away.

“We know Manchester United have got more money, Liverpool have got more money, Arsenal have got more money. We can live with that. 

"There have always been top clubs with more money. But they can be beaten by Sheffield United at home.

“They are trying to take that away to create franchise football. It cannot happen

“I hope these six owners are at home panting, and feeling uncomfortable and their stomachs are churning.”

Neville takes aim at Arsenal and Spurs

Tottenham and Arsenal have signed up alongside Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City.

The north London clubs are struggling this season - Spurs sacked Jose Mourinho earlier on Monday - and Neville is flabbergasted that they have got a seat at the table.

"Arsenal and Tottenham, I’d rather watch the champions of San Marino than those two,” he said. "How those two have wangled their way in ...They are a joke to watch.”

Further reading

Kenneth Muguna insists Gor Mahia, just like any other team, have a chance of winning the Football Kenya Federation Premier League in the ongoing campaign.

The reigning champions have not started the league well, struggling to get positive results consistently. Tusker FC are currently leading the standings with 36 points from 16 matches, 14 more than K'Ogalo who are in seventh position having played two games less.

The Harambee Star is convinced, with the second round of matches coming up, teams have a chance of renewing their battle for the title.

"Nothing is over, we have a long way to go and as long as the league is still on, I can say all teams have a chance of winning," Muguna told Goal on Monday.

"The league is not like a knockout competition, it is a marathon and is still very open for any team to win once it resumes. So far, it has been competitive and everything has been going on well."

The 2016 league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) was demoted from his captaincy role with Harun Shakava taking the armband. He refused to comment on the issue but insisted he has always given his best to the team despite the outcome in respective games.

"All my games have been good and I have always given 100% even in the matches we have lost this season," Muguna continued.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to the 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions Azam FC. However, he did not wish to comment on the issue.

"I do not want to talk about the transfer right now because I have six months remaining on my current contract with Gor Mahia. Anything about my future will be discussed after the end of the current campaign."

Muguna has been an impressive figure at Gor Mahia and among key players that have helped them dominate the local scene. His form was also evident during the Africa Cup of Nations when Harambee Stars played against Egypt - and drew 1-1 in Nairobi. Although an injury saw him miss the tie against Togo, Kenya won 2-1 in Lome in March.

Chelsea supporters will protest the club's decision to become a founding member of a new European Super League.

The decision to create a Super League has been derided by UEFA, the Premier League, and even the UK Government, who will aim to put barriers in the way of Chelsea, who have also resigned from the European Clubs' Association, and the 11 other teams from starting a new competition.

The situation has left Chelsea supporters alienated from their club and they will stage a socially distanced protest at Stamford Bridge against the board while removing the fan-made banners inside the stadium ahead of kick-off against Brighton on Tuesday.

What has been said by Chelsea supporters?

"They say expect the unexpected, but today the Chelsea Supporters' Trust (CST), our members and football supporters across the world have experienced the ultimate betrayal," read a statement.

It added: "This is a decision of greed to line the pockets of those at the top and it has been made with no consideration for the loyal supporters, our history, our future or the future of football in this country.

"It is likely that this proposal with never come into existence, however, it speaks volumes that [Chelsea] are prepared to risk our existence in the Premier League and the FA Cup."

It concludes that "there has been no mention of this secretive proposal" despite recent "extensive talks" and CST now "demand answers", adding: "This is unforgivable. Enough is enough."

What has been said by Tuchel?

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said: "That’s what I love, to play the toughest competitions in Europe. That’s why I’m at Chelsea.

"I don’t get involved with all these subjects around us, I’m a bit sad all these subjects are around now, I thought we could talk about Man City and the Brighton game. That’s maybe not the case today.

"I want to play these club competitions, I trust the club to make the right decisions and it’s too early to judge everything and it’s not my part.

"On my badge from Chelsea it says I have to play my role. My role is to be coach, to be focused and we have an important game coming up tomorrow."

Have Chelsea fans fallen out with owner Roman Abramovich before?

Chelsea have broadly supported their owner Roman Abramovich, who bought the club in 2003 to kickstart the most glorious era in the club's history.

Not only did he invest in exciting superstar new signings across his ownership, but he has invested in a new training ground, the academy and a host of charitable projects that have resonated with the fans.

One of the few friction points that the Russian billionaire has had with the supporters was in 2011 when he tried to take ownership of the pitch from supporters. It regarded plans to build a new stadium for Chelsea in London at another location other than Stamford Bridge, which the club's supporters had the power to reject.

Although Abramovich owns almost every aspect of Chelsea Football Club, the actual pitch at Stamford Bridge is owned by the fan group called the Chelsea Pitch Owners.

Further reading

Villarreal manager Unai Emery has urged Samuel Chukwueze to find consistency in front of goal after his heroics in their 5-1 thumping of Levante on Sunday.

The 21-year-old ended his goal drought in La Liga with a brace at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia that helped Villarreal secure a commanding away win and rise to fifth on the league table.

The last time the Nigeria international scored a league goal was on November 2 when he opened the scoring in the Yellow Submarine’s 2-0 victory over Real Valladolid.

Emery was full of praise for Chukwueze’s talent and quality, but he wants the versatile forward to work more on his finishing after he equalled the three goals he scored in the Spanish top-flight last season.

“He’s a very young player who has to find consistency,” Emery told the club website about the Nigeria winger. “We need to take steps forward with him and be demanding.

“He’s a footballer with great quality. He has a lot of talent, but he needs to improve in front of goal. Today he put in a great performance and managed to score.”

Chukwueze has been a key player in Unai Emery’s team this campaign having played in 34 matches across all competitions with a contribution of four goals and five assists to his name, including three La Liga goals.

While also praising Villarreal’s overall effort in Levante, Emery added that he is keen on bolstering his squad with more competition in all positions.

He continued: “It’s a convincing win that gives us a lot of confidence and reinforces the work we’re doing. We’re focused on continuing to find resources that help the team’s internal competitive nature and help us grow as a team.”

Next up for Villarreal is a La Liga match against 16th-placed Deportivo Alaves on Wednesday before they take on Barcelona at the Estadio de la Ceramica four days later.

Retired Uganda international Mike Azira has explained how some European agents lure young African talents into bad contracts.

Azira, who recently retired from international football, stated some of the players accept the offers as they attempt to run away from poverty but end up suffering from a contract in which he has no negotiation power.

“These international agents come from Europe and offer young players large sums of money, relatively, to come to play for specific clubs,” Azira said as was quoted by Daily Monitor.  

“The players leave and get stuck with bad contracts, with no negotiating power.

“They get thrown into academy teams and stuck there for the agents to scoop up fees and forget about their careers. 

“Because so many of us come from such poverty, it’s very easy for these agents to convince a young player to leave.

"Think about it: $100,000 sounds like a lot to you, but imagine what it sounds like to the player who lives with five other people in a one-bedroom and uses a milk bag for shooting practice.”

Azira further said that his journey has been shaped by destiny as he is one of the many players he grew up with from his Kampala neighbourhood that have made it as far as he has done.

“It’s where my journey had taken me. And along my path I have felt the hand of destiny many times,” he added.

“It’s all happening for a reason, I thought. But I do not confuse destiny with divine intervention, or anything like that. I know that I was not special as a child, or that I was that much more talented than any of the other boys I grew up playing soccer with.

“The story of how I got to where I am today is about kindness, honesty and love.

“And it’s an important story, I think. Because so many young soccer players in Africa are looked at like products, like numbers on a spreadsheet. Agents and representatives see them as an easy route to money.

“They dangle opportunities and dreams in front of them and drag them as long as they can - toward a goal that most of them will never get them to - and then leave them to pick up their lives on their own.

"For me, I could have gone down that route. But I was fortunate enough to meet a man named Ken Davies. He changed my life.”

Azira, who was part of Uganda’s Africa Cup of Nations contingent in 2017 and in the 2019 finals, also stated how key his parents have been in his career.

“My parents are heroes. Life is very different in Uganda,” he concluded.

“It’s hard to explain for those who haven’t been, or who haven’t struggled as we have. I would sometimes go weeks without seeing my dad because he was up so early and home so late. He was a taxi driver and mom was a tailor.

“As I said, we’re from the ghetto. There were six of us and we all lived in one bedroom. It wasn’t weird to me, it was just life. There was lots of crime in the area. Muggings and shootings all the time. As kids, we had to stay occupied, stay out of trouble.”

Azira retired from international football after Denis Onyango and Hassan Wasswa did weeks after Uganda failed to book a third straight Afcon ticket.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have resigned from the European Club Association (ECA) and Ed Woodward has stepped down from his role with UEFA after plans for a European Super League were announced.

A statement released on Sunday night confirmed 12 clubs, including United and Arsenal, had agreed to form a breakaway league which would be run by the founding clubs.

Goal understands the decision to join the Super League means both clubs have resigned from the ECA and Woodward will no longer hold his UEFA role and Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham has resigned from his position on the ECA board in a move which further signals the club's intent to push forward with this controversial plan. 

What does this mean?

United’s executive vice-chairman Woodward was appointed to UEFA's Professional Football Strategy Council as an ECA representative in September 2017. His role was to advise and assist in the structure of European football's governing body but, with the ESL breaking away from UEFA’s traditional European competitions, he will no longer occupy that role.

While Venkatesham was only elected to the ECA board two months ago. At the time a statement from the club read: "We’re delighted that Vinai has been appointed to the European Clubs’ association board. The ECA represents clubs across Europe and is central to helping shape the future of the game with UEFA and FIFA."

United also confirmed co-owner Joel Glazer will be vice chair of the new league.

Both of the club's involvement in this breakaway league also means they will no longer be a part of the ECA, which is the professional body that represents the interests of clubs in UEFA competitions. This move is another statement of intent that these 12 founding clubs are keen to push their new league through.

Chelsea followed suit by leaving the ECA with the news confirmed by Goal on Monday morning.

What have they said?

A statement released late on Sunday said: "Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its founding clubs.

"AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined as founding clubs. It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.

"Going forward, the founding clubs look forward to holding discussions with UEFA and FIFA to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for football as a whole."

What will the format be?

According to the statement, the competition will feature "20 participating clubs with 15 founding clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season.

"Midweek fixtures with all participating clubs continuing to compete in their respective national leagues, preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.

"An August start with clubs participating in two groups of ten, playing home and away fixtures, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals. Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions.

"A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue."

Futher reading 

Simba SC assistant coach Selemani Matola has conceded that the change in approach from Mwadui made it tough for his team to penetrate their defence.

After a goalless first half in Shinyanga on Sunday, captain John Bocco scored the goal in the 66th minute that gave the Caf Champions League quarter-finalists the 1-0 win to move second on the Tanzania Mainland League table.

The former midfielder has lauded their opponents' change of plan which made the game difficult for the visitors.

"[Mwadui] 's game plan was good, they approached us cautiously and were defensive which made it tough to break them," Matola told Goal.

"The field also made it tough for us, we struggled to play. Despite us dominating the game, it was not easy but in the end we managed to get a win.

"In their past two games [against Mbeya City and JKT Tanzania respectively], they were more open and attacked which was not the case when we played them. It seems they came for a point and on our part we wanted maximum points."

Nevertheless, the 42-year-old was satisfied with the win and has further shed light on why at one point Mozambique international Luis Miquissone stood to warm up, preparing to come on, but he never did.

"It would have been easier for us if our opponents would have opened up to look for a win," Matola added.

"But we appreciate it because in the end, we got maximum points which is the most important thing. Away matches are usually tough and we do not expect easy matches.

"We wanted to bring in Miquissone [when the score was still 0-0] and attack more, but when we got the goal, we decided to leave him out and ensure the team is balanced from defence all the way to the attacking department." 

After the win, Wekundu wa Msimbazi have gone above Azam FC to occupy second place on the league table with 52 points from 22 games. They are four points behind Yanga, who have played three more games as the race looks to be a three-horse competition involving the top three sides.

The reigning champions are aiming at winning the league title for the fourth time in a row.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Dean Henderson has been given a "wake-up call" after the Manchester United goalkeeper's erratic display against Burnley.

United closed the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to eight points by beating Burnley 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, thanks to a brace from Mason Greenwood and an Edinson Cavani effort.

Solskjaer's side were made to work hard for the three points, though, and almost found themselves a goal down after just 20 seconds, with Chris Wood rising above the flailing arms of Henderson to head home only to be denied by the offside flag.

What's been said?

Henderson was eventually punished for failing to come out and deal with a corner in the 50th minute as James Tarkowski rose above the United defence to head in an equaliser moments after Greenwood's opener.

Asked to assess the England international's performance, Solskjaer told BBC Sport: “The first one is a wake-up call for him, he’s a proactive keeper and luckily he was offside so another win and Dean is still learning and maturing.”

The Norwegian added: “You never know [against Burnley], anything can happen in either box. Any time they get a cross in with their quality you’ve got your heart in your mouth.

"We built some pressure, especially down the left, wanted to do the right things and we got the goals we wanted."

United come through Burnley test

After a frustrating first 45 minutes of action, which saw both teams struggle to create clear-cut chances, United finally found the breakthrough just after the interval.

Greenwood produced an expert finish after being teed up by Marcus Rashford, only for Tarkowski to level proceedings shortly after the restart.

However, the Red Devils were not to be denied as Greenwood grabbed his second in the 84th minute with the aid of a fortunate deflection before Cavani tapped home the third in stoppage time after being found by a low cross from Donny van de Beek.

What else did Solskjaer say?

Solskjaer reserved special praise for Greenwood, who he believes has taken his game to a new level since the turn of the year.

“Very happy for him [Mason Greenwood]. He’s mixing up his game. He goes inside and outside, he’s maturing all the time. It’s lovely to see," he said.

“He’s put the work in on the training ground and reaps the rewards. Last season he was young, now he’s had almost two seasons in the first team.

"Especially in the last three or four months I’ve seen how mature he is on the training ground and he plays with maturity and understanding. He’s very creative but plays simple when he has to."

Further reading

Tottenham have sacked manager Jose Mourinho, bringing a contract that had been due to run until the summer of 2023 to a premature conclusion.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has been shown the door in north London a matter of days before Spurs are due to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

Mourinho had been appointed as successor to Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 due to his proven track record on the trophy front, but he will now depart empty-handed.

What have Spurs said?

In a statement, Spurs said: "The club can today announce that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin and Giovanni Cerra have been relieved of their duties."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club. Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the pandemic.

"On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged. He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution."

Spurs have also confirmed that the club's former midfielder Ryan Mason, who is currently head of player development, will take first-team training on Monday.

Mourinho's record at Tottenham

Questions were asked of the 58-year-old's methods throughout his time at the Spurs helm.

Accusations of being overly cautious were never far away from the Portuguese, with a supposedly defensive mindset winning him few admirers within a demanding fan base.

He was able to guide Tottenham to the League Cup final this season, as they seek to bring a 13-year wait for tangible success to a close, but now finds himself looking for a new job.

Mourinho took in 86 games as Spurs manager, collecting 44 victories from those outings to go alongside 19 draws and 23 defeats.

The bigger picture

Spurs' decision to sever ties with a high-profile coach has come in the wake of the club revealing that they will form part of plans to create a new Super League in Europe.

The Premier League's 'Big Six' have all signed up to that proposal, with the intention being for elite clubs across the continent to face one another in a midweek competition from 2021-22.

Mourinho will not be entering that brave new world - at least not with Tottenham - and finds himself back on the market after 17 months with a third English side of his coaching career.

Who could take over at Tottenham?

With Spurs now searching for a new boss, their recruitment net is expected to be cast far and wide.

Highly-rated RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann heads the early betting market, with the 33-year-old's services expected to be sounded out.

Former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is another name in the frame, along with Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers and club legend Ledley King.

Steven Gerrard, fresh from guiding Rangers to Scottish Premiership title glory, could also be approached, while ex-Liverpool and Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez finds himself out of work and looking for another role in England.

Further reading

Eddie Nketiah admits to having endured a "disappointing" time at Arsenal in 2020-21, with the 21-year-old bringing a four-month goal drought to a close against Fulham.

The highly-rated frontman stepped off the bench to earn the Gunners a dramatic late point in a 1-1 draw with the Cottagers.

That stoppage-time effort was his first since December 10, with the Emirates Stadium academy graduate slipping down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta.

What has been said?

Nketiah told Arsenal's official website after getting back on the goal trail: "I think I had a very good first half of the season, I was getting a lot of games, but in recent weeks I've not played as much as I would've liked to.

"It's been disappointing but I always work hard, prepare well and make sure I'm ready when I'm called on. It's always nice when you get the chance to make sure you take it, and luckily I did."

Nketiah's record at Arsenal

The all-time leading scorer for England's U21 side was given regular game time by Arteta after being welcomed back from a loan spell at Leeds in January 2020.

He hit four goals through 17 appearances in that campaign, while adding a further six efforts to his tally this term.

Nketiah fell out of favour around Christmas time , making just one FA Cup start in 2021, and saw talk of another loan move sparked during the winter window.

No deal was put in place and the youngster is now looking to make the most of enforced absences for striking rivals Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - who are nursing an injury and bout of malaria respectively.

The bigger picture

Arsenal need to find attacking inspiration from somewhere, with the stalemate against London rivals Fulham leaving the Europa League semi-finalists ninth in the Premier League table.

Nketiah is ready to step up, saying of his mood after netting late on against the Cottagers: "It's great to get on the scoresheet and salvage a point for the team.

"We fought very hard and we were very good at the tail-end of the game, so I think it's the least we deserved. It's always nice to score for Arsenal.

"It feels good, to be fair. It's a bit of belief, I think it's the least we deserved, like I said. Of course we would've wanted the three points, but in the circumstances and how late it was, it has to be good to at least get a point."

The Gunners will be back in action on Friday when they play host to Everton.

Further reading

Kenya international Michael Olunga was on target but Al Duhail SC conceded late as Al Ahli Saudi secured a 1-1 draw in their second Group C match of the 2021 AFC Champions League on Sunday night.

Duhail had taken a deserved lead in the 53rd minute through Olunga but their joy to possibly earn maximum points was cut short in added time as Omar Al Soma scored for the Saudi side to snatch a late draw at King Abdullah Sports City.

Duhail were the better side from the match kick-off as captain Almoez Ali failed to score from a clear chance after Edmilson Junior had done the spadework to feed him with a direct cross, and minutes later Olunga headed wide from a corner kick.

Al Ahli goalkeeper Al Qwais was forced into another save after Olunga latched onto a pass from Abdallah Al Ahrak, rounded two defenders before unleashing a left-footed shot which the keeper punched out for a fruitless corner.

Duhail continued to pile pressure on their opponents but there was no goal in the first half, and on resumption, they continued to attack with every opportunity they got and it was no surprise when they took a deserved lead in the 53rd minute.

Edmilson ran down the right flank and crossed the ball into the area but it was punched into play by Qwais and the ball fell onto Olunga’s path, who did not make mistake to smash it to the net.

Olunga then missed a golden chance to put his team 2-0 up when some smart interplay between his teammates gave him the ball and space in the penalty area, but he hit the ball over the bar.

The missed chances came back to haunt Duhail as Al Soma equalised for the home team at the death when Al Duhail’s defence failed to clear a corner that fell to Motaz Hawsawi, and Soma volleyed it into the net against the run of play.

Duhail coach Sabri Lamouchi expressed his frustration at the end of the game, insisting they had deserved a better result than a draw.

“The draw is not the fair result for this match which we controlled completely and we made many opportunities but it was lost, but the players performed a very good match either in the first or second half but they lost focus in the final minutes of the match due to lack of water due to fasting and it was clear in their performance, and the referee could have given the players a chance to drink water as happens in most leagues in the region,” Lamouchi told the club’s official website after the game.

“At times like this because of humidity and also fasting of the players, and Al Ahli took advantage of this and succeeded in scoring the equaliser goal in the extra time, and I am frustrated because of the great effort the players made in the stadium and they deserved victory.

“We will continue to work to correct all the mistakes that appeared in today's match and we will come back strongly in the upcoming match because today [Sunday], we lost two points and we must focus more on the upcoming confrontations.”

Meanwhile, Esteghlal FC remained top of the group following a 3-0 win against Al Shorta in the other group match played at the same venue.

Esteghlal scored through Mohammad Naderi in the 44th minute, Farshid Esmaeili in the 55th minute and Check Diabete in the 65th minute to win their second match in the group and they are now on top with six points while Duhail are second on four points, Al-Ahli Saudi third with a single point and Al Shorta last without a point.

Rio Ferdinand has admitted to being "embarrassed" by Manchester United's involvement in the European Super League plans, which he describes as a declaration of "war on football".

United have agreed on the new continental format designed to replace the Champions League alongside Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham, despite huge opposition from football's top governing bodies and supporters' groups.

Ferdinand has been among those to criticise the proposal, insisting that the core values of the game are now at risk due to what he perceives as a shameless money-grab.

What's been said?

Asked if all of the club's that have agreed to break away should face sanctions, the former Red Devils defender told BT Sport: "100%. I think this breakaway group of teams, this is a war on football. It’s a disgrace. It’s embarrassing. And it goes against everything football is about.

"There’s no consideration for the history, for the people in the different parts of the pyramid below the top, top teams that they’re trying to separate from.

"It’s a disgrace, I can’t believe it. How have they got the audacity to do it in the climate we’re in at the moment with the pandemic around the world?

"I think the element of being anti-competitive goes against everything football is about. Relegation, promotion, being rewarded for winning, being punished for not winning: these are things that add to the value of our game that we love.

"It shows me that these people have no idea what football is about. It’s purely a business transaction, that’s it. There’s no thought for anyone else in the pyramid, there’s no consideration at all. I can’t believe it"

Ferdinand added on United's involvement: "I’m embarrassed. There’s been so many things thrown at the owners over the past few years, but this situation now – to be a part of that group that want to break away and leave everybody for dead – that’s an embarrassment.

"I can’t believe it. I’m sorry, I’m a Man United fan, I love the club, but I can’t stand by and support something like that at all."

What is the European Super League?

It has been reported that a total of 20 clubs will participate in the European Super League including those from England, with AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid having also been confirmed among the founding members of the competition.

The inaugural European Super League season has been slated to commence "as soon as practicable", with fixtures expected to begin at the start of normal club seasons in August.

Clubs will participate in two groups of ten, with home and away fixtures to be played and the top three in each pool automatically securing a spot in the quarter-finals.

Teams in fourth and fifth will have to negotiate a play-off in order to qualify for the final last-eight positions, with a two-legged format set to be used all the way through to the final.

Further reading

Jamie Carragher admits it "sickens" him to learn that Liverpool have been leading the way in plans for the construction of a new European Super League, with those in charge at Anfield accused of "betrayal of heritage".

Speculation regarding a new continental competition that allows elite clubs to breakaway and compete among themselves has raged for some time, with matters now coming to a head.

A group of 12 sides, including the Premier League's 'Big Six', announced on Sunday that they are looking to add midweek meetings with fellow heavyweights to their schedule, with the proposals being met by widespread condemnation from fans, former players and governing bodies.

What has been said?

Carragher has added his voice to those criticising the teams involved, with the Reds legend telling The Telegraph: "All I have heard from Liverpool this year is how much they have missed their fans.

"Funny how the voices on the Kop matter only when it is most convenient.

"The more I read about the European Super League proposals, the more it seems Liverpool’s owners must like empty stadiums because all they have done is raise the likelihood of another mass walkout.

"Liverpool’s game with Leeds on Monday night could not be better timed to expose the insanity of the closed-shop idea.

"It is a game with potentially massive ramifications for Champions League qualification, full of jeopardy, and hence drama.

"Millions will tune in for that reason, emotions running high whatever the result. The same anxious excitement will accompany all of Liverpool’s remaining seven games, which is why the broadcasters pay millions for them.

"That is the beauty of league football – where every action and point matters. That is why, as a former Liverpool player, it sickens me that my club’s reputation is being damaged by the arrogance of an ownership group that wants to remove such peril, creating a culture where we no longer need to fight to earn our success. That is the antithesis of everything I understand football – especially in my city – to stand for.

"To be tainted by association with the European Super League is bad enough, but Liverpool’s apparent leading role in threatening football’s competitive ideals – the very ideals which allowed the club to emerge from England’s second division to become six-time European champions – is a betrayal of a heritage they are seeking to cash in on.

"Manchester United’s shameless capitalism does not surprise me. United fans will agree that from day one, the Glazers have never hidden the fact they bought the club for the cash. They summed up their contempt for United fans when introducing a system forcing season-ticket holders to pay additional fees for cup matches.

"But John W Henry is more cunning, courting fans’ groups in his early years and presenting himself as keen to engage, yet consistently failing to grasp the culture of the Kop. I was among the paying season-ticket holders who walked out in disgust when Liverpool tried to charge £77 for match tickets in 2016, and only last summer the club were forced to backtrack on their attempts to claim taxpayer funds for furloughed staff.

"Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs will also get rightly hammered for this. Those four always seem happy hiding behind Liverpool and United when the flak is flying.

"Whenever these radical schemes emerge, it is an opportunity for everyone to pile in, accusing the so-called “elite” of self-interest. True as that is, the moralistic intervention of UEFA, the Football Association, national leagues and whatever government minister is after a few votes is laughable."

What will the format of a Super League be?

According to a statement from those involved, the competition will work thus: "20 participating clubs with 15 Founding Clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season.

"Midweek fixtures with all participating clubs continuing to compete in their respective national leagues, preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.

"An August start with clubs participating in two groups of ten, playing home and away fixtures, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals. Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions. A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue."

Further reading

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Junior Khanye believes that his former club should be looking at a fresh injection of rising young stars when their transfer ban comes to an end in June.

Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt admitted just recently that Phathutshedzo Nange was actually signed by Amakhosi and is expected to return to the club at the end of the season, having penned a short term deal with Stellenbosch FC.

Nange was a player Hunt signed from Black Leopards while he was in charge of Bidvest Wits, and another ex-Clever Boy, Sifiso Hlanti - currently at Swallows FC -  has also been strongly linked with a move to Chiefs once the ban is lifted.

There's also been a lot of talk that Swallows' in-form attacker Ruzaigh Gamildien has agreed to join the Glamour Boys for next season.

However, Gamildien, Hlanti and Nange are all vastly experienced players, roughly around the 30-year-old mark, and Khanye has pointed out the need to also bring in some younger faces, players who can grow with the club and who Chiefs can build a team around for the future.

“In order to properly rebuild the club, the management must sign classy young players who will give Chiefs plenty of quality over a long period of time,” Khanye was quoted saying on the iDiski Times website.

“SuperSport United duo Sipho Mbule and Teboho Mokoena, for example, are both young players who have a lot of quality and they can help revive that team over a long period.

“Chiefs need quality young players whether they are signed from other clubs or developed from within," the former ball wizard continued.

“Occasionally, the club can sign older players who will add value to the squad, players such as Andile Jali or Linda Mntambo for example.

“If a player is over 30, then he needs to be a brilliant player for him to play for a club as big as Chiefs.”

Carlos Eduardo was one of the celebrated players in Al-Hilal. During his five years with the club, he scored 81 goals in 156 matches. He was a fan favourite and was fondly called 'The Super' by the Al-Hilal faithful. During his farewell, he was gifted a golden iPhone and a lion by one of the supporters. 

"But I couldn't keep it (the lion) for more than a week, because it ruined my sofa," revealed the Brazilian in an interview to Goal. 

However, he has kept Al-Hilal in his heart as he shared a special relationship with the fans. They even compared him to former Brazilian player Rivellino who was one of the stars of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning team. 

"I think this is because in my first match with Al-Hilal against Al-Nasr in London, I scored the goal that won the Super Cup, after which I scored many goals and won titles. Comparison with him is something to be proud of, he was a great player, it was great for me to score goals for Al Hilal. I don't work to be better than any other player, but to help the team."

Before coming to Asia, Eduardo had played in prominent clubs in Europe like Porto and Nice. During his stint with the Ligue 1 team, he scored five goals in a match which he thinks was one of the turning points in his career. 

"My father gave me everything that day. It was not easy, because I was playing as a No. 8 in Nice.  To score five goals in one game is not at all easy. I stayed in the history of the French League, that day is never forgotten." 

Eduardo shares a special bond with Omar Abdel-Rahman "Amouri", as both of them were teammates at Al-Hilal as well. 

"He is good, very good. He has started to recover from his injury, and I think he will be ready soon. We played in Saudi Arabia together. We played very good together. So I wait for him to help us as he is an amazing player," he stated. 

The 31-year-old revealed that he had to leave Al-Hilal because the terms of renewal were 'very very bad'. He had no other choice but to leave the club and join Shabab Al Ahli when they came calling. 

Although Gerard Zaragoza's men are currently struggling in the AFC Champions League (ACL), Eduardo believes that his team can turn around the fortunes in the upcoming matches. 

"Everything is possible in football. We have a good team and a good coach. We have to believe in this and work for it. We have a chance to win the title." 

With just a point from two matches, they are in the fourth spot in Group A. The time is ripe for Eduardo to weave his magic once again and win hearts in Dubai after conquering Riyadh. 

Orlando Pirates secured a much-needed win when they defeated Maritzburg United on Sunday evening following the Buccaneers' humiliating loss to Mamelodi Sundowns on Thursday.

Brace-hero Vincent Pule inspired Pirates to a 2-0 victory over the Team of Choice in a PSL encounter after the Soweto giants were eliminated from the Nedbank Cup by Sundowns, who emerged 4-1 winners on Tshwane.

Pirates supporters praised Pule on social media after the win against Maritzburg, while some fans were not impressed as they criticised the club's head coach Josef Zinnbauer following the game which took place at Orlando Stadium. 

Check out how Twitter reacted to Pirates' victory over Maritzburg: 

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool still have hope of making this season a success as he sets his sights on finishing in the Premier League's top four.

Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the quarter-final round, and the Reds face a difficult battle to return to Europe's top club competition next season.

As things stand, Liverpool sit sixth in the Premier League, three points behind fourth-place West Ham and two points behind fifth-place Chelsea.

What did Klopp have to say?

"I'm not sure how the people outside see that, [but] for us we can make this season still a success [by] qualifying for the Champions League," he said. "Because we won the league last year, that doesn't mean the only thing what is possible for us to be a success would be winning the league – that would be really mad.

"That's the problem why a lot of teams then get problems after winning something. We are not in that mood. We don't chase our own shadow or however you want to say that, and say, 'Oh my God, how can we get that good again?' No, no, no. We know about all the necessary steps and all these kind of things we have to do.

"Yes, we are in a situation and we were before. And we know we have to be in that mood and we have to chase everybody – the team we play and all the others without playing them, but not in the same moment, just around that, that we really put pressure on them. That's how it is. We felt it. I'm not sure if it was '17 but maybe it was when Chelsea came up, they were winning all the time and it's different.

"If we go in a game, I think, 'OK, if we win it's good. If not, it's not so important. Then oh my God, Chelsea won again.' So you go in the game in a different mood – we know that. We still did it, [we] made it that year but it was tricky. We can only make it difficult for the other teams and the only way we can make it difficult for them is by winning our own games. That's the way we try to use."

Uncertainty for Henderson

Klopp went on to discuss Jordan Henderson's availability, with the Liverpool skipper still out of action due to a groin injury.

Henderson has missed Liverpool's last nine matches after undergoing surgery and Klopp says he isn't sure when he'll have his captain back in training.

 "I don't know. He's not in training yet – I think we can say that and all the rest we will see," he said.

"It makes just not too much sense, and I don't know it really, to make this kind of – in German we say 'water-level announcements' – running commentaries. 

"I don't know. He looks good, that's the good news, but not in training yet."

Further reading

Mason Greenwood is unwilling to concede the title race as the Manchester United star is still holding out hope that Manchester City could slip up.

Manchester City have amassed an eight-point lead over the second-place Manchester United with both teams having just six games left to play in the Premier League this season.

But, after Sunday's 3-1 win over Burnley, Greenwood says Man Utd will fight on until the very end in their pursuit of a Premier League title.

What did Greenwood have to say?

"You can never be sure - they might slip up. we have to concentrate on our next games," Greenwood told Sky Sports.

"Anything's possible, Hopefully they [Manchester City] drop some points but we just have to keep focused on our games."

Greenwood's goals

Greenwood was the chief catalyst behind Man Utd's win over Burnley, with the teenage attacker scoring twice in the 3-1 win.

With the goals, he moved alongside Wayne Rooney as Man Utd's top teenage goalscorers while keeping the club's slim Premier League title hopes alive.

 "I keep focused," he told Sky. "I knew my goals would come and kept my head down and I've taken my opportunities."

He added: "I like to do that, cut inside like that. I did it last season but you have to mix it up so defenders don't catch you out. Happy with both of my goals.

"I'm happy I'm playing a lot, Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] trusts me and I do my best on the pitch and try to help my team-mates and it's showing on the pitch."

Further reading