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Arsenal legend Ray Parlour claims to be “sure” that Aaron Ramsey will “one day come back” to Emirates Stadium, with the Wales international currently plying his trade at Juventus.

The 30-year-old midfielder headed to Turin in the summer of 2019 when he left north London as a free agent, having allowed his contract to run down, and brought an 11-year spell with the Gunners to a close.

Ramsey bid an emotional goodbye when the time came for him to pack his bags, with fond memories held of a spell that delivered 369 appearances and three FA Cup triumphs.

He is now looking to replicate that success in Italy, with his debut campaign delivering a Serie A crown.

The Welshman is enjoying his football under Andrea Pirlo as part of a star-studded Juve squad, but Parlour believes the call of home will prove too strong at some stage.

The former Arsenal winger told talkSPORT when asked if he could see Ramsey back at the Emirates: "He’s doing well at Juventus at the moment and enjoying his football.

“He’s been a top professional his whole career, the way he conducted himself when he left Arsenal.

“He probably wanted to stay but at that moment in time they didn’t want to give him the wages he wanted.

“He was a brilliant player and I’m sure one day he will come back. He’ll probably finish his career in England – we don’t know where it’s going to be.

“He could go back to Cardiff.”

Ramsey burst onto the senior stage at Cardiff, with a competitive debut made for the Bluebirds at just 16 years of age.

It may be that his career goes full circle and he looks to complete his playing days back where it all began.

Arsenal will, however, be keeping a door open for now, with the Premier League heavyweights still crying out for a player of Ramsey’s ilk.

Creativity and goal threat from midfield have been big misses for Mikel Arteta’s side of late, with efforts being made to counter those issues with another transfer window open.

Ramsey is not a target at present, as he remains under contract at Juve until 2023, but nothing can be ruled out further down the line.

The blossoming centre-half partnership between Ruben Dias and John Stones at Manchester City means the Blues could have the new Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand on their hands, says Trevor Sinclair.

Pep Guardiola has not always seen those at the heart of a back four earn such high praise.

Vincent Kompany was once a talismanic presence for City, but his injury struggles and subsequent departure in 2019 left a sizeable void for any alternative options to fill.

Big money has been thrown at trying to fix those problems, with recent windows seeing Aymeric Laporte, Dias and Nathan Ake snapped up.

Stones was drafted in prior to that, with £47.5 million ($65m) invested in his ball-playing ability back in 2016.

The England international has struggled for consistency throughout his time at the Etihad Stadium, sparking exit talk on a regular basis, but a welcome return to form is being enjoyed at present.

The 26-year-old is flourishing alongside Portuguese star Dias, with Sinclair seeing similarities between a City pairing of the present and a legendary Manchester United duo of the past.

The former Blues winger told talkSPORT: “I think Manchester City have got two ways of playing now.

“If you look at the possession against some teams, it’s not what it used to be. They’ve got a possession-based game where they’re dictating and getting in the final third, but also if they’re not having any joy with that they’ll sit back.

“Because they’re so confident with John Stones and Ruben Dias they’ll sit back and like we’ve seen in that 15 minutes at Chelsea, they’ll hit you on the break. They’ve got speed going forward and if you give them half a pitch to work in they’ll go and destroy you.”

On the Stones/Dias partnership, Sinclair added: “It’s been outstanding. It kind of reminds me of when Vidic and Rio were together – one of them would make a block and they’d high five each other.

“It just seems they’ve got that kind of relationship and chemistry where they respect each other.

“They look like they’re a really good contrast of players; one of them wants to head the ball, Ruben Dias is a really good talker and John Stones’ stats… he’s played eight, won seven and drawn one and lost none.

“He’s got 93.4 per cent pass accuracy – that’s number one in the league – and this season he’s played 10, won nine, drawn one and lost none. When he’s not in the starting XI, they’ve played 15, won eight, drawn five, lost two.

“It’s there in black and white. It’s great, he’s had difficult times and been in the media for the wrong reasons, he’s been dropped from the England squad but he seems to have got his life together and it’s back together on the pitch.

“This is what we knew we [Man City] were buying. Everyone knew he had the potential to play like this and for me this is the best football he’s been playing in his career.”

Jose Mourinho has warned Tottenham would be left in an "impossible situation" if their game at Aston Villa is postponed due to Covid-19, and called on the Premier League to show "leadership".

Villa are expected to field a young side in their FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Friday, as a large number of first-team players and staff tested positive for coronavirus this week.

Spurs have already had a derby at Fulham called off on December 30 after the Cottagers were hit by the virus and a scheduled trip to Villa Park next Wednesday is now in doubt.

Tottenham will also face Manchester City at a later date of April 25 due to the pandemic and given they are fighting for honours on four fronts, Mourinho suggested they would refuse to accept any more postponements.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Cup tie at Marine, he said: "I believe that is a completely impossible situation for a club to have three matches postponed, especially if that club plays in Europe. If that club doesn't play in Europe, of course there are the UEFA fixtures.

"For a Europa League team to have three matches postponed is impossible. Completely impossible. That's the only thing that I can say."

Asked about the prospect of facing Fulham instead of Villa, he added: "I don't know. It's not for me to find solutions. I'm not going to lie to you, I've been doing that hypothetical exercise with my staff.

"Of course, we have no influence and we don't want to have influence. The only thing that we can say is that what we did in the beginning of the season is impossible to repeat and we refuse to repeat.

"We have to defend our players, the integrity of our competitions and we would never accept to play seven matches in three weeks like we did before. One thing is [the] beginning [of the season], another thing is mid-season.

"Also because of the difficulties and demands of the matches. One thing is to play with all the risks, the Europa League play-offs, another thing is to play Europa League knockout where all the best teams are there.

"We cannot be put in an impossible situation. To have three matches postponed, it is the moment for the Premier League to show leadership, make decisions, that of course a club like us, is trying every day to be ready to play, to follow the rules that we had in our hands.

"We cannot be punished. If we don't play against Aston Villa, we will have three matches postponed and that is impossible. Because after the season we have the Euros, and of course the matches cannot be moved."

Mourinho revealed Gareth Bale trained on Friday and could travel to eighth-tier minnows Marine, while Jack Clarke and Harvey White will be in the squad.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is “the Pope, the King and the Cardinal” at Santiago Bernabeu, says Antonio Cassano, with absolute power wielded by a man calling the shots in the Spanish capital.

Perez, who is currently taking in a second spell as Blancos supremo, is best known for his ‘Galacticos’ approach to player recruitment.

He has delivered a stunning collection of marquee signings at Real down the years, from Luis Figo to Cristiano Ronaldo via David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

Silverware has been collected on a regular basis under his stewardship, with a steady stream of coaches learning the hard way just how demanding their boss can be.

Zidane occupies the hot seat at present, with the Madrid icon having overseen two La Liga title triumphs and three Champions League successes during two stints in the dugout.

His efforts have been keeping Perez happy, despite the odd question being asked of the French coach’s future.

Patience is a commodity rarely seen at the Bernabeu, with a revolving door policy allowing players and managers to come and go, and there is no questioning who holds the greatest influence.

Cassano experienced first-hand between 2006 and 2008 just how dominant Perez can be, with the 73-year-old making everyone aware that what he says goes.

Former Italy international Cassano told Christian Vieri’s Podcast: “I was at Real Madrid and it is something different from the rest of the world.

“At this moment Florentino Perez is the Pope, the King and the Cardinal.

“If he decides to offer you one [year contract] and you have an agreement with another team that offers you three, he will decide if you stay.

“Look, [Luka] Modric was going to leave, he stayed and won the Ballon d'Or. [Fabio] Cannavaro, the same.

“That year he had played well with Juventus but they could have given it to [Gigi] Buffon or [Zinedine] Zidane if it wasn't for the World Cup headbutt.

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic made a joke about the Ballon d'Or a couple of years ago and said that Florentino always won it.”

Outspoken Swedish frontman Ibrahimovic, who is currently back on the books of Serie A giants AC Milan, made his Perez quip in 2018.

He said: “[Lionel] Messi was competing for the Ballon d'Or with Florentino Perez, not Cristiano [Ronaldo].”

Barcelona superstar Messi failed to make the top three of the Golden Ball vote in 2018, as Madrid midfielder Modric walked away with the top prize.

Prior to that, Portuguese icon Ronaldo had enjoyed a run of four successes in five seasons across his record-setting spell at the Bernabeu working under Perez.

Neymar continues to be unavailable for Paris Saint-Germain, with the Brazilian missing what will be his fifth match in a row.

The 28-year-old has been nursing an ankle injury and has not yet been able to train under the French club's new head coach, former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.

While PSG have revealed that the former Santos star has started running, the game against Brest on Saturday comes too soon for him to be involved.

What are the details?

PSG have confirmed that Neymar is unavailable for selection for Pochettino's second game in charge of the club against 10th-placed Brest.

The Argentine was appointed as Thomas Tuchel's successor on January 2 and oversaw a 1-1 draw away at Saint-Etienne in his first match, a result that enabled Lyon to move three points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

Indeed, Neymar has now not featured for his club since suffering an ankle injury in a 1-0 home defeat to Rudi Garcia's Lyon on December 13.

And the former Barcelona forward was absent from training once again on Friday, with the likes of Presnel Kimpembe, Juan Bernat, Rafinha, Danilo Pereira and Leandro Paredes all also missing the meeting with Brest on Saturday evening.

The bigger picture

The continued absence of one of Europe's top players will be a source of frustration for Pochettino, with Neymar having been in scintillating form prior to his injury, scoring seven goals in his last five appearances in all competitions.

Injury issues have frequently plagued the Brazil international ever since his switch from Barcelona for a world-record €222 million fee.

The 28-year-old has barely played a European knockout fixture for PSG in his three-and-a-half years at the club and former Spurs manager Pochettino will be desperate to get him fit and firing ahead of the Champions League round-of-16 meeting with Barcelona in February.

Getting Neymar, and his other star man Kylian Mbappe, on the pitch and playing in tandem with each other could well be the difference between success and failure for the Argentine in what is his fourth managerial job.

What's been said?

An update on Neymar's condition on PSG's official website read: "Neymar (ankle): He's started running and is doing individual work."

Pochettino, meanwhile, has been commenting on Neymar and how he plans to get the best out of the forward.

Speaking at his first press conference in charge of the club on January 5, he said: "When Neymar starts training with the squad we will find the best position for him so that he can be the best he can be.

"We don't like to talk about systems. We will work on the game, on the animation and that all the players including Neymar be the best they can be. 

"They are all leaders, there are different ways of expressing leadership and the more leaders we have in the team, whether in the locker room or on the pitch, the more beneficial it will be for the club."

Further reading

Frank Lampard has confirmed N'Golo Kante has a hamstring problem, but is hopeful that his injury isn't too serious with his star midfielder key to turning around a run of poor form.

Chelsea's manager is under increasing pressure following a bad run that has seen his side win just one of their last six Premier League matches.

Kante has been ever-present during the run, starting the last four games in a 10-day period.

After being hit by injury last season, Kante had stayed fit until now, but he joins Reece James and Andreas Christensen on the injured list ahead of the FA Cup third-round clash with Morecambe at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

"Reece James is out for the game, although he will be training with us tomorrow," Lampard said. "It's the same as Andreas Christensen, and Kante is out also with a minor hamstring injury. So he misses this game and is suspended for Fulham anyway, so we'll get him right. Those three are out."

Christensen's injury came in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa as a heavily rotated team dropped points against Dean Smith's high-flying side.

Anwar El Ghazi's equaliser was hotly debated as he scored while Christensen was down which left Chelsea short in defence. The Danish defender came in from some criticism after the collision with Jack Grealish, who got up while he stayed down injured.

Even Blues legend and now-Aston Villa assistant coach John Terry took to Instagram to criticise the defender, but Lampard thinks it is harsh in light of his knee problem.

"It was from that moment in the Villa game," Lampard added. "It’s probably a typical modern-day reaction where Andreas has taken stick. He’s out but the injury isn’t too bad which is good news for him. He’ll be back training with us tomorrow.”

Chelsea can ill-afford to lose to Morecambe on Sunday with Lampard under increased threat of losing his job after a difficult run.

Lampard has one of the Premier League's biggest squads but he is hopeful of giving some opportunities to stars of the club's youth teams. Chelsea have blocked the Cobham academy graduates from seeking loan moves until after the match.

Tino Anjorin, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Lewis Bate, Tino Livramento and Henry Lawrence could all make the matchday squad having tested negative for coronavirus and trained with the group ahead of the cup clash.

“We've called up both Tinos (Anjorin and Livramento), Jude, who has been scoring goals in the youth team," he added. "We’ve called up Lewis Bate who has trained with us before and Henry Lawrence.

“It’s a great experience for them and it’s something I’ve wanted to do and last season was able to do pre-restart. It helps training because it’s really important to have competitive training and having young players enables you to be really competitive with killing the other players physically in between games.

“We’ve had a long week and they’ve been really able to help that. They’ve also been able to show their qualities and it’s always great to gauge young players to see how quickly they take to the football side of training but also how their personalities react to the uplift in pressure and level in training.

“It’s something I’ve always believed passionately for the club and I have seen a lot out of all of those players that have come to train with us. They are real potential for us and there are lots of steps for them in many different ways, but I’ve been really pleased to do it.

“It’s good for the older players because they can speak to the younger lads and help them. And for the young players, it shows what they can aspire to.”

Sergio Aguero's mood is "better than ever" as he tentatively nears the end of his injury nightmare, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola confirmed City's all-time top scorer will start Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie against Birmingham City at Etihad Stadium as he looks to put the after-effects of meniscus surgery behind him.

Aguero underwent the operation in June and has been forced to manage ongoing discomfort in the joint since a hamstring injury at West Ham curtailed his initial return in October.

Despite being ravaged by a coronavirus outbreak among their squad, City head into the weekend buoyed by their two finest performances of the season - a swashbuckling 3-1 win over Chelsea preceding a 2-0 victory against rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Four minutes from the bench at Stamford Bridge was the sum of Aguero's action across the those games, as he was an unused substitute at Old Trafford.

Nevertheless, his goalscoring prowess has been an obvious miss across the course of the campaign.

In their most recent title-winning season, City averaged 2.6 goals per game in the Premier League with Aguero in the side. That has fallen to 1.6 in all matches this time around, with a win percentage of 53.9 per cent, set against 84.8 with Aguero in harness two seasons ago. Shots per 90 minutes are also down from 18.1 to 15.6 when the two data sets are compared.

"Just look at the numbers, the quality he has in the box, Sergio is unique," Guardiola told his pre-match news conference. "He has a tough, tough injury. The important thing is his mood is exceptional, I would say better than ever.

"It's important that the feeling, the last two weeks, his knee's reaction was really good after training. This is the best news we can have.

"He’s going to start, the minutes his performance level or knee will dictate. What's important is good quality minutes, as much as possible, we start from the beginning and after we'll see what happens.

"It will be great to have Sergio fit. He’s so optimistic. He says 'I will score goals' and that is the most important thing."

Aguero is out of contract at the end of the season, as is fellow fans' favourite Fernandinho. The 35-year-old Brazil international has returned to his customary central midfield position this season, having deputised at centre-back for much of last, and completed the scoring with a sweetly struck volley against United in midweek.

Following the departure of David Silva over the close season, Fernandinho has stepped up as club captain and impressed Guardiola greatly with his leadership skills.

"With the players in this part of the season, everything is open," Guardiola said, when discussing the prospect of the veteran earning a fresh deal. "I am more than impressed with the first captain role of Fernandinho, he is leading in an exceptional way. In the good moments and the bad, bad moments.

"If everyone can take an example of what he has done so far, the team will be stronger."

Pressed for examples of how the quietly spoken star commands the dressing room, Guardiola replied: "How he talks with his mates, how he talks with my assistant coach, before the game, at half-time.

"Not just talking to players about football matters, in life, how to behave in training, every single day. He's the first who proves that he's able to do it. That's why he goes to Old Trafford, plays holding midfielder there. It was not easy for Bruno Fernandes to control him.

"At the beginning of the season he stepped forward and showed how to be a captain."

City will have Ederson, Ferran Torres and Tommy Doyle available for selection once more, provided they returned negative Covid-19 tests on Friday. The trio tested positive ahead of the postponed Premier League match at Everton on December 28.

Over the next several months, Charlotte FC will be linked with plenty of transfers as they march towards their inaugural MLS season.

The club is roughly a year away from its first preseason and, with only three players on the squad, they still have plenty of wheeling and dealing to do in the transfer market.

In recent weeks, the club has been linked with what would be a massive move as reports out of Spain stated that Charlotte was in pursuit of Andres Guardado, a player long linked with MLS.

However, while the Mexican international may someday end up playing in the U.S., it does not appear he will do so with Charlotte.

Sources familiar with the team's thinking have told Goal that Charlotte FC do not plan to sign Guardado, who is currently playing in La Liga for Real Betis.

Reports out of Spain recently stated that Guardado had held talks with Charlotte, who are currently filling their roster after seeing their debut season pushed from 2021 to 2022 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sources close to Guardado confirmed to Goal that Charlotte were interested at one point when the team was scheduled to begin play in 2021. However, talks have not been held between the two parties for quite some time.

The 34-year-old's contract with Real Betis is set to expire in 2022. He originally joined the Spanish side back in 2017, and has gone on to make 110 appearances for the club since making the move from PSV.

At the time, Guardado admitted that he had shunned offers from MLS having previously been linked with Atlanta United and Los Angeles FC.

Guardado is one of Mexico's most decorated players, having represented El Tri at four World Cups since making his debut in 2005. He has earned 164 caps for Mexico, scoring 28 goals in the process while claiming three Gold Cups.

Guardado was recognized with the Golden Ball during Mexico's run to the 2015 Gold Cup title after scoring six goals throughout the tournament.

At club level, Guardado began his career at Atlas before moving to Europe to join Deportivo La Coruna in 2007.

He eventually earned a move to Valencia, where he remained for two seasons, before joining Bayer Leverkusen and PSV on loan.

His loan with PSV was made permanent in 2015 and he went on to win the Eredivisie twice before linking up with Real Betis.

Charlotte FC do already have their own connection with the Mexican, as the club's director of scouting, Thomas Schaling, joined from the Dutch side where he helped finalise the signings of Guardado, Hirving Lozano and Oleksandr Zinchenko as the club's international senior scout.

Guardado, who has featured just eight times this season as he has fallen down the pecking order at Betis, has recently been out of action after testing positive for coronavirus.

Charlotte FC currently have three players on their roster: Spanish midfielder Sergio Ruiz, Australian up-and-comer Riley McGree and MLS veteran Brandt Bronico, who recently joined the club from the Chicago Fire having played college soccer for the Charlotte 49ers.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Odion Ighalo will feature for his side when they square off against Watford in Saturday’s FA Cup tie.

The 31-year-old has found game time difficult to come by in the current campaign following the arrival of Edinson Cavani at the club in the summer.

The former Nigeria international has made only four appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions this season.

The centre-forward has, however, been assured of his involvement for United against his former club Watford, following his satisfactory performances in training.

 “Odion, it’s special for him against Watford. He will be involved; he’s in the squad,” Solskjaer said in a pre-match press conference.

“He’s been training really well. I was just saying before, I don’t know how many goals he scored, but he was the top scorer by a mile in the round-robin we just had in training.

“So he’s not lost any of his sharpness or his quality. It’s been difficult for him to be out of the squad as many times of course because he did really well up to the summer.

“This season he’s not had as many opportunities, but he’s never let himself down as a professional and a human being.

“In training, he always works hard and he’s been a positive influence in the dressing room. He’s in the squad and hopefully, I don’t need to put him on that we need goals, but hopefully, he can join in.”

Ighalo teamed up with the Old Trafford outfit during January 2020 transfer deadline day from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua until the end of the season.

The forward thus became the first Nigerian player and the seventh African star to feature for the Premier League giants.

The former Super Eagles marksman hit the ground running on his arrival at Old Trafford, scoring five goals in as many appearances, amid other dazzling displays.

The attacker immediately became the toast of the Red Devils fans following his eye-catching performances.

Ighalo’s fine displays also earned him a loan contract extension with Manchester United until January 2021.

The forward will hope to utilize the opportunity to feature against his former club Watford, where he spent three years, to open his account this season for the Red Devils.

Ronald Koeman is keen to bolster his options at Barcelona with some January additions, but he acknowledges the club's financial situation may make it too difficult.

Philippe Coutinho last week joined Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Gerard Pique on Barca's long-term injury list, while Carles Alena was allowed to leave for Getafe on loan until the end of the season.

Koeman has already expressed his desire to add a striker to his ranks, with the club having let Luis Suarez leave in the close season without signing a replacement, and they continue to be linked with Memphis Depay.

However, Barca's finances have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, so much so that they have delayed the biannual wage payment due to players in January.

Koeman consequently accepts it may not be possible for Barca to fulfil his wish to bring in new faces.

"It is important for our short-term future. We want to improve the squad. I still think some positions need more competition and effectiveness," said Koeman on Friday.

"But I understand the situation of the club. If it is not possible, it is not possible, and we will wait for the next window."

Koeman suggested Alena may not be the only young player to leave Camp Nou this month, though he revealed 17-year-old midfielder Ilaix Moriba could be in line for a first-team debut against Granada on Saturday.

"We have told the players that I think it is better for them to find a way out so they have minutes, predominantly [these suggestions have come from] Ramon Planes [club technical secretary] because I am more focused on the games," said the Dutchman.

"Once again it is the player's decision. I think that for some, without mentioning names, because of their youth it is best to seek the best as a player. A young man cannot go a year without playing. It's not good for improving as a young player.

"We know that with Alena's loan we are missing a player, and Ilaix was with us in pre-season. Sometimes he trains with the first team. It is a possibility he will be called up for tomorrow's game."

Barca will be without the suspended Clement Lenglet at Nuevo Los Carmenes and Koeman indicated Samuel Umtiti could make his first start of the season in his fellow Frenchman's stead.

"He has been out for a long time and has recovered from his injury. It's a long path for him to be as he was before," said Koeman.

"He has had some minutes and we have to make a decision. Without Lenglet, he and [Oscar] Mingueza can deliver. We will make a decision after training today."

Following their meeting with Granada, Barca will compete in the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa del Rey.

In the latter competition they were drawn against fellow Catalan side Cornella, who remarkably knocked out La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

"I am not surprised. There are surprises like this in all countries," Koeman said of Atleti's defeat.

"It can be a complicated game. They deserved to win against Atletico, who played with a strong team. If it's not your day, a lower team with motivation and dedication can make things complicated for you.

"It's a nice tie because we don't have to travel, but we have to adapt to the artificial pitch. There are other games that we have to have maximum attention on first, though."

Bright Enobakhare has made a fantastic start to his East Bengal career with two goals in as many matches. The Nigerian came off the bench to score against Odisha FC and in his first against FC Goa, he wowed the Indian Super League (ISL) fans with a fantastic solo goal.

The 22-year-old is currently the toast of every East Bengal fan and much will be expected from him when they face Bengaluru FC on Saturday.

"It's a great time for me here. The players and the staff are amazing. We just have to focus on the next game and try to get as many points as we can by the end of the season," said Enobakhare.

This season, the former Wigan striker had played a total of 14 minutes for AEK Athens this season and had a goal to his name which came in September 2020. There were questions about his fitness levels but the player has answered them in some style.

“I think everything will come in place. It's going on (well) and we'll see how it goes till the end of the season."

He was asked his preferred starting position in attack to which he responded, "I don't mind playing in any position. Scoring doesn't depend on your position but on how you play."

Meanwhile, Enobakhare has warned his team of complacency and stated that the mistake made against FC Goa cannot be repeated in future matches.

"I think, when I scored (against Goa), everyone just relaxed. We thought it was all over. Anything can happen in one minute. When it happened (Goa equalised), we realised that the game is still on. So, everyone had to try to get as many points as we could get."

His goal against Goa was hailed as one of the best solo goals scored in the history of the ISL. However, the former Wolves striker mentioned that this wasn’t the only solo goal scored in his career. However, it must be mentioned that the goal scored against Barnet was a tap-in with an assist from Adam le Fondre, now who plies his trade for Mumbai City. Enobakhare did score a wonder-goal but that was in a pre-season game against Doncaster Rovers.

“Yes, I've done it (scored an as good solo goal) before. In my first debut (start) with Wolves, when I was 17, against Barnet. I think that goal was even better than this," he claimed.

Manchester United are “too nice” and need to “be b*stards” in order to get their hands on major silverware, says Dimitar Berbatov, with semi-final heartache becoming all too familiar at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side put themselves in contention for three trophies last season, only to come unstuck in the last four on each occasion.

History is repeating itself in 2020-21, with the Red Devils suffering a derby defeat to arch-rivals Manchester City when a final appearance in the Carabao Cup was within touching distance.

Solskjaer has denied that there is a psychological issue in his squad that is preventing them from getting over the line, with the Norwegian adamant that positive progress continues to be made.

Berbatov is not convinced, with a man who won two Premier League titles and the League Cup during his time at United looking for the Red Devils to add more “smart and cunning” to their game.

He told Betfair of efforts to bring a four-year barren run to a close: “It's now four semi-finals in a row that United have failed to win and this is a bad habit that they need to break. Four times in a row is too many to be just a coincidence.

“Sometimes the pressure and the high expectations can get to players when they need to take that step to reach a final. United need to evaluate what is going on in these important matches and try to correct it. Winning a trophy is a big step in the right direction and unfortunately they have missed out on another.

“Sometimes when you have these derbies in important matches, it's not about momentum or form, it's about how much you want it, how smart and cunning the players are, if necessary use some dirty tricks, do whatever it takes to win.

“Sometimes you need to be like this and, like Jose Mourinho said: ‘You need to be b*stards to win trophies’. I don't see enough of that from United in these important matches.

“Roy Keane spoke about how shocked he was too see players hugging each other after the last Manchester derby. I agree with him. What the f*ck, this is a derby go out there and win.

“They're missing someone who is dirty in the team, someone who can show the aggression that would give them an edge. United are too nice at times.”

The Red Devils are set to open another trophy quest on Saturday when they face Watford in the third round of the FA Cup, while Solskjaer’s side have also forced their way into the Premier League title picture and dropped into the last 32 of the Europa League.

Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan has been named the Most Attractive Player in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) by the African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology (ASC).

The former Sunderland, Udinese and Stade Rennais man is the new poster boy of the top-flight, taking over from former Asante Kotoko star Sogne Yacouba who led the order in 2019.

He beat off loose competition from Medeama and former Asante Kotoko midfielder Justice Blay, Kotoko goalkeeper and captain Felix Annan, Aduana Stars striker Yahaya Mohammed, Hearts of Oak winger Patrick Razak and new Kotoko Brazilian signing Fabio Gama Cos Santos.

The news was captured in the 2020 Ghana Premier League Report released to the general public via ASC's official website on Thursday.

According to the ASC, the report is based on "a nationwide survey involving a sample size of 3,300 respondents in Ghana. Data was collected in every administrative district in each administrative region of the country, giving the research and its findings a strong base".

"Attractive” was defined as "the one player that is most likely to draw or pull respondents to watch a GPL game or follow the GPL".

The research was conducted between October and November last year before the commencement of the 2020-21 GPL season.

Gyan topped the order, polling 52 per cent of respondents' choices, 45 clear off closest contender Blay (7%) who came fifth in 2019. Annan, who placed second in 2019, has fallen down the chart to third in the 2020 edition with 5%, just above Yahaya (4%).

Former Brazil U17 and U20 playmaker Gama, who joined Kotoko in a two-year deal in October, came fifth (3%) without having kicked a ball in Ghana at the time of the research.

Kotoko winger Gyamfi, who placed third in 2019, has fallen down on the pecking order to seventh in 2020.

Yacouba, who has since left the GPL for Tanzanian side Young Africans, won the 2019 title with 16% of votes.

After 17 years abroad, Gyan made a return to the GPL, signing for Legon Cities last October. He has been touted by many as the most high-profile player to ever play in the domestic league.

Ghana's all-time top scorer and most capped player with 51 goals in 109 international outings, the 35-year-old also currently stands as Africa's all-time top scorer at the World Cup with six goals.

The 2010 BBC African Footballer of the Year Award stands among the many individual honours in his cabinet.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have confirmed winger Carlos Carlinhos has returned to Dar es Salaam and will not play any part in the Mapinduzi Cup tournament in Zanzibar.

The Angolan star was keen to use the one-week tournament to revive his career at the club after a rather poor start which saw him miss a couple of Mainland Premier League matches in the first round.

Despite starting well by scoring two goals and assisting two, Carlinhos picked an injury that saw him miss a number of matches including the derby against rivals Simba SC which ended in a 1-1 draw.

He later returned and played only one match and picked another injury which ruled him out of the first round matches.

However, he was named in the 20-man squad for the Mapinduzi Cup which kicked-off on January 4, and according to the club’s Information Officer Hassan Bumbuli, he has suffered another injury setback and was forced to return to Dar es Salaam.

“The squad is in good shape; all the players are fit except for Carlinhos who has been forced to return to the capital, Dar es Salaam,” Bumbuli told reporters in Zanzibar.

“He will have to continue with the treatment as well as the programs he was scheduled for due to his lack of fitness.”

His withdrawal makes him join the list of Yanga players not in the tournament including Feisal, Kaseke, Yasin Mustapha, Farid Mussa, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ditram Nchimbi, and striker Yacouba Songne.

Songne, who is the current Yanga top scorer with four goals and has provided a total of four assists, injured his leg during the league match against Ihefu where they won 3-0, at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.

Yanga started the competition with a 0-0 draw against Jamhuri FC and are scheduled to take on Namungo FC in their second match on Friday

On Thursday, Azam FC started their campaign in the 2021 edition of the Mapinduzi Cup with a 1-1 draw with Mlandege at Amani Stadium on Thursday night.

Congolese striker Mopiana Mozizi scored on his debut to hand the Ice-cream Makers a first-half lead before Rashid Mandawa replied for the opponents.

The 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions came into the match hoping to start well and go top of Group C. The Chamazi-based charges coach George Lwandamina opted to give some fringe players a chance to show what they are capable of doing.

Goal rounds up the top business stories of the week with Soccerex, including Juventus' sponsorship extension, a study into the use of illegal Premier League match streams and a shake up of media rights in the Eredivise. 

Juventus extend Jeep sponsorship deal

Juventus have renewed their shirt sponsorship contract with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Italy for another three seasons. 

The agreement, which starts in 2021-22, is worth €45m (£40.5m) a year plus bonuses and will see the Jeep brand on the front of Juventus shirts until the end of the 2023-24 season.

“This agreement stems from the mutual satisfaction of a successful partnership that has been accompanying Juventus and Jeep since 2012/13 sporting season,” Juventus said in a statement.

The deal is the most lucrative of all shirt sponsorship deals in Serie A.

Both Juventus and Fiat are owned Exor Group of companies, which are run by the Agnelli family.

Premier League fans' usage of illegal streams revealed

Almost 1.9 million people in the UK have illegally streamed Premier League games in 2020, according to new research from personal finance comparison site finder.com.

The survey found that four per cent of respondents had watched at least one Premier League game without paying.

Fans aged between 18 and 24 were the most likely to stream illegally, with 6% admitting to doing so. Only 3% of 40 to 54 year-old fans admitted to illegally streaming games.

The study referenced the recent scheme to make some Premier League matches available as pay-per-view as a possible influence on fans' demand for illegal streams. The scheme was abandoned in November.

Eredivisie clubs up stake in league media rights business

The Dutch top division has increased its interest in Eredivisie Media and Marketing (EMM) by acquiring Endemol Shine’s 8.82% stake in the company that controls media rights for the league.

The deal sees the Eredivisie’s interest in EMM increase from 35.28% to 44.1%.

Other shareholders in EMM include the Walt Disney Company (51%) and the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) with 4.9%.

Through EMM, the Walt Disney Company holds broadcast rights for the Eredivisie in a 12-season deal which expires at the end of the 2024-25 season and is worth an average guaranteed sum of €80m (£72m) per season.

Interested in the business of football? Make sure you attend Soccerex Connected, February 1-5. Find out more at Soccerex .

Rivers Angels extended their unbeaten start to the current campaign after they celebrated their second victory of the season in a 2-0 victory over Abia Angels in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

Coming into the showdown, Rivers were forced to a 1-1 draw at Edo Queens before the festive break but returned to winning ways with a triumph over Ann Chinjine's team.

After a goalless first half, Abiodun Deborah's header broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 54th minute before Vivian Ikechukwu got her second with her strike on the brink of full time.

The win was Rivers third of the season and takes them to third on the log with eight points from four matches, while Abia Angels dropped to sixth place on the NWPL log after four games.

In Lafia, Nasarawa Amazons secured their first win of the season at the Lafia City Stadium as they defeated Delta Queens 1-0.

Chinyere Igboamalu's 41st-minute goal was all the Solid Miners required to end their disappointing start to the season.

The victory means Christopher Danjuma's side has now won one out of four matches as the Agbor-based out suffered their second defeat of the season in four opening league outings.

The result saw the Lafia side sit in 12th position with three points from four matches, while Delta Queens have slipped to seventh on the log with six points from four outings this season.

Elsewhere, Bayelsa Queens maintained their hundred percent winning start to the season in Yenegoa, where they claimed a 2-1 triumph over Confluence Queens at the Samson Siasia Stadium.

Going into the contest, the Restoration ladies had claimed their fourth win of the campaign from a 1-0 win at Nasarawa Amazons and they were at their best to make it four out of four encounters.

Nkechi Agams stunned the hosts as she opened the scoring for the visitors after just 11 minutes in the contest but Joy Jerry gained the equaliser for Bayelsa Queens three minutes from time.

After the break, the visitors held onto their nerves but conceded a late penalty which Anjor Mary converted to seal the hosts' victory.

With four wins out of four games, Bayelsa Queens have now opened a three-point lead at the top of the log with 12 points, while Confluence Queens are 11th with four points from four outings.

At Akure Township Stadium, Sunshine Queens failed to bounce back to winning ways as they were forced to a 0-0 draw by Edo Queens.

The draw left Sunshine in ninth position with four points from four games, while Edo are fourth with eight points from four matches.

In Lagos, DreamStar Ladies left it late to ground out their first win of the season after a 3-2 win over Ibom Angels on Wednesday.

Smarting from three defeats in a row at Abia Angels, the Galacticas started on a high thanks to Uduakobong Peter's 40th-minute goal.

On the brink of the half time break, Anuoluwapo Salisu found the back of the net to double the lead for the hosts at the Agege Stadium. 

Ibom Angels, however, fought back in the second half as Olamide Isiaka reduced the deficit 10 minutes after the restart before Blessing Nkor levelled matters from the spot in the 64th minute.

With the two teams looking destined to share the spoils, the hosts were gifted a late penalty and Salisu converted from the spot her second of the match three minutes from full time. 

The victory moved DreamStar off the bottom to 13th position with three points, while Ibom are 10th on the log with four points.

Still in Lagos, but at Legacy Pitch, FC Robo continued their highflying start to the season, with a 5-1 thrashing of Pelican Stars.

A brace from Gift Monday along with strikes from Taiwo Lawal, Rukayat Shobowale and Esther Ndubuisi overshadowed Joy Okoronkwo's consolation for the visitors. 

The outcome saw Emmanuel Osahon's side move to second on the log with nine points from four, while Pelican dropped to the bottom, with one point from the same number of games.

In Warri, Royal Queens secured their second win of the season following a 1-0 triumph over Osun Babes thanks to Eunice Godwin's 88th-minute solitary strike at the Stephen Keshi Stadium.

The triumph moved Royal to eighth position with six points, while Osun are fifth with the same points from four matches.

Kylian Mbappe has become “Neymarised” at Paris Saint-Germain, says Emmanuel Petit, with the World Cup winner told he is trying too hard to be like a Brazilian team-mate.

A France international at Parc des Princes has no need to follow in the footsteps of others as he has become a global superstar in his own right.

At just 22 years of age he has already collected three Ligue 1 titles, graced a Champions League final and claimed a global crown with his country.

Mbappe has been a regular source of goals at domestic and international level, with the target found on 104 occasions through 142 appearances for PSG.

He is, however, considered to have gone off the boil of late, with another blank drawn in a 1-1 stalemate with Saint-Etienne last time out.

New PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that Mbappe “needs to improve” as part of a new era in the French capital, with Petit echoing those comments.

The 1998 World Cup winner believes an exciting talent has become overly concerned with adding tricks to his repertoire, allowing him to dazzle as Neymar often does, but his strengths are considered to lie in different areas.

Former France star Petit told RMC Sport of Mbappe: “Apart from the problems related to his physique and possibly his mind, I have the impression that he has become entangled in his brain and that he needs to take a step back and regenerate himself.

“But it happens to all players.”

Petit added: “He has a body expression that doesn’t seem positive to me. I have the feeling that he is ‘Neymarised’, that he wants to do what Neymar does on the pitch when he does not have the qualities of Neymar at all.

“I also have the impression that his opponents have analysed his main quality, speed. The real quality of this boy is to play on spontaneity and not to take the lead.”

PSG, who sit second in Ligue 1 at present as they seek to defend their domestic crown, will be back in action on Saturday at home to Brest, with Mbappe needing to step up in that contest as Neymar continues to work his way back from an ankle injury.