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Frank Lampard faces a fight to convince Chelsea that he can lead the club towards future glory as experienced managers across Europe begin angling for his position.

Manchester City's 3-1 win in London has added to a run of poor results for the Blues that has seen them collect just one win from their last six Premier League games.

Chelsea have two days off following that defeat and nothing has been communicated to Lampard about his future. There is thought to be no immediate danger of him losing his job ahead of an FA Cup third-round clash against Morecambe on Sunday.

Lampard has publicly expressed his desire to remain at Stamford Bridge and urged patience from all those around the club citing that his squad remains young and unproven.

"I am a perfectionist who wants the best for this club," Lampard said at Stamford Bridge. "The first person who puts on the pressure is me. At times, last year, I wanted to push and be even better than fourth, even though I felt it was an achievement considering the ban and the youth in the squad.

"This season the sixteen game unbeaten run was something I was always trying to temper as it went on. We breezed through our Champions League group. I didn't take much notice of that because I felt that with the players and the way they were playing that we should get through and we showed some really good form.

"At the minute, we are in a tough period. I understand it as I played here for a long time. I understand the minute that you lose a few games in a short period of time then everyone looks and asks questions. Then everyone looks at it differently and says you spent that much money.

"Well, the reality is that a lot of the players who came in are young, new, have been injured, not played together before. I haven't been able to play Ziyech, Pulisic or Timo Werner in the same team.

"If we are expecting the relationship between them three to be the same as Sterling, De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva today then there are expectations that are not real. The expectations after Leeds that we are title contenders was not real.

"I am real now in saying the club has to take pain for where we want to get to. Any build or re-build that we have with the players we brought in takes pain. That means pain on the pitch, pain behind-the-scenes and fight and character. That's how you build.

"Pep Guardiola in year one at Man City, an incredible coach comes in and there's tough times. We know the story with Man City and Liverpool. I am not putting myself on that level because I have to show that in a few years time and I have to show it.

"I can only talk about us and I can say this is a difficult period. I understand the reasons why and we have to keep fighting. I am the first person who needs to keep fighting."

However, with £220 million ($275m) spent in the summer transfer window on his squad, the pressure on Lampard remains intense, with sections of the club's support growing restless.

Furthermore, recently departed former PSG manager Thomas Tuchel has long been keen to manage in the Premier League at a top-six club.

The three Germany internationals in the Blues squad may strengthen his case to take over from Lampard, with Pulisic having also come through in his first major job at Borussia Dortmund.

Tuchel has been considered for a role at Chelsea in the past, but had never topped the club's shortlist.

Mauricio Pochettino has long been admired despite his connection to Tottenham, but he has since gone on to accept a role to replace Tuchel at PSG.

Massimiliano Allegri has been touted as a possible successor and has also expressed an interest in coming to the Premier League after leaving Juventus in 2019. The Blues have not yet contacted Allegri over any future role at the club.

Still, as agents work behind the scenes to insert their clients into contention for a prominent post in west London, there remains caution about Lampard's future.

The Blues boss remains popular with most of the dressing room, which features a host of young players who are grateful for the chance to play for him.

There is, however, some discontent from those on the fringes of a squad which remains oversized. Chelsea are just one of many big clubs that struggled to offload players during the pandemic.

Lampard has previously admitted that he is ready to trim his options to increase the group's harmony, with the likes of Emerson Palmieri, Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori all exploring their options.

Chelsea have included a host of youngsters within the first-team bubble and paused their chance to seek loan moves ahead of debuts in an FA Cup clash with Morecambe this weekend.

Tino Anjorin, Tino Livramento, Lewis Bate and Henry Lawrence are among the Under-23s stars who are being considered for selection.

Manchester United have no interest in allowing Amad Diallo to stay at Atalanta on loan for the rest of the season, with Goal able to confirm that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to integrate the teenager into his first-team squad.

A deal for the winger, which is worth up to £37 million ($48m) including add-ons, was agreed on the final day of the 2020 summer transfer window, and the final parts of paperwork are now being signed off ahead of his move to Manchester, which should be completed by the end of the week.

Diallo posted a picture of himself boarding a private jet on his Instagram account on Sunday, prompting suggestions he was on his way to Manchester already.

But it is understood he was in fact flying to Rome so as to attend the Ivory Coast Embassy there in order to finalise his visa.

The 18-year-old has already obtained the Governing Body Endorsement he needs to move to England after the United Kingdom officially left the European Union on January 1.  Now all that remains to be finialised is his visa and registration.

Despite the deal being all but done, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini revealed over the weekend that the Serie A outfit would be interested in keeping Diallo on loan until the end of the season.

"Let's hope. I launched the idea,” he replied when asked if Atalanta would be able to keep the academy graduate for the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign.

“If Manchester were forced to loan him out, maybe it would be better if he stayed with us again."

However, it is understood that Solskjaer plans is to integrate Diallo into the first-team straight away.

United have already had to wait three months to get their hands on the player having agreed the deal in October, and there is no desire to wait any longer for a player that is viewed as "an exciting prospect".

Goal has also learned that Diallo is viewed slightly differently to fellow teenager Facundo Pellistri, who was signed on the same day back in October.

The Uruguayan has been getting used to English football by featuring for Neil Wood’s Under-23s side, and while it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Diallo could also feature for the reserve side upon his immediate arrival, he is seen as a player who is more likely to go straight into the first team set-up.

Solskjaer was asked about the imminent arrival of Diallo after United beat Aston Villa on Friday, and insisted that his new charge will be given time to adapt to playing in England.

“Amad had the paperwork, I can’t see any obstacles and hopefully within not too long he’ll be with us," he told reporters. "We are very excited about bringing him in.

"I think he has shown his qualities a few times but has to learn to play in England, which is a different way of playing football. We will give him time to develop and express himself.”

Hans-Joachim Watzke has expressed his belief that Erling Haaland will stay with Borussia Dortmund for at least one more season.

Haaland has been a revelation since completing a €20 million (£18m/$25m) move to Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019. The Norwegian frontman has hit 33 goals in as many appearances for the German club, including 17 in the first half of their latest campaign.

He drew a blank in his first game back after recovering from injury on Sunday, with Manuel Akanji and Jadon Sancho grabbing the goals in a 2-0 home win over Wolfsburg.

However, interim head coach Edin Terzic will likely include Haaland in his starting XI again for a crucial trip to RB Leipzig next weekend as Dortmund aim to close the gap on current Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

The 20-year-old's list of admirers has grown since his move to Westfalenstadion, with Real Madrid now reportedly eager to bring the forward to Santiago Bernabeu as a potential long-term successor to Karim Benzema.

Manchester United and Manchester City have also been heavily linked with Haaland, but Watzke says he should try to follow the same path as Robert Lewandowski, who spent four years with Dortmund before accepting an offer from Bayern.

Asked if the former Salzburg star could depart in 2021, the Dortmund CEO told Kicker: "I don't think that will happen. Erling and his advisor Mino Raiola know what they have in us. I can only advise him to do things like Robert Lewandowski."

Watzke added on Haaland needing more time to develop his game before seeking a new challenge at a higher level: "Haaland gave himself the time to mature into an absolute world-class player in Dortmund. You won't be able to do that in a year.

"Because it is clear that if Erling should leave us at some point, then he will only go to an even bigger club, and so many are not considered.

"If you join a club like - just for an example - Real Madrid, you have to be world-class."

Haaland is contracted to remain on Dortmund's books until 2024, but it has been reported that a €75 million (£67m/$92m) release clause was included in that deal which is due to become active in the summer of 2022.

Manchester United have completed their transformation from “shocking” also-rans to serious title contenders, says Roy Keane.

It has been some time since those at Old Trafford dared to dream that another top-flight crown could be captured.

Sir Alex Ferguson walked away on the back of a 13th triumph in 2013 and had to watch on as a lot of his good work unravelled under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now charged with the task of delivering and, having faced plenty of uncomfortable questions during his tenure, he is starting to turn the tide.

United have overcome a slow opening to their 2020-21 campaign to draw level with defending champions Liverpool at the top of the table with a game in hand.

Keane believes “confidence” has returned to the Red Devils’ ranks, with consistency finally being established after pulling home form into line with an impressive away record.

The United legend, who played in seven title successes, told Sky Sports of the battle for domestic supremacy in England this season: “There's a few [contenders]. Liverpool are the strongest, they've been slacking off, a bit sloppy.

“United have sorted out their home form. Tottenham had a good home win. You can't write Man City off. 

“We've criticised them recently because they've set such high standards over the years, but there are five to six teams who can challenge.

“[United], if they keep winning football matches. We were really critical at the start of the season. Their home form was so bad, it was shocking. Some of their performances and results. 

“Away from home they were fantastic. Even their last few victories, a bit of luck – penalty against Villa, injury-time winner against Wolves. They'll be getting confidence and belief they can at least challenge Liverpool.”

United are about to turn their attention away from Premier League matters, with their next two outings knockout meetings with Manchester City and Watford in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup competitions.

Following the cup clashes, United's next Premier League fixture is against Burnley on January 12, after which they will face rivals Liverpool at Anfield.

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has claimed Jadon Sancho lost his focus amid links with Manchester United, admitting the winger had "already prepared for a change".

Sancho's future at Westfalenstadion was the subject of much speculation during the summer transfer window after United identified the 20-year-old as their primary target.

Negotiations went on for a few months but Dortmund ultimately stood firm on their €100 million (£90m/$123m) valuation of the winger, which the Red Devils refused to meet due to the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Sancho's form has dropped significantly since the conclusion of the saga, with the England international only managing to score five goals in 19 appearances for Dortmund in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign.

Watzke thinks talk of a potential move to Old Trafford served to distract a talismanic figure who had previously played without any pressure on his shoulders.

"Subconsciously, Jadon had probably already prepared a little for a change," the Dortmund chief told Kicker. "I think he had at least thought so much about it that he lost his ease. I have found him trying very hard for weeks."

Watzke added on Sancho's struggles this season: "The biggest difference is that he used to not think about his next ball action. Now he thinks about it, and the tenth of a second that he misses is often exactly the one in which the opponent is already on his feet.

"The more you try as a creative person, the more difficult it often becomes."

Sancho bounced back by scoring in Dortmund's 2-0 victory at home to Wolfsburg at the weekend, and Watzke hopes an improved performance will serve as a springboard for the young attacker to get back to his best.

"I think he needs two or three success stories in a row, then things will quickly improve again," he said. "He is still one of the greatest talents there is."

Dortmund and Sancho will be back in action when they travel to RB Leipzig on January 9, with little margin for error remaining as they chase down current Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

Former Gor Mahia and Sports Club Villa midfielder Erisa Ssekisambu has joined Tarxien Rainbows of Malta after he left Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA FC) in 2020.

Ssekisambu was among the players who were let go by KCCA during the last transfer window, and now the midfielder has landed a home in Malta.

The news of Ssekisambu’s move to Europe were attributed to his agent Ronnie Santos who is quoted by Sports Nation as saying the player has joined the club for one year.

The Ugandan will be joining what will be his seventh club in a career he launched nine years ago at SC Villa. He has also featured for Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) and Express FC in the Premier League.

The midfielder, in 10 appearances, scored two goals for SC Villa between 2011 and 2012. He then joined Express where his goal tally improved to four goals in 13 matches in the years 2012 and 2013.

Ssekisambu left for URA and played for them for one year where he scored seven goals in 14 matches before joining SC Villa again in 2014 to 2015 and managed to put the ball into the net 14 times in 31 games

He also played for Vipers SC – where he enjoyed personal brilliant moments – as he scored 46 goals in a total of 78 matches.

The performance for the Jogoos convinced the Kenyan Premier League giants Gor Mahia to sign him.

He had to fight for places with Nicholas Kipkirui, Jacques Tuyisenge and Francis Mustapha but the stiff competition limited his playtime a great deal as he returned to Uganda with KCCA offering him home for one year.

Both Jacques Tuyisenge and Mustapha, his fierce rivals at Gor Mahia then, have also left and it is only Kipkirui who is still plying trade with the Kenyan heavyweights.

Tarxien Rainbows is Ssekimbu’s first club outside the continent and has a huge task awaiting him ahead as the club is struggling and lie at the 14th spot of the 16-table team. They lost the previous game with a huge margin of 5-0 against Hamrun Spartans.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have named a squad of 20 players for the Mapinduzi Cup tournament in Zanzibar.

The annual competition will kick-off on January 4 to 13 and has attracted top teams from the Mainland Premier League including Simba SC, Azam FC, and defending champions Mtibwa Sugar.

According to a list of Yanga players obtained by Goal, Kenyan keeper Farouk Shikhalo has made the cut alongside Angolan winger Carlos Carlinhos, who is returning from injury after missing most of the first-round matches in the league.

The Jangwani giants under coach Cedric Kaze, will, however, miss the services of their captain Lamine Moro and Balama Mapinduzi who are both out injured.

Other players who will miss the tournament because they are currently with the Tanzania national team Taifa Stars in Cameroon for the Chan tournament include Feisal, Kaseke, Yasin Mustapha, Farid Mussa, Bakari Mwamnyeto, and Ditram Nchimbi.

Goal also understands striker Yacoub Songne will not make the trip to Zanzibar because of injury and will thus miss the one-week tournament.

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 will start the tournament with a clash against Jamhuri FC at 2.15 pm on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Azam Information Officer Zakaria Thabit has revealed their readiness to win the trophy this season.

The ‘Ice Cream Makers’ have been drawn in Group C alongside Mlandege and Malindi teams, from the islands and will start their campaign against Mlandege, which will take place on January 08, at 10.15 pm before facing Malindi on January 10, at 2.15 pm, with all matches to be held at Amaan Stadium.

“The players are fine and everyone needs to show what they have so the fans can support us in achieving the goals we have set for ourselves,” Thabit told reporters in Dar es Salaam.

“We are fighting for all trophies on offer, we don’t want to leave out any trophy so we are ready to fight and return to Dar es Salaam with the trophy.”

Yanga are heading into the tournament leading their domestic league table on 44 points from 18 matches.

Mumbai City are in a rich vein of form but coach Sergio Lobera feels that they will be in for a tough challenge when they take on Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Tuesday.  

Although the Islanders recorded a 2-0 win against Hyderabad and Kerala in their last two games, Lobera thinks that it will not be easy to score as Bengaluru are a tough nut to crack. 

"I think it's going to be a different game than the last two. Bengaluru are very compact and very good in defence. It will be difficult for us and we need to manage the situation," said the Spaniard.

"Obviously, as a coach, we need to analyse. The most important thing is not only the result but to analyse how to win. In the last game, we started very well, scored two goals but after that provided Kerala with opportunities to score. We had very good chances to close the game. A 3-0 is a very difficult result (scoreline to overcome) for any team.

"We need to improve to convert our chances and when you are leading 2-0 it's not good to concede chances for the other team to score. But I am very happy with my squad. We are improving, we are winning and we need to continue working in the same way," he added.

ATK Mohun Bagan have gone a point clear of Mumbai City after their win against NorthEast United. But with a game in hand and an opportunity to beat the Kolkata giants on January 11, Lobera wants to put no pressure on his side to reclaim the top spot. Currently, he does not want to look at the table and instead is focussing on the next match. 

"We need to enjoy playing football and put out focus in every game. Our focus now is on the game against Bengaluru. Step-by-step, game-by-game, we need to improve. At the end of the season, the table is important but now the most important thing is the next game. We don't feel any pressure. We are playing good football and we have had very good results until now. 

"I think all motivation depends on ourselves more than other teams. This doesn't depend on ATK [Mohun Bagan] or other teams' results. We need to work and improve our level in every game. The start of the season was very good for us but in this season you can see that it can change in a few games. ATK are doing a very good job but there are good teams in the competition and everything can change any time." 

Mumbai are on an enviable seven-match unbeaten streak but the former Las Palmas manager has blown away any room for complacency. 

"I'm not worried (of complacency). I have a very good team with experienced players. They know how to improve in difficult conditions. For example, we play again two days later against another big game but my players know the situation and they want to improve day by day. I'm very happy about this situation."

The former Goa coach is also unperturbed about his lacklustre record against Bengaluru (W1, D1, L4).

"The past is the past and it doesn't affect the future. These are different teams and different players. We are preparing in the same way. We need to know the small details of the opponent team that can help us. It's always very difficult to play against Bengaluru but the most important for us is to give our best."

Meanwhile, midfielder Rowllin Borges feels that the squad has adapted to Lobera's philosophy quite well and is ready to perform according to the demands of the situation.

"It was not very difficult (adapting) with players like [Ahmed] Jahouh and [Hugo] Boumous. They are quality players also for the style of play the coach wants to play.

"Every match is important for us and we are going for three points. There is pressure for me to perform in every match and I will try to help the team in every possible way I can. The formation and the role has been the same. It's just the demand of the game. If the game demands me to attack or defend, I do that. It depends on the game," the Goan stated.

Kevin De Bruyne is “one of the best midfielders we’ve ever seen in the Premier League” says Micah Richards, with the Manchester City talisman considered to be “a complete footballer”.

Those qualities were showcased again in the Citizens’ last outing, as they swept aside Chelsea with the minimum of fuss at Stamford Bridge.

De Bruyne made one and scored another for Pep Guardiola’s side as they downed their fellow title hopefuls 3-1 to pile more pressure on Frank Lampard.

De Bruyne is now looking to push City back into title contention this season having claimed the PFA Player of the Year award in 2019-20, and Richards says he is destined to secure a place in history as an all-time great.

The former Citizens defender told Sky Sports: “I've talked about De Bruyne for so long, he's just incredible to watch. He says he's played there before. He's just a complete footballer. 

“He can do both attacking and defensive work. It takes some beating to be better than him, it's just absolutely incredible. I think he's consistent. 

“He's so passionate and he wants to show the world what he can do because he's an absolute gem of a player. He's one of the best midfielders we've ever seen in the Premier League.”

While De Bruyne continues to set the standard for City, Guardiola has plenty of other superstar performers at his disposal.

Phil Foden has taken an elite standing at just 20 years of age, with Richards expecting big things from an academy graduate who has shown that he deserves regular starts.

Richards said after seeing the England international find the target against Chelsea: “I just want to see Foden play every single week. He's played like this before and has been left out of the team. Every time he plays he does affect the game.

“He gives so much more to the team than just goals and assists - his energy, his work rate, his desire, he's got absolutely everything.

“I've been saying this for years. I'm not comparing him to David Silva. He's an incredible talent but he deserves to be playing every single game.”

Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu has warned his teammates against complacency as they continue their push for the Premiership title.

The Gers extended their unbeaten league run to 22 matches on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Celtic, thanks to Callum McGregor's own goal in the 70th minute.

Zungu came off the bench as an 87th-minute substitute for Ryan Kent in the fixture which stretched their lead in the table to a 19-point gap above second-placed Celtic.

 The 28-year-old said they are starting the New Year as a new season to continue their impressive run of results.

“This is not over. There is a lot of work still to be done and a lot of games still to be played,” Zungu told Glasgow Times. “From that point of view, we need to keep our feet on the ground and focus immediately on the next game.

“We have told ourselves already that we need to start the New Year as if the league has just started. That has to be our starting point and our motivation for the second half of the season.

“In our minds we are back to zero points and we go again. Everyone is hungry, everyone wants to play and everyone wants success.”

Zungu, who is on a season-long loan from French Ligue 2 club Amiens, is unfazed by the substitute role he has been limited to in Steven Gerrard's team.

The South Africa star is yet to start a league match in Scotland, but he has played 109 minutes of league football in eight appearances.

“One thing for me is that people are rightly talking about how important our bench is this season," he continued. “We are strong, we have a lot of quality, not just on the park but on the bench and in the squad.

“We have quality but we also have a strong mentality. I can’t speak about what happened before, but I know that anyone can come on and do a job for the team.

“We have players who can contribute. We know we need to play for the badge, we know we need to represent the club and the supporters.

“People are pushing for places and if you are not performing on the pitch then the gaffer knows he has options that he can bring on.

“At the end of the day we know we didn’t perform to our best against Celtic but we got the three points and that’s all that matters. We now move onto the next game.”

Zungu alongside Nigeria duo Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo will be hoping to help Rangers extend their unbeaten streak when they travel to Aberdeen for their next league match on Sunday.

Angolan team Sagrada Esperanca have reportedly withdrawn from their first round, second leg Caf Confederation Cup tie against Orlando Pirates.

The match was scheduled to take place at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Bucs won the first leg encounter, away in Angola, 1-0, thanks to a Thembinkosi Lorch goal.

There will however now be no return leg, with Sagrada Esperanca vice president Bruno dos Santos having issued a letter explaining his club's withdrawal.

According to the letter, the reason behind the withdrawal is the new strain of Covid-19 which has been uncovered in South Africa, which has driven a wave of new infections.

"The risks related to team's stay in South Africa would be very high for the health of athletes, taking into account the magnitude of the contagion level and extreme lethality of the new version of the Covid-19 virus, which is prevalent in that country," read part of the statement (translated from Portuguese).

The letter also mentioned the need to "fundamentally preserve the lives of the athletes".

The Sagrada Esperanca management also reiterated their willingness to participate in Caf fixtures, but only "in perfect health security conditions,"

Angola recently shut their borders to travelers from Australia, Nigeria, South Africa and the UK.

They did however make an exception for Kaizer Chiefs, who take on Primiero Agosto in a CAF Champions League match on Tuesday, with the Amakhosi contingent already having landed in Angola.

There has not yet been any official word from 2015 Confederation Cup finalists Orlando Pirates nor from the Confederation of African Football (Caf), as per Monday morning.

Should the match not go ahead, it would likely be seen by Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer as some welcome respite in the middle of a frenetic fixture schedule.

The recently crowned MTN8 champions suffered a 1-0 league loss to Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend.

Their next domestic fixture is against Swallows FC on Sunday 10 January. After that they play Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on the 13th, Black Leopards on the 17th, Golden Arrows on the 20th, Maritzburg United on the 23rd, TS Galaxy on the 26th and Kaizer Chiefs on the 30th.

Thiago Silva has admitted he is at a loss to explain Chelsea's form after their humbling at the hands of Manchester City.

Chelsea slipped to eighth in the Premier League table after suffering their fifth defeat of the season on Sunday evening.

City ran out 3-1 winners at Stamford Bridge thanks to first-half goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne, with Callum Hudson-Odoi a consolation for the hosts in the dying minutes of the game.

The final scoreline flattered Chelsea as Pep Guardiola's side squandered a number of other clear chances, and Frank Lampard conceded that his team were completely outplayed in his post-match interview.

"Today was painful in the first half in football terms because their level of play shows where we need to aspire to," he told BBC Sport. "In the second half I saw a reaction but the work needs to be done."

Even summer signing Silva, who has enjoyed a strong start to his career at Stamford Bridge, was found wanting against City, but he still thinks the Blues have enough quality within their ranks to turn their fortunes around in the second half of the season.

Asked to pinpoint what's gone wrong for Chelsea in recent weeks, the Brazilian told RMC Sport: "No, I don't understand what's wrong. If I understand before, I think I could have given some advice, but that's how it is, it's football, it's the Premier League, one of the toughest championships around the world.

"You have to be careful, work harder, be stronger as a team, but I think the team is good, the second half was much better than the first in my opinion.

"We tried to play a little more, we managed to play. I think we were superior in possession of the ball in the second half, sometimes it does not work as we want, as we have prepared, but hey, that's how it is football. We must prepare for the next match when it arrives."

Silva and his team-mates must pick themselves up quickly before their FA Cup third-round clash against League Two outfit Morecambe on January 10.

The Blues are scheduled to resume their latest Premier League campaign five days later, with a London derby clash against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Kenya international Michael Olunga failed to win a trophy to crown a stellar season after Kashiwa Reysol went down 2-1 against FC Tokyo in a J-League Cup match on Monday.

The domestic encounter was the only chance for Olunga and teammates to finish the season with at least a trophy but Tokyo denied them that glory after winning the cup.

Weverson Leandro opened the score for Tokyo in the 16th minute before Yusuke Segawa equalised for Olunga’s side in the 45th minute.

 Adaìlton da Silva, who came on in the second half, scored the winning goal for the away side in the 74th minute.

If Kashiwa Reysol would have won the title, it would have crowned Olunga’s year in Japan in style.

The former Gor Mahia forward finished the season as the Most Valuable Player as well as emerging as the league’s top scorer. The Harambee Star scored 28 goals in 32 matches even though it was his maiden season in Japan’s top-tier.

Olunga explained how he was able to find the back of the net in all those occasions during an earlier interview.

“It was a great season for me in 2020,” Olunga stated. “I was able to score a lot of goals. I would like to thank the people at Kashiwa Reysol for their support. I am very honoured to be Kashiwa Reysol's first top scorer and the first African MVP.

“I hope that what I have achieved will have a positive impact on Japan and on the rest of the world.

“I hope that the J1 League will continue to have the best football in Asia and that more and more African players will play in it.”

Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa praised the former Tusker and Thika United centre-forward and urged him to aim for more success.

We are very proud of Michael [Olunga] and I know he can still do more,” Mwendwa told Goal earlier. “We congratulate him for the award and also urge him to work even harder.”

Olunga did not take part in Kenya’s November African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros after his teammates were infected with the coronavirus.

Arsenal outcast William Saliba is set to join Nice on loan, Goal can confirm.

The Frenchman will undergo a medical at Allianz Riviera on Monday, before joining the Ligue 1 club until the end of the season.

No option to buy will be included in the final deal, with Arsenal adamant that Saliba still has a future at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are hoping the 19-year-old can start playing regular football again at Nice, who have agreed to cover his wages in full for the next six months.

Saliba signed for Arsenal Saint Etienne for £27 million ($37m) in July 2019 and was subsequently sent back to Geoffroy Stadium on a season-long loan.

The centre-back finally joined up with his new team-mates at Emirates Stadium last summer but has since been unable to force his way into Mikel Arteta's plans.

He has not made a single appearance for the Gunners in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign, with Rob Holding, Gabriel, Pablo Mari and David Luiz currently ahead of him in the squad.

Arteta was asked when supporters could expect to see Saliba in action at the start of December, to which he offered the frank response: "Whenever we have the spaces and we believe that he's ready to play with us."

Saliba appeared to express frustration over his situation in north London during a social media exchange with Matteo Guendouzi later in the month. He commented on one of Guendouzi's posts on Instagram saying he'd been "locked up" at the start of his career at the Emirates, and the midfielder, who is currently on loan at Hertha Berlin, replied: “We’re together, my little brother."

Should his transfer to Nice go through without a hitch, Saliba could be in line to make his debut for the club as early as Wednesday.

Adrian Ursea's side are due back in Ligue 1 action away at Brest, but their new signing may ultimately be saved until their next fixture against Metz on January 9.

Nice are currently languishing down in 12th in the French top flight, however they still have a game in hand on all four teams above them up to eighth, with European qualification still a realistic goal if they can put together a solid run of wins.

Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso said he will be meeting with Victor Osimhen after the Nigerian apologised for breaching coronavirus protocols at a party organised in Lagos.

The Nigeria international is yet to return to action since he dislocated his shoulder during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone on November 13.

Osimhen is still recovering from the injury but he was granted permission to travel to Nigeria for the winter break where he attended a party to celebrate his 22nd birthday on December 29.

Upon his return to Naples, the 22-year-old tested positive for coronavirus and a video of him surfaced on social media where he was seen without wearing a face mask and no social distancing observed in the party.

After Napoli’s 4-1 win over Cagliari on Sunday, Gattuso gave his opinion on the situation.

“He’s a young lad who gives his all in training,” the Italian manager told the club website. “He knows he’s made a mistake and he’s apologised.

“I’ll speak to him. I know how much he wants to get back onto the right track and get back playing.”

Osimhen, on his part, issued an apology to the club and his teammates for his ‘wrong’ decision which has delayed his return to training because of the compulsory two weeks he will spend in isolation.

“I am so sorry for what happened, I was wrong to go to Nigeria in this moment, even if I have many loved ones over there, including my brothers,” Osimhen wrote on his Instagram story.

“I was wrong to take part in the party I didn’t understand the severity of what I was doing. I apologise to the club, the coach, the team and the fans.”

The Nigeria forward completed a big-money move to Napoli in August after an outstanding 2019-20 campaign in the French Ligue 1 with Lille.

He has scored two goals so far in six Serie A matches for the Parthenopeans who sit fourth in the league table with 28 points from 14 matches.

Tusker FC coach Robert Matano insists his team made no mistakes despite playing to a 1-1 draw with Sofapaka in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League game played on Sunday.

Batoto ba Mungu scored first after just six minutes. Titus Achesa was left unmarked in a good area and he put in a good cross which captain Elly Asieche tapped in. 

The 11-time champions equalized in the 25th minute. Kevin Okoth's shot was parried by the goalkeeper and the ball kindly fell to Namanda who did not hesitate to head it in.

"We appreciate the one point gained, we played well although in the first half we were slow," Matano told Goal. 

"[Sofapaka] started the match with a high tempo but ended up slowing down; but we expected it so we managed to contain them.

"We did not make any mistakes, if we would have done so most probably we would not have managed to get anything from the game. In the first half, they played without an established striker but they introduced them in the second half.

"We contained them, no striker scored, which means we tamed them."

However, Sofapaka coach Ken Odhiambo felt his charges gifted the Ruaraka-based side a goal.

"I have seen some mistakes that need to be worked on," Odhiambo told Goal. 

"For example, the goal we conceded was more of a gift to them, we conceded an easy goal. 

"We have lost two points; the kind of team we were playing against resorted to high balls which to me is old-fashioned. We needed to stick to our game. I have seen there are a few things that need to be changed but I will work with the players and we improve on it. 

"It is about pushing them in training and ensuring we get goals. Getting one point away is not bad but we wanted maximum points."

After Sunday's game, Tusker FC are third on the table with 11 points from six games. They have managed to get three wins, two draws and a loss.

The 2009 champions are 11th with four points from the five games played. They have managed to get a win, a draw and three losses.

Anthony Martial needs to be hitting “10 to 15 goals a season” in order for Manchester United to sustain their challenge for the Premier League title, says Phil Neville.

The Red Devils have joined the frontrunners in what is shaping up to be an intriguing race for domestic supremacy in 2020-21.

In order for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to remain in that hunt, inspiration is going to be required at both ends of the field. A settled defensive unit are offering cause for optimism, while Bruno Fernandes remains a talismanic presence in the middle of the park.

Firepower has been found in the final third, with Edinson Cavani’s addition aiding that cause, but more is being demanded of Martial with the France international hitting the net just five times this term.

Only two of those efforts have come in the Premier League, with his duck broken at Old Trafford in the narrow 2-1 win over Aston Villa last time out.

Questions have been asked on a regular basis of whether the 25-year-old is the right man to lead the line for United as their No 9, with Neville admitting that standards need to be raised.

The former United star told Premier League Productions: “I was actually surprised by that stat [of Martial's goal record this season], I didn't know that stat before it was said in the interview.

“He's someone that needs to score more goals, needs to score 10 to 15 goals a season, I think he needs to be up to that mark for United to have a chance of winning the league.

“He can't just rely on a [Marcus] Rashford or a Fernandes to score the goals. He needs to be hitting those types of figures. I'd like to see him be more ruthless.”

Martial did display predatory instincts when netting against Villa, with a clever run to the front post allowing him to glance in a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Neville added: “This was a really good finish, it was a good ball from Wan-Bissaka, but the guide of the header was really good and hopefully now he can get a run of games, a run of form, a run of rhythm. He looks fitter and I want to see him go on a run now of scoring goals.”

Solskjaer has stated that he expects the floodgates to open for Martial now that he is back in the groove, with United looking for the Frenchman to replicate his efforts from 2019-20 that delivered a personal-best return of 23 goals across all competitions.

Tusker have confirmed the release of winger Kevin ‘Ade’ Omondi and Peter Nzuki.

According to the club’s chairman David Aduda, the duo were rendered free agents after their contracts with the Brewers expired on December 31, 2020.

Both players joined the FKF Premier League side at the start of the 2018 season and Aduda has now confirmed to Goal their contracts will not be renewed.

“I can confirm both Omondi and Nzuki have left the club after the expiry of their contracts,” Aduda told Goal on Monday. “We opted not to renew their contracts for various reasons and as a club, we wish them well in their next moves.”

Omondi joined Tusker from champions Gor Mahia but found the rather going tough at the Brewers after he underwent an operation to repair his knee which kept him out of action for the better part of the campaign while Nzuki arrived from the defunct Nakumatt.

Tusker are currently chasing for the 2020-21 league title and on Sunday managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Sofapaka in a match played at Kasarani Stadium.

Batoto ba Mungu had taken a deserved lead courtesy of Ellie Asieche before Luke Namanda levelled matters for the Brewers to ensure they keep their four-match unbeaten run intact.

Tusker coach Robert Matano has admitted they were happy to snatch a draw from the fixture.

“We appreciate the one point gained, we played well although in the first half we were slow," Matano told Goal after the match. “[Sofapaka] started the match with a high tempo but ended up slowing down, but we expected it so we managed to contain them.

“We did not make any mistakes, if we would have done so most probably we would not have managed to get anything from the game. In the first half, they played without an established striker but they introduced them in the second half.

“We contained them, no striker scored, which means we tamed them.”

On his part, Sofapaka coach Ken Odhiambo, who was handling the team for the first time after joining the side from Bandari, said they had gifted Tusker with a cheap goal.

“I have seen some mistakes that need to be worked on,” Odhiambo told Goal after the match. “For example, the goal we conceded was more of a gift to them, we conceded an easy goal.

“We have lost two points; the kind of team we were playing against resorted to high balls which to me is old-fashioned. We needed to stick to our game. I have seen there are a few things that need to be changed but I will work with the players and we improve on it.

“It is about pushing them in training and ensuring we get goals. Getting one point away is not bad but we wanted maximum points.”

The Brewers are now in the third position with 11 points after six games while Sofapaka are 11th with four points from five games.