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Azam FC will be up against Magereza FC in the Shield Cup at the Chamazi Sports Complex on Saturday as they aim to get back to winning ways.

Since parting ways with Aristica Cioaba for poor results, the Ice-cream Makers will hope to get a win in the third round of the domestic competition.

After Cioaba left, George Lwandamina was appointed but his reign has failed to pick up speed with wins in the Premier League. They had a 1-0 loss to Mtibwa Sugar, and a 1-1 draw against JKT Tanzania recently.

Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) condemned them to a 1-0 defeat before going down to Yanga with the same margin. The Yanga loss marked the end of Cioaba’s reign before the former Zesco United head coach was appointed.

Lwandamina started with a 1-1 draw against Biashara United before recording a stalemate against league debutants Gwambina FC.

The third game ended with yet another draw after the Caf Confederation Cup participants Namungo FC earned a point with a 2-2 draw.

The last league game also saw the Ice-cream Makers pick a point after a 2-2 result against Ruvu Shooting. The Shield Cup home match, therefore, gives them an opportunity to fight for a win; a result that has been quite elusive.

Meanwhile, Namungo will entertain the Green Warriors in their respective Shield Cup game as they fight to progress and maybe surpass the achievement made in the last tournament. They sailed all the way before falling to Simba in the final but earned a continental slot for the first time ever.

Another Premier League side that will be in action is Mtibwa Sugar as they will face off with the Division Two side Geita Gold on Sunday.

Simba, the reigning champions, will be up at home against Maji Maji FC on Sunday. It will be the first domestic duty for the Wekundu wa Msimbazi since taking part in the Caf Champions League first round against Platinum FC of Zimbabwe where they were defeated 1-0 in Harare.

The Premier League went into a recess to allow the Shield Cup games to be played as well as to release players to the national team for the African Nations Championship tournament in Cameroon.

Hyderabad FC coach Manuel Marquez rates Kerala Blasters highly despite the fact that they have not won a single game in this edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).

Marquez heaped praise on coach Kibu Vicuna given that he won the I-League last season with Mohun Bagan and also believes that they have a good bunch of players.

“Kerala is a very good team. Their first game against ATK Mohun Bagan they did not deserve to lose. They equalised late last game. They deserve more points than they have. I know (Luis) Vicente as he was my player in Las Palmas. They have great players. The coach (Vicuna) won the I-League last season. It will be an equal game and they are a very good team,” said Marquez.

Hyderabad FC suffered their first defeat in the last game and coach Marquez will want a reaction from his side. However, he went on to state that the loss to Mumbai City FC hasn’t hampered his team’s morale.

“You know in football, there are three possibilities. It is impossible to win, draw or lose always. I am sure our team will try tomorrow to play a good game. The defeat against Mumbai doesn't affect our team for tomorrow's match,” he shared his thoughts.

“We are playing 4-2-3-1 and sometimes 4-4-2. I noted some details against Mumbai where we can improve and maybe we can change some players. But not too many tactical changes for the game tomorrow,” he added.

Hyderabad have been unlucky when it comes to injuries especially to their foreign contingent. They are the only team to have fielded their full quota of five foreigners in just one game and thanks to the performances and grit shown by their young Indian players, the club has done reasonably well.

Marquez was asked if inexperience has come to hurt his side in the current campaign to which he replied, “I remember only one clear good chance against Mumbai. If we had equalised at the end of the first half, the second half would have been different. In some moments, I thought it was a game with real players against young inexperienced players. But I am happy with the second half. But in ISL, when you are playing with a young squad these things can happen.”

He once again reiterated that except for Mumbai City FC, who are a cut above the rest, most teams in the ISL can compete on their given day.

“It is a strange situation. For me, only Mumbai is better than the others. There are a lot of strong teams. In the beginning, it is normal most teams are on the same level. It does not mean that teams higher on the table will have it easy against lower-ranked teams. Nobody can tell what will happen in matches. Small details decide the game,” he opined.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns centre forward Jeremy Brockie has finally found a new home five months after leaving the Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions.

The New Zealand international became a free agent after leaving Masandawana with the club having decided against extending his contract which expired in June 2020.

Brockie had spent the 2019/20 season out on loan at Maritzburg United where he struggled for game time with the likes of Thabiso Kutumela and Judas Moseamedi preferred ahead of him. 

Australian club Bentleigh Greens have now announced the signing of the experienced marksman on their official Facebook page:

"We are pleased to announce the signing of current New Zealand international Jeremy Brockie for the 2021 NPL season," a club statement read. 

"Brockie comes to Bentleigh on the back of a very successful stint in South Africa with SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns and Maritzburg United."

"Brockie has also represented Wellington Phoenix, Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets and North Queensland Fury in the A-League. We look forward to seeing Jeremy at Kingston Heath in 2021."

The 33-year-old was one the most lethal strikers in South Africa during his time with SuperSport where he scored goals with ease.

The man nicknamed Sniper spent three successful years with Matsatsantsa where he won trophies.

Sniper helped SuperSport clinch two Nedbank Cups and one MTN8 title. He looked destined to become the club's all-time top scorer.

By the time he left the club for Sundowns in January 2018, Brockie had netted 54 times for SuperSport and only Abram Raselemane had scored more goals for Matsatsantsa with 57.

Brockie is now placed third on the list of SuperSport's greatest ever goal scorers as Bradley Grobler is currently second with 55 goals.

Sniper's transfer to Sundowns proved to be unsuccessful as he struggled for game time, but he lifted two PSL titles with Masandawana.

SuperSport chief executive officer Stan Matthews confirmed that they were interested in Brockie' services after he left Sundowns.

However, Matsatsantsa later decided against re-signing the Christchurch-born player, who has now returned to Oceania. 

Kerala Blasters coach Kibu Vicuna explained his reasons for opting to start with his foreign centre-backs, namely Bakary Kone and Costa Nhamoinescu in almost every game this season.

The only game where an Indian centre-back in Lalruatthara featured was against Bengaluru FC as Costa was suspended.

Vicuna stated that if Lalruatthara and Abdul Hakku would have been ready for a start, certainly the Indian duo would have got their chances by now.

“It’s for tactical reasons. I choose the players according to the match. It does not mean that just because they are foreigners they will play. If Thara, Hakku are ready to play they will play,” said the Spaniard.

Kerala Blasters have struggled to create chances this season and Vicuna defened his side by pointing towards the last game against East Bengal where they dominated the opposition for most of the second half.

“I think in the last match we had got a good number of chances. We are improving in this aspect of the game. We also have Sahal (Abdul Samad), Rohit (Kumar) who are coming up from behind. Hopefully, we are going to get better in the next few games,” he promised.

“We wanted three points (in the last match). We scored in second half injury time. Even after the goal, we had a good chance. In the second half, we improved. We were better than East Bengal,” he added.

Sergio Cidoncha is more or less ruled out for the season and the Spaniard will be replaced by another midfielder. Vicuna affirmed that the club has signed a replacement and will be ready for action once he completes his quarantine.

“We have got a replacement. He can join as soon as possible. He will do quarantine and he will be available since the beginning of January,” he said.

Kerala haven’t won a single game this term and have only three points to show for their efforts from the opening six matches. Vicuna was questioned on what the objectives of the season for Kerala Blasters are given their poor start to the campaign.

“I think we are focussing on tomorrow's game. I will not talk about the season. We have our objectives but now we just want to get the three points tomorrow and then against Mumbai City (whom they face on January 2nd, 2021).”

Blasters will be up against Hyderabad FC, who have several injury concerns and haven’t been able to field their full quota of foreign players for even 90 minutes this season. The former Mohun Bagan coach is optimistic of his team’s chances of picking their first win.

“Every game is difficult. Hyderabad are playing well. They played well against Mumbai. We are also training well. We are improving and taking forward steps. I am confident that we will play a good match tomorrow.”

The former Osasuna assistant coach wants his team to be consistent in their performance across the entire game as opposed to doing well for just 45 minutes.

“The first game against Mohun Bagan we did really well. It was a game of few chances. Against NorthEast United, we played well in the first half. It was the same against East Bengal as we played better in the second half. But we have to do well for 90 minutes. I’m looking for that match where we can be happy after playing well for the entire match,” expressed Vicuna.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt has indicated they are in desperate need of Samir Nurkovic's services on the field sooner rather than later.

The veteran tactician watched on as his charges failed to score against Angolan side CD Primeiro de Agosto in the Caf Champions League first-round first-leg match which ended in a 0-0 draw at FNB Stadium on Wednesday. 

Amakhosi have struggled to score goals especially in the Champions League having netted once in three matches and Hunt has been unable to use the team's top scorer from last season, Nurkovic. 

“He is training. So hopefully we can get him on the field in the new year," Hunt said on The Citizen. 

"I hope so because I think he would have had a few [goals] by now. Last season when Chiefs started so well the goals came from him, we need that.”

Hunt announced that the Serbian striker was fit despite him still being sidelined from the squad earlier this month.

Reports indicating that contract negotiations appear to have stalled Nurkovic's return to the team then emerged and there has been plenty of speculation linking him with a move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

The 28-year-old's contract with Amakhosi is due to expire in June 2022 and the club has made it clear that he is not for sale. 

Meanwhile, Hunt is happy with his side’s improvement in attitude since he took over despite the team having endured a poor start to the 2020/21 season. 

“I think the biggest thing is the attitude [improvement]. We were in a unique situation, it was the same for everyone with the [Covid-19] epidemic," he said. 

"But with them [my squad], to come so close [to the title] and lose, it was a bit of a shock for everyone. It took time for them to get their heads around it.

"And there were no ins and outs in terms of transfers [Chiefs are serving a Fifa transfer ban], you could have freshened the place up very quickly."

Chiefs are winless in their last five matches across all competitions, but they have lost one game and recorded four draws and Hunt feels there are positives in how the team is playing. 

“But you can see [improvement], [at the start] when I looked through them you could see through their heads and out the back," he added. 

"Now we are at least seeing matter, it is coming slowly. Wins help, they haven’t happened but we are certainly playing better.”

Amakhosi are scheduled to face Agosto in the second-leg match in Angola on January 6. 

In a bid to get their maiden win in Indian Super League (ISL) East Bengal take on Chennaiyin FC at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, on Saturday evening.

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 TEAM NEWS

East Bengal Possible XI:   

Injured - Aaron Hamadi, Loken Meitei
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Danny Fox, Anthony Pilkington

Chennaiyin FC Possible XI: 

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - Reagan Singh

Key Players -  Rafael Crivellaro, Anirudh Thapa

The seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL) is underway for over a month and the league table has gradually started to take shape. It is evident that some teams are still trying to find their feet in the competition, whereas a few have already got into a rhythm and are picking up the three points more regularly. 

Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan are at the top of the pack with 16 points apiece while Bengaluru FC are close on their heels with 12 points. Upon taking a closer look at their team composition, the three outfits have one distinct feature in common - they have not only held on to their key players from the previous season.

ATK Mohun Bagan have chosen to stick with their winning formula and have not tinkered much with their squad. The think tank remains the same with Antonio Habas at the helm of affairs and the management has obliged the coach by retaining the linchpins who had played a significant role in ATK landing their third ISL (Indian Super League) title in six years. 

To put matters into perspective, the team have retained 21 players from the previous campaign, the most by an ISL side. Against Kerala Blasters in their opening match, nine out of the 11 starters had played together in the last campaign.  Also, they have not chopped and changed in the overseas contingent as only Tiri and Brad Inman have been added to their roster, with the Spanish centre-back a direct replacement for retired defender Agustin Garcia. And Habas is certainly reaping the benefits.

In the attacking third, Roy Krishna has carried on his rich vein of form in this edition and has already five goals to his name in seven matches. In midfield, Carl McHugh has been outstanding with his game reading skills and ball distribution. He is being ably supported by familiar faces like Pronay Halder, Jayesh Rane and Prabir Das. If Soosairaj had not got injured he would have been another name in the starting XI who knows Habas' tactics inside.  

The Mariners are yet to concede from open play and although much of the credit should go to Antonio Habas for his defensive organisation, one should also consider the fact that they have bolstered their backline by hiring the services of India international Sandesh Jhingan and a dependable centre back like Tiri. 

Similarly, Bengaluru FC have also held on to their match-winners in key positions and have brought in Cleiton Silva and Kristian Opseth to solve their goalscoring woes. The philosophy has been simple, retain the experienced performers who know the coach's blueprint.

In their 4-2 win against Kerala Blasters, the Blues had eight players on the pitch who had been together for a considerable period of time. The number could have nine if Rahul Bheke was match fit. The two new faces were Silva and Opseth who are slowly getting into the groove after taking a few games to settle down. 

Set-pieces have been their forte and it boils down to their amazing understanding with each other during the dead-ball situations. Each one of them knows their job perfectly and the execution shows the chemistry that they share with each other. 

Meanwhile, although Sergio Lobera finds himself in a new ship, he has been fortunate enough to get the sailors from the previous one.  Mourtada Fall, Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous, Mandar Rao Desai have all followed their manager from Goa to Mumbai and they are doing well after taking a couple of initial games to get their bearings in place. 

Jahouh continues to be the anchor in midfield whereas, Bomous in a more advanced role is producing the goods that Lobera expects from him. Having a quality striker in Adam Le Fondre has further eased his task, as the French midfielder loads the bullet for the forward to pull the trigger. 

Another new recruit in Cy Goddard has also adapted pretty well to Lobera's methods and is proving himself to be an undisputed starter. Hence the synergy between midfield and attack is almost perfect which is one of the primary reasons behind Mumbai's effectiveness.

The pandemic has made matters complicated for teams as they have had to settle with a short pre-season and a limited number of friendlies. In fact, Bagan did not play any preparatory match going into the fixtures. Therefore, teams who have gone for wholesale changes are taking more time to find the right combination. East Bengal started their preparations in the last week of October and it might be one of the reasons behind their poor run of form. 

But these three sides have played it smart and safe during the squad building exercise. With only 20 matches to play, the teams who get a good start certainly have an advantage over the others. The top three have done the initial bit to perfection, and now it remains to be seen whether they can keep the momentum till the business end.

Odisha FC find themselves in the 10th spot with just two points from seven games. Hyderabad are a little well off with nine from six matches but are certainly struggling to get the wins. Both these teams, apart from their on-field hardships, have one thing in common- they have chosen to register just six foreigners instead of the full quota of seven. 

If a couple of players get injured then the coach does not have an option but to field a team without making the most of the permitted quota of five overseas players. Hyderabad have been the most unfortunate victim in this campaign as they have been ravaged by injuries to key players since the beginning. 

Fran Sandaza is yet to take the pitch, as he has been nursing an injury, whereas, Joel Chianese and Lluis Sastre have had managed to play only one and two games respectively. Manager Manuel Marquez has had the luxury to field all five foreigners in the starting line-up only once in this season, that was against Bengaluru FC. However, even in that game, Hyderabad could not field five foreigners throughout the 90 minutes.

In most games, the Spaniard has been fielding only three overseas faces and against ATK Mohun Bagan the number came down to two, which highlights the misery of the manager. With a bit of luck, Indian players stepping up and Aridane Santana's prowess upfront, the Nizams are not languishing like Odisha at the bottom. But they are starting to realise the cost of going into the fixtures with just six foreigners. 

Meanwhile, the Juggernauts have struggled in almost every department on the pitch. Arguably their best player in the squad, Marcelinho, is struggling to get minutes for reasons best known to the coach. But what is clear is that the team has not been built around his strengths. 

The team is clamouring for some fresh impetus but their options are limited on the bench as the think-tank thought they could manage with six foreign players. Diego Mauricio, after a good start, lost his way a little bit before scoring against NorthEast United. Manuel Onwu is not getting the services from the wide areas, Cole Alexander looks short of gas in midfield to dictate proceedings whereas Steven Taylor and Jacob Tratt's defensive pairing is as brittle as a porcelain vase.

In this kind of situation, where most of the players are going through a rough patch it is always better to have that one extra option on the bench who might just turn out to be the difference-maker. And Baxter who is desperate for a messiah is in dire need of that seventh foreigner. 

FC Goa is another side who has opted to sign six overseas players. Although the Gaurs are not struggling to the extent of Hyderbad and Odisha. But they are definitely far from their fluent best. It is not easy to replace the likes of Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous and Goa need that anchor in the centre of the park who can control the game from a deep-lying position. 

They have Alberto Noguera in their ranks but in this season it is essential to have a cover for such key players. 

Like, Juan Ferrando chose to rotate against Jamshedpur FC and left out the Spanish midfielder which created a void. In Noguera's absence, Edu Bedia was forced to operate from a deeper position and hence they was no one up front who could unlock Jamshedpur's defence. Therefore, it is no surprise that Goa had to rely on set-pieces to get the three points from the match. 

Due to the Coronavirus, the teams have not got the opportunity to carry out a proper preseason, which is leading to more frequent injuries. Rotating the squad has become the order of the day. In these circumstances, having a strong squad has become the key to success. But by signing just six foreign players, the teams have given enough options to the manager.

Mikel Arteta says beating Chelsea on Boxing Day would be "the best medicine" for "suffering" Arsenal in a "crucial" festive period.

Arteta has come under increasing pressure with the Gunners languishing in 15th in the Premier League table.

They also crashed out of the Carabao Cup with a 4-1 quarter-final defeat at home to Manchester City on Tuesday.

Arsenal are without a win in seven top-flight matches, picking up just two points since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on November 1.

Arteta says a London derby victory over Frank Lampard's side would be the perfect remedy ahead of trips to fellow strugglers Brighton and Hove Albion and West Brom.

The Arsenal manager said: "At the moment, to keep the team together, to keep the team alive and to be a team, not a group of players, it takes a lot of energy because when you are losing football matches you have to lift them up, to get them together.

"You have to get them all being positive to each other, to not blame each other or any external factor when things are not going well.

"The best thing to do when you have a situation like that is to have the possibility to do things outside of the site, get them together in a change of environment, but at the moment, with Covid [restrictions], we cannot do it and probably we are not going to be able to do it in a while.

"We have to try other ways, but I have to say the players are really putting in a lot of energy enthusiasm not to lose what we are building, but it takes a lot of energy because we are losing games.

"Every game is a lot of weight on your shoulders, it's a lot of disappointment and people are suffering. We are hurting and suffering and we have to get back, start believing again and try to push the players, then they respond and are excited for the game.

"The best medicine, better than anything than can happen outside of our facilities, is to win against Chelsea."

Arsenal are only four points above the relegation zone and Arteta knows they have to turn the tide in a key period.

"I think the next seven to eight days are going to be crucial to see where we are going to be heading in the Premier League." the Spaniard said.

Pep Guardiola has hailed Phil Foden as one of the most "incredible" players he has seen at his age and said he can go to another level after learning to "slow down."

Midfielder Foden has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances for City this season.

The 20-year-old England international scored City's third goal with a sublime finish and put one on a plate for Aymeric Laporte in a 4-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal on Tuesday.

Foden found the back of the net eight times and set up nine goals last season, so he is well on course to improve on those tallies ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Newcastle United.

City boss Guardiola rates Foden as one of the most gifted players he has set eyes on around his age group and commended his desire to improve, but said he will only reach his peak with more experience under his belt.

The Spaniard said: "They [younger players] have incredible energy, but in the final decision, final pass, they have to slow down. The energy for a guy of that age, he wants to win the world, beat the world and be important.

"It's normal, but you need experience to be more calm. He plays football in the same rhythm, football must be need played in different rhythms: sometimes you have to walk, sometimes you have no rhythm, sometimes you have to change the rhythm.

"He has to understand this, but it is experience, it's not saying you have to do it [now], it's time. He has incredible skills and many other things and we will be incredibly patient, it's not easy for a young player to rise as he has in a club like this, playing important games and with the national team.

"There will be a moment when he slows down, it's a normal process for all young players. You just have to stick with them and be patient.

"Every time with patience and a desire to be a better player you will get it, there's no doubt. I know we can trust and rely on him all the time."

Guardiola is confident Foden has the ability to score many more goals for City.

Asked how many he is capable of scoring, he said: "A lot. The signs are good. In front of the keeper he has this composure. He has something that the other ones don't have.

"He just has to keep this incredible strength he has and to improve. A player of 28, 29, 30 years old also has margin to improve, so imagine a guy of 20 years old like Phil. The important thing is his desire and commitment and he is a joy to watch in the training sessions and in the games he will improve."

Guardiola added: "He is one of the more incredible players I have seen at that age, he is so good. I was in Barcelona, I was in Bayern Munich and yes there were more experienced players, but I saw in the academy and there were incredible players at that age.

"They had long careers and they had the mentality that Phil has and that's the most important thing."

City will be without Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker when they host Newcastle after they tested positive for coronavirus.

It hasn't been the best of starts for East Bengal in their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) season. The Kolkata club are yet to register a win in their first six matches and are placed at the bottom of the league table with just two points.

The Red and Golds have already conceded 11 goals and have managed to score just three. It took them a whopping 350 minutes to score their first goal in the ISL.

The above statistic gives us a fair idea that the Red and Golds do not have the firepower to score goals at will. The likes of Balwant Singh, CK Vineeth and Jeje Lalpekhlua have not really impressed as the main striker. In fact, after running of options, coach Robbie Fowler fielded former Irish international Anthony Pilkington as the team's number 9, who has played predominantly as winger all his career, in their last match against Kerala Blasters.

The East Bengal coach has experimented with different permutations and combinations in the six matches the team played so far. They've played with a back three and also back four at times. While they played 476 passes against ATK Mohun Bagan and kept 59 per cent ball possession, against Mumbai City, Fowler's men played 365 passes and had 46 per cent possession.

Fowler has also been forced to take a pragmatic approach against Jamshedpur FC. After going pointless in their first four matches, East Bengal were, for most parts, desperate for at least a draw against Jamshedpur. The early sending off of Eugeneson Lyngdoh actually played a key role in that decision. East Bengal did well to hold off Jamshedpur and gain a point. 

In their last game against Kerala Blasters, Fowler was once again seen focusing on defensive solidity and rely on counters while going forward. From one such counter, the Red and Golds had managed to take the lead. The first half goal had made Fowler even more defensive and they almost held on, only for Jeakson Singh's last-gasp goal to spoil their party.

Robbie Fowler doesn’t have the personnel to keep the ball and play a possession-based game. In the last game against Kerala Blasters, they started the tie by pressing high and winning the ball high up the field to launch quick counterattacks. 

In the three games where they saw more of the ball – ATK Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United and Hyderabad FC – it was more a case of the opponent allowing them to have more possession. Antonio Habas lined-up his team to hit on counterattacks, NorthEast United are known to sit back and play direct while Hyderabad only had three foreigners against them which made keeping the ball difficult.

Even when they do have more possession, they aren’t able to penetrate, nor do they have a proper number nine, and in good form, to hold the ball and bring the midfielders into play. They need to focus on defensive solidity and ensure that they do not give away cheap goals, as has been witnessed in their games against Kerala and Hyderabad.

Andrea Pirlo should have kept quiet rather than wade in on Napoli's successful appeal against their 3-0 forfeit defeat to Juventus and one-point penalty, according to Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli did not turn up for their game in Turin in October and were also docked a point by Serie A after arguing they were banned from travelling by local health authorities as Piotr Zielinski, Eljif Elmas and a member of staff had tested positive for Covid-19.

Juventus also reported two positive cases among staff a day before the game but made clear they intended to play the match at the Allianz Stadium.

Pirlo named a starting XI but the game did not go ahead due to Napoli's absence and was officially abandoned, but the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) ruled the Partenopei had ignored the coronavirus protocols in place, which state a team must fulfil an fixture if they have 13 available players, including a goalkeeper.

Napoli refused to drop the matter and took the case to the Italian National Olympic Committee's (CONI) Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport – the highest sports authority in the country – and it ruled in the club's favour on Tuesday, with the rescheduled game set to take place in 2021.

Pirlo appeared to take a swipe at the ruling this week, saying: "I'm sorry for the other teams who have travelled and lost points without saying anything, leaving and playing without those who had Covid-19. I'm more sorry for them than for us."

Napoli president De Laurentiis was not impressed with Pirlo's remarks and said he should stick to coaching instead of commenting on matters of law.

"Pirlo is not a lawyer by trade, he does not know certain procedures and does not know what has happened in terms of protocols," De Laurentiis told Radio Capital.

"Pirlo should be a coach and that's it, leave certain answers to his club representatives."

Jurgen Klopp has revealed he spoke to Mohamed Salah over the Egyptian’s frustration at missing out on the Liverpool captaincy for a game earlier this month.

But the Reds boss says Divock Origi is the player who really should have been upset with his decision.

Salah caused something of a stir when stating, in an interview with Spanish publication AS last week, that he had been “very disappointed” not to be handed the armband for Liverpool’s Champions League game away to FC Midtjylland on December 9.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, six years his junior, led the team out in Denmark, becoming the third-youngest captain in the club’s history, while Salah was on target in the Reds’ 1-1 draw.

Salah's former international team-mate Mohamed Aboutrika followed that by saying that Salah was unhappy at Anfield and that he could be sold. 

Speaking to reporters ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with West Brom, Klopp was happy to clarify that there was no issue between himself and Salah.

“I was captain for a long time during my career, and I often thought what a heck of a job it was," Klopp said. "There were not a lot of benefits, just a lot of work with all the things around it.

“So I don’t feel the importance of being captain. Yes, we need one like Hendo [Jordan Henderson], that’s clear, but being captain for a game, I didn’t realise how important that can be for players. In this world, we make a big fuss about everything, and I didn’t realise it was that much a story for Trent or whatever.

“The rule here is, we have a players’ committee. Hendo wears the armband, and if he’s not playing then it’s Milly [James Milner]. If those two are not playing then it’s Virgil [van Dijk] and if all three are not playing, it’s Gini [Wijnaldum].

“If they all cannot play, then it’s usually the player who is longest at the club. And that was how I saw it in my understanding. Trent got it because he was longest at the club – professionally, not just his youth career.”

He added: “Somebody afterwards told me it would have been Divock Origi, but Div was on loan and stuff like that. That was my fault. I didn’t make it that complicated. It was just, ‘Trent is longest at the club, so he has the armband’.

“Of course I spoke to Mo about it afterwards. When I realised it didn’t work out that well [for him], I clarified it, and then he spoke about it again in the interview, which is not a problem for me.

“Yes, he was disappointed, but I didn’t do it on purpose. I just did what I did, and if I made a mistake then it was that Divock Origi was not the captain that day!”

Klopp appeared bemused that Salah’s comments to AS had caused such a response in England and was happy to address other issues raised in the interview – such as the fact the 28-year-old refused to rule out a possible move to Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future.

“When Mo answered the question, it was just that these clubs might be interested, and he wouldn’t rule it out,” he said.

“Imagine, if you ask any player in the world who isn’t playing for Barcelona or Madrid, and you ask them, ‘Can you imagine playing for them one day?’ and they say, ‘No, not for them, Spain is s***!’ or whatever.

“Why would he say that? All [Salah] said is, ‘We will see’ and that it’s in the club’s hands. That’s true, 100 per cent. It’s about the future.

“It’s really all fine. You obviously have not a lot to talk about, and that’s why we make a long story about one interview. That’s fine, but it doesn’t make it more important to me. Mo is a very important player for me, obviously, but the story around isn’t!”

Klopp did, however, point out that he could not understand why any player, let alone Salah, would want to leave Liverpool at this moment in time.

“We could all look for something else if we wanted to, but for me the only reason to leave Liverpool in the moment is the weather!” he smiled.

“What other reason could there be? This is one of the biggest clubs in the world. We pay the money, maybe not the most in the world but we pay good, we have a sensational stadium with outstanding supporters all over the world. Our colours are red which is the nicest colour anyway, so where are the reasons?

“You cannot force people to stay. We never did, by the way. It’s all about timing, the right moment. We make changes and bring players in, and if a player wanted to go then we wouldn’t stand in the way. It’s just I don’t understand why they would want to.”

Asked if Salah’s single-mindedness – he also spoke of wanting to break “all club records” at Liverpool – made him difficult to manage, Klopp said: “It’s challenging, I would say, in a good way. That’s my job.

“The thing with footballers is they need to be extremely confident to play their best football. And being extremely confident, yes that makes you a special person, and not always the easiest to deal with every day.

“That’s the job. So far [with Salah] there was no problem, and I can’t see any problem in the future.

“Mo’s motivation level is really, really, really high, he keeps himself in a sensational shape, he works incredibly hard around his sessions – first in, last out, that kind of stuff. There’s nothing you can blame him for, to be honest.

“He knows exactly what he needs if he is to have a chance to break records. It’s all fine. These kind of interviews, which I heard now about, you make a lot of it, to be honest! It’s fine, but on a daily basis we don’t feel it.”

Liverpool could welcome back Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri to their squad for Sunday’s game with strugglers West Brom. The pair have resumed full training at Kirkby after muscle injuries.

Thiago Alcantara was also pictured training with his team-mates this week, but the Spaniard will not be risked this weekend as the Reds take all necessary precautions after his knee problem, which has kept him out for more than two months.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has hit out at his side's schedule, saying that having games against Arsenal and Aston Villa within a span of 48 hours hands an advantage to his side's title rivals. 

The Blues will be unable to play their strongest XI for both matches – against Arsenal on Boxing Day and Villa on Monday – which take place in a season that already features a condensed schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Man Utd have three days in between their two fixtures and both Liverpool and Tottenham have four days. 

Lampard lays the blame with both the Premier League and the broadcasters for not finding a solution that offers a fairer playing field to teams at the top of the table.

"It's two games in two days, 48 hours," Lampard said. "I'm not trying to be clever, it's an important point for us because there are other teams that are challenging at the top of the league that play two games in three days.

"Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool play two games in three or four days. It's counterproductive for the quality of the Premier League, it's a risk for players if they are going to play both games at top-end elite sport, everybody knows that.

"And I know clearly what happened with this one as well; the game's being broadcast live as they all are now. And we play Arsenal on Boxing Day, and our game with Man City now has been pushed to the Sunday (January 3).

"So the schedule meant that we couldn't play, and Aston Villa also wanted to play on the Tuesday, they wanted an extra day, and so did we. But we got overruled by both the Premier League and the broadcasters.

"I know in conjunction with each other, and this was bounced around, it got decided that we play twice in 48 hours when other teams that are challenging at the top of the league play twice in three days.

"I don't see how it's a fair playing field, I think it's wrong and it's not going to be the best for the players that play at the top level. Don't get me wrong, Aston Villa have the same problem. Us playing them, we'll both have the same problems.

"But I'm just saying we are not getting the same rest period that other teams are getting. It's not good even for the players to go out and train let alone play to a high level of 90 minutes. Everybody in the Premier League knows that."

Lampard has admitted that because of the schedule, he will have to field a heavily rotated side on Monday against Villa following the match against the Gunners.

"The broadcasters are looking for the best product, so yeah, I will have to rotate players," Lampard added. "I'll have to see off the back of Arsenal where players are; every individual is different.

"Christmas is normally the hectic time but the hectic time has been throughout this season and I understand it. So every little win you can get by using common sense to put a game that could be broadcast on a day to push it one day and broadcast it on another day, take those small wins to try to help player welfare.

"That's how I see it. This situation, 26th and 28th for us, when others are not, it's compromising the players if they are going to play those two games, and some may have to. I think it also compromises the competition because others don't have to do the same, and it's clear that it's not ample recovery time for top-level footballers.

"I have sympathy for the scheduling; I have sympathy for the difficult times if we can try to work together to find the best solution and sometimes there isn't one. Everyone loves football and wants the season to finish and the Champions League to continue and international football to continue.

"But when you have two teams that are asking for a game to be played one day later to try to get their best players on the pitch as fit as they can, why would you not do that? That surprises me."

Chelsea's pre-Christmas win over West Ham saw them rise to fifth in the table ahead of a busy schedule at the end of December.

Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu could make his Premier League debut against Fulham on Saturday, club boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has hinted.

The Ghanaian is still chasing his first appearance for The Saints since completing a move from Spanish La Liga outfit Real Valladolid in August.

An injury to first-choice Southampton left-centre-back Jannik Vestergaard has opened up a possible opportunity for the 21-year-old who faces competition from Jack Stephens for the slot.

With Vestergaard, The Saints have performed above expectations so far this season as they currently occupy the seventh position on the league table, above the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.

"I think we have seen the team at the top of the league [Liverpool] play for two months without [influential captain and first-choice centre-back] Virgil van Dijk and everybody said this was not possible, that you could not play without him. They are not really less successful than before, so everything is possible," Hasenhuttl said, as reported by Hampshire Live.

"Maybe the game will change slightly because Jannik with the ball has fantastic passes and solutions but we must adapt our game always to ever circumstance what is there - but we must trust in the other ones.

"Salisu is a completely different player. He is left-footed so a left-footed one makes it on the left a little different with the angle of how you play the ball.

"But we have Jack Stephens who is a very similar ball-player to Jannik. I have not decided yet what I will do," he admitted.

"We must have a look. We will not be able to make a one to one change as this is not possible."

Owing to an injury, Salisu teamed up with Southampton in training on the week of the kick-off of the Premier League season in September despite sealing his transfer a month earlier.

He made the matchday squad for the first time in a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month, and has gone on to make the bench in the following three games, including a 1-0 loss to Manchester City last Saturday.

The youngster is expected to be handed a Ghana call-up for a possible international debut in March next year. 

Ajara Nchout says she could complete her move to a new club in the coming days if discussions sail through following her exit from Norwegian outfit Valerenga. 

The Cameroon international saw out her two-year contract with the Norwegian outfit in November on a high after she inspired them to a historic domestic double, including a first-ever Toppserien title.

The 27-year-old had arrived from Norwegian rivals Sanvikens at the Oslo-based outfit in December 2018 and helped the club to two runners-up titles in 2019 before a maiden double this year.

Besides winning her first career title, she finished as the top scorer of the 2020 Toppserien season, with 10 goals and bagged 14 times overall in all competitions, including the Champions League. 

Having since returned to Cameroon for holiday, the striker went on to confirm interests from some top European clubs, notably in Spain and France.

“The fans want to see me outside of Norway," Nchout was quoted by Cameroon tabloid, Kamer Power.

"I would like to point out that Norway is among the top five women's football championships. At the moment, I am in discussion with several clubs in Spain and France.

"In a week, we should be done. And if the negotiations are successful, we'll unveil my next destination. Rest assured it will be a great club," she concluded.

Before her move to Norway in 2018, Nchout started her career abroad in 2011 at Energiya Voronezh in Russia and later Rossiyanka before USA's Western New York Flash then Sundsvall in Sweden.

With rumours of interest from Atletico Madrid, a move to Spain could see the 2019 African Women's Player of the Year runners-up become the latest star from the continent in the Spanish top-flight.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has released goalkeeping coach Fred Kajoba for failing to observe the coronavirus regulations.

Although Fufa did not specifically state Kajoba’s wrong, it went further to confirm the Vipers head coach will not be part of the pre-African Nations Championship (Chan) squad.

“Fufa has released one of the Uganda Cranes technical staff Fred Kajoba after not being able to observe the camp regulations at the team’s hotel in Kisasi which require all members of the contingent to follow the strict Covid-19 Standard Operations Procedures,” the federation announced on Friday.

“Kajoba will therefore not travel with the Uganda Cranes contingent on Monday 28th December 2020 when they fly out of the country for a pre-Chan tournament in Cameroon in preparation for the Chan finals that start mid-January 2021.  

“A replacement for the goalkeeping coach will be named by the Fufa executive in due course.”

The dismissal means the Venoms’ tactician will be missing a national assignment yet again after he was not available for a week-long training trip to Dubai in September.

Head coach Johnathan McKinstry picked goalkeepers Joel Mutakubwa of Kyetume FC, Nafian Alionzi of URA FC, and Police FC’s Tom Ikara for the continental bonanza and the trio are now set to work with another coach after the former Crane’s custodian was dismissed.

The squad also includes Ivan Bogere, Aziz Kayondo and Bobosi Byaruhanga who are part of the U20 national side.

They were key during the 2020 U20 Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Championship which they won and sealed a place in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Provisional Squad:

Goalkeepers: Joel Mutakubwa (Kyetume), Nafian Alionzi (URA), Tom Ikara (Police),

Defenders: Eric Ssenjobe (Police), Aziz Kayondo (Vipers), Derrick Ndahiro (SC Villa), Paul Willa (Vipers), Ashraf Mandela (URA), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Mustafa Mujjuzi (Kyetume), Patrick Mbowa (URA), Murushid Juuko (Express), Muhamood Hassan (Police),

Midfielders: Shafiq Kagimu (URA), Tonny Mawejje (Police), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers), Karim Watambala (Vipers), Saidi Kyeyune (URA), Hassan Ssenyonjo (Wakiso Giants),

Forwards: Ben Ocen (Police), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers), Vianne Ssekajjugo (Wakiso Giants), Joseph Ssemujju (BUL), Joakim Ojera (URA), Milton Karisa (Vipers), Stephen Mukwala (URA), Mohamed Shaban (Vipers), Ivan Bogere (Proline).