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There is no escaping the fact that Arsenal are in a Premier League relegation battle, says Nigel Winterburn, with the situation considered to have become “very, very worrying”.

Mikel Arteta’s side have become stuck in a serious rut this season, with the Gunners making their worst start to a campaign since 1974-75.

Dreams of European qualification are already starting to fade, with the north London heavyweights currently more concerned with events at the opposite end of the table.

Just four points separate Arsenal from the drop zone after 14 games, with Winterburn admitting that no team is too good to go down and that improvement is imperative at Emirates Stadium.

The former Gunners defender told The Sun of a team that has also crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage: “When I left Arsenal and went to West Ham in my last season we had a fantastic team, but we got relegated.

“We couldn’t win a game of football. You go out with all good intentions, you might play well to start with, and you can’t score and boost that confidence.

“All of a sudden you get an individual error or you get a player sent off and your backs are against the wall, and you go on to not win the game.

“That’s exactly what happened at West Ham for a long period of time. I see similar things happening at Arsenal.

“They have got to get two back-to-back victories, very, very quickly. It’s no good saying ‘We’re only 14 games in, there’s time’.

“You can see the confidence is ebbing away from this team.

"They’re tentative, it’s almost as if they’re waiting for something to happen to react to, something against them rather than dictate the play.

“It’s very, very worrying because they’re not scoring many goals. If [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang doesn’t score, I don’t know who is.”

Winterburn added: “You can’t hide away from the fact we’re looking at the teams below us, rather than focusing on the teams above.

“It’s been such a strange season already in terms of results and up to a couple of weeks ago we were sitting in a similar position.

“I was thinking if we get a couple of wins in the next couple of games, we’d be sitting eighth or ninth in the league, a few points behind the top four teams.

“Then all of a sudden you lose those games and now you’re thinking the points difference is starting to get quite large to the European places.

“Then you look below you and see you’re only four points and a couple of teams above the relegation places, and it starts to make you feel really nervous.

“This team has got to get two back-to-back victories quickly and with that you get confidence. You get belief and you can try and get the season up and running.

“I’ve got to say, at the moment, it’s desperate. I’ve worked on most of the games this season, and it's quite a hard watch.

“I’m willing the team to be brave and go out and get on the front foot, even if it’s just a lucky goal when they’re on top in games. It’s not happening for them. You can’t hide from the fact it’s poor.”

Arsenal, who have gone seven games without a Premier League win stretching back to November 1, will return to top-flight action on Boxing Day when they play host to London rivals Chelsea.

Chippa United owner Siviwe Mpengesi says he will “embarrass” Safa’s bid to block Luc Eymael from working in South Africa while the coach’s lawyer Antoine Semeria has told the football governing body that it has “no authority to interfere” with his client’s freedom of movement.

This comes after Chippa sacked Lehlohonolo Seema on Tuesday and replaced him with Eymael who left his last job at Tanzanian giants Young Africans under a cloud after he was alleged to have referred to Young Africans supporters as monkeys and dogs.

The racism allegations have left Safa expressing “dismay” at “unrepentant racist” Eymael being appointed the Chilli Boys coach.

Safa also said they intend to petition the Minister of Home Affairs objecting the granting of a work permit to the Belgian and also report him to Fifa and charge him for “his despicable conduct.”

But Mpengesi has struck back, saying he is “not afraid of” Safa and is prepared to contest any action against Eymael.

“Those are allegations. We don’t look at the colour of the people, we don’t look at other people’s opinion. I asked him and the answer he gave me satisfied me,” Mpengesi told Marawa Sport Worldwide on Radio 2000 .

“As far as I know, he cleared his name with that club and we accepted him. Of course they were mentioning that he is a racist. It was their way of looking at things. Of course these were allegations and were not tested in any court of law, they were not tested before Fifa statutes so I am not going to entertain that.

“Even Safa cannot block him because he has not been found guilty. If they do that I will challenge them. Safa have a lot of things they are supposed to be focusing on where they are not doing right. They must not interfere in our private business.

“They must do things according to rules so they must come with the facts. We will also go to the Minister if they go to the Minister. I’m not afraid of them. But one thing I’m warning them about, Safa and Danny Jordaan, they must focus on their mandate to develop football because our kids are suffering out there.

“We will embarrass them. I’m going to defend the coach I have appointed until Fifa tell me otherwise. Safa must leave my coach alone and my team. We want this team to do well.”

Eymael has previously coached in the Premier Soccer League, taking charge of Polokwane City, Black Leopards and Free State Stars whom he guided to the 2018 Nedbank Cup triumph.

The coach’s lawyer has also hit back at Safa, telling them, “stop your practices.”

“You seem to be ignoring the principle of presumption of innocence. You have no authority to interfere with my client’s freedom of movement or his freedom to work. I therefore solemnly ask you to stop your practices and leave Mr Eymael free to join the club of his choice,” Semeria wrote in a letter also copied to the Fifa Ethics Committee.

Eymael is expected to arrive in South Africa before the end of the year.

Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire are "irreplaceable", according to Gary Neville, who says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can't afford to rest the Manchester United duo.

Fernandes has built on an impressive start to life in Manchester by establishing himself as the team's driving force in the final third at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Portuguese, who moved to Old Trafford from Sporting CP in a €55 million (£49m/$67m) deal back in January, has contributed 13 goals and seven assists to United's cause in his first 20 appearances this term.

His performances have helped Solskjaer's side rise to third in the Premier League standings, and he was in the starting line-up for a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Everton on Wednesday night.

Fernandes played the full 90 minutes of the Red Devils' 2-0 victory at Goodison Park, as did club captain Maguire, who did an admirable job of keeping in-form Toffees striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin quiet.

Maguire faced some criticism in the early stages of the season after a string of sub-par displays, but has gradually got back to his best level, and Neville thinks his continued presence will be vital to United's chances of success in 2021.

A member of the fabled Class of '92 squad thinks the England international is equally as important to Solskjaer's set-up as Fernandes, with the Norwegian head coach considered to be in a tough spot when it comes to rotating the two players heading into a crucial period.

Neville, who enjoyed an illustrious career at Old Trafford spanning 19 years, said on his Sky Sports Podcast: "They are the two players who I think are irreplaceable. Fernandes is irreplaceable, they are a way off without him. He’s a vital piece of the jigsaw.

"Maguire, I think, you’d know if he was missing. My gut feeling is that they would miss him enormously.

"I know some people say he’s not the best defender in the league, that he’s not done brilliantly since he came for £80m, but he’s a big presence in the heart of the defence.

"He’s good on the ball, he’s composed and he’s good in the air. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, sometimes he gets caught but he’s a good centre-back, a really good centre-back and a big presence in that team.

"Him and Fernandes, I’m not sure they can [rest them] at this moment in time because Ole hasn’t got the luxury to lose a game, unfortunately."

Fernandes and Maguire will both be back in action when the Red Devils take in a trip to Leicester City on Boxing Day.

 Wakiso Giants coach Douglas Bamweyana has admitted he is disappointed with how the team started their campaign in the 2020-21 Ugandan Premier League (UPL).

The Purple Sharks are yet to win a match from the first five played, managing to secure five draws in the process to lie 10th on the 16-team table as the league takes a break for Christmas.

“I'm very disappointed with our returns so far,” Bamweyana said as quoted by the club’s official website . “Our performances certainly deserved a lot more than what we have - but that's football if your forwards are not as clinical as they should.”

On the team conceding in each match, Bamweyana said: “It's certainly the manner - which is clearly avoidable - that is the other concern. Lapses in concentration levels and refined speed of thought - as causes, but these are elements we can correct fast.”

Bamweyana also talked about the team’s blunt striking force saying they have to solve the issue before the league resumes in February.

“Now this right here is our biggest problem. We have a lot of creative players but truly lack genuine finishers,” Bwameyana continued.

“They get in many scoring positions and almost always make the wrong decisions to take an extra touch or dodge when shooting would be the ideal or easiest decision. We've emphasized this enough but don't see significant improvements. We will have to look out for a solution in this case and fast.”

On whether he is happy with the league taking a long break, Bamweyana explained: “I personally feel the break is unwelcome. First, we needed the next game fast to seek our first win - but also feel very unfortunate to only have drawn in games we feel we truly deserved to win and all of them for this matter! If only we were clinical in front of goal.”

On new signings arriving in the January window, the coach said: “We had full trust in our squad coming into the season - but feel disappointed with the attacking department. They certainly should have done more justice to the opportunities and moments that they enjoyed & nearly all are guilty of missing some easy chances... but Rome wasn't built in a day.

“We will assess the market seeking one or two finishers. On condition that the environment permits - it's a difficult window!”

UPDF top the table on 12 points from five matches while Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) are second on 11 points, Police FC are third on 10 points, Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) are fourth on nine points while champions Vipers SC are placed in position eight with seven points but from three matches played.

Zaidu Sanusi and Chancel Mbemba were in action as FC Porto beat Benfica 2-0 on Wednesday night to lift the Portuguese Super Cup title.

Sanusi was afforded his 15th appearance in the encounter after teaming up with the Blue and Whites from Santa Clara in the summer.

The Nigeria international started the game and formed part of a four-man defence along with the Democratic Republic of the Congo international Mbemba, Pepe and Wilson Manafa.

The full-back impressed in the encounter to help the Blue and Whites secure a record 22 Portuguese Super Cup title in their history.

Sergio Oliveira opened the scoring in the 25th minute of the game, converting his effort from the penalty spot.

Luis Diaz then sealed the victory in the 90th minute to ensure Porto continue their domination of the Super Cup.

Sanus featured for the duration of the match while Mbemba, who made his 17th appearance this season for Jorge Jesus’ men, was on parade for 76 minutes before he was replaced by Diogo Leite.

The African stars will be expected to continue their impressive performances when Porto take on Vitoria Guimaraes in their next league game on December 29.

Porto currently lie third on the table with 22 points from 10 games and will hope to close the four-point gap to league leaders Sporting to challenge for the league title.

Sanusi has previously featured for Gil Vicente, Mirandela before joining Santa Clara in 2019, where he made 24 league appearances during his one-year stay.

The full-back has three appearances for the Nigeria national team since he was afforded his debut against Algeria in October.

The 23-year-old left-back will hope to continue his fine form for Porto to enjoy more call-ups to the Super Eagles.

Uganda striker Ben Ocen has promised to help the team perform well in the African Nations Championship (Chan) if he makes the final squad.

The Police FC forward is among the 28 provisional players who are preparing for the biennial competition that will be held in January 2021 in Cameroon. The attacker has further stated the training is going on well and he is learning to ensure he helps the East Africa nation in the forthcoming assignment.

"I am so happy again to be recalled on the national team, the training is going on well and we are learning a lot from our coaches," Ocen said.

"Looking at Chan as a player, I feel, if given the opportunity to go express my talent according to what I have learned and what am still learning from our coaches, it will help me be a greater player and help my team to perform very well as we go for Chan games."

Meanwhile, Cranes are sweating over the fitness of striker Muhamad Shaban who limped off from training on Wednesday.

The Vipers SC striker reportedly sustained a hamstring injury but will be assessed further.

The attacker had just made a return to football after a knee injury kept him out of action for 18 months.

The Johnathan Mckinstry-led charges will leave the country for West Africa where they will take part in a pre-Chan tournament that will also involve hosts Cameroon, Niger and Zambia. The competition will be played between January 1-7.

In the Chan competition, Uganda is in Group be alongside defending champions Morocco, Rwanda and Togo.

Uganda Cranes 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 Mujuzi (Kyetume), Patrick Mbowa (URA), Murushid Juuko (Express), Muhamood Hassan (Police)

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

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

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have promised to investigate the alleged racism claims being levelled against Nairobi City Stars coach Sanjin Alagic.

On Wednesday, Vihiga United coach Sammy Okoth confirmed to Goal his players were subjected to racist language after the Bosnian coach was alleged to call Vihiga players ‘black monkeys.’

The visiting team then threatened to boycott the FKF Premier League match which was being played at Utalii grounds before they were prevailed upon by the match officials to continue after they were promised the allegations had been captured in the match report.

While City Stars have also launched their own investigations into the matter and promised to punish the coach if found guilty, FKF President Nick Mwendwa has told Goal they will pick up the matter when it reaches their office.

“Vihiga United should report those allegations immediately,” Mwendwa told Goal on Thursday. “Then as FKF we can pick it up from there, for now we are waiting for the report to come.

“We have to follow the necessary process because this is a very sensitive matter but we will look at it and give an appropriate decision.”

While FKF have promised to look at the issue, Goal can now report coach Alagic has already left the country for Bosnia.

According to a source, who did not want to be named, the coach, who helped City Stars to earn promotion to the top-flight, was already booked to travel to his native country, as the league is taking a break for Christmas and New Year holidays.

“[Alagic] left the country last night [Wednesday], just after the game against Vihiga United,” the source told Goal. “He had already booked a flight to travel because City Stars were playing their last match before the league break and so he left immediately after the game.”

City Stars have already promised to investigate the matter by stating: “The allegations are grave, to say the least, and as a club, we have launched immediate investigations on the same,” the club communicated via their official portal.

“To get us to the bottom of the matter, we have asked for the footage of the recorded game and would urge anyone who was close by to share any videos and audios that can provide evidence on the same," the statement continued.

“Should there be any evidence we will take immediate action as our club policy does not condone any form or kind of racism as we believe in respect and dignity to all.”

Vihiga United have maintained their players were racially abused by the coach and have promised to lodge a complaint with FKF.

“When the ball went out and my players went for it, that is when [Sanjin] called them 'you black monkeys,” Yakhama told Goal on Wednesday.

“My players cannot be crazy and start accusing you of what you have not done. My players became furious saying 'this guy has just called us black monkeys,' and we had to calm them down.

“Maybe it was just a slip of tongue, but he cannot say he did not abuse my players.”

43-year-old Alagic was appointed City Stars coach last year and oversaw their promotion back to the top flight after a four-year absence. The Sarajevo-born coach, who holds a Uefa Pro License, held the reins for Bosnia's U21 team until 2019, having also worked at club sides in his homeland, as well as in Slovakian football, and in the Middle East.

Simba wa Nairobi are now fifth in the FKF Premier League on eight points after five matches, having scored five and conceded two goals.

Liverpool will not be “held to ransom” in contract talks with Georginio Wijnaldum, says John Barnes, with the Reds only interested in players who “want to play for the badge”.

The Netherlands international midfielder is yet to commit to fresh terms at Anfield and is due to hit free agency in the summer of 2021.

He will be free to speak to suitors outside of England from January, with reports of interest from La Liga giants Barcelona refusing to go away.

Barnes would like to see Liverpool do a deal with Wijnaldum when another transfer window opens, as they explore other recruitment options in the new year, but is not convinced that they should be bowing to pressure when it comes to salary demands.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets: “Georginio Wijnaldum is a great player, I’m not sure if it would be Liverpool’s best piece of business in the window, but you want a player who is happy to stay.

“It would be great if both the player and club could come to an agreement in this window for a new deal, but I don’t feel as though Liverpool will be held to ransom and give him a four-year deal on high wages.

“The good thing about Liverpool is all of the players at the club want to play for the badge, they will all give 100 per cent and try to help Liverpool to win the league, which is all that can be asked for by a squad of players. I hope he stays.”

While hoping to see the services of Wijnaldum retained, Barnes believes Liverpool have enough talent in a star-studded squad to counter any departures.

The Reds certainly boast the firepower to keep themselves competitive, with Brazil international striker Roberto Firmino among those to have enjoyed a welcome return to form of late.

Barnes said of the South American, who has netted three times across impressive victories over Tottenham and Crystal Palace: “For me, Roberto Firmino was always one of the most important players in the Liverpool team.

“When you look at the front three, he is equally as important as both Mo Salah and Sadio Mane in my opinion.

“I never thought his position in the front three was ever under threat, he is far more important than just a striker that scores goals.

“He creates chances for the team and is largely the reason why Salah and Mane score as many goals as they do. He works hard and Jurgen Klopp knows what a valuable asset he is to the Liverpool team.

“It’s great to see him get on the scoresheet again, but I don’t feel his position would ever be under threat for a lack of goals as he brings so much more with his game. Having said that, I’m happy to see him scoring again.”

Liverpool, who sit top of the Premier League table at Christmas, will be back in action on Sunday when they play host to West Brom.  

AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has addressed the speculation surrounding the future of Manchester United linked-midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

Calhanoglu has established himself as one of the top playmakers in Serie A since joining Milan for an initial fee of €20 million (£18m/$24m) from Bayer Leverkusen in July 2017.

The Turkey international has scored 29 goals in 149 games for the Rossoneri, while also laying on 45 assists, attracting plenty of admirers from afar in the process.

United are reportedly weighing up a January move for the 26-year-old, who will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors when the transfer market reopens.

Calhanoglu will drop into the free agency pool next summer unless Milan can tie him down to fresh terms, with Italian champions Juventus also thought to be keeping a close eye on his situation.     

However, Pioli is confident that the former Leverkusen star will extend his stay at San Siro, as he told DAZN after watching him score in the Rossoneri's 3-2 home win over Lazio on Wednesday night.

"Calha is fantastic, he is intelligent, he can move well, he knows how to attack and he knows how to connect the game. He sacrifices himself," said the Italian head coach.

"I want him at this level, he is a top player. I don't think there are problems. Calha is with us and with the club. I'm sure that his will is to stay, there is a negotiation.

"The club, technical area, the player and I want the same thing, he has reached important levels and can still grow. He's a player to bet on."

Calhanoglu's latest strike came from the penalty spot either side of goals from Ante Rebic and Theo Hernandez against Lazio, with Milan's 10th victory of the season ensuring that they are still the only unbeaten side in Europe's top five leagues heading into 2021.

Pioli's men are sitting one point clear of local rivals Inter at the summit after 14 fixtures, with Juve nine points further back in sixth after a stuttering start to their latest title defence.

The Milan head coach is happy with how far his team have come over past 12 months, but still believes there is plenty of room for improvement in the second half of the campaign.

“The club deserves the praise for 2020," Pioli added. "They are helping us to work in the best possible way. They gave me strong and young footballers.

“They are all aware of their qualities and I expect to see the same things in 2021. We are not perfect. There are many things we need to solve.

"We can’t always dominate games, it’s normal, when we don’t do it, we must be compact and suffer.

“We played many games, I hope injured players will return soon. It was difficult to rotate players but these guys have a soul.

"The fans welcomed us at the stadium today, they are giving us so much.”

Bandari FC caretaker coach Twahir Muhiddin feels his charges dropped two vital points in the 1-1 draw against Posta Rangers in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League game played on Wednesday.

As the first half tempo was being set into motion, the Dockers forward Yema Mwana managed to knock down the Mailmen’s defense and bag a goal before the sound of the halftime whistle. After the break, Posta Rangers got back in the game after Jackson Dwang put in an equalizer, to close the scores at 1-1. 

Both teams had a chance to get the winning goal but they were wasteful in front of the goal.

"This is a game I feel we dropped two points because we had chances to score and win but we did not take them," Muhiddin told Goal.

"We now need to go work harder, and the main thing is to build confidence especially in the danger zone. We lacked composure and self-belief and that is why we could not take the clear chances we created.  

"We have quality players who I do not expect to miss such clear chances. At least they could have scored about two or three goals."  

Bandari have collected five points from as many matches and they are placed fifth on the table. They have won one game, drawn two and lost as many games. The Dockers have scored three goals and conceded five.

In an initial interview, Posta Rangers coach Sammy Omollo had also conceded his team needs to be sharpened in the attacking department.

"It has never been easy when Posta Rangers and Bandari meet, and it became even tougher when they scored against us because we had to double our efforts to get an equalizer," Omollo told Goal.

"I was impressed with my players' reaction after we conceded. They fought and ensured we scored.

"But it is a game that could have gone either way. Bandari had their chances especially from set-pieces, we also had our chances from set-pieces but none took them.

"It is something I will have to work on with my players, especially finishing on those set-pieces. But a point is not a bad result for us."

The tactician is hopeful his team is on the right track and will soon start getting wins consistently. 

"We have been playing tough games with good teams and I have to be content with the one point we get," Omollo added.

"It is also a challenge for us to up our game to stand a better chance of getting a win in our forthcoming game. A win will come, and once we get one, others will follow."

Cesar Azpilicueta has warned Reece James that he intends to nail down a place as Chelsea’s right-back after ending a two-month exile from Premier League competition.

The Blues’ club captain returned to Frank Lampard’s side for a 3-0 victory over London neighbours West Ham.

James sat out that contest with a knee complaint and is yet to be ruled into contention for another derby clash with Arsenal on Boxing Day.

It could be that Azpilicueta is included from the off again in a meeting with the Gunners, with the experienced Spaniard not about to give up his spot without a fight.

His outing against the Hammers was a first in English top-flight competition since a 0-0 draw at Manchester United on October 24, with the 31-year-old having had to make do with Champions League minutes since then.

He is now looking to become a mainstay once more, with Azpilicueta telling Chelsea’s official website: “It was good to be back.

“I’ve been playing more in the Champions League but it’s true that in the Premier League, I haven’t been involved since Old Trafford.

“It has been a while but my job is to work hard to improve every day and, whenever the manager needs me to step up, do the best job I can. To win was important and we did well.”

Victory over West Ham has helped to keep Chelsea in title contention, as they sit fifth in the table, with Azpilicueta taking plenty of positives from a convincing success.

He added: “The way they play, they put you under pressure. At only 1-0, the game was open and we had to suffer.

“When you come from two defeats, you have to recover that spirit of winning and we did that.

“We know we can improve our game but from the mental point of view, and how we defended all together the crossing of balls and the set-play settings, we did well altogether because they are one of the best teams in England on that.”

Chelsea are expecting another tough test from Arsenal, despite the Gunners’ struggles for form this season, with Lampard’s men looking to exact revenge for the FA Cup final defeat they suffered to Mikel Arteta’s side in August.

“We were obviously disappointed with that result but now we’re four months later, it’s a different competition and a new game,” added Azpilicueta.

“They are not in their best form but we know their qualities and that they have dangerous players so we have to cope with that.

“We respect them and we know it’s going to be tough but we need points so hopefully we can go there and play our game. We have the confidence and belief to do that and obviously we will try to get the points.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised Edinson Cavani's "big impact" at Manchester United after reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Cavani drilled in a brilliant 88th-minute goal before Anthony Martial sealed United's 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

The Uruguay international's goal came from his fourth shot on target in the match, which was one more than Everton managed as a team.

Cavani has scored four goals in 12 games for United this season and Solskjaer praised the striker while dismissing any suggestions the 33-year-old had made a slow start at the club.

"I think you're wrong, I don't think he has had a slow start. I think he has done really well, he's been excellent," the United manager told a news conference.

"He's obviously been injured, anyone can be injured. He came late [in the transfer window] so I'm really pleased with his influence. In the dressing room, his habits that he brings to training, his attitude to the game. You can see how well he looks after himself.

"He's scored some very important goals for us and it gives us experience, he gives a lot. He's just going to be here, better and better of course because he was out for seven months. We've been patient with him and I think he's made a big impact."

As Cavani and Martial fired United into a semi-final against Manchester City, Paul Pogba also produced a fine performance from the middle of the park.

No player on the pitch had more key passes (three) or gained possession more often (eight) than the France midfielder.

"Paul is getting fitter and fitter and that's the biggest thing with Paul because his last year and a half have been marred with injuries, and Covid, another injury in the international break," Solskjaer said.

"I'm very pleased with his performance, very pleased with his contribution to the team. He's playing better and better and probably will just improve and improve."

Currently sitting third in the Premier League table, United make the trip to Leicester City on Saturday with the Foxes one point clear of the Red Devils in second.

2020 was supposed to be a massive year for women's football in India. 

This year was when the global event of FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup was scheduled to take place in India but the Coronavirus pandemic forced the football body to alter their plans. The World Cup was initially postponed to early 2021 but later cancelled due to the practical difficulty of pulling off such a big event amidst the pandemic. 

As the hosts of the U-17 World Cup, India had begun their preparations under head coach Thomas Dennerby. He has called up his squad for training camps and everything seemed to be falling place for the young girls before the Government was forced to lock the country down. 

The nationwide lockdown also meant that all plans for the age-category leagues and women's football leagues at the state level had to be dropped. Everybody had to sit at home and train. 

But when football had to be stopped on the field, there were a few important decisions taken off it that will benefit women's football and its progress in India. 

Following the cancellation of the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) successfully managed to convince the body to award them the hosting right for the 2022 edition of the World Cup, which is a fantastic achievement as the chance was deemed to be nearly lost for a bit. 

2020 was also the year when the AFC announced that India has won the hosting rights for the 2022 Women's Asian Cup, back in June. To have two big events lined up is a massive boost for women's football in the country and it could be a turning point for the industry and an encouragement for several new entities to build their own women's team and leagues explore such avenues. 

Going from tournaments to leagues, the AIFF President Praful Patel also announced that the Indian FA's Arrows project will now also include a women's Indian Arrows team. 

Since the 2020 edition of the World Cup had to be cancelled and India are instead hosting the next edition, only some of the girls from the current Under-17 World Cup batch would still be eligible. Others will continue to develop their skills under the Arrows project.

“The All India Football Federation had formed a developmental side Indian Arrows for the boys which take part in the I-League. So for the current set of girls who were a part of the U17 World Cup squad, we will form a women’s team of the Indian Arrows who will participate in the Indian Women’s League (IWL). This will help in the progress of the girls’ careers,” the AIFF president had stated earlier this month. 

As the year comes to a close, even without much of women's football on the field, except for the IWL that took place in the first two months of the calendar year, some of these important decisions could pay way for a new wave for women's football in the country. Enough words, it's time for action in 2021.

Syahrian Abimanyu who is also affectionately known as Abi, has officially signed with Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) where he is the first Indonesian player that the Southern Tigers has took on since their rebranding exercise back in 2013.

Prior to this, JDT has shown to have a preference towards players from Singapore to fill the ASEAN slot in their team with four Singaporeans signing for the club since 2013 in Hariss Harun, Shahril Ishak, Baihakki Khaizan and Hafiz Sujad.

So this latest development brings about a change of tact for the 7-time Malaysia Super League champion with Abi's father, Rasiman revealing in an exclusive interview with Goal  that JDT has been tracking his son for a long time but the move was delayed because of Abi's injuries.

"This is the outcome of a long process that started in 2018 when Abi was with the Indonesia U-19 national team where JDT scouts had pinpointed him as a potential tatent. They have been keeping tabs on him for years but because of injuries, the transfer move kept getting delayed year on year," said Rasiman, who is also the assistant coach at Madura United.
 

Rasiman sees the long-standing admiration for Abi as a positive sign that JDT views his son as a real prospect for the long-term. He also went on to suggest that it could be possible that Abi could one day become the successor to Hariss and that JDT is the right place for a young player to develop. 

"It is definitely a long time for JDT to be watching Abi. With the ASEAN slot, perhaps JDT is already looking for the next ASEAN player who could take over from Hariss in the future, so maybe that will come in good time. My only hope for Abi is that he has to take advantage of this great opportunity.

"JDT is no stranger to being a club that wants their player to grow and be better. Take for example Safawi (Rasid) who earned a chance to go to the Portuguese league. It is my hope that the same can happen for Abi because JDT looks to me like a club who wants the best for their players, even if that means the player not being at the club."

As to where Abi will play with JDT, whether that is with the Super League side or elsewhere, Rasiman was unable to give a definite answer on that yet. He trust that JDT will have the right plans and structure to ensure that Abi stays on the right track.

"That is up to the team, for sure JDT knows what is best for Abi because they also want to see and reap the development. Be that at JDTII or elsewhere, I trust them to make the right decisions. We also know that Hariss could miss some games in the coming season and maybe Abi can step in there, or even be loaned to another Super League side.

"JDT are experienced enough to know what to do to develop players. I'm sure they have calculated everything in the best interest of the players and the club."

Karl Toko  Ekambi and Tino Kadewere scored a goal each as Lyon stretched their unbeaten run in the French Ligue 1 to 11 games after Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Moses Simon’s Nantes.

The African stars continued from where they stopped in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Nice and got the hosts off to a flying start at the Groupama Stadium with all three goals coming in the first 45 minutes.

Toko Ekambi opened the scoring for Lyon in the fourth minute while Kadewere doubled the lead in the 37th minute, and he also laid the assist for Lucas Paqueta to make it 3-0 just before the interval.

The Zimbabwe forward is enjoying a fine debut campaign in the French top-flight with a tally of seven goals and three assists in 16 league games following his move from Le Havre in the summer.

Toko Ekambi, meanwhile, remains the leading goalscorer in Rudi Garcia’s team with a contribution of nine goals so far this season and he is the second-highest African top scorer in the Ligue 1 after Reims' Senegalese forward Boulaye Dia. The Cameroon striker was in action for 71 minutes while Kadewere was replaced in the 89th minute.

Ivory Coast's Maxwel Cornet was another African star who started for the Kids but he was substituted for Mattia De Sciglio in the 70th minute while his compatriot Sinaly Diomande came on in the closing stages of the encounter.

Nigeria winger Moses Simon started from the bench for Nantes and he was introduced in the 59th minute for Kader Bamba while Cameroon's Jean-Charles Castelleto and Algeria's Mehdi Abeid started for the visitors.

Wednesday's defeat stretched the Canaries' winless streak to eight Ligue 1 games with their last victory dating back to November 8 when they beat Lorient 2-0.

Lyon, on the other hand, are level on 36 points with league leaders after 17 matches. They will be aiming to continue their impressive run of results when they host Lens for their fixture after the winter break on January 6.

Ajax Amsterdam boss Erik ten Hag believes the club's fortunes in the Champions League could have been different had the likes of Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus maintained fitness during the campaign.

The Dutch giants have been dumped out of the elite European inter-club championship after finishing third in Group D behind Liverpool and Italian outfit Atalanta.

A summer signing, Kudus was substituted after just six minutes on his Champions League debut when Ajax hosted Liverpool on match day one of the competition in October.

"If everything had gone well, we could have qualified for the knockout phase. That was just not our expectations. We've lost core players for seven years in two years," ten Hag said, as reported by AD.

"The reality is that we don't have a Champions League side at the moment. We have to build on that again.

"Players like [David] Neres and Kudus, like [Ryan] Gravenberch, could have made a great move in their development had they been fit. Then it might have been possible [to qualify to the knockout stage]."

Ajax signed Kudus from Danish fold Nordsjaelland in a five-year deal in July. He was just beginning to find his feet in Amsterdam when he suffered the injury setback.

The 20-year-old has, however, resumed training after two months in the treatment room.

"A certain, broad core is needed, especially now that a lot of matches are coming up," ten Hag explained.

"All we can do is make sure we take action and have a wide selection so that we can accommodate it. It is not so important what our competitors are doing.

"What matters is what we do. Conditionally we are good. Hopefully a number of players will reconnect soon. If we have to play with this group in January, it will be tough. If you look back this year, we have had immense problems.

"The injuries of [Hakim] Ziyech, [Daley] Blind, Kudus and Neres. All strongholds who can make a difference. But we were able to absorb it all in terms of football."

Kudus is expected to complete his injury return when Ajax face rivals PSV after the Christmas break in January.

Brighton manager Graham Potter has dismissed reports suggesting the club have been approached by the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid for Yves Bissouma.

The Mali international has proved to be an excellent signing for Brighton, who secured his services from Lille in 2018, and reports have claimed United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid are interested in the 24-year-old midfielder.

Potter is aware of the rumours, but says reports of any approaches are wide of the mark and should be treated with caution.

"There have been no approaches. As I've said before, just because it's in the newspaper, doesn't necessarily mean it's true," said Potter.

Potter believes Bissouma has the ability to take his game to new heights, and wants to help the midfielder realise his potential.

"My focus on Yves is how I can help him improve and I think he's still got some improvement to do,” Potter said. "That's my focus with him, to try and help him reach his full potential. 

“He's got some work to do yet, so that's what we are focusing on."

When reported interest from Real Madrid emerged, Potter said he was not fazed by the prospect of losing any player.

“I have never been a coach that worries about losing a player,” he said. “If you worry about losing players to teams higher up the hierarchy - because that’s ultimately what it is - and the club think selling the player is the right thing to do, then it’s a result of doing something well.”

Bissouma put his name to a five-year deal when he joined Brighton in 2018, so the club are under no pressure to cash in on the player.

The concern for Potter is Brighton’s precarious position in the Premier League table.

After 14 games, the Seagulls sit in 17th place in the table - two points clear of the relegation places.

Burnley have hauled themselves out of the bottom three on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, while Fulham have picked up points following a poor start.

If Potter is to ensure the club keep hold of talents such as Bissouma, they need to climb away from danger and preserve their Premier League status.

Thomas Tuchel enjoys the challenge of managing Paris Saint-Germain and insists he was mistranslated when suggesting the job is more about politics than coaching.

PSG rounded off 2020 with a routine 4-0 win over Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Wednesday through goals from Timothee Pembele, Kylian Mbappe, Idrissa Gueye and Moise Kean.

A few hours ahead of the match, an interview with Tuchel was published by SPORT1 in which the German opened up on the demands of managing such a big club.

The 47-year-old said it can be difficult keeping players such as Neymar and Mbappe happy, while also admitting he is "sad" his achievements are often played down.

Tuchel was also quoted as saying he felt more like "a sports politician or sports minister than a coach" during his first season in the French capital.

However, Tuchel attempted to clarify the comments when questioned in the aftermath of his side's win against Strasbourg.

"I didn't say it's more about politics than sport, nor that I lost the fun of training. This is not true," he told Canal+. "It is possible they translated incorrectly.

"Watch the video interview. I just said that PSG are unique and that it's a big challenge for me. It's always been like that. I like this challenge and nothing has changed."

Asked again about the interview at his post-match news conference, Tuchel added: "I gave a video interview to a journalist who told me to do a story about German coaches.

"It is not an interview for him. It is not allowed. I was making a joke in German. The translation is not correct. We cannot translate word for word. It was a joke while we were talking and it is not allowed."

PSG enter the mid-season break sitting third in Ligue 1, one point behind Lyon and Lille following their victories over Nantes and Montpellier respectively.

The reigning champions took the lead inside 18 minutes through Pembele but had to wait until 11 minutes from time for Mbappe to add a second from close range.

Two more goals from substitutes Gueye and Kean followed late on in a game the home side bossed, seeing 69 per cent of the ball and managing eight shots on target to their opponents' two.

"It was a strong performance from us," Tuchel said. "And this after a very demanding first half to the season. I'm very happy today because it was a win we deserved.

"We were again missing a lot of players due to injury but were serious and disciplined with our play. That is a big compliment to the team.

"Our ranking in the table is what it is, but we know why we're here. It would have been more difficult to take if we didn't know the reasons.

"I am happy because the team has shown in the last two games we can play well."