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Odisha and NorthEast United came into Tuesday's 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) fixture needed three points. 

Both teams had to treat the fixture as a must-win contest but to varying degrees. NorthEast had a decent start to the season and were sitting fourth on the table but had suffered a defeat in the previous game. Gerard Nus needed three points to return to winning ways and climb up the table. But it didn't happen. 

Stuart Baxter, on the other hand, was chasing his first win of the season. They were without a win in their first six matches so there was no real excuse to turn up and get off to a slow start as they had done in their previous games. 

Odisha had scored only three goals from six matches and all of them had come in the second half. Moreover, seven out of the nine goals they conceded were in the first half. This meant that the first half against NorthEast United had to be a good one for the Juggernauts. 

The match was evenly contested for most parts and both teams lacked a cutting edge that would have helped them to put the game to bed. Diego Mauricio. whose consistency in front of goal has been questioned, produced a powerful low strike to break the deadlock in the first half - a goal that broke the first-half voodoo for Odisha. 

That was the start Odisha wanted badly but they could not capitalise on it. As has happened multiple times this season, they relinquished the lead very easily. Credit must also go to NorthEast here showing intent to equalise. And as they have shown plenty of times this season, they clawed their way back into the game with a deserved equaliser. 

And it was no surprise that Ashutosh Mehta's cross produced the equaliser. The right-back has been one of the better performers for the team and he had a standout game on Tuesday. 

The even fight continued into the second half. NorthEast edged the possession stats but they couldn't convert that into clear-cut chances. But they were rewarded for their push when Kwesi Appiah was brought down inside the box by the keeper after the hour-mark, allowing the striker to score his third goal of the season. 

The NorthEast defence switched off soon after they took the lead and a neat passing move at the edge of their box helped Odisha equalise. Cole Alexander received the ball at the end of the move and curled a beautiful effort into the bottom right corner of the net from the left side of the box to make it 2-2. 

After witnessing two goals in as many minutes, the game then went into a slumber and neither team wanted to lose the game from that point. As a result, the spoils had to be shared. 

One could say that Odisha were let down by their defence which struggled to contain and deal with the balls into the box. Before Lambot’s goal, there was a period of sustained pressure from NorthEast United where they bombarded the Odisha rearguard with several crosses.
 
Apart from the experienced Steven Taylor, none of the Odisha defenders could deal with the aerial balls. The fact that Baxter hasn’t changed his personnel in defence despite repeated mistakes only goes to show the lack of depth in the squad or rather, the absence of quality players.

NorthEast United, on the other hand, while possessing plenty of spirit, must start converting results or their good start to the season will be useless. 
 

Scottish manager David Robertson took charge of Real Kashmir FC in January 2017, just six months after the club was formed and has done a commendable job so far.

Robertson guided the club to promotion to the I-League in just their second year of existence and created history as Real Kashmir became the first club from the valley to play in the country’s top division league.

The Scottish coach will be in charge of the club for a fourth consecutive season this year and he suggested that he feels a deep sense of loyalty to the club, their fans and most importantly with the region of Kashmir.

“I have been part of the club since they started and I have been lucky to be a part of such a successful club,” said the Real Kashmir coach while explaining why he continued to remain associated with the club.

“I feel loyal to the people of Kashmir and I also feel loyal to the ownership. Sandeep (Chattoo) has been fantastic to me and my family. To be honest, I find it difficult to not come back here. Even in these tough times, thousands of miles away from home and family, I dint want to let the club and Kashmir down. Obviously, it will at some point come to an end either my decision of the club’s decision as it happens in football. But I just love every minute when I am here.”

Robertson is known for his pragmatic approach which has worked for the club in the past two seasons in I-League. They finished third in their debut I-League season and was on the fourth position on the league table last season before the league had to be abruptly stopped due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

In their first season in the top tier, the Scot used to constantly mention that his only target was to stay afloat in the league, even at a time when the club was unbeaten in 13 matches and were one of the title contenders. The reason he said for saying so was the lack of experience of his players at the top level.

But now his players are experienced and Robertson acknowledged that they would aim to fight for the league title.

“I would like to think that we could be there (winning title). Obviously, in the first few games, no one knows where they are but I think we have assembled a good squad capable of pushing the challenge. Two years under the belt now we know what it is all about. Obviously, there is no East Bengal or Mohun Bagan this year which makes a little bit easier for the other teams. The giants are no longer there and now there will be a new favourite to win the league.

“The two years I’ve had in the I-League has certainly opened my eyes and each year I am here, I am more prepared. Our squad is a lot stronger this year with a lot more experience. We would like to be pushing for the title, come the end of the season.”

The upcoming I-League season will witness a change in its format as the 11 teams will play each other just once in the stage before they will be split into two groups. While the top five teams will compete for the title by playing against each other in a round-robin format, the bottom six teams will play each other to save relegation.

Robertson acknowledged that a shorter season will be a difficult challenge for them and the team who would have the better start will have a better shot at the title.

“It is all about how we start. This year the problem is it is a very short season. 10 games, one against each team in the league stage then it gets split. It is very difficult. It is not like a long season where you get time to build. You’ve got to make sure you start well to have a serious chance of lifting the title or even challenging,” said the Real Kashmir boss.

Real Kashmir were recently crowned champions in the IFA Shield which concluded on December 19 in Kolkata. Robertson’s side got the better of George Telegraph in the final to lift their first major trophy since winning the Second Division I-League in 2018.

The former Rangers player suggested that competing in and winning the prestigious IFA Shield will help boost the confidence of the team ahead of the all-important upcoming I-League season.

“It was great to win the IFA Shield. We hardly trained unlike a lot of other teams. We had an almost new squad and the players did not play for seven-to-eight games. I believe there must be something magical about the yellow jersey because any hurdles that are thrown at us, we overcome that. It shows that we are a good side again this year and it gives us a lot of confidence going into the first league game.”

There is a common notion that Real Kashmir get a lot of advantage while playing at their home at Srinagar as most teams in the I-League struggle to adjust to the extreme weather conditions in the city. While Robertson agreed, he also highlighted the other side of the coin.

“Obviously we would have liked to play at our home. There is obviously the altitude and then there were the harsh winters, tight conditions with a full house stadium. But you have to look at this as well that we travelled from cold temperatures to warm places like Goa, Kolkata. We had to adapt with that plus we had two days of travel. What people don’t know is that we had to travel from Srinagar to New Delhi and then an overnight stay and then a second flight.

“This season will be completely different. Firstly, no travelling and climate will be the same for everyone else. It works both ways.”

The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) developmental side Indian Arrows will begin their journey in the 2020-21 I-League season on January 10 against Churchill Brothers in Kolkata.

This season the Arrows will see a host of new faces in their ranks as most of their players from last season have secured lucrative contracts with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs.

Arrows, under the tutelage of head coach Shanmugam Venkatesh, underwent a pre-season camp in Bhubaneswar before heading to Kolkata where they took part in the 2020 edition of the IFA Shield. The Arrows were ousted from the group stage after they had managed to secure just a point in their two games. They drew 1-1 against Southern Samity and lost 0-2 against eventual runners-up of the competition, George Telegraph.

The Arrows coach mentioned that taking part in the IFA Shield was an enriching experience for the rookie players in his squad and the exposure will help them to improve ahead of the new I-League season.

“I thank the AIFF for giving us the opportunity to play in the IFA Shield,” said Venkatesh. The boys played after a long time and first time they played against senior players and foreigners. It was a great experience before the I-League start. Of course, the result was not in favour of us, but it was good experience for the boys and it will help for the upcoming I-League.

“Most of the players were inexperienced. Most of the players never played for a senior side. Of course, we have to improve in certain areas, and I am sure the boys will improve further.”

Indian Arrows were at the bottom of the I-League table last year before the season had to be abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They had nine points from 16 matches and had managed to win two games which came against giants East Bengal and Churchill Brothers.

Drawing positives from the last season, Venkatesh suggested that the youngsters had fought valiantly against the big clubs and that the experience they gained was more important than the results.

“Last year was a different story. If you see all the matches, we were very close and also the scoreline, most of them we lost 1-0. This is a development team, yes, of course, the results are important but at the same time, we have to see if the players are getting the right platform and opportunity.

“This year it is a new challenge. We have a new batch of players and most of the players are 2003 born and are 17 years old. It is a great opportunity to play in the I-League. The idea is the same for us, to prepare these players for senior India. This is a big challenge and I am confident that the boys will definitely do better.”

The AIFF revived the Indian Arrows project in 2017 with the vision to nurture young Indian talents and ensure they don't find the jump from youth to professional football too high.

Reiterating the Indian FA’s vision, Venkatesh suggested that his only goal is to prepare the young players well so that in the coming years, the players can represent the senior Indian team and play for top clubs in the country.

“The vision is to prepare for U19 AFC Championship qualifying round in 2022. I-League, IFA Shield and whichever tournament we play now is preparation. Of course, I-League is a great opportunity for them. The U17 boys getting a chance in the I-League is a big thing for them. After I-League this season, they will gain more experience and at the end of the day I want to see more players from this team play for senior India and top clubs. This is our target,” said the former India international midfielder.

Ten-man Juventus' unbeaten start to the Serie A season was ended by Fiorentina as they suffered a humbling 3-0 loss at the Allianz Stadium.

The champions had gone 12 games without a loss in the top flight under Andrea Pirlo prior to Tuesday's setback, coming on the day they discovered their 3-0 forfeit win over Napoli in October has been revoked following their opponents' successful appeal.

Dusan Vlahovic scored early on for Fiorentina and Juve then lost Juan Cuadrado with 18 minutes played, the referee upgrading the yellow card he initially showed to a red following a VAR check.

Juve were unable to hit back and conceded twice more in the final 14 minutes, with Alex Sandro putting into his net and their former player Martin Caceres tapping in to inflict a further Scudetto blow on Pirlo's men.
 

Fiorentina failed to score in their previous four away league matches but were ahead inside 148 seconds in Turin - Vlahovic dinking the ball over an onrushing Wojciech Szczesny after being played in by Franck Ribery's throughball.

Juve had plenty of time to respond but their task was made all the more difficult when Cuadrado was sent off for catching Gaetano Castrovilli on the shin with a studs-up challenge

A poor pass from Leonardo Bonucci eight minutes later had the visitors in again, only for Szczesny to bail out his captain by making a fine save down to his right to deny Castrovilli a second.

The relatively quiet Cristiano Ronaldo had a shot repelled by Bartlomiej Dragowski at the end of the first half and was further frustrated with just under an hour played as his diving header was rightly chalked off for offside.

But Juve, who had previously found the net in a record 34 successive home Serie A matches against Fiorentina, were unable to hit back and were caught out at the back as they piled bodies forward.

Cristiano Biraghi whipped in a cross from the left and the ball deflected in off Alex Sandro, the defender unable to properly adjust his body in front of goal.

Caceres then added a third for Fiorentina in the 81st minute after Ribery had stolen the ball from Bonucci.

The Fiorentina defender converted a simple finish having been played in by Biraghi, rounding off a day to forget for Juve skipper Bonucci and his side.
 

What does it mean? Juve suffer double title blow

Juve started the day four points behind leaders Milan in third and end it seven points adrift of top spot down in fourth, without the pacesetters even kicking a ball.

That is down to Napoli's successful appeal, with that fixture having to be replayed in early 2021, but of more concern to Pirlo will be the manner of this defeat to Fiorentina.

The visitors were previously winless in eight league games yet they inflicted a first ever three-goal defeat on Juve at the Allianz Stadium, doing so with only 46 per cent of the ball.

Ribery torments Bonucci

Bonucci would not have had many worse games in football than this, as the experienced Juventus defender was arguably at fault for all three Fiorentina goals.

That is largely down to the incredible display of Ribery, who claimed an assist for the first goal and played a big part in the third. Not only that, his six tackles were the most of any player on the pitch, two more than next-highest Federico Chiesa.

Juve's disciplinary problems

The referee had little choice but to reach into his back pocket following Cuadrado's tackle on Castrovilli - the fifth red card Juve have been issued in Serie A this season, which is the joint-most of any side in Europe's top five leagues.

Juve have won only one of those five games and will now have to make do without Cuadrado, one of their key attacking talents down the right-hand side, for a period early in the new year.

Key Opta Stats:

- This is only the second away win for Fiorentina against Juventus in Serie A for 30 years (the other was in March 2008 under Cesare Prandelli).
- It was also the second highest away win for Fiorentina in Serie A history against Juventus (after a 4-0 victory in 1955).
- With Cuadrado sent off in his 200th Juve match, his side received their first red card in the opening 20 minutes in Serie A since February 2011, when Gianluigi Buffon got his marching orders against Lecce.
- Prior to Vlahovic, the last player to score in three consecutive Serie A appearances with Fiorentina before turning 22 was Giampaolo Pazzini in April 2005.
- Alex Sandro's was the first league own goal scored by Juventus since Emre Can in January 2019 against Lazio.

What's next?

Juventus will have the festive period to reflect on this defeat before they host Udinese on their return to Serie A action on January 3, the same day that Fiorentina welcome Bologna to Artemio Franchi Stadium.

Manchester City booked an EFL Cup semi-final spot and piled more pressure on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta with a resounding 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. 

Arteta, who was Pep Guardiola's assistant at City before taking charge of the Gunners a year ago, has faced questions over his future after a dismal start to the season has left his side languishing in 15th in the Premier League. 

He did not find any respite against his former club, with City – who have won the competition in each of the last three seasons – easing through to the last four after second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte. 

Alexandre Lacazette had earlier given the hosts hope of ending a run of three straight home defeats to City when he cancelled out Gabriel Jesus' early opener, but that proved to be a rare moment of joy in yet another turgid defeat for the beleaguered north London club.

The visitors started in ruthless fashion, taking the lead after just 125 seconds when Jesus headed Oleksandr Zinchenko's left-wing cross past Runar Alex Runarsson inside the six-yard box, ending a goal drought of 609 minutes for the Brazilian.

Laporte headed wide from a corner before the Gunners pulled level with their first effort on target in the 31st minute, Lacazette heading home Gabriel Martinelli's cross from six yards out.

City should have restored their lead before the interval, but Runarsson raced off his line to deny Jesus after a smart move on the edge of the penalty area involving Foden.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was entirely at fault for City's second nine minutes after the interval, though, allowing Mahrez's free-kick from the edge of the area to squirm through his tepid grasp.

City added a third five minutes later when Foden latched onto Fernandinho's pass and lofted a delightful finish over Runarsson, although the goal would have been disallowed if VAR had been in use with replays clearly showing the midfielder was offside. 

The holders added gloss to an 18th straight victory in the competition in the 73rd minute, Laporte stealing in at the back post to head home Foden's inviting cross. 

What does it mean? Arsenal's fighters missing in action

Arteta said this week he wanted the "fighters" in his Arsenal squad to come to the fore as they bid to turnaround a dreadful start to the campaign. His rallying cry fell on deaf ears, though, as City swatted aside the accommodating hosts with the minimum of fuss.

Lacazette's goal was one of only two shots on target as Arsenal conceded four times at home in an EFL Cup game for the first time since November 1998, when they lost 5-0 to Chelsea.

Foden sparkles for City

Foden was in dazzling form, scoring a fine third goal and then creating Laporte's strike with a superb cross. The England international completed 28 of his 32 passes and won all three of his duels in a wonderful all-round display.

Maitland-Niles the worst of a bad bunch

No Arsenal player covered themselves in glory, but Ainsley Maitland-Niles was particularly poor. He lost possession 20 times – more than any other player on the pitch – won just two of his nine duels and failed to play a single key pass.

Key Opta facts

- Arsenal (14) have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage of this competition more times than any other side.
- City are the first team to win four consecutive away games against Arsenal in all competitions since Chelsea between 1960 and 1965 (six in a row).
- Foden has had a hand in nine goals in his last 12 EFL Cup appearances (four goals, five assists).
- As many as 72 per cent of Lacazette's goals in all competitions for Arsenal have been scored at home (38 of 53).

What's next?

Arsenal will be looking to end a seven-game winless streak in the Premier League when they host Chelsea on Saturday, while City entertain Newcastle United on the same day.

Wednesday's opponents Jamshedpur and FC Goa have a contrasting recent form ahead of their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, Goa.

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Jamshedpur FC Possible XI:   

Injured - Joyner Lourenco, Narender Gahlot, David Grande, William Lalnunfela, Nick Fitzgerald 
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Nerijus Valskis, Jackichand Singh

FC Goa Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - None    
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Igor Angulo, Jorge Ortiz      

Lionel Messi has broken Pele's all-time record for goals scored with a single club by netting his 644th career goal for Barcelona. 

The Brazilian icon netted 643 times for Santos in his career, a mark that seemed to be nearly unbreakable - but Messi has now set the record by scoring in the 65th minute of Barca's La Liga match against Valladolid on Tuesday. 

With Barca already up by two goals, Pedri sent Messi in behind the defence with a backheel pass and the 33-year-old slotted home past Jordi Masip to make it 3-0 on the night.

Messi had tied Pele's record at the weekend when he scored in Barcelona's 2-2 draw against Valencia.

After Tuesday's game, which ended 3-0, Messi took to Instagram to express his gratitude to those who helped him reach Pele's record. 

"When I started playing football I never thought I'd break any record, especially not the one I achieved today that Pele held," Messi wrote. 

"I can only give my thanks to everyone who helped me during these years, my team-mates, my family, my friends, and everyone who supports me every day."

It is yet another record for Messi, who has established himself as one of the greatest footballers of all-time since he joined Barcelona at age 13 and made his competitive debut at 17 in 2004.

Messi has gone on to win La Liga on 10 occasions with the Blaugrana, as well as six Copa del Rey titles and four Champions League trophies. 

On an individual level, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or six times, most recently in 2019, the most any player has ever won the award. 

Recently, though, Messi's time at Barcelona has soured as he attempted to engineer a move away from the club earlier this year. 

In an interview with Goal in September, Messi revealed that he would not attempt to activate his release clause in order to avoid any legal dispute with Barca, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the current season, there is a very real possibility that Messi could be entering his final months at Camp Nou.

Though there have been rumours of interest from the likes of Manchester City and PSG, Goal has reported that the Argentine superstar has yet to be contacted by any other club.

Messi will be free to speak with interested parties from outside of Spain in January.

Riyad Mahrez was on the scoresheet as Manchester City defeated Arsenal 4-1 in Tuesday’s League Cup tie.

The Algeria international was handed his 18th appearance across all competitions this season and seized the opportunity to add to his tally.

The 29-year-old started the encounter playing directly behind the Citizens’ frontman Gabriel Jesus along with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.

Jesus opened the glut of goals as early as the third minute of the encounter after he was set up by Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The Gunners attempted to fight back when Alexandre Lacazette levelled proceedings moments after the half-hour mark.

Mahrez then gave his side the lead in the 55th minute, curling home a free-kick which beat goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson.

Foden increased the lead of Manchester City four minutes later after receiving a timely assist from Fernandinho before Aymeric Laporte sealed the victory.

The result sealed City’s place in the semi-finals of the competition as Egypt international Mohamed Elneny, Ivory Coast’s Nicolas Pepe and Nigerian wonderkid Folarin Balogun’s efforts for the Gunners were not enough to see them through to the next round of the tournament.

Mahrez has now scored five goals and provided one assist across all competitions this season for Manchester City.

The winger has been with City since the summer of 2018 when he teamed up with the side from Leicester City, where he made a name for himself with his impressive performances.

Mahrez has made more than 170 appearances for the Citizens since joining the side, helping them to win a number of accolades.

The forward was part of the side that secured the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield titles in the 2018-19 season.

The fleet-footed star will be expected to continue his fine displays when Manchester City take on Newcastle United in a Premier League outing on Boxing Day.

Mahrez is currently the captain of the Algeria national team and has 61 caps for the North African country.

The forward played a key role as the Desert Foxes clinched their second Africa Cup of Nations title in Egypt.

Lionel Messi surpassed Pele's one-club goals record as he helped Barcelona end their winless streak on the road in LaLiga with a convincing 3-0 victory over struggling Real Valladolid.

After drawing level with Pele's haul of 643 goals for Santos with a header in a 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday, Messi made it 644 in Barca colours across all competitions on Tuesday.

Having created Clement Lenglet's opener before playing a key part in Martin Braithwaite making it 2-0 before the interval, Messi swept home from Pedri's clever flick in the 65th minute.

It rounded off a fine performance from Ronald Koeman's side, who ended their winless run in LaLiga away games at the fifth time of asking.

Messi was inches from opening the scoring in the seventh minute, bending an effort just wide of the left-hand upright from 25 yards out.

Barca's captain went closer when he forced Jordi Masip into a fine save in the 21st minute, but he crafted the opener a moment later.

Lenglet latched onto Messi's inch-perfect cross to head home into the top corner – the former Sevilla defender paying tribute to Barca youngster Moussa Wague, who is facing a lengthy lay off after sustaining a serious knee injury while in action for PAOK, where he is out on loan, last week.

Messi was integral to Barca's second 14 minutes later, threading a superb pass into Sergino Dest, who squared for Braithwaite to finish.

Having missed two presentable chances towards the end of the first half, Messi was agonisingly close to getting on the end of Miralem Pjanic's fantastic pass shortly after the restart.

Pablo Hervias' free-kick from a tight angle nearly found the top-right corner as Valladolid looked to haul themselves back into the contest, though Masip had to deny Messi at the other end.

But Messi had his record-surpassing goal soon after, the 33-year-old capping off the win with a typically composed finish after combining brilliantly with Pedri.
 
As Barca cruised into fifth place, Messi almost added further gloss in stoppage time, but his close-range shot was kept out by the post, with the woodwork also denying Philippe Coutinho.

What does it mean? Rijkaard record remains intact

Barca had last gone five away league games without a win in a single LaLiga season in 2008, when they drew two and lost four under Frank Rijkaard.

Fortunately for Koeman, he has avoided the same fate as his compatriot, and Barca are now just one point shy of the Champions League places, though they are eight adrift of pacesetters Atletico Madrid, having played a game more.

Mercurial Messi clinches another record

After failing to score and assist in his five LaLiga appearances in October, Messi has scored six times in his last eight league games, while he has also registered eight direct goal involvements in his last four top-flight meetings with Valladolid (four goals and four assists).

His record-setting goal saw him surpass Brazil great Pele, who had netted 643 times for Santos between 1956 and 1974, for goals at one club, while only Real Betis veteran Joaquin Sanchez (17) has provided at least one assist in more LaLiga seasons than Messi (16).

Barca's defence never under threat

Marc-Andre ter Stegen did ultimately end up having to work, with the German making five saves and Valladolid mustering 12 total attempts.

However, they were almost all from distance, with the hosts managing just 12 touches inside Barca's area in total and the majority coming in the closing stages.

What's next?

Both teams have a week off over Christmas, with Barca's final game of 2020 seeing them host Eibar, while Valladolid travel to Cadiz. Both games take place on December 29.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reiterated he is not concerned by Paul Pogba's attitude, although he accepts the "ambitious" Manchester United midfielder wants to play for a team that wins trophies.

Since returning to Old Trafford from Juventus in a then world-record transfer in 2016, Pogba has been repeatedly linked with a second move away from United .

Juve and Real Madrid have often been mooted as potential landing spots, while the World Cup winner has struggled to consistently perform at his best level.

Pogba's most productive Premier League campaign saw 13 goals and nine assists in 35 matches in 2018-19, yet he scored only once last term and created three more across 16 appearances.

A single strike in 10 games this season – of which seven have been starts – represents another underwhelming return as transfer speculation has persisted.

Although agent Mino Raiola has declared Pogba's time at the club is coming to an end , Solskjaer has opted against criticising the player, who has failed to add to the Carabao Cup and Europa League titles won in his first year back in Manchester.

Asked again about the France superstar on Tuesday, the manager suggested it was up to United to deliver silverware in order to keep their key men happy and maintain a talented squad.

"It's always a demand here at Manchester United to win trophies," Solskjaer told ESPN.

"And the more we win trophies, the more players will want to play for us - then the higher standard you've got to set yourself.

"It's a demand for the players, a challenge for the players that we want them to improve and get better and better.

"Paul has been here now for a while and, of course, he wants to win more trophies. He's got a very, very good attitude to training and playing football.

"He loves football, he's ambitious, he wants to have success - like most of the others that are in the squad. We're not all the same.

"I would say that this squad has impressed me with their attitude and spirit lately and the way that they go about their work.

"Of course, it's down to us to win trophies and then we'll see who will be part of the team going forward."

United's next opportunity to secure silverware comes in the Carabao Cup, with the Red Devils in quarter-final action against Everton, who they beat in the Premier League in November, on Wednesday.

"We were disappointed that we didn't get to a final or lift a trophy [last season], but that's the next step for these players now," Solskjaer added.

"I think everyone felt how close we were and the mood, the spirit and the culture has improved since then. And the belief. Definitely the belief has grown."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side are in "big trouble" if they don't turn things around quickly, after their dismal run continued with a loss to Manchester City 

The Gunners went into half-time of Tuesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final level at one goal apiece, but City scored three in the second half to cruise to a comfortable 4-1 victory. 

Defeat to City continues a miserable run for the Gunners, who have been particularly woeful in the league, where they sit in 15th place.

With 14 points from 14 games this season, Arsenal have their worst record at this stage of a league season since the 1974-75 campaign.

The Gunners' downturn in form has seen Arteta's job status questioned, despite only recently reaching his one-year anniversary in charge of the club. 

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Arteta admitted that things could go from bad to worse if his side can't get out of the rut they are in.

"It’s a hard one to take considering how the game went," Arteta said of the match. "This level of opponent, when you give the goals away it makes the game impossible. A lot of strange things are happening in every game and that makes things really difficult.

"We have to turn it around – there is no question. If we don't we're in big trouble. This is the moment that's going to decide our season.

"On the basis of what we have shown tonight against difficult opponents, I have fighters in my team. Yes, I have fighters."

Arsenal's evening took a turn for the worse nine minutes after half-time, when Riyad Mahrez's free-kick went straight through Runar Alex Runarsson's hands for City's go-ahead goal.

Arteta jumped to the defence of his goalkeeper, while also defending his own decision to start the Iceland international despite starting Bernd Leno in the last round of the Carabao Cup against Liverpool.

"He hasn't played a lot of games for us, he's just adapting to the league and that's it," Arteta said of Runarsson. "We all make mistakes and we have to support him.

"We know Bernd has played a lot of minutes and he needed some rest as well, and we want to give opportunities to other players. Alex has done well in other games and these things happen in football."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists Arsenal will be making a "big mistake" if they sack his former assistant coach Mikel Arteta.

Pressure is growing on Arsenal head coach Arteta after Guardiola's City thumped the Gunners 4-1 in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Arsenal are languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table after 14 matches, with seven defeats in their last 10 league games.

Despite the Gunners horror run of form, Guardiola says the club should stick with Arteta and they would be making a mistake to part ways with the Spanish tactician.

"They will do a huge, big mistake if they [sack Arteta]. I’m pretty sure they are going to trust him," Guardiola told BBC Radio 5 Live after Tuesday's game.

"I understand that the analysts analyse the results. But I was with him many years and I know his incredible quality as a human being and especially as a manager, how he is involved in everything. It’s just a question of time and he will do well.

"I’m not on the board. For me they will do a big mistake if they are thinking [to sack him].

"They give him the confidence, they won two titles when for a long time ago it didn’t happen at this club. In this pandemic situation, with injury problems they have and the games they played they always played good.

"But unfortunately these games are our job and it depends on the results. But football changes in one week so quick.

"I can speak about my experience alongside him, one of the most incredible successful teams in English history we had and he was part of this success and it would not be possible without him, and to create something like this you need time like I had in my first season."

The fixture list doesn't get any easier for Arsenal, with the Londoners to host Chelsea in the Premier League on Boxing Day before back-to-back away trips to Brighton and West Brom either side of the New Year.

Manchester City welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad on December 26 before they also hit the road twice for matches against Everton and Chelsea.

Andrea Pirlo refused to blame Juan Cuadrado's dismissal for Juventus' heavy home loss to Fiorentina and instead questioned the attitude of his players heading into the match.

Juve suffered their first Serie A defeat under Pirlo in his 13th league match in charge, going down 3-0 in what was also their heaviest loss since moving to the Allianz Stadium in 2011.

Cuadrado caught Gaetano Castrovilli on the shin and was issued a red card on his 200th appearance for the Turin giants – upgraded from a yellow following a VAR check – with only 18 minutes on the clock.

Dusan Vlahovic had given Fiorentina an early lead by that point and Juve could not respond, conceding again through Alex Sandro's own goal and Martin Caceres' tap-in.

Juve had a couple of penalty appeals turned down in Tuesday's match, their last of 2020, but Pirlo conceded his team simply failed to turn up.

"What happened with the red card cannot be used as an alibi," he told Sky Sport Italia. "The result was not down to Fiorentina's attitude but the lack of ours.

"When this is the case you face bad situations like this. In games before Christmas it can happen then you have your mind on the holidays. We were unfocused and could not recover.

"The images for the sending off seem clear to me. There could have been some decisions in our favour, but that's not something I want to comment on – you can see for yourself.

Juve had more possession than Fiorentina (54 per cent) and more shots (13 to 10) yet ultimately saw a 13-game unbeaten run come to a shuddering halt. 

Leonardo Bonucci in particular struggled – the experienced defender arguably at fault for all three of the opposition goals.

He lost possession six times in all and won only half of his 10 duels, but Pirlo stood by his skipper at full-time.

"Bad evenings like these happen to everyone," he said. "Up until this point he has made some great performances.

"It happens to everyone. He is our captain and we still have great faith in him."

Juve suffered a double title blow of sorts on Tuesday, the defeat to Fiorentina coming hours after Napoli won their appeal against October's abandoned fixture between the sides.

The Bianconeri had been awarded a 3-0 forfeit win after Napoli failed to turn up due to a travel ban put in place by local authorities after Piotr Zielinski, Eljif Elmas and a member of staff had tested positive for Covid-19.

But the Italian National Olympic Committee's Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport – the highest sports authority in the country – ruled in Napoli's favour, meaning the game must be replayed in early 2021.

Juve are therefore three points worse off, now seven adrift of leaders Milan, and Pirlo questioned the fairness of the decision.

"We don't mind playing the game again. I'm more disappointed for the other teams that have travelled and played without far more players who had Covid," he said. "They showed great fairness by playing anyway.

"I won't say if the ruling was correct or not, but it didn't seem fair to the other teams who carried on and played in more difficult situations."

Real Madrid will be aiming to end their year in style and continue their recent renaissance when they host Granada in their penultimate match of 2020.

After the doom and gloom of the Autumn, Zinedine Zidane’s side have turned things around emphatically, winning their last four matches domestically and their last five in all competitions.

In fact, Real have taken maximum 15 points since they were defeated 2-0 away at Shakhtar Donetsk on December 12, the loss that represented the nadir of their miserable run.

Since then, they’ve conceded just two goals in five matches, with Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach, Atletico Madric, Athletic Bilbao and Eibar all being put to the sword during an impressive December.

They head into their midweek fixtures level on points with Atletico, although they’ve played two games fewer than their city rivals and have an inferior goal difference.

The pressure may well be on Real when they host Granada, as Los Merengues could have fallen three points behind Atletico when they host Real Sociedad on Tuesday.

At the weekend, Real excelled away at Eibar, running out 3-1 winners with Karim Benzema in imperious form.

The France striker opened the scoring after six minutes—following fine work from Rodrygo—and contributed two further assists, setting up Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez to add to Real’s lead.

With Sergio Ramos back in defence alongside Raphael Varane, Real are notably more confident at the back, with Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal representing reliable options at full-back.

With Casemiro back from suspension, he took his place alongside Modric and the influential Toni Kroos, while Vazquez and Rodrygo enjoyed two of their strongest performances of the season flanking the lethal Benzema.

Zidane will be hoping to welcome back some of his other attacking options for the visit of Granada; Vinicius may step into the side—on the left flank—as the French coach rotates his options, while he also may include Fede Valverde as Real look to negotiate the festive period.

Valverde stepped in when Casemiro was out, and looks likely to replace Modric, who missed training on Monday after developing a muscle problem in his left leg.

The Croatia midfielder will undergo tests on Tuesday to ascertain the seriousness of the injury, and he’ll be sorely missed should he—as expected—miss out, having played a key role in Real’s recent winning streak.

Los Blancos could also welcome back Eden Hazard—at least for a place on the bench—as the Belgium superstar looks to put his latest injury misery behind him.

Things haven’t worked out for the ex-Chelsea playmaker since his arrival from the Premier League for an eye-watering fee, and Zidane must manage his fitness cautiously—easing him back into a successful side will help—as the attacking midfielder looks to get back to his best.

A fully fit Hazard would represent a major boost for Real as they look to retain their title, as the former LOSC Lille hero could be the protagonist in a strong start to 2021—if he stays fit!

Isco remains doubtful for the Granada game, while Granada have plenty of problems of their own.

Key midfielder Maxime Gonalons is out with suspension, which could open the door to Ramon Azeez or Yan Brice Eteki, while the likes of Neyder Lozano and Angel Montoro are also absent.

Victor Diaz, Fede Vico and Darwin Machis are all doubtful for the visitors.

Real are overwhelming favourites to take all three points, despite Granda’s strong start to the season.

Los Blancos won the last meeting between these two—five months ago—to extend their winning run in this fixture to 10 matches. On average, they have scored 3.4 goals per match across this run, so expect goals when the Nasrids come to the capital on Wednesday.

Granada have never won at the Bernabeu, and it would represent a major surprise should Diego Martinez be able to take maximum points in a fixture where even a draw would represent an exceptional result.

Benzema appears primed to be key once again; he has a terrific record against Granada—having scored 12 in his last 14 matches against the visitors.

He’s scored eight and contributed two assists in his last home matches against the Rojiblancos, and will be looking to punish them again.

Real Madrid will be aiming to end their year in style and continue their recent renaissance when they host Granada in their penultimate match of 2020.

After the doom and gloom of the Autumn, Zinedine Zidane’s side have turned things around emphatically, winning their last four matches domestically and their last five in all competitions.

In fact, Real have taken maximum 15 points since they were defeated 2-0 away at Shakhtar Donetsk on December 12, the loss that represented the nadir of their miserable run.

Since then, they’ve conceded just two goals in five matches, with Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach, Atletico Madric, Athletic Bilbao and Eibar all being put to the sword during an impressive December.

They head into their midweek fixtures level on points with Atletico, although they’ve played two games fewer than their city rivals and have an inferior goal difference.

The pressure may well be on Real when they host Granada, as Los Merengues could have fallen three points behind Atletico when they host Real Sociedad on Tuesday.

At the weekend, Real excelled away at Eibar, running out 3-1 winners with Karim Benzema in imperious form.

The France striker opened the scoring after six minutes—following fine work from Rodrygo—and contributed two further assists, setting up Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez to add to Real’s lead.

With Sergio Ramos back in defence alongside Raphael Varane, Real are notably more confident at the back, with Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal representing reliable options at full-back.

With Casemiro back from suspension, he took his place alongside Modric and the influential Toni Kroos, while Vazquez and Rodrygo enjoyed two of their strongest performances of the season flanking the lethal Benzema.

Zidane will be hoping to welcome back some of his other attacking options for the visit of Granada; Vinicius may step into the side—on the left flank—as the French coach rotates his options, while he also may include Fede Valverde as Real look to negotiate the festive period.

Valverde stepped in when Casemiro was out, and looks likely to replace Modric, who missed training on Monday after developing a muscle problem in his left leg.

The Croatia midfielder will undergo tests on Tuesday to ascertain the seriousness of the injury, and he’ll be sorely missed should he—as expected—miss out, having played a key role in Real’s recent winning streak.

Los Blancos could also welcome back Eden Hazard—at least for a place on the bench—as the Belgium superstar looks to put his latest injury misery behind him.

Things haven’t worked out for the ex-Chelsea playmaker since his arrival from the Premier League for an eye-watering fee, and Zidane must manage his fitness cautiously—easing him back into a successful side will help—as the attacking midfielder looks to get back to his best.

A fully fit Hazard would represent a major boost for Real as they look to retain their title, as the former LOSC Lille hero could be the protagonist in a strong start to 2021—if he stays fit!

Isco remains doubtful for the Granada game, while Granada have plenty of problems of their own.

Key midfielder Maxime Gonalons is out with suspension, which could open the door to Ramon Azeez or Yan Brice Eteki, while the likes of Neyder Lozano and Angel Montoro are also absent.

Victor Diaz, Fede Vico and Darwin Machis are all doubtful for the visitors.

Real are overwhelming favourites to take all three points, despite Granda’s strong start to the season.

Los Blancos won the last meeting between these two—five months ago—to extend their winning run in this fixture to 10 matches. On average, they have scored 3.4 goals per match across this run, so expect goals when the Nasrids come to the capital on Wednesday.

Granada have never won at the Bernabeu, and it would represent a major surprise should Diego Martinez be able to take maximum points in a fixture where even a draw would represent an exceptional result.

Benzema appears primed to be key once again; he has a terrific record against Granada—having scored 12 in his last 14 matches against the visitors.

He’s scored eight and contributed two assists in his last home matches against the Rojiblancos, and will be looking to punish them again.

Alex Iwobi has explained how he tries to prove himself each time he gets the opportunity to feature for Everton and Nigeria.

The 24-year-old teamed up with the Goodison Park outfit in the summer of 2019 and had endured mixed fortunes since his arrival.

The forward is arguably having his best time with the Toffees since joining the side from Arsenal, having started the club’s last six games, helping Carlo Ancelotti’s men to four wins and one draw.

Iwobi has also played in a number of positions for the Toffees in the current campaign, including the wing-back role, where he shone.

The versatile forward is also a key member of the Nigeria national team and helped the West African side to finish third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Iwobi’s contribution also helped the Super Eagles to be in pole position to qualify for the 2022 Afcon in Cameroon.

The versatile forward explained he is always motivated to feature for both club and country because he does not want to disappoint his family members who have invested so much in him and his supporters.

“Every day I try to prove to myself I should be here, that I should be playing for Everton, that I should be in the starting XI, that I should be representing my country.,” Iwobi told Everton’s matchday programme.

“I always have that motivation, especially because of what my family went through for me to get where I am. It gives me that hunger to improve myself and I work every day to try to do that.

“I want to fight for not just me but the hundreds of thousands of Evertonians and the people who follow and support me. I feel I owe it to them to give 100 per cent every day."

Everton are currently fourth on the Premier League table following their recent impressive performances.

Iwobi, who spent more than a decade in Arsenal before joining the Toffees, believes the Goodison Park outfit under manager Ancelotti are as good as his former club.

“This Everton side is as good as the Arsenal teams I was in, absolutely. We have talented, international players, in the team and on the bench,” he continued.

“The chemistry in the dressing room is great. We see the quality in training every day… it needs to consistently come out on the pitch and all of us know we can improve and offer more.”

In support of a recent protest against police brutality in Nigeria, where a number of protesters were allegedly killed and injured, Iwobi has written ‘End Police Brutality’ in his black boot.

“It is awful to see what is happening in Nigeria. It is so sad. People are protesting for their rights and being killed,” he added.

“I am in a position where I am able to influence a lot of people and I will always use my voice to speak out about what is right.

“It is important we use our platforms to make people aware of what is happening. I also feel I have to let people know with my feet.

“I was able to get customised black boots, so people all over the world can see I am supporting the cause.”

Iwobi will be expected to feature when Everton take on Manchester United in a League Cup quarter-final tie on Wednesday.

Ghana captain Andre Ayew believes he has a natural ability for leadership, having taken up a host of related positions over the course of his career.

Captain of Ghana as they won the Fifa U20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009, the attacker currently leads the West African nation's senior team, having been handed the armband in May last year.

At club level, the 31-year-old is the current assistant captain of Championship side Swansea City.

“I’ve always had pressure, expectancy to deliver and lead – ever since I was a kid,” Ayew said, as reported by his club's official website.

“My dad was one of the best African footballers to have ever played, so the attention was then placed on me when I was growing up. I’ve always carried that pressure with me. I’ve had it all my career, so I am happy to take that role on here because it takes the focus and pressure off the young players and lets them thrive.

“I captained Ghana at under-20 level, I wore the band at Marseille a few times, and obviously now for Ghana’s senior team so I have good experience to pass on to the young guys in the team. I really enjoy it here in Swansea – on and off the pitch. It is far less stressful here!

“When we put on that Black Stars shirt, you are not playing for yourself – you are playing for a whole nation because you have to give the younger generation something to dream about and inspire them. Maybe it’s a little difficult for people over here to understand, but Ghanaian and African players have a lot of responsibility to inspire kids in our countries.”

Ayew's leadership goes beyond just wearing the armband, to inspiring results on the pitch.

The former Olympique Marseille forward, who won Swansea's top scorer and most valuable player awards last season, is the club's current top scorer this term, having registered seven goals in 19 league appearances.

At international level, Ayew's presence has been equally felt as he has netted four goals in his last two outings for Ghana.

It's fair to say Lazarous Kambole has had something of a slow start to his Kaizer Chiefs career.

The striker signed from Zambian giants Zesco United prior to the start of the 2019/20 campaign, but Amakhosi are yet to see the best of him.

Kambole was given plenty of opportunities to impress in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) last season by then-Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp.

However, the Zambia international struggled to adapt to his new surroundings and the speed of the game in the PSL.

The man nicknamed Lazi made 17 appearances across all competitions and he netted once, in the 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch in August 2020.

Lazi breathed a sigh of relief after scoring his maiden goal in South African football and he started the following match against Mamelodi Sundowns as Chiefs pushed for the PSL title.

However, Kambole failed to grab the opportunity as he was substituted during the half-time break and Amakhosi went on to succumb to a 1-0 defeat to Sundowns.

Some Chiefs fans began doubting whether Kambole was still the same player who grabbed headlines across the African continent after breaking a Caf Champions League record in 2018. 

Lazi scored a hat-trick in five minutes in a Champions League match against Eswatini giants Mbabane Swallows at Mavuso Sports Centre in Manzini.

Caf later confirmed the former Kabundi Young Stars player's hat-trick as the fastest recorded in the history of Africa's most prestigious club tournament.

Kambole went on to finish second in the race for the Champions League Golden Boot award having hit the back of the net seven times in the competition.

Lazi was also very influential in helping Zesco reach the group stage and he is now back in the tournament with a different club, Chiefs. 

The Lusaka-born player has found game-time hard to come by under Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt thus far this season, having made three appearances across all competitions without scoring.

However, Hunt did show some faith in Kambole in the Champions League preliminary round first-leg match against Cameroonian side PWD Bamenda last month. 

The former Konkola Mine Police player helped the team secure a 1-0 win in Limbe and it remains Chiefs' last win across all competitions.

Amakhosi will now take on Angolan giants CD Primeiro de Agosto in the Champions League first-round, first-leg match at FNB on Wednesday.

Kambole is most likely to be given another chance by Hunt with Leonardo Castro under-performing, which sees the team winless in six PSL games. 

The Colombian centre-forward has failed to score in his last six competitive matches and Hunt could look to Kambole, who is a proven goalscorer on the continent. 

Kambole should see this as a golden opportunity to impress the veteran coach and cement his place in the starting line-up which would be the perfect platform for him to finally establish himself a key player at Chiefs.