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Posta Rangers head coach Sammy Omollo believes his team will be in a better position to get their first win in their Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League game against Bandari.

The Mailmen have not yet registered any win in the 2020/21 campaign despite having a good pre-season. They started their campaign with a 4-0 loss to KCB before playing to a 1-1 draw with Kakamega Homeboyz.

They then settled for a goalless draw with Wazito FC and their recent game was away to Nzoia Sugar where they once again settled for a 1-1 draw. They are playing against an unpredictable Dockers and the tactician has shed light on what to expect.

"It has always been tough when playing against Bandari and I am not expecting anything less on Wednesday," Omollo told Goal on Tuesday.

"We have not been playing badly and in the last game we would have won but Nzoia Sugar scored late in the game. It was the same case with Kakamega Homeboyz who scored in the dying minutes.

"Our problem has been on retaining our lead; it is what we have been working on ana against bandari, I am hopeful we will get a positive outcome. Our first win of the season."

The 50-year-old has also stated why he is not focusing much on the 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Bankers.

"They were better than us, and actually they have gone to win all their games this season," Omollo added.

"KCB have a good record against us, but the positives I took is that my charges played well and we have shown in our last three matches.

"Despite not winning, we have been doing well on the pitch. I am optimistic we will get it right this time around because we have rectified most of our mistakes."

The Dockers come into the match also desperate for maximum points after an inconsistent start to the season. They started with a 1-0 win over Sofapaka before drawing 0-0 away to Tusker FC.

They then fell 2-0 away to Nairobi City Stars before again falling at home to KCB 2-1.

Jamie Carragher sees similarities between Mohamed Salah’s situation at Liverpool and one Cristiano Ronaldo once faced at Manchester United, but the Reds legend claims Real Madrid are no longer a “step up” for the world’s best players.

Back in 2009, the Red Devils saw the lure of Santiago Bernabeu prove too much for a Portuguese superstar.

A record-breaking transfer was put in place, with Ronaldo going on to cement his standing as an all-time great across nine memorable years with the Blancos.

It could be that another Premier League icon treads a similar path in the near future, with Salah leaving the door open for La Liga giants to make approaches for his services.

Carragher, though, sees no reason for a prolific presence at Anfield to be considering a switch to Spain, with Real and Barcelona losing their appeal and power in the global game.

The Liverpool legend told Sky Sports of the speculation that has resurfaced around Salah: “I don't think it's really a debate as much now as it was a few years ago.

“I think even when Manchester United were top dogs and Cristiano Ronaldo went to Real Madrid it still felt like a step up in some ways because Real Madrid were Real Madrid. But I really do feel the two Spanish giants have fallen so far.

“Salah has two-and-a-half years to go. I'm not really looking at it as too much of a problem.

“Real Madrid spent a lot of money on [Eden] Hazard when he was at that age. Salah is getting to that age now. 

“I just think that when you're wanting to spend that kind of money you want them to be 25, 26 to get that real value for them.

“If he did go - I don't see it - then it would be massive money for Liverpool, but I just think the time now has sort of gone.”

Salah is now 28 years of age and remains tied to a contract at Liverpool through to the summer of 2023.

The Reds would demand another sizeable fee from any deal done with Real Madrid or Barcelona – having previously offloaded the likes of Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho to Spain – but the success they have enjoyed under Jurgen Klopp should help to prevent heads from being turned.

Arsenal have "great quality" and a "class manager", according to Frank Lampard, who has warned his Chelsea players not to underestimate the "dangerous" Gunners.

Chelsea picked up their seventh win of the season to move up to fifth in the Premier League standings on Monday night, beating London rivals West Ham 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues bounced back from successive defeats against Everton and Wolves to close the gap on first-placed Liverpool to six points, capping a generally strong start to the 2020-21 campaign.

In stark contrast, Arsenal have slipped to 15th in the top-flight after losing eight of their first 14 fixtures, with their winless run extended to seven matches after a 2-1 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park at the weekend.

Mikel Arteta's side are in real danger of being dragged into a relegation battle if results don't start to improve, and they will head into a meeting with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Saturday as heavy underdogs.

Although Lampard was pleased to see his team improve on their impressive recent record in London derbies with a comfortable victory over West Ham, he will be taking nothing for granted when another cross-city rivalry is renewed on Boxing Day.

The Chelsea boss insists Arsenal are a far more formidable outfit than their current league position suggests, and he has no doubt that Arteta will have his players fired up for a game they can ill-afford to lose.

“We've been in decent form [in London derbies] but I don't think we should be taking Arsenal at face value,” Lampard said after the Blues' clash with West Ham.

"With Arsenal, I see a team of great quality, a class manager who are in a tough moment.

"That's a really dangerous combination to go against, so we have to prepare right."

The 42-year-old head coach added: “The league is so tough and we are seeing results every week that might surprise some. It’s hard for most teams to sustain results that might be expected in different seasons and there’s a combination of reasons for that.

"It can be tough [playing your rivals]. They're all very challenging games, we saw that on Monday, with West Ham and obviously [Michail] Antonio not being around changed the element of it slightly.”

FC Goa will look to return to winning ways in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) when they take on Jamshedpur on Wednesday.

The Gaurs stumbled against Chennaiyin in their last outing in what was their second successive and overall third defeat of the season.

"Our focus is on the present, to think about the next game against Jamshedpur tomorrow (Wednesday)," said Goa coach Juan Ferrando. "Of course, I'm so sad about the last two results (1-0 and 2-1 defeat to ATK Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin respectively) but it's not possible to change the past."

"Our way (to motivate players) is easy - working - working to prepare on some details not only in defence but in attack because, if you remember, the last two to three chances for Chennaiyin were because of our mistakes in positional attack," the Spaniard said. 

Ferrando, who has discussed the impact of fixture congestion on his squad more than once this season, reiterated, "It's not an excuse but when you have four to five days, you can talk with the team and prepare the training [sessions] but the last two weeks we had time only for recovery and to build a strong mentality for the next game.

"We need to forget the last game to play the next game. We were not ready to play against Chennaiyin. Now we had three days and will be ready. It's very important to focus because if we don't have 100 per cent focus, Goa is an easy team (to beat)."

Ferrando expects Jamshedpur's challenge to be similar to that posed by Chennaiyin.

"I expect more or less the same game (from Jamshedpur). The problem was, after losing to ATK [Mohun Bagan] in the last five minutes, we were not able to put all the focus on the match against Chennaiyin because we had only two days (to prepare)," he continued.

"We can talk about [Nerijus] Valskis and their back four because I think they are a strong team in attack and defence. In our mentality, thinking in our way is very good for tomorrow. 

"I watched all their (Jamshedpur's) games when I was in my room. I have thought of some details but for me, it's better to work on the pitch and explain the same to the players but there is not enough time. For me, in the end, it's about getting three points and for the team to believe in our mentality and of course, game by game, we will surely be better because we have a very good squad."

Napoli are expecting Victor Osimhen to return to action in January 2021 as he continues his rehabilitation process, according to the club’s sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.

Osimhen dislocated his shoulder last month while in action for Nigeria in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone, which consequently made him miss their last nine matches across all competitions.

Since his big money from Ligue 1 club Lille to Napoli in August, the Nigeria international has made eight appearances for Gennaro Gattuso's side and he has two goals to his name in Serie A.

Napoli have suffered back-to-back defeats in their last two league outings and they will still be without their summer-signing for the final match of the year, against Torino on Wednesday.

The Italian league will go on its winter break after Wednesday’s fixtures until January 3 and Osimhen might return to Gattuso’s team before their trip to Cagliari next Sunday.

When asked about the condition of the Nigerian forward, Giuntoli told Sky Italia via SOS Fanta; “Osimhen is still not well, we are waiting for him at the beginning of 2021.

“At what point of the month is he back? We are waiting for him at the beginning of January, I don't know when he will come back, we will see in what conditions it will be and we will evaluate.”

In Osimhen's absence, Napoli have won just four of their nine matches in all competitions, and they are ranked fifth on the Serie A table with 23 points from 13 matches.

Earlier this month, the former Wolfsburg and Sporting Charleroi striker dismissed reports that Nigerian doctors worsened his injury before he left the West African country for treatment at his club base in Naples.

Jamshedpur are on a six-game unbeaten run in the 2020 Indian Super League (ISL) and head coach Owen Coyle would keep that momentum going when they face FC Goa on Wednesday.

The Men of Steel registered a 1-0 win over NorthEast United last weekend to climb onto the top half of the table with 10 points from seven games.

"The boys have been doing well as they do in every game. They are a wonderful group. [They are] very professional, disciplined and motivated and we obviously want to continue to maintain the unbeaten run and equally want to win the match (against FC Goa) and get three points," said Coyle.

When he was asked about the possibility of Jackichand Singh playing behind striker after the winger's positive involvement that included an assist from that position against NorthEast, the coach replied, "We don't want to give away our team but we certainly have players to step in. We have been hampered by injuries.

"Jacki has played as a number 10 before. So we do have attacking options and we just have to utilise them during the game. We have to be at our best against a good side because Goa certainly are but it's a game we are certainly looking forward to."

Apart from the growing injury list that has the inclusion of William Lalnunfela besides David Grande, Nick Fitzgerald, Narender Gahlot and Joyner Lourenco, Jamshedpur will be buoyed by the return of Aitor Monroy from suspension.

"It's always nice when you have a quality player like Aitor coming back into your team. [He is a] wonderfully gifted player, a very good professional, sets a great example to the younger players. So when you have those players available to you, that always helps the team.

"That being said, the boys that played the other night (in the 1-0 win over NorthEast United) did very well. That only tells you that, in terms of picking the team, it's always difficult but that's what we want. It's a problem that a coach wants because everybody is in form and the lads are certainly doing well," Coyle stated.

In contrast to Jamshedpur's recent form that includes a draw against Mumbai City, Goa has suffered back-to-back defeats against ATK Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin.

"We have to be at our very best from the first minute to the last against FC Goa. They have some wonderfully talented individual players. They can cause you problems. We have to make sure that we solve those problems and look to give them problems of their own. We know that, if we continue in the form we are on, we are a real challenge for winning another three points," the former Chennaiyin coach concluded.

Luke Shaw has become the best left-back in England, claims Luke Chadwick, with the Manchester United defender considered to have raised his game after facing added competition from Alex Telles.

The Red Devils opted to bolster their ranks at the back during the last transfer window.

A highly-rated Brazilian was snapped up from Porto, with Telles arriving at Old Trafford boasting an impressive track record when it comes to goals and assists.

Shaw has rarely been prolific in those areas, but the 25-year-old can make an impact at both ends of the field.

He has been showing as much this season, with a man who has faced plenty of criticism during his time in Manchester starting to unlock the potential that United always believed he had.

Chadwick believes the presence of Telles has aided that cause, with Shaw no longer a guaranteed starter when fit, and it could be that a regular spot is now nailed down for club and country.

Former Red Devils winger Chadwick told CaughtOffside of a hard-working England international: “Luke Shaw’s level of performance has been great since Telles came into the building and competition for the left-back position will raise both of the players’ game to get into the team and stay there.

“Shaw seems to be the first choice at the moment but knowing Telles is waiting in the wings will keep him on his toes and hopefully keep the consistency he is showing.

“On form it’s hard to think of many better left backs then Luke Shaw, he has all the qualities and ability to get himself in the England squad and really challenge for that position. 

“Injury problems have held him back the last couple of seasons but hopefully that is behind him now and he can really kick on and be the player he is more than capable of becoming.”

Shaw saw another hour of Premier League football against Leeds on Sunday before being replaced by Telles.

United ran riot in that contest, as they secured a 6-2 win, with Daniel James another of those to make the most of his opportunity to catch the eye of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and a global television audience.

Chadwick said of the Wales international, who has been restricted to just four top-flight outings this season: “It was great to see Dan James have such a positive impact.

“It’s the first time we have seen him start for a number of weeks, and again Ole showed his tactical awareness by bringing him in for a game that suited his style down to a tee.

“Once United broke Leeds’ first press there was lots of space for players with pace to drive forward to take the team into the final third and expose Leeds’ back line to create chances.

“James has done this on numerous occasions to great effect, and when there is space for him there aren’t many quicker players when travelling with the ball.

“In hindsight the yellow card was a really poor decision from the referee, it’s not easy to stay on your feet after a forearm to the face!

“What James offers even when not having an attacking threat is superb work-rate and will always put a shift in to help the team.

“It was brilliant to see it all come together for him and topped after with a really good goal which was thoroughly deserved.”

“Like [Anthony] Martial, here’s hoping it will be the confidence booster needed to really kick on in the second half of the season after what has been a tough first half of the season for him at times.”

Georginio Wijnaldum “still loves Liverpool” but may have already decided to take on a new challenge amid ongoing talk of interest from Barcelona, says John Aldridge.

Speculation regarding a move to Camp Nou for the Netherlands international first surfaced over the summer.

Ronald Koeman is eager to be reunited with a fellow countryman in Catalunya and could land a top target as a free agent in 2021.

That is because Wijnaldum’s contract at Anfield continues to run down.

No extension has been agreed as yet, despite the Premier League champions being keen on retaining a talented 30-year-old midfielder, and it may be that money talks when it comes to big future calls.

Aldridge will be among those disappointed to see a proven performer leave if a new challenge is sought, but he accepts that thrashing out fresh terms will not be easy.

The former Reds striker told the Liverpool Echo: “You don’t know what is going on behind the scenes with Gini Wijnaldum. Agents are hard to deal with. Gini is in an ideal position now. His contract is running out, he’s going to be free.

“He still loves Liverpool I’m sure. But there are going to be reasons behind it. Only he knows. If Gini wants to go, he’ll go. It’s as simple as that.

“It’s all in Gini’s court. Will the club push the boat out and give him what he wants? I don’t know, we’ll have to watch this space and trust the manager.

“But if he wants to go, he’ll probably go.”

Wijnaldum will be free to discuss pre-contract terms with any suitors from January, with it possible that a fresh start outside of England will be agreed.

Liverpool may also explore the option of bolstering their ranks in the new year, with there still plenty of talk regarding centre-half additions at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp manages his way through an injury crisis.

Aldridge expects targets to be identified, adding: “I think, with what’s at stake, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if the right player is out there.

“If they’re not out there at the right price, then they can’t get one. If there is someone out there at the right price then absolutely, I think we should sign someone as an insurance policy to get us through the season and get the Premier League title in the bag again.”

The match kicks off at 18:00 South African time and is Amakhosi's last game of what has been a tough year.

Having been edged to the league title by Mamelodi Sundowns on the final day of last season, things have gone from bad to worse for the Glamour Boys in the current campaign.

Reckless errors in defence and the inability to create and convert chances up front have proved costly as Chiefs have won only three of 13 matches in all competitions this term.

Their latest setback came on the weekend, when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Bloemfontein Celtic.

“The preparation has been going well," Zulu said ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash, as quoted by the Citizen.

"We are trying as a team to look forward. We are fixing where we need to fix what’s gone wrong and also make sure that we excel even more in areas we have been doing well in.

“I can’t really say at the moment as to what’s going wrong because as a team who likes to dominate, we try to do that.

"But we tend to lose concentration and make the small mistakes that end up costing us dearly.

“But we learn in each game and we try by all means to fix the mistakes so we can start collecting points and move away from our current position.”

Zulu was absent from the Celtic game due to suspension and it was in that area of the pitch that Phunya Sele Sele got their second-half equaliser.

The former Maritzburg United man, who started out as a left-winger, is, however, available for the match against the 13-time Angolan champions.

It will be easier for Primeiro de Agosto to get footage of Chiefs matches, compared to the other way around. Zulu, though, does not necessarily see this as a disadvantage.  

“Where it tends to be more difficult because we hardly know the opponent, we do better," he said.

"We go there with the attitude that anything can happen. But we also prepare to play our own way because they also don’t know us that well."

Mohamed Salah does not look “unhappy” at Liverpool, says Reds coach Gary O’Neil, with there seemingly little cause for concern when it comes to the Egyptian’s immediate future.

Fears have been raised at Anfield regarding a move to Spain for a talismanic presence.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked with a prolific frontman in the past, and Salah has now left the door open for La Liga heavyweights to make an approach.

He has refused to rule out switches to Santiago Bernabeu or Camp Nou, with the 28-year-old frontman admitting that transfer calls now rest in Liverpool’s hands.

Real and Barca may struggle to generate the funds required to do a big-money deal at present, as the coronavirus pandemic forces even the richest of clubs to tighten their belts, but interest is to be expected at some stage.

Jurgen Klopp would be reluctant to part with a key part of his plans, but his hand may be forced if Salah decides that the time has come to take on a new challenge.

O’Neil cannot see that call being made any time soon, with a man who has hit 110 goals through 173 appearances for Liverpool offering no indication that he is looking for an imminent transfer.

“I’m keen to judge it on performances and the guy that came on for half an hour against Crystal Palace doesn’t seem unhappy, for me,” O’Neil, who works in the Reds’ academy system, told talkSPORT.

“What I’m hearing about how hard he works in training and how bubbly he is around the ground, I don’t see it being an issue.

“Players will give interviews and, sometimes, especially when they are done in other countries and other languages, there will be stuff that comes back.

“I think you have to judge him on his performances and for me he doesn’t look like a guy unhappy at Liverpool Football Club.

“What I hear about how he trains and how hard he works he definitely doesn’t give off the notion that he is unhappy.”

Salah made more history for Liverpool in his latest outing, as he stepped off the bench to score two and lay on another in a 7-0 mauling of Crystal Palace, and remains tied to a contract through to the summer of 2023.

Bruno Fernandes has "transformed" Manchester United, according to Gary Neville, who feels the €55 million (£50m/$67m) midfielder has all the qualities of a club captain.

Fernandes has taken to English football like a duck to water since his big-money move to Old Trafford in January.

The former Sporting CP playmaker's first 42 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions have yielded 25 goals and 15 assists, with his latest double coming in a 6-2 thrashing of Leeds United on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were short on creativity and cutting edge in the final third of the pitch before Fernandes' arrival in Manchester, but his presence has helped the team re-emerge as a major force on both domestic and European fronts.

The 26-year-old has helped United rise to third in the Premier League standings this season, five points behind pacesetters Liverpool with a game in hand - the closest they have been to top spot at Christmas than in any other season post Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.

Harry Maguire has served as Solskjaer's captain ever since Ashley Young's move to Inter in the last winter transfer window, but Neville believes Fernandes has been the main driving force behind his old club's recent success.

The United legend has credited the Portugal international for leading by example with his general play and work rate off the ball, telling Sky Sports: “There’s Paul Pogba, there’s David de Gea, there’s Maguire, they’ve all been captain of the team, [Edinson] Cavani with his experience.

“He (Fernandes) is the leader in that team, leader by example. Leader by what he does when he gives the ball away, he sprints straight after it.

“Every time the team are on the ball, he wants the ball. Every time he gets the ball, he wants to play a pass that matters.

“He’s transformed, I’d say, the whole club from a point of view of if he doesn’t play, it’s a massive problem, and that’s a big issue when you’re almost reliant on him.

“Of all the midfield players they’ve got - [Donny] Van de Beek, Pogba, Fred, [Nemanja] Matic, [Scott] McTominay - he is just the one absolutely out there of those three midfield players that pick themselves.

“Fernandes has been an absolute sensation at United - he’s the leader of that team and if it’s not him wearing the armband, he could be.”

Fernandes will be back in contention for a place in the Red Devils' starting XI when they take in a trip to Everton in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, before focus shifts to another crucial Premier League encounter away at Leicester City on Boxing Day.

Ex-Gor Mahia official Omondi Aduda has revealed the club have made numerous efforts to reach Algeria for their Caf Champions League match against CR Belouizdad but in vain.

The former CEO has further exonerated club officials from blame that they have not done enough to have the team fly to Algeria to honour the second round, first-leg clash on Wednesday.

In an interview with Goal, Aduda said the trip to Algeria is as good as cancelled because “Gor Mahia cannot walk to Algiers.”

“It is not about the officials failing to do their work or the team missing tickets to travel, the problem lies with Algeria because of their airspace,” Aduda told Goal on Tuesday.

“Gor Mahia tried each and everything possible mean to secure a flight to Algeria, there is evidence they secured visas on time, there is evidence they had tickets which they could have used to fly Nairobi to Doha on Sunday, there is evidence they had already done a hotel reservation in Algiers and there is evidence they wrote to CRB on December 9, which was never answered.

“On December 9, they gave CRB the opportunity as required by the regulation that the team could fly to Tunis, then CRB organizes to charter a flight to Algiers, which did not work.

“Then there is evidence Gor Mahia through Football Kenya Federation (FKF) engaged the Algerian Football Federation on the December 14, where they requested for the authority.

“That authority was triggered by Gor Mahia, and the authority, therefore, is just to enter Algeria and not to board the chartered flight, so the itinerary which was given by CRB, that flight is an evacuation chartered flight which you can only board by government authority.

“The chartered flight is meant to evacuate Algerian nationals back to Algeria, and the confirmation we have now is there are no scheduled commercial flights to Algiers, even today [Tuesday], they have equally confirmed there are no flights, you can only use the evacuation flights, which also are not available, nothing else.

“Even the referees for the match from Tunisia left Tunis on Monday through Paris, and then took the evacuation flight from Paris to Algiers. That is the situation [Gor Mahia finds themselves in], so how do you expect them to travel? Do you want them to walk to Algeria?

Goal has also managed to secure several conversations between Gor Mahia and Qatar Airways, with the last one confirming there are no flights to Algeria.

“Kindly refer to my earlier email you submitted the approval at 4 pm while Doha working hours are 7 am to 3 pm,” read the letter from Qatar Airways to Gor Mahia treasurer Dolfina Odhiambo.

“I also requested your patience on this subject noting that we do not have scheduled flights to Algeria. Charter flights are operated subject to request and approval by the Algerian government, this is the main reason aa to why there is a delay in getting the feedback as we have to be certain if the charters will be granted the necessary approvals for operation.”

According to details in Goal possession, Gor Mahia had already booked Hotel Ferdi Lilly in Algeria during their stay in the country.

Goal also revealed that the match has subsequently been postponed to Saturday, although official confirmation of this has not been released.

KCCA FC assistant coach Morley Byekwaso says his charges are prepared to get a positive result in the second preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup against AS Kigali.

The Kasasiro Boys got a bye in the first preliminary round, and they will be away against their neighbours, who eliminated Orapa United of Botswana.

After falling 2-1 away, the Rwandan side won by a solitary goal at home and the aggregate score was 2-2, but the East African side advanced on the away goal rule.

"We arrived safely; we took one hour at the airport yesterday for testing but we are yet to receive our results which are coming hours from now," Byekwaso said ahead of the match.

"We are so prepared as usual; we want to see that we represent our club and our country very well. All the boys are determined, they are focused and the boys really want to make a difference in Wednesday’s game."  

The Garbage Collectors will miss the services of Charles Lukwago, Hassan Matovu and Ali Mwirusi who are out owing to positive Covid-19 tests.

Other players who are already out owing to the aforementioned reason are Samson Kigozi, Brian Aheebwa, Hassan Musana, Kezironi Kizito, Denis Iguma and Stefano Mazengo.

It means the 13-time Ugandan Premier League champions have only 14 available players. 

Byekwaso will be in charge owing to the absence of head coach Mike Mutebi, as well as Jackson Magera, Kaddu Badru and Moses Oloya.

Mutebi had initially pointed out the team is prepared to play their hosts.

"We are prepared and before we play AS Kigali, we would have played league matches including the last one against URA FC so that is going to give us good preparations," Mutebi told the club’s Online TV.

"But already, we are preparing well and of course we are playing the league matches and since this is a marathon we are flowing along and the team that is playing well and has tried to do things right is the team we are going to use."

The experienced tactician also confirmed Gift Ali remains sidelined although he did not state whether the club is expecting him to return soon.

"[Gift] Ali is out and maybe Joseph Bukenya will be back but the others have been in training well. I am hopeful the team that played last time out will largely represent us in the next game with the exception of Ali," he continued.

Harry Maguire has hailed "magnificent" Scott McTominay for his star turn against Leeds United, describing the Manchester United midfielder's performance as one of the best he's ever seen.

McTominay scored his first two Premier League goals of the season in quick succession to set United on their way to a thrilling 6-2 win in Sunday's Pennines derby clash.

The Scotland international's perfectly placed strike from just outside the box opened the scoring with two minutes on the clock, and he notched his second 60 seconds later as he took an Anthony Martial pass in his stride before producing an expert finish.

The 24-year-old is now the only player in the history of the top-flight to find the net twice in the opening three minutes of a match, with his stunning contribution in the final third paving the way for his team-mates to run rampant at Old Trafford.

Bruno Fernandes also grabbed a brace, with goals from Victor Lindelof and Daniel James rounding off a comprehensive victory that ensured that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men moved up to third in the top-flight standings.

Maguire was left in awe by McTominay's all-action display, and has reserved special praise for his team-mate ahead of the Red Devils' trip to Everton in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

“You’ve seen in recent months how we’ve been relying on the forward lads in [Marcus] Rash[ford] and Bruno, so for Scott to score was great. He was magnificent – one of the best performances I’ve seen and played with on the pitch from a central midfielder,” The United captain told the club's official website.

“He deserved his two goals and it’s nice for Victor [Lindelof] to get on the scoresheet as well, it’s something we’ve worked on - a great touch from Anto[ny Martial] at the front post.

“It’s nice to spread the goals around, we know we’ve got goals in the team and it was a great night for players to get on the scoresheet. But more importantly, everyone is happy with the performance, the six goals and the three points.”

Maguire added on the Manchester outfit's healthy position in the Premier League table amid talk of a title challenge: “I think it’s just important to keep winning games and looking after your own points tally.

“You can get ahead of yourself in terms of looking at other people’s results and you just need to look after yourself. If you keep winning games and putting three points on the table then you’ll be there or thereabouts.

“We’re not getting carried away, as I said. We had a big win [against Leeds] but there is lots of improvement we need to make to make sure we’re challenging at the end of the season. That’s what we’ve got to aim for.”

Asked how important it is for United to progress in the League Cup on Wednesday as Solskjaer bids to bring a three-year trophy drought to an end, the 27-year-old responded: “It’s really important this season that we try and get our hands on silverware and win a trophy.

“At this club we’re expected to win trophies and we go into this game full of confidence from the result [last weekend]. We’ve got to start winning trophies, we haven’t won in the last two or three years now and it’s important. It’s an important competition for ourselves to build momentum and confidence.”

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have become the new Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, admits a man who formed part of that fearsome attacking unit for England, with Spurs boasting one of the most devastating strike forces in world football.

Jose Mourinho has been putting that firepower to good use in the 2020-21 campaign, with his leading frontmen netting 20 Premier League goals between them.

Kane has also chipped in with a healthy haul of 10 assists – 13 in all competitions – as he embraces a new role in a creative No.10 berth.

Son has been the main beneficiary of the England captain’s vision and passing ability, with the South Korea international hitting a serious purple patch, but Spurs are thriving as a collective.

Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, knows what it feels like to form part of productive pairings in the final third and sees similarities between Tottenham’s favoured options and the partnership he struck up with ex-Spurs and Manchester United star Sheringham.

“They are both world-class forwards, and are so in tune with each other's game that they have a picture in their head of what the other is doing before the ball arrives, and it is just a matter of one of them picking the other out,” Newcastle legend Shearer told BBC Sport of Kane and Son.

“The fact that Son is so clinical means that few of the chances he makes for him are wasted, and vice versa.

“Their partnership reminds me of the one I was lucky enough to have with Teddy Sheringham for England. He knew exactly what I was going to do, and I was the same was him.

“I had some excellent striker partners at club and also international level but Teddy was brilliant because he was so clever. He did not have great pace, but it didn't matter because he thought a second or two ahead of everyone else and he knew exactly when to pick his pass.

“He was unbelievable at dropping deep and finding me and, as a striker, it makes such a difference when you know that pass is coming.

“If Teddy was deep and got on the ball, or was about to, I knew he would be trying to find me so I would make my run. When you watch Son with Kane, he does exactly the same.

“It is a sign of how good any player is that, even if the opposition know what he is going to do, they still find it difficult to stop him. That was the case for Teddy, and it is the same for Kane now.”

Shearer has also hailed Kane’s shift from out-and-out goalscorer to game-changing deep-lying frontman, with the former England skipper adding on the man who fills that armband at present: “A lot of strikers do change their game as they get older, often because they don't have any choice.

“I became more of a hold-up player later in my career, and did more of my work between the 18-yard lines rather than running out wide and hitting the channels. I had to do that, because I had a couple of serious injuries and I lost a yard of pace.

“Fortunately there is no sign of that happening with Kane. He is only 27 and while he is adding different aspects to his game and growing into a more rounded striker, he is doing it without losing the most important thing - goals.

“He is playing the Sheringham role, but still scoring too. That's a sign of what a fantastic player he is, and how well he is managing his game. He is choosing the right moments to get forward, then has the same superb finishing ability when he gets there.”

Kepa Arrizabalaga has become a “tough sell” for Chelsea, admits Robert Green, with error-strewn performances from a £71 million ($95m) goalkeeper meaning that the Blues may find it difficult to find any takers in January.

Frank Lampard is expected to seek out suitors for a Spain international when the transfer window re-opens.

Kepa has slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, with Edouard Mendy drafted in over the summer to take his place between the sticks.

A 26-year-old custodian struggling for confidence could do with finding regular game time elsewhere in 2021, but attracting interest may prove tricky.

Green expects that to be the case, with there a chance – given the financial factors involved – that even a loan agreement will be out of reach.

“It’s a tough sell. It’s a numbers thing,” former Blues keeper Green told The Athletic.

“Chelsea and [their director] Marina Granovskaia are not in the business of losing money.

“They have an asset which is depreciating greatly but with football clubs in the financial state they’re in, it’s going to be tough to put something together.

“I’m not even talking just about selling, even a loan is going to be a struggle.

“The transfer fee and the wages [believed to be around £170,000 a week] is the biggest obstacle to resolving the situation.”

Green added on the lack of options available to Kepa, with clubs around the world prioritising other areas for strengthening in the middle of a season: “Someone has to have a real shortage and if someone goes, then a slot from the selling club also has to be filled. That’s why it rarely happens. 

“If you’ve got money to spend on fees and wages in January, invariably, you will spend it on a striker or an attacking player. You’re usually covered for keepers in a season, so to need one is unlikely and on the financial side of it, it is very rare you spend your budget on a keeper.

“If you’re a club, especially one struggling at the bottom, your main thinking is, ‘I don’t need someone to save me 15 goals’. You’re thinking, ‘I want one to score 15 goals’.

“This mindset exists because, as a keeper, you’re not seen to be creating something — you’re just stopping something. If you make a save, people will say ‘he should have saved that’. It’s quickly forgotten. Should a striker do a bit of skill and fire one in from 25 yards, people think, ‘If he does stuff like that a number of times, we stay up, achieve our ambitions’.”

Kepa started the season as Chelsea’s No.1, as Lampard closed in on Mendy, but has seen just one Champions League appearance – in a 1-1 draw with Krasnodar – since the middle of October.

Head coach Benni McCarthy believes that Siyabonga Nomvethe ticks all the right boxes in his capacity as the new AmaZulu assistant coach.

Nomvethe was announced as the new Usuthu coach last week and the first game he and newly-appointed head coach McCarthy took charge of together, against Chippa United, ended in a 3-1 win at the Kings Park Stadium.

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana striker Nomvethe enjoyed an illustrious career as a player although he did not have any previous top-flight coaching experience.

However, as McCarthy points out, there are many reasons why Nomvethe is a perfect fit for his home-town club, whom he played for between 2016 and 2019, shortly before his retirement.

Nomvethe spent his final season as a player at second-tier side Uthongathi and scored his final goal at the age of 43.

"You know Nomvethe ‘Bhele’, I’ve asked him to join my coaching staff and he has been a breath of fresh air," McCarthy said, as quoted by Farpost.

"He still looks like a player and still behaves like he fits in the group with the team.

“I think it’s just so nice that you have someone from Durban, someone from the township, someone that came through the ranks and has played at the highest level, a Bafana legend."

With McCarthy and Nomvethe having previously played together for the national team, the fit at AmaZulu seems a natural and easy one, which could reap rewards if they are able to transmit that energy to the players.

“Bhele and I, two young guys who a lot of people think they don’t have what it takes, we just had fun with it, and it showed in the way the team played," McCarthy added.

"And they know this is going to be a fun team, this is the team that wants to play football to entertain the fans and football to score goals and to win matches.

“When you’ve got two guys that have done it at the highest level, sitting together, working together, what more can you ask for?"