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Vincent Aboubakar scored twice while Bernard Mensah provided an assist as Besiktas demolished BB Erzurumspor 4-0 in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

Aboubakar has been in scintillating form for the Black Eagles this season and continued the impressive performances at Vodafone Park.

The centre-forward opened the scoring in the 59th minute of the encounter, converting from the penalty.

French-born Cameroonian winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou then doubled his side’s lead in the 63rd minute after receiving a fine assist from Ghana international Mensah.

Domagoj Vida compounded the woes of their visitors when he scored the third goal for Besiktas after he was set up by Algeria international Rachid Ghezzal.

Aboubakar then sealed the victory for the Black Eagles with his second goal in the match after benefitting from Atiba Hutchinson’s assist.

The Cameroon international featured for 82 minutes in the encounter and has now scored in each of his last five games.

Mensah and N'Koudou featured for 73 minutes each before they were replaced by Dorukhan Tokoz and Cyle Larin, respectively.

Ghezzal was also on parade for 82 minutes before making way for Guven Yalcin while Ivorian Ibrahim Sissoko played for 10 minutes after he was introduced for Ricardo Gomes.

With the victory, Besiktas moved to the fourth spot on the league table after gathering 22 points from 12 games.

Aboubakar has now scored eight goals and provided one assist in 10 appearances in the 2020-21 campaign for the Vodafone Park outfit.

The forward teamed up with Besiktas permanently this season after terminating his contract with Porto, where he spent six years.

Aboubakar and Mensah will hope to continue their impressive performances when the Black Eagles take on Ankaragucu on December 24.

Manchester United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised his side’s performance in Sunday’s thumping 6-2 win against Leeds, saying the game could have ended 12-4.

There were 43 shots at goal during a pulsating 90 minutes at Old Trafford with both sides committed to attacking football.

It was the Red Devils who were in command from the outset, with Scott McTominay opening the scoring after 69 seconds before quickly doubling his tally to become the first player in Premier League history to score twice in the opening three minutes of a match.

Bruno Fernandes also scored twice, with further goals from Victor Lindelof and Daniel James putting the gloss on a fine victory.

Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas replied for the Whites, who played their part in a thrilling encounter.

Having entered the game with just three goals in six Premier League games at home all season, Solskjaer was delighted to see his side return to goalscoring form on their own turf.

"That was fantastic from the first minute. We had a plan to get after them, go forwards when we had the ball and Scott McTominay got two goals in the first three minutes,” the Norwegian told Sky Sports.

"We found a way of getting them going, Just imagine if there were 75,000 people in [the stadium], it would have gone down in history as one of the great performances against Leeds.

"We had to earn the right by running as much as them, that's a challenge. It could have been 12-4! It's that kind of game.

"I enjoyed it, it was frantic, hectic. No matter what the score is they have a certain attitude or style, if they are 5-0 up or down.”

The win moves Manchester United up to third in the Premier League and within five points of leaders Liverpool with a game in hand going into the busy festive period.

Solskjaer, though, is not paying much attention to the league table at this stage.

"We are not even at the halfway point, the league position is not something we look at we look at the improvement of the team,” he added.

"Now we are getting fitter and stronger. Our fans needed that one."

Wasteful Paris Saint-Germain missed the chance to go top of Ligue 1 as they were held to a goalless draw by Lille on Sunday.

Moise Kean wasted several opportunities in a stalemate at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, where the champions ought to have consigned Lille to a first home defeat of the season in the top flight.

Kylian Mbappe was introduced just 13 minutes from time after being named as a substitute on his 22nd birthday and the striker did not have enough time to grab the winner.

The draw instead moved Lille back above Lyon at the summit on goal difference, with PSG only a point off the pace.

Thilo Kehrer headed just wide and Rafinha nodded Angel Di Maria's cross into the side-netting as PSG warmed to the task after a frantic start.

Idrissa Gueye came to the rescue with a great block after Kehrer gave the ball away inside his own penalty area as PSG tried to play out from the back, but Thomas Tuchel's men continued to pose a bigger threat.

Kean was denied by Mike Maignan when he tried to flick home a cross from Di Maria, whose dangerous free-kick was almost turned into his own net by Jose Fonte at the back post but Lille's goalkeeper made another save to keep his side on level terms.

Kean poked Layvin Kurzawa's inviting cross wide of the near post early in the second half and Yusuf Yazici strayed offside before he found the back of the net at the other end.

Di Maria was proving to be a real threat on his return to the starting line-up and his cross from the left flashed across the face of the goal as PSG continued to dominate with no reward.

Burak Yilmaz's long-range drive was tipped around the post by Keylor Navas before Mbappe was finally introduced just prior to Presnel Kimpembe making a brilliant last-ditch tackle when Lille hit PSG on the break.

Kimpembe limped off due to the damage done in that challenge and neither side could grab a late winner.

Karim Benzema led the way as Real Madrid claimed a fifth successive win in a 3-1 triumph at Eibar on Sunday to go second in LaLiga.

Zinedine Zidane had been under intense pressure at the start of December due to a run of poor results, but the win at Ipurua was their fifth on the bounce across all competitions and leaves them on the tail of bitter rivals and pacesetters Atletico Madrid.

Benzema looked in the mood right from the start of an action-packed first half, the striker scoring and then teeing up Luka Modric in the early exchanges, before also having an effort disallowed for offside soon after Kike Garcia's stunning effort gave Eibar a lifeline.

Eibar certainly had their chances to clinch what had seemed an unlikely draw, but failed to take their opportunities and were punished again when Benzema played through Lucas Vazquez to wrap up the points in stoppage time.

Andrea Okene scored the only goal for Levante in a 3-1 defeat to Villarreal in their Spanish Reto Iberdrola encounter on Sunday.

The Nigerian-born Spanish striker has continued her eye-catching displays in front of goal for the Granotes, scoring her third goal of the season at Levante Ciudad Deportiva.

A week ago, the 19-year-old emerged as the heroine, when she scored the opener in her side’s 2-1 victory over Femarguin before a 1-1 draw at home against Albacete during midweek.

The forward starred again as one of the key actors for Nando Felipo's team as she registered yet another goal although it was not enough to save her side from defeat to the leaders.

Villarreal found themselves on the back foot when Levante opened the scoring as early as the third minute of the game through Okene.

The visitors, however, staged an incredible fightback after the break when Lara Mata levelled for Sara Monforte's side after just 11 minutes of the second half.

In the 73rd minute, Salma Paralluelo handed Villareal the lead from the spot before she guaranteed the visitors' away victory with her second of the match 10 minutes from full-time.

The defeat at home to the Southern group leaders saw Levante remain in the eighth position, with seven points from 10 matches this season. 

Okene featured for the duration of the game and has now scored three goals in nine matches - all coming in her last four outings.

The Nigerian-born will be expected to continue her fine form when Levante return from the break against Alhama on January 21.

Gor Mahia have finally confirmed they will honour their Caf Champions League first round first leg against CR Belouizdad as scheduled on Wednesday after getting a solution to their travelling logistical problems.

It was initially feared the Kenyan champions would not make it to North Africa for the game and had even requested the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to reschedule their game.

K'Ogalo have now confirmed they have secured the necessary facilitation to enable them to travel.

"No passenger flight is allowed to land in Algeria and we had to seek authorization from Algeria, which we got and that had to be confirmed by their Embassy here in Nairobi as well – we got the two important letters that we are free to travel," club's chairman Ambrose Rachier revealed.

"With the authorization letters, we were connected to Qatar Airline by the authorities because that’s the only Airline they use for evacuation and is allowed within their airspace. We are trying our best to make it to Algeria – we are trying to secure the group booking then hit the runway."

The veteran administrator went on to explain the measures the club had taken to ensure the game is played.

"As an option, we had to place in our request for the match to be played in any North African country where flights are allowed," he continued.

"We haven’t received any confirmation on that but we will now go-ahead to travel since we were given authorization. 

"Our biggest hurdle is the locked Algerian airspace, bookings from Nairobi are a big problem.

"Authorization to enter Algerian space has been acquired through late [on Saturday] but at least that hurdle is now behind us. We are ready with Covid-19 tests done with all results confirmed negative. It is all systems go."  

Now the next hurdle is for the team to settle the players' allowances and salaries. Earlier on, the players had staged a go-slow, threatening to boycott the game.

"We have not been paid our November monies as well as this [December] month," a senior player in the team told Goal on Sunday.

"Yes, we had a meeting on Saturday and our stand was made clear. The office should pay us our allowances and salaries before we talk about the Algeria trip.

"As it stands, nobody has communicated to us regarding the logistics of the game. We are in the dark over everything, but again, they cannot tell us because our stand has been made clear."

Victor Osimhen will play no role when Lazio welcome Napoli to Stadio Olimpico for Sunday’s Serie A encounter.

The Nigeria international was expected to return to the squad at an earlier date after the management of the Blues confirmed that the former Lille star had returned to training and has been undergoing physiotherapy.

“Victor Osimhen worked on the pitch, in the gym and had physiotherapy,” read a statement from Napoli read during their preparations for a Europa League game against Real Sociedad.

“The squad was split into two groups for the session, with those who started Sunday’s game at the Stadio Ezio Scida doing recovery work in the gym.

“The remainder of the squad began with a warm-up and some passing drills, then focused on tactics, technique, building play and shooting, before finishing with a mini-match and a gym circuit.”

In the first leg of the tie against Sociedad, which ended in favour of the Italians, the Nigeria international was shown a red card by referee Craig Pawson in the third minute of added time for a second caution.

Osimhen, 22, has been on the treatment table since suffering a shoulder dislocation during Nigeria’s 4-4 draw in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone.

He has subsequently missed the Blues’ last eight encounters, against AC Milan, Rijeka, AS Roma, AZ Alkmaar, Crotone, Real Sociedad, Sampdoria and Inter Milan.

Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly leads Gennaro Gattuso’s team quest of returning to winning ways having made Napoli’s starting XI, while Algerian defender Faouzi Ghoulam will start from the bench.

After an impressive spell with Lille, Osimhen was snapped up by Napoli for a club-record fee of €80 million. He has since scored two goals for the team across all competitions in the 2020-21 campaign.

One of Nigeria’s foremost football academies, Tripple 44, has agreed a partnership with Diamond Sports Management.

The pact signed on Saturday will see the United Kingdom-based organisation become the Ibadan-based outfit’s official agency.

While they have only existed for four years,Tripple 44 produced players like Porto-target Emmanuel Adeyemo, AC Alcanenense’s Innocent Ejiofor and Nigeria U20 attacking sensation, Peter Olawale.

This venture is a landmark achievement for Samuel Olatunji-Okuku’s team, and the expertise of former West Ham United and Diamond Sports director Cem Sagar will assist the academy in providing first-class management and representation to the flood of football talent at Tripple Academy.

“One of the things that attracted us to Diamond Sports is the fact that we have a lot in common,” Olatunji-Okuku told Goal.

“First, both organisations were founded around the same time. Their company was established in 2016 the same year Tripple 44 was established. So, it’s just like we as a young club finding a partner who has got a big vision and we feel we can group with them and that’s an icing on the cake for us.

“He [Sagar] is like a brother and someone I can easily relate with. He’s being at the top level of the game having played for West Ham United and he knows what is expected of every footballer.

“He is not only going to help us in terms of transfer alone, he is going to help in the development of our coaches and the players. It not about money-making partnership but It's going to be a symbiotic kind of relationship and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Echoing the sentiments of the Tripple 44 boss, Sagar also expressed his delight on this "interesting project" while highlighting what the Nigerian team would stand to benefit.

“I think making this agreement with Tripple 44 Academy was an interesting project for us to take on at a time when we were having offers from three other academies across Nigeria," the ex-Hammers star said.

“One of the benefits it would bring to Tripple 44 and Diamond Sports Management is being able to control players’ development together, where we will be more involved in day to day development of the players, helping the coaches to improve the players.

“People that have seen our selected team know that have never lost a game in Nigeria. This shows that what we are trying to do with the boys and the ways we are trying to implement gaming styles and tactics is quite different.

“This is the first time we are making an agreement like this and from what I have seen of Tripple 44, they are a very young team and seeing them producing international players within four years is a big achievement, so we are ready to take on this project with them.”

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has heaped praise on midfielder Scott McTominay, who made Premier League history on Sunday with his quick-fire double against Leeds United.

The Scotland international became the first player in the league's history to score twice in the first three minutes of a match, getting United off to a perfect start at Old Trafford. 

McTominay's brace put United on their way to a 6-2 victory, as Bruno Fernandes also scored a pair of goals while Victor Lindelof and Daniel James got on the scoresheet as well. 

Solskjaer was happy with the way his team started against Leeds, saving particular praise for the man who gave his side an early two-goal advantage.

"We've been criticised for our starts but the boys were prepared," Solskjaer told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We've approached the game really well. We've looked at videos and looked at ways to exploit them but also ways to stop them hurting you. It was a great start.

"Scott used to be a striker as a kid – he is a physical monster. He can win in the air, he wins tackles, but he's so strong and he's quick as well. He just ran into the space that we hoped he would get and it was good work by the other players to create the space and good finishes.

"I have to stop Scott from doing that sometimes – he is an attacking midfielder by nature. But when he sees space in front of him, why stop him? But he's great at shielding his back four."

Solskjaer was also happy to see James get on the scoresheet in a rare start, marking the Welshman's first league goal since he scored against Southampton in August 2019.

"The goal will give Dan James a lot of confidence too," the Norwegian added "He's been biding his time, been patient, been working hard and he's still as fit as a fiddle and I was very, very pleased for him."

United moved into third place with the win and sit just five points behind first-place Liverpool with a game in hand over Jurgen Klopp's men. The Red Devils boss, though, was quick to stress how many games remain this season, dismissing any talk of mounting a challenge for the title. 

"It's 13 games into the season – we're a work in a progress," he added. "We're getting better, we're getting fitter and stronger but there's still a few details to nail and let's talk about the title later on."

Mohamed Salah is unhappy at Liverpool and the Reds are considering cashing in on the Egyptian, according to his former international team-mate Mohamed Aboutrika.

Aboutrika says the 28-year-old was particularly frustrated at not being made captain for the recent Champions League tie against FC Midtjylland, though there are apparently other reasons why he is unsettled at Anfield.

"I called Salah about his situation at Liverpool and he is upset, but that would never affect his performance on the field,” Aboutrika told beIN Sports.

"I know that Salah is not happy in Liverpool, he told me the reasons why he is not happy but they are secrets and I cannot talk about it in public. One of the reasons that made Salah angry was that he was not the captain against Midtjylland."

Salah publicly expressed his frustration at not being given the armband against Midtjylland, telling AS he was “very disappointed” at the decision.

The former Roma and Chelsea forward was expecting to be named captain as the most experienced player in the team, but the armband was instead worn by 22-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Salah was dropped to the bench for Liverpool’s game at Crystal Palace on Saturday, though Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said he was simply giving him a rest after a hectic period of the season. Salah did, however, come off the bench and score a brace in a 7-0 thrashing of Palace.

In the same interview Salah also reiterated his admiration for Real Madrid and Barcelona, two clubs regularly linked with a move for the former Basel player.

Aboutrika expects his friend and former team-mate to make the move to one of the Spanish giants someday, believing Liverpool will find a big-money offer too much to resist.

"If Salah was a player at Real Madrid or Barcelona, and playing at the same level as Liverpool, he would've won the Ballon d'Or, and it is normal for a Spanish newspaper to ask Salah about Real Madrid and Barcelona,” added the 42-year-old.

"In my opinion, Liverpool are considering selling Salah for economic purposes.

"I do not have any influence over Salah's decisions, he is my friend and brother, and he is smart enough to know what is best for him."

Princella Adubea provided an assist as Racing Santander defeated Friol 3-0 in Sunday’s Spanish Reto Iberdrola showdown.

Adubea was handed her eighth league start in the current campaign as a substitute and made a key contribution to help her side return to winning ways following four matches without a win.

Racing cruised to their third triumph of the season thanks to a first-half strike from Irantzu Ibarrola Garcia before second-half efforts from Yamila Badell and Gloria Villamayor.

The hosts got the encounter off to a flying start when Garcia broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark at Bezana.

After the restart, Badell added the second of the match on the hour mark before the Black Queens star was introduced as the replacement for Garcia in the 70th minute.

The Ghanaian striker made an instant impact five minutes after being brought on as she sent a well-taken long ball through for Villamayor to ensure the hosts ended their four-match winless run.

Ghana's Adubea, who has now scored twice and provided an assist in eight matches for Racing Santander, was in action for 20 minutes.

With the result, Racing have moved to third on the log with 13 points from eight matches and will square up against bottom-placed Pozuelo Alarcon in their first game of 2021 on January 10.

Serie C side Casertana have hit out at the authorities and their opponents after they were forced to play Sunday's match against Viterbese with nine men.

Casertana registered as many as 15 positive cases of Covid-19 prior to the encounter but were told they must play or face sanctions.

The club claimed, even, that some of those who took to the field were showing symptoms of coronavirus, but had returned negative tests prior to kick-off.

A hard-hitting statement from the club reads: “These are difficult days, full of fear and concern for all Casertana FC members as well as for their families.

“We have a squad decimated by a dangerous and devious virus. As many as 15 positive for Covid-19 cases have been present.

“In the presence of a situation, the dynamics of competition and agonism should leave room for pragmatism. And, instead, a few hours before kick-off of the match on the 16th matchday of the Serie C championship, Casertana FC is forced to take note of the refusal of US Viterbese 1908 to reschedule the fixture in the face of logic that should have made this an inevitable postponement, and the Lega Pro itself, which did not consider a postponement necessary.

“In compliance with Article 48, paragraph 3 of the NOIF (Italian Football Federation internal rules) which states: 'The obligation to field the best team allowed by one's own technical situation,' Casertana FC is forced to take the field against Viterbese with fewer players than 11.

"To this it must be added that some of them are feverish, although they returned negative results in the last cycle of tests. It is a danger to themselves and to others.

“We would have wished for greater respect for the real protagonists of this sport, those who go out on the pitch every day and who give their families a living thanks to what is a real job.

“In a historical moment in which Italian citizens are struggling, indeed they are forced to stay at home, a football team, decimated by an invisible enemy, is forced to take the field at all costs. It is an embarrassing signal to the entire community.

“In light of this, public health no longer becomes a priority, but it takes a back seat to other interests. We apologise to our fans, helpless victims like us in the face of an absurd decision.”

Casertana went on to lose the game 3-0.

Argentine football continues across the festive season this December and January with the playing of the Copa Diego Armando Maradona.

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

Boca was crowned 2019-20 league champions in March after coming out on top during the 23-game season. 

The Copa Superliga was scheduled to follow on from the regular campaign, but was scrapped after just one game as football came to a halt.

This season’s action began with a new cup format, renamed after Diego Maradona following his death in November, where six groups of four teams competed for 12 places in the Campeon de Copa phase.

This next step consists of two groups of six teams and the winner of each will play in a final clash on January 17.

The winner of the Campeon phase will then qualify for the 2021 Copa Libertadores.

There is also a Sudamericana spot open to the sides disputing the Complementary phase, which is exactly the same in format and includes all the teams that failed to qualify for the Campeon phase.

It is expected that the new season of the next Primera Division season will then follow in March 2021.

Fanatiz has the rights to the Copa de la Liga Profesional worldwide, excluding  Argentina, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Israel, Russia, Switzerland and the Balkans.

How to watch Huracan vs River on US TV

Huracan were left delighted last weekend as they kicked off this second phase of the Copa Diego Armando Maradona in spectacular fashion. 

Having fallen two goals behind to Independiente in the first 10 minutes, the Globo fought back to win 3-2, aided by an early red card suffered by Thomas Ortega. 

They will now hope to pick up a second straight win against Marcelo Gallardo's Millonario, who became the first Argentine side to qualify for the 2020 Libertadores semis on Thursday. 

The local Copa has been of secondary importance to River all this season due to their continental exertions, but in a week that they sealed a fourth consecutive berth in the last four of South America's most important club competition the Nunez club would love to cap their celebrations with yet another victory.

Live Stream: Fanatiz English ( stream now )

Huracan vs River team news and preview

Huracan's prospects for Sunday's clash are boosted by the return of three key first-teamers to action. 

Saul Salcedo, Leandro Grimi and Lucas Merolla are all available to coach Israel Damonte after a spell on the sidelines, while Renato Civelli is also in line to start having sat out the clash against Independiente due to suspension.

Marcelo Gallardo is set to field a strong team against the Globo to bolster River's Copa Maradona chances now the Libertadores adjourns until the start of January. 

Veteran defender Javier Pinola sat out Thursday's 6-2 thrashing of Nacional but will return to the starting line-up, while Franco Armani maintains his place in goal ahead of Enrique Bologna, who has played several times in the domestic competition instead of the Argentina No. 1. 

Watch all this weekend's Copa Diego Armando Maradona matches on Fanatiz in the US  with a 7-day free trial.

What other Copa Diego Armando Maradona matches are available on Fanatiz?

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

Wasteful Paris Saint-Germain missed the chance to go top of Ligue 1 as they were held to a goalless draw by Lille on Sunday.

Moise Kean wasted several opportunities in a stalemate at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, where the champions ought to have consigned Lille to a first home defeat of the season in the top flight.

Kylian Mbappe was introduced just 13 minutes from time after being named as a substitute on his 22nd birthday and the striker did not have enough time to grab the winner.

The draw instead moved Lille back above Lyon at the summit on goal difference, with PSG only a point off the pace.

Thilo Kehrer headed just wide and Rafinha nodded Angel Di Maria's cross into the side-netting as PSG warmed to the task after a frantic start.

Idrissa Gueye came to the rescue with a great block after Kehrer gave the ball away inside his own penalty area as PSG tried to play out from the back, but Thomas Tuchel's men continued to pose a bigger threat.

Kean was denied by Mike Maignan when he tried to flick home a cross from Di Maria, whose dangerous free-kick was almost turned into his own net by Jose Fonte at the back post but Lille's goalkeeper made another save to keep his side on level terms.

Kean poked Layvin Kurzawa's inviting cross wide of the near post early in the second half and Yusuf Yazici strayed offside before he found the back of the net at the other end.

Di Maria was proving to be a real threat on his return to the starting line-up and his cross from the left flashed across the face of the goal as PSG continued to dominate with no reward.

Burak Yilmaz's long-range drive was tipped around the post by Keylor Navas before Mbappe was finally introduced just prior to Presnel Kimpembe making a brilliant last-ditch tackle when Lille hit PSG on the break.

Kimpembe limped off due to the damage done in that challenge and neither side could grab a late winner.

Karim Benzema led the way as Real Madrid claimed a fifth successive win in a 3-1 triumph at Eibar on Sunday to go second in LaLiga.

Zinedine Zidane had been under intense pressure at the start of December due to a run of poor results, but the win at Ipurua was their fifth on the bounce across all competitions and leaves them on the tail of bitter rivals and pacesetters Atletico Madrid.

Benzema looked in the mood right from the start of an action-packed first half, the striker scoring and then teeing up Luka Modric in the early exchanges, before also having an effort disallowed for offside soon after Kike Garcia's stunning effort gave Eibar a lifeline.

Eibar certainly had their chances to clinch what had seemed an unlikely draw, but failed to take their opportunities and were punished again when Benzema played through Lucas Vazquez to wrap up the points in stoppage time.

Rafael Leao drove home the fastest goal in Serie A history to set leaders Milan on their way to a 2-1 win at Sassuolo. 

Milan head coach Stefano Pioli said on Saturday that Leao's recent performances had been "not up to standard", but there was no faulting his sharp finish after six seconds at the Citta del Tricolore stadium. 

The 21-year-old former Lille forward took a pass from Hakan Calhanoglu in his stride and, with his third touch, smashed the ball past home goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. 

Alexis Saelemaekers added a second in the 26th minute and Milan's lead rarely came under threat from sixth-placed Sassuolo until Domenico Berardi netted an 89th-minute free-kick that made for a briefly tense finish.

Pioli fielded a team with an average age of just 22 years and 313 days, Milan's second youngest line-up since the 2004-05 season, when Opta began collecting such data. 

There was no Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the team's 39-year-old leading scorer absent after suffering a calf strain in training as he prepared for a first-team return. 

But after Juventus showed they remain a part of the Scudetto conversation with an impressive 4-0 win at Parma on Saturday, it was Milan's turn to show their hand, and they had an ace up their sleeve. 

Leao put an emphatic finishing touch to Milan's immediate charge through the Sassuolo ranks, with Brahim Diaz playing the kick-off short to Calhanoglu, who raced straight towards the penalty area in what looked a well-rehearsed ploy. Calhanoglu's pass through to Leao was smashed in, leaving the home side shell-shocked and still yet to touch the ball. 

Milan thought they had a second goal in the ninth minute when Calhanoglu drove home low into the left corner from the edge of the penalty area, but a marginal offside in the build-up saw the goal disallowed after a VAR check. 

They were nevertheless in control and full value for their second goal when it arrived in the 26th minute. Theo Hernandez ran from deep inside his half down the left flank before darting infield and clipping a short pass that gave Saelemaekers a tap-in. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a fine diving stop to keep out a fizzing 25-yard shot from Mehdi Bourabia in the second half, before Milan threatened a third when Jens Petter Hauge's curling shot from similar range was pushed away by Consigli. 

Sassuolo had the final say as Berardi got his shot beyond the Milan wall, but the visitors survived.

What does it mean? Milan demonstrate title credentials

The arrival of Ibrahimovic and his alpha manner almost 12 months ago might have instigated this Milan revival, but without him on the pitch they are proving formidable too, a team so confident they could attempt and pull off that audacious charge at goal from kick-off.

The young side on Sunday looked every inch potential champions. 

Milan tactical shift foils Sassuolo 

Milan had just 32 per cent of possession, their lowest rate of the season in the league. But when they broke, they did so with pace and numbers, white shirts swarming the Sassuolo defence. Milan had 66 per cent possession against Hellas Verona in November and 65.26 per cent last week against Parma, but they drew both those games 2-2.

This time a counter-attacking style suited the occasion, with Milan happy to let their hosts dominate possession and then sting on the counter. Centre-back Pierre Kalulu played the most passes among Milan players with a modest 39, against a team-high 103 from Sassuolo's Gian Marco Ferrari. 

Diaz a soft touch 

Diaz made his sixth Serie A start of the season but was nowhere near as involved as Milan would have liked.

He played just nine passes all game and had a mere 14 touches before making way for Hauge in the 57th minute. Only three players have had fewer touches among those who have taken part in 55 minutes or more of a game in Italy's top flight this season. 

Key Opta facts

- Rafael Leao's goal after six seconds sees him beat the previous record set by Paolo Poggi, scored for Piacenza in December 2001 (8 seconds).
- Only Barcelona in 1948 (18 consecutive games) have scored two or more goals for more top-five European league matches in a row in a single calendar year than Milan in 2020 (15).
- In the history of the single round Serie A (since 1929-30), no unbeaten sides after 13 games played have finished the campaign outside the top four positions.
- Theo Hernandez has provided three assists in Serie A this season in 12 games played, already equalling his tally for the 2019-20 campaign.
- Domenico Berardi has scored his fourth Serie A goal direct from a free-kick, while it is his second against Milan (the other was in October 2015).

What's next?

Milan face Lazio on Wednesday in a San Siro test before the league goes on its winter break. Sassuolo head to Sampdoria on the same evening. 

Tottenham's Premier League title hopes suffered a second significant dent in as many games as they fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Leicester City.

Looking to bounce back from the disappointment of conceding late in a 2-1 defeat to leaders Liverpool in midweek, Spurs instead saw a lacklustre performance deservedly punished.

A Jamie Vardy penalty put Leicester in front on the stroke of half-time before an own goal from Toby Alderweireld put the Foxes firmly in command.

Tottenham's failure to find a way back into the game leaves them six points adrift of Liverpool and sees them drop to fourth, with Leicester now second and four behind the champions.

Leicester started strongly but their five shots in the opening 20 minutes yielded no reward and the first effort on target from either team did not come until the 34th minute, when Kasper Schmeichel was required to keep out a deflected free-kick from Harry Kane, who then headed over from close range.

But a largely uneventful first half ended with a familiar face putting Leicester in front, Vardy firing home from 12 yards in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Serge Aurier had barged into the back of Wesley Fofana just inside the area.

Spurs, trailing at half-time for the first time in 20 league games, threw on Gareth Bale for Tanguy Ndombele after the interval but looked to have fallen 2-0 down within three minutes of the restart when James Maddison superbly controlled James Justin's long ball and confidently slotted beyond Hugo Lloris.

However, Maddison was deemed to have strayed marginally offside by VAR but Leicester's lead was doubled just before the hour mark.

Vardy showed more desire than Alderweireld to attack a deep cross from Marc Albrighton and although Moussa Sissoko did to defend it, his header deflected off the his team-mate and past Lloris.

Schmeichel produced a stunning reaction stop to deny Son Heung-min but Spurs struggled to threaten thereafter as Leicester stood firm to claim a win that underlines their credentials as title challengers.

What does it mean? – Below-par Spurs pay the penalty

Vardy's successful penalty was Leicester's eighth of the season, at least three more than any other team in the Premier League.

The Foxes were full value for their win, Tottenham producing a display in stark contrast to the one delivered by Liverpool in their 7-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Foxes a creative force

Though Vardy, who limped off late on, was a key figure in both goals, he benefited from excellent service from the three advanced players operating behind him.

Maddison supplied five key passes and was unfortunate to see a fine goal chalked off by VAR. Harvey Barnes and Albrighton played two each and the latter's far-post cross resulted in Alderweireld finding the back of his own net.

Aurier and Alderweireld at fault

Tottenham conceded a goal from the penalty spot and an own goal in the same Premier League game for only the second time, having first done so back in March 2000 in a 2-1 North London derby defeat to Arsenal.

Aurier's push was in explicable and both Alderweireld and Sissoko should have questions to answer over their involvement in the second goal.

Key Opta facts:

- Leicester will be in the first two places of the top-flight table at Christmas in consecutive seasons for the first time in their history.
- The Foxes have picked up 18 points in their last seven games on the road (W6 L1), the most they have collected in their first seven away games of a league season in their history (assuming three points for a win).
- Vardy has been directly involved in seven goals (five goals, two assists) in as many Premier League away games against Spurs, more than versus any other opponent on the road in the competition.
- Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers gained his first victory in all competitions against a Jose Mourinho side, having failed to win any of his previous seven such encounters (D2 L5).

What's next?

A December 23 trip to Stoke City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals beckons for Tottenham, who visit Wolves four days later, a day after Leicester take on Manchester United at home.