Looking for Soccer News?

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez believes that football must embrace the prospect of a European Super League.

With many of the continent’s leading divisions dominated by one or a handful teams, there are serious concerns about the long-term viability of domestic football, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic which has ravaged finances for many sides.

Perez says that a Super League, in which all of the game’s biggest sides would compete, is the natural solution and one that should be given serious consideration.

“Nothing will be like it was before. The pandemic obliges us to make football more competitive. We must innovate and look for formulas to ensure football remains attractive,” he told Real Madrid’s general assembly.

“Real Madrid played a part in the foundation of FIFA and the European Cup and the current model needs a reboot, as the impact of Covid-19 has demonstrated. Football needs new momentum and Real Madrid will be right there at the heart of it.”

Perez wants to see fewer matches on the calendar, which should allow a higher quality of football on display.

“Everyone is advocating reform in world football. There is over saturation and fans, who are the most important ones, are suffering,” Perez said. “There's also consequences for footballers with injuries. Football's reform cannot wait. The biggest clubs in Europe have millions of fans and they cannot turn their back on them.”

Madrid are the most successful side ever on the European stage, having won the continental cup on a record 13 occasions, including three times under Zidane from 2016 to 2018.

However, they presently find themselves third in La Liga, three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, albeit having played one game more.

On Sunday, Zinedine Zidane’s side will face Eibar as they attempt to close the gap.

After a slow start to the season, Madrid have won their last three matches, including a derby success over Atletico. Meanwhile, they made progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League, doing so on the final matchday with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach. They will face Serie A side Atalanta in the round of 16.

Vipers SC coach Fred Kajoba has warned his players to be wary of the threats posed by Busoga United as the two sides face off in a Ugandan Premier League (UPL) match on Sunday.

The Venoms will return to action at the Fufa technical centre in Njeru seeking to build on their first league win of the 2020-21 season against Kitara FC earlier in the week continue away from home.

However, Kajoba has cautioned his players the fixture will not be a walk in the park for them, describing Busoga, who are winless from four matches so far this campaign, as a very stubborn side capable of causing an upset in the top-flight.

“They are a stubborn side and going by their recent results, you may look at them as underdogs but we know what they can be capable of and we don’t intend to leave anything to chance,” Kajoba told the club’s official website.

“We hope we can have improved performance and get the three points because it’s very important for us.”

Vipers, who were crowned the league champions for the last campaign after the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) moved to end the season owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, will also be buoyed by the fact their rivals KCCA FC lost 2-1 to URA FC on Friday.

A win for Vipers will see them move to position six on the log, with seven points, and four behind the Taxmen.

Vipers have also received a huge boost heading into the match against Busoga, as skipper Halid Lwaliwa is back and will make the matchday squad.

The defender has not played since featuring in the 1-0 defeat to Al Hilal of Sudan in the Caf Champions League fixture at St Mary's Kitende last month.

Karim Watambala, Milton Karisa, and Abraham Ndugwa are all available for selection while Rashid Toha remains unavailable, as is Livingstone Mulondo, Jacob Okao, and Ahmed Amayo.

While Vipers have played two matches, drawing the opener before snatching a 2-1 win against Kitara, Busoga United have played four games, losing three and drawing the other, leaving them 14th on the 16-team log.

Jose Mourinho has renewed his attack on Premier League managers for their touchline behaviour, while insisting he is "a great example of good behaviour".

Mourinho has fallen foul of the Football Association's wrath several times during his time in England, having previously had two spells at Chelsea and one at Manchester United before his current stint with Tottenham.

The Portuguese, who was famously handed a touchline ban in 2016 after kicking a water bottle during a 1-1 draw between United and West Ham, was involved in another heated incident after watching his Spurs side lose 2-1 at Liverpool on Wednesday.

An undertone of hostility was detected as Mourinho exchanged words with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after the final whistle, with the former revealing the details of the conversation in his post-match interview.

"I told him [Klopp] the best team lost and he disagreed, but that's his opinion," he said. "If I behave the same way he does on the touchline, I do not stay there. That's animated? For some reason I am different."

The night before, Pep Guardiola escaped punishment after seemingly trying to grab the fourth official's electronic board before four minutes of stoppage time were shown at the end of Manchester City's 1-1 draw at home to West Brom.

Mourinho doesn't understand why his peers continue to get away with such behaviour, as he told Sky Sports ahead of Spurs' clash with Leicester City on Sunday.

"I was for many years a good example of bad behaviour on the touchline, and I was always punished for it," he said.

"In this moment, I honestly consider myself - and I believe the referees feel the same - a great example of good behaviour on the touchline, but I see others doing incredible things, some of them going in a direction I would never go, and nothing happens. This I can speak about, because I live it. I live day-by-day [on] the touchline."

Asked why the likes of Klopp and Guardiola seem to be immune from any retrospective action, Mourinho responded: "Probably because we don't say anything."

The Tottenham head coach went on to praise his Leicester counterpart Brendan Rodgers, whom he admires for carving out a successful career through nothing but hard work and dedication.

"Brendan had to go to lower divisions and smaller clubs before he reached Liverpool and Scotland [Celtic] and went to Leicester," said Mourinho. "Nothing was given to him on a silver plate. I always felt he was a young guy with talent and desire to learn.

"He's a fantastic coach. That's the only thing I can say, it's nothing to do with our relationship, and I'm really happy he's doing so well."

Busoga United coach Abbey Bogere Kikomeko has admitted he is left with nothing to do as they line up against Vipers SC in a Ugandan Premier League (UPL) match on Sunday.

According to Kikomeko, the turnout of his players in training has reduced drastically owing to the team’s financial situation as the team prepared to face the Venoms, adding he will use the ones available for the fixture set for the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru.

“I don’t know what to do,” Kikomeko said as quoted by Daily Monitor. “The players are not turning up for training for various reasons, others valid, it is difficult to plan for a game on the matchday and win.

“Senior players like my captain [George Kasonko] aren’t turning up. I have to plan for the game when I see the players who have turned up for the match,”

On his part, captain Kasonko blamed the team’s administration for the problems they are facing by stating: “The situation is hard, we are trying but things are really tough.”

Another player, who did not want to be quoted, told Daily Monitor: “I don’t have money to transport myself to training and games. The club management has disappeared, we understand that the president [Dinah Nyago] is busy in campaigns but the rest of the administrators are nowhere to be seen. 

“The coaches are the only ones present, they can’t give any answers to our off-field affairs because they’re also seeking the same answers, so, for the betterment of my family, I would rather use my little energy to put food on the table.”

Busoga have already played four matches, losing three and drawing one, and will come up against the champions, who have played two matches, winning one and drawing the other.

In a previous interview, Vipers coach Fred Kajoba warned his players not to underrate Busoga and further termed them as a stubborn side that can cause an upset to any side in the top-flight.

“They are a stubborn side and going by their recent results, you may look at them as underdogs but we know what they can be capable of and we don’t intend to leave anything to chance,” Kajoba told the club’s official website.

“We hope we can have improved performance and get the three points because it’s very important for us.”

Kikomeko joined Busoga United in January to replace fired Charles Ayieko.

Uganda coach Johnathan McKinstry has stated he did not include the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) FC players in his provisional Chan squad to give them time to prepare for their continental assignment.

The Kasasiro Boys will be up against AS Kigali in the second preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup in a couple of days. The tactician conceded it will affect his preparations but it will also be important for the team to do well in the competition.

"Overall, we feel confident in the group, obviously these 28 players do not include any of the KCCA FC players because we want [them] to focus on their upcoming Caf Confederation Cup game against AS Kigali," McKinstry clarified.

"Yes, we acknowledge that this limits our preparations a little bit. 

"As a national team coach, we would want to have all our players from day one of our training camps but equally we want our club teams to be successful in continental competitions, so for us, we are supporting KCCA as they try to push forward in their competition as we would support any Ugandan team in continental competition."  

The youthful Cranes tactician has confirmed the Garbage Collectors' players will join the national team at a later date. He has, however, challenged those who will report early to prove they have what it takes to deserve a place in the final squad.

"Ultimately, it is neither FUFA nor KCCA’s fault that the games have a run over clash, it is just a way the schedule is put together by Caf at the top end and it is a hard challenge we have to deal with and overcome," McKinstry added.

"But the players who will be joining us later from KCCA will be selected at the beginning of January. [The absence] of KCCA players ultimately gives other players a chance in this early phase of preparation to prove that they deserve a place in the final squad."

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) is yet to confirm where the players will train in sessions that are expected to begin on December 21.

Provisional Squad:

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

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

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

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

Dimitar Berbatov has expressed his belief that Manchester United are dark horses for this season's Premier League title.

United have recovered from a slow start to the 2020-21 campaign to rise to seventh in the top-flight standings, eight points behind current leaders Liverpool.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side can move second if they win their two games in hand, with a tough Pennines derby clash against Leeds United up next at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Despite their strong position in the table, the Red Devils have faced criticism for their erratic performances and an unconvincing 3-2 win at Sheffield United last week did little to silence their doubters.

The Manchester outfit have had to come from behind to win all six of their away games so far this term, while at home they have only picked up five points from a possible 18.

Berbatov believes United have a great opportunity to fly under the radar and snatch the Premier League trophy, but has admitted that they will first have to cut out the mistakes which have seen them hand the opposition head starts over the past few months.

"Everyone connected to the club is, of course, disappointed with being knocked out of the Champions League but that's in the past now and at the moment things are going well for United in the Premier League," the former Red Devils striker told Betfair.

"If they win their other game in hand then they will move even further up the table and in my opinion, they are in a great position to attack the top and go for the title. They are lurking in the shadows at the moment. People aren't really paying attention to them and aren't really considering them as a title challengers.

"All the focus is on Liverpool and Spurs, but maybe there will be a few surprises along the way and United will fight for that top spot because it's a tight race this year.

"They need to correct this habit of conceding a goal first because, when they come up against a really good team, it's going to be difficult to turn the game around.

"United are doing really well so far in the league and I think they can be happy with how they've done so far. The big plus is their game-in-hand against Burnley. No offence to the Clarets but United should be taking three points there, which would be massive."

Berbatov was not overly concerned with United's defensive failings against Sheffield United, given the fact they were able to pick the Blades apart at will at the other end of the pitch with Marcus Rashford leading the assault by scoring a brace.

"The goals they scored were great," he added. "Rashford's first was unbelievable, the pass, the touch and the finish were all perfect. I watched that goal over and over again. It was pure football fantasy, it was beautiful.

"It was a great touch because he didn't lose his stride, he didn't overhit it, everything was perfect. He got so much power into the shot because of the way he took the ball down and controlled it, it was great to see.

"His second showed how good United can be on the counter-attack, with their speed and how they combine. Overall, I think everyone can be pretty happy with the game."

Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye believes that the calibre of players at the Soweto giants is of low standard, saying had there been quality, they could have defeated Bloemfontein Celtic comfortably instead of the 1-1 Premier Soccer League draw on Saturday.

Chiefs failed to win for a sixth consecutive league game after being held at home, after surrendering Anthony Akumu’s early opener which was cancelled out by Cyril Lingwati.

Now the 12th placed Soweto giants could drop one place on the standings if either AmaZulu or Chippa United win on Sunday.

“Kaizer Chiefs looked much better in the first half as compared to other games but the quality is not there. That’s the reality that there quality is not there,” Khanye said on iDiski TV.

“If there was quality they should have led by four goals. We are talking about composure, being sure about what they were doing, playing in departments they should have scored four goals.

"Pound for pound with the name and brand Kaizer Chiefs against Celtic, there is history at Chiefs.

“Celtic were better than Chiefs, look at the second half. Kaizer Chiefs couldn’t even jump in their own half. There is love [for Chiefs] and let’s be realistic.”

Khanye also questioned coach Gavin Hunt’s tactics on an evening Daniel Cardoso was surprisingly fielded as left-back.

Siyabonga Ngezana was drafted as a right-back which is the natural position of Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who played as a centre-back where he partnered Eric Mathoho.

“He [Hunt] has [Siphosake] Ntiya-Ntiya on the bench who is left-footed and he plays right-footed Cardoso at left-back,” said Khanye.

“When they [Celtic] pressed Cardoso it was always a problem and they earned square passes from that. How can you play Ngezana at right-back and he had no speed? Celtic realised it and they attacked through him the whole game. He was the weakest link.”

As Chiefs struggled to break down the Celtic defence to add to Akumu’s strike, Khanye lashed out at Leonardo Castro for what he feels was a lethargic outing by the Colombian.

“I was happy to see Khama Billiat having a much better first half. The reality is that boy is giving them game after game but the guy who receives his passes will be too far and Castro is in the starting line-up week in, week out. Look at every team list, he is there. What is he giving to Chiefs?,” Khanye said.

“Can he create space for himself? He is lazy. When the team is attacking he stops and drops and starts running slow. There is no work rate there. He is tall but cannot win areal balls. It tells you about his timing when the ball flies over him.”

Chiefs will now seek to put their domestic woes behind them by shifting attention to continental business in their next match, where they host Angolan giants Primeiro Agosto in a Caf Champions League first round, first-leg match on Wednesday.

ATK Mohun Bagan find themselves just a point above third-placed Bengaluru FC ahead of their Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Monday. 

The Mariners have notched 13 points from six matches so far and head coach Antonio Habas wants to keep going with the chasing teams quite close behind on the points table. He expects a strong challenge from a Bengaluru side who are unbeaten in the league so far. 

"I think it's impossible to win every match. In this season, the teams are more balanced and it's very difficult for all teams to keep on winning three points. Now, the reality is that the rest of the teams are near with not much difference (in points).

"Bengaluru is a strong team. They have experienced and competitive players. For us, three points (in this match) are the same as in other matches but I know that Bengaluru vs ATK Mohun Bagan is an important match. We respect the opponent and 90 minutes will decide the match."

ATK Mohun Bagan have scored all their goals in the second-half of games so far, including their latest win over FC Goa where a late Roy Krishna penalty settled the result. The Spanish coach dismissed suggestions that ATK Mohun Bagan soak up pressure and try to hit on the counter. 

"It's impossible for us to score goals only in the second half. Normally, it depends on the situation deemed necessary to score goals. In the last match (against FC Goa), [David] Williams had a fantastic situation (opportunity) to score (in the first half). You have 90 minutes and the idea is to score goals when you can."

He added, "The idea in football is to get three points. I cannot play thinking about the possibility of drawing or losing. Obviously, sometimes it's better to draw than lose but the first idea is always to win."

Habas feels that the presence of players like Sunil Chhetri and Cleiton Silva in attack means that Bengaluru cannot be taken lightly. He went on to state that Chhetri has been the best Indian player in the last 15 years. 

"I don't want to talk about an individual player of the opponent. I know that he (Silva) is a good player and I know that he had a good time (track record) in Thailand. No special tactics against Chhetri. Our idea is to mark the entire team. For me, Chhetri is the best Indian player in India for the last 15 years. His statistics are fantastic but I have to back my players to come on top.

"For example, Manvir (Singh) can be the best player in India. Normally, these things are for coaches to communicate with their players in person," he stated.

David Williams scored seven goals and assisted five last season. However, the Australian has struggled to hit the ground running this season. Coach Habas has thrown his weight behind the former Wellington Phoenix attacker and believes that it’s a matter of time before Williams is amongst the goals.
 
“Williams had some problems in the first (few) matches because of injuries. Now I'm happy with his recovery and I have a lot of confidence in him."
 
Habas’ teams are known to be miserly in defence and they have only given away three goals in six matches. The former Bolivia national team coach spoke of denying Bengaluru FC attackers space and time to maneuver.
 
"The idea is marking zonally and closing down the spaces. In football, you need space for crosses and to create moves. The idea is [to make sure] that the opponent doesn't find any space to attack."

Leeds United are the "fittest team" in the Premier League, according to Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who says Marcelo Bielsa is "a coach with all the details".

United are currently preparing to take on their rivals in the top-flight for the first time in 16 years, with the Whites arriving at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Bielsa guided the Yorkshire club to promotion in 2019-20, and his team have made a huge impression since returning to English football's top tier.

Leeds are sitting 14th after their opening 13 fixtures of the current campaign, but have earned plenty of admirers with their energetic, attack-minded style of play which has garnered several impressive results.

The Whites' latest show of slick football in the final third came during their 5-2 win over Newcastle on Wednesday, and Solskjaer is wary of the threat Bielsa's men will pose his team this weekend.

“He’s done a great job with Leeds and he’s done a good job with many other teams as well," the Norwegian head coach told MUTV of the impact Bielsa has had at Leeds.

"You see that there’s so much going on and to analyse those games takes a bit of concentration and time. You can see he’s a coach with all the details and he’s got his teams running.

"They’re the highest running and sprinting team in the league, probably the fittest team, so that’s one of the battles that we have to stand up to. It’s going to be a physical game.”

Solskjaer added: “They’ve had I don’t know how many games with over 25 shots and they create chances. They go forward, it’s a good team to watch and as you said the games are entertaining.

"Then again, for us, this is about three points and standing up to the problems they cause us. You’ve got to solve those problems and give them problems yourself as well.”

United and Leeds had many memorable battles during Solskjaer's playing days, with the 47-year-old grabbing a brace during a 4-3 win for Sir Alex Ferguson's side at Elland Road in 2003-04.

“That was a good game for me. I remember those two goals fondly," he said. "I enjoyed a goal at Old Trafford, I think I came on and we were 1-0 down and I get over Ian Harte [at the] back post and headed it back down to the other post.

"That was a good moment for me as well. It was a good rivalry, it was a fierce rivalry. Of course, they were flying high, they had a very good team and did well in the Champions League, so the games were high level, good quality and we knew that they were important games for us to be able to win the league."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) has dismissed rumours that Kenyan goalkeeper Farouk Shikhalo is among the players set to leave the club in the mini transfer window.

The short window opened on December 16 and will run until January 15, 2021, and already reports suggested Shikhalo, who joined the Jangwani giants from Kenyan side Bandari in 2019, was among the players listed for an exit.

However, the Burundian coach has come out to dismiss the report by stating Shikhalo is a very important player in the team and will not be allowed to leave or released on loan.

Kaze has blamed the injuries which Shikhalo suffered at the start of the 2020-21 campaign as the main reason he has not been able to start ahead of first choice Metacha Mnata.

"Shikalo will still be in our Yanga team, as his support is still needed in my squad that is planning to take the championship this season, that is due to his high level," Kaze said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“Farouk is a very experienced goalkeeper and he is also a goalkeeper who can guide his teammates in matches, so it is difficult to do away with a goalkeeper of this type in my goal team.

“Most of the injuries he suffered before the season started caused him to miss out on a place in the first team.

“At the start of the season, Shikhalo suffered an injury and lost his spot in the team, and while he was out injured, Metacha [Mnata] used the chance to show a great level and get a permanent position.”

Shikhalo has not started in any league match for Yanga this campaign, with first-choice Mnata playing in each of the 16 matches played, managing to concede six goals.

The good run has seen Yanga remain on top of the 18-team table with 40 points, while rivals Simba SC are second on 32 points but with two matches in hand, and Azam are third on 29.

Yanga have already made it clear that some players will be allowed to leave on loan during the short transfer window.

Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has expressed his appreciation of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for helping his development at the North London club.

Iwobi helped the Toffees defeat Arteta’s side 2-1 in Saturday’s outing at Goodison Park which stretched the visitors’ winless run to seven league matches.

Rob Holding turned the 24-year-old's cross into the back of his own net in the 22nd minute and Yerry Mina restored Everton's lead just before half-time, after Nicolas Pepe levelled from a spot-kick in the 35th minute.

Despite the Gunners’ poor run of results in the Premier League this season, Iwobi – who left the Emirates Stadium for Everton in August 2019 – remains grateful to his former coaches at the club, and Arteta, who played an influential role in his career.

"I wouldn't be where I am today, so I'm forever grateful for the opportunity they gave me,” the Nigeria international told Sky Sports.

"I can look to everyone, Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery. Even current manager Mikel Arteta, when I was playing under-21s at the time, he was coming back from an injury and would be playing for us.

“There's been a lot of people that have been able to help me.

"When I was breaking through, Arteta was still there and he was always helping - not just me, but any youngster - he made life easier when I was pushing through."

Saturday's home win fired Carlo Ancelotti's side to second on the Premier League table while his former club Arsenal remain 15th on the table with 14 points from 14 matches.

This season, Iwobi has played varying roles for Everton, as a midfielder and as a wing-back, however, he highlighted their fighting spirit as a key attribute in their resurgence as they chase a spot in Europe.

"Obviously we had the quality with the ball and defensive qualities but I feel like, in particular, the fighting spirit in the team is what's been standing out for us," he added.

"We feel like this could be a special season for us. Going off the back of last season, we're using that as motivation and we're hungry to put it right for this season.

"I feel like we have a lot of threat, not from just the main strikers, but we've got a lot of quality in midfield now.

"Going forward, we're such a threat."

Tusker FC defender Eugene Asike has stated the mood in the team is good especially after their 2-1 win over Gor Mahia in their last assignment.

The Brewers have taken seven points from their last three games and will be lining up against Vihiga United on Sunday afternoon in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

The experienced defender is not expecting an easy game but he is optimistic about collecting another win.

"The mood in the camp is positive especially after getting a win against Gor Mahia," Asike said ahead of the game.

"We are looking forward to the game against Vihiga United, although we know it is not going to be an easy match but, we will do our best to get a victory.  

"We have been working on or finishing because in our last game we had so many chances but we did not take them.  

"I believe they deserve to be in the premier league and we will not take them for granted, we will take them seriously just the way we do in any other match hoping to get the three points."

The 27-year-old has also revealed what impact their 2-1 loss in their season opener had on the team.

"We did not start well, we had planned to get a win against AFC Leopards but we lost," Asike continued.

"We went back to the drawing board and got a draw against Bandari, won against Western Stima and Gor Mahia. I believe the team is coming up well and the coercion is good in the team and our fitness levels are increasing because we were not 100% fit when the season started."  

Vihiga United started their campaign with a 1-0 loss to Kakamega Homeboyz. They followed it up with another 3-1 loss but this time around to Wazito FC. However, in their latest league game, they got maximum points after defeating Nzoia Sugar 2-1.

As a result, they are placed in the 11th position on the table.

They are playing the 11-time champions who are fourth on the table with seven points after two wins, a draw, and a loss in the four games played.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is thankful for his "amazing" selection in the FIFA Best World XI, but admits "there are attributes of my game I can fix".

Canada international Davies on Thursday became the first North American player to be included in the FIFPRO World XI, having played a key role in Bayern's run to the treble last season.

The 20-year-old contributed three goals and ten assists in 46 outings, with his most notable display coming in the 8-2 demolition of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Davies completed a four-man defence alongside Liverpool duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos after the final vote in Zurich, capping his meteoric rise to prominence since moving to Allianz Arena from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018.

The young left-back says he is honoured by the acknowledgement from fans, journalists, national team coaches and captains, but still feels he has plenty to work on before becoming a complete defender.

"It means a lot," Davies told Bundesliga.com. "Obviously from a personal standpoint, for myself, there are attributes of my game that I can fix. There are other left-backs in the world that are better than me at some attributes but being able to consider myself as one of the best left-backs is amazing."

The Canadian also saw Robert Lewandowski win FIFA's Best Men's Player award and Manuel Neuer scoop the goalkeeping equivalent, and he is delighted to have the opportunity to learn from the Bayern duo on a daily basis.

"I'm learning from these two experienced players," he said. "Lewandowski, the best player in the world right now. It's amazing to learn from him, getting feedback from him. Manuel Neuer, a top keeper.

"You can't take anything away from these guys. I just soak everything in and learn from them."

Davies' latest outing for Bayern came in a hard-fought 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen, which ensured that Hansi Flick's side leapfrogged their opponents into first place in the Bundesliga standings.

"They were pressing us high but we knew that we had to stay patient during the first half," the Bayern star said of a game which saw Lewandowski hit another brace for the visitors. The second half we started attacking more and more, and I'm happy that 'Lewangoalski' can put one in again."

Mohamed Salah deserves to be the captain of Liverpool because of his outstanding contributions to the team, according to Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika.

The 28-year-old started Sunday's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace from the bench, but he was introduced in the 57th minute and he scored two late goals to seal the Reds' emphatic 7-0 win at Selhurst Park.

Prior to the encounter, Salah expressed his disappointment after he was snubbed as captain for Liverpool's final Champions League group match against Midtjylland, in favour of 22-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold 

After the watching his compatriot’s impact on Saturday, which took his tally to 13 goals in 13 Premier League matches this term, Aboutrika said the two-time African Footballer of the Year needs to be treated highly with the captaincy honour.

“Bruno [Fernandes] joined Manchester United a few months ago and is treated in a wonderful way, as he has received many awards in addition to the captaincy, why does this not happen with Salah at Liverpool?” Aboutrika told beIN Sports via King Fut.

“Salah is Liverpool’s main man, and no one can deny that. I am not saying this because of what happened in today’s match with Salah starting on the bench.

“But generally speaking, it is possible that Salah got a rest today from Jurgen Klopp and credit to him for being very professional, and playing 33 minutes at his best.

“Salah’s joy with the goals today is incomplete. He scored wonderful goals, especially the seventh goal, simply world-class.

“I repeat that he should be treated better, for example, the captaincy of the Egyptian national team is not his right because it is given by seniority.

“But in Liverpool, he is the most deserving and worthy of the captain’s armband. These things could seem simple, but it does matter for players.”

The victory in South London powered Klopp's side to the top of the Premier League table with 31 points from 14 games while Salah leads the goalscorers' chart by two goals, ahead of his closest rivals - Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tottenham Hotspur's Heung-Min Son.

Bayern Munich have given an injury update on Kingsley Coman after the winger limped off against Bayer Leverkusen.

Coman was handed his 15th appearance of the season as Bayern traveled to Bay Arena on Saturday.

The France international has been a standout player for Hansi Flick's side so far this term, but was only able to last 33 minutes of the top-of-the-table clash after going down with a hamstring issue.

Bayern were forced to bring on Leroy Sane as Coman gingerly made his way off the pitch, raising fears over a potential spell on the sidelines for the 24-year-old.

However, the German champions have now revealed that Coman only suffered a strain, meaning he will likely recover in time to return to action again after the winter break.

"Kingsley Coman only sustained a strain in his left hamstring during Saturday's Bundesliga top-of-the-table clash at Bayer 04 Leverkusen," an official statement on Bayern's website reads. "This was confirmed by a scan carried out by the FC Bayern medical department."

Flick's team were 1-0 down when Coman was withdrawn, as Patrik Schick opened the scoring for Leverkusen with a stunning volley 14 minutes into the game.

Newly crowned FIFA Men's Player of the Year Robert Lewandowski drew Bayern level just before the interval, capitalising on confusion within the hosts' defensive ranks to head into an empty net.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw as both teams toiled in vain for a winner in the second period, but Lewandowski had the final say deep into stoppage time.

The Polish striker's deflected effort ensured that Bayern returned to the top of the Bundesliga standings with a 2-1 victory, with the 32-year-old now boasting 17 goals from his first 12 domestic appearances this season.

Lewandowski, Coman and co will be back in contention for a place in Flick's starting XI when Bayern resume their campaign at home to Mainz on January 3.

Meanwhile Sane, after replacing Coman, was left unhappy as he was also subbed off midway through the second half and replaced by teenager Jamal Musiala.

Bayern manager Hansi Flick said afterwards: "When we make substitutions, we have to do it sensibly. If you see the second half, Thomas Muller is indispensable, Serge Gnabry improved in the second half, that's why I substituted Leroy Sane. We had to react like that because there was no other option."

Kerala Blasters and East Bengal, in their sixth match of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL), are eying their first win at the GMC stadium in Bambolim. This will be Sunday's second kick-off as Hyderabad and Mumbai City play earlier.

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

Kerala Blasters Possible XI:   

Injured - Sergio Cidoncha
Doubtful - None     
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Rahul KP, Gary Hooper       

East Bengal Possible XI: 

Injured - Danny Fox, Sankar Roy 
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None    

Key Players - Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Jacques Maghoma       

Great players shine on the grandest stage. In the previous Indian Super League (ISL) season, ATK had a mountain to climb during the return leg of the semifinal against Bengaluru FC as they had to score three goals in less than 90 minutes to save their season.

The 50,000-strong crowd was clamouring for one of the big guns to produce the goods. And cometh the hour, cometh the man! 30 minutes on the clock and their Fijian talisman Roy Krishna got the better of his marker and nudged in a low cross from Prabir Das into the back of the net to inspire an enthralling comeback that culminated in a 3-1 win. 

In the previous season, he scored a whopping 15 goals and provided six assists. In this edition of ISL, in spite of a short pre-season, no friendlies to prepare, Krishna has hit the ground running right from the first game against Kerala Blasters and has got five goals in just six matches. 

Krishna shoots and he scores!

The striker has been clinical in front of goal and averages a goal after 1.8 shots on target. In all the six matches Krishna has played, he has not had more than two shots on target in each of the games. In fact, in three of these matches, he had only one shot on target, each of them resulting in a goal and none of them was from the spot. This shows how prolific he has been this season. 

Krishna - The protagonist at ATK Mohun Bagan

There is little doubt that Krishna is the most valuable player of ATK Mohun Bagan. He is an impact player and his contribution to the team's performance with his goals has been enormous. At the end of matchday six, he has scored five of the seven goals for his side which amounts to 71.4 per cent. Only Igor Angulo and Nerijus Valskis have a better involvement rate for FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC respectively with six goals apiece out of seven.

The ISL winner likes to play on the shoulders of his markers. He is a daunting presence inside the box which makes him a difficult player deal with. He holds the ball for his team when required and has the second most number of touches (26) inside the box, only behind Angulo (30 after six games).

But he is also comfortable playing with his back towards the goal which allows him to remain involved in the play. His touch map shows that he has the license to oscillate in the vicinity of the penalty box and even drop deep which further makes it difficult for the centre-backs to mark him. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that he is still the only player to have scored from outside the box.

A total of 301 shots have been attempted by all teams at the end of MD6 from outside the box and Krishna happens to be the only player to have found the net. In short, he has been a workhorse for Habas. 

On Monday evening, the Mariners will reignite an old rivalry with Bengaluru FC after a hiatus of more than two years. The Blues had failed to keep a clean sheet in their last three outings and Krishna with his scoring boots on must be smacking his lips to get on the pitch. 

The stats used in this article are from Opta.