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Alan Smith claims it is “an open secret” that former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is being recommended to Arsenal amid their ongoing struggles, with Mikel Arteta told he is going to have to show no weakness in order to “survive” the rumours.

The Gunners have continued to stumble out of the blocks in 2020-21, with their worst start made to a Premier League campaign.

Inability to establish any kind of momentum has the north London outfit languishing in the bottom-half of the table and glancing anxiously over their shoulder at the drop zone below them.

Unsurprisingly, questions are being asked of Arteta’s ongoing presence, with a rookie coach finding out the hard way just how tough life at the top can be.

Arsenal have offered no indication that they are contemplating another managerial change, but Smith says potential successors – including one notable Italian – are being lined up and that an inexperienced Spaniard needs to get his house in order at Emirates Stadium.

The former Gunners striker told the Evening Standard: “As an inexperienced boss finding life difficult just now, the Spaniard will quickly find out if he's got the backing of his players, particularly senior ones more willing to speak out.

“Because when results go against you, when the going gets tough, footballers start to complain. Nothing new there. That has always happened. But the modern day player holds a lot more sway. They are indeed more powerful as independent entities earning serious money.

“In addition, it's an open secret among football agents that Max Allegri, the Italian coach who enjoyed great success at Juventus, is being recommended as Arsenal's next manager.  

“Not by the club I should stress, but by outside forces who want to capitalise on a difficult moment for the young manager. They seem to think Allegri would stand more of a chance, what with his years of experience in Serie A.  

“To survive situations like this, Arteta needs unequivocal backing from those above. The management structure, led by chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and possibly including Stanley Kroenke's son Josh, must take decisive steps to publicly support their manager to avoid his authority getting undermined. Those recent words of support from Edu, the technical director, are a start but not enough.  

“In tandem, Arteta has got to make clear to the dressing room who's calling the shots, who's actually in charge of this listing ship. Because if players sense weakness, attitudes can swiftly change. Respect for the boss starts falling away. That's why Arteta's message must be clear and strong.”

Arsenal, who have gone six Premier League games without a win stretching back to November 1, will return to action on Saturday when they take in a trip to Everton.

Express FC coach Wasswa Bbosa has reminded his team to remember how big their derby against SC Villa is as the two giants face off in a Ugandan Premier League (UPL) match on Saturday.

With 22 league titles between them, the Red Eagles and the Jogoos fixture has always been a sharp divider in Ugandan football for time immemorial and the latest meeting which comes on matchday five finds the Red Eagles in pursuit of a second league win of the season.

Bbosa, who has managed both sides, has now told his players to know the importance of the match and promised a win from the fixture to be played at Wankulukuku.

“We’ve been working on our finishing which I felt was lacking when we plated against Mbarara City,” Bbosa told the club’s official website ahead of the match. “We know how big a game this is but the players know the target is a win but we respect Villa because they are a decent side.”

On his part, Express captain Enock Walusimbi, who is returning to the squad after a three-match serving suspension for a straight red card he received against Onduparaka FC, feels they have what it takes to win the derby.

“Am glad to be back from suspension, the team has trained well and worked on their mistakes,” Walusimbi told the club website.

“The competition for who starts is healthy and whoever the coach will choose will have one target to win the game.”

The last 12 meetings between the two sides have seen Express win thrice while Villa have managed six victories with three draws between them.

Express FC are unbeaten this season managing five points from a possible nine in the three games played so far but must be wary of Villa, who won this fixture home and away last season.

Despite Walusimbi returning to boost the Red Eagles, midfielder Ibrahim Kayiwa is not available due to an ankle injury, forward Kiragga Mustafa will miss out due to a delayed ITC, Kakooza Mahad Yaya has already been ruled out due to a knee injury while Musiige Charles will face a late fitness test with his muscle injury.

On December 18, exactly two years before they are set to hold the final of the 2022 World Cup, Qatar unveiled the fourth stadium for the marquee event - the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan. 

Also the Qatar National Day, December 18 marked yet another milestone in the Arab nation's preparations for the world's biggest footballing festival. They have now inaugurated four out of the eight planned venues for the World Cup. And in the process, they have proved their steely resolve and commitment to the beautiful game even in between what can only be called a challenging period for the sport all over the globe. 

And the commitment goes beyond just delivering the 2022 World Cup projects on time. Qatar are proclaiming to the continent and the world at large that they can be counted upon to support the game of football, nevermind the obstacles. 

The country has faced several challenges, from an economic blockade to Covid-19. However, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has put in concerted efforts to ensure the projects have not suffered. 

Now, they have gone a step further. 

The entire world has been affected by the turbulence that has been set off by a pandemic that has had an unprecedented impact across all areas, not just sport. Economic growth has stagnated across the globe, with countries slowly recovering now. 

Sporting calendars were thrown into dustbins and projects were shelved. But Qatar has offered a stable presence in the midst of all this. 

To take an example, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had been in a predicament, having had to cancel their entire international schedule in 2020 and were not in a position to hold their marquee club competitions as well - the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup. 

While the AFC Cup was shelved by the AFC due to the restrictions thrown up by the pandemic, doing the same with the AFC Champions League would have resulted in huge financial losses for the continental body. It was Qatar who offered a helping hand to the AFC and hosted the West Zone and East Zone tournament after implementing a bio-bubble and Covid-19 protocols. 

The tournaments were conducted without incidents and the grand final is set to take place on Saturday with Iran's Persepolis taking on South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai. For clubs, players and fans, what would otherwise have been a year of disappointment, Qatar offered a chance to return to a measure of normalcy, at least on the pitch. 

And that is not all. The Middle-East nation will also host an Arab Cup in 2021 as they prepare for the 2022 World Cup. Qatar's emergence as a sporting hub in Asia cannot be ignored. Doha was selected as the hosts for the 2030 Asian Games earlier this week as well.  

The Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, perfectly encapsulated Qatar's rise in profile when he stated, "On the National Day of our country, I congratulate our people on this occasion, which comes in a year of challenges, but is a testament to the process of giving and the achievements that have been achieved over generations and at all levels, and has made Qatar an oasis of stability, development and prosperity."

An oasis in the middle of turbulence, indeed!

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA FC) head coach Mike Mutebi is understood to have contracted coronavirus ahead of the Caf Confederation Cup game against AS Kigali of Rwanda.

Mutebi, among the key players, according to Football256 returned positive tests before engaging in the first round of the Confederation Cup. The publication reports Mutebi, as well as his 12 players, were informed of the tests after they had faced Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) in a Premier League match on Friday.

The Kasasiro Boys were defeated by the tax collectors at the MTN Omondi Stadium to mark a second consecutive defeat for the 2019 league champions.

Charles Lukwago, Denis Iguma, Kezironi Kizito, Brian Aheebwa, Stefano Mazengo, Samson Kigozi and Hassan Musana are said to have returned positives tests ahead of the crucial game against the Rwandan side. Hassan Matovu, an unused substitute against Sam Ssimbwa’s side, is also on the list of the players infected.

Assistant coach Badru Kabuye, goalkeeping coach Moses Oloya and first-team coach Jackson Magera are among the members of the technical bench who are also infected by Covid-19.

Football256 further reports that some players on the list had returned negative tests before they played URA before learning of the positive test after the Friday encounter.

The players and staff have been asked to undergo self-isolation further complicating the Confederation Cup plans for December and January. They will now wait for results from the following tests to confirm whether the infection in the camp is widespread.

Mutebi had exuded confidence that his side was ready for AS Kigali but injuries and the reported cases of coronavirus in his camp could have just come at the worst time.

“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 preparation,” Mutebi said in an earlier interview.

“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, has tried to do things right, is the team we are going to use.”

Gift Ali, Julius Poloto, Sadat Anaku, and John Revita are the players who have been sidelined by injuries, making KCCA's squad very thin.

Everton will host Arsenal with Richarlison looking to score in consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since February 2020, when the second game in this run came against the Gunners.

Everton vs Arsenal Latest Odds

Everton haven’t won their final league match before Christmas in any of their last six seasons (D2 L4) and have been tipped to end the poor record with a win at (2.45) with BigiBet.

Arsenal have won more Premier League games (34) and scored more Premier League goals (110) against Everton than they have versus any other opponent in the competition and another victory has been valued at (2.85).

A draw between the Toffees and the Gunners has been tipped to occur at (3.50).

Everton vs Arsenal Team News

Lucas Digne is set to miss the game against Arsenal as he recuperates but Carlo Ancelotti may draft Seamus Coleman into the starting line-up on Saturday. James Rodriguez is expected to miss out again after being unavailable for the last two games.

Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andre Gomes could be partnered again in midfield given that Allan is expected to miss out, adding to Ancelotti’s headache.

Mikel Arteta will do without Thomas Partey and the trip to Merseyside has come too early for Gabriel Martinelli. Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Magalhaes are the Arsenal stars on the suspension list.

Hector Bellerin will be available after a one-match ban and Alexandre Lacazette could also be started after missing the mid-week game.

Everton vs Arsenal Preview

Arsenal have lost eight of their last 12 Premier League matches kicking off at 17:00  (W3 D1), although one of their wins in that time was a 5-1 victory over Everton in February 2018.

Arsenal have won just 14 points from 13 Premier League games this season, their lowest tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1974-75 (nine pts – assuming three pointer per win). Indeed, Arsenal have picked up just one win in their last nine Premier League games (W1 D2 L6).

Everton manager Ancelotti has lost his last three matches against Arsenal in all competitions – in his managerial career he has only lost four times in a row against an opponent once previously, doing so against Inter Milan between 2009 and 2018.

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored four goals in his four Premier League starts against Everton, though all of these goals have come at the Emirates.

Everton vs Arsenal Tips and Predictions

Everton have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two home Premier League games against Arsenal (W1 D1) while the Gunners have scored just twice in their last five away league games (W1 D1 L3). Bettors can therefore take an offer of under 1.5 goals at (4.00) with BigiBet.

Under 1.5 goals at (4.00) with BigiBet.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has refused to rule out a move to La Liga champions Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Salah has been a revelation since joining Liverpool from Serie A side Roma in 2017, spearheading the Reds to Champions League and Premier League glory.

The Egypt international's exploits have not gone unnoticed at Anfield amid speculation linking him with Spanish giants Madrid and Barca.

Asked if he could rule out a transfer to either of the La Liga powerhouses, Salah told Diario AS: "I think Madrid and Barcelona are two top clubs. 

"Who knows what will happen in the future, but right now I am focused on winning the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool again."

Pressed on his future and how much longer he sees himself playing for Liverpool, Salah replied: "That's a tough question, but right now I can say that everything is in the hands of the club. 

"Of course I want to break records here and, I repeat, all the club records, but everything is in the hands of the club."

Salah has scored a joint-high 11 Premier League goals for reigning champions Liverpool this season, following his strike in the 2-1 win over rivals Tottenham midweek.

The 28-year-old has netted 14 across all competitions as leaders Liverpool prepare for Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace.

In 21 Premier League appearances in December, Salah has scored 17 goals and assisted a further nine, averaging a goal or assist every 66 minutes. It is his best goal involvement ratio in any month in which he has played more than one game, as per Opta.

"I would like to break all the club records, that would be fine. But yeah, it's like I said, the team comes first before any record," Salah said. "But breaking records and winning matches, that's great too."

Liverpool top the table by three points, ahead of Tottenham after 13 games, and Salah added: "I think it is a bit early to say that [Liverpool are title favourites], but yes, we are doing well just like other teams. 

"I hope we have the best chance of winning it."

Jordan Henderson has guaranteed himself a statue outside Anfield one day with his achievements as Liverpool captain, according to former Reds boss Roy Hodgson.

After leading his side to the Champions League in 2019, Henderson this year became the first Liverpool captain to lift the Premier League trophy, ending a 30-year wait for an English top-flight title.

Hodgson left Liverpool before Henderson arrived from Sunderland in 2011, but coached him during his time as England manager.

“He's an exceptional player, one who works exceptionally hard at his game and one who has got consistently better,” Hodgson said.

“In 2012, when he'd just moved to Liverpool, we took him with us for his first England trip in the Euros to Poland and Ukraine. He was a very different player to the one he is today.

“He's worked so hard on his game to become the lead figure at that club. He works hard on his game technically and tactically as well. I'd certainly support his candidacy for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

“I tend always to vote for football people because that's my world and I know the people in football, so I'm pleased he's nominated and I wish him all the best for that.

“Certainly a lot in his life will be of a very high standard at the moment in terms of his satisfaction because to lead Liverpool to their first trophy after so many years and to do it in such spectacular fashion, that's already guaranteed his statue outside Anfield one day.”

Hodgson had already started his managerial career when Liverpool last won a league title, but he didn’t want to compare Jurgen Klopp’s team with the Liverpool sides of yesteryear.

“Liverpool in the 80s were a wonderful team and you can't really compare - the danger with comparisons is always the distance. In the past it gives it a bit more of a magical appeal,” he said.

“They were two fantastic Liverpool eras and the last one went on for a very long time. The team that Bill Shankly started was carried on by Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan and was unbelievably successful.

“I'm sure Liverpool are hoping this next era is going to be just as successful. In terms of quality, the 80s team and the 2019 team, you are talking about two first-class sides.”

Kenya international Michael Olunga scored yet again in J1 League action on Saturday as Kashiwa Reysol went down 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.

Olunga gave Kashiwa Reysol the lead before Yusuke Segawa made it 2-0 but the champions rallied back and earned goals from Akihiro Lenga and Leandro Dameao.

The former Thika United star got his 28th goal in the 14th minute when he was picked in an advanced position, negotiated his way past one marker and beat Kawasaki Frontale’s goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong to slot home under no pressure.

Segawa doubled the lead in the 46th minute for Kashiwa Reysol before Lenaga scored the visitors' first two minutes later. Damiao equalised in the 55th minute before Lenaga registered his double in the 81st minute.

Olunga is on course to win the Golden Boot after missing from the J2 League when he finished the season as the runners’ up in the race.

The former Tusker striker carried his stellar form to the first division where he has already scored one more goal than he managed in the J2 League.

“I knew it was going to be a tough year especially having scored 27 goals in the previous season, a lot was expected from me. I came prepared, ready to work hard,” Olunga said previously in anticipation of challenges in the top-tier.

Since the 26-year-old striker was named in the October team of the month when he scored six goals – of which four of them came from two matches, he has remained in good form through November and now December.  The centre-forward was on target twice when Kashiwa Reysol defeated Yokohama FC 3-0 on October 3.

He also registered a brace against Vissel Kobe on October 10 as his side picked up a 4-3 win against the league rivals. His stellar form also saw him get a goal against Shonan Bellmare on October 18 and the last goal of that month came against Gamba Osaka, although there was Kashiwa Reysol on October 24.

The former Gor Mahia star was not available for Kenya’s Africa Cup of Nations November qualifiers against Comoros. Harambee Stars were consequently denied vital points by the Islanders after a 1-1 home draw and a 2-1 away loss.

JS Kabyle’s Masoud Juma, who scored in Nairobi, and John Makwatta of Zesco United were deployed against Comoros in the absence of the towering striker.

Kashiwa Reysol will conclude the season with a game against Tokyo FC on January 4 as Olunga hopes to wrap the Golden Boot race. His closest challenger Everaldo Stum of Kashima Antlers has 18 goals.

Arsenal are almost ready to welcome Gabriel Martinelli back to the first-team fold, according to Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

The 19-year-old forward has not featured since March after suffering a serious knee injury but recently made his comeback for the club’s Under-21s.

Five points above the relegation zone a third of the way through the Premier League season, Arsenal are desperate for inspiration and Arteta says Martinelli has provided a fresh injection of energy and enthusiasm in training.

“Gabriel Martinelli is very close to being available and fit to be part of us as well, which is great news,” Arteta told a press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton.

“Gabi is pure enthusiasm, energy, belief, charisma and goals. And this is him.

“He's around the training ground and he's around our training sessions and the energy is different because he goes 100 miles per hour.

“He's got this passion in his way of playing and he is a threat. He's a player that we've been missing because he brings something special to the team.

“He's contagious with his attitude and I think it's going to be a big boost when we have him.”

Martinelli made his mark in 2019-20 with six goals in the Premier League and Europa League, including one particularly memorable individual effort against Chelsea.

Over the summer, he signed a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium which will reportedly keep him at the club until 2024.

"I want to win the Champions League and lots of domestic titles to make Arsenal’s fans very happy," he told FourFourTwo back in April.

"They deserve the best – not only the supporters but all of the club’s staff. I’d like to give back to the club after everything they’ve done for me so far and, as a result, become a Gunners legend."

Arsenal will need all the help they can get as they end a rollercoaster year with a difficult run of fixtures.

Following the Premier League game with Everton, they face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup before a home fixture with Chelsea and a trip to Brighton.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) midfielder Haruna Niyonzima is confident they will be crowned the Mainland Premier League champions by the end of the current campaign.

The Jangwani giants are currently topping the 18-team team league table with 37 points from 15 matches and are still the only unbeaten side in the division.

Speaking after extending his stay with the club for another one-year, the Rwandan star has now said he is confident they have what it takes to wrestle the title from rivals Simba SC.

“I am at Yanga at the moment and I am very happy to here, my belief is to see that we achieve the goals we set for ourselves to achieve in this campaign, and the most important one is to win the league title,” Niyonzima told reporters after signing the new deal.

“We need a championship and that is clear, we believe we will achieve those goals.”

Yanga are preparing to take on promoted Dodoma Jiji in their next league match which they have shifted to Arusha from Dar es Salaam.

On moving the match, the club’s Information Officer Hassan Bumbuli said: “We have a big fan base in Arusha that is why the game has purposely been transferred to be played there. It is our hope that people will turn out in big numbers to cherish their team.”

Bumbuli also confirmed new signing from Burundi Saidi Ntibazonkiza will have the chance to play in Arusha and this will be a good opportunity for club fans in the town to see him in action.

The striker signed for the Jangwani club for an undisclosed fee and will now be eligible to play for the team on the day since the mini transfer window is set to be opened from December 16 to January 15.

Yanga coach Cedric Kaze, who is still unbeaten since joining the side as a replacement for Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, has said they will now take it a game at a time as they strive to win the title.

“We are taking it a game at a time, we don’t want to start premature celebrations, we still have a long way to go and we must not get carried away just because we are sitting on top of the table.

Yanga’s closest rivals Simba are second while Azam are third on the log.

The move to Portugal to be with Portimonense SC on loan for a season was thought to be the springboard for Safawi Rasid to embark on a long and successful journey into European football but that plans will have to be put on the backburner for now.

Still yet to feature in any form for the Portuguese side in league or cup competitions, although Safawi has thus far made the bench in the last four consecutive matches. While there are still plenty of matches left to play in the Primeira Liga, it looks like a decision has been made to cut short his time with Portimonense.

This was confirmed by HRH Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ) during the television program Bola @ Mamak where he revealed that the 23-year-old will be part of the JDT squad for the 2021 season as well as images emerged that the Portimonense squad may have already said their farewells to Safawi.

"I think Safawi will return, so he will be with JDT for the 2021 season, 100%.......So in all probability, I might have Safawi, Sumareh and Ariff on the right with Cabrera, Ramadhan and Akhyar on the left - which isn't too shabby!," mentioned TMJ when asked about the squad planning for the new season of Malaysian football.

No proper explanation has been offered as to why this decision to cut short the loan has been made and it will be a huge disappointment to many local fans who wants to see Safawi make a name for himself among the elite of world football. 

It could well stem from the fact that Safawi hasn't got an opportunity to feature yet be that because he is still adapting to the team and the environment or perhaps even because the current coach Paulo Sergio upon closer inspection, does not feel that the player is up to his requirement.

In the same program, TMJ also went on to praise new signing Danial Amier, revealing that the club has coveted the central midfielder for awhile now. However that does not mean that the Southern Tigers are completely satisfied with their midfield options with Major League Soccer player, Issac Angking also on the radar.

"Danial is a young player with a lot of talent who I’m really excited to see in JDT. Of course all players need time, some more than others and he will get that. Isaac Anking who has contacted us and we are looking to see if he can fit into the team because we have a lot of players in that position," added TMJ.

Malaysian international Mohamadou Sumareh is another player that is of interest to JDT but a discussion will have to be had with Pahang over the current Police Tero FC player after the manner in which the Gambian-born departed from Pahang left a sour taste with the management as TMJ intent to keep relationship cordial with their neighbours.

Having earlier announced the signing of Camilo Sanvezzo, the player has since decided to stay put in Mexico which forced JDT to look for a replacement and TMJ indicated that they are close to agreeing a deal with a 28-year-old Argentine striker.

Thinking even into the 2022 season, TMJ shared that the possibility of Endrick dos Santos qualifying for a Malaysian citizenship will also make the midfielder a probable signing for the 7-time Malaysia Super League champions.

Everton host Arsenal at Goodison Park this weekend on December 19 and Alex Iwobi will probably still harbour sad memories over events from almost a year ago when both sides met on December 21 in the corresponding fixture.

Facing off with his old side at his new stomping ground, the Nigeria attacking midfielder coming back to haunt his ex-teammates made for one of the interesting sub-plots on Merseyside before kick-off.

With Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta confirmed as the clubs' coaches after disastrous endings to previous regimes under Marco Silva and Unai Emery in the hours leading to the encounter, the fixture was billed as one for the selected personnel to try to prove their worth in front of the new men at the helm.

However, for Iwobi, this chance was short-lived; an early hamstring injury barely 10 minutes in the game at Goodison saw the West African replaced; thus failing to 1) impress the new boss and 2) fail to show his old side what they were missing.

The graduate of the Gunners academy didn’t play again until early February and was playing catch-up for the rest of the season trying to cement a first-team role.

The reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium didn’t go according to plan either. Despite posting quite noteworthy underlying stats in North London, the ex-Arsenal player was replaced by Bernard on the hour, as the Toffees went on to undeservedly lose 3-2.

2019/20 was turbulent for Iwobi in every sense of the word, and his paucity of direct goal contributions — one goal, no assist — meant it was easy to claim Everton hadn’t been beneficiaries of the former prodigy’s acquisition.

In a sense, the same could have been said for Arsenal; whose glaring lack of creativity and absence of an effective link-up player indicated they hadn’t benefited from the sale of the product of their developmental squad.

While the issues plaguing the three-time Premier League winners are still prevalent, the Merseyside club have grown from strength to strength, overcome a rough patch and look to be on the up again going into the festive period.

Indeed, Iwobi has played an important role for Ancelotti’s men in recent weeks; initially moonlighting as a wing-back, playing an hour at right-back before deputising for injured James Rodriguez in wins over Chelsea last weekend and Leicester on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old was the home side’s most-effective ball carrier against Frank Lampard’s side and only Richarlison (five) completed more dribbles than the Nigerian (four) in the 1-0 success.

Midweek at the King Power Stadium was even better. Unsurprisingly, the Super Eagle carried the ball toward the opponent’s goal productively than any teammate on the night, completed all three of his attempted dribbles and was involved in four shot-creating actions, higher than all his colleagues.

Furthermore, he created the highest volume of chances (three) against the Foxes, along with Gylfi Sigurdsson and played more accurate passes into the penalty area than any member of the Everton side.

An impressed Ancelotti lauded that Iwobi performance as the best the Nigeria superstar had shown since he took charge. When you consider the experienced Italian has been in the hot seat since December last year, the effusive praise was striking.

“It’s his [Iwobi's] best moment since I arrived [at Everton],” Ancelotti told the Everton website. “He is showing confidence, is really good in one-versus-one situations and he is working hard. The key is to work hard – the team is working hard.

“I said to the players that we have to be satisfied but we have to work and we have to improve.”

Even though Iwobi is yet to score this season, his assist for Richarlison’s strike means he’s now surpassed last season’s tally.

Two goal contributions may seem undistinguished at first sight but the underlying numbers so far show a player who’s integral to the Toffees.

Among teammates with significant minutes, only James beats the West African for shot-creating actions per 90, while he sits a respectable fifth for goal-creating actions per 90. Iwobi also ranks fifth for progressive passes per game and third for accurate crosses and pin-point passes into the area p/g.

Furthermore, only Rodriguez and Lucas Digne rank higher than the former Arsenal man for Expected Assists per match while he’s second to Richarlison for completed dribbles per 90.

After giving a good account of himself at wing-back, Iwobi has proven his undoubted quality having been reinstated in the attacking third with the side’s creative hub out with a slight injury.

Ancelotti has acknowledged the Nigerian’s soaring confidence in recent weeks and it puts him in the right state of mind to finally be third-time lucky against the side that let him go over a year ago.

Hansi Flick admitted he was "a little disappointed" to miss out on The Best FIFA Men's Coach award after Bayern Munich's stunning run of trophy success.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp edged out Flick to take the award on Thursday, after leading the Reds to a first English league title in 30 years.

Flick, who took over in mid-season last term when Niko Kovac left a flagging Bayern, guided the German giants to a treble consisting of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League titles.

Bayern's achievements were reflected in Bayern's Robert Lewandowski winning the top player award and Manuel Neuer being named best goalkeeper in the world.

Flick would have been proud to join them as a winner but said: "We always take this like sportsmen. 'Kloppo' for sure deserved this title as well with his staff. The same as my staff would have deserved it."

Klopp admitted he had been surprised to pip his fellow German to the award, albeit grateful to secure another award, while Lewandowski said Bayern's players regarded Flick as the pick of the nominees.

Flick said: "Life goes on. Of course, we were a little disappointed last night, which is normal.

"If you get among the top three, you also want to win. We live in a society of performance, so we also would have liked to win.

"But everything goes on, we have new goals to attain. Now, this is closed. The team has attained exceptional results. With Manu [Neuer] and Robert, we have two of the best players.

"Robert as best footballer and Manu as best goalkeeper, and Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies in the world XI ... Thiago [Alcantara] as well, although he is with Liverpool now unfortunately.

"So we can say that this has been an exceptional season for us." 

Bayern travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday for a top-of-the-table battle in the Bundesliga - their last match until a January 3 clash against Mainz.

The Bavarians, and Leipzig, are sitting one point behind Leverkusen on the league standings, with 12 matches played.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said he cannot be tamed, while the evergreen Milan star insisted he is ageing better than Benjamin Button.

Ibrahimovic has shown no signs of slowing down this season, despite the 39-year-old's advancing years.

The former Manchester United, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has scored 10 goals in six Serie A appearance in 2020-21 – a joint-high alongside Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Inter's Romelu Lukaku.

Ibrahimovic's exploits have helped unbeaten Milan top the table in pursuit of their first Scudetto since 2010-11, the ex-Sweden international's first spell at the club.

Asked who is less likely to be tamed, Zlatan or a lion, Ibrahimovic told UEFA.com: "Zlatan, 100 per cent.

"You can tame a lion, but you cannot tame Zlatan. It's a different animal."

When asked who is ageing better, Zlatan or Button – a fictional character – he replied: "I'm doing it better, because I'm living proof of it. Benjamin Button is just a made-up story.

"I'm the perfect profile for that movie. I'm doing the real movie, and Benjamin Button was a movie for the cinema."

"I'm 39 and with what I have done, I have no obligation to work anymore, but I still have this passion for what I'm doing," Ibrahimovic continued. "I'm never satisfied, and I always want more.

"I don't see a lot of players who are my age who were, or are, performing like I am doing. The moment a player goes above 30 is [meant to be] when they start to go down and they quit. Above 30 is when I started to become even better.

"I hear athletes from [the] US say that they spent more than one million [dollars] to keep their body in shape. I am 39. I am in shape. I perform at the highest level. I spend zero to stay in shape.

"The secret is not how much you spend, the secret is in your head – how much you want it, how much you're willing to sacrifice. That is the secret. It's the mentality and mentality doesn't cost anything."

Ibrahimovic added: "I would like to have the brain of Zlatan in a 25-year-old body! I get tired faster now, compared to when I was younger. I'm sleeping a lot because I need to recover more.

"Let's say after the games, before it probably took me one day to recover and to feel good and really fresh. Now I need between two and three days, which is normal for the age that I am.

"And as long as I can perform, I will play at a high level. The day I stop performing, I will not play anymore because I need to feel alive. I need to feel I give something back.

"I don’t want to have any advantages because I am 39 and they say 'hey, you slow down' and that. No, I want you to consider me on the world-class level and compare me to everybody else, because then I push myself even more."

With two points from their first five matches, Kerala Blasters are off to a poor and winless start in the 2020-21 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) in Goa. 

While short pre-season due to the Coronavirus pandemic has had an impact in the preparations of all the clubs, Blasters are only one of three teams who are winless after the first five rounds. 

Kibu Vicuna has had issues in finding out his best starting lineup. Their main striker Gary Hooper, who replaced the club's all-time topscorer Bartholomew Ogbeche, is yet to find his scoring boots from open play. In their own third, they have conceded 10 goals - no other team has let in more in five matches. 

Lack of chemistry

A lack of chemistry in the final third is evident. Of the five goals that Blasters have scored, only two have come from open play. In five games, Vicuna's team has attempted 24 shots (least among all teams) out of which eight were on target (again, least among all teams), with a shooting accuracy of 33.3 per cent.

Sergio Cidoncha seemed to emerge as a key player in Vicuna's system but his long-term injury does not bode well for the team's attack. The midfield lacks a player who can unlock defences and be influential in getting the ball and passing it around higher up the field. Based on the data collected on December 14, only East Bengal had fewer touches in the opposition's box (43) compared to Blasters' 57. 

Even from wide areas, there just has not been enough quality in the deliveries by the wingers and the full-backs. Only nine of their 59 attempted crosses have reached the intended target - that amounts to a meagre 15.3 per cent accuracy, placing them at the bottom half in the respective chart. 

Right-sided attack 

In Blasters' games, they have predominantly used the right flank to attack the opposition except when they faced Chennaiyin. Their right flank has been occupied by multiple players so far, namely Ritwick Das, Rahul KP, Seityasen Singh and Facundo Pereyra. This also raises questions about the quality on the other side, where Nongdamba Naorem and Puitea have struggled to make a mark. 

Blasters have not attacked through the flanks more than they have through the centre and this is expected because of the type of striker they have brought in. Gary Hooper feeds on balls into the box and is a good poacher from inside the box. But has he done what is expected of him? 

Not so Super Hooper

Gary Hooper has had only six touches inside the opponents' box in five matches. The table below shows a comparison with the other top strikers in the league after first five games. 

While it is true that Hooper has not had the kind of service into the box that he may have hoped for, it doesn't help that the English striker has not fitted into Kibu Vicuna's system properly. There was not enough off-the-ball movement from the former Celtic forward until the Yellows' last game where he was deployed slightly deeper behind Jordan Murray in a two-striker formation.

Hooper was heavily involved in the opening goal against Bengaluru when he dribbled more than half the field before assisting Rahul's opening goal. It came from a quick counter-attack but it showed that Hooper's presence and work rate need not be questioned - he just needs to do it more often and not be isolated for the rest of the game. 

Blasters have always been slow starters in ISL but they are off to their worst start this season. It is also the first time in their history that they have been winless after the first five matches. Vicuna has now had more than five days to work with the team to make the necessary corrections ahead of their sixth match against Robbie Fowler's East Bengal who have also been terrible so far. Kerala simply have to go on a winning run to save the season. 

The stats used in this article are from Opta and recorded on December 14, 2020. 

The spate of draws that had marred Owen Coyle's Jamshedpur FC this season finally came to an end on Friday evening after a 1-0 win over NorthEast United FC. 

They had played out four draws, a win and a loss in their six matches prior to this game and an inability to convert results was starting to become a concern. However, after a fighting performance against a side that was unbeaten going into the game, Coyle must be pleased. 

Coyle is slowly and gradually stamping his mark on Jamshedpur FC. After the opening day loss to Chennaiyin FC, a game in which they suffered two injuries and missed at least a couple of key players, the Men of Steel have been resilient, to say the least.
 
In the following five matches, they haven’t suffered a defeat and have gone on to defeat the reigning champions, ATK Mohun Bagan, stop Mumbai City FC’s winning run and end NorthEast United’s unbeaten streak.

However, it was not a game to remember by any means. There was a lack of intensity in the final third from both sides which did not make for a good watch. It was no wonder that both teams registered only one shot on target in the first half. 

There was no real flow to the game, with both sets of players misplacing their passes, with a lot of long balls being the feature of the day. Jamshedpur FC, in particular, missed Aitor Monroy in the game as their distribution looked scrappy in the first half.

While Nerijus Valskis cut a frustrated figure due to the lack of service, Idryssa Sylla and Kwesi Appiah were also in a similar predicament at the other end. The defences of both sides reigned supreme, with Peter Hartley and Benjamin Lambot shining. 

However, after the break, Jamshedpur improved slightly and started opened up spaces in between the NorthEast backline. Though the quality in the final third was still missing, promising positions were opening up for the Men of Steel. 

It was only fitting that a fortuitous deflection paved the way for Aniket Jadhav to open the scoring, though he reacted well to convert the chance. However, Jamshedpur's lack of clinical finishing and clumsiness at the other end could have seen them throw away another lead. 

Before the start of the season, the goalkeeper was a position which was identified was their Achilles Heel. However, T.P.Rehenesh, apart from the mistake made against Odisha FC where he was sent-off, the Kerala-born custodian has been at his best.
 
The former Kerala Blasters goalkeeper once again was called upon when NorthEast United won a penalty, after a clumsy foul by Stephen Eze. Rehenesh dived to his left to deny Idrissa Sylla a chance to equalize and thus, help his side retain their slender 1-0 lead.

For NorthEast United, this will be the real test of their resolve. It must be remembered that last season too, they made a fantastic start under Robert Jarni and had 10 points from six games. But thereafter, a few injuries and their season went downhill and they never really recovered.
 
Although Gerard Nus has assured that this season won’t be a repeat of what one saw last time around, it remains to be seen how they react to this result. What is certainly fortunate is that their next game is against Odisha FC, a team struggling for form and confidence.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed the progress of Liverpool teenager Curtis Jones, and admitted the midfielder has exceeded all expectations at Anfield this season.

Jones, 19, has been in sparkling form for the Reds. He was man of the match in Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash with Tottenham, emerging as a serious first-team option in the midst of the champions’ injury crisis.

Indeed, the home-grown prospect, who has been at the club since the age of six, has already made 15 appearances this term, more than the 12 he managed in the whole of last season.

And Klopp said that while other young talents – notably defenders Neco Williams and Rhys Williams, and more recently goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher – are being dipped in and out of action, allowed to develop at their own pace, Jones is the exception to the rule, an established Premier League player well before his 20th birthday next month.

“Probably some people will tell you that in Liverpool, you grow up quickly,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “And I don’t mean the club, I mean the city.

“Curtis is 19 until he enters the pitch. And that’s how they all have to be. Most of the time when a player is 19 you say he’s allowed to make this mistake or that mistake. Every player is allowed to make mistakes, that’s no problem.

But when we speak about the kids we forget Curtis, constantly. Because we don’t see him as a kid anymore.

“But he is. He just has to work hard. Working hard will keep him grounded. It’s all great, and if he does that then the future could be pretty bright.”

Jones is likely to start once more as Liverpool take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, looking to secure top spot in the Premier League for Christmas.

The Reds will welcome back Joel Matip, who missed the game against Spurs with a back injury.

“He trained yesterday completely normal, so it looks like [he will be available],” Klopp said. “I’m not 100,000 per cent sure, but it looks like it.”

Liverpool head into the weekend boosted by that victory over Tottenham, in which Roberto Firmino netted a last-minute winner.

It was only the third goal the Brazilian has managed this season, but it was reward for Klopp’s unwavering faith in his all-action No.9.

“Yes, Roberto wants to score goals,” Klopp said. “We had conversations about that. It’s not that I tell him he doesn’t have to score goals or that he tells me he can’t score goals.

“You don’t score because you want to. All strikers in the world want to score more, even Mo Salah or Robert Lewandowski. But when a player is only concerned about scoring, then the problems could theoretically start. Luckily we don’t have those.

“Roberto knows about the job he has to do in the game, and in the end it’s important that the team scores.”

Hansi Flick's only chance to collect The Best FIFA Men's Coach award in future is if Bayern Munich find new competitions to win, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho suggested.

Last season, Flick led Bayern to a Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League treble, while they have also lifted the UEFA Super Cup and DFL Super Cup in 2020.

So, a few eyebrows were raised when Flick was overlooked for best men's coach at FIFA's annual awards ceremony on Thursday, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp retaining the prize.

Klopp led Liverpool to a first English top-flight title in 30 years last term, but when addressing the media on Friday admitted his own surprise by saying: "I'm grateful for it, obviously. From the first moment, like everybody else, I was looking at it a bit wide-eyed, like, how did that happen?"

Mourinho, whose Tottenham side were beaten by Liverpool 2-1 on Wednesday, was asked about the decision when previewing Spurs' clash with Leicester City.

"I think the only chance for Flick to win is that Bayern find two or three more new competitions to win it," Mourinho said with a laugh.

"So maybe if he wins seven titles in one season maybe he wins the award, because I believe he only won the Champions League, Bundesliga, Pokal, European Super Cup, German Super Cup - he only won five and the biggest one of all.

"So I think poor Flick the only chance is for Bayern to try and find two or three more trophies to see if he can win it."

Spurs' defeat to Liverpool saw Mourinho's side surrender top spot in the Premier League to the Reds, who they now trail by three points.

Many pundits have noted Tottenham's propensity to sit deep and play on the counter-attack this season, particularly in bigger matches.

Against Liverpool, Spurs had just 24.2 per cent possession, had 254 passes to Liverpool's 813 and had a pass accuracy of just 61.4%.

The numbers were not dissimilar when Spurs triumphed 2-0 against Arsenal in the north London derby on December 6. On that occasion they had 30.2% possession, 288 passes and 67.4% passing accuracy.

Indeed, Spurs' average of 48.01% possession is only 12th in the league this season, while they rank in the same spot for passing accuracy (80.39%).

Mourinho, though, is mainly interested in one statistic, which is how many goals a team scores.

"You love the word 'possession' and you love the stats," Mourinho said. "You [the media] in general. It is a little bit like the efficiency of players and sometimes you say 'the stats say player B had 92% of efficiency on his passing.'

"But the stats don't say that that player only made passes of two metres... they don't say that that player was a centre-back that only passed to the other centre-back or a number six who only passed the ball to number eight, and the guy who had 65% efficiency on his passes is the guy that made the assists... the guy that makes the tight passes, the guy that makes 60 metres passes to change the direction of the play.

"So the stats, many, many times are like an incredible piece of meat or fish but badly cooked. It doesn't tell me much. What tells me is the number of goals that you score and the number of chances that you create."