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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows he is working under a “magnifying glass” at Manchester United and that he has to “compete for trophies” in order to keep his job, says Rene Meulensteen.

The Norwegian spent enough time at Old Trafford in his playing days to become fully versed in the demands that are placed on anybody associated with the Red Devils.

He helped to deliver an impressive haul of major honours while operating as a prolific frontman, but is yet to add to his medal collection in a coaching capacity.

The hope is that, after reaching three semi-finals last season, the 2020-21 campaign will see United get back on the trophy trail.

Positive progress is being made in Premier League and Carabao Cup quests, while the consolation prize of a spot in the last-32 of the Europa League has been accepted after slipping out of the Champions League.

Meulensteen believes that Solskjaer can be the man to deliver on expectation at United, despite the regular rounds of questions he has faced across a two-year tenure, but admits that patience in Manchester will only stretch so far.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s former right-hand man told Stadium Astro: “If you are manager of Manchester United then you are under the magnifying glass.

“United is the biggest challenge. You not only need to win games, you also need to play a certain style of football, a certain brand. You need an attacking style and to win games and get results.

“It is important for him this season to stay within touching distance of the top of the Premier League, especially after getting knocked out of the Champions League. He needs to have another run in the Europa League.

“Last year they got to three semi-finals and didn’t get to the final in one of them. For now, Ole can only do one thing and focus on the games in hand. He has stressed that he is it in for the long term, the club have backed that, but he needs to compete for trophies.”

Meulensteen say Solskjaer is bringing together the right “pieces” at Old Trafford, with value found in the transfer market that has allowed the Red Devils to become competitive once more.

The Dutchman added: “He has had a chance to bring certain players in, and the most important player he has brought in is Bruno Fernandes.

“The evidence is there for how much he is the catalyst of getting United to play in the United way. He is very skilful, he has got great vision, he’s intelligent, he has got a lot of creativity in his play, he’s not afraid to take risks. There are a lot of things there.

“There have been other players come in like Donny van de Beek, who I think we still haven’t seen the best of, Alex Telles at left-back, so bit by bit they are starting to put the pieces together.

“Up front they have got bags of pace and goalscoring opportunities so it’s not a surprise that they are up there in the league.

“But it’s still early doors and he still wants to be there at the end of March, early April. If they are there then, or even top of the league, then they are truly title contenders again.

“That would be a fantastic job and mean really good progress. At the moment they are sitting nicely with a game in hand.”

The Red Devils saw off struggling Sheffield United 3-2 in their last outing, with another comeback victory on the road lifting them up to sixth in the table, five points off leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

If you are new to football, you could be forgiven for seeking out a glossary of terms (like ours here) in order to help you understand what the hell people are talking about half the time.

For example, a team can sometimes be described as being "still on for the treble" or as having "won the treble" and if you aren't familiar, you might justifiably scratch your head wondering what it means.

In other cases, rows over semantics can break out among those who are aware of the meaning about what exactly a treble is - this is particularly prevalent among rival fan groups contesting the legitimacy of claims.

So what constitutes a treble in football and which teams have won the treble? Goal brings you all you need to know.

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What is a treble in football?

At its most basic, a treble in football occurs when a team wins three trophies. However, in order to be considered a genuine treble, they must be the 'right' trophies.

A domestic treble is usually made up of the league, main national cup and the secondary national cup.

A one-off tie such as a super cup style competition, such as the Community Shield, does not usually count when considering the treble.

So in England, for example, the domestic treble is the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup (League Cup).

There is no such treble in Spain or Germany, but the Supercopa de Espana and DFL Supercup could arguably replace the League Cup in the equation, even though they are the equivalent to the Community Shield.

The continental treble is very similar, but as the name suggests, it naturally includes a continental title, such as the Champions League. A second-tier continental tournament like the Europa League is permissable when applying the tag, but it comes with an asterisk for many fans.

Generally speaking, a team is said to have won a continental treble if they win their league, their main national cup competition and the main continental competition.

Which teams have won the treble?

Teams who have won the treble form an exclusive group, which is not surprising given how difficult it is to secure three trophies in one season.

We've focused on European teams in the tables below, but there are of course more examples of treble-winning teams across the world.

European teams with a continental treble

Only seven teams have won the continental treble (incorporating only the European Cup or Champions League) in Europe.

They are: Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Inter, Manchester United and PSV.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have achieved the feat twice. Barca's first treble came under Pep Guardiola in 2008-09 and their second was achieved in 2014-15, when Luis Enrique was manager.

Jupp Heynckes helped deliver Bayern's first treble in 2012-13 and their second came under Hans-Dieter Flick in 2019-20 after he took over from Niko Kovac mid-way through the season.

Celtic won the treble in 1966-67 when they won the European Cup, while Ajax won it a few years later in 1971-72.

Manchester United memorably won the treble - the first and only English team to do so - in 1998-99 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

European teams with a domestic treble

Scotland's Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic are the European teams with the most trebles in history and they are followed by Northern Ireland's Linfield.

Paris Saint-Germain's recent dominance of French football has seen them collect four domestic trebles - all of them coming in the latter half of the 2010s.

Remarkably, England's first-ever true domestic treble in men's football was only achieved in 2018-19 by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

The only Spanish club to have claimed a domestic treble is Athletic Club, though there is an asterisk next to their name given that one of the trophies was the Biscay Championship - a regional cup.

Other clubs who have won a domestic treble include Benfica and Bayern Munich

Arsenal should be resisting any urge to send William Saliba out on a loan deal that “makes no sense”, says Kevin Campbell, with Mikel Arteta told to give the youngster Shkodran Mustafi’s minutes.

A highly-rated 19-year-old defender finally arrived at Emirates Stadium over the summer.

A £27 million ($37m) agreement had been reached with Saint-Etienne 12 months earlier, with the Gunners moving quickly to buy into the potential of a hot prospect.

Big things were expected of Saliba in north London, with plenty suggesting that he would slot seamlessly into the fold.

He is, however, still waiting on a competitive debut as Arteta continues to favour other options.

A lack of game time has sparked inevitable talk of a move being made elsewhere, with it suggested that the youngster could be allowed to link up with a Championship team in January.

Campbell remains baffled by said rumours, especially as the Gunners continue to struggle in their efforts to plug leaks at the back.

For him, Saliba should be eased into the fold over the remainder of the season, with there little value to be found in freezing him out and favouring German centre-half Mustafi – with the World Cup winner running his contract down towards free agency in 2021.

Former Arsenal striker Campbell told Football Insider: “Apparently Saliba has made great strides in training.

“Mustafi is going to leave at the end of the season, that is a done deal from both sides, and Saliba needs minutes, so why not give him the minutes that Mustafi is getting?

“To me it makes no sense. I like to think Arteta would use Saliba in the Europa League and FA Cup games we have coming up rather than sending him out on loan.”

Mustafi has taken in seven appearances for the Gunners this season, with five of those coming in continental competition.

Arsenal have booked their place in the last-32 of the Europa League, where they will face Benfica, and are also into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Opportunities will present themselves to give Saliba the game time he needs and craves in his ongoing development.

Arteta has, however, taken to overlooking a number of players this season, with Mesut Ozil being the most prominent, and it remains to be seen what the new year holds for a player with considerable potential.

Declan Rice would be “a great addition” for Manchester United, says Alan Smith, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urged to rival Chelsea in any transfer scramble for the West Ham midfielder.

A big-money move to Stamford Bridge continues to be mooted for an England international who once formed part of the academy system in west London.

No agreement has been reached, though, and the door remains open for others to steal in.

It has been suggested that United could join the chase for Rice’s signature, with the Red Devils weighing up their options when it comes to a holding role at Old Trafford.

Smith feels a talented 21-year-old would fit the bill, with the former United star telling American Gambler: “I like Declan Rice as a player and I think he would be a great addition - and is a British-based player, which obviously helps.

“I think he's one that is a bit more old school than a lot of defensive midfield players are now.”

Pressed on whether he would invest heavily on Rice over long-standing attacking target Jadon Sancho, Smith added: “It all depends on how good Scott McTominay is going to be, as you don't want to get someone like-for-like that is already coming through the system.

“He's obviously someone that Ole holds in high regard, he sees him in training every day, and you wouldn't want to block the pathway of a young lad coming through the United system.

“If he [Rice] is someone that can go in there and virtually guarantee you a league title then obviously you'd say yes, but have you've got someone in there that you'd be swapping like-for-like?

“Young players bring inconsistency. Young players get all the plaudits, but it's the experienced players that keep everything going.”

Smith believes similar questions need to be weighed up when it comes to making additions in the final third of the field, with there no need to spend big on Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho if Solskjaer feels he is already well-stocked in that department.

“If you sign Jadon Sancho, are you stopping the pathway for Mason Greenwood coming through?” Smith added.

“I think that Ole has one eye on increasing the standards to those that they need to reach, but also he saw Sir Alex's philosophy of bringing younger players through the system.

“That's something that all the clubs will have to start thinking about, there will be an emphasis on bringing young British-based players through the system.

“A lot of the lads in United's squad are British-based, and if you look at the younger lads you have [Dean] Henderson, [Harry] Maguire, [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, [Luke] Shaw, Greenwood, [Marcus] Rashford, [Brandon] Williams, so quite a British-based influence.

“They might not be the players that are going to guarantee a title, but you have the basis of a British-based squad, which is what you'll need when the new rules come in.”

Carlo Ancelotti is confident he can steer Everton to the Champions League after a promising first year in charge at Goodison Park – and is not ruling out a title challenge during his tenure. 

The Italian coach was appointed on December 21 in 2019, at which stage the club were stuck in the bottom half of the Premier League table. 

Everton ended up finishing 12th at the end of a campaign that included a lengthy pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there have been further signs of progress in the 2020-21 campaign so far. 

Four successive wins had them flying high in the early stages and while there was a dip in form, recent victories over Chelsea and Leicester City have the Toffees in the top-four mix. 

For Ancelotti – who signed a four-and-a-half year deal – qualifying for European football's premier club competition has always been the target, and they could achieve that goal ahead of schedule. 

"We can be more competitive, I hope, this season but also next season. We need to have at least two years' time to improve and increase our level," Ancelotti told the Liverpool Echo ahead of Saturday's home match with Arsenal. 

"The target for next season will be to reach the top four in the Premier League, and when you are in the top four and you are able to fight for the top four, it means, at least, you can fight for the title."

The additions of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and James Rodriguez in the transfer window helped o strengthen the squad, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin's continued development - he has 11 goals in the league so far - is a further positive for Everton fans.

Ancelotti is determined to make sure Everton are playing in Europe next season, meaning he would be happy to compete in the Europa League or potentially the Europa Conference League, a new competition which UEFA plans to launch in 2021.

"This is the target," said the former Chelsea boss, who won a domestic double during his two-year stint at Stamford Bridge. "To be in Europe next season. If it is Champions League, that would be a dream for us but I think we can compete for a position in Europe, in general."

On this current season, he added: "It is true that we started really well, unbelievable, and then we lost some games but, in general, we are more stable as a team.

"We had some injuries, we lost a little bit of confidence, but we are quite stable in this moment. We can play good matches with more stability, compared to when I arrived."

Ancelotti's appointment was confirmed prior to a 0-0 draw with Arsenal last year - and the two teams meet again prior to Christmas in 2020.

Rhys Williams put in a “world-class performance” on his Premier League debut for Liverpool, says Trent Alexander-Arnold, with one Anfield academy graduate getting a “shout out” from another having contained Tottenham’s fearsome attacking unit.

Jose Mourinho took Spurs to Merseyside in midweek with his side sat at the top of the Premier League table.

They were knocked from that lofty perch by the defending champions, with a dramatic 90th-minute winner from Roberto Firmino seeing Liverpool to a hard-fought 2-1 victory on home soil.

The Reds survived the odd scare in that contest, but were in charge for much of the evening and saw talented teenager Williams provide able cover for the injured Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

The 19-year-old centre-half was making his top-flight bow for Liverpool against fellow title hopefuls, but he showed no sign of being overawed by the occasion and has earned widespread praise for his mature display.

Fellow home-grown star Alexander-Arnold has led that cheerleading, with the England international telling the Reds’ official website on how hard it is to keep Spurs out: “Especially [Heung-min] Son and [Harry] Kane, with the partnership they have shown they have got this season, it was always important for us to really try to shackle them.

“Shout out to Rhys Williams on his Premier League debut – it has to happen because he has put in a world-class performance there, barely put a foot wrong against probably the best attacking duo in the league so far.

“Shout out to him, it was a fantastic debut and one him and his friends and family can be really proud of.”

Williams and Alexander-Arnold were not the only academy stars to shine for Liverpool against Tottenham, with Curtis Jones catching the eye again in a creative midfield role.

The teenager continues to see his stock soar, with Klopp displaying unwavering faith in emerging talent.

Alexander-Arnold, who has benefited from that philosophy himself, added on Jones: “For the last maybe year or so, the way he has developed as a player and as a person has been amazing to watch and see.

“I think what’s important for him now is to keep his feet on the floor and not get too excited with all the things that’ll be going on around him. It’ll be hectic but for him it’s about focusing on what he needs to do and keeping up the form he’s in.

“I think when we have a fully-fit squad, the manager will have a headache with him, I’m sure.”

Paul Pogba remains “a fabulous player”, says Owen Hargreaves, with the former Manchester United midfielder of the opinion that a divisive star of the present can help the Red Devils to “destroy” opponents.

Debate regarding a France international’s future at Old Trafford continues to rage, with plenty suggesting that they would be willing to offload the World Cup winner.

Mino Raiola has claimed that a second spell in England for one of his most high-profile clients is “over”, with a transfer set to be sought before a lucrative contract comes to an end in 2022.

Pogba, though, has stated his “1000 per cent” commitment to the United cause and has offered no indication that he will be pushing for the exits any time soon.

He has come back into favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and started to produce the level of performance that is expected from a player of his global profile and ability.

With that in mind, and with the Red Devils boasting a number of other creative and attacking talents at their disposal, Hargreaves believes Pogba can become a talismanic presence in Manchester.

He told Premier League Productions after seeing the 27-year-old star in a 3-2 victory over Sheffield United: “Paul Pogba - whether you love him or you don't - he's a fabulous player. You've got to get him on the pitch.

“I don't care that Bruno [Fernandes] is in there, he's a fabulous player, but play them all together. Look at these guys, what they can do. Look what they can create. This is what you pay for from Pogba.

“Paul and Bruno are on the same page, they barely have to look at each other, this is how good they are. Paul is the deeper one. Bruno likes to be a bit higher up the pitch. The front three are creating the space.

“When you see it all together, you think 'Jesus - these guys could destroy you.'

“Paul knows where Bruno is. Bruno knows where Mason [Greenwod] is and then Marcus can get in there. How good is that? Get the boys on the pitch and let them figure it out - they don't have to make eye contact and they can create like that.

“Over the course of 90 minutes, with Bruno, United are going to beat teams. Over the course of 38-game season, if those boys are trusted to play with that front three, forget top four - United might challenge for the league again.”

Hargreaves believes a little adventure will allow United to force their way into contention for the Premier League title, with there no need to become bogged down in plugging holes at the back.

The ex-England international added: “You think about the Manchester United way, it's to outscore pretty much everyone. From last season, Manchester United want to get to the level of Manchester City and Liverpool. In terms of goals conceded, they are already there.

“They are almost a championship-calibre team. The difference is the goals scored between United and City, and Liverpool.

“Defensively is not really the issue. Offensively, you need to trust the boys. If they play more together, those goal numbers will be at least 85.”

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic working his way back from injury at the age of 39, AC Milan legend Demetrio Albertini hopes the Swedish striker’s “power” will not be impacted by fitness issues.

The enigmatic frontman has recovered from more serious complaints in the past, with knee ligament damage suffered while on the books at Manchester United.

He keeps himself in peak physical condition and has shown no sign of slowing down despite advancing towards his 40th birthday.

Milan have been benefitting from his presence for a second time since the experienced frontman returned to San Siro from a spell at MLS side the LA Galaxy in January.

Ibrahimovic has helped to turn the Rossoneri into title challengers this season, with 11 goals recorded through 10 appearances prior to being laid low in late November.

He has now returned to training ahead of a possible recall to Stefano Pioli’s plans, with Albertini looking forward to seeing a talismanic presence back in action.

“It’s not enough to have just him on the pitch, but he is vital, just as much as [Romelu] Lukaku at Inter,” Albertini, who spent 14 years of his senior career with Milan, told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I hope the injury won’t reduce Ibra’s power. For a player of his age, injuries can have an impact, better not to forget that.”

Ibrahimovic is not the only superstar at Milan, with Pioli blessed with so many options at present that the highly-rated Sandro Tonali is being restricted to a role on the bench.

Albertini considers that to be the right call, saying of a talented 20-year-old: “Yes, for what we’ve witnessed so far.

“I’m not going to change my mind about him. He must improve in terms of self-confidence and it is right to wait for him.

“When I was a footballer they said foreign players needed time to settle in, the same must apply for a 20-year-old guy.”

Milan will happily take inspiration from anywhere at present, with their lead at the top of the Serie A table having been cut to just one point with two games left to take in before a winter break.

Quizzed on who he expects to lead the way heading into 2021, Albertini said: “Inter have more experience, they are more structured, but Milan have something special. Just look at how they play. They often stay in their opponents’ half even if they don’t do a lot of ball possession.

“More than defending the Serie A leadership, Milan must defend their enthusiasm. If it happens, they can win.”

Liverpool may look into acquiring one of the strikers they have been linked with ahead of the January transfer window, says Jason McAteer, but reinforcements at centre-half are considered to remain the top priority.

The Reds are forever on the lookout for additions that will help lift them to even greater heights.

Big money will be spent when the right targets become available, with Jurgen Klopp able to call upon the full backing of his board when considerable investment is required.

It could be that the reigning Premier League champions look to further bolster their ranks in the new year, with another winter market about to open for business.

McAteer believes the Reds should be striving for continuous improvement, with fresh faces required in order to achieve that, and feels more firepower may be sought.

The former Liverpool star told FreeSuperTips : “With the January transfer window fast approaching, there have been a few strikers that have been linked with a move to Anfield. 

“Liverpool is the biggest club in Europe currently, they are up there with the likes of Bayern Munich and can hold their own with Barcelona and Real Madrid. 

“There is a lot of money to be made in this transfer window and agents will be looking at it and thinking about where they can put their players. Agents will be linking their players to these clubs and it might not necessarily be true at all. 

“If a player in the media is being looked at by Liverpool, then suddenly, it makes a certain person more appealing to other teams too. It is a lot of mind games that take place, the agents do it, the players themselves play up to the game too, but it doesn’t mean that the football club being mentioned wants to buy them.

“Clubs are always looking to strengthen your squad and improve in the key areas. Competition for places is healthy and you’ve got to make sure that you keep evolving as a football club. 

“Teams can’t afford to stand still and rest on the players that are currently doing well, and you’ve got to keep the players motivated by winning trophies.” 

While admitting that Klopp could explore options in the final third, McAteer believes defensive targets will be prioritised as Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have all picked up injuries.

He added: “Although some of the academy players have come in and they’ve done well and look good for the future, a centre-back should be the focus for Liverpool in January. 

“Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are quite injury prone and Virgil Van Dijk is out for a significant period so that’s the position they need to look at. Liverpool has got very good defenders when they are all fit, but unfortunately, they can’t stay fit.

“The team has already strengthened in the forward areas, and in midfield, we brought in Thiago and already have Jordan Henderson, Fabinho. 

“Curtis Jones has really impressed me this season and is emerging as a top player, but there aren’t many areas where Liverpool needs to strengthen.

“The only position you feel that Liverpool are a bit light in is the centre-back position.”

AFC Leopards suffered their first defeat of the FKF Premier League when they went down 2-0 to Western Stima at Kasarani Stadium on Friday.

The Kisumu-based side kept Ingwe at bay for the entire 90 minutes and grabbed winning goals in the additional time courtesy of Joseph Mukisa and Villa Oruchum.

In the eighth minute, Austine Odhiambo was denied by the post as his strike hit the woodwork and went out with AFC Leopards threatening to register an opener.

The referee had to caution Austine Wahongo of Western Stima with a yellow card in the 16th minute after a rough challenge on Fabrice Mugheni. The rushed challenge on the Ingwe’s new signing came as the hosts launched attacks that the visitors clearly struggled to contain.

Western Stima failed to strike in the 27th minute when Robinson Kamura conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position as he fouled Laban Otieno. Baron Oketch took the free-kick but his effort went out thus denying the Powermen a likely opener.

From when the second half started to the time the first goal was scored, AFC Leopards threatened on numerous occasions but Western Stima were able to thwart the danger presented.

Elvis Rupia, who has been inspirational in the last three games, was substituted in the 89th minute as coach Anthony Kimani brought on Bienvenue Shaka in an attempt to secure a winning goal.

Western Stima, winless in the last three games, found the breakthrough in the fourth minute of added time when Mukisa’s free-kick found its way into the right corner beating an outstretched Benjamin Ochan who was making his second season start.

The visitors added a quick one a minute later when Oruchum scored to give his side not only the three points but ensure their rather good record against AFC Leopards is maintained.

The loss is a huge blow to Ingwe’s title charge after Tomas Trucha led them to a 2-1 win against Tusker in the opening game before other victories were registered against Bidco United (2-0) and Sofapaka (3-0).

In each of the three matches, Rupia has played key roles as he scored against all three rivals and is on top of the scorers’ charts with six goals before the conclusion of matchday four actions.

Western Stima, on the other hand, were winless before the Kasarani encounter given that they drew 0-0 with Bidco United, lost to Sofapaka 3-1 before they were humbled 5-2 at home by Tusker in the last game.

Uganda Cubs head coach Hamuza Lutalo has disclosed how they plan to face Ethiopia in the Cecafa U17 Championship game on Friday at Umuganda Stadium in Rwanda.

The Cubs have already qualified for the semi-final after their huge 5-0 win over Kenya in matchday two and Lutalo has insisted they must treat the Ethiopia game with the seriousness it deserves.

Uganda are seen as one of the favourites sides to win the title especially given how their senior brothers have performed before.

The Cranes are the reigning champions as well as the U20 side, who defeated Tanzania in December to claim the title in Arusha.

If Uganda lose against Ethiopia, they will finish second in Group A which also has Kenya as the other rivals.

“I know what our second game on Friday means to us, we shall not take anything for granted,” Lutalo explained ahead of the game as was quoted by the Fufa website.

“Yes, we know we already qualified for semis but we shall treat every game in a special way possible. We have to give it utmost attention and the best shot by parading our best players on the battlefront.”

On his part, Ethiopia’s coach Endrias Berhanu Woldamanuel stated they will fight for a win in order to secure a place in the penultimate stage.

“We need a good result to be able to qualify for the semi-final and Uganda should expect a very tough challenge,” Woldamanuel told Cecafa Online.

“I watched them beat Kenya 5-0 and I know what to expect and how to counter their threat.”

Ethiopia and Uganda met in 2018 in the same tournament and the Cubs emerged 3-1 winners in Tanzania then.

A slim loss, a draw or victory will surely guarantee Ethiopia a place in the next phase and are likely to offer the Cubs the toughest game so far.

The Cecafa U17 semi-finals will be played on Sunday while the play-off for third place and the final will take place on December 22.

The finalists will be guaranteed a place in the African Cup of Nations U17 tournament set to be held in Morocco in March 2021.

Gordon Igesund, who previously won the league title with both Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, believes the Buccaneers are strong title contenders.

Sundowns are the defending league champions and have won the last three championships.

In total they have won the Premier Soccer League (PSL) 10 times, with five of those coming in the past seven seasons. It was in 2007 that Igesund helped the Brazilians claim the league title.

But while Masandawana are currently top of the league standings this season, Pirates have also made a strong start and are just two points behind the Brazilians.

"It is still early days, but I think that Pirates pose the biggest threat to Sundowns,” Igesund said in an interview with the Sowetan.

“They are challenging them this year and have recruited well in the market. Sundowns look strong to win their fourth title in a row, and they started the season strongly. But the Soweto giants will push them all the way,” he added.

It was in 2001 when Igesund was in charge of Pirates and they won the league. Since then the club has added two more titles, to make it a total of four in the PSL era.

Having recently ended a six-year wait for a trophy at the club by winning the MTN8 against Bloemfontein Celtic last weekend, spirits will be high in the Bucs camp.

However, with only seven matches played, Igesund has cautioned that a lot could still change this season.

"The title is not won after six, seven, or 15 games,” said the former Bafana Bafana coach, who also won the league title with Santos and Manning Rangers.

“It's a marathon. I don't read too much in the log because it is still early. But for me, the league is between Sundowns and Pirates this season. It is going to be a two-horse race.“

Sundowns are in action this weekend, away to Golden Arrows in a league fixture on Saturday afternoon.

Pirates, meanwhile, have finished their domestic schedule for 2020, their final match of the year is a Caf Confederation Cup game against Sagrada Esperanca, away in Angola on Tuesday afternoon.

Manchester United will be Premier League title contenders if they keep Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes on the pitch and out of the stands, says Michael Owen.

The Red Devils last enjoyed domestic dominance back in 2013, as Sir Alex Ferguson prepared to head into retirement.

Alarming regression has been endured since then, with 13-time champions slipping a long way off the pace with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho at the helm.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been charged with the task of delivering a reversal in fortune, with the Norwegian looking to replicate the successes of his playing days.

He has found the going tough at times, with consistency often proving to be elusive, but a faultless away record in 2020-21 has United daring to dream once more.

A 3-2 win over Sheffield United last time out has the Red Devils within five points of leaders Liverpool while still boasting a game in hand.

Owen believes a push for the summit can be staged at Old Trafford, but only if key men are kept fit and firing – with Solskjaer being urged not to rest and rotate.

“Well, they can. I think there’s a few teams that can this season,” former United striker Owen told Amazon Prime when asked if the Red Devils can challenge for the English top-flight crown.

“I think the only way they can though is to get their best players out on the pitch.

“If you’ve got Pogba in your squad, Fernandes, these great players, you can’t possibly win the title if they’re going to be in the stands.

“You’ve got these unbelievable players that you’ve invested millions in. You have to find a way, because the only way United will win the title is with their best players playing.

“You take three or four out the team and all of a sudden they’re an okay team. So Solskjaer needs to keep finding ways of getting the likes of Pogba, Fernandes and those front three [in the team].

“That’s such an exciting team out there and he’s got to find a way of playing that team more often.”

United lined up at Bramall Lane with Pogba and Fernandes operating behind an attacking unit of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

Edinson Cavani will return to that pack at some stage, with Owen of the opinion that the Red Devils boast one of the most fearsome front lines in the Premier League.

He added: “It's no real secret, they're one of the best counter-attacking teams in the country, if not the best.

“It's the other side that they have to get on top of, at Old Trafford.

“When you've got those front five attacking players - the likes of Pogba, Fernandes and the front three - there's not many better attacking units in the world of football than that.

“If they can just shore up at the back, be better in possession, then they will have a right run for this title.”

Zaragoza have received a huge boost after Hellen Mubanga and Rachel Nachula were welcomed back into the fold on Friday.

The Zambia internationals left Spain to represent the Copper Queens in international friendlies against Chile on November 23.

The Zaragoza duo featured for the duration in their side's 2-1 comeback victory over La Roja in their first-ever meeting, with Nachula scoring the crucial winner with a header in Santiago.

However, the second tie of the doubleheader against Jose Letelier's ladies, earlier scheduled for December 1, was suspended a few hours prior to the kick-off time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With seven players testing positive for Covid-19, the Zambian delegation was placed in quarantine for 14 days to comply with health protocols.

Having completed the period on Tuesday, Mubanga and Nachula were allowed by Chilean authorities to leave for Spain on Wednesday.

In the absence of the Zambians, Zaragoza suffered a 1-0 defeat to Seagull at home and a 2-1 loss at Deportivo Alaves before a 3-0 victory over Espanyol and the recent 1-1 draw at Barcelona.

Having returned to Zaragoza on Friday morning, they are expected to reunite with their teammates in training ahead of their Sunday's final match of the year against AEM at home. 

With the duo's return, Zaragoza will hope to end the year in the top four after garnering 12 points from eight matches this season.

Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa voted Lionel Messi as the best men’s player for 2020 while coach Gernot Rohr picked Robert Lewandowski for the Best Fifa Men's Player award.

Following an incredible 2019-20 season with Bayern Munich, Lewandowski claimed the coveted recognition on Thursday after beating Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Messi to the top prize.

Despite their contrasting choice of winners, Rohr and Musa both had an African star who helped Liverpool end their 30-year wait for an English top-flight title and also won the Fifa Club World Cup last season, in their picks

After selecting the Polish striker as his winner, Rohr picked PSG star Kylian Mbappe for the second spot while Senegal’s Sadio Mane was placed in the third position.

Musa, on his part, chose Messi to lead his pick followed by Lewandowski and Mane in the second and third places, respectively.

When the official voting results were released, Lewandowski had a total of 58 points while Ronaldo managed 38 points and Messi had 35 points.

For the Best Fifa Men's Coach for 2020, Musa and Rohr chose Hans-Dieter Flick for the honour after the German’s success in his first season at Bayern Munich.

Flick led the Bavarians to a domestic treble of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal (German Cup), and the DFL-Supercup. He also guided them win the 2019-20 Uefa Champions League and the Uefa Super Cup.

They both voted Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp as the second-best manager in the world after his Premier League success last season but the third spot took a twist.

Musa went for Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui as his third choice after he helped the Liga club win last season’s Uefa Europa League, while Rohr chose Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane, having led the Blancos to claim the Spanish top-flight crown in July.

Although he was level on 24 points with Flick, Klopp was declared winner for the second time in a row after gathering the highest number of votes from national team coaches while Leeds United's Marcelo Bielsa was third with 11 points.

Thiago Silva is determined to add to his trophy collection while on the books at Chelsea, with the experienced defender setting his sights on Premier League and Champions League crowns.

At 36 years of age, the Brazil international is approaching the end of a distinguished career.

He is, however, not ready to hang up his boots just yet and is eager to ensure that he bows out on a high whenever the day comes to head off into retirement.

Chelsea have offered him another prominent stage on which to perform in the twilight of his playing days, with the South American snapped up as a free agent over the summer.

A move to England was made on the back of eight memorable years at Paris Saint-Germain, while a spell at AC Milan prior to that delivered more major honours.

Having grown accustomed to picking up medals on an annual basis, Silva says he will be doing all he can to ensure that Frank Lampard’s side secure silverware in 2020-21.

He told the Blues’ official website: “I try to leave a mark wherever I go.

“I left my mark at RS at the start of my career, then at Juventude, then after at Fluminense, then Milan and Paris, and I aim to leave my mark here as well.

“This is my focus and plan, and I’m so scared of letting down people who showed so much belief in me. I aim to work hard and focus a lot on my opponents so that I can make as few mistakes as possible in games to help me and the team perform really well.”

He added: “The choice to join Chelsea wasn’t hard.

“You’re talking about a club with Chelsea’s history, their great and respected shirt, our coaching staff, first and foremost the gaffer who was really successful here playing for Chelsea, and the squad which really caught my eye in terms of the quality of the team.”

Having welcomed the opportunity to take on a new challenge in west London, Silva hopes he can help to get Chelsea back on top of domestic and continental games.

He went on to say of his ambition: “At Milan I won Serie A and the Italian Super Cup, and at PSG I won basically everything possible, except the Champions League, we reached the final.

“With Chelsea my main objective is the Premier League, of course. It’d be a dream come true to win it and there’s no doubt we’re looking at winning the Champions League and the cups as well, so it’s a matter of working.

“I think Chelsea aren’t just 11 players, they’ve got a group of 22 players who have what it takes to go far in all competitions.”

Chelsea have made their way into the last-16 of the Champions League, where they will face Atletico Madrid, while they also sit seventh in the Premier League and are preparing to open another FA Cup campaign in 2021.

Simba SC assistant head coach Selemani Matola has been reportedly linked with a move to Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Gor Mahia.

Gor Mahia have been without a coach since Roberto Oliveira left last week after Caf and the FKF stated he was not eligible to oversee K’Ogalo in either continental and local competitions.

Oliveira had been appointed to steer the Kenyan champions after Steven Polack left but ended up just taking charge in friendly games before Caf ruled he was not eligible to be part of the technical bench for the Champions League tie against APR of Rwanda.

The Green Army had to find a stand-in coach and they fell back on Posta Rangers Sammy Omollo who ensured they saw off APR and progressed to the first round of the competition.

Omollo, who was seen as the frontline candidate to take over the position in a permanent position, has since returned to Posta Rangers.

Matola, who also acts as Simba B team coach, has now reportedly entered into the fray. He is an experienced coach having joined Wekundu wa Msimbazi from Polisi Tanzania early this year and was part of history that saw the Mainland giants win a treble that also included a league title for the third time in a row.

Gor Mahia have won a game and lost the other after they opened their FKF Premier League campaign against Ulinzi Stars before they were humbled by Tusker.

The club’s management is expected to be keen enough to hire a coach that meets the qualification bar set by Caf and FKF.

In a recent communique, the African football-governing body laid down qualification requirements that coaches of teams participating in their events must possess.

“Through the implementation of the Caf Club Licensing system, all head coaches of clubs engaged in the 2020/2021 edition of Caf Champions League Caf Confederation Cup must have the 'Caf A' coaching license,” the federation said.

“These new coaching license requirements for Caf club competitions are just one example of how the new Club Licensing system will spur change in African football.

“This approach has already started to bear fruit through a better awareness of the need for qualified coaches. As proof, several Member Associations have contacted Caf to plan training courses for their coaches.”

Should Gor Mahia settle on the Tanzanian, they would have deviated from a tradition of appointing foreign coaches outside the continent.

Bobby Williamson, Frank Nuttall, Ze Maria, Dylan Kerr, Hassan Oktay and Polack are the men who have overseen the successful recent history at K’Ogalo.