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Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted he was scared they could lose their Mainland Premier League match against KMC on Wednesday.

The champions went into the match seeking to win and close the gap between them and table-toppers Young Africans (Yanga SC), but they were forced to toil and use every trick in the book before winning 1-0 courtesy of a controversial penalty converted by striker Meddie Kagere.

Kagere, who had come on as a second-half substitute, stood up to take the penalty which was awarded after a KMC defender was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box, and sent keeper Juma Kaseja the wrong way for his 50th goal since joining the club.

The Belgian coach has now complimented his players after the hard-fought win, saying he knew KMC will trouble his side because they are among the few teams in the league who play technical football.

“Actually, I am very happy because, before the game, I knew that it would be a tricky one,” Vandenbroeck told Daily News. “For me, KMC is one of the better teams in the league which plays technical football.

“I think 90 minutes showed us we really had to give everything to get that victory and sometimes, victories in these tough games make you champions. If you can win a game that is 50- 50, it makes you go far.

“The three changes I did were because of injuries but the technical bench and all the players did everything they could today [Wednesday].”

Vandenbroeck also admitted some of his players are already exhausted because of playing matches week in, week out.

Meanwhile, KMC tactician Habib Kondo said they put up a strong fight to snatch something from the game but in the end they lost because of the penalty.

His keeper Kaseja, who protested at the decision to award the penalty, maintained it was not a penalty and that Simba were gifted the win.

“From what I saw, there was no handball in the box but because the referee is too a human being, such mistakes are likely to happen since we are all prone to mistakes,” said Kaseja.

Simba will now shift their focus to the Caf Champions League where they are scheduled to face FC Platinum of Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp "doesn't look happy with football", according to Mark Lawrenson, who says the Liverpool boss has been adversely affected by the controversy surrounding VAR and substitutions.

Klopp has not been the same passionate, animated figure on the touchline of previous years at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, with fist pumps and cheers replaced by finger-pointing and angry outbursts.

Liverpool have been on the end of several contentious refereeing decisions which have prompted the German head coach to question whether video technology is a good addition to the game, while a mounting injury crisis has forced him to stretch his squad to the limit.

Klopp has made no secret of his desire to see the five substitutions rule that was used post-lockdown last term reinstated amid the congested fixture schedule caused by the coronavirus crisis, and has also taken aim at broadcasters for the early kick-off times which have been handed out to the Reds.

Despite his growing list of complaints, the 53-year-old has still been able to guide Liverpool back to the Premier League summit, with a 2-1 home win over second-placed Tottenham on Wednesday ensuring that they have a three-point lead to defend heading into the festive period.

Klopp reacted with bemusement to a comment from Spurs boss Jose Mourinho as they shook hands after the final whistle though, with the Portuguese later revealing to the press that he told his managerial counterpart "the best team lost".

Lawrenson thinks a man who guided the Reds to their first league title in 30 years last season is a far more spiky character than usual because of the off-field issues which have provided an unwelcome distraction to both him and his players in recent months.

“I think at the moment, although they won last night and he’ll be delighted with the way they won, he doesn’t look happy with football," the Liverpool legend told talkSPORT.

“I’m not saying he doesn’t look happy with Liverpool, the team or the results, but he just doesn’t look happy with football.

“There’s VAR, and everybody has peeved about VAR, the lack of fans, and the big thing is the five subs rule.

“I think he’s got a point and everyone will come round to that. When he first said about having five subs I thought no, it just makes the stronger teams even stronger.

“But when you look at football now and the amount of games we’re having, they’ve had the whole European group campaign in about four of five weeks, which they’ve had to do, as well as league and cup games – it’s mad.

“So I think this could be a special year and I do think they should bring it in.

“And the things with fans, without spectators the game is just completely different. Even last night with 2,000 at Anfield it’s just very, very strange.

“Klopp, Mourinho, They want a perfect world and they want to win every week, all managers are the same.”

Manchester United have claimed a Premier League first by extending their away goals streak at Sheffield United.

United made the trip to Bramall Lane to take on Chris Wilder's struggling Blades on Thursday night.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side came into the clash knowing a win could take them up to sixth in the Premier League table with a game in hand on leaders and reigning champions Liverpool, but they got off to the worst possible start after falling behind with just five minutes on the clock.

Dean Henderson, who was handed a rare start ahead of David de Gea in the United net, was caught dawdling on the ball by Oliver Burke after receiving back-pass from Harry Maguire, with the Sheffield United star able to knock the ball back to David McGoldrick to fire into an empty net.

That stunning error seemed to serve as a wake-up call for the visitors, who managed to hit back in the 26th minute via Marcus Rashford.

The England international latched onto a floated Victor Lindelof pass before firing an unstoppable shot past Aaron Ramsdale, and United ramped up the pressure on the home side thereafter.

Anthony Martial completed a rapid turnaround for Red Devils seven minutes later, after being found by a delightful chipped through ball by Paul Pogba, with the Frenchman rounding Ramsdale before poking the ball home.

Solskjaer's men continued to force the Blades deep into their own half at the start of the second period, and were rewarded for their efforts when Rashford linked up with Martial to finish off a swift counter-attacking move to extend their lead to 3-1.

United are now the first side in Premier League history to have scored two or more goals in ten consecutive away games, and the first to achieve the feat in the English top-flight in 60 years - with Tottenham the last club to hit the same mark in 1960.

The Manchester outfit have flattered to deceive with their performances at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, but they must now be considered genuine title contenders heading into the festive period, with their two main forwards seemingly firing on all cylinders once again.

The CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores  has reached its quarter-final stage, as the delayed 2020 competition nears its end.

Thursday brings a close to yet another last-eight clash, as Nacional seek to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in Montevideo's Parque Central against Copa experts River Plate.

The Millonario caused little surprise last week as they brushed past the Uruguayan underdogs, with both goals coming in the second half through Gonzalo Montiel and Bruno Zuculini. 

Their margin of victory could have been even wider if Rafael Borre had not erred from the penalty spot before half-time, but Nacional have nothing to lose and will surely go all out for what would be an historic comeback on the other side of the Rio de la Plata.

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How to watch Nacional vs River on US TV

What has happened to Nacional and River so far in the 2020 Copa Libertadores?

Nacional, whose third and to date final Libertadores title came all the way back in 1988, made a dream start to this year's competition. 

Wins in all three of their opening fixtures in Group F all but clinched knockout qualification, and they went on to pick up 15 points from 18, edging out Racing Club for top spot by virtue of a superior goal difference. 

The Uruguayans' rock-solid defence has been the basis of their Copa campaign, and so it proved again in the last 16 when they shut out Independiente in two 0-0 draws before prevailing on penalties to book a last-eight clash with River.   

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River's quest began in subdued fashion with a 3-0 defeat away to Liga de Quito in Group D, but Marcelo Gallardo's charges quickly rediscovered their best form.

Peru's Binacional were thrashed 8-0 and 6-0 while the Millonario also picked up four points against a Sao Paulo team featuring Dani Alves, pushing the Brazilians into third place and the Copa Sudamericana while River qualified in first. 

In the last-16 stage River dominated over Athletic Paranaense, racking up 39 shots over two legs to their opponents' 14. Goals proved hard to come by, though, and after tying the first leg 1-1 in Coritiba a single strike from Nicolas de la Cruz saw the Argentines over the line.

Nacional and River team news and preview

Nacional boss Jorge Giordano is without right-back Armando Mendez, who has been withdrawn from contention with a muscular complaint. 

Mathias Laborda is expected to move out from the centre to fill the vacancy, with Carlos Cougo dropping back to act as left-back.

River will have to deal with two key absentees in midfield as they seek to defend their lead. 

Enzo Perez is ruled out of contention due to a positive Covid-19 test, and he was joined on the sidelines by the injured Ignacio Fernandez.

The Millonario are otherwise close to full strength, with Gallardo picking 22 players to make the trip across the Rio de la Plata for Thursday's match.  

Probable Nacional XI: Rochet; Laborda, Orihuela, Oliveros, Cougo; Neves, Martínez, Trasante, Rodríguez; Bergessio, Castro..

Probable River XI:  Armani; Montiel, Robert Rojas, Paulo Díaz, Angileri; Sosa/Zuculini, Ponzio, De la Cruz; Carrascal, Borré, Suárez.

When does the 2020 Copa Libertadores finish?

The 2020 Copa Libertadores was originally scheduled to conclude with a single final in a neutral ground, the system which replaced the old format of home and away legs last year, at the end of November. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the tournament suffered almost six months of interruption, meaning that the final phases had to be pushed back into the South American summer months of late December and January. 

Boca Juniors and Racing Club additionally suffered a further week's delay when the former's last-16 first leg match against Internacional was suspended due to the death of Diego Maradona. The Argentine pair played the opener of their quarter final on Wednesday, with the return taking place at the Bombonera on December 23. 

Nacional vs River is the last of the other three quarter-final clashes to conclude, with the last four taking place between January 5 and 13 following a short break for the festive period. 

The final proper is scheduled to be held at Rio de Janeiro's landmark Maracana Stadium on January 30.

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NorthEast United will be looking to extend their overall unbeaten run of seven games in the Indian Super League (ISL) when they face Jamshedpur at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, on Friday evening.

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TEAM NEWS

NorthEast United Possible XI:

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Khassa Camara, Kwesi Appiah   

Jamshedpur FC Possible XI: 

Injured - Joyner Lourenco, Narender Gahlot, Nick Fitzgerald, David Grande 
Doubtful - None
Suspended - Aitor Monroy

Key Players - Nerijus Valskis, Jackichand Singh

Megan Rapinoe has admitted her surprise at being included in the FIFA FIFPro Women’s World XI during The Best awards on Thursday – as she hasn’t played a match in the last nine months.

The U.S. Women’s National Team star tweeted her appreciation for the recognition but said it was proof of the need to promote the women’s game more to recognise the achievements of other players.

The FIFPro World XI is voted for purely by players, with 2020’s award considering those who featured between July 2019 and October 2020.

Rapinoe was voted in alongside Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, Millie Bright, Delphine Cascarino, Barbara Bonansea, Veronica Boquete, Pernille Harder, Vivianne Miedema and Tobin Heath.

She wrote on Twitter: "I am obviously very honored to have been recognized by my peers around the world who vote for the FIFPRO World XI. At the same time, it did come as a surprise to me that I met the criteria for selection as I haven't played in a match since March (2021, here I come!).

"We have so many phenomenal female players around the world and all of us need to do what we can to recognise them. The fact that I was selected once again sheds light on the fact that in order to push our game forward we need continued investment in the women's game to give more female players the opportunity to be seen on TV in their home countries and globally while performing for club and country.

"The future of our game is so bright, the potential is limitless, and our commitment to pushing it forward from every possible angle has to match that.

"Again, I am honored and flattered to have been recognized by my peers for this honor, and look forward to getting back out on the field in 2021!

"Congratulations to all the incredible women selected in the Best XI. Here's to another groundbreaking year in women's football! Happy Holidays, wishing everyone health and happiness!"

Currently playing for OL Reign in the NWSL, Rapinoe is one of women's football's most famous players. In 2019, she was named The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or after helping the USWNT to their fourth World Cup title.

The title for Best Women's Player in 2020 went to Manchester City and England right-back Lucy Bronze, on the back of a successful spell at Lyon.

Nigerians have taken to social media to celebrate Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski after he was named the best men’s player at the 2020 Best FIFA Football Awards.

Lewandowski saw off competition from Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award in a virtual ceremony on Thursday night.

The 32-year-old, who also won the Goal 50 prize for 2020, scored 45 goals last season to help Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga title and the Uefa Champions League.

After Fifa President Gianni Infantino handed the trophy to Lewandowski, football enthusiasts in Nigeria did not hesitate to applaud the 'deserving' recognition.

Marcus Rashford scored twice to spare Dean Henderson's blushes as Manchester United yet again came from behind to beat beleaguered Sheffield United 3-2 and go sixth in the Premier League.

A terrible mistake from goalkeeper Henderson, replacing David de Gea against his former club, put an early opening goal on a plate for David McGoldrick at Bramall Lane on Thursday.

Yet it was deja vu for the Red Devils as they produced another fightback, Rashford equalising and Anthony Martial scoring his first top-flight goal of the season to put them in front at half-time.

The visitors were a huge threat on the break as they bossed the second half and Rashford took his tally for the season to 12 as they made it 10 consecutive Premier League away wins, despite McGoldrick's late second ensuring a nervy ending.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men have had to come from behind to win all six top-flight matches away from home, while the Blades remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point from 13 games.

Henderson gifted the Blades the lead just five minutes in when he was caught dwelling on the ball by Oliver Burke, who set up McGoldrick for a tap-in.

An unmarked John Fleck should have doubled the bottom side's lead when he fired wide from just inside the penalty area after Phil Jagielka replaced the injured Sander Berge.

The ruthless Red Devils turned it around with two goals in the space of seven minutes, Rashford timing his run to perfection and controlling Victor Lindelof's ball over the top with a great first touch before clinically rifling home with his right foot.

Paul Pogba then set up France team-mate Martial with a brilliant first-time pass to put United in front at the second attempt 33 minutes in.

Pogba's brilliant skill and pass started a devastating counter-attack that gave Solskjaer's side a two-goal cushion six minutes into the second half, Aaron Ramsdale at fault as he allowed Rashford's shot to go under his body.

Only desperate Blades defending denied Martial a second goal before Lindelof's header from a corner hit McGoldrick on the head and went in to give the Blades hope, but they could not salvage a point after Henderson produced a brilliant save to deny Lys Mousset in stoppage time.

What does it mean? Red Devils make history on the road - but only just

Victory for the Red Devils sees them become only the fourth side to win 10 top-flight matches in a row on their travels.

They are also the only team ever to score two or more goals in 10 consecutive away games in the Premier League and the first in the top flight since Tottenham in 1960.

It means they are just five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand, but made hard work of preventing the Blades from doubling their points tally. Solskjaer and Chris Wilder exchanged words on the touchline in a nervy finale after Manchester United had looked set to see out a comfortable win.

Rashford ruthless, purring Pogba 

Two goals for Rashford will most likely earn the England forward the majority of the headlines and his first was a magnificent finish.

The performance of Pogba, who has come in for so much criticism, will also be a massive plus for Solskjaer.

His vision and technique to set up Martial's goal and class to set the ball rolling for Rashford's second showed just what he is capable of. Pogba also gained possession eight times as he performed his defensive work effectively.

Henderson redeems himself

Keeper Henderson was magnificent for the Blades in a loan spell last season but he had a nightmare start on his return to Bramall Lane.

He took far too long to distribute the ball as the visitors tried to play out from the back and was punished. 

Henderson showed why he is so highly regarded in the closing stages, though, showing great reactions to dive to his right and keep out Mousset's strike.

Key Opta Facts:

- Sheffield United have won fewer points after their first 13 games of a league season than any other team in English top-flight history (one).
- Manchester United are the fourth side in English top-flight history to record 10 consecutive away league wins, after Spurs (10 between April & October 1960), Chelsea (11 between April & December 2008) and Manchester City (11 between May & December 2017).
- The Red Devils have now scored at least twice in 10 consecutive away league games – the longest such run by a team in the top-flight since Spurs in October 1960 (also 10).
- Having only made one error directly leading to a goal in 36 Premier League appearances for Sheffield United last season, Dean Henderson made his first in just three appearances (two starts) in the competition for Man Utd.
- Marcus Rashford has scored 43 goals under Ole Gunnar Solskjær in all competitions - the most by any Manchester United player under a single manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

What's next?

Manchester United face old rivals Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday, when the Blades are away to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Senegal's Krepin Diatta scored a brace while Nigeria's David Okereke grabbed a goal as Club Brugge stretched their lead in the Belgian First Division A table with a 3-0 victory over Mechelen.

After a goalless first-half at the AFAS Stadion on Wednesday, Diatta opened the scoring for Philippe Clement's side in the 69th minute and five minutes later, he bagged his second goal of the night.

He was later replaced in the 84th minute after his contributions and David Okereke who came off the bench for injured Noa Lang in the 37th minute, sealed the victory with an 89th-minute goal.

Angola's Clinton Mata alongside the Ivory Coast duo Simon Deli and Odilon Kossounou were also in action for the visitors but Emmanuel Dennis did not make the trip to Mechelen as he continues to mourn his brother who died in a sailing race in the Southwestern part of Nigeria last weekend.

Despite Dennis’ absence, Diatta and Okereke helped Club Brugge stretch their unbeaten run in the First Division A to eight matches on Wednesday.

They extended their dominance at the summit to 36 points from 17 games, with second-placed Genk trailing by five points though they have a game at hand.

With nine goals to his name so far, Diatta is the second highest scoring African in the Belgian top-flight this season after Nigeria striker Paul Onuachu who has 14 goals for Genk.

The Senegal international is enjoying his best goalscoring run in a league season having surpassed his tally of seven goals in 22 league appearances last campaign.

Diatta and Okereke will be aiming to continue their fine form when Club Brugge host Gent for their next league fixture at the Jan Breydelstadion on Sunday.

Sheffield United’s disastrous start to the Premier League season is officially the worst in the history of English top-flight football.

Their battling 3-2 home defeat against Manchester United on Thursday means they have taken just one point from their first 13 games.

No other team has ever endured such a poor start to an English top-flight season. The Blades' only point came in a 1-1 draw against Fulham in mid-October.

Remarkably, nine of their 12 defeats so far have come by only one goal - including Thursday's game, as well as narrow losses to Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester City.

Chris Wilder’s side did take the lead early on against the Red Devils, with David McGoldrick profiting from an error from former loanee Dean Henderson in goal.

Marcus Rashford levelled the scores before Anthony Martial finished from Paul Pogba’s sublime pass in behind to see the visitors ahead at the break. Rashford scored a second after half-time before McGoldrick struck a late consolation goal for the home side.

Sheffield United are now nine points off safety and dead last in the Premier League. Burnley, the team currently occupying 17th place, also have a game in hand.

The contrast from last season, when their surprise European charge only fell away at the end of the term, could hardly be clearer. Wilder’s side’s 12 league defeats so far this season is as many as they suffered throughout the whole of 2019/20.

Meanwhile, McGoldrick’s opener was their first goal from open play since the Irishman’s effort against Arsenal on October 4, which ended a run of 59 open-play shots in the league without scoring.

"At this level you get punished if you don't take your chances,” McGoldrick reflected after the game. “We were in the game for the whole 90 minutes.

"We had a big talk after the Southampton game as players. We knew we were not performing and we set some things straight with a long chat in the dressing. If fans were here, I think we might have had a bit more momentum at the end.

"Every game until the end of the season. We are not giving up. We still believe once that first wins comes, we can build something."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that Dean Henderson is still "learning" after the Manchester United goalkeeper's gaffe against Sheffield United.

Henderson has found regular minutes hard to come by since returning to United from a two-year loan spell at Bramall Lane in the summer.

The 23-year-old was tipped to replace David de Gea between the sticks after the Spaniard's dismal 2019-20 campaign, but Solskjaer has kept faith with the Red Devils No.1 at the start of the new campaign.

Henderson has been restricted to just six appearances for the Red Devils as a result, but he was handed a rare start against his former loan club on Thursday night.

Unfortunately, the England international was unable to take full advantage of his chance to shine, with his inexplicable error in the fifth minute gifting Sheffield United the opening goal of the game.

The young shot-stopper was dispossessed by Oliver Burke after failing to clear his lines, and the Blades winger was able to knock the ball back into the path of the onrushing David McGoldrick, who made no mistake from close range.

Henderson's blushes were ultimately spared as the visitors staged another thrilling comeback, with a Marcus Rashford brace and an Anthony Martial strike giving Solskjaer's side a sixth successive victory on the road.

The Blades set up a frantic finale when McGoldrick grabbed his second of the night in the 87th minute though, and United's back-up 'keeper produced a brilliant save in stoppage time to prevent the hosts from grabbing a dramatic equaliser.

Solskjaer offered an honest assessment of Henderson's overall display after the final whistle, conceding that the net-minder is still developing his all-round game before praising him for his reaction to an early setback.

"The good, bad and the ugly, maybe in a different order. He is always learning," the Norwegian told reporters of the ex-Sheffield United star's performance. "He has probably been looking forward to coming back here and to get from that start shows his character for the rest of the game."

Asked if he was pleased with his team's 3-2 triumph at Bramall Lane, Solskjaer responded: "It could have been more comfortable. We were a little sloppy at 3-1 up. The corner that led to the second goal wasn't a corner but when it goes in it was really difficult because they are a handful.

"I thought all three goals were excellent. I wanted to test them here today, we knew it was going to be a physical test. The fight, we are going to get kicked. It is one of these games the boys will learn from."

The Red Devils head coach added on the prospect of a crucial home fixture against Leeds United at the weekend: "We need to sort the home form. It is not like it is home and away with these conditions without fans.

"We should be more used to the Old Trafford pitches than these pitches. Sunday is a massive game, we have been waiting for years and we will be ready for it."

Manchester United are good enough to challenge for the Premier League title this season, according to veteran midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side moved up to sixth in the table with another comeback win on Thursday, bouncing back from an early setback to beat rock-bottom Sheffield United 3-2 at Bramall Lane.

Around a third of the way through the season, United are now six points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

Coming from behind has been a specialty of the Red Devils this season but Matic wasn’t concerned by the early Dean Henderson error which allowed David McGoldrick to give the Blades the lead.

"I don't think we started slowly,” Matic told BBC Radio 5 Live. “We knew what to expect, that they would fight for their life. Unluckily we conceded a goal with a small mistake but we were capable of turning the game around and scoring three goals.

"It's a very important three points for us, it takes us closer to the top teams. They don't deserve to only have one point this season, but that's football.

"If we continue this way...it's going to be tight sometimes but we have to show our quality every single game. I believe we have the quality to fight for the title; if we are going to win, I don't know."

While Thursday night saw another three points head to Manchester, it also meant Sheffield United have now made the worst start to a top-flight season in the history of English football.

Solskjaer and his players are aiming considerably higher. Before the game, Matic’s fellow midfielder Fred outlined his ambition to see his side at the top of the table by the turn of the year.

United have tricky fixtures against Leeds United, Leicester City and Wolves to come before the end of December, as well as a Carabao Cup quarter-final away to Everton.

“If we can win all of them, we’ll be very close to the leaders at the top of the league or we could even take first place,” Fred told the club’s official website.

“So we’ll look to win every game and I’m certain our team will do everything to reach the top of the table and stay there.”

If United have confirmed their title aspirations by the end of that run, a potentially season-defining clash with champions Liverpool is just over the horizon – at Anfield, on January 17.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was delighted with Paul Pogba's performance in Manchester United's 3-2 win over Sheffield United on Thursday.

Pogba set up Anthony Martial's goal at Bramall Lane as United became the fourth side in English top-flight history to record 10 consecutive away league wins.

Only Alex Telles (96) had more touches than Pogba (91), while the France international won three of his six aerial duels and gained possession eight times.

United manager Solskjaer praised Pogba, who has been linked with a move away from the Premier League giants.

"We made a decision. Of course, we know [Pogba's] strength in the air. We knew he was going to be important for us. He won almost every single header," he told a news conference.

"His vision, creativity. Paul's responded really well to the work he's been doing. He's fit now. Excellent performance."

Marcus Rashford scored a brace, either side of Martial's goal, while Mason Greenwood was the only other United player to have multiple shots.

Solskjaer hopes the trio can build on their performances, with Rashford having netted five goals in six away games in the Premier League this season.

"I don't think it's a key to get them on the pitch, it's key to get them performing. We need them to kick on, to start scoring goals," he said.

"We've done okay without them really firing. They showed their capabilities, now we need their consistency. Very happy with all three of them."

United, who climbed into sixth in the table, made another slow start as a Dean Henderson error allowed David McGoldrick to open the scoring, with the Sheffield forward also netting a second late on.

Solskjaer was happy to come away with three points, with United only five points behind leaders Liverpool and holding a game in hand.

"I don't have any frustrations. We got three points from a difficult game, a difficult place. You don't expect it to be comfortable," he said.

"The goals we scored were excellent. You have to accept the opposition have weapons, armoury that can hurt you."

Solskjaer's men host Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp insisted there was no plan for Liverpool to dominate the world for years to come, insisting it was tough just to be successful in England.

After leading Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, Klopp was named The Best FIFA Men's Coach on Thursday, with four Reds also part of the FIFA FIFPro Men's World11.

After Wednesday's 2-1 win over Tottenham, Klopp's men are also three points clear atop the Premier League table this season.

But the German dismissed any talk about world domination, highlighting just how difficult it was to win in England.

"I don't think anybody will dominate English football – it's too difficult, 100 per cent. The league is too challenging, the calendar is too challenging," Klopp told reporters.

"We all have to make sure we get through these crazy times at the moment and all the other times as well. We had four players in the best team of the world in the last year – one we had to sign from Bayern [Munich], which was smart business, I would say. We obviously have a good team.

"All the other players could have been in that team, as well, because of their ability, so you see we have a really good team here. What you always need in life is a little bit of luck, so you can win football games.

"The more football games you win, the closer you come to winning trophies. If you are in the final or whatever, then you have to make the final touch, that's it.

"But we don't plan world dominance for the next years. We just plan for the next game, which is in 40-something hours at Crystal Palace."

As well as the breakthrough Premier League title, Klopp has led Liverpool to a Champions League title, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup since taking charge in October 2015.

But the former Borussia Dortmund coach said there was no chance he would become complacent.

"Oh, I'm 53 years old. I'm too old for flying, so it's easy for me to stay humble. The thing is I have just a world-class team, I work at a world-class club. With the players and people around me, it's our responsibility to be as successful as possible. That's it," Klopp said.

"Nobody has to worry that I could get satisfied – I don't really know how that works. There are no guarantees of success; the only chance you have is to work as hard as you can. If we do that, still no guarantee. But you can get at least a little bit. That's why we try absolutely everything every single day."

Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed his desire to represent the Nigeria national team and hopes his chance will come soon.

The forward has previously starred for the West Africans’ youth teams and was part of the side that won the 2013 U17 World Cup.

Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho and Watford attacker Isaac Success are two of his former teammates at the U17 level who have gotten their chances to play for the Super Eagles.

The 23-year-old has also played for Nigeria at the U20 and U23 levels where he has impressed and played a key role as the West Africans qualified for 2015 All African Games.

Awoniyi has been with Premier League side Liverpool since 2015 but he is yet to feature for the side and had made do with temporary deals away from Anfield. 

The forward is currently on his seventh loan spell with Bundesliga club Union Berlin and has been delivering fine performances for his club.

Awoniyi has registered three goals and provided one assist in 10 Bundesliga appearances in the 2020-21 season.

The forward has promised to continue his eye-catching displays at club level while hoping to get a chance to feature for Gernot Rohr’s side.

“The national team question for me is a big thing. I remember in the U17 and U20 days, the pride to wear the national colours is massive,” Awoniyi told Brila FM.

“I understand that the Country has talents in abundance, But I also have to stick to my principle of time and season and continue to work hard. When it’s my time I’ll take the opportunity and understand it for what it is.”

Besides playing for Union Berlin, the forward has also previously featured for FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, Gent, Mouscron and Mainz 05.

During his time with the 05ers, the 23-year-old suffered a severe concussion and was hospitalized after hitting his head with Felix Uduokhai.

Awoniyi will be expected to play a part for Union Berlin when they take on Borussia Dortmund in a Bundesliga game on Friday night.

The Iron Ones are currently sixth on the league table after gathering 18 points from 12 games.

After a 2-1 win against Odisha, Bengaluru are slowly and steadily becoming the team that they have come to be known for under Carles Cuadrat in the last two years. 

With each passing game, the Blues are becoming better and better at managing games that they don't even have to be at their very best in each game to secure all three points. That is the quality of a top team. 

It wasn't a brilliant display from Bengaluru against Odisha. But they did enough to remain unbeaten in the 2020-21 Indian Super League and at the end of the day, a solid display that wins points is what counts, above everything else. 

However, it cannot be said that they came against top-quality opposition. The players and the coach at Odisha have some thinking to do following Thursday's defeat. 

The ISL has seen coaches getting sacked a few games into the start of the season - December- January seems to be that time every season. Stuart Baxter does not have a lot of time in his hands to turn things around having gone six matches without a win. It is a run that includes five straight defeats. It must also be remembered he has a two-year-contract at Odisha. 

Odisha have been absolutely terrible this season. They have often look clueless in the final third, ineffective in midfield and puzzled at the back.

A fantastic Harmanjot Khabra cross from the right flank unlocked the Odisha defence for Bengaluru's opening goal. Sunil Chhetri rose above an out-of-form right back Shubham Sarangi to head in his 50th goal contribution in the ISL (42 goals and eight assists). Sarangi continued to be poor at his role and still has started every single game under Baxter which shows that they do not have depth or quality in their squad. 

Even after the restart, Odisha had no clue how to break a solid Bengaluru defence led by Juanan. Based on the first six games, Diego Mauricio and Manuel Onwu can neither play together nor can play alone without enough support behind them.

Marcelinho, who was given five minutes to make an impact off the bench in their last game, came on earlier against the Blues but the tightly-knit opposition easily rendered the Brazilian ineffective. It still doesn't explain one of ISL's best-ever goal contributor (49 goal and assists) not being a key player in the team, especially when the team is struggling in the final third. 

Steven Taylor equalised for Odisha and the joy lasted all of eight minutes. The Odisha defence once again switched off as Odisha controlled a long ball down the right flank and found Deshorn Brown inside the box who laid it off for Cleiton Silva to slot home. An easy goal was scored and more importantly, a valuable three points were registered. 

Cuadrat has drilled his side well and they are slowly coming into their own. 

Since 2013 when HRH Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ) embarked on the Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (JDT) project, there has been many players that have come and gone for the club that has won seven straight Malaysia Super League title.

The biggest name of all during this short period was undoubtedly Argentine Pablo Aimar who left such an indelible mark on the club and propelled their name onto the world football stage but after the former Valencia man left in 2014, there hasn't been anyone signed that was close to his stature as a player.

Once their appetite has been whetted, the fans of JDT have continually looked to TMJ to bring in the next big name with the likes of Fernando Torres and Lukas Podolski among those suggested. In an interview on Bola @ Mamak on Thursday, TMJ explained why that won't be possible although he went on to reveal that he was close to getting Alexandre Pato for the 2021 season.

"Yes, many players including Mesut Ozil. After investment in China, UAE, Japan and Korea, it is hard for us to sign any big players.There are no big name players who will sign for anything less than USD2.2 million. For just one player, that doesn’t make sense for the club. We don’t want to use the majority of our financial power for just one player and neglect the others.

"Yesterday (Wednesday) we had a chance with Pato who was available and I found out that it would take around USD1.8 million for his salary but in the end an UAE (United Arab Emirates) team offered USD 2.2 million and we could not compete with that," said TMJ during the interview.

What that explained is the structure of how JDT work when looking at player transfer and it would suggest that if an opportunity arise for the right price that TMJ would not hesitate to once again have a world renowned player adorning the JDT kit.

But that does not mean JDT will not look to do big things in other departments, just like the new partnership deal signed with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) earlier yesterday that will see the club raising funds for the betterment of children on top of displaying the UNICEF logo on their kit for the coming season.

Lionel Messi snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo in The Best FIFA Men's Player voting, while only naming eventual winner Robert Lewandowski as his third choice pick for the award.

Lewandowski picked up the annual individual prize in Zurich after being recognised by the majority of fans, journalists, national team coaches and captains for his outstanding 2019-20 season at Bayern Munich.

The Polish striker scored a staggering 55 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions last term, firing Hansi Flick's side to an unprecedented Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League treble in the process.

He beat off competition from Messi and Ronaldo in the final three-man shortlist, with the former denied his second FIFA gong and the latter missing out on a record-extending third win.

Football's main international governing body has now made the final votes public, giving supporters the chance to find out who their favourite players picked before the ceremony on Thursday.

Juventus talisman Ronaldo, who helped the club win a ninth successive Serie A crown last season, included Lewandowski, Messi and Kylian Mbappe in his final three, but was surprisingly not among his long-time rival's final choices.

Messi backed former Barca team-mate Neymar to win the accolade and put Mbappe in at second before giving a nod to Lewandowski, having seen both men inspire Paris Saint-Germain to their first-ever Champions League final.

The Argentine's decision to include two PSG stars is likely to raise a few eyebrows though, given the fact he has been heavily linked with a move to Parc des Princes next year.

Neymar expressed a desire to reunite with Messi in France at the start of the month, telling ESPN: "What I want the most is to enjoy playing with him again. He can play in my role, it wouldn't be a problem with me! For sure, next year we have to do it."

The 33-year-old pushed for a transfer away from Camp Nou in the summer only to perform a U-turn over his future amid the threat of a legal dispute, but his current contract is still set to expire at the end of the season.

Manchester City and Inter have been tipped to compete with PSG for Messi in the transfer market, having heard the six-time Ballon d'Or winner openly express his desire to leave Camp Nou during an exclusive interview with Goal back in September.