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Harry Kane will be “rubbing his hands together” at the prospect of facing a makeshift Liverpool back line, says John Aldridge, with Jurgen Klopp told he may have to try and “outscore” Tottenham at Anfield on Wednesday.

The Premier League’s top two are due to lock horns on Merseyside in an eagerly-anticipated encounter.

There has been nothing to separate Klopp’s side from Jose Mourinho’s men through 12 games, but an opportunity to establish some daylight at the summit is about to present itself.

Defending champions Liverpool will be going in search of a morale-boosting victory with their options in defence having been decimated by injury.

Joel Matip has joined Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the treatment table, with the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson – who are more at home in midfield – being asked to provide cover.

Klopp would have been hoping to avoid such selection posers heading into a crunch clash with fellow title hopefuls, with Aldridge of the opinion that a more adventurous approach may have to be taken against Spurs as Liverpool seek to counter any leaks at the back.

The former Reds striker told the Liverpool Echo: “You'd imagine Harry Kane will be rubbing his hands together given the injury problems at the back we're suffering and he'll probably be fancying himself whoever he's up against on the night.

“Liverpool might find their best approach on the night is simply to try and outscore Spurs.

“The problem you've got against a side like them is if they get the first goal, with the way Jose Mourinho sets his stall out.

“We've seen a few times already this season how difficult they are to break down if they get their noses in front and they're good at making life difficult for the opposition.

“If we get the first goal, it would force them out to come out a bit and it could end up being a really good game but if it's the other way around, it could be shades of Chelsea a few years ago.

“That's the kind of game Mourinho likes to make it so we are going to need some ingenuity from our front three.”

Orlando Pirates midfielder Thabang Monare has been ruled out of Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League clash against Chippa United at Orlando Stadium.

The former Bidvest Wits star could not go further than the 24th minute after getting injured during last Saturday’s MTN8 triumph over Bloemfontein Celtic and was replaced by match-hero Thembinkosi Lorch.

He will now miss the hosting of the Chilli Boys as he explains the extent of his injury, while also talking about settling in at Pirates whom he joined from Bidvest Wits in October.

“I went to do a scan so nothing is torn or broken. It is just a bone bruise,” Monare told Marawa Sport Worldwide on Radio 2000.

“That is a positive for me to hear so I am now looking forward to recovery and coming back to help the team. I’m not really sure [how long I will be out] but the doctor spoke something like a week or two.

“It feels good [being a starter at Pirates]. Looking at the team, we have a solid squad and for the coach to believe in my abilities it really means a lot also to be involved in a Cup final for a club like Orlando Pirates."

On Wednesday, Pirates who have recorded draws in their last two league matches, will be missing one man in their 'MMM' midfield combination of Monare, Ben Motshwari and Fortune Makaringe.

But Monare plays down that partnership as he draws in other players as being more effective than just the MMM.

“There is a lot of chemistry within the team. A lot of people obviously see us on the field of play but off the field we chill together, talk football, talk ideas together, how to defend, penetrate. We are talking about the game most of the time,” said Monare.

“Most of the things actually happen off the field where we discuss how we can improve each other and ourselves as individuals so that we can help the team moving forward. There are also players like [Linda] Mtambo, [Nkanyiso] Zungu, [Siphesihle] Ndlovu. We have a strong team. Looking at those guys, we have a top team.”

At Pirates, Monare found a number of players he shared the dressing room at Wits with including, Frank Mhango, Motshwari, captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Deon Hotto. 

“It’s so good [finding people he played with at Wits]. But right now we are under different instructions at a team where keeping the ball is more important,” Monare said.

“Obviously you have to learn from the guys that have been there and the new management that we are under right now. It makes life easier to work with faces that you once worked with before.”

Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as an option for Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez to consider as he pushes for the exits at Atalanta, with Goal learning that Angel Di Maria has been in contact with his fellow Argentine.

The talented 32-year-old forward is eager to secure a move during the January transfer window after suffering a breakdown in his working relationship with Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini.

Gomez has vowed to lift the lid on how an alleged bust-up came to pass, but only after he has been freed to head elsewhere.

An internal rift appears to have broken beyond repair, meaning that a switch in 2021 is becoming increasingly likely.

Atalanta would have preferred to avoid parting with their talismanic captain, but they are not about to sever ties with a coach that has guided them into the latter stages of the Champions League in successive seasons.

Gomez is, therefore, having to mull over potential landing spots as he considers taking on a new challenge.

He is wary of hanging around at Atalanta, being frozen out and missing the chance to force his way into Argentina’s plans for the 2021 Copa America.

Offers have already been tabled for his services, with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr understood to have made a €15 million (£14m/$18m) bid before details of the dispute with Gasperini emerged.

Atalanta accept that, even after tying Gomez to a deal through to 2023, that they would need to do business with a team from Asia in order to generate a sizeable transfer fee – with two teams in China also said to be sniffing around.

Gomez, though, is looking to be granted a free transfer, meaning that Atalanta would avoid the need to pass on 30 per cent of any money generated to his former employers at Catania.

The South American is also eager to remain in Europe, rather than land a lucrative deal further afield.

Staying in Serie A would be his preference, with it possible that Roma and AC Milan could firm up their reported interest in a domestic rival.

San Siro would be a welcome landing spot for Gomez as he would like to remain close to Bergamo, the city he loves and where he has other business interests.

A move outside of Italy is not being ruled out, though, and PSG have entered the equation.

Di Maria, who remains on the books at Parc des Princes, is understood to have sounded out his compatriot and revealed that PSG director Leonardo is a big fan of his playmaking qualities.

The presence of two more Argentines in the French capital, Mauro Icardi and Leandro Paredes, could also work in PSG’s favour, along with the relatively low costs involved in completing a surprising coup.

Marquinhos has addressed rumours linking Lionel Messi with Paris Saint-Germain, admitting that the Barcelona superstar is a "great player".

Messi, who has spent his entire career to date at Camp Nou, is approaching the final six months of his current contract at Barca.

The 33-year-old tried to activate a clause in that deal which allows him to leave the club at the end of any season in August, having been powerless to prevent the team from falling to a humiliating Champions League defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich.

However, after considering the potential legal ramifications of forcing through a transfer amid pressure from both Barca and La Liga, Messi ultimately decided to stay put, and has since resumed his role as club captain under new head coach Ronald Koeman.

Speculation over the Argentine's future is still swirling though, with PSG, Manchester City and Inter reportedly leading the race to sign the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Parc des Princes talisman Neymar, who played alongside Messi at Camp Nou between 2013 and 2017, fuelled talk of a potential move to France for his former team-mate after starring in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League at the start of the month.

Marquinhos has now expressed his admiration towards Messi, while refusing to rule out the possibility of the Argentina international's arrival at PSG in 2021.

"We'll see what happens. At times we are rivals with the national team and at club level. Messi is a great player," the Brazilian defender told beIN Sports.

"We all know what he is capable of and we will see what happens."

Messi will come up against his potential suitors in the Champions League knockout stages, with Barca set to face PSG in the round of 16 for the first time since their stunning comeback victory over the Ligue 1 champions in 2016-17.

The Blaugrana lost the first leg 4-0 in Paris before staging a remarkable turnaround to progress 6-1 on aggregate, and Marquinhos is embracing the challenge of coming up against the Catalan giants on Europe's biggest stage once again.

"It's a great match to play in. It's a great opponent and a great challenge. We expect a great battle and we will have to be prepared for this match," he said.

"We saw the draw; there were not many opponents left, we were ready to see any opponent come out."

Neymar inspired Barca to victory over PSG three years ago, but Marquinhos says his compatriot will be determined to have the same effect for Thomas Tuchel's side when the tie kicks off in February.

"The team has changed a lot at home. We have more maturity, the context will be very different. Neymar hurt us at that time," he added.

"Now he is with us and he really wants to play this match and make us win."

Thiago Silva has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain performed a transfer U-turn as he prepared to head for the exits at Parc des Princes, but he had already given his “word” to Chelsea.

The experienced Brazil international spent eight memorable years in the French capital.

Across that spell he took in 315 appearances, landed seven Ligue 1 titles and graced the Champions League final, however, he was allowed to run down his deal towards free agency in 2019-20.

With PSG prepared to let him walk away for nothing, Silva entered into talks with interested parties and eventually agreed to take on a new challenge in England at Stamford Bridge.

His former employers did eventually acknowledge the error of their ways, as the 36-year-old headed for the exits, but it was too late by then for any extension talks to be held.

Silva told Canal Football Club of his departure at PSG: “At the beginning, there was no offer to renew my contract.

“Leonardo called me, told me I wasn’t a part of the club’s project and said I could leave. After the Champions League final, he called me back and asked me if I’d signed with another club. I said no, but I’d given my word to Chelsea.

“For me, the word is the most important. Once you’ve said something, you have to follow through. You can’t change your mind like that. And, I think they changed their mind after the Champions League because I showed my quality.”

Silva’s leadership and defensive nous was on full display during PSG’s historic run through to the 2020 Champions League final, but he had faced questions of his value prior to reaching a continental showpiece.

He admits to feeling disappointed at how he was treated, with a man who has quickly become a key part of Frank Lampard’s plans in west London of the opinion that he was deserving of better.

Silva added: “What saddens me, it’s that I spent eight years there and I was judged on the last three games. Everything I’d done before didn’t matter.

“For me, it’s sad to make a decision like that, but it’s football. That’s how it is. Now I have to look forward and to keep working for Chelsea. It’s a club that deserves it.”

Silva has overcome an early wobble and communication issues at Stamford Bridge to help push Chelsea into Premier League title contention, with his arrival in England forming part of an elaborate summer rebuild from Lampard.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has admitted he knew they will face a difficult game against Mbeya City in a Mainland Premier League match on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi were forced to use every trick in the book to edge out Mbeya City 1-0 in a match played at Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya.

Taifa Stars striker and skipper of the team John Bocco was the hero for the champions after he scored the all-important goal in the first half of the match and despite piling pressure in the second period, the match ended 1-0.

The Belgian tactician has now confessed he was afraid they could lose in the match and has further complimented his players for putting up a good show to come out of the match with three points.

“I give a lot of compliments to my team because we set that this would be a tough match and after 90 minutes, we were right about that,” Vandenbroeck said as quoted by Daily News.

“I am very happy with the defensive, mental, and physical output from my players but I am not happy with the technical part...I think we could have cooled down the game more but three points is all that matters and we will now focus on our Wednesday match against KMC.”

Vandebroeck further admitted that his players struggled to deal with second balls something which slowed down their push for goals.

On his part, Mbeya City coach Mathias Lule blamed missed chances for losing the match to Simba.

“For now, we need to learn how to score goals from the good chances we create. We are going to sit down and find the way forward on how to wisely use the sourced chances.

“We always get a chance to enter into the 18-yard box of our opponents but, the main problem is to put the ball behind the net. We must get a long-lasting solution to this.”

Bocco has now scored eight goals so far in this campaign and is leading the scorers’ chart, and his goal came after an assist from Zambian midfielder Clatous Chama.

Simba are now on 29 points and in second position while Yanga are topping the 18-team table with 37 points from 15 points, but their rivals still have two matches in hand.

Xavi will return to Barcelona as coach at some point in the near future as life at Camp Nou remains part of his DNA, says Javier Saviola.

The Blaugrana legend continues to see a return to his roots mooted at regular intervals after hanging up his boots and stepping into the dugout.

Coaching teeth are being cut in Qatar with Al Sadd, with their top job taken on in 2019 and Xavi has impressed during his time in the Middle East, with his vast experience being put to good use.

The general consensus is that a path back to Barca will be taken at some stage, with an emotional homecoming having been talked up by many.

Any desire to make such a move has been resisted to this point, with early approaches from Catalunya knocked back.

That has allowed the likes of Quique Setien and Ronald Koeman to take the reins, but the former was relieved of his duties after a matter of months and the latter is struggling for consistency.

Presidential elections are also due to be held at Barca on January 24, with a few of those in the running suggesting that they would look to take Xavi back to Camp Nou if given the chance to do so.

Saviola believes it is only a matter of time before the World Cup winner, who made 767 appearances for the Blaugrana in his playing days, embraces the opportunity to fill a demanding post.

“I think he will end up coaching Barcelona, it's his DNA,” former Barca star Saviola told Radio Marca.

“He's developing as a coach to gain experience and prepare for taking over at Camp Nou. I am sure he will choose when and how he returns to Barcelona.”

For now, Koeman continues to call the shots in Catalunya and is looking to establish some much-needed momentum heading into the festive period and New Year.

He will be hoping to have Barca up to full speed and challenging domestically by the time Champions League football returns to the agenda in February.

The Blaugrana have been handed the toughest of last-16 tests in that competition, with Lionel Messi and Co preparing to take in a reunion with Neymar and a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain side.

Saviola added on that eagerly-anticipated contest: “Just the best teams are left now and you can't take any draw for granted.

“Football is very even and any team can make a two-legged tie complicated. I don't think the Champions League will have much to do with league positions for any team.”

Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo has expressed his pleasure to rejoin his teammates after overcoming an undisclosed illness.   

The 24-year-old missed the Gers’ Europa League game against Lech Poznan as he has been battling with ill health since returning from international duty with Nigeria.

The midfielder will be expected to return to action for Steven Gerrard’s men when they face St Mirren in Wednesday’s League Cup tie.  

Aribo has explained how he has missed football action during his inactivities and warned Rangers to be battle-ready for their clash against the Buddies. 

“It is always good to be back with the boys. When I'm out I miss it a lot,” Aribo said in a pre-match press conference.

“I'm happy to be back playing football. The strength and depth of our squad have shown.

“St Mirren is a tough match and as a Cup game you know it will be a difficult challenge and we have to bring our best.

“We take each game as it comes, our focus is only on the next match. You need to be 100% focused on St Mirren.”

Aribo has featured in several positions for Rangers this season, including a wing-back role and the versatile midfielder has revealed he is prepared to assist his team in any way they need his help.

 “I'm not really fussed about playing either midfield or attack, I just want to be involved,” he continued.

“It depends on the opposition, sometimes I prefer starting from deep, other games I like to start further up the pitch.”

Aribo featured for four minutes against Dundee United last weekend and has praised the impact of James Tavernier, who got a goal in the encounter.

 “Even from the view I had on Sunday I was amazed by the goal from Tavernier,” he added.

“Hoping he can keep up this amazing form and keep doing what he does. A few of the boys were watching him take free-kick the day before so we're not surprised.”

Aribo has made 14 appearances across all competitions for Rangers in the 2020-21 campaign, scoring four goals.

The Super Eagles star will hope to continue his fine form for the Ibrox Stadium outfit on Wednesday night. 

Romelu Lukaku is “better than Harry Kane”, according to Nicola Ventola, while Christian Vieri says Bayern Munich frontman Robert Lewandowski would struggle to match the Belgian’s goalscoring feats at Inter.

The Nerazzurri moved to snap up a proven frontman during the summer of 2019.

With Lukaku having grown disillusioned with life at Manchester United, a fresh start in Serie A was presented to the 27-year-old.

That opportunity was gratefully received, with an immediate return offered on a £75 million ($100m) investment.

Lukaku hit 34 goals across his debut campaign, as Inter reached the Europa League final, and has added a further 13 to his tally this term.

His 47 efforts have come through just 66 appearances, with the Belgium international proving to be one of the most prolific strikers in the global game.

Ventola believes Lukaku could be considered the best number nine on the planet, with the ex-Inter forward prepared to rank a star at San Siro above a talismanic presence at Tottenham.

“I think Lukaku is better than Harry Kane,” Ventola told BOBO TV.

Vieri, another former Inter goal-getter and one-time team-mate of Brazil icon Ronaldo, added: “If Lukaku would play for Bayern Munich he’d score as many goals as Lewandowski. But Lewa would not score as much if he played for Inter.”

Antonio Cassano, who also spent time with Inter in his playing days, was another to join the debate regarding exciting forwards in Milan.

He considers Lautaro Martinez to be “five times better than Lukaku” and says the Argentina international is “a mix between Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.”

Lautaro has been unable to match the output of his strike partner at San Siro, but he is held in the highest regard and still has plenty of potential to unlock in his game.

Moves to Barcelona or Manchester City have been mooted for the highly-rated 23-year-old, with his record at Inter now including 36 goals through 101 appearances.

He is a different kind of forward to Lukaku, one able to drop deeper and influence proceedings with his quick feet and creativity, but he has shown that he knows where the back of the net is and is expected to take up a standing among the global elite at some stage in the future.

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Liverpool will make a late decision over the involvement of Joel Matip in their top-of-the-table clash with Tottenham.

The Cameroon international was forced off at half-time during the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday, with Klopp revealing afterwards he had suffered a back spasm.

Matip has undergone intensive treatment since, but Liverpool are unsure whether the 29-year-old will be fit to partner Fabinho at centre-back when Spurs visit Anfield on Wednesday night.

“We don’t know yet,” he told his pre-match press conference. “Only two days ago we played, and he left the pitch with a back spasm.

“The physios worked pretty much 24 hours on him. We will see. We have another session today, and we will see.”

Liverpool’s injury list is already a lengthy one, with Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri already sidelined for various reasons.

Klopp confirmed that none of those would be available against Spurs but said midfielder Naby Keita could return having missed the Fulham game with an unspecified problem.

“Naby maybe,” Klopp said. “He was involved yesterday in the extended warm-up, I would say. There is another session today, and we will have to see how he reacts to that.

“With the others, no. No-one else.”

On Keita, who has managed just 10 appearances so far this season, he added: “Naby has no rhythm, that’s the truth. That’s because of different things, and that obviously doesn’t help, performance-wise.

“We have two days between games, and we have to make a decision – is he ready? Whatever you do in the rehab process, you cannot replace proper football training, and we don’t have a lot of football training because of the number of games we have.

“In Midtjylland, everyone who has seen Naby Keita playing, knows that was obviously not his best. Normal and explainable with a lack of rhythm, but obvious.

“Now we had to make a little step back with him. It’s not too serious, that’s why he’s back in training.

“Nobody is in doubt about Naby’s qualities, but when you are injured you need to get a little bit lucky that you don’t get re-injuries. He didn’t have that luck. We try to be as careful as we can, consider the personal situation of the boys. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.”

Ronald Koeman has hailed Lionel Messi as he closes in on Pele's one-club goal record, while expressing his belief that the world will never see another player like the Barcelona captain.

Messi, who continues to be linked with a Barca exit although hasn't yet held any discussions with other clubs,  has scored a staggering 642 goals in 746 appearances for Barca since making his senior debut back in 2004.

The 33-year-old has set a mark as the club's all-time leading scorer which will likely never be broken, while winning a whole host of honours on both team and individual levels, including four Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga titles and six Ballon d'Or awards.

The Argentine's latest strike gave Barca a vital 1-0 home win over Levante on Sunday , and he will likely lead the line for Koeman's side once again when they play host to current league leaders Real Sociedad in midweek.

Messi is now only one goal away from matching Pele's record of 643 goals for Santos, which currently stands as the highest number of goals one player has ever scored for a single club.

Koeman says the fact the diminutive playmaker has caught up to the Brazilian legend already serves as further proof of his standing as the greatest player of the modern era, and has talked up his importance to Barca ahead of Sociedad's arrival at Camp Nou.

"They are impressive figures, we will never see a player like that again, who has given so much happiness, that is why he is number one and is so important," the Dutch head coach told a pre-match press conference

"We saw him [shine] the other day, we depend on him. I do not know how many hat-tricks he has scored... once again, it's amazing what he's done for this club."

Koeman also reserved praise for fellow countryman Frenkie de Jong, who provided the inch-perfect pass for Messi to run on to and score against Levante.

The 57-year-old has credited the midfielder for his intelligence on the ball, but wants to see him use his qualities to affect the game in the final third on a more consistent basis.

"He was always a player who could build from the back, he did it in Ajax and the national team, but he has the qualities to be offensive," Koeman said of De Jong.

"He is very fast with the ball and can break the lines, we are working with him to build-up play but also to be more important in the last part of the field. He is very smart in his game but he can do more to break the lines."

The Barca manager went on to give an update on the fitness of Ousmane Dembele, who was sidelined with another hamstring injury after a 2-1 defeat at Cadiz on December 5 .

"He is training individually, he is not yet part of the group and I do not want to give dates. Hopefully it can be early because he is a player we need," he said.

The Blaugrana learned their Champions League fate after the draw for the round of 16 was completed on Monday, with a repeat of their thrilling 2016-17 tie against Paris Saint-Germain now scheduled for February.

Koeman is hopeful his team will be in far better shape by then after a mixed start to the 2020-21 season, as he added: "It is always complicated, the games are played in February and March and it is not known how we will be or how they will be, there is nothing certain and we hope to have everyone available.

"We will be stronger than we are now; they are a team with ups and downs too but we have to wait and see when we face each other. I think we will be better."

Jose Mourinho has started to fan the flames ahead of Tottenham’s crunch clash with Liverpool at Anfield, with the Portuguese rubbishing claims that the Reds are suffering an injury crisis.

For the Spurs boss, his opposite number, Jurgen Klopp, is contending with just one “big injury”.

He concedes that Netherlands international Virgil van Dijk is almost impossible to replace, with the Dutch defender having been sidelined with knee ligament damage since October.

Klopp has since lost the likes of Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner and Diogo Jota to unfortunate knocks, with Liverpool’s squad being tested to the full.

The Premier League champions have, however, invested heavily in ensuring that they boast the required strength in depth.

With that in mind, and with there still an abundance of riches at Klopp’s disposal, Mourinho is not buying that the Reds are in trouble.

He told reporters ahead of a meeting between the Premier League’s top two on Wednesday: “Give me Liverpool's list of injuries and compare that with what is the best Liverpool team.

“Liverpool has a big injury, which is Van Dijk.”

Tottenham have had to contend with injuries of their own this season, with Gareth Bale not yet up to full speed after returning to north London on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

Quizzed on whether the Welshman could figure against Liverpool, Mourinho said: “We still have a training session. Yesterday (Monday) he didn't train with the team, he trained inside. At the moment I'd say no, but we'll see.”

While a lack of sharpness is keeping Bale stuck on the sidelines, England international midfielder Harry Winks is seeing fierce competition for places deny him regular game time.

Asked if the 24-year-old has sought an explanation for his lack of minutes, Mourinho said: “Yes, he came to me. Not just him. Many players come to me.

“I have my office on the first floor and a little space on the ground floor by the dressing room to make it so easy for them. Yes, Winks came to speak with me, yes.”

Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso are among those keeping Winks out, with that pair battling between themselves for a starting berth.

Pressed on that selection call, which has been seeing a France international get the nod, Mourinho said: “It's not difficult. Difficult is when you don't have any one of them.

“Can they play together? Yes. The physical condition for both is very important. To play with the two together, we need them to be fit and play with the right intensity. And they will.

“I'm not saying tomorrow or Sunday or next week but they will play together. It's not a problem when I have both growing up and playing quite well.”

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has explained why his team is struggling to post good results in the FKF Premier League.

The Kakamega-based side under coach Nicholas Muyoti has had a faulty start to the 2020-21 campaign with the team managing to secure one victory, losing one, and drawing one.

They started the season with a 1-0 win against promoted side Vihiga United, drew 1-1 with Posta Rangers, and then lost 2-0 to KCB in their last league match.

The club’s boss has now told Goal the reason they did not enjoy a good start as expected.

“I must admit we have not started well in this campaign and it is all because we don’t have our regular players in the squad,” Shimanyula told Goal on Tuesday. “We don’t have six players because of various reasons, some are injured and some are out because of sickness.

“We have been using players from our youth team in the league matches and remember they don’t have the needed experience, but I am happy they have always worked hard to get us results.

“Against KCB, our six regulars were not available, and the coach had to use the players from the youth team, it is the reason we are having a difficult time but I want to promise our fans that this will come to an end soon.”

Shimanyula continued: “Most of the players have now resumed training and could be available for our next assignment. I know we will see a great improvement from our first three matches.”

Last season, Homeboyz finished second behind winners Gor Mahia when FKF moved to end the season owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and Shimanyula is confident they will still fight for the title in this campaign despite the poor start.

“We don’t have to panic at all, it happens to many teams not only us, it happens even in Europe, you can see teams having a bad start but when they get things right, they go all the way to win the title,” Shimanyula continued.

“We don’t want to give up this soon, it is only three matches played and soon we will get our rhythm back.”

According to the fixtures, Homeboyz will next take on Gor Mahia at home on Saturday.

Rio Ferdinand has echoed Roy Keane in condemning the pleasantries which followed the final whistle in a Manchester derby date between United and City, with the former defender saying someone needs to tell Harry Maguire that the Red Devils do not do hugs.

The England international centre-half was seen embracing and joking with Three Lions colleague John Stones at the end of a drab goalless draw on Saturday.

Former United captain Keane spoke out afterwards against the apparent desire of those in the modern era to be “mates with everybody”, with passion ebbing away from what should be the most highly-charged of contests.

Ferdinand is another to have pointed out that “hugs all around” would not have been accepted during Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic reign at Old Trafford, with Maguire and Co needing to learn quickly that there is no place for friendship in the heat of Premier League battle.

He told FIVE: “Boring Manchester derby. Normally there’s pushing and shoving, normally there’s some needle in the game, some goals. This was just a 0-0 borefest, and at the end hugs all around.

“I think it’s been well documented on social media. Listen, the new generation are different, we can’t expect them to be the same as the way we were. We weren’t hugging and kissing any Man City players or Liverpool players when we were playing because it was just a mad rivalry.

“Didn’t like them, didn’t like being at their stadium for longer than we needed to be, didn’t want to bump into any City fans during the week or after and the players, we were amicable. I get on with Joleon Lescott, Vinny Kompany among others, Joe Hart, Gareth Barry, all players who played for Man City at the time.

“But during the time we weren’t close and hugs wouldn’t have been part of what we were doing. A good shake of the hand, ‘how are you doing mate’ with a grimace. There was an undertone there because we were rivals, it’s as simple as that.

“I don’t understand, I don’t get the hugging really. It’s not something I’ve done, I would’ve been on at people for doing it. But I understand this generation are different.

“I’ll never forget, and this is what needs to happen. When I played for Man United, the first Manchester derby I played in was at Maine Road, the old Man City stadium.

“We got beat 3-1 I think, [Shaun] Goater scored a couple and they beat us. Coming into the changing room I could feel it, I could sense the atmosphere. Sat down, Ruud van Nistelrooy walks in with a Man City shirt. He’d swapped a shirt.

“Sir Alex Ferguson went off his head, he went nuts. He didn’t go red, he went purple. He went mad. He absolutely flipped, ‘don’t you ever come into a changing room after a derby with a shirt of theirs. Ever. Don’t bring one in this changing room’.

“From that moment I knew. I had the feeling before, but I was in no uncertain terms after I left the changing room that day that hugs and kisses, swapping shirts don’t happen in Man United vs Man City.

“That’s the way that I was shown at the beginning and that’s the way I continued. The question now is... is that the law being laid down now by the people that are there?

“Is there someone looking at a picture of the captain [Maguire] hugging one of their players? They might be mates, that’s fair, that’s fine, but is there someone in there saying, ‘listen, we don’t do that in here, what are you doing?’

“Who is that person telling him that? That’s the difference.”

Chelsea have been guilty of trying to "play too nice" this season, according to Frank Leboeuf, who says the Blues must learn how to win "dirty".

Everton handed Chelsea their second Premier League defeat of the season at Goodison Park on Saturday night.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's first-half penalty was enough to give the Toffees a 1-0 victory as Frank Lampard's side struggled to create any clear-cut openings.

The result saw the Blues slip to fifth in the table, three points behind current leaders Tottenham, with a tough clash away at Wolves up next on Tuesday.

Leboeuf was disappointed by a perceived lack of fight from his old club against Everton, and has also criticised Thiago Silva and Edouard Mendy for their failure to prevent Dominic Calvert-Lewin from stealing in and winning the game's decisive penalty.

"I was upset because that game reminded me where Chelsea was full of international foreign players and not capable of fighting with the real 'English fighting spirit'," the former Chelsea defender told ESPN .

"It’s what happened on [Saturday]. You have to be a warrior, you have to sometimes be dirty and half of the team is not capable of doing that.

"The team is young, they have maybe no experience and you have to find a way to win.

"Don’t make mistakes at the back – like we saw the hesitation between Thiago Silva and Mendy – you have to make sure you score goals and steal a result in a way by winning 1-0.

"Chelsea tries to play too nice football, nice in the middle of the park but not effective on [Saturday], especially up front and at the back."

The Blues have already been dubbed serious title contenders after a strong start to the season, but Lampard played down any talk of a run to domestic glory ahead of his team's trip to Molineux.

“That’s just where we’re at this season, you’ve seen the results,” he told a pre-match press conference. “We felt it first-hand at the weekend at Everton. They’ve got good players; they invested in the squad, are well organised and made it difficult for us.

“We feel that we’ve already lost some points that we maybe shouldn’t have. Everyone will feel that in their own mind and I think the level of points will be less. I think we have to try and make sure we maintain our levels to keep improving.”

Granit Xhaka could join Mesut Ozil as the next senior star to be frozen out at Arsenal, says Martin Keown, with the hot-headed midfielder warned that “huge mistakes” may leave him with no way back.

The Gunners saw another moment of madness from a seasoned performer hinder their cause during a Premier League clash with Burnley.

An all too familiar rush of blood from Xhaka saw a red card flashed in his direction, with Mikel Arteta’s side going on to suffer a 1-0 defeat with 10 men.

Keown admits changes need to be made at Emirates Stadium on the back of the club’s worst start to a season since 1974-75, with messages from the coaching staff not getting through.

The former Gunners defender wants to see the man calling the shots make bold decisions for the good of the collective cause, with it possible that Xhaka could become an outcast as part of that process.

“Mikel Arteta's long-term vision is clashing with Arsenal's current predicament,” Keown told the Daily Mail.

“It is something of an understatement to say his attempt to switch to a back four has not worked. The last four Premier League results playing that way are: lost three, drawn one. It is relegation form and Arsenal are in crisis.

“Going into the Aston Villa game last month, Arsenal had the best defensive record and had just won at Old Trafford for the first time in the league since 2006. All with the back five with which they won the FA Cup and Community Shield.

“True, they lost against Villa with a back five and the lack of creativity in a game they should have bossed was alarming - but I don't think the manager needed to change it because of one result.

“Clearly Arteta's plan is to play 4-2-1-3. But for that to work he needs two world-class central midfielders. He may have one in Thomas Partey but the Ghanaian is out for a while after being rushed back too soon from injury for the Tottenham game.

“Arsenal are still searching for the right balance in centre midfield, unlike Spurs, who have the perfect duo in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Moussa Sissoko, prepared to go to war for their manager.

“Which brings me to Granit Xhaka. Of course, he will be under fire after Sunday's sending-off against Burnley, and rightly so.

“He just does not get around the pitch quickly enough. He has made some huge mistakes - so many in fact you would be surprised if there is a way back under Arteta.

“If the experienced players cannot do it, it is time to trust a youngster in the heart of midfield. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is an England player and he was superb in that position against Rapid Vienna. He has great pace, is good in possession and can defend.”

Arteta will get the chance to tinker with his plans when Arsenal return to Premier League action on Wednesday in a home date against Southampton.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has confirmed the new date for the Tusker vs Gor Mahia Premier League match.

The match pitting the champions against the Brewers was first planned to kick off the 2020-21 season but was cancelled owing to Gor Mahia’s involvement in the Caf Champions League.

FKF has now confirmed the match will be played on December 16, Wednesday, at Kasarani Stadium.

Gor Mahia have also taken to their social media pages to confirm the new date by stating: “Our next assignment will be against Tusker on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at Kasarani Stadium, kick-off 3 pm.”

Tusker under coach Robert Matano started the season with a 2-1 defeat against AFC Leopards then drew 0-0 against Bandari and thumped Western Stima 5-2 away in Kisumu.

On the other hand, Gor Mahia have only featured in one league match so far in this campaign – beating Ulinzi Stars 1-0 courtesy of Jules Ulimwengu's strike – on December 12 at Nyayo Stadium.

The league match will give Gor Mahia enough preparation as they prepare to take on CR Belouizdad from Algeria on December 22 in the second preliminary round of the Caf competition.

Gor Mahia secured their ticket to the stage after eliminating Rwandan giants APR on a 4-3 aggregate win, losing the first leg 2-1 in Kigali before returning home to win 3-1.

A week ago, FKF refused to sanction Gor Mahia’s request to play a lucrative friendly against Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan away in Khartoum by stating the record champions were behind in the 2020 season and must play their league matches to catch up.

In the letter to cancel the friendly, signed by CEO Barry Otieno, FKF wrote: “Reference is made to your letter dated December 8, 2020, with regard to a friendly match between Gor Mahia FC and Al-Hilal Sports Club, scheduled to take place on December 16, 2020, in Sudan.

“In this regard, and as you are aware, we wish to inform you that the FKF Premier League is ongoing and your club has a match against Tusker scheduled for Wednesday, December 16, 2020.

“Consequently, we regret to inform you that it will not be possible for you to travel to Sudan from December 14, 2020, to December 17, 2020.”

Already Mathare United and Zoo FC have been removed from the league for failure to endorse the StarTimes, with the top-flight now having 16 teams.