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Chelsea manager Frank Lampard believes clubs in Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions should be trusted to manage the attendance of fans at games.

The Blues welcomed 2,000 fans back to Stamford Bridge for games with Leeds United and Krasnodar following the conclusion of the second national lockdown, but there will be no spectators at the ground for the Premier League clash with West Ham on Monday after London was put up a level to Tier 3 restrictions, beginning on Wednesday.

Under those restrictions, supporters are not allowed to attend games - whereas those in Tier 1 and Tier 2 can welcome a maximum of 4,000 and 2,000 respectively.

The new restrictions for London mean only Everton, Liverpool, Brighton and Southampton from the 20 Premier League clubs will be allowed supporters in attendance - unless restrictions are loosened in other areas of the country such as Manchester in the coming days.

Lampard feels those teams who are allowed supporters in grounds hold an unfair advantage over those who cannot, and believes clubs should be trusted to manage the situation and limit risk.

“If some clubs can have them and some can't, we've seen I think already, I felt it on the pitch, the backing they give you and what it does to the game,” he said ahead of his side's game at Wolves on Tuesday. “I think that should be pretty level.

“I also think - I'm not telling the government what to do but - we can control 2,000 fans coming into the stadium, if they are coming from within their tier or however you want to do that to keep things moving along. So it is unfortunate to say the least.”

Questioning the government’s policy, Lampard added: “Let's get it right: we are making it up as we go along. That's not to sound critical, that's just a fact because we've never been in this position before. 

“I think when you are talking about if clubs can control that situation, I think they've shown it so far that they can.

“So, I would like to think there could be something done to make it exempt where we can get that 2,000 number in. But that goes above my station, I'm just saying what I think.”

Whisper it, but are errors starting to creep into Edouard Mendy’s game?

It’s a situation Chelsea supporters will dread, and for good reason. The Blues were besieged with several challenges with Kepa Arrizabalaga last term but the acquisition from Rennes looked to have spread calm across a backline that had lost every shred of assurance in the Spain international.

The 28-year-old Senegal keeper gave a prelude to his impressive shot-stopping on his League Cup debut at Tottenham Hotspur, before proving with performances vs Sevilla and, especially, Manchester United away that he could be relied upon between the sticks.

Indeed, the presence of Mendy in goal and Thiago Silva in central defence had given Frank Lampard a foundation to finally build upon, but both were jointly culpable for the 1-0 defeat by Everton on Saturday night, a result that ended Chelsea’s 14-game unbeaten (17 if you include that Carabao Cup game at Spurs) run.

However, while observers have tried to paint the Brazil centre-back as equally blameworthy in the concession of the penalty, a closer inspection clearly puts the fault at Mendy’s door.

Admittedly, the South American was beaten in the preceding aerial duel by Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Jordan Pickford’s long ball upfield; still, he had the situation largely under control and looked to be easing the England forward away from goal.

Blues left-back Ben Chilwell was also close to his international teammate, meaning Mendy’s error of judgement could have arguably been avoided.

The mistake at Goodison Park followed the West African’s early error against Leeds United in the previous gameweek, an encounter the five-time Premier League champions roared back to win 3-1.

On that night at Stamford Bridge, the misunderstanding between the goalie and Kurt Zouma saw old boy Patrick Bamford take the ball beyond the onrushing Mendy to slot into an empty net. The pair seemed to leave the responsibility of dealing with Kalvin Phillips’ brilliant through-ball to each other, and that momentary period of indecision saw Marcelo Bielsa’s side edge in front.

The goalkeeper’s fault vs the newly-promoted side wasn’t costly, but Saturday’s was, which undoubtedly amplifies the consequences of Mendy clattering the in-form Everton striker.

As is usually the case with Lampard, the Chelsea boss didn’t single out the towering shot-stopper for the loss, instead choosing to express discontent at his team’s general attitude on Merseyside.

“He’s been fantastic since he’s been here. I don’t think it was clearly just his mistake either. The mentality of the team to deal with second balls in the early parts of the game wasn’t so good,” the club legend remarked post-game. “This is a team who are well organised, who wanted to stop us playing.

"When you give them that head start it’s very difficult. We didn’t quite do enough but I don’t think we necessarily deserved to lose the game.

“We are a work in progress and nights like tonight may happen. I don’t like them, but that’s the challenge for us. We need to bounce back very strong. Let’s see on Tuesday.”

Choosing to be ever-diplomatic was understandable; after all his team had been impressive for the majority of their unbeaten run, showing they could be expressive as they were vs Leeds and could shut up shop if need be, as seen at United.

The immediate goal will be avoiding a repeat of the Goodison showing at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, where they were second-best for intensity, as well as prevent a slump reminiscent to last year in which the Blues faltered significantly in the winter after an impressive unbeaten run in the autumn.

As for Mendy, the sky certainly isn’t falling as he remains a formidable goalkeeper, even though reservations will now start to grow over his sweeping adeptness and overall decision-making when he has to rush out from his goal-line.

The two mistakes were striking due to the Senegal star’s choice to commit to winning the ball when a more-measured approach will have given his defenders more time to stop the opposition’s attack — Everton — or made the forward’s job a bit more difficult than easily going past him to slot into an empty net — Leeds.

Knowledgeable observers will quickly point out that it’s par for the course to have the goalkeeper off his line when the backline generally maintains a high line. While this is true, it means the Senegal goalkeeper has to improve that side of his game going forward as he’ll be put in those situations intermittently for the rest of the season and his career at the club.

Despite the mistake, though, an encouraging sign for Lampard was how Mendy seemed unflappable for the remainder of the encounter and made a few saves to thwart Richarlison from adding to Everton’s advantage. Had the Blues been a bit more free-flowing in the final third and equalized, the headlines may have focused on the ex-Rennes man keeping his below-par teammates in the game in which they eventually forced a draw.

However, Chelsea were left to rue an early gaffe by their shot-stopper whose impact in West London has been immense. Wolves will present another challenge for Mendy, who will want to avoid any sticky moments at Molineux.

It is, frankly, the last thing Lampard and supporters can afford, especially after the headache endured in 2019/20 with Kepa who lost the confidence of the men in front of him and led them to the assured Senegal colossus.

Petr Cech’s return to playing action with Chelsea did not work out as he would have hoped as he conceded two goals in a 3-2 win over Tottenham in Premier League 2 action.

The Blues great retired from the professional ranks in 2019, following a couple of seasons at Arsenal, but returned to the Chelsea coaching staff later that year.

In October of this year, his name surprisingly figured in Chelsea’s 25-man Premier League squad, with the club confirming he was included as emergency cover.

Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Willy Caballero are ahead of Cech in the goalkeeping pecking order, so he is unlikely to secure any playing time in the first team.

However, he was named as a starter against Tottenham in the Premier League 2 match on Monday evening.

Cech, who made 494 appearances during an 11-year Chelsea career which earned him 13 medals, was the high-profile figure on the pitch, but he got off to a poor start when conceding on three minutes.

The goalkeeper had little chance of keeping out Jubril Okedina’s effort, which came about after a ball from a corner was lofted back into the box.

However, disappointingly for Cech, the corner came about after his attempted pass to a team-mate went straight out for a corner.

Tottenham were completely dominant in the opening period and Cech conceded again on 17 minutes.

He started to come and collect a cross from Harvey White, but the ball had too much fizz on it and Cech was in no-man’s land as Dane Scarlett beat him with an excellent header.

Cech was embarrassed with his distribution prior to the opening goal and he was almost left red faced again with a sloppy pass, but a Tottenham attack was halted by a foul.

Chelsea were much improved after the break and quickfire goals from Marcel Lewis and Myles Peart-Harris drew them level.

Cech had little to do in the second half - his only piece of handling came when he caught a cross in injury time - until the 73rd-minute when a mass brawl broke out after a poor tackle from Alfie Devine on Danny Drinkwater.

Both players were shown red cards, and Cech came out to act as peacemaker and usher Tottenham youngster Devine away to ensure he did not get into any further trouble.

Chelsea continued to dominate, and goalscorers Lewis and Peart-Harris combined for the winner on 88 minutes - with the former cutting the ball back for the latter to fire home and send the Blues top of the table.

Cech was not the only legendary name to appear on the pitch at Kingsmeadow, as Maurizio Pochettino - son of former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino - came on as a late substitute for Spurs.

Mario Balotelli can be an essential player in helping Monza achieve their century-old dream of top-flight football for the first time in their history, according to agent Mino Raiola.

The veteran striker raised eyebrows this month when it was announced that he had signed for the Serie B outfit, following his dismissal from Brescia ahead of the new campaign earlier this year.

The Italy international, who has carved out a tumultuous reputation off the pitch to match his maverick talents on it, has reunited with former Milan chairman Adriano Galliani in the Lombardy region.

The arrival of the 30-year-old forward is seen as a further sign of the club's ambition, as they aim to secure Serie A status for the first time ever, following their promotion from Serie C last term.

Speaking on the move, agent Raiola feels that the attacker has chosen a team where can make himself a lightning rod for new opportunities, hailing Galliani for his vision in the process.

"[Balotelli] can be fundamental for Monza," he stated, speaking at this year's Golden Boy awards.

"His potential is undisputed but he is behind in his preparations and we will do everything we can to get him in top condition.

"Having Balotelli sends out a signal that Monza do not want to play in Serie B for long. Galliani is a person I respect very much. Our friendship goes back to his time with Milan."

Balotelli had previously been training with Serie D outfit Franciacorta earlier this year while he was a free agent, in order to keep up his fitness.

His availability piqued the interest of a host of sides, including a reported bid by lower-league English outfit Barnsley to bring him to South Yorkshire.

As recently as a fortnight ago, reports indicated that he had agreed a move to join Vasco da Gama in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, taking him out of Europe for the first time in his career.

His choice to join Monza keeps him in his home country,  with his new club set to next play Virtus Entella in Serie B on Tuesday.

Hyderabad are looking for their second win since their season opener while East Bengal are yet to score their first goal in the Indian Super League (ISL) as the two sides go head to head at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, on Tuesday evening.

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Hyderabad FC Possible XI:   

Injured - Joel Chianese, Luis Sastre, Fran Sandaza
Doubtful - None     
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Aridane Santana, Liston Colaco      

East Bengal Possible XI: 

Injured - Aaron Holloway, Danny Fox, Sankar Roy 
Doubtful - None
Suspended - Eugeneson Lyngdoh    

Key Players - Anthony Pilkington, Jacques Maghoma       

Former Senegal international Ousmane N'Doye has claimed he has brokered peace between Demba Ba and Sebastian Coltescu.

Coltescu and Ba were two of the leading figures in the controversial Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir earlier this month that saw the game halted for 24 hours after the two sides side walked off the pitch due to an alleged racist incident.

Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo was sent off for his reaction to what he perceived as racial abuse from Coltescu, the game’s fourth official.

Ba, who was on the bench for Basaksehir at the controversial moment, had an exchange of words with the official over what he heard.

N'Doye witnessed the incident and on account of his background playing in Coltescu's native Romania and being a former Senegal national alongside Ba, he felt he was well placed to act as an intermediary.

The 42-year-old contacted Coltescu and Ba and put them in touch for a conversation which lasted over half an hour and ended on a positive footing.

“When I was in Romania, I met a lot of people there, I know how Romania works,” N'Doye told Sport.ro. “If something happens to someone you know about, you have to say something. I saw Sebi's character at matches – my favourite referees know each other.

“I found out Coltescu's number and I told him I was with him. I know he's not racist at all. It was a misunderstanding. I talked to Demba Ba, he's my very good friend. I provided the assist for his first goal with the national team.

“I explained to him and he understood very well. I gave Sebi his number and I told him to call him to talk.”

N'Doye was not party to the conversation, but says both Coltescu and Ba called him back to say the conversation was positive and amicable.

“They talked and they got along very well,” N'Doye said. “They both called me back and told me they were very happy. Demba told me that Sebi is a very good man, as did Coltescu about Demba. The two got along.”

N’Doye claims he does not want any recognition for what he did, merely putting the two in touch and finding common ground was reward enough.

“I don't want a prize unless it's polenta! I'm tired because I've been called by journalists everywhere and with newspapers from Senegal,” he said.

“I've never seen racism in Romania – people were shocked when they found out what I said about Romania. It's my country!

“I explained that to Demba. He said that he had not heard anything bad from Coltescu but believed that the word 'black' should not be used in the stadium. He did not say it was racism, he said that you can't use that word in the stadium and Sebi understood that.”

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has credited divine intervention for saving him from a more serious injury after the Ligue 1 club revealed his ankle problem wasn't as bad as first thought.

The Brazilian attacker was stretchered from the field in tears in stoppage time of PSG's 1-0 league defeat to Lyon after a mis-timed challenge from Thiago Mendes, who was shown a red card after a VAR review.

Despite Neymar looking in significant pain as he was taken from the field, the French champions revealed that scans on his ankle injury have revealed a sprain rather than a fracture.

The 28-year-old credited his faith for helping alleviate his injury situation and vowed to return from the issue as quickly as possible.

"It could have been worse, but once again God saved me from something serious. My cry was of pain, despair, fear, anguish, surgery, crutches and other horrible memories," Neymar posted on Instagram.

"I hope to recover and return as quickly as possible."

Neymar has had to battle several serious injury issues throughout his career at PSG, including separate metatarsal fractures in 2017-18 and 2018-19 that kept him absent for more than 30 matches combined.

The player's father, Neymar Sr., believes his son doesn't get enough protection from referees on the pitch and that too often the victim is the player that is injured.

"Damn… how much longer? We have spoken about this so much, we have so underlined the excess of violence," Neymar Sr. wrote on Instagram.

"Why not stop it at the beginning, with the first foul, why wait until the seventh, eighth, ninth foul? 

"We are not taking the necessary measures throughout the whole game, where Neymar suffered the usual rotation of fouls, and always violent ones. 

"This encourages these types of players and attitudes. If this sort of thing is allowed to continue, football will really lose a lot.

"FOR HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THE VICTIM BE THE ONE AT FAULT?"

PSG have slipped to third in the Ligue 1 standings behind Lille and Lyon, and will face the former away on Sunday after a match at home against Lorient on Wednesday.

Neymar will be hoping to recover from his injury in time to face his former club Barcelona in the Champions League knockout stages in February.

Nigeria youth international and Hapoel Ra’anana attacking sensation Peter Olawale has fired his agent Emeka Ezeala for shying away from his responsibilities.

The 18-year-old was part of the Flying Eagles squad to the ongoing Wafu U20 Zone B campaign in Benin Republic where Ladan Bosso’s boys failed to qualify for the 2021 U20 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Mauritania.

According to reports, Olawale lost patience with Germany-based Ezeala and all efforts to reconcile both parties proved futile.

Confirming this development to Goal, the Israel based striker claims he took the decision after consulting with family members.

“It is true that I have parted ways with my agent Mr. Ezeala and I strongly believe that the decision is a good one for my career,” Olawale told Goal.

“Before he became my agent, we discussed at length on what were expected from him, but four months gone, my family and I reviewed his performance and he fell short of expectations.

“Since I moved to Israel, I have not set my eyes on him and he doesn’t know what I’m going through and he doesn’t even care to know.

“There are more to this, but I feel it’s time for me to move on with my career. Before the start of 2021 hopefully, I will reveal the identity of my new representative.”

The Tripple 44 Academy product was highly sought-after thanks to his fine performance at the 2019 Fifa U17 World Cup Brazil.

Having been handed a starting berth for Nigeria's third group game versus Australia, the forward beat goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic with a terrific, curling, left-footed shot midway through the first half.

Although Manu Garba’s Golden Eaglets crashed out of the Round of 16, Olawale attracted interest from a host of European teams like Borussia Dortmund, Lille, Galatasaray and Anderlecht but he settled for Liga Leumit side Hapoel Ra'anana for an undisclosed fee.

The 18-year-old made a dream start to life at the Karnei Oren Memorial Field – scoring for the club on his debut as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hapoel Rishon Lezion Yehuda in an Israeli Youth League fixture.

Juventus will need to put Leonardo Bonucci on the naughty step again after drawing Porto in the Champions League knockout stages, joked president Andrea Agnelli.

The Bianconeri will face off with the Portuguese outfit next February in the first match of a two-legged tie, following today's last-16 draw.

The game will mark the pair's first encounter since they met at the very same stage four years ago, when Juve ran out 3-0 winners on aggregate across the combined fixtures.

Italy vice-captain Bonucci sat out the initial 2-0 win at Estadio do Dragao however following a bust-up with then-head coach Massimiliano Allegri, though he did return for the reverse encounter.

The 33-year-old made headlines however when cameras captured him sat awkwardly on a bar stool near club officials, watching forlornly as Juve ran out comfortable winners.

Reflecting in the wake of the two sides' scheduled rematch nearly half-a-decade down the line, Agnelli quipped that current boss Andrea Pirlo might have to put Bonucci back on his perch for luck.

"We're a little bit superstitious," the 45-year-old said at Monday's Golden Boy awards, where he was named Best European President. "We joked we need to find a stool for Bonucci immediately."

Agnelli stressed that Juve would not be taking any fixture lightly however, adding: "[But] we must never lower our guard. We have been eliminated from this competition too often despite the odds.

"We need to face Porto with seriousness. They have a great European tradition."

Agnelli further paid tribute to Pirlo's managerial style, after the ex-Bianconeri player succeeded Maurizio Sarri earlier this year, as well as offering praise for the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo.

“We are fascinated by Pirlo’s ideas," he added. "It was nice to see how he formed his staff; there is attention, modernity and humanity.

"Ronaldo’s sense of humour is what no one would expect and we appreciate it every day."

Juve next face Atalanta on Wednesday as they look to keep their unbeaten Serie A record intact this season and keep the pressure up on early pacesetters Milan.

Their visitors will likely prove no pushover however, having also secured their own Champions League last-16 berth this week, with a tie against Real Madrid to come in the new year.

Frank Lampard admits that Thiago Silva needs to play a key leadership role in Chelsea's Champions League run after seeing his side draw Atletico Madrid in the last-16.

Silva arrived from PSG on a free transfer in August after captaining his former side's 1-0 Champions League final defeat against Bayern Munich.

Now the 36-year-old wears the captain's armband for Lampard's side, with regular skipper Cesar Azpilicueta increasingly finding himself on the bench.

In being one of the few experienced players signed by Chelsea in recent times, Lampard admits that he will lean on his Brazil international to lead the group through any potential run in the competition.

“He’ll be very important and he’s not the only one,” Lampard told reporters ahead of a trip to Wolves on Tuesday. “Other players have got Champions League experience in what's without a doubt the top club competition in world football.

“It requires concentration and focus as well as talent levels because it is so intense. Players that have been there and done it - Thiago was the captain in a final not long ago - will be able to pass on experience and be very aware of those levels over two legs against a team as experienced as Atletico.”

The draw with Atleti was described as the toughest one possible by Lampard, as they occupy second position in La Liga with two games in hand over table-toppers Real Sociedad.

Chelsea faced Diego Simeone's outfit in the group stage in 2017 and were knocked out by his side in the semi-final in 2014. Having fought so hard to qualify for the competition last season, Lampard is excited to pit himself against one of the world's most respected managers.

“I like a team which is the image of their manager and I think he’s certainly proven that over the years he’s been there with the discipline of the team, how they are very strong with their game plan,” he added.

“When you watch them, you understand the way they play. You could watch them on TV, turn the colour off and you would still understand that Atletico Madrid are playing. They are very sure in the way that they play.

“They have quality players around that as well and the manager has driven that club for a lot of years, so they are a very confident and experienced European outfit.”

Chelsea's appearance in the latter stages of the Champions League comes in a season where a £220 million ($275m) summer spend on new signings has seen the club grow in stature.

A recent defeat to Everton ended a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, but Lampard's side have been tipped to compete for honours across the board. 

Lampard himself, meanwhile, has continued to play down his side's chances, particularly in the Premier League, but he admits that the points total to win the title will likely be lower this season.

“That’s just where we’re at this season, you’ve seen the results,” he said. “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.

“Watching the games yesterday, you saw that all over the place. The league is getting tighter for whatever reason. Teams are strengthening, they’re well organised. I felt that our preparations ahead of the season were slightly different, so we see ourselves as a bit of a work in progress.

“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.”

Raheem Sterling says the Premier League title race is wide open but insists that if Manchester City can start taking their chances, they are capable of winning a third crown in four years.

City currently sit ninth in the table but have a game in hand, which if they were to win, would move them to within three points of leaders Tottenham.

But with just 17 goals from 11 games after Saturday's 0-0 draw with Manchester United, exactly half the number they had at the same point last season, Sterling believes City need to be more clinical.

“There are so many teams that are in [the title race],” he said ahead of Tuesday's clash with West Brom. “Everyone is playing really well, and in some games teams are losing points - like the other day when we lost points and the other big teams lost points.

“It's open and there for the taking. We need to be more consistent, which I think we have been doing, in terms of not losing games. Now it's time to score a lot more goals and finish our chances.”

Sterling is City's top scorer this season with seven goals in all competitions, but has only three in the Premier League.

After scoring more than 20 goals in his last three seasons, including a career-high 31 in the last campaign, the England international is disappointed with his own return.

“I put emphasis on [goalscoring] but at the same time I haven’t scored as many goals as I would have liked,” Sterling added.

“It has been a tough start to the season for different reasons but we are still in a good position and that is the most important thing for me.

“We could be further down the table but that is not the case and we are still getting the results and grinding results out.

“There will be a period where the penny drops for everyone in the team and we've just got to stick at it and that's the exact same for me as well.”

With City legends such as Vincent Kompany and David Silva leaving the club in recent years and an injury sidelining Sergio Aguero, Sterling is now one of the senior players at the Etihad Stadium.

And the winger, who turned 26 last week, says his experience has altered his role in the squad.

“It's pretty much the same in terms of my position on the pitch,” he said. “I'm a player that likes to score and assist goals for my team, but of course growing up you do gain experience.

“You get told that when you're younger but you start to see it for yourself and start to identify situations that in the past you probably wouldn’t have.

“I can definitely say that my role within the team has changed.”

Pep Guardiola believes Mikel Arteta is the right man to lead Arsenal despite their awful start to the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, their fourth straight home league defeat, which represents their worst such run since 1959.

The Gunners are 15th in the table, 10 points off the top four and only five points clear of the relegation zone.

The decline under Arteta, Guardiola's former Manchester City assistant, has been swift as Arsenal ended the previous campaign on a high with FA Cup success.

Pressure is building on the manager, who has failed to get the best out of his key men - most notably, captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The striker, who signed a lucrative new contract ahead of the campaign, has netted just twice in the league this term, while his first career club own goal unfortunately proved decisive against Burnley.

As Aubameyang has struggled, Arsenal have scored just 10 league goals through 12 games, their lowest figure at this stage of a top-flight season in 39 years.

Only Newcastle United, Burnley, Sheffield United and West Brom have had fewer shots (124) and shots on target (40) than Arsenal, but Guardiola would continue to back Arteta.

"Arsenal doesn't have a manager to lead this club in the next years better than him," the City boss told reporters.

"I don't have to give my support, because he has it and knows that he has it.

"He is one of the best managers I ever worked with, of course, and seen directly - for his personality, his commitment, his love for his club. Without his love for his club, he still would be here.

"I'm pretty sure he will turn it over and do it like everyone expects.

"Sometimes when a club comes from not a good period, it needs time. I know in this world, [people think] it doesn't need time.

"If I was part of the board at Arsenal, I would not have any doubts about his quality and capacity to put Arsenal in the place that Arsenal deserves to be."

City have had their own problems this season, sitting ninth after an underwhelming goalless draw at rivals Manchester United on Saturday.

With Tottenham and Liverpool also drawing and Chelsea beaten, none of the perceived "top six" won - evidence of the strength of the Premier League, according to Guardiola.

"Always I had that feeling - even the years we won and won and won a lot of games - how difficult it is," he said.

"That makes me think that it doesn't matter what happens, if you beat Fulham or draw against Man United or draw against Leeds, it is always difficult.

"Sometimes I want to give credit to what we have done. We know we have to make a step forward but I am pretty sure we will do."

The nature of the stalemate at Old Trafford drew criticism, with City mustering just nine shots - two on target - and failing to score in a second consecutive away league game for the first time since January 2017.

"Apparently I have a completely different opinion about the approach that we wanted to do, that we want to do all the time," Guardiola said.

"But I know the standards that this club and this team has from the last years. I know handling this is more difficult, but we accept it.

"We are just in early December and have many months ahead and know exactly what we have to do to get better."

Erling Haaland has described agent Mino Raiola as "the best in the world", with the Borussia Dortmund star stating that he hopes to continue with the Italian for the foreseeable future.

The 20-year-old was named this year's Golden Boy award winner on Monday, succeeding Joao Felix as the holder of the honour for 2020 after a remarkable 12 months.

Haaland was not the only one to pick up a gong at the ceremony however, with Raiola also awarded an award for the best agent in Europe over the past year.

The attacker was quick to share the limelight and praise with the 53-year-old afterwards, speaking warmly on the pair's relationship and hailing him for his assistance.

“He is the best agent in the world," he stated. "He’s been helping me so much, I want to continue to work with him."

Haaland's success this week is at odds with Dortmund's own domestic struggles, with a 5-1 humiliation against Stuttgart this weekend confirming that they are off the pace of their 2019-20 efforts.

Head coach Lucien Favre paid the price on Sunday with his dismissal, with assistant Edin Terzic handed responsibility in the top job until the end of the season.

But despite a rocky campaign to date, Haaland has reaffirmed his commitment to the club too, stating that he has ambitions of personal and collective silverware while he remains.

"My future?" the Leeds-born starlet responded when asked. "I'm happy at Borussia Dortmund. I've spent a great year with Favre and I want to thank him [for that].

"The Ballon d'Or is my dream here, as is the Champions League - but I'm happy with the Golden Boy."

Haaland also took the chance to hail fellow Norway international Jens Petter Hauge, with the winger having followed in his countryman's footsteps as the latest major talent to make the leap from his home country to the major European leagues with Milan.

"Hauge is my friend," he added. "Keep an eye on him. They have taken in a real talent and he's playing at a beautiful club in Milan. They're in an excellent league and they can do great things."

Red Bull Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch is unwilling to entertain thoughts of a future with Borussia Dortmund, insisting he is focused only on his own side amid speculation linking him to the vacant managerial hot-seat.

The Bundesliga heavyweights parted ways with Lucien Favre on Sunday following a 5-1 humiliation against newly-promoted Stuttgart, leaving them six points adrift of the summit after 11 games.

It brought to an end a two-and-a-half year spell for the former Nice boss, who guided them to DFL-Supercup glory against Bayern Munich last year, but has failed to prise the league crown away from the Bavarian outfit.

Assistant coach Edin Terzic has been handed the reins at least until the end of the 2020-21 campaign, with Dortmund still in Champions League knockout contention and a whisker away from the domestic top four.

Speculation, however, has already turned to potential full-time candidates to take the helm next year, with former New York Red Bulls boss Marsch and Borussia Monchengladbach coach Marco Rose two early frontrunners.

Marsch however - who led Salzburg to a domestic double in his first season in charge last term - is not open to idle consideration, and states that the Austrian outfit remain his number-one priority.

"We already talked about this topic last year," the Wisconsin-born coach told Sky Sports, referring to previous links. "Then maybe again in the summer. Now my work is here in Salzburg.

"I don't have time to think about what will happen to other clubs."

One potential mark against Marsch may be back-to-back third-place finishes in the Champions League group stages, having failed to reach the knockout rounds once more this term.

Conversely, Rose - who is contracted at Gladbach until 2022 - sealed progression to the last-16 in Group B this week, setting up a tie with Manchester City next February.

Dortmund themselves meanwhile have been handed a tie with Sevilla after topping Group F, while Salzburg will face off with Villarreal in the Europa League round of 32.

The former will look to get back to winning ways in the Bundesliga on Tuesday against mid-table Werder Bremen, while the latter face Rapid Wien in an Austrian Cup clash.

Neymar’s father has launched a blistering attack on football’s top brass and referees following the foul that saw his son stretchered off for Paris Saint-Germain against Lyon.

In added time of PSG’s 1-0 loss to Lyon on Sunday, Neymar was the victim of a tough challenge from Thiago Mendes - who was sent off following a VAR review - and the Brazil international left the field on a stretcher.

Tests on Monday have suggested the ankle injury is not as bad as had been initially feared, but Neymar’s father believes the time has come for administrators and officials to protect players from violent challenges.

Taking to Instagram, Neymar Sr said:  “Damn… how much longer? We have spoken about this so much, we have so underlined the excess of violence. 

“Why not stop it at the beginning, with the first foul, why wait until the seventh, eighth, ninth foul? 

“We are not taking the necessary measures throughout the whole game, where Neymar suffered the usual rotation of fouls, and always violent ones. 

“This encourages these types of players and attitudes. If this sort of thing is allowed to continue, football will really lose a lot.

“FOR HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THE VICTIM BE THE ONE AT FAULT?”

Making it clear that Neymar Sr feels the buck stops with the referees, he said: “It is up to the person who controls the match, the person who has the opportunity to protect… ahh… 

“What can we do? I hope that God looks after you.”

PSG confirmed on Monday that Neymar had suffered a sprain as opposed to a fracture, but they did not specify the timeframe for the 28-year-old’s return to the field.

The loss on Sunday resulted in PSG slipping to third in Ligue 1, albeit only a point behind Lille and Lyon. 

PSG have three games, Lorient (December 16), Lille (December 20) and Strasbourg (December 23), before Ligue 1 takes a break for the Christmas and New Year period.

Given the pain Neymar appeared to be in when he left the field, it would be a surprise were he to return to action before PSG travel to Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 on January 6.

Asante Kotoko coach Maxwell Konadu reveals new Brazilian signing Fabio Gama Dos Santos is edging close to his first appearance for the club.

Despite sealing a transfer to the Porcupine Warriors in October, the 28-year-old is yet to turn out for the Kumasi-based side in a game due to fitness concerns.

Before his Kotoko switch, he was inactive for seven months, having last played for Swedish second division fold Jonkoping Sodra, with whom he parted ways in March.

"He is now almost ready while we are working on his documentation, his fitness level is now good. I was impressed with the way he trained this week," Konadu said, as reported by Footballghana.

“So let's see the coming days, everything is ready and we will be introducing him very soon."

Gama, a former Brazil U17 and U20 star, is the third Brazilian to sign for Kotoko in the last 15 years following Gleisson de Souza Ferreira in 2005 and Hermes da Silva in 2013.

"I will train individually for now because I’m not 100 per cent fit yet but as soon as I get ready, then I will start training with the team,” Gama was quoted by 3 News as saying last month.

“I can play like 15, 20, 30 minutes in the meantime and hope to be fit to help my teammates get a great season.

"If I'm being frank, I want to be a champion here. I didn't come here just to play but to be a champion - to win the domestic league and the Caf Champions League with Asante Kotoko."

Gama's acquisition has, however, been criticised by many, including former players of the club. 

“Signing Fabio Gama is a waste of money. Kotoko’s recruitment is poor. They don’t give the player’s time to settle and grow. Sacking players every season is their major problem," former Kotoko midfielder Ashitey Ollenu told Energy FM.

Former Kotoko striker Amed Toure is also unhappy by the club's decision: "We will pray for him [Gama] because I have said that the Ghana Premier League is not easy. It’s a game of ‘men’. But it also depends on the condition under which he will play in Ghana,” the Ivorian told Energy FM.

“I have seen pictures of the pitch Berekum Chelsea and Kotoko played on. Do you think he can play on this kind of pitch? Or you take him to Dormaa, do you think he can play well over there? Are you sure he can play at Tarkwa? Sometimes these things matter.

''So for me, although Kotoko is my former team and it’s where I started my professional career, for me I think it is useless."

Gama has also featured for Swedish side Varnomo and Brazilian clubs Bahia, Botafago-SP, Botafago, Serrano-BA, Operario-MS, SE Gama, ABC, Itabaiana-SE and UR Trabalhadore.

Sergio Aguero has returned to training with Manchester City and is in contention for the Premier League game with West Brom.

City boss Pep Guardiola was unable to call upon Aguero at Manchester United at the weekend due to illness, but the striker has returned to training and could be involved against the Baggies on Tuesday.

"Today he has trained, the last two or three days he did not,” Guardiola said of Aguero. “After today's training, we will decide on Tuesday.

"Eric Garcia is still not fit, Oleksandr Zinchenko neither. The rest are okay."

Aguero has been hampered by injuries this season, restricting the club's all-time leading scorer to just five appearances in all competitions, and Guardiola said at the weekend that the player would return to the side " one step at a time. "

City will be expected to return to winning ways when they host West Brom regardless of Aguero's availability, having won 13 on the spin against their next opponents in the league.

Indeed, the visitors have never recorded a victory at the Etihad Stadium, their last away success over City coming at Maine Road back in February 2003.

Guardiola has praised John Stones for his impressive recent form and made it clear all members of his Manchester City squad must be ready to play when required.

Stones has started three Premier League games in a row alongside Ruben Dias in the heart of the City defence, all of which have resulted in clean sheets.

The England international has seized his chance since earning a recall - he played in the 3-1 win over Wolves to open the league campaign, but had not featured in the competition prior to starting the 5-0 victory over Burnley on November 28.

His form has seen him keep Aymeric Laporte out of the line-up, though Guardiola is not interested in any complaints about a lack of minutes from within his squad, considering the crowded schedule City face in the coming weeks during the festive period.

"It depends on the performance," the City boss said when asked about Stones' selection ahead of Laporte during his media conference on Monday.

"John is performing well, so that's why he's playing. But there are a lot of games and anything can happen.

"Everyone has to be ready, I've told them that many times. Don't complain much, because around the corner you have the chance. Maybe not, but you have to be ready."

City drew 0-0 at Manchester United on Saturday in an uneventful derby, making it the third successive game against their neighbours in which they have failed to score.

It was just the fifth goalless draw between the sides in 47 Premier League meetings, albeit three of those stalemates have come in the last 11 clashes.

Mumbai City had to settle for a 1-1 draw against a 10-man Jamshedpur in the Indian Super League 2020-21 clash at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Monday.

The Islanders dominated the proceedings right from the off but failed to convert their chances in front of goal. Jamshedpur, on the contrary, were happy to sit back and defend.

Mumbai head coach Sergio Lobera accepted the fact that his side failed to score as they came up against a really strong side.

"They played really well defensively. We create our chances but we couldn't score. Sometimes this happens. We need to improve and we need to manage the situation and the game better. We have our chances," Sergio Lobera said after the game. 

The Men of Steel were reduced to 10 men after Aitor Monroy was sent off for a challenge on Rowlin Borges. Mumbai City failed to make use of the advantage and Lobera thus believes his side dropped two points. 

"I feel we lost two points. Obviously, in a different situation, you feel a point is enough but today, I feel we lost two points."

Mumbai City remain top of the table with 13 points from six matches and up next for them is a game against Hyderabad on December 20.