Looking for Soccer News?

Jordan Henderson has vowed to remain “switched on” if he is required to continue filling in at centre-half, with an untimely injury suffered by Joel Matip forcing the Liverpool captain into an unexpected positional shift.

Jurgen Klopp was forced to get creative with his tactics once again on Sunday during a clash with Fulham.

The reigning Premier League champions found the going tough at Craven Cottage, with a second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah salvaging a point in a 1-1 draw.

Little went in the Reds’ favour during their visit to west London, with the need to replace Matip at half-time compounding their misery.

Henderson was asked to fill in for another defensive injury victim – with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez already stuck on the sidelines – and he believes he is up to the task.

The Reds skipper told the club’s official website when asked whether better ball retention from Klopp’s side in the second 45 against Fulham made his life easier: “We had a lot of the ball, which helps, so, yes, that did help a little bit.

“But there were still times where I had to defend – set-pieces or counterattacks and things like that. So I've got to make sure that I'm switched on all the time, especially playing in a new position.

“But overall, we could have come away with the three points in the end but we got punished for our start to the game. That was unlike us, so hopefully it doesn't happen again.”

Henderson added on a lacklustre showing that prevented Liverpool from returning to top spot in the table: “It wasn't like us. It was all over [the field] really.

“I felt we were a little bit late to second balls, we weren't winning headers and when you lose them individual battles it's difficult.

“I don't know what the reasoning behind that is but we've got to take that and make sure that doesn't happen again going forward, learn from it and keep doing what we did after that.

“I thought there was some really good stuff and we dominated the game for large parts, created one or two, not loads of chances, but one or two – enough to win the game.

“So, there were still good things but still things for us to improve on.”

Liverpool will get an immediate opportunity to play their way back into form on Wednesday, with Klopp’s side readying themselves for a meeting with leaders Tottenham.

“Another big game comes quick around the corner,” said England international Henderson. “A big game for us and we need to recover well, get ready and prepare for that one.

“The Premier League is competitive and no matter what position you are in on any given day, it is always a tough game. We knew Fulham would make it difficult and they did that.

“We've just got to keep going. There's a lot of games over a short space of time but it's the same for everyone – demanding, injuries and stuff like that, but that makes us stronger as a squad.”

Steven McManaman has assessed Liverpool's chances of winning a Premier League and Champions League double, claiming "it's possible" if they avoid further injuries.

Liverpool have re-emerged as an elite force under Jurgen Klopp's stewardship in recent years, with European Cup success in 2018-2019 followed up by a first top-flight triumph in 30 years last season.

The Reds have started their latest campaign in strong fashion too, rising to second in the Premier League standings while also booking their place in the Champions League knockout stages once again.

Klopp's men will return to the domestic summit if they beat current leaders Tottenham at Anfield on Wednesday, with only goal difference separating the two teams after 12 fixtures.

Liverpool can also now look forward to a round-of-16 tie against RB Leipzig in Europe's elite competition in February, and McManaman is optimistic about his old club's chances of increasing their silverware haul.

The former Reds midfielder told BT Sport: “Can Liverpool retain the title in England this year? Yes they can. Can they also win the Champions League and do the double?

"It’s possible, but we all know it’s so difficult to do that.

“When you are playing for the big clubs, your remit is to win the Premier League or the Champions League.

“Liverpool have done that over the last couple of years. But the biggest clubs and the best teams kick on from success like that and do it again and again."

The ex-England international did, however, admit that much will depend on whether or not Liverpool can avoid losing any more key personnel amid an injury crisis which has seen the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota sidelined until the new year.

“A lot of what happens next to Liverpool depends on whether they get any more injuries,” McManaman added.

“However well they have done to plug the holes that have been exposed in their team this season, they can’t take on board too many more injuries.

“To have lost some key players and because they are that good, they have managed to find a way to win matches. That’s even without Alisson, Van Dijk, Henderson, Thiago, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah on different occasions.

“Can they keep winning matches if they are without some of those players and a few more injuries are added on top? Possibly not because there is a point where a cumulation of injuries is too much for any team.

“There is no doubt that Liverpool are there to be shot at this year. They are not winning games every week and they have shown some signs of vulnerability, which we didn’t see last season.”

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says the doubts people had about him after joining the Soweto giants with an unimpressive CV gave him a “sting”, but it is what motivated him for success.

After parting ways with Swiss side FC St Gallen in May 2017, he was unemployed until landing the Buccaneers job on December 10, 2019.

Questions were raised about Pirates appointing a coach who had no employment for two years and without a track record of winning any titles.

But the German quickly warmed the hearts of Pirates fans after taking an eighth-placed side to finish third on the Premier Soccer League standings last season.

To further endear himself to the hearts of Bucs fans, Zinnbauer guided the Buccaneers to a 2-1 MTN8 final victory over Bloemfontein Celtic last Saturday, and earned the club their first major trophy since 2014.

“Well, one doesn’t have a crystal ball which shows the future however, any coach who joins a big club, a club with a history and pedigree such as Orlando Pirates, should know what he is getting himself into and what is expected of him,” Zinnbauer told the Pirates website.

“However, having said that I joined during a difficult period at the club. It was not easy taking over a team in mid-season and a group of players who had already experienced two different coaches in that year.

“It was not an ideal scenario but management has been supportive from day one, we worked hard and thankfully we started to turn things around. It hasn’t been perfect, but I think under the circumstances we did well to steer the Pirates ship back in the right direction.

“As for expecting to win the cup? It’s an amazing feeling of course to win but like I said earlier, a team like Pirates expects success and this means that we don’t stop now .

"For me this is very special. I remember in the first two weeks in the club I was bombarded with the same questions about not winning any title and how I expected to end the club’s barren spell without having won anything.

“Obviously, such comments do sting but I am someone who is motivated by such things and I’m obviously thankful at the end of it all that I’ve been able to lead the team to this MTN8 win.”

The Pirates job is Zinnbauer's first-ever job on the African continent.

In clinching the MTN8 trophy, the 50-year-old admitted that he gambled by fielding match-hero Thembinkosi Lorch, who initially been scheduled to be on the sidelines, recovering from a knee surgery.

“I’ll be honest, this was not a one-man decision [playing Lorch]. When we had the injury to [Thabang] Monare, we had to decide quickly who to bring on,” said Zinnbauer.

“I had a discussion with my assistant Fadlu [Davids] and we agreed to bring on Lorch. But because he was coming back from an injury, we knew that we could only play him for 60-70 minutes. We took the risk and it paid off. Lorch did an amazing job and capped off that performance with a match winning goal.”

Paul Pogba should avoid biting back at criticism from the likes of Roy Keane and Gary Neville, says fellow Frenchman Frank Leboeuf, with the Manchester United midfielder told he still has questions to answer at Old Trafford.

A World Cup winner has continued to star for his country during a second spell in English football, but those heroics are not being replicated at club level.

That has led to constant criticism being aimed in the 27-year-old’s direction, while speculation regarding a possible move elsewhere is seemingly never far away.

The rumour mill has ticked back into gear of late, with Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, claiming that the France international’s time in the Premier League is “over”.

Those comments were delivered in the build-up to a crucial Champions League clash with RB Leipzig which ultimately cost United their place in elite European competition, and the timing of that outburst has been queried by many – including a number of former United stars.

Pogba has hit back at those lining up to knock him down, pointing out on Instagram that he remains “1000%” committed to the Red Devils cause and that “when you don’t know what’s going on inside, don’t talk”.

That response could have been aimed in any number of different directions, with Leboeuf hoping that a divisive character is not looking to enter into a war of words with club icons in Manchester.

The 1998 World Cup winner told ESPN FC of his fellow Frenchman: “I don’t know who that tweet is addressed to.

“If it is addressed to Bild, maybe Pogba can be right to respond to that. If it is addressed to Keane or Neville, legends of Manchester United who know what they are talking about and want to defend their club, then you cannot say that.

“I could have said something and Pogba could have said ‘Frank Leboeuf be quiet, you didn’t play for Manchester United so why do you talk?’ But Keane and Neville want to defend Manchester United when they see what they don’t want to see.

“I sent a post to Bixente Lizarazu during the French national team games where I said that maybe we don’t have a clear understanding of what is going on with Pogba in England compared to what we see with the national team.

“Paul Pogba runs and plays well when he plays for the national team, which is not the case at United.

“In the derby [a 0-0 draw with City on Saturday] he wasn’t the worst, he was pretty good, but there is something very different in the behaviour of Paul Pogba with Manchester United and with the national team. He is the only one who has an answer for that.”

When it was put to him that Pogba has a right to respond to former United stars when they take aim at him and not their ex-colleague Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – who has struggled to deliver consistency as Red Devils boss – Leboeuf added: “I guess Keane and Neville are not blind enough to say ‘Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is doing great and we are going to defend him’. They have to say the truth. They cannot say BS.

“What they see is not enough from Paul Pogba. You can’t defend a former team-mate all the time if he makes mistakes.”

Pogba has taken in 15 appearances for United across all competitions this season, with only two goals and as many assists contributed to the collective cause through those outings.

A 10-man Jamshedpur held Mumbai City to a 1-1 draw in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) match at the GMC Stadium on Monday.

Nerijus Valskis (9') and Bartholomew Ogbeche (15') scored in the first half before Aitor Monroy's red card in the 28th minute. Despite playing with 11 men against 10, Mumbai struggled to get behind an organized Jamshedpur defence. 

Sergio Lobera made four changes to the Mumbai City lineup which defeated Chennaiyin in their last match. Mohammed Rakip, Mehtab Singh, Cy Goddard and Bartholomew Ogbeche replaced Amey Ranawade, Hernan Santana, Raynier Fernandes and Hugo Boumous.

Owen Coyle, on the other hand, made two changes to Jamshedpur's starting eleven. Karan Amin came in place of suspended Laldinliana Renthlei and Jackichand Singh replaced Aniket Jadhav.

Mumbai City started the game well but it was Jamshedpur who drew first blood against the run of play thanks to a Nerijus Valskis strike in the ninth minute. Jackichand Singh intercepted Ogbeche’s back pass and entered the box from the right side before finding the Lithuanian forward with a square pass. The 2019-20 ISL Golden Boot winner slotted the ball home to put his team into a lead. 

Ogbeche, though, made amends for his mistake very quickly as he equalised in the 15th minute from Bipin Singh’s pass. Adam Le Fondre built the move as he found Bipin inside the box from the left flank. The Indian winger, in turn, switched the ball to Ogbeche who comfortably found the back of the net with a first-time, well-placed effort. 

Jamshedpur were dealt another blow in the 28th minute when Aitor Monroy was sent off after he picked up a second booking for a poor challenge on Rowllin Borges.

Mumbai City, as expected, dominated proceedings in the second half while Jamshedpur were happy to sit back and defend. The Islanders came close on quite a few occasions to take the lead but some resolute defending by Hartley and Eze denied them from scoring.

Ogbeche had a disappointing outing despite scoring the only goal for his team. The Nigerian had multiple opportunities to score a second goal but he failed to keep his attempts on target.

In the end, it was a morale victory for the Men of Steel who managed to take home a point after playing the majority of the match with 10 men and ending Mumbai's winning streak. The Islanders remain at the top of the table while Jamshedpur moved up to the sixth position.

KCB FC assistant coach Godfrey Oduor states his players have not yet hit their best despite recording three wins in a row in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League. 

The Bankers opened the campaign with an emphatic 3-0 win against Posta Rangers before they picked up three points against Nairobi City Stars in an encounter that ended with a 1-0 result.  

Last Sunday, they defeated Kakamega Homeboyz 2-0 to go joint top of the table with nine points. 

Simon Abuko scored KCB’s opener in the 40th minute in the first half where they were clearly a dominant side as they were also flagged for offside on two occasions.   

The Bankers had to wait until the fourth minute of added time to get the second one. David Owino scored the winning goal that gave the home side another win in the campaign.  

"The sun has started shining in our favour and we thank God for that," Oduor told Goal.

"The boys are giving their best; we had Covid-19 pandemic which affected us but we are trying to work on the players' fitness levels. Players like [Enock] Agwanda and [Ronald] Reagan have not hit their level best but we are happy that we are making progress."

The next assignment for the Zedekiah Otieno-led team will be an away trip to Bandari FC. The Dockers have been inconsistent in the league. They started their campaign with a 1-0 win over Sofapaka FC, drew 0-0 with Tusker FC before falling 2-0 to Nairobi City Stars.

"We are now focusing on Bandari in our next game and we are telling them we are coming for you," Oduor stated regarding their match away at Mbaraki Stadium.

Meanwhile, Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Nicholas Muyoti believes the team's plan was halted after conceding a goal in the first half.

"I appreciate KCB for their display against us," Muyoti told Goal.

"We had contained them well in the first half but they got their chance and used it. We were disappointed because our game plan was spoiled after they scored.  

"In the second half we tried to rectify things, it was much better but again they managed to get another goal in the latter stages of the game.

"It was a disappointing result from my boys, we will have to go to the drawing board once again to work and come up with tactics enabling us to win our next game."  

Former Liverpool and Lyon manager Gerard Houllier has died at the age of 73, according to reports in France.

RMC Sport has reported that the Frenchman, who also worked with Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain in his coaching career at club level, passed away in the early hours of Monday morning.

Houllier will be best remembered for the six years he spent at Anfield between 1998 and 2004.

He was initially appointed by the Reds as joint-manager alongside Roy Evans, but quickly took the reins by himself on Merseyside.

League title glory proved elusive for Liverpool under Houllier’s stewardship, but he did deliver six pieces of silverware.

Five of those honours were secured in a memorable 2001, with the Reds enjoying a remarkable run on the trophy front.

Houllier oversaw FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup triumphs that year, while going on to lift the League Cup again in 2002-03.

Liverpool had made their move for a highly-rated tactician after seeing him spend several years working within the France national team set-up.

After initially operating as assistant to Michel Platini with Les Bleus, Houllier oversaw a dramatic qualifying campaign that saw a star-studded French side fail to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

He resigned on the back of that disappointment and went back to working with youth teams.

Liverpool eventually came calling, luring him into a senior dugout once more, and Houllier’s final coaching post would also be filled in England at Aston Villa.

Prior to joining the Villans in September 2010, two years had been spent back in his homeland at Lyon – who he led to back-to-back Ligue 1 title triumphs.

Those successes took his tally of French league titles to three, with his account having been opened with Paris Saint-Germain in 1985-86.

That win was the first in PSG’s history and helped to push Houllier – who had never been a professional in his playing days – into contention for top jobs around the world.

He was awarded the Legion d’honneur for his services to French football in 2002, along with an honorary OBE for his efforts in England.

Houllier also landed the European Coach of the Year prize in 2001 and will be held in the highest regard by all of those who worked under and alongside him over the course of a distinguished career.

Al Ahly have confirmed Junior Ajayi will spend up to three months on the sidelines to treat an ankle injury.

The club's director of football, Sayed Abdel Hafeez gave an update on the 24-year-old's injury after he missed the Red Devils' flying start to the 2020-21 Egyptian Premier League season.

Al Ahly kicked off their Premier League title defence with a 3-1 victory over Misr Lel Makasa, thanks to goals from Ali Maaloul, Mahmoud Kahraba and Amr Soleya.

Ajayi last played for Pitso Mosimane's side in their Caf Champions League final triumph over Zamalek on November 27 where he saw 67 minutes of action before his substitution.

Two years ago, the former Nigeria youth international suffered a knee ligament injury which ruled him out of action for the first five months of the 2018-19 season.

“[Junior] Ajayi will be absent for a long period of time that could extend to three months, due to the injury,” Abdel-Hafeez was quoted by King Fut.

“Ajayi’s injury is not related to his Achilles tendon, but to the ankle.”

Ajayi joined Al Ahly from Tunisian top-flight club CS Sfaxien in 2016 and he was handed a three-year contract extension in February 2016.

The former 3SC striker has thrived in Egypt since his arrival four years ago, winning four Premier League titles, two Egyptian Cups, two Egyptian Super Cups and a Caf Champions League trophy.

Rwanda U17 coach Yves Rwasamanzi has explained why facing Tanzania in the Cecafa U17 Africa Cup of Nations zonal qualification will be like a final.

Rwanda and Tanzania will clash on Monday for a Group B tie and Rwasamanzi has insisted his side must take each game with the seriousness it deserves.

“We are in a very tricky group and we must treat every game like a final. I know Tanzania have a good team and we must treat them very seriously,” the coach told Cecafa Online .

The nations would have played on Saturday at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu but South Sudan’s disqualification from the junior tournament forced Cecafa to rearrange and reschedule the matches.

South Sudan were disqualified after four of their players were found to be overage after Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI) tests were carried out before the tournament.

The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), however, promised to look into the matter as they affirmed their commitment to upholding the regulations of football .

The tournament is picking speed as Kenya and Ethiopia have already played. The two rivals fought and drew 2-2 on Sunday in a match where Oliver Page’s stars were destined for a win before Ethiopia rallied back to pick up a point.

James Gathongo had given Kenya a 14th minute lead with a low shot after Ethiopia were caught off guard in their own half. After Ethiopia had equalised in the 61st minute, Kenya were rewarded as they grabbed the lead again in the 84th minute when Umar Rajab tapped home from close range.

Kenya’s Hamisi Omari brought down Miraj Nagash and Ethiopia were given a penalty inside the added four minutes from which they scored and ensured the tie ended in a draw. Nagash converted to hand his side an opening point in Group A.

Kenya’s Umar Rajab, Khamis Nyale and Hamis Omari and Ethiopia’s Esmail Shamil were booked during a tense game in Rubavu.

The players will rest on Tuesday before the 2018 champions, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi resume action on Wednesday.

The last group games will be held on Friday while the semi-finals are scheduled for December 20 and the final game will be played two days later. The best two teams will represent the Cecafa region in the U17 Afcon finals in Morocco in 2021.

SC Villa have become the first club to confirm the return of fans to the stadium to watch their matches after the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) issued a directive allowing the same.

The Ugandan Premier League (UPL) kicked off two weeks ago without fans owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, but after clubs wrote to Fufa asking if they can be allowed to have less than 200 fans, Fufa has granted the same.

The Jogoos have now confirmed they are working on having fans return to the stadium soonest.

“With gratitude, we receive the letter from Fufa about the return of fans into football stadiums,” Villa wrote on their official website . “On this note there we can confirm that very soon we will be able to welcome fans again at the Bombo Military Barracks Grounds once the prerequisites set by Fufa are met.

“We will now work together with all the stakeholders to ensure that fans are safely guaranteed access to watch their team safely in the stadium.

“Fufa stipulates that only season ticket holders and a maximum of 200 will be guaranteed access to stadiums. As of today, Villa have more than 200 registered season ticket holders and we are working behind the clock to ensure that all our registered members get a chance of watching the team live in action at our home ground.”

The statement continued: “SC Villa registered members will be required to confirm their attendance by sending an email to matchday@scvilla.co.ug or call the office on 0755 236 384 or 0393 236 384 to book a spot at the stadium before 5 pm.

“All season ticket holders should wear their masks or access will not be granted. Adherence to the Covid-19 standard operating procedures as released by the ministry of health will be enforced.

“Drinks sold at the stadium must be in disposable containers and the service provider shall ensure safe disposal of all used containers. Sale of any cold foods shall not be allowed at the stadium.”

In the letter to all top-flight clubs, signed by Deputy Chief Executive officer Kiiza Decolas Hantali, Fufa said: “Fufa has received numerous outcries by clubs and stakeholders about the need to allow fans into stadia under the existing directives and guidelines from the President, Ministry of Health and other government agencies.

“Pursuant to Article 10(2) of the Fufa Covid-19 Regulations “spectators shall only be allowed with written permission from Fufa.”

Villa have already played three matches so far in this campaign losing their last encounter 2-1 against URA FC but won their home match 3-0 against Mbarara City.

Wakiso Giants midfielder Gadafi Wahab has revealed it will be emotional playing former team Onduparaka in the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) game scheduled for Tuesday.

The player ended his six and a half years association with the Caterpillars in January and went on to join the Purple Sharks alongside Geriga Atendele and Faizul Ibrahim. It will be the first time the midfielder will be playing against his former team.

"It is my first time to face Onduparaka and it is emotional," Wahab said as quoted by the club's official website.

"I enjoyed my time at the club, it was like a family and I spent six and a half years [there]. I still got friends there and because of the team, I am here at Wakiso Giants. 

"Without them, I would not be the player I am today."

The midfielder has, however, promised to give Wakiso his best to ensure they get a win over Onduparaka. 

"I have emotional attachments but I do not think that will hinder my performance against them because my home is currently Wakiso Giants.  

"The game has come at a time when we are desperate to get off the mark and we are targeting maximum points.  

"No, [I will not celebrate if I manage to get a goal against them]."

Meanwhile, in an earlier interview, coach Douglas Bamweyana has admitted he was left gutted after the team secured a 1-1 draw against Vipers SC on Saturday.

Viane Ssekajugo, playing his first game since February scored for the Purple Sharks in the second half to cancel out an early opener from Muhammad Shaban.

But despite picking up a draw against the UPL champions, Bamweyana was left disappointed with the result but happy with the boys’ performance.

"I am happy with the performance but very disappointed with the results," the tactician said.

"We were the better team on the day in my opinion and deserved more than a point."

Bamweyana was also not impressed with refereeing decisions during the match saying the Sharks were unfortunate with some calls in the afternoon.

"I thought we weren’t playing exactly as we should have on such a level of playing field in my opinion, we were probably like a foreign team in some aspects and it’s very unfortunate but we worked hard and deserved to win," Bamweyana continued.

"We had two good penalty calls but it wasn’t meant to be, luck wasn’t on our side from the officials. That said, we created enough chances to win it but never took them."

Ronald Koeman has hailed Lionel Messi for his "decisive" contribution in the final third while insisting Barcelona can still win La Liga.

Barca welcomed Levante to Camp Nou on Sunday coming off the back of two successive defeats, with a 2-1 reversal at Cadiz last weekend followed up by a 3-0 humbling at home to Juventus in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.

Atletico Madrid's 2-0 loss to Real Madrid gave Koeman's side the opportunity to gain some ground on the leaders after a poor start to the season, and they just about got the job done against Paco Lopez's well-organised outfit.

Barca dominated possession throughout the match and eventually got the goal that their constant pressure deserved in the 76th minute, with Messi firing home an unstoppable strike after being played through by Frenkie de Jong.

The Argentine's sublime effort marked his fifth goal in 11 La Liga appearances this term , with his output in the final third not quite as high as in previous seasons amid mounting speculation over his future.

Koeman defended Messi's modest record in front of goal post-match, though, highlighting the fact that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner still manages to make a huge impact despite being targeted as the danger man by the opposition before every match.

"You have to realise they don't make it easy for him," the Barca boss said of the club captain after the 1-0 victory over Levante. "He's marked by lots [of players]. But he's shown he's decisive."

Barca are now sitting eighth in the Liga standings, nine points behind early pace-setters Real Sociedad and Atletico.

It is already being suggested that the Blaugrana are destined to miss out on the top-flight trophy for a second consecutive year, but Koeman still believes his team can stage a comeback if they add a clinical edge to their game.

"Of course we can win [the title]," the 57-year-old told reporters. "If we improve and we have more confidence and we improve our effectiveness [in front of goal], there's a chance!

"There are still lots of games left remaining."

Barca will have the chance to build up some much-needed momentum when they play host to Sociedad on Wednesday, before focus shifts to a trip to Mestalla to face Valencia three days later.

Paul Pogba leaving in January would be “the best thing for Manchester United”, says Paul Ince, with the French midfielder continuing to be an unwelcome distraction.

Questions continue to be asked of the World Cup winner's ongoing presence at Old Trafford, with his agent, Mino Raiola, keeping the rumour mill ticking over with regular public outbursts.

Pogba has claimed to be fully committed to the United cause, as he remains under contract until the summer of 2022, but his representatives are offering a different version of events.

Raiola claims “it’s over” for his client in Manchester, with plans already being drawn up to get the 27-year-old out of his current surroundings.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now having to field questions on Pogba’s future when attention should be focused elsewhere, with fires needing to be fought that are not of United’s making.

With that in mind, Ince believes a parting of ways would now be the best option for all concerned, with another window of transfer opportunity set to open in the New Year.

The former Red Devils star told Stadium Astro : “The best thing for Manchester United is for Paul Pogba to leave.

“I actually thought, when they signed [Donny] van de Beek, that they were preparing for Pogba to leave.

“But they clearly aren’t as Van de Beek didn’t get on [against Manchester City], which is embarrassing for me.

“I don’t envisage him being at the club by the summer. He’s got to go - he wants to go. I think it’s best that both parties part ways.”

Ince believes United should have acted sooner to prevent an unwelcome Pogba saga from spiralling out of control, with the ex-England international saying Sir Alex Ferguson would never have allowed one player to make so many headlines.

He added: “Under [Jose] Mourinho, there were so many problems coming out in the papers.

“That would never happen under Sir Alex Ferguson, never. It’s from day one that this has happened.

“He’s never really adhered himself to the fans, despite joining as a young kid. His performances were very inconsistent and he started telling fans that he wanted to leave, so they never really took to Paul Pogba.

“Every week, every month, we see something coming out of Old Trafford about Pogba, his agent, and it upsets the club, the fans, the changing rooms.

“It wouldn’t have happened in our time with Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes. We would deal with players.”

Erling Haaland has admitted to being "bewitched" by Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a youngster, while expressing a desire to "imitate" the superstar duo as his career progresses.

Haaland is still just 20 but has quickly established himself as one of Europe's top strikers and will collect Tuttosport's Golden Boy award on Monday.

Since joining Dortmund from Salzburg in January, the Norway international has scored 23 times in the Bundesliga - including a hat-trick on his debut against Augsburg - at a rate of one goal every 74 minutes.

Only Robert Lewandowski (28) and Ronaldo (27) have netted more goals in Europe's 'top five' leagues since that January 18 bow.

Juventus number seven Ronaldo is still among the best players in the world at the age of 35, while Milan's Ibrahimovic, now 39, has 19 goals over the same stretch.

Asked for his thoughts on the Serie A superstars, revealed by father Alf-Inge to be his role models , Haaland told Tuttosport : "Two champions, two phenomena.

"I was bewitched seeing them on TV. They are the idols of many footballers - including me, too.

"They are examples to imitate for the continuity that allows them to remain at the highest level for so many years."

Haaland is out until the new year with a hamstring injury, making his goalscoring return even more impressive, and Dortmund suffered in his absence on Saturday.

A 5-1 home defeat to Stuttgart was the first time BVB had lost in the five league matches they have played without Haaland since his arrival and it cost head coach Lucien Favre his job.

While Dortmund are down in fifth, Haaland has lofty aspirations for the club - including in the Champions League, where he had a joint-high eight goals in 2020.

"Winning the Champions League is obviously a great dream of mine," he said. "I want to win trophies with Dortmund.

"Right now Bayern Munich are the best team in the world and we must try to reach a higher level and beat them. We will try with all our strength."

Transfer speculation will surround Haaland as long as Dortmund are not competing for titles, but he is paying no attention to that.

"I only think about playing hard, training and improving every day," he added.

Liverpool will take on RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions League, Chelsea face Atletico Madrid and Lionel Messi’s Barcelona will take on Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain.

Elsewhere, holders Bayern Munich have been drawn against Lazio, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus tackle Porto and Manchester City must overcome Borussia Monchengladbach.

Sevilla’s meeting with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid’s clash with Atalanta complete the fixture list for the first knockout round.

The standout contest at this stage of elite European competition will see Barcelona lock horns with PSG.

Ronald Koeman’s side could only muster a runner-up finish in their group, meaning that they always ran the risk of being paired with a continental heavyweight.

Last season’s beaten finalists will be their next opponents, with that two-legged tie set to pitch six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi against the familiar face of former Blaugrana star Neymar - if he shakes off his latest injury setback in time.

Another star-studded encounter involving a La Liga giant will see Atletico Madrid face off against Chelsea.

The Blues have spent big in an effort to become serious contenders for prestigious prizes at home and abroad and will get the chance to put down a European marker against Diego Simeone’s side – who will be spearheaded by Luis Suarez and Joao Felix.

Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Liverpool will line up against one of the surprise packages from 2019-20, with RB Leipzig eager to repeat their run to the semi-finals of this event.

Jurgen Klopp’s side reached back-to-back finals in 2018 and 2019, emerging victorious in the latter, and will have their sights set on more major silverware despite enduring injury struggles this term.

Juventus, with five-time winner Ronaldo within their ranks, must also be considered among the favourites to go all the way.

They will not have things all their own way against Porto, but will feel that the draw has been kind to them.

Things could also have been worse for Manchester City, who are yet to enjoy continental success under Pep Guardiola, but Monchengladbach will be eyeing up a notable scalp.

They are gracing this stage of the Champions League for the very first time, but edged out Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter at the group stage to reach this point.

Atalanta’s progress at this level no longer comes as a shock, but they will need to raise their game again in order to see off Real Madrid – despite the Blancos’ struggles for consistency in 2020-21.

Sevilla dropped out of the Champions League to win the Europa League last season, but will now be looking to chase down the top prize and dispose of an exciting young Dortmund side along the way.

Finally, Bayern Munich will be reluctant to relinquish their grip on a trophy that formed part of a treble triumph for them last season, with Lazio – who have reached the knockout stages for the first time in two decades – next to block their path.

Champions League last-16 draw in full:

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Man City

Lazio vs Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea

RB Leipzig vs Liverpool

Porto vs Juventus

Barcelona vs PSG

Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund

Atalanta vs Real Madrid

The first legs of the last-16 ties will be played on 16, 17, 23 and 24 February, while the second legs will take place on 9, 10, 16 and 17 March 2021.

AC Milan are ‘not fully satisfied’ after holding Parma to a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Serie A outing, according to Franck Kessie.

The Rossoneri were shocked at the San Siro after goals from Hernani and Jasmin Kurti in the 13th and 56th minutes respectively gave Parma a 2-0 lead but the hosts showed resilience to secure a point and keep their unbeaten start to the 2020-21 league season intact.

Theo Hernandez was the hero for Milan as his brace saved the leaders from defeat in stoppage time.

Kessie who played the entire 90 minutes, assessed the team's performance and called for improved results when they battle Genoa, Sassuolo and Lazio before the winter break.

“We created a lot of chances but we didn’t make them count. When you miss a lot of chances, it is normal that you pay the price later,” Kessie told Milan TV.

“We left the pitch today feeling not fully satisfied, but we still have to work hard, there are three games before Christmas. We have to face these three games by putting in our best performance, the same way we started the season.”

The Ivory Coast international also praised the Rossoneri’s fighting spirit as a beautiful thing.

“This is the most beautiful aspect,” he said. “We didn’t give up until the final whistle, not even when we had just two minutes left to play. We believed and ultimately got a point which is important, but today we wanted to take all three points but this is Serie A.”

“Theo is very strong. Today he showed what he always does. Today he scored two goals, he always plays at the same high level.”

Former Arsenal forward Gervinho was also in action from start to finish for Parma while Algeria's Ismael Bennacer was forced off with a suspected thigh injury in the 75th minute.