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Malaba Youth Development Association (Myda) FC assistant coach Erisa Madanda has stated his charges are fully prepared for their debut in the Ugandan Premier League (UPL).

The team will be at home against the one-time UPL champions Police FC hoping to start on a high. The tactician has also commented on their postponed game against defending champions Vipers SC owing to their Caf Champions League assignments.

"The team is ready and we expect good results according to what is in the camp," the tactician commented ahead of their Tuesday afternoon game.

"The fact is that the league has started and we finished our last training session and I must confirm the mood is high and the boys are fully ignited.  

"[The game against Police] was supposed to be our second game but unfortunately we missed our first game against Vipers but as for this one, we have prepared the boys and they are ready."

The assistant coach has also explained what to expect from the 2005 champions.

"The team we are facing is a better side; a good one to face," Madanda continued.

"A team that has been in the league for so long, they have experience and a good coach, their programme and planning is better. But that one can’t scare us. We joined the top flight and have to face the very best.

"Unfortunately, we shall be without two players who tested positive for Covid-19, but we have a big pool of players who we can choose from."

Police FC drew 0-0 with Wakiso Giants in their opening game. They will miss the services of skipper Tony Mawejje who is nursing an ankle injury from the Wakiso Giants' game.  

There are a total of four games to be played on Tuesday in the UPL.

The 13-time champions Kampala Capital City Authority Football Club (KCCA FC) will be at home against Onduparaka FC. The Kasasiro Boys will be aiming at making it two wins in a row after an opening 2-0 triumph over Bright Stars.

Busoga United will be at home against Bul while Wakiso Giants will be hosting Kyetume FC.

New Simba SC midfielder Taddeo Lwanga has conceded he will have to give his best to be considered in the first team.

The Ugandan joined Wekundu wa Msimbazi in a deal where the details are not yet public. This is after he ended his association with Egyptian Premier League side Tanta SC.

He was signed to add experience to the team especially in the midfield department. 

"At Simba, there are many quality midfielders and getting a chance to play in the first team is a challenge," Lwanga told Mwanspoti.

"For example, in the game against Plateau [United] the defensive role was played by Jonas Mkude and Mzamiru Yasin who played really well. Apart from the two, we have players like Said Ndemla and Larry Bwalya who were not used despite their undoubted quality.

"Everyone knows the quality in the Simba midfield is good but I am ready to battle with them for playing time. I will try to be unique but effective in order to get a chance to play in the first team."

The 26-year-old has also shed some light on the game against Nigerian champions in the Caf Champions League played on Saturday. Simba were held to a goalless draw but advanced 1-0 on aggregate after the first leg win.

"There was some tactical discipline instilled in the team in the game against Plateau and it is the reason why we had a few scoring chances," Lwanga continued.

"We wanted to defend the goal we got away and ensure we also finish the game without conceding.

"However, our opponents had a late chance and it put us under pressure. It was a tough situation but the coach [Sven Vandebroeck] saw it and I am sure he will rectify it."

The Crane has been signed as Simba face an injury crisis in the midfield department.

Gerson Fraga, who is in Brazil recuperating, suffered a long-term injury and that forced Sven Vandenbroeck to ask for reinforcements. Simba feel the Ugandan will help boost the team that is engaging in the Caf Champions League and hope to advance into the knock-out stages.

Lwanga is expected to partner Jonas Mkude as Said Ndemla and Yassin Mzamiru play second fiddle in both the domestic and in continental assignments.

Manchester rivals United and City should be looking at investing £100 million ($133m) in Jack Grealish rather than Jadon Sancho, says Kevin Phillips, with the Aston Villa playmaker expected to smash the British transfer record at some point in 2021.

Transfer talk continues to rage around the talented England international on the back of his efforts for club and country.

Grealish has shown that he can cut it among the Premier League elite, while also slotting seamlessly into the Three Lions fold under Gareth Southgate.

His obvious qualities continue to attract admiring glances from afar, with United and Tottenham among those to have been heavily linked with a move to acquire his services in the past.

City are said to have come into that mix, with Pep Guardiola forever in the market for ball-playing options, and it could be that Villa’s resolve to keep their club captain is tested at some point in the near future – despite fresh terms having been agreed over the summer.

Phillips believes Grealish is destined to become the most expensive British player of all-time, with that standing snatched from Gareth Bale, with it easy to argue that he would be a better option for “the wealthiest clubs” than Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho.

Former Villans striker Phillips told Football Insider: “It is crazy - £100 million, but he is a player that is just getting better and better. At times he is theatrical but technically he is an outstanding player. He is one of the best players in the Premier League.

“Would someone be willing to pay £100m? I think they would. I do not think it will happen in January but at some point soon I think someone will.

“He is still young and he could play at the top for five, six, seven years.

"Only the wealthiest clubs could afford to sign him, the likes of United or City. Sancho is worth over £100m and, for me, I would rather have Grealish.

“I cannot see him leaving in January, he is committed to the club this season but I think he will reassess next summer.”

Grealish has continued to catch the eye for Villa in the 2020-21 campaign, with the 25-year-old boasting six goals and as many assists through 10 appearances in all competitions.

Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has revealed former Brazil international Nelson Dida as his idol and named Ajax stopper Andre Onana as the best African goalkeeper ahead of Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy.

The Nigeria goalkeeper has been delivering convincing showings for the Eredivisie side recently and is gradually becoming the club’s first-choice.

The 21-year-old has played six games in the 2020-21 season after joining the Dutch club from Fortuna Düsseldorf II in the summer.

Okoye’s recent showings for his club has also convinced Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr to trust him in goal for the Super Eagles.

The German-born goalkeeper was in action when the three-time African champions played out back-to-back draws with Sierra Leone in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in November.

Okoye has revealed where he gets his inspiration from and rated the Cameroon and Senegal goalkeepers, who are turning heads in Europe.

"Nelson Dida was my idol, for me, he was the greatest, I love his style but nowadays it is Marc-Andre ter Stegen," Okoye told Voetbal Rotterdam.

"Andre Onana is also a great goalkeeper, I love to watch him. Definitely, he's the best African goalkeeper at the moment. The second one is Mendy from Chelsea."

Okoye has made five appearances for the Super Eagles since his debut against Brazil in a friendly in October 2019.

The 21-year-old also spoke of his delight to watch former international Vincent Enyeama and named him as the best Nigeria goalkeeper in history.

"I have definitely watched more of Enyeama because he's more of my generation, I go with Enyeama,” he continued.

"For me, he is definitely the greatest Nigerian goalkeeper ever and also one of the best to play in the French League.

"Of course I know Peter Rufai but not as a person, I think he was the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play in the Netherlands with Go Ahead Eagles but I know more of Enyeama."

Okoye will be expected to be in goal when Sparta Rotterdam take on Willem II in their next league game on December 13.

Manchester United don't need to take "silly risks" against RB Leipzig, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who says the Champions League decider is a "test of character".

United are sitting top of Group H on nine points after five fixtures, having recorded comfortable home wins over Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir while also earning an impressive victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes.

However, Solskjaer's men still have work to do after a 2-1 defeat away to Istanbul on matchday three and a 3-1 reversal against PSG last week, with a trip Red Bull Arena up next on Tuesday night .

The Red Devils must avoid defeat against Leipzig to book a place in the round of 16, with PSG now favourites to win the group heading into their final fixture against Istanbul in France.

United thrashed last year's semi-finalists 5-0 at Old Trafford, and Solskjaer thinks another win over Julian Nagelsmann's side would serve as proof of how much his team have progressed over the past year.

Asked if he is relishing the prospect of a do-or-die encounter in Germany, the Norwegian head coach told MUTV : “Definitely. That’s what the Champions League should be – and is – about. It’s a test of character, a test of how far we’ve come.

"Football is all about performing when it matters and it’s one of those tests. We’ve got to the last game. We’ve done really well to get there and, of course, we need a point.

"We want to go there and put our authority on the game and hopefully win.”

Solskjaer insists United will be going for all three points against Leipzig despite only needing one, but has warned his players not to allow complacency to creep in.

“It’s in your mind, of course it is. We know we don’t have to take silly risks. You just have to make good decisions," he said.

"The mindset has to be to go out there and try to win the game, in a way that is sensible. That’s what we’ll do.”

The Red Devils boss added on the challenge Leipzig will pose: “They’ve got good players, a good team and the way they’ve risen up the ranks has been impressive.

"It is all about Man Utd and how we perform. When we are at our best, I think any side will struggle against us.”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been going head-to-head in football for over a decade and their magnificence at the very top of the game means both are firmly in the GOAT category. Since Ronaldo left Real Madrid, this will be for the first time that the two legends will play against each other. 

There was a small win for Messi when he netted from the penalty spot in Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Juventus in Turin earlier in the group phase, which Ronaldo missed because he was infected with Covid-19. 

But this time the tables could turn as Juventus head into the game at the back of a stunning win over Torino whereas, Barcelona fell 2-1 to Cadiz. 

Messi's form is also a concern for Ronald Koeman as he has scored just twice from open play and has four from 10 appearances in La Liga. Whereas, Juventus operate around Ronaldo, and he has eight goals in six games this season in Serie A. 

But Barcelona’s positive form in Europe, in stark contrast to their struggles on the domestic front, is a relief for the Blaugrana faithful. Juventus trail Barca by three points and the Catalans have a vastly superior goal difference - meaning the Serie A side need a big win to top the group.

Andrea Pirlo is aware and with progress to the next round already secured, he will give his side the green light to go on the attack at Camp Nou.

"We have nothing to lose,” Pirlo said. “We can play an open game. We are aware of the mistakes we made in the first leg. It will be a very difficult game because we will have to suffer, but we will have our chances and we have to take advantage of them," stated the coach. 

Watch Barcelona vs Juventus LIVE from India

The Sony network has the rights to show UEFA Champions League matches in India. The match will be broadcasted in Sony Ten 2. 

Matches will also be available on streaming mobile application Sony Liv, allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches.

When is Barcelona vs Juventus LIVE in India: Time and Date

The Messi vs Ronaldo showdown will kick-off at 1:30 am IST on Wednesday morning in India

Paul Pogba can return to Serie A champions Juventus as he is unhappy at Manchester United, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

Pogba's representative Raiola said the star midfielder's time at United is "over" in Monday's preview teaser for an interview with Tuttosport amid speculation he is set to leave Old Trafford in the near future.

The World Cup-winning France international – who scored in Saturday's 3-1 Premier League victory at West Ham – has regularly been linked with former club Juve and LaLiga champions Real Madrid, while Pogba described a possible move to the Santiago Bernabeu as a "dream".

Pogba left United for Serie A powerhouse Juve in 2012 after his contract expired only to re-join the Red Devils in 2016 for what was then a world record transfer fee of £89million.

On the front page of Tuesday's Tuttosport, where the full interview will be published, Raiola is quoted as saying: "Yes, Paul Pogba can come back to Juventus.

"He's not happy at Manchester United."

Raiola's comments come as United prepare for Tuesday's blockbuster Champions League clash at RB Leipzig on the sixth and final matchday in Group H.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United require a draw to book their spot in the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition.

"Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to," Raiola said. "Paul needs a new team, a change of air.

"He is under contract for the next 18 months and it will expire in the summer of 2022."

Pundit Jamie Carragher was asked on Sky Sports for his views on how United should respond , and he said: "Get rid. I have been saying this for 12 months. 

"Oh my god, he is the most overrated player I have seen in my life."

Carragher feels Pogba would have been well aware of what Raiola was planning to say, and did not hold back with his views.

"I think the two of them are a disgrace," he said. "We will all look at the agent now, and say ‘ask Pogba what he thinks.’"

Pogba has made 13 appearances for United across all competitions this season, scoring twice.

The 27-year-old scored his first Premier League goal of the campaign as United came from behind to trump West Ham at the London Stadium.

The question of home ground has been one of Selangor FC's sore points. The multi-purpose, state government-owned Shah Alam Stadium, which has been turning into more of a liability than an asset in recent years, has required repairs again, shutting the Red Giants out of it for at least the two coming seasons.

READ: It's time for Selangor to start letting go of cavernous, cumbersome Shah Alam Stadium

Towards the end of the 2020 season they were forced to share the UiTM Stadium as their home ground, while they plan to share the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium with Petaling Jaya City FC beginning next year.

However, rumours surfaced recently of their interest in one of their former home grounds; the Merdeka Stadium. The historic stadium, which was built in 1956 in preparation for Malaysia's independence from Great Britain in the following year, has not been used for professional football since 2015.

The ground that is situated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's financial capital city and Selangor's former state capital, was last used as the Red Giants' home ground back in 1994.

In a telephone call with Goal last Saturday, club CEO Johan Kamal Hamidon conceded that the Merdeka Stadium is an attractive location.

MBPJ Stadium. Photo from Getty

"To be honest, we've thought about it (using Merdeka Stadium as home ground). Although it is in Kuala Lumpur, it would not a problem for us. It is a more central location so it would be more accessible to our fans such as those from Kajang and Gombak. It's right next to an MRT station, so it'd be convenient for the fans, location-wise.

"But it will ultimately require too much work I presume. The truth is we haven't looked into it in detail," he explained.

At the end of the day, sticking with their MBPJ Stadium plan is still the most feasible option for the club currently, summarised Johan.

"This plan (MBPJ Stadium) is going ahead. We may use it for longer than one season, as long as the Shah Alam Stadium is not ready."

All Jamshedpur FC needed to do to beat ATK Mohun Bagan in their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Monday was get their set-pieces right. Owen Coyle got his tactics spot on against Antonio Habas' men who were chasing their fourth straight win going into the fixture. 

In attack, the first thing that Coyle did was to field William Lalnunfela alongside star striker Nerijus Valskis and that move worked well whenever the team pushed forward in search of goals. 

The game was an end-to-end contest at times but both TP Rehenesh and Arindam Bhattacharya dealt with threats effectively - some of the saves were ones they are expected to make but there were a few outstanding stops in the mix as well. 

The biggest difference between the teams was how they used set-piece situations. Jamshedpur looked like an Owen Coyle team on the night - they had the characteristics that Indian fans were used to seeing from Chennaiyin last season. 

Importantly, Alex Lima was key in ensuring Jamshedpur FC denied ATK Mohun Bagan's midfielders any space to operate. 

Habas seems to have insisted on zonal marking rather than going man-to-man and it backfired. For the first goal, Nerijus Valskis was faced with no opposition inside the box as he jumped and headed the ball past Arindam to break open the deadlock. Was it a gift? No, it was a good delivery and a very good header. But could Bagan have done better? Most certainly, yes. 

The Bagan defence and midfield had an off day in their own half. Players who had been doing well up until Sunday, like Carl McHugh, couldn't keep up. 

Whatever Habas told his team at half-time did have an effect as the Kolkata-based club dominated proceedings for most of the second half. Coyle's team, albeit a bit too defensive, was clever during transitions. The teams cancelled each other out until once again Jamshedpur struck from a set-piece. 

It was Aitor Monroy's delivery (again). Valskis was the scorer (again). It is only natural to wonder how someone like Valskis had all the time in the world to slam home the delivery from the corner, not only because he one of the most prolific strikers in ISL but also since he already got on the scoresheet from a corner in the first half. Bagan did not adapt or react to the opposition's strengths and they were once again punished. 

Bagan did create chances as they chased the game towards the end, with Manvir Singh's pace causing problems to the Jamshedpur backline. However, Peter Hartley and co. dealt with them. 

Roy Krishna got his customary goal in the 80th minute although he was clearly offside and the goal should not have been allowed. It was only a consolation for a team that didn't play well and will hope it is only an off day. 

It has been a tough debut season for East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) so far as they have lost all three of their matches including the Kolkata derby. More concerningly, even after playing 270 minutes of football, they have not found the back of the net. 

The Kolkata giants, under Robbie Fowler’s tutelage, are yet to settle properly. Being the last team to enter the ISL this season did not really help their cause much as they got very little time to assimilate the squad and prepare for the season. 

By the time East Bengal confined their berth in the ISL, the best of Indian talent had already joined other clubs and they had to settle for the best of the rest. However, criticism could be levelled at the club for not filling their quota of seven foreign players. Out of the six foreign players, Aaron Amadi-Holloway (only foreign striker in the squad) got injured during the pre-season and skipper Danny Fox picked up a knock in just their second match of the season against Mumbai City FC.

Fowler does not have a proper foreign striker in his arsenal, a position in which every other team in the ISL has at least one top-quality overseas player. The lack of a quality forward is already reflecting in the team’s performances.

East Bengal can still fill their foreign quota if they sign a player who is a free agent. However, if they want to bring in a player playing at any club, they will have to wait until January. In any case, the visa formalities and the quarantine protocols ensure, it will be at least two weeks after signing before he can join the team. 

In the present scenario, the only thing the Red and Gold manager can hope is that his senior Indian players step up and deliver. It is high time the likes of Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua and CK Vineeth step up and use their experience to bail out the club.

Now, Jeje is coming back after a lengthy injury lay-off and expecting him to straightaway shoulder the burden of goalscoring is not realistic. Balwant Singh, on the other hand, has scored just two goals in his last 1328 minutes of football in the ISL, dating back to the start of 2018-19 season. Balwant has just 15 starts in this period. Vineeth's plight is also similar. From the 2018-19 season, the Keralite has scored four goals in 1611 minutes of football, which included 16 starts. 

The output from East Bengal's forwards is less than ideal for a club looking to make a mark in their inaugural season.

East Bengal’s backline has also been a cause of concern for the coach. The defence has already leaked seven goals in the first three matches and the coach even had to deploy defensive midfielder Sehnaj Singh as a makeshift centre-back in the absence of Danny Fox in their last game.

The Kolkata side have central defenders like Gurtej Singh and Rana Gharami who have experience of playing in the ISL, but Fowler has not used them in the central defensive position much. Gharami started their season opener against rivals ATK Mohun Bagan but since has not featured. 

Even full-back Narayan Das, who has been playing at the top level for many years and has even represented the national team, has looked shaky.

Ulsan Hyundai defensive midfielder Won Du-jae, arguably Asian football’s most exciting defensive talent for the future, had already impressed his coach Kim Do-hoon without kicking a ball. He took on a challenge head on in the 2020 AFC Champions League East Zone centralized tournament being hosted in Qatar.

The Most Valuable Player of South Korea’s win at the 2020 AFC U-23 Championships in January had kept up a positive demeanour while in quarantine in the 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation after arriving from the national team camp in Austria where there was an outbreak of six COVID cases prior to the 17 November friendly against Asian champions Qatar.

Always complying with the comprehensive COVID safety protocols laid out and implemented by Qatar as the centralized hosting venue of the competition, the youngster successfully saw out his quarantine period in Qatar and came on as a second-half substitute in his team’s penultimate Group F game on 30 November to set up a goal.

Come the East Zone quarterfinal against Melbourne Victory on Sunday, Won went one better by opening his scoring in the tournament with a well-executed header, outsmarting taller and more physical Australian defenders in the process as his team won their sixth successive game, scoring more than two goals against the opposition.

This was not the first time he had the better of physical Australian opposition. During the semifinals of the AFC U-23 Championships in Thailand, his deft tackling and eye for the quick pass had floundered Australia, who were the perceived favourites ahead of the game.

Coach Kim’s utmost confidence in Won, therefore, comes as no surprise. Even the sheer enormity of the scope and nature of the challenge -- potentially negotiating a rampaging former FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner Andres Iniesta of Vissel Kobe during the tournament – does not deter Kim from reposing his trust in Won.

“Du-jae is the future of Korean football,” a visibly proud Kim told media following his side’s 3-0 win against Melbourne Victory. “My club and country have expectations of him and I believe that he has enormous potential to rise to any challenge. I believe that Du-jae can display his passing skills on the pitch against any opponent. I asked him to lead my defensive organization today and he showed his quality in that area also. He scored a good goal as well.”

Coach Kim, a former South Korean international striker who played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, alluded to the team spirit in his club’s ranks as one of the reasons behind the young players in his side, such as Won, not being overwhelmed by the reputations of those in opposition ranks.

“It is true some of our future opponents in the competition have big players such as Iniesta. But we also have experienced players in our ranks who have been to FIFA World Cups. Therefore, I do not think that anyone in my team will be afraid of the big players in the opposition,” he added.

If young Won were to fulfill his coach’s expectations against the likes of Iniesta and Renato Augusto, it would indeed be a spectacle to treasure for Asian football lovers in the host nation of the continent’s second FIFA World Cup.

Ihlas Bebou scored one goal and provided one assist as Hoffenheim sealed a 3-1 triumph over FC Augsburg in Monday’s Bundesliga outing.

Featuring in his eighth game of the 2020-21 German topflight campaign, the Togo international gave a good account of himself to help Die Kraichgauer extend their unbeaten run to five across all competitions.

Florian Grillitsch put the hosts ahead after 17 minutes after profiting from a brilliant assist by Christoph Baumgartner. The Austrian cuts into the penalty area before sending the ball towards the back post, leaving Grillitsch with just a simple header from close range.

They almost doubled their advantage three minutes later after Stefan Posch picked out Bebou, who beats a man before teeing up Grillitsch. However, the latter’s strike zips just over the crossbar.

While Sebastien Hoenes’ men were pushing for a second goal, Augsburg levelled matters in the 31st minute with Daniel Caligirui winning an aerial battle versus Ryan Sessegnon to head home Michael Gregoritsch’s cross.

Barely a minute into the second-half, the hosts restored their lead through two-goal hero Grillitsch. Bebou headed the ball into the midfielder’s path, and he lifted it over an opponent before guiding it into the net with a curling left-footed shot.

Four minutes later, the Togolese star registered his name among the goalscorers. Andrej Kramaric played a first-time pass into his path, before surging into the middle of the penalty area to power a left-footed effort into the bottom corner of goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz.

Hoffenheim held on to their two-goal advantage for the rest of the game as Augsburg paid dearly for missing numerous scoring opportunities.

Bebou was in action from start to finish alongside Malian midfielder Diadie Samassekou, while Nigeria international Kevin Akpoguma, Algeria's Ishak Belfodil and Ghana's Kasim Nuhu played no part in the game.

For Heiko Herrlich's team, Nigeria's Noah Bazee was not listed as the WWK Arena giants marched to their fourth defeat of the season.

With this result, Hoffenheim stay in the 10th position with 12 points from 10 games, while Augsburg are 11th with same points although with inferior goal difference.

Bebou would be hoping to take replicate his goalscoring performance to Thursday’s Europa League dead-rubber showdown versus Genk.

Gareth Southgate will not set strict boundaries when it comes to team discipline but the England boss expects his players to be "reliable" and "good ambassadors".

Harry Maguire, Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood have all been involved in high-profile incidents in recent months that led to them being dropped from Three Lions duty. 

A breach of coronavirus isolation rules while in Iceland proved costly for Manchester City playmaker Foden and Manchester United forward Greenwood in September. 

The pair appeared to be shown in a Snapchat video posted by one of the women they were said to be socialising with at England's team hotel in Iceland, a meeting then forbidden under the country's strict rules in response to Covid-19.

Both were sent home and missed a subsequent game against Denmark, although Foden was recalled for England's matches against Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Iceland last month. 

Maguire was also in the headlines for the wrong reasons in August after he was arrested while on holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos.

The 27-year-old – who was originally selected, then dropped from the October internationals – is appealing a suspended prison sentence after he was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery.

While Southgate is not prepared to lay down strict rules for his players, he does expect them to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. 

"I would think every club is going to want to minimise the issues," he told a media conference. 

"On a broader level, I mentioned the responsibilities of being an England player. That shows the change of landscape for any players involved with us. 

"We want the country to connect with the team, be proud of the team and that they are good ambassadors for everything we are trying to do. 

"Reliability is part of our criteria. I'm not going to say this is the line, and anyone who crosses it we don't consider, but we're always observing how professional they are and how they will be if they are away with us for 35-40 days. All of that has to come into our thinking."

Southgate was speaking after England were drawn against Poland, Hungary, Albania, Andorra and San Marino in Group I for 2022 World Cup qualifying.

That means a meeting with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who has started the season in scintillating form for Bayern Munich.

After 55 goals across all competitions last term for the Bundesliga and Champions League winners, Lewandowski has already plundered 15 goals this campaign. 

Southgate is an admirer of the 32-year-old and says his defenders will relish the opportunity to try and shackle one of the world's best strikers. 

"He's an incredible finisher," Southgate added. "I love the way he plays. He's got an excellent all-round game, protecting the ball, bringing others into play. All different types of finishes. 

"He's a huge talisman for Poland. It's a great challenge for our defenders to come up against centre-forwards like that.

"In the modern game, there are not so many number nines, but Lewandowski is absolutely in that mould."

Jamie Carragher has urged Manchester United to “get rid” of Paul Pogba following the latest inflammatory comments from the player’s agent.

With United preparing for a crunch UEFA Champions League tie with RB Leipzig on Tuesday, agent Mino Raiola threatened to take the focus away from the game by saying, “I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United.”

Former Red Devils full-back Gary Neville hit out at Raiola for the timing of his comments, and Carragher has taken aim at the player and his agent - and urged the club to move him on.

When asked on Sky Sports for his views on how United should respond, Carragher said: "Get rid. I have been saying this for 12 months. 

"Oh my god, he is the most overrated player I have seen in my life."

Carragher feels Pogba would have been well aware of what Raiola was planning to say, and did not hold back with his views.

"I think the two of them are a disgrace," he said. "We will all look at the agent now, and say ‘ask Pogba what he thinks.’ 

"Agents in this day and age are not just agents, they are a parent, the best friend, the financial advisor, they book holidays; they go away together.

"He will be Pogba’s best mate, so Pogba will be well aware of what was going to come out of his mouth. And if he wasn’t, he should sack his agent."

While Carragher feels United should sell, he is unsure where the France international will go - and says he would be "flabbergasted" if Barcelona or Real Madrid stepped in.

"I don’t know where he’s going to go," Carragher said. "Who is going to have him? 

"Manchester United want rid of him. Don’t kid yourself.  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been playing Scott McTominay and Fred in front of him and he put him in [against West Ham] as he was resting players.

"There are only two clubs better than Man United, and that’s Barcelona and Real Madrid. By better, I mean who players you can understand going to. So [Cristiano] Ronaldo goes from Manchester United to Real Madrid. Everyone sees Barcelona and Real Madrid as the pinnacle of club football.

"There is no chance in the world Real Madrid or Barcelona will buy him. I will be flabbergasted if they come in for him.

"Maybe there is a French thing with [Zinedine] Zidane. But I would not go anywhere near him."

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo has suggested Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is suffering from a psychological problem that has nothing to do with on-field issues.

Pirlo is preparing his side for a meeting with Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday - with both sides already guaranteed to progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

Barcelona’s positive form in Europe is in stark contrast to their struggles on the domestic front, as they trail Liga leaders Atletico Madrid by 12 points.

The club’s struggles mirror those of Messi, who has been a long way short of his scintillating best so far this term - albeit he has seven goals to his name.

Pirlo does not believe Messi's talent is on the wane, rather he feels the Argentina superstar's struggles date back to the off-season when he was linked with a move away from the club.

"[Messi] is at a special moment in his life, not in his career, because he had a problem this summer," Pirlo is quoted by Marca as saying in a press conference on Monday. "[It's about] whether he would stay at Barcelona or not.

"But during games he has always shown his value. More than a football [issue], he probably has a psychological problem, but I don't want to go into it, as it has nothing to do with us.

"Messi is a phenomenon and he has shown it."

Juventus trail Barca by three points, and the Catalans have a vastly superior goal difference - meaning the Serie A side need a big win to top the group.

Pirlo is aware and with progress to the next round already secured, he will give his side the green light to go on the attack at Camp Nou.

"We have nothing to lose,” Pirlo said. “We can play an open game. We are aware of the mistakes we made in the first leg.

"It will be a very difficult game because we will have to suffer, but we will have our chances and we have to take advantage of them.”

There will be plenty of eyes on Cristiano Ronaldo upon his return to Spain to face off against his old rival Messi. Pirlo was asked for his opinion on the pair, but remained on the fence - saying “they are two phenomenons.”

Thomas Tuchel has trusted centre-back Presnel Kimpembe with a leadership role at Paris Saint-Germain after the departures of Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani.

The 25-year-old rose through the club's youth academy to become a regular in the senior team for Tuchel.

Kimpembe has been trusted to captain the team in the absence of regular skipper Marquinhos in Ligue 1 and Champions League matches this year.

The German coach said that the France international has joined a group of leaders within the squad.

"Today, Presnel Kimpembe and Keylor Navas are in this group," Tuchel said when asked during a press conference how his most trusted players have changed this season.

"Otherwise it's the same group as last season with Marquinhos, Kylian Mbappe and Marco Verratti. I can talk about more or less important things. We talk regularly, they speak for the team."

PSG take on Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday in Champions League and need just a point to book their place in the last 16. 

The Ligue 1 champions are in pole position to progress to the knockout stages after victories over RB Leipzig and Manchester United in their previous two games. 

They have won five of their last six matches at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League and will be confident of seeing off their Turkish opponents, who have conceded four goals in each of their last two games in the competition. 

But the coach says his players will do everything they can to seal a win that would see them top their group for a fourth consecutive season. 

"The first goal is to win and we don't want to think about anything else," said the PSG boss. 

"I want us to show the same respect to the game and to the opponent as the last games. First, we have to do everything to win.

"We must respect the game and Basaksehir. It's the Champions League and easy matches don't exist.

"The most important thing is that we use our qualities and our brains to play the match at 100 per cent.

"We have to defend with a lot of energy. I ask for the same energy and effort as against Manchester United.

"We can't give the opponent the slightest space as they are capable of making very dangerous counter-attacks. It's a third final and we will prepare the team to win this third consecutive final.

"If we finish first, that will give us the opportunity to play away first and then the second game at home in the last 16."

Tuchel confirmed Juan Bernat (knee), Mauro Icardi (groin) and Pablo Sarabia (hamstring) will miss Tuesday's clash, but he confirmed Julian Draxler is likely to return after recovering from a thigh injury. 

Should Draxler play, he could line-up alongside Rafinha, who has impressed Tuchel since his move from Barcelona in October, having made two assists in six Ligue 1 games. 

"I have always been a fan of his, he is exceptional," Tuchel said. "He has always played giving everything for the team and he has all the qualities to play in our team. 

"He had a lot of bad luck with his injuries, but I'm not surprised. Everything I expect from a Barcelona player I can see with him. He is humble, super pleasant and he always has a smile in training. 

"He always thinks of the team. He has technical and tactical qualities. Now the challenge is to keep him in good shape. 

"He gives a lot of volume to our game and, right now, he's super important. Everyone would like to have a player like him on their team. It's great to be his trainer."

Andrea Pirlo agrees with Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman that it is wrong to pick a favourite between Lionel Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo. 

The debate over which of the multiple Ballons d'Or, Champions League and league winners is the best player around today has raged on for over a decade.

The discussion has come to the fore again as the two stars will go head-to-head once again on Tuesday when Barcelona host Juventus in the final game of the Champions League group stage.

Koeman was asked for his say on the topic, but refused to be drawn on it. He said: "It’s not nice to say who is better because both are incredible, I admire both players because they have given us so many nice evenings with great goals, great titles."

Juve coach Pirlo says he is just grateful to see the two stars dominate the sport, telling reporters in a press conference: "Koeman was right, it would be wrong to say who is better between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are two phenomenons that put on spectacles for millions of fans. We just have to thank them."

Ronaldo has scored 10 goals in nine appearances for the Turin side this season and Pirlo is happy to see him in good form. 

"If Cristiano is in good form it means that he is in the right place at the right time and we are good at giving him the ball," he said.

Juve and Barca are guaranteed to go through to the next round of the Champions League, but the two sides have had inconsistent starts to their league campaigns.

While the Italian side are six points behind league leaders AC Milan, Koeman's side are said to be in crisis as they sit 12 points adrift of the top after losing 2-1 to Cadiz at the weekend.

Pirlo, though, believes the Spanish side will bounce back before long and says his side must be at their best when they visit Camp Nou.

"I don't believe at all that they are in crisis. They have strong players and a coach who is putting his ideas together, he needs time like us," he said.

"It's strange to see them struggling in La Liga, but it's normal, they had a season with two coaches and now there is a third, it is normal to have to find better solutions with the players to find the right conditions. They will recover in the league as well. 

"They are a great team and tomorrow we'll have a very good performance. Compared to the first game, we must be better out of possession and be closer to the midfield and defensive lines.

Frank Lampard has brushed off concerns over the form of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, with the Chelsea boss backing the pair to be top-class players for the Blues.

Havertz and Werner were big-money arrivals earlier this year, and have shown flashes of quality.

Werner has eight goals to his name since making the move from RB Leipzig, but has squandered a number of chances - with the one from a yard out against Leeds United at the weekend the most striking.

Lampard is happy with how the Germany international has fitted in at Stamford Bridge, and feels he will prove to be a “huge player” for the club.

“I’ve got no worries about Timo,” Lampard said ahead of his side's meeting with Krasnodar in the Champions League on Tuesday. ”I think he’s come into this league, he’s made a big impact straight away. His speed, his direct nature, things he’s creating for the team, the fact he’s getting lots of chances, he makes lots of chances through his explosive nature and his eye to be in the right areas. And that I love. 

“I’ve got no worries about him. Timo’s going to be a huge player for this club.”

Havertz had to overcome Covid-19, and given how ill he was Lampard is happy with his transition from Bayer Leverkusen.

“He had really strong symptoms of Covid, he was very ill and struggling for quite a while,” Lampard said. "Some of the players have had it like that, some have been symptom-free so we had to factor that in and that’s why it took two or so weeks before he was starting again once he returned from Covid.

“Going into when he fell ill, his form was fantastic and he was playing some really good stuff. 

“He was playing in the No. 8 role, the advanced midfield role, and I was delighted for him because you could see he was enjoying it and then obviously Covid cut that short.

“Long-term, I’ve got absolutely no worries about Kai – in fact it’s the opposite. I know he’s going to be a huge player for this football club, in the Premier League. 

“He has all the attributes, all the personality, all the attitude and he’s going to be an absolutely top-class player for me, in the Premier League and in the world.”

Didier Deschamps said agents can "say what they want" after Paul Pogba's representative claimed the France international wants to leave Manchester United perhaps as soon as January. 

Mino Raiola gave an interview to Tuttosport, which will be published in full on Tuesday, stating United should let the 27-year-old leave when the transfer window opens as he has no intention of extending his contract past 2022.

Pogba – who has scored two goals in 13 appearances this season – has been regularly linked with moves to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and former club Juventus.

"Paul is unhappy... He has to change teams; he has a change of air," Raiola said. "He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, but I think the best solution for the parties is to sell him in the next market."

Pogba’s international coach, Deschamps, is not interested in Raiola's remarks, though, insisting Pogba's current status as a United player is the only thing that matters.

"If I start reacting to the reactions of the agent, the uncle, the dog, the grandfather or the grandmother… they say what they want," he told a media conference. "For me, the important thing is the player. They have career decisions to make.

"It's early December and Paul is in Manchester, even though we don't know what might happen.

"Some will be able to change clubs. I can give an opinion if they ask me, but certainly not advice. It's their career and it's up to them to make their choices."

Deschamps is happy to see France striker Olivier Giroud impress at Chelsea, with the 34-year-old on a run of six goals in three matches.

"We often talk about Olivier. He is often decried. I say it over and over again, many things are unfair to him," the coach said.

"He has this strength of character. He has done everything to maintain himself athletically. When he is called upon, he scores. When he doesn't score, he is always useful.

"I always thought it was better to have him with you than against you. I'm glad he's going through a happier time, hoping it can last."

Deschamps was speaking after his France side were drawn against Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kazakhstan for 2022 World Cup qualifying.

The holders – ranked second in the world – are expected to cruise through Group D, but Deschamps is refusing to get carried away. 

"We can have different interpretations of a draw," he said. "We know Ukraine and Finland very well, having met them recently. But we have never played Kazakhstan, for example. The trips will be very long. 

"We will have to wait until Tuesday evening to have the schedule. This may bring additional difficulties. I'm not going to jump to the ceiling. You always have to have enough humility and respect for these teams.

"France are favourites, but we will have to do what is necessary on the ground. We're seeded, so obviously we're supposed to be the best team. We will have to see if this is an advantage or a disadvantage."