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Baroka FC central midfielder Goodman Mosele is looking forward to facing an in-form Orlando Pirates side on Saturday.

The two teams are scheduled to meet in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match at the Mecca of South African football, Orlando Stadium.

Baroka have a good record against Pirates as they are undefeated against the Buccaneers in their four competitive matches - registering three draws and one victory.

However, Mosele insists that they won't be motivated by their good record against Bucs as he is expecting a tough match. 

“We must not think that we played well against them in the past and it would be the same thing again this time. It can work against us,” Mosele told Sowetan. 

“We must tell ourselves that we are going there to play our normal game. We must not look at history, things can change at any time. We need to stay positive and play our normal game.”

Pirates will be looking to maintain their good form having won their last four matches across all competitions. 

While Baroka are wounded after losing 1-0 to their Limpopo rivals Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in a league encounter last weekend.

Mosele revealed that their upcoming encounter with Bucs reminds him of the 2018 Telkom Knockout final in which Baroka stunned a much-fancied Pirates side to lift the trophy. 

“Coming from a defeat to go and play a big team, it is something difficult but we are going there to fight and we will see what happens,” Mosele said.

“For me, it is going to be difficult. It reminds me of the Telkom Knockout final. It was a tough match. So I’m expecting more of the same this time.

“But we have to get back to winning ways and we need to fight for the team. I enjoy playing big teams and I’m looking forward to the match. Everyone is excited about playing Pirates.”

Mosele played the entire match as Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele drew 2-2 with the Buccaneers in an enthralling Telkom Knockout final at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Baroka went on to win 3-2 on penalties and they clinched their first-ever major trophy. 

A limited number of fans will be allowed to return to Premier League games in December, with the UK government announcing new coronavirus restriction tiers.

The tiers vary across England, based on the severity of the situation in each region, but, while not all stadiums will see supporters return, it will be a welcome development for football in the country nonetheless.

Under the new system, a maximum of 4,000 supporters will be allowed into games in Tier 1 regions, though that won't be applicable in the Premier League just yet.

So, which tier are the Premier League clubs in and how many supporters will they allow into games? Goal brings you all you need to know.

What lockdown tier is each Premier League club in?

Every Premier League club is either in Tier 2 or Tier 3 and, interestingly, a 50-50 split has emerged, with 10 clubs based in Tier 2 regions and 10 clubs based in Tier 3 regions.

In a football context, Tier 2 restrictions allow for a limited attendance at games, specifically up to 50 per cent of capacity or 2,000 people - whichever is lower.

Considering that the capacity of most Premier League stadiums is in the thousands, the maximum number in all cases is 2,000.

Tier 3 restrictions, meanwhile, do not permit the admittance of any spectators at games, so clubs who are within that zone will have to continue playing games behind closed doors.

The 10 clubs which will be allowed to facilitate that number of supporters at games are: Arsenal, Brighton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Southampton, Tottenham and West Ham.

Supporters of Aston Villa, Burnley, Leeds United, Leicester City, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United and West Brom will have to wait for now.

When will fans be allowed into games?

The new restriction tiers will come into effect from December 2, 2020 - when the national lockdown concludes across England.

As a result, the first elite-level game that could see supporters return to stadiums in England is Arsenal's Europa League showdown with Rapid Wien at the Emirates Stadium on December 3.

The first Premier League games that would see supporters back in attendance come that weekend, on December 5 and 6.

Chelsea's game against Leeds United and West Ham's meeting with Manchester United could well be played in front of fans on December 5.

The next day, the north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal can have 2,000 fans, as can Liverpool versus Wolves at Anfield. Fans will also be allowed in to watch the derby match between Brighton and Southampton on December 7.

It is unclear when the 10 clubs in Tier 3 will be allowed to permit the attendance of fans at games, but the UK government has indicated that restrictions will be reviewed every 14 days.

That means there is a slight possibility that fans will be in attendance at games during the traditionally busy Christmas and new year period.

Lockdown tiers & how they apply to football

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has come to the defence of his former mentor Jose Mourinho ahead of the top of the table with Tottenham on Sunday.

Mourinho has faced increasing scrutiny over his tactics and his style of man management, but his Spurs side have answered the critics in recent weeks.

In his first spell at Chelsea, Mourinho helped develop Lampard into a world class player which allowed him to become the club's all-time leading scorer with 211 goals.

Lampard believes Mourinho remains a top manager even after a difficult end of his second spell with Chelsea and problems during his time at Manchester United.

"Of course he is [still a top manager]," Lampard said in his pre-match press conference. "You don’t have a record as decorated as Jose Mourinho has a manager without being a very talented coach.

"For all of us, the game is so reactionary at the moment and particularly in the modern era with social media reactions form will always be judged very harshly for any manager. Tottenham are in good form. They are on a good run; they have good players, they have a good manager.

"It will be a very difficult game for us. I played in the fixture many a time, and the fact we're in good form towards the top of the table adds spice, we're in positions we want to be in and we're all fighting for those.

"So it's a game that remains special for those reasons, and the league positions, of course, all eyes will be drawn to it."

The positive words come after a touchline row between Lampard and Mourinho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Carabao Cup this season.

Last season, Mourinho used his trademark mind games on Lampard and claimed he knew the line up his former player would use. After losing the match, he went onto say that Lampard claimed success by using 'the Conte formation'.

Having seen him use similar tactics on other managers as his player, Lampard says it doesn't damage his relationship with Mourinho.

"I am not surprised about anything in management," he added. "We all have similar jobs to do. We all sit in these press conferences and have our own personalities. I have got respect for Jose as a manager. That's just how it is.

"I didn't take any offence to the fact I used 'Antonio Conte's system' or whatever. I play that system clearly a lot differently to how Conte would have done. Jose can have his opinions but I have got respect for him and it is nothing contentious for me."

Thomas Tuchel says he "understands" criticism of Paris Saint-Germain but dismissed its credibility when coming from fans and journalists watching from a "sofa".

PSG were out of sorts in the Champions League on Tuesday, as last season's beaten finalists scraped a narrow 1-0 win at RB Leipzig.

The decisive goal, an 11th-minute Neymar penalty, was one of just three shots on target mustered by PSG over the course of the match.

Tuchel said after the game that he would not apologise for winning in a somewhat ugly fashion, with Leipzig enjoying 63 per cent of possession and managing 15 shots in total.

He put the underwhelming performance down to fatigue caused by the team's packed schedule, though it was not their only unimpressive display in recent months.

Before Tuesday, PSG had lost three of their previous seven matches across all competitions and Tuchel has had to contend with questions about his future, but the German was keen to remind fans and reporters that they do not see everything he sees.

"If it [criticism] hits the locker room, it'll tighten us up," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's visit of Bordeaux. "For me it is very clear. I can understand the criticisms, but we have different positions. The critics are supporters, journalists, but I'm not [watching] on TV, or on my sofa.

"I'm with my team, I live every pass, every sprint with my team and you have a completely different feeling after a match like that than in front of a TV.

"I can accept the criticism, but you can also accept that we have another feeling. I had the feeling that the journalists wanted to convince me of their opinions, but I did not have the same opinion because I am a small part of this group."

Saturday's game is quickly followed by a vital Champions League trip to Manchester United on Wednesday, with PSG still fighting to qualify for the last 16.

PSG confirmed on Friday that defender Marquinhos will miss the Bordeaux game as a precaution following an adductor "twinge" – he has not been ruled out of the trip to Old Trafford, however.

Mauro Icardi and Marco Verratti are likely to get the chance to increase their involvement ahead of that journey as well, with the Argentinian striker missing since early October due to a knee ligament injury, while the Italy international returned from a month-long layoff to make a cameo against Leipzig.

"[Verratti] can change everything on the pitch. In 12 or 14 minutes he showed an extraordinary impact [against Leipzig]," Tuchel said. "We decided in the morning that he would be on the bench because he only did half a workout. Now he can play maybe a half against Bordeaux and that gives us a lot of possibilities and confidence on the pitch."

Regarding Icardi, he added: "We decided yesterday on the field if he could make strikes. We took the risk, he trained and there was no reaction.

"We'll see what he can do in training. If he can [train], we can put him on the bench and give him a few minutes, because he has been training hard for many weeks and it's hard for a player like Mauro, who lives to win."

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane is adamant his team's inconsistency is not down to an attitude problem in the squad.

Defending Liga champions Madrid have been wildly erratic in 2020-21, producing some under-par performances despite also celebrating some commendable wins, such as the 3-1 Clasico victory and Wednesday's Champions League triumph at Inter.

Among their more disappointing results have been home defeats to Cadiz and Shakhtar Donetsk, plus the 4-1 thrashing by Valencia prior to the international break.

They head into Saturday's clash with Deportivo Alaves on the back of a 1-1 draw at Villarreal in their previous league outing, meaning another failure to win will see them drop points in three successive Liga games.

Madrid have already conceded 10 goals from their first nine matches, the joint-most at this stage in 12 seasons, but Zidane is refusing to put it down to the team's collective mentality.

"It is not an attitude problem because we always want to give everything," he told reporters. "You asked me so I have to answer, but this is football, there are a lot of factors at play in a game and sometimes you can't understand it.

"The only thing we know is that, if we do things together, we are very difficult to beat but being consistent in football is the most difficult thing to achieve and we try to work on it every day, concentrating and working on all that we can. We have little time to prepare, but in the end that's what we want, to do well."

It has been suggested that Madrid are nearing the end of an era, with many players approaching the end of their careers - Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema are already well into their 30s - but Zidane dismissed this notion and made no pledge to bring in reinforcements in January.

"No, it's not the end of an era here. You always have to fight, be concentrated – we never stop in that sense," he added.

"There will always be changes in a squad from time to time, but the players want to compete and now we have this squad. Until when, I don't know, but we have to do it until the end of the season with the squad I have, and we don't have to change anything."

Zidane also confirmed Dani Carvajal is set for another period on the sidelines due to an adductor injury, while Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos remain absent for the time being.

"Dani has something and we are going to do the examination now. It seemed like nothing but now it does – we'll examine him but I don't know how long he'll be out, I'm not a doctor. He has a niggle, that much is true," Zidane said.

"Karim's injury was bigger than it seemed – we have a lot of games, training, at the end a player has to be physically alright to play.

"Sergio the same – we won't rush him. The feeling with him is good, so we'll see when he returns to the team, but for the moment he is out."

Jurgen Klopp needs to stop “moaning” about Liverpool’s schedule says Danny Murphy, saying no-one on the Reds’ playing staff will be whinging about the hectic fixture list.

Frustration has started to boil over at Anfield on the back of a recent run of untimely injuries.

The reigning Premier League champions are not the only side to have seen key men ruled out, but they have been hit harder than most.

With games needing to be squeezed in after coronavirus-enforced calendar issues, Murphy wants to see those at Anfield save the energy they are wasting on complaining for competitive action.

The former Reds midfielder told talkSPORT when asked whether Klopp should be venting his anger or knuckling down: “The latter, for me. I very rarely hear players moaning about it, it’s the coaches.

“Of course you’re going to get frustrated when there’s a few injuries, especially muscle injuries, but it’s part and parcel and it has been for years.

“This ongoing argument about too many games – look, we’re in a bizarre time, the season finished late, the new one started early, we’ve got the Euros coming up - the games have got to be played, it’s as simple as that.

“He might, as he has done before, just have to sacrifice the lesser competitions and just stay focused on the Prem and the Champions League, and not worry about the others.”

Murphy added when quizzed on Liverpool’s strength in depth: “I mean, time will tell, they can’t be having any more injuries because they are pushing it, but Jordan [Henderson] is back training, Thiago is back and might play and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is not that far away, so they are getting players back.

“I think [Diogo] Jota coming in has helped massively, and I’ve spoken to a couple of people who have all said [Xherdan] Shaqiri looks really sharp, he got a little knock on international duty but I’m expecting him to have more of an impact this season.

“So I think they can [rotate when required], yeah. They’ve just got to be careful what games they mix and match and rotate.

“I think in the Champions League group stages you can get away with the odd game and mix your team up, like against Atalanta this week, but I don’t see a problem for them in the Premier League as they try and recapture the title.”

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City have plenty of time to have “fair talks” with Sergio Aguero over his future and first wants the striker to get back to full fitness.

The 32-year-old is the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium but has played only 190 minutes this season, after knee surgery in the summer and a hamstring setback in October.

Aguero, who is City’s record all-time goalscorer, played 12 minutes as a substitute in the Champions League victory over Olympiacos on Wednesday.

Guardiola says he is not yet fully fit but believes he will still make a major impact this season once he has recovered his sharpness.

“He's going to give us a good moment this season,” the City boss said ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Burnley when asked about contract talks. “He is still not in his best condition - we cannot forget how long he was injured and come back and then injured again.

“In the middle of the season, he's a guy who needs to be so sharp but the quality to score in the box is always there, always was and always will be. We don't have doubts about that, but he needs a little bit of time to get in the training sessions and the minutes [on the pitch], and after we have seven months ahead.

“He's a guy who deserves with the club, fair talks to do what is the best for him for the club and for everyone. In that you should not doubt.

“As I said many times, I was lucky to play as a football player and manager with incredible football players. He's one of these ones, for sure, but especially as a human being. I never found a bigger star like him to be to be like Sergio is.”

Aguero has also been personally been touched by the death of Argentinian Diego Maradona, who was the grandfather of his son Benjamin.

Maradona’s death following a cardiac arrest was announced shortly before the Champions League win over Olympiacos.

Aguero has since paid tribute to his former father-in-law and Guardiola believes he will be ready to play this weekend despite the news.

“It's difficult for me to talk about his feelings,” the City boss said. “I saw him good and of course the impact on the day of the game against Olympiacos was hard, especially for his son.

“He knew Maradona quite well and he was the grandfather of his son. It's a sad situation unfortunately for his family but he's okay. But it's a question for him it's difficult for me to answer.”

Guardiola will be keen to have the striker back at his best as soon as possible with City struggling to score with just 10 goals from eight Premier League matches compared 27 at the same time last season, but the Catalan expects the goals to come with City creating plenty of chances, including 22 shots in the 1-0 victory over the Greek champions.

“In the last games we played we created much more than the opponents,” he said. “You can win the game or lose it but you are closest to winning if you have more than the opponents. In the Champions League to have 20 shots is an achievement. One day we will break and put on the table what we deserve.”

Wayne Rooney does not consider himself to be Manchester United’s “greatest goalscorer” despite hitting the target on 253 occasions for the club.

That return has him sat at the very top of a notable chart at Old Trafford.

Nobody in the Red Devils’ illustrious history has recorded more efforts for the club than Rooney – who spent 13 memorable years in Manchester between 2004 and 2017.

A man who is also the all-time leading marksman for England could have posted even better numbers for United had he been deployed in a No.9 role for the majority of his career.

Rooney is, however, adamant that he was never that kind of striker, despite his numbers suggesting otherwise.

A Red Devils legend told the UTD Podcast when asked if he could have been even more prolific: “I know what you’re saying, but I think I’ve had time and I’ve obviously had a long career to get the Man United record and the England record, and to become the most-capped outfield player for England. 

“For instance, in two years’ time, Harry Kane will, barring injury, pass my England goals record because he is more of a natural goalscorer than I am.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy, if he had more time here, he would have gone on to get the United record. Obviously it is great and I am really proud to have those records, but it is not something I look at. It says ‘Man United’s greatest goalscorer’ but I wouldn’t say I am Man United’s greatest goalscorer.”

Rooney, whose remarkable return for United was achieved through 559 appearances, added: “I’ve never looked at myself, ever, as a natural goalscorer.

“Obviously I have scored a lot of goals in my career, but I would never say I was a Michael Owen, a Gary Lineker, or a Harry Kane type of player. I have enjoyed the game too much to be that. I have done it twice at Man United in two seasons, when I was the No.9, a solo No.9, and I scored a lot of goals.

“But to be honest I remember coming off the pitch and thinking ‘I didn’t enjoy that, I didn’t enjoy the game’. I enjoyed scoring, obviously, and winning the game if we won, but I didn’t enjoy the game and I found it difficult to just wait up the pitch.

“It is important to be patient and that, but I like to get involved a bit more and that has obviously allowed me over the last few years to drop back into midfield and be able to play there as well.”

Rooney won five Premier League titles during his time with United, along with three League Cups, the FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the strength of his squad gives him selection dilemmas each week, but Paul Pogba will not be involved in his decision making this weekend as the midfielder continues to be ruled out through injury.

The France international played three times during the international break but has not featured for United in either of their two games since after aggravating a knock Solskjaer said he picked up while playing for his country.

The Norwegian confirmed the midfielder has an ankle complaint, but it is different to the problem which saw him sidelined for the majority of the last campaign.

“Scott (McTominay) and Paul (Pogba) didn't train this morning, weren't on the grass so look very unlikely for the weekend,” Solskjaer said in his pre-match press conference.

“Marcus (Rashford), Victor (Lindelof), Aaron (Wan-Bissaka) came through the session today so not 100%, Luke (Shaw) has just started his rehab out on the grass but is not back with the team yet, Jesse (Lingard) is back from his isolation period and has had a couple of days training and Phil Jones is out until after Christmas sometime.”

Despite a growing list of players with niggles, Solskjaer said he is happy with his squad and admitted he has issues picking his matchday squad.

“I feel very happy with my squad,” the United manager said. “We are getting stronger, I have issues every week with an 18-man squad: who do I leave out? We're in a good position.”

Two players who could be in contention for their first Premier League starts for United are Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek. Both played well in the midweek Champions League fixture and have recovered ahead of Sunday’s trip to St Mary’s.

“They’ll both be available to play and I'm sure if they do they'll be capable again,” Solskjaer said.

United go to Southampton looking to make it four wins in a row in all competitions, and the Norwegian manager is hoping to see an improvement from their two performances against the Saints last season, which resulted in two draws.

“Yeah of course we want that run to continue but we know how well Southampton have done lately in the last year or so,” he said. “We have a very good away record and we’re up there since the turn of the year.

"January transfers in and out were a big turning point and since then we’ve been pushing up the table and getting that consistency. We know that this is a nice challenge and good test for the team to see if we really learnt our lessons from the games we played against them last season.”

High-flying Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Swallows FC are looking to sign South Africa international Kgaogelo Sekgota.

The Birds have a had a great start to the 2020/21 season and they are currently placed at the top of the PSL standings.

The Soweto giants are still looking to beef up their squad having registered their interest in Sekgota, who is known to be on the radar of Kaizer Chiefs.

Sekgota had a successful spell with now-defunct Bidvest Wits last season on loan from Portuguese club Vitoria Setubal.

His agent Bally Smart has confirmed that they are negotiating with Swallows over the services of the left-footed attacker.

"We are talking to Swallows and we are likely to sign soon," Smart told Goal. 

Wits had an option to purchase Sekgota from Setubal outright at the end of the season.

However, the Clever Boys sold their PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila ahead of the current campaign.

The 23-year-old returned to his parent club, Setubal, but he was not included in their final squad for 2020/21 season. 

His former coach at Wits, Gavin Hunt, who has since joined Chiefs, is believed to be keen to reunite with the speedy player at the Naturena-based giants.

However, Chiefs are currently banned from registering new players after being found guilty of signing Andriamirado 'Dax' Andrianarimanana illegally.

The four-time PSL champions can only register new players from July 2021 and they look set to miss out on yet another target. 

Amakhosi were interested in signing former Wits trio Sfiso Hlanti, Phathutshedzo Nange and Brandon Peterson, but they stopped training with the club last month.

This was after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) dismissed Chiefs' appeal against a two-window transfer ban.

Swallows have already signed 15 players in the current transfer window having gained promotion to the PSL after clinching last season's National Division (NFD) title.

The Soweto giants have snapped up Hlanti and Keagan Ritchie (both Bidvest Wits), Sammy Seabi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Phetso Maphanga (Chippa United), Thela Ngobeni (Highlands Park), Kamohelo Mahlatsi (SuperSport United), Thabo Matlaba (Black Leopards), Given Thibedi (Chiefs), Thabo Mosadi (Ajax Cape Town), Moeketsi Makhanya (JDR Stars), Wandisile Letlabika (Bloemfontein Celtic), Musa Nyatama (Highlands Park), Kagiso Malinga (SuperSport United) Ruzaigh Gamildien (Chippa United) and Daniel Gozar (Free State Stars).

Swallows chairman David Mogashoa posted a photo of himself with Sekgota on Friday:

Nicolas Pepe needs to start delivering for Arsenal against “big sides”, says Ray Parlour, with a £72 million ($96m) asset at Emirates Stadium accused of taking “the easy option” against Premier League opponents.

The Gunners made the Ivory Coast international their club-record signing when doing a big-money deal with Lille in the summer of 2019.

Pepe was supposed to arrive in north London and become a talismanic presence for an ambitious Premier League outfit.

The 25-year-old is yet to scale those heights, with many placing him into the expensive flop category.

Time is still on Pepe’s side when it comes to silencing his critics and enjoying a reversal in fortune, but he needs to find confidence and consistency from somewhere.

A reckless red card in his last domestic outing against Leeds did little to aid that cause, but a third Europa League goal of the season was recorded in a 3-0 win over Molde.

Parlour saw plenty of potential in that outing, but he is looking for a forward with undoubted ability to stop being a flat-track bully and follow in the footsteps of star wingers that have gone before him, such as Robert Pires and Marc Overmars.

“He has shown it in patches,” former Arsenal star Parlour told talkSPORT of Pepe.

“He was much better [against Molde], I must admit. He’s better when he runs at players, commits players.

“He takes the easy option usually in the Premier League. He needs to run at full-backs, make them commit.

“He’s good when he gets on his left foot, he has a good strike on him and you can see him taking corners. The reason he plays on the right is so he can cut inside and shoot with his left foot.

“We always had left wingers who were right-footed, we had Pires, we had Overmars who would cut in and get 20 goals a season.

“It’s alright doing it against Molde, against the smaller sides, you have to do it against the big sides. He has to make that impact against the Leeds Uniteds and the teams in the Premier League.

“He has shown glimpses he can do it in the Premier League, but he hasn’t done it on a regular basis.

“Again, when you go back to consistency, you have to do it week in, week out. You need to be a seven or eight out of 10 week in, week out and that’s where you are going to be a real success at your club.”

Pepe has taken in 56 appearances for Arsenal to date, with 12 goals and as many assists recorded across those outings.

The weekend’s action kicks off on Friday night with a match between two clubs trending in opposite directions. Real Valladolid vs Levante UD is a clash between a Valladolid side who come into the encounter on the back of two consecutive wins and a Levante side that hasn’t won since Matchday 3.

On Saturday, the first game of the day is a duel between two of this year’s newly promoted sides as Elche CF host Cadiz CF.

Both their meetings last season in LaLiga SmartBank ended in goalless draws, but both teams have added fresh attacking talent since then with the likes of Tete Morente, Lucas Boye and Alvaro Negredo, so goals can be expected this time around.

At 4.15pm CET on Saturday afternoon, Valencia CF face Atletico Madrid in arguably the most intriguing fixture of the entire weekend.

Atleti just defeated Barcelona last weekend to spark talk of a title push and they’ll look to lay down a marker when they visit Mestalla. Other title challengers such as Real Madrid and Real Sociedad have suffered defeats against Valencia CF this season and Los Che always step it up for the biggest occasions.

It won’t be easy, but to take three points from this one would be a statement win for Diego Simeone’s men.

SD Huesca vs Sevilla FC sees the home side searching for their first win of the campaign, as they’re the only team in the division yet to enjoy a victory. The newly promoted side haven’t performed badly this season, though, picking up seven draws. Sevilla may be tired from their midweek exploits in Russia in securing Champions League last 16 qualification and, if the Oscenses smell blood, they’ll go for it.

Last year’s champions Real Madrid conclude the Saturday schedule with their home match against D. Alaves.

This could be a tricky game for Los Blancos, though, given that the Basque side are in their best run of form of the season and are unbeaten in their past four.

Sunday’s schedule contains four fixtures and the first of them comes at the Camp Nou, where FC Barcelona host CA Osasuna. It was in this fixture that Barça’s title challenge fell apart last season with a 2-1 loss.

It’s still very early in the campaign, but Ronald Koeman’s men won’t want another setback against the side from Pamplona.

Two difficult-to-call fixtures follow on Sunday afternoon with Getafe CF vs Athletic Club and then RC Celta vs Granada CF.

Athletic Club arrive full of momentum after a huge 4-0 victory over Real Betis this week, while Getafe CF are seeking their first win in five matches.

Then, in the latter, all eyes will be on Eduardo Coudet as he has his first home game on the Celta bench. With his side bottom of the table, there’s plenty of motivation for the new coach.

Another blockbuster battle comes up on Sunday night as Real Sociedad welcome Villarreal CF to the Reale Arena.

These two teams are currently inside the top three and have each earned the right to be considered title challengers.

There’s an extra special element to this game as well when it comes to the dugouts, as coaches Imanol Alguacil and Unai Emery came through the Real Sociedad youth academy together three decades ago.

They’ve gone on to achieve so much since then, and now lead two of the clubs that have been the most impressive through the first ten matchdays of the season.

Matchday 11 then concludes on Monday with Real Betis vs SD Eibar.

It’s a second Monday game in a row for Betis and they’ll be determined to avoid a repeat of the four-goal hammering they suffered in Bilbao last time out. Eibar may relish the chance to play at the Benito Villamarin as so far this season they’ve been earning just 0.5 points per game at home, but 1.75 points per game away.

We’ll see on Monday if they can keep that trend going.

Watch LaLiga Santander live this weekend on SuperSport LaLiga on DStv Channel 204.

Former AFC Leopards midfielder Boniface Ambani has claimed he was willing to help kit Gor Mahia for their Caf Champions League trip against APR of Rwanda.

Gor Mahia had to travel kitted in Kenya national team jerseys for the Saturday clash against the Rwandan champions and Ambani, who featured against K’Ogalo in the famous Mashemeji Derby, has said he was willing to extend a helping hand to his former rivals.

The retired Harambee Star owns a sports merchandise shop in Nairobi.

“My in-laws, I have never had a dark heart since. You would have come to me instead of going for the Harambee Stars track-suits,” Ambani said in a Facebook post.

“I would have lent you some suits then start charging you slowly. You are our in-laws but next time knock at Bochend Sports.”

A source privy to the issue revealed to Goal why they had to seek help from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) over the kitting matter.

“A player called the federation asking for help, the officials wanted them to travel in jeans but as a federation, we agreed to assist them [Gor Mahia],” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal.

“We have given them the green tracksuit of the senior national team Harambee Stars, and that is what they wore going to Rwanda.

“It is a big shame that a big club like Gor Mahia cannot afford a tracksuit for a playing unit and technical bench of 30 people, I don’t know what is happening at the club, but they have received the help they wanted.”

The kitting problem is one of the major issues the Kenyan giants have faced before the APR tie. Head coach Roberto ‘Robertinho’ Oliveira was banned for lack of qualification and his place was filled by Posta Rangers head coach Sammy Omollo on a temporary basis.

Travelling players: Boniface Oluoch, Gad Mathews, Geoffrey Ochieng, Michael Apudo, Philemon Otieno, Kelvin Wesonga, Charles Momanyi, Joachim Oluoch, Andrew Juma, Ernest Wendo, Bertrand Konfor, Kenneth Muguna, Bernard Ondiek, Cliffton Miheso, John Macharia, Samuel Onyango, Nicholas Kipkirui, Tito Okello.

Technical Bench: Roberto Oliveira – Coach, Samuel Omollo – Coach, Patrick Odhiambo – Assistant Coach, Jolawi Obondo – Team Manager, Willis Ochieng’- Goalkeeper’s coach, Fredrick Otieno – Team Doctor, Victor Otieno – Logistics.

Official: Dolfina Odhiambo.

Jose Mourinho boasts the “secret ingredient” at Tottenham that Mauricio Pochettino was lacking, says Jermaine Jenas, with the Portuguese being backed to deliver a long-awaited trophy in north London.

A charismatic coach has now completed his first year in the managerial hot seat at Spurs.

He was appointed in November 2019 as a Premier League heavyweight desperately sought to find inspiration from somewhere.

The tough decision to part with Pochettino, who had guided the club to the Champions League final a few months earlier, was taken as Spurs saw themselves slipping away from silverware again.

Mourinho’s CV made him an obvious choice to step in, with the former Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United boss having enjoyed success wherever he has been.

The 57-year-old appears to have turned Tottenham around after putting his own stamp on things, with Jenas convinced that a proven winner can succeed where those before him have failed.

The former Spurs midfielder told BBC Sport: “We can't forget what Poch did for Tottenham because he made them Champions League regulars and took them to a whole new stratosphere in terms of their belief levels.

“Mourinho, though, has somehow looked at that blueprint and said 'it is brilliant but I can make it better because I know the secret ingredient'.

“That secret ingredient is a desire to win. These Tottenham players are all very good footballers, but the question was 'do they want success enough to get it in a horrible way?'

“Basically, are they willing to do it Jose's way?

“It looks like they are, and the more big results it gets them, the more they will be in the palm of his hand.”

Mourinho is already a three-time Premier League title winner, while also boasting FA Cup and League Cup triumphs on his enviable roll of honour, and Jenas claims the enigmatic tactician can bring the grandest of prizes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He added: “At 57, Jose's legacy is already established, of course. Just look at his track record - he will go down as one of the greatest managers ever, because of what he has already achieved.

“But he has got an opportunity now to create something different with Spurs - something that, in a weird way, would almost be more than everything he has done elsewhere.

“I mean, can you imagine if he won the Premier League with Tottenham?

“There are not many other managers on this planet who would even think it is possible to walk into Spurs and win the title within 18 months, let alone be able to carry it out.

“Jose won't admit his side are contenders of course, but it's clearly something he feels he can get his teeth into.

“Off the pitch, you can tell he is more comfortable now he is back in London than he ever was in Manchester, living out of a hotel.

“On it, he has got the players that he wants, and he has instilled the spirit he demands from them.”

Tottenham sit top of the Premier League table heading into the latest round of fixtures, but will see their title credentials tested to the full on Sunday when they take in a trip to old adversaries Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to the late Diego Maradona, and says meeting the Argentine legend was like having an audience with the Pope.

Maradona passed away this week at the age of 60, leaving the football world in mourning.

Tributes have flown in from across the globe for the former Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli star, who was widely considered as one of the game’s all-time greats.

Klopp was among those to pay his respects, doing so before and after Liverpool’s Champions League game with Atalanta on Wednesday night.

And speaking at a press conference ahead of his side’s trip to Brighton, the Reds boss reiterated his belief that Maradona stands among the legends of the sport.

He said: “[He is] the best in my lifetime, which I watched most often. 

“Maybe that’s not right anymore because I watched Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Lionel [Messi] a few times now as well. But during my own playing career he was the standout player. 

“His life shows how nice life can be when you are a world-class footballer, and how difficult it can be as well. 

“He was a very, very impressive figure. I met him once, which for a player of my level was like meeting the Pope, to be honest! It was really, really special.

“Football will miss him, I will miss him, and you can see that with the reaction all over the world. If we would have shown our love for him without wanting to have a selfie, if we had shown him the respect he deserved while he was still alive, then I think we could have helped him.”

Maradona's body is lying in honour at Casa Rosada, the presidential mansion in Buenos Aires, during three days of national mourning in Argentina. His coffin was draped in the national flag, as well as a football shirt bearing his iconic No.10.

Thousands turned out to pay their respects in the capital, although the day was marred when clashes between police and mourners broke out.

Maradona, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 and went on to coach his country, is survived by his five children and his former wife, Claudia Villafane, with whom he split in 2004.

Eric Bailly has revealed that he joined Manchester United in 2016 after snubbing interest from City, with a personal phone call from Jose Mourinho convincing him to head for Old Trafford.

Eye-catching performances for Villarreal had brought the Ivorian defender onto the recruitment radar of leading sides in England.

Those at the Etihad Stadium were keen on doing a deal, with Pep Guardiola taking City’s managerial reins that summer.

The Blues’ Catalan coach was, however, beaten to a much sought-after signature by his old adversary Mourinho – who had just taken charge at United.

A £30 million ($40m) transfer was put in place, with Bailly favouring red over blue when it came to a fierce Premier League divide.

Explaining that big career call, amid talk of Barcelona also being keen on acquiring his services, the 26-year-old centre-half told Mundo Deportivo: “In the summer of 2016 there were many rumours.

“I was in Ivory Coast, in the dining room at home with my mother when the phone rang. It was a Portuguese number; Mourinho. He told me to come with him, that he liked me since he saw me with Espanyol and Villarreal.

“Manchester City were also interested, but if Mourinho calls you, you can’t say no.

“You can’t say no to Barca either. It just didn’t happen because the interest was not public or so explicit.”

Bailly has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions since making the decision to join United, with fitness struggles restricting him to 89 appearances across four-and-a-half years.

Four of those have come this season, with the Ivorian convinced that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can find a formula at the back that allows the Red Devils to plug defensive leaks.

Bailly added: “We have known how to overcome adversity because the dressing room is with Solskjaer.

“He is a close guy who has a good relationship with everyone and understands the codes of the football player.

“At the back, he [Solskjaer] asks for concentration and more character. There are small mistakes that have been avoided.

“We need to pay more attention to plays that seem of little danger and that end up costing us too much.”

United will be back in Premier League action on Sunday when they take in a trip to Southampton.