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Ulsan Hyundai boss Kim Do-hoon has given a thumbs up to Qatar’s 2022 FIIFA World Cup preparedness and tournament hosting capabilities ahead of his team’s AFC Champions League Group F clash against Shanghai Shenhua on Tuesday.

Qatar stepped in as the centralized hosting venue for the pandemic-delayed 2020 season for the East Zone group and knockout matches after successfully hosting the West Zone phase of the tournament in September.

“The quarantine facility here is very good and monitoring of the safety procedures is fantastic,” the visibly satisfied Ulsan Hyundai boss told reporters. Kim’s team was recently rocked by the news of goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo testing positive for COVID just ahead of the start of the ACL while being with the South Korean national team in Austria.  

Kim praised the infrastructure on show at the host nation of the 2022 World Cup. “I came here twenty years ago as a Jeonbuk Hyundai player but now everything has changed,” he said. “The place looks totally different. As a country hosting the World Cup, it is well prepared.

The Ulsan boss also had a word of praise for Education City Stadium, the 2022 World Cup venue where his team will be taking on Shanghai Shenhua. “The ground and facilities are great,” he said. "There is great involvement to play football here. The stadiums are kept cooled at 23 degrees [Celsius] and this helps players a lot. I hope the players are motivated to be at their best.”

The veteran that Kim turns to for his experience, former South Korean winger Lee Chung-yong, admitted the difficulties of playing football in a bubble but said that players need to remain focused.

“Because we are in Coronavirus times, players have to be in the bubble and keep to their rooms,” said the former Bolton Wanderers man. “Therefore it is tough to be in good physical condition as we just go out for training. It is a difficult situation but there is no point complaining about it as it is the same for every team.

“We just need to focus on each match. We have a big good squad and if we concentrate hard we can go high every game,” concluded Lee, who is no stranger to playing a mega tournament in Qatar after being an integral part of the South Korean side which finished third in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

Neymar returned to action in Paris Saint-Germain’s shock 3-2 loss to Monaco, and manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed the Brazilian will start their Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.

PSG appeared in complete control against Monaco on Friday, as a pair goals from Kylian Mbappe - who got 68 minutes in his legs on his return from injury - had them two-nil to the good, but they collapsed in the second half.

Tuchel condemned the attitude of his side, accusing them of stopping playing, but the bright spot was the return of Neymar from injury.

The Brazil international climbed off the bench on the hour mark for his first appearance for the club since the Champions League win at Basaksehir on October 28.

He could not prevent the shock collapse, but got 30 minutes under his belt and will be let loose against Leipzig.

"The match against Leipzig is going to be very difficult, but it would not have been much different if we'd won," Tuchel said of Tuesday's game.

"We had to get Kylian out, not take any risk with Marquinhos and make Neymar play for a few minutes.

"The mix between the two matches, Monaco and Leipzig, is perhaps also a reason which explains why we lost our concentration.

"Neymar is determined. He will start against Leipzig."

PSG were cruising at half-time on their return to Ligue 1 action on Friday as the fit-again Mbappe scored twice.

But a third effort from the France international was ruled out and the half-time introduction of Cesc Fabregas changed the game.

Kevin Volland swiftly pulled a goal back for Monaco, before Fabregas teed up the German forward's second and then swept in the winner from the penalty spot after Abdou Diallo was sent off.

Fabregas created three chances - no player managed more despite the midfielder only playing 45 minutes - and also had three shots, trailing only Volland.

The former Chelsea midfielder completed 32 of his 36 passes, including 86.4 per cent of his attempts in the PSG half, but Tuchel said his side were to blame as they ceded control.

Diallo's costly foul was one of 12 from the visitors in the second half, while Monaco won five more duels than their opponents across the 90 minutes.

"We controlled the first half with two goals scored and two others [disallowed], I think the third was valid," PSG boss Tuchel told Telefoot after the 3-2 loss.

"In the second half, we lacked the same concentration, we did not play seriously enough, we did not take the ball with the same quality and we didn't defend seriously enough either.

"This is why we are completely responsible. Maybe it was too easy and the players got the impression that it was already 3-0 or 4-0 when it was only 2-0.

"We have to accept the criticism because we have completely stopped playing football.

"We have not done what is necessary to win a match: defending in a block, remaining aggressive, remaining attentive in behind.

"We have lost also a little strength in the midfield but we had to make changes. It's always possible to lose but losing a match like that is very weird.

"In the first two minutes of the second half, we had two very high recoveries but then we stopped completely. It was not possible to win the duels; we were always late. It is not normal."

It was the first time PSG had let a two-goal slip to lose in the league since January 2015, a 4-2 reverse against Bastia.

Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder has hit out at "selfish" managers of big clubs who are strongly pushing for the Premier League to allow five substitutions per game this season.

Unlike other leagues across Europe, the Premier League has not continued allowing five subs per game this season as they did following the coronavirus-enforced break last term.

Allowing five changes per game is seen to favour bigger clubs with deeper benches and as such, a motion in September did not get the required 14 votes from clubs and the English top-flight went back to three permitted subs per game. 

With a condensed schedule this season leading to increased injury concerns, managers such as Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Man City's Pep Guardiola among others have been vocal in their belief that five subs per game are needed.

But Wilder has hit back at those claims, saying that clubs like the Blades - currently rock-bottom in the table - would be adversely affected by allowing five changes per game.

“Cards on the table, he’s going to look after his own club,” Wilder said of Klopp.

“I’ve got incredible respect for these top managers because they produce top results and win things.

“But they’re selfish, they look after their own clubs. They’re not going to be bothered about Sheffield United, they’re not going to be bothered about England.

“They’re going to be bothered about Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, which I understand and respect. I would be the same, but I’m bothered about Sheffield United and it doesn’t help us to have five subs.

“I don’t think the common man is going to be too sympathetic to the mental aspect of players on £250,000-a-week not getting into an 18-man squad. That’s b*llocks as far as I’m concerned.

“My sympathy for them is not huge. If Man City are playing on a Wednesday night in Outer Mongolia and then have to play at 12:30 on a Saturday, they have to play at 12:30 on a Saturday!

Pep Guardiola’s decision to sign a new deal was met with widespread approval in the Manchester City squad, according to defender Aymeric Laporte.

City announced on Thursday that Guardiola had committed his future to the club until the summer of 2023, which is likely to mean the Spaniard is given funds to invest in his squad next year.

Should Guardiola see out the extra two seasons, it would take his stay at the club to seven years. His previous longest spell at any team was the four-year stint he spent at the helm of Barcelona.

His aims will be a deep run in the Champions League and a bid to regain the Premier League crown that was wrestled from City by Liverpool last season.

Laporte believes City have grown as a club under Guardiola and feels they are well placed to challenge for domestic and European honours.

"We are all very happy with the news,” Laporte told the club’s official website. “It makes us really happy to have him for two more years. 

“We all have seen everything he has done in this club. He has won many trophies, he has a 73 per cent winning rate. That is huge.

“Manchester City has increased its level under his command, so I'm very happy he is staying.

“Of course, winning trophies is always the goal with him. We want to win the Premier League again and the Champions League, hopefully it can happen this season and the next two as well.”

City’s Premier League challenge resumes with a visit to Tottenham on Saturday.

The trip to north London is a daunting one, as Spurs are second in the table with City sat in 10th, five points behind their opponents - albeit with a game in hand.

Tottenham won the corresponding fixture 2-0 last season and Laporte is looking to exact revenge.

“Of course, we want that (to take the revenge from last season),” he said. “Hopefully, we can win this time.

“We need it so we will fight until the end to beat them. I think they are very good players [Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Gareth Bale], but we also have very good defenders as well.

“We will have to be very focused and hopefully we can keep a clean sheet.”

Manchester United have revealed the club's technology systems have been attacked by cyber criminals in a "sophisticated" operation.

The Red Devils released a statement on Friday evening confirming the breach but said the club's IT defence system had brought the issue under control.

Despite the apparent skill of the hackers, Man Utd insist the club's website and app were not breached during the attack and that any personal data on fans and customers had not been compromised.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are set to host West Brom at Old Trafford on Saturday evening with the club providing assurances that the cyber attack will have no impact on the status of that match.

"Manchester United can confirm that the club has experienced a cyber attack on our systems," the  statement on the club's official website said.

"The club has taken swift action to contain the attack and is currently working with expert advisers to investigate the incident and minimise the ongoing IT disruption.

"Although this is a sophisticated operation by organised cyber criminals, the club has extensive protocols and procedures in place for such an event and had rehearsed for this risk. Our cyber defences identified the attack and shut down affected systems to contain the damage and protect data.

"Club media channels, including our website and app, are unaffected and we are not currently aware of any breach of personal data associated with our fans and customers. All critical systems required for matches to take place at Old Trafford remain secure and operational and tomorrow’s game against West Bromwich Albion will go ahead."

Manchester United have had a rocky start to their Premier League season and are currently sitting 14th position – eight points behind leaders Leicester City but with a game in hand.

The Red Devils' inconsistency has been highlighted by the gap between their best and worst performances, having suffered a 6-1 defeat to Tottenham at Old Trafford, but also winning 3-1 away at high-flying Everton in their most recent match.

Their best performances have come in Europe, with impressive wins against PSG and RB Leipzig putting the team in the box seat to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has downplayed the prospect of making a move for Real Madrids’s Isco, while heaping praise on Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira.

Ancelotti has worked with both midfielders in the past and is a huge fan of their talents.

Both Isco and Khedira are being linked with January moves away from their respective clubs.

Marca reports that Isco has decided to leave Real in January, while Khedira said he would be open to a transfer to the Premier League after falling out of favour in Turin.

Given Ancelotti’s relationship with the pair, it is hardly surprising that Everton are being linked.

The Italian did not bat back the questions about the pair at his press conference on Friday, but suggested the chances of either of them arriving at Goodison Park in January are slim.

“Isco is a rumour from the press, from the media,” Ancelotti said at a press conference ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Fulham. “It's not a rumour that went out from our side.

"We are not talking about the market in this period, we are talking about the problem that we had and we are working to try and solve this problem.

"Apart from this, Isco was my player at Real Madrid and was a fantastic player. He is a Real Madrid player."

While Isco would add a creative spark to his side, Khedira would be a more combative presence and Ancelotti has fond memories of working with the Germany international.

"I have a good memory of Sami Khedira, he was with me at Real Madrid and was a fantastic professional," Ancelotti said. "I would love to work with him, but unfortunately he's not the only one! I've had fantastic players in my career, I've had good memories of them.

"But to come here to Everton is another thing to consider."

The transfer market will come into focus in the weeks ahead, but the priority for Everton is to get their season back on track.

The Toffees opened the campaign with seven wins on the spin in all competitions, but they are on a run of three defeats in a row and will view a trip to Fulham as a big chance to claim three points.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel was dismayed after watching his side throw away a two-goal lead in a "catastrophic" second half at Monaco. 

The champions looked well on their way to three points in Friday's Ligue 1 encounter at Stade Louis II, as Kylian Mbappe's first-half double put them up 2-0 at half-time. 

PSG could have been four goals up at the break, but Moise Kean and Mbappe had efforts ruled out by VAR for offside, which would ultimately prove costly.

Kevin Volland's second-half brace and a late Cesc Fabregas penalty gave Monaco a stunning 3-2 comeback win, putting them into second place ahead of the weekend's games.

Speaking to Telefoot after the match, Tuchel lamented his side's capitulation in their first loss since the second match of the season.

“Catastrophic? Yes, the second half," Tuchel said. "We controlled the game, we scored two goals, and we could have scored two more. The third was onside. We had opportunities.

"In the second half, we didn't have the same concentration. We weren't serious enough. We didn't recover the ball with the same quality, and we didn't seriously defend. We are completely responsible for this defeat, when the match was almost over in our favour.

"They felt it was 3-0 or 4-0 when it was only 2-0. I have no explanation. I have to accept all the criticism, because we have completely stopped playing, and we haven't done what is necessary to win."

Catastrophic was also the word defender Presnel Kimpembe used to describe his side's performance.

"We had a catastrophic second half, even unacceptable," Kimpembe said. "We don't have the right to have a half like that with the team we have."

The last time PSG lost a Ligue 1 game after leading by two goals was back in January 2015, when they fell 4-2 to Bastia.

It was also the first time PSG had conceded at least two goals in a Ligue 1 match since they defeated Bordeaux 4-3 in February. 

Tuchel's side will be back in action on Tuesday when they face RB Leipzig in a Champions League match at Parc des Princes.

Mikel Arteta says he will find out who leaked details of a training ground bust up between Dani Ceballos and David Luiz and has warned there will be ‘consequences’ for the culprit.

It was revealed by the Athletic that Ceballos and Luiz had squared up during training after the latter had taken exception to a tackle made by the Spanish midfielder.

Luiz is said to have punched Ceballos, drawing blood, before the pair were pulled apart by team-mates.

Ceballos immediately took to social media to deny the incident, labelling it as ‘fake’, but Arteta has now admitted that there was a clash - although he insists there is no ‘no problem at all’ between the pair.

But the Arsenal boss is far from happy that details of the fight emerged in the first place and will now investigate exactly how the information was leaked out to the media - holding talks with his players and staff.

“I don’t like the fact that that incident comes out at all,” he said. “I will find out where it is coming from.

”That goes completely against what I expect from each other, the privacy and the confidentiality that we need, and there will be consequences.”

The training ground clash with Luiz means Ceballos has now been involved in two separate incidents with team-mates since the start of the season.

He was also caught on camera clashing with Eddie Nketiah during the warm-up ahead of Arsenal’s game at Fulham on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.

Ceballos posted a picture of himself with Nketiah after the game, insisting all had been forgiven, but the fact he has now found himself embroiled in another incident has raised questions about his temperament.

When asked whether it was just coincidental that Ceballos was again involved in a clash with a team-mate or whether it suggested there was a bigger problem with the midfielder, Arteta said: “Well, whether it's a coincidence or not it doesn't change things much, it's just the competitive levels that we demand and the standards we want to set.

“But obviously it's a very thin line, where it's a competitive issue and where it goes somewhere else that we obviously we don't support and don't want.

“But it's a contact sport and incidents and going to happen, it's about how you resolve them within the team and individuals and how you move from there.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended Paul Pogba after his comments while away on international duty, explaining the midfielder has been frustrated by his own form and lack of game time.  

The 27-year-old said he had "never known such a difficult period" in his career during the latest international break, having started just five times across 12 games in all competitions this season. 

“It’s a period I didn’t know in my career. Before, I used to play a lot and have rhythm,” Pogba said last week. “There (playing for France), I resume my feelings little by little, I find myself. I have to do performances like that (against Portugal), be consistent."

His comments come after he talked up a potential move to Real Madrid during the last international break, and after a period at Old Trafford when he has struggled to hold down a spot in the starting XI following a number of disappointing performances.

France national team boss Didier Deschamps said earlier this month that Pogba "could not be happy" with his situation at United, comments that Solskjaer feels were blown out of proportion.

“We always get questions and we try to answer as well as we can. I think the press sometimes makes more of it and people maybe at home not having the whole interview make more of it. We’re all experienced enough to try to avoid big massive headlines,” Solskjaer said.

The United manager confirmed he had spoken to Pogba upon his arrival back to the club’s Carrington training base ahead of the Premier League clash against West Brom on Saturday evening. But he hit back at Deschamps’ claims that he was playing Pogba out of position.

“I spoke to Paul today about it. Of course he’s not been happy when he’s not playing, and not playing really well. He’s not been happy with his performances,” Solskjaer explained. “He plays in the same position for France and he does for us, so that’s not a different scenario.

"It’s about getting momentum and rhythm and, as I said earlier, he felt really strong towards the end against Portugal and towards the end of the game with Sweden which is natural because he had Covid and he needed time. That’s the same with all of our players, they look stronger and fitter and he’s the same.”

Pogba’s inconsistent displays coupled with Deschamps comments have led to recurring discussions about where his best position is. Solskjaer has alternated between playing him as one of two defensive midfielders this season and on the left in a midfield diamond, but the Norwegian believes he can be effective in a variety of different spots.

“There are always discussions about players who can play in different positions because they have the quality to do so many things and they can play in different positions,” Solskjaer said. “Paul is the same, he can do the role and he has the qualities to do many things, it’s about the balance of the team, that’s on the XI you pick that day, that’s the key.

"Sometimes it’s an 8, sometimes a 10, sometimes in off the left in a diamond, sometimes one of the two, he can do everything. And now, the fitter he gets the more he can do.”

Leicester City defender James Justin thinks that Liverpool's injury problems are similar to ones faced by his own club ahead of their top-of-the-table clash at Anfield on Sunday.

The Foxes have had long-term injuries to Wilfred Ndidi, Caglar Soyuncu and Ricardo Pereira, while they have also had short-term concerns around Jamie Vardy, James Maddison and Jonny Evans this season.

Jurgen Klopp's side are facing a similar injury crisis with Vigil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold all currently absent. Furthermore, Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19 and Andy Robertson, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson are also doubts ahead of the match at Anfield.

Justin is team-mates with some outstanding young Liverpool players with England's Under-21 side and hopes Klopp will give the likes of Curtis Jones and Rhys Williams a chance as Brendan Rodgers did with him.

"The season has been tough for a lot of teams and there’s been a lot of injuries at certain clubs and we are one of them, but you’ve got to not only build a first XI, you need to build a squad," Justin said during the international break. 

"That’s what these times are for. We are proving we have a really good squad and Liverpool obviously have an excellent squad at theirs. I’m sure they won’t be scared going into the game, and be more than happy with what they’ve got.

England's U21s have produced back-to-back wins over Andorra and Albania to top their group and qualify for the European Championships next summer.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd is hoping to use Justin as a starter in the tournament and he is also increasingly leaning on Liverpool duo Williams and Jones. The 22-year-old thinks these two are ready to make the step up this season.

"The first time I trained with both of them I was really impressed with the talent that they had," he added.

"To be honest, I hadn’t seen much of their talent when I had been watching football because they’ve only been in and out [of the first team], but hopefully now they can get a few games under their belts and show everyone the ability they’ve got.

"I’ve seen that first-hand and they are definitely good players for Liverpool. Hopefully, they can make it into regular first-team players.”

Meanwhile, Justin has big ambitions for himself after making the breakthrough at Leicester in recent months.

He has had to be patient with Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira ahead of him in the pecking order but after Chilwell's transfer to Chelsea and a big injury to Pereira, Justin got his chance.

He is thankful to Rodgers for developing him into a Premier League player and a contender for England following his transfer from League One Luton Town in 2019.

“Brendan is a great manager," he continued. "I knew when choosing Leicester that the road into the first team was going to be hard but that I would also become a better player playing under the coaching staff there.

“It’s been a really good 12 months for me, personally. On the pitch, it’s been excellent. I have been getting a lot of help from the coaches at Leicester and from Aidy and the coaching staff with England – just little pointers that can improve my game.

"Hopefully, now I can show everyone I’m a senior player. This year we’re playing a lot of games with Europa League and the Premier League back-to-back. We’re doing well in both competitions.

“When we get our full squad back fit, there will be a lot of competition for places and we can keep pushing as a squad.”

Jurgen Klopp insists he has no idea if Liverpool will target a new defender in the January transfer window.

But the Reds boss has backed his young centre-backs to step up and help the club through its current injury crisis – starting against Premier League leaders Leicester on Sunday. 

Klopp has been left reeling after seeing a host of first-team regulars fall in recent weeks – with his backline, in particular, left decimated.

First Virgil van Dijk suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that could keep the Dutchman out for the remainder of the season. Then, a week later Fabinho, who moved to centre-back from midfield, suffered a hamstring issue.

Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a calf strain against Manchester City which will see him sidelined until next month and then, during the international break, came the news that Joe Gomez had damaged the patella tendon in his left knee during a training session with England, an injury that required surgery and will keep the 23-year-old out for a number of months.

It leaves only Joel Matip, who himself has a history of injury issues at Anfield, as a senior, specialist centre-back, with Klopp forced to use the inexperienced pair of Nat Phillips and teenager Rhys Williams in recent weeks.

A far from ideal situation, of course, and one which has understandably led to suggestions Liverpool will look to spend when the transfer window opens in the New Year.

Klopp, though, was giving little away when asked about that at a press conference on Friday.

He told reporters: “We will see. I don’t know what we can do in January, I have no idea. We can look for solutions from outside, that’s clear. But at the moment we have the situation we have.

“I don’t want to compare situations, but I came to Dortmund in 2008 and my two centre-halves were 19 and 20 that winter, [Mats] Hummels and [Neven] Subotic, and we played with them for pretty much the entire time. 

“We have talent here. They are young, 18, 19, 23, and we have more experienced players. And in a couple of weeks hopefully we will have midfielders who can play the more defensive role as well. 

“In January, I have no idea if we can do something. I have no idea in the moment even if we want to do something. In the moment we are fine. We use the boys we have, and I’m really happy about the chance they have.

“You should see them in training, they can smell the chance! That’s good. I’m really confident it will work out with the boys, and hopefully we can convince the rest of the world as well.”

Klopp could well have Fabinho available for Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash with Leicester, the Brazilian having joined in team training this week. 

Thiago is likely to need a little longer, though. The Spanish international has not featured since the Merseyside derby with Everton on October 17 due to a knee injury picked up in a challenge with Richarlison, but Klopp hopes to have his summer signing back in action sooner rather than later.

“So am I!” he smiled when told that fans were desperate to see the former Bayern Munich man. “But I cannot change these things. We have to deal with the consequences of the injuries, the accidents, or in this case the harsh fouls. 

“If he could have played before, he would have, but he couldn’t. He’s out there on the pitch, he’s running, he’s doing a lot of stuff, so it will not be too long.

“In the same day, we got the horrible pictures from Virgill and we were kind of relieved that it was not that serious for Thiago. But it was always clear it would not be two or three days. We thought it would settle quickly but it didn’t, and that’s what we have to accept.

“We will not rush it. We prepare him for the rest of the season, not [just] for the first game he can play. That’s the situation.”

Klopp added: “Players have to train with the team, and not only once. If it was really serious and we had no other players then maybe once would be enough from time to time, but that doesn’t happen often.

“Fabinho was part of it. What we make of that, we will see. We will see the reaction, but he was part of normal team training."

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain threw away a two-goal lead against Monaco as Kevin Volland's second-half brace and a late Cesc Fabregas penalty secured a remarkable 3-2 win at Stade Louis II on Friday. 

Thomas Tuchel's side had looked to be cruising to a ninth consecutive top-flight win thanks to Kylian Mbappe's double against his former side before the interval. 

Monaco were a team reborn in the second half, though, and claimed a stunning three points thanks to Volland's close-range strikes and Fabregas' 84th-minute spot-kick, with PSG's Abdou Diallo sent off in the penalty incident.

The result means PSG's lead at the Ligue 1 summit can be cut to just two points if Lille overcome Lorient on Sunday.

Keylor Navas had to be alert in the early stages to paw away Volland's powerful free-kick as PSG started sluggishly.

Tuchel's side did forge ahead after 28 minutes, though, courtesy of their first shot on target. Mbappe latched onto Angel Di Maria's through-ball, raced away from Axel Disasi and coolly lifted over Vito Mannone from 15 yards.

The 21-year-old then scored his second eight minutes before the interval, powering past Mannone from the spot after Youssouf Fofana had fouled Rafinha while attempting to block a cross.

Moise Kean and Mbappe had efforts ruled out by VAR for offside, while the former also crashed a header against the crossbar before half-time as PSG threatened to run riot.

Navas made a wonderful save after the restart to keep out Volland's header from a corner, but there was little he could do to prevent the German tapping home to reduce the deficit after 52 minutes.

Volland then drew Monaco level in the 65th minute, tapping into an empty net after substitute Fabregas had clipped across the face of goal after a move involving Aurelien Tchouameni.

Monaco sealed the most unlikely of three points six minutes from time when Fabregas slammed in from 12 yards after Diallo had lost possession and brought down Volland inside the area.

Referee Clement Turpin compounded defender Diallo's misery by upgrading his caution to a red card following a pitchside review as Monaco celebrated their first league win in eight attempts against the French champions.

What does it mean? Stirring fightback floors PSG

Monaco should have been dead and buried at half-time, but Niko Kovac's side produced one of the most memorable turnarounds in recent Ligue 1 history to leave the champions reeling. They were good value for the victory, too. They had 15 shots to PSG's nine, completed more passes (541 to 494) and won the possession battle in each half.

It marks only the third time the hosts have beaten PSG in their last 17 Ligue 1 matches, while the Parisians, who substituted Mbappe when the game was in the balance, are left to rue a first domestic defeat since the 1-0 loss to Marseille on September 13. 

Fabregas rolls back the years

Introduced at half-time, 33-year-old Fabregas was the key figure behind Monaco's wonderful comeback. In addition to scoring the late winner, the former Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder had three shots, made a joint game-high three key passes - one of which led to Volland's second - and put in two successful crosses, more than any of his team-mates. 

Diallo costs his side dear

PSG would be heading back to the capital with a point had it not been for Diallo's slapstick defending. The 24-year-old inexplicably gifted Volland the ball late on and then proceeded to haul him down, allowing Fabregas to seal maximum points.

What's next?

PSG face a crunch Champions League Group H clash against RB Leipzig on Tuesday before returning to domestic action at home to Bordeaux on Saturday. Monaco, meanwhile, host Nimes next Sunday.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has lavished praise on his Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta, saying he sees things in the Gunners that he has never witnessed before.

The Gunners travel to Elland Road to take on newly promoted Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday, and Bielsa is expecting a tough test.

Bielsa has proved throughout his managerial career that he is a student of the game, and is fastidious in his approach to matches.

As such, it is no surprise he has been forensic in his preparations for Arsenal, and he has been impressed with what he has seen from a tactical standpoint.

“Arsenal is one of the best teams in the league,” Bielsa said at a press conference on Friday. "They have players of hierarchy in all of their lines. 

They have a manager who proposes a style which distinguishes the team. He’s a coach who wants his team to play as he projects. 

“From a tactical point of view, if you watch Arsenal closely they show things that I have never seen in any other team.”

Arteta is in the fledgling stage of his managerial career, having only taken charge of the Gunners last season.

However, he served his apprenticeship under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and he would have learned plenty from his fellow Spaniard.

It appears that Bielsa feels Arteta is on the right track at Arsenal, and it will be an intriguing tactical battle on Sunday.

Bielsa will welcome Kalvin Phillips back into his squad for the first time since October 19 following a shoulder injury, and he is delighted to have the England midfielder available.

“He is a player with a big capacity to recover the ball,” Bielsa said of Phillips. “He's a midfielder who is able to find passes which are not normal for someone.

"To give an example, it’s difficult to find a defensive midfielder who can give a pass like Phillips gave [Jack] Harrison in the first game of the season against Liverpool. That kind of pass, an offensive midfielder is more likely to give to you. It's very difficult to find it in a defensive midfielder.”

Phillips has improved massively under Bielsa’s tutelage, but the former Argentina coach feels the development is down to the player.

“The evolution of Phillips is a constant one, not due to what I’m proposing, but because he has a lot of capacity to analyse and also criticise himself,” Bielsa said. “He finds what he needs to improve and correct in his game. And he does this by himself.”

Samuel Kalu provided an assist on his return from a hamstring injury to help Bordeaux secure a 1-0 win over Rennes in Friday’s Ligue 1 game.

The 23-year-old suffered the injury while on international duty with Nigeria in their friendly against Algeria in Austria in October.

Kalu subsequently missed Bordeaux’s last four games, against Marseille, Nimes, Monaco and Montpellier.

The winger was also not involved in the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone, where they played a back-to-back draw.

Kalu returned to training on Monday with the rest of the Girondins’ squad and after proving his fitness, he was handed a starting role against the Red and Blacks.

The forward played behind his compatriot Josh Maja, who spearheaded Bordeaux attack in the encounter.

Kalu made a significant contribution, setting up Hatem Ben Arfa for the only goal of the game, to ensure his side clinched their fourth win of the season.

The Super Eagles star dribbled past his markers before sending a through ball to Ben Arfa, who fired his effort into the back of the net.

Kalu only lasted for 57 minutes in the encounter before he was replaced by Remi Oudin after suffering another injury.

Maja featured for the hour mark before making ways for Jimmy Briand while Amadou Traore was introduced for Mehdi Zerkane in the 59th minute.

Senegal international M'Baye Niang played for 13 minutes after replacing Sehrou Guirassy, Mali international Hamari Traore was brought on for Brandon Soppy while Ghana target Jeremy Doku featured for 58 minutes.

The victory ensured the Girondins moved to 11th on the league table after gathering 15 points from 11 games.

The nature of Kalu’s new injury is yet to be known and it is uncertain if he would be available for selection in Bordeaux’s next league game against Paris Saint-Germain on November 28.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang isn't just known for his goal-scoring prowess - he is also famed for his passion for Marvel characters, having donned a few superhero masks during his time at both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

But why does the Gabon international wear these character masks? Goal takes a look.

He is clearly a fan of the films, but revealed in 2020 that he enjoys wearing the masks because he wants to make his son, and other young football fans, happy when he scores.

The prolific Arsenal forward has a reputation for his goal celebrations, saluting his strikes with a Spiderman mask during his time at Dortmund and Saint-Etienne.

He went on to wear a Black Panther mask when he scored for Arsenal in the Europa League in 2019, saying after the game: "I needed a mask which represents me and that's the Black Panther. In Gabon, we call the national team the Panthers."

After the passing of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman in August 2020, Aubameyang paid tribute to him by crossing his arms on his chest - the 'Wakanda Forever' gesture - the day after, when he scored against Liverpool during Arsenal's triumphant 2020 Community Shield victory.

But while Aubameyang wears his fondness for Marvel movies on his sleeve, there are some - such as Germany and Real Madrid star Toni Kroos - who aren't a fan of his celebrations.

Kroos criticised Aubameyang's mask-wearing celebrations, branding them as 'silly' and full of 'nonsense'.

The midfielder said on his Einfach mal Luppen podcast: "I find it [choreographed celebrations] very silly. Even worse is if there are any objects hidden in their socks. Aubameyang once celebrated and took out a mask. That's where it ends with me. I don't think that's a good role model, either. What nonsense."

Aubameyang then hit back at Kroos on social media, defending his decision to celebrate with the masks. He asked if Kroos had kids, since his own son is the main reason he wears the Marvel masks.

“By the way - does this Toni Kroos have kids? Just remember, I did it for my son a few times and I will do it again. I wish you have kids one day and make them happy like this junior school pupil. And don’t forget #maskon #staysafe,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Gabon international went one step further later, posting a photo of himself wearing a Batman mask and Marco Reus celebrating a goal at Dortmund with the caption: "Send Toni Kroos congratulations for his 3 Kids cordially your Batman and Robin."

Aubameyang found further support from his Arsenal team-mate, Mesut Ozil, who was formerly Kroos' team-mate with Germany.

The Gunners outcast posted a video of Aubameyang in the Black Panther mask, describing it as “the best goal celebration."

Kroos later stated that

Vincent Enyeama has advised former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, to invest in Nigeria Professional Football League side Enyimba rather than pursuing a bid to buy Arsenal.

The 60-year-old senator has expressed his desire to buy a 35 per cent stake in the Premier League club to turn around the fortunes of the Gunners.

During Kalu’s reign as governor of Abia State, Enyimba enjoyed great success in the domestic front, winning the NPFL titles and clinching the Caf Champions League trophy in 2003 and 2004.

Enyeama was part of the Peoples' Elephant’s team during Kalu’s reign as governor and urged the politician and businessman to use his money to develop Enyimba rather than taking it abroad.

“Why not invest that money in Enyimba and turn it into a mega-club,” Enyeama tweeted.

“A club that will bring in a lot of sponsors and create job opportunities for the youth. Nigeria has no mega-club side that we can boast of.”

Kalu revealed his desire to invest in the Gunners is inspired by his quest to help the club win more trophies, including the Champions League and the Premier League.

“Our success with Enyimba FC between 2000-07 has continuously increased my passion for football," Kalu tweeted.

“As the pillar of sports in Africa, I am considering an investment in football and I will buy 35 per cent stake in Arsenal FC.

“Our target is to lift the Champions League and the Premier League, and valuable investment as well.

“Doing what you love and loving it is where greatness lies. I need 35 per cent of Arsenal to bring back trophies.”

Enyeama played for three years with Enyimba before leaving Nigeria to continue his development with Israeli Premier League club Bnei Yehuda.

The goalkeeper also featured for Hapoel Tel Aviv and French club Lille before his retirement from professional football.

Karim Benzema is a notable absentee from Real Madrid’s 20-man squad for the trip to Villarreal in La Liga.

Real return to action on Saturday following the international break, but will travel to Villarreal without their key attacking weapon.

Reports on Friday morning suggested the French forward was struggling to shake off a knock he picked up in the Liga game against Valencia on November 8.

Benzema opened the scoring in Valencia, but failed to finish the 4-1 defeat after picking up an injury and it is proving more troublesome than initially thought.

The forward is not the only absentee for manager Zinedine Zidane to contend with. 

Captain and key defender Sergio Ramos’ absence was confirmed on Thursday. He picked up a hamstring injury during Spain’s 6-0 win over Germany on Wednesday evening and could be sidelined for a number of weeks.

Casemiro and Eder Militao have not been included in the traveling party. Both tested positive for the coronavirus before the international break and have been isolating away from the squad. The Brazilians are back with the Real camp, but have not been deemed fit enough to travel.

Serbia international forward Luka Jovic is sidelined after testing positive for the coronavirus on Friday.

A positive for Zidane is that Eden Hazard has been included in the squad. The Belgian tested positive for Covid-19 a couple of weeks ago, but is now clear to play and has been deemed fit enough to be included in the squad.

The trip to Villarreal is the start of a busy spell for Real, which will see them play 10 games in 32 days - and that includes trips to Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

Zidane is concerned by the workload being asked of the players.

“I don't want to say too much but what I can say is because I see that the schedule is too much,” he said at a press conference on Friday.  “I think about the health of the players, nothing more. They never stop. And I’m not just talking about my players. It’s true that I’m worried.

“There are people who are there to make the schedule, but I’m worried by it.”

ATK Mohun Bagan picked up a hard-fought win in their first-ever Indian Super League (ISL) match against Kerala Blasters in the opening day fixture on Friday. 

The Mariners looked rusty on the pitch and their star players were far from their best due to lack of a proper pre-season. Adding to their woes was the injury to Michael Soosairaj in the 12th minute of the game as a result of a clumsy tackle by Prasanth Karuthadathkuni.

Coach Antonio Habas was not pleased with the referee’s decision of not awarding ATK Mohun Bagan a foul despite Soosairaj injuring his knee.

“We have to evaluate the injury of (Michael) Soosairaj but the first time I saw him it wasn't a good feeling. I think that the referee should have given a foul because the player had almost broken his knee. But it is not a problem. We have to provide support to Soosairaj so that he can recover immediately,” said the Spanish coach.

Australian striker David Williams, who was a regular starter in erstwhile ATK’s title-winning season last year alongside Roy Krishna in the strike force, found himself on the bench and was introduced only in the 82nd minute of the match.

Habas explained why he excluded the star striker from the starting lineup in the opening match. He said, “We had to be cautious in the first match of the season. It is not good for a player to play 90 minutes in this humidity and with this intensity when you have not played for eight months. We have to substitute everyone be it Roy (Krishna), (David) Williams or Edu (Garcia). But I think he played well.”

The two-time ISL winning coach hailed his team’s performance in the season opener and also quipped that they will think about their next opposition East Bengal only after Sunday.

“It is very difficult and very complicated to compete after eight months. In this match, the team showed a fantastic attitude and as a whole, it was a brilliant effort. Now we have to think about East Bengal after Sunday. We will be training every day.”

The Spanish boss was not happy with how his team’s midfielders and strikers performed but he claimed that he was satisfied with the win.

“We have to correct the situation in the central midfield and in the striking zone. We have to press the opponent. Everything else was good for us. Kerala Blasters played a good match but we won the three points. I am very happy with the three points. Today (Friday) is about three points.”