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The accusations of diving being levelled at Mohamed Salah have left Jurgen Klopp stunned, with the Liverpool boss adamant that the awarding of a penalty was the right call in a meeting with West Ham.

The reigning Premier League champions found themselves in need of inspiration from somewhere during a clash with the Hammers at Anfield.

Salah is often the man the Reds turn to in such hours of need, and the Egyptian did not disappoint in his latest outing.

He lured Arthur Masuaku into a clumsy challenge inside the box, with his ankle clipped by the Congo international defender.

Contact was minimal, but Salah went to ground and a spot kick was awarded – with VAR reviews confirming that the correct decision had been made.

West Ham, who would go on to lose 2-1 in a game they led, were less than impressed with the actions of Liverpool’s superstar forward and the match officials.

Many more have been quick to condemn Salah for his supposed theatrics, with it not the first time that the 28-year-old is said to have dabbled in the dark arts of simulation.

Klopp, though, is adamant that his frontman was caught, with the bruises there to prove it, and is baffled as to why an incident that played out as it should have done has created such a storm.

The Liverpool boss told reporters when quizzed on the criticism aimed at Salah: “I don’t know what people need. What can I say? It was a foul, pretty much for everybody who saw the situation.

“Believe it or not, yesterday morning I spoke to Mo about how he feels and he has exactly three proper knocks, and one of them is from the penalty situation.

“There’s a knock, you go down or not, sometimes the ref whistles.

“We don’t talk for long about penalties we don’t get, but now three days after the game we talk about it, and there was clear contact.

“What can I say? No, I don’t understand the criticism.”

Salah converted the penalty that he won against the Hammers, restoring parity for Liverpool on the day, with Diogo Jota stepping off the bench to snatch a late winner.

The Reds will be back in action on Tuesday when facing Atalanta in the Champions League, with their next Premier League fixture set to see them take in a trip to fellow title hopefuls Manchester City.

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has told AFC Leopards they will not win titles any time soon even “if they decide to hire Jose Mourinho.”

The Kakamega boss was reacting to news AFC Leopards have unveiled Tomas Trucha as their new head coach for the 2020-21 campaign.

“The 47-year-old Czech Republic national, who is a Uefa PRO licensed coach, was unveiled on Monday and will be assisted by Anthony Kimani.

“Nothing will change at AFC Leopards,” Shimanyula told Goal on Monday.

“They can unveil even Mourinho [and no one cares], but we will still beat them home and away, they will not win any title, they are the same team and nothing will change.

“The problem at AFC Leopards is not about coaches but the management, so whoever they hire will come and leave even before they achieve what they want to achieve, I don’t think for them to hire a foreign coach they will attain anything, he will be gone soon.”

Shimanyula continued: “Homeboyz will beat them home and away, with our locally assembled coaches, we don’t need to panic, furthermore, they can go ahead and even hire a foreigner as an assistant, nothing will change, I can promise you that, the season is starting soon and you will see.”

The former Orapa United and Township Rollers tactician will take charge of the team following the exit of Rwandese coach Casa Mbungo, who left when the financial problems became unbearable at the Den forcing the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) heavyweights to appoint Kimani in an acting capacity.

Trucha, 49, is a Czech Republic citizen and his immediate target will be to guide the local heavyweights to success especially in the league where they have not been successful since 1998.

AFC Leopards’ Mashemeji rivals Gor Mahia have dominated the league scene, where they have won the last four titles in consecutive fashion.

Apart from winning the title, AFC Leopards would also want to pick a Mashemeji Derby win as they are without one since 2016. The new coach will be tasked to go for it under his rein.

Ingwe, who are targeting this season's league title, will start their campaign on November 20 at home against Western Stima.

On November 28, the former champions will be away to league debutants Bidco United, before they take on Zoo FC on December 4 at home in a game that will be expected to start at 18:30.

After facing Zoo, Leopards will play host to Nzoia Sugar on December 9. The Sugar Millers have always proved a tough opponent for Ingwe and the last time the two met at Sudi Stadium a 2-2 draw was recorded.

Kyle Walker has aired his pride at becoming a Manchester City centurion amid fierce competition from big-money signings at the Etihad Stadium.

The England international fits into that category himself, with the Blues having invested £50 million ($65m) worth of faith and funds in luring him away from Tottenham during the summer of 2017.

Pep Guardiola quickly identified the full-back areas as being a top priority for him in the transfer market.

Walker was among those drafted in during an initial flurry of activity, but there have been many more defensive additions since then.

Danilo and Joao Cancelo are among those to have been acquired by the Blues to battle it out for a right-back berth.

They have seen game time, with Brazil international Danilo now on the books at Juventus, but Walker has remained a go-to man for club and country.

That has allowed him to reach 100 Premier League appearances for City, with the 30-year-old hitting that mark in a meeting with former club Sheffield United.

“It's massive for me,” Walker told reporters on a notable achievement.

“From when I first signed here, there was me and Danilo, then Joao Cancelo came, so I have always had competition.

“To rack up the amount of games that I have done in such a short space of time is probably credit to myself, but I still feel great.

“I feel fresh, hungry, I'm so hungry to win more especially with this club and with this team because I feel that we work so hard.

“People don't see what we do off the field to try and make sure that when game day comes, we are ready, we know what to do in our roles and responsibilities for this team.

“To make 100 Premier League appearances is fantastic in any club but at Manchester City it's a really special achievement.”

Walker marked his City century with a match-winning goal at Bramall Lane and is determined to add to the two Premier League titles and four domestic cup successes that he has already taken in with the Blues.

He added on the club’s ambition for 2020-21 : “For this club and for us as a set of players in the Premier League, there is only one goal and that's winning the Premier League title.

“Liverpool did it last year, which was bitterly disappointing, but they really deserved that. They were on fire. So, for us, we need to bounce back from that and try to take that crown back.

“As a personal point, we helped Ederson, not just me, the rest of my team-mates too, we helped him to get the Golden Glove last year which is a big step in the right direction for us as defenders because we just want clean sheets.

“My main job is keeping the door shut and letting the players that we have got in front go and express themselves.”

Mohamed Salah would not “fall over if he suffered such contact in the street” but had every right to go to ground in order to earn a penalty against West Ham, says Peter Crouch, with the Liverpool forward being defended from dive accusations.

The Egyptian superstar took a tumble during a Premier League clash with the Hammers at Anfield on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were trailing when Salah hit the deck under pressure from Arthur Masuaku.

Replays showed that minimal contact was made with Salah’s leg as he went over inside the box, but a penalty was awarded and the prolific 28-year-old converted from the spot himself.

Criticism has been aimed in the Liverpool star’s direction on the back of his theatrics, with plenty suggesting that match officials were conned into making a big ball.

Crouch is not buying that, with referees often needing to see their hand forced when it comes to important decisions.

The former Liverpool striker accepts that Salah was not scythed down, but also feels that questions of his actions are unjust as there was no act of simulation that breached sporting etiquette.

“I do not think he dived but Salah made sure that Kevin Friend, the referee, knew there had been contact from Arthur Masuaku - and if there is contact then it is a penalty,” Crouch told the Daily Mail.

“You might not like the fact Salah went to ground or the fact he made the most of the challenge but the fact is, it was a foul.

“Do I think Salah would fall over if he suffered such contact in the street? No. But his job is to do his best for his team and Masuaku gave him the opportunity to get the decision.

“It will be debated now but, at the end of the season, if Liverpool win the league, do you think anyone will say anything about how they got three points against West Ham? Not a chance. The only thing Liverpool will be bothered about is that they got them.

“Perhaps things would be different if referees started awarding fouls when players remain on their feet.

“By that, I mean forwards get dragged and kicked so many times but don't believe a referee will give them a decision unless they go down.”

David Alaba says he is "disappointed and hurt" at the way he has been treated by Bayern Munich after the European champions withdrew their offer of a new contract for the defender.

Alaba is in the final year of his deal and his future has long since been the subject of speculation, with reports suggesting he had demanded fresh five-year terms worth €125 million (£113m/$146m).

Bayern president Herbert Hainer on Sunday revealed the Bavarian giants had taken the proposal for a new contract off the table after the club set a deadline of October 31 to reach an agreement.

Alaba, who found out the contract offer had been withdrawn via the media, made it clear he was not given enough time to come to a decision and feels the club should have corrected "false" reports of the demands he has made.

"I didn't know how Bayern would react. After the last talks I told Bayern I don't have time," the 28-year-old said ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Salzburg.

"Seven days are not enough for me to decide, I told Bayern that immediately. We'd been travelling a lot, we've had away games, I told Bayern immediately that I wouldn't react."

He added: "I've mentioned many times before that I would prefer to keep internal discussions internal. The way I've been portrayed over the last couple of months, the way Bayern want to portray me, I can understand fans are frustrated with me.

"If people depict me as the way Bayern Munich have, which isn't true, I understand why people are frustrated. I can guarantee to every fan these numbers going through the media are false. 

"In the last couple of months I was disappointed and a little hurt these numbers were never corrected by the club, these numbers were always passed on to the press, so of course I was frustrated that Bayern never said anything about the numbers in the media but there you go, what can you do."

The long-serving left-back has been linked with a host of Europe's top clubs, but says he remains happy at Bayern and has not thought about a move.

"I'm happy to be here, I'm happy to be part of the team," he said.

"I really enjoy playing for Bayern Munich and I'm not worried about my future, I've not thought about other alternatives. I've not been in touch with any other teams or clubs.

"Bayern will always be my first club I would contact and that's why I've never really thought about where to transfer if I did."

Head coach Hansi Flick still hopes a deal can be struck for Alaba to extend his stay at Bayern. 

"Let me be totally honest, I'm going to say something about David – then I'd really like to talk about Salzburg," he said.

"I'm not at all happy that we have to talk about this topic when we have two extremely difficult away games.

"Regarding David, I'd be really happy if he stays beyond this season, he's a fantastic player and fantastic human being.

"I want to emphasise that again because he's extremely important for the team on the pitch, off it, he embodies certain values and is extremely popular with the team and fans. I'd be really happy if he stays.

"I'm convinced he will keep playing the way he has been the last year, he'll show top performances and do everything to help Bayern play top football, and as a team we will have an answer for you."

Kylian Mbappe is an injury doubt for match-day three in the Champions League after sitting out Paris Saint-Germain's latest training session with a thigh complaint.

Mbappe scored his seventh goal of the new Ligue 1 season in a 3-0 victory away at Nantes on Saturday, converting a 65th-minute penalty to help PSG extend their run of successive domestic wins to seven.

He was seen holding his thigh when leaving the pitch to be replaced by Bandiougou Fadiga 11 minutes later, but Thomas Tuchel played down the issue in his post-match interview.

"With Mbappe I think it's not an injury, but fatigue," the German head coach told reporters.

However, Mbappe did not take part in training with the rest of the squad on Monday morning, with PSG supporters now sweating on the fitness of a prized asset ahead of a midweek encounter with RB Leipzig.

The 21-year-old stayed indoors for further medical treatment with the club doctors and physiotherapists, and will face a late fitness test before Tuchel's side make the trip to Germany for Wednesday' game.

The World Cup winner's absence would be a big blow for PSG heading into a must-win European contest, with Neymar and Mauro Icardi both still sidelined through injury.

The French champions are second in Group B on goal difference ahead of Leipzig after two fixtures, having bounced back from a home defeat to Manchester United by beating Istanbul Basaksehir 2-0 in Turkey last week.

One man who will be available to Tuchel again is Leandro Paredes, who returned to training at the start of the week after two weeks on the sidelines with a thigh problem of his own.

After their latest Champions League encounter, PSG will turn their attention to a home fixture against Rennes on Saturday, before the international break comes into effect.

PSG will then be back in Ligue 1 action on November 20 when they face Monaco at Stade Louis II, as they continue to chase down a fourth consecutive domestic crown.

Paul Pogba is not world class “in any shape or form”, says former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen, with the French midfielder told he needs to work harder and deliver on expectation before he can be considered elite.

Plenty would have the World Cup winner in that category when performing at the peak of his powers, however, showings of such quality have been in short supply throughout a second spell at Old Trafford.

Pogba remains United’s £89 million ($115m) club-record signing, and a man who continues to see regular game, but consistency has been an issue amid regular questioning of his form and future.

Meulensteen believes such criticism is deserved, with the 27-year-old, who returned to English football from Juventus, yet to fulfil his undoubted potential and cement a standing alongside those at the very top of the global game.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s former right-hand man told Stadium Astro of Pogba: “You can have all the talent in the world but it’s about hard work, and it’s hard work that brings that quality to the surface.

“For me, he hasn’t worked hard enough. I can see it all the time, it’s too slow, it’s laboured and there is no urgency about it and other teams can capitalise on it.

“He is a very talented player. Everyone keeps talking about him – he’s world class, he’s world class.

“I would never use world class so easily because I know players past and present and they deserve the accolade of being world class. In my opinion, Paul doesn’t deserve that in any shape or form because I don’t think he’s lived up to expectations.

“I don’t think we expect too much of him because of the player he has been and the trophies he has won.

“We need to expect even more from him, but that only comes from working hard. That then rubs off on other players. Not working hard does as well because they start to question those performances.”

United spent big on Pogba after seeing him star in Italy, but collective struggles in Manchester have prevented the France international from scaling those heights back in familiar surroundings.

“He played in a very experienced, well set up team [at Juventus], with a lot of strong personalities and leaders,” added Meulensteen.

“That’s one thing United are lacking, leadership. He should be one of them but he isn’t, he isn’t a natural leader.

“You need to get him back where he can do most of the damage, which is between the lines and in the pockets. At the moment he is too often in areas where he gets crowded out.

“One area where he has been poor is that he gets the ball nicked off him too often.

“It’s a constant puzzle. You need to win games, United have had their worst start in the Premier League at home, and I don’t think Ole knows what his best 11 is.”

Solskjaer faces another selection headache on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal which saw Pogba fail to impress in a wide attacking role and concede the penalty which allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to snatch all three points for the Gunners.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is backing Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio to "define an era" for the club.

Madrid have faded as an attacking force in the years since their much-revered 'BBC' triumvirate of Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo was disbanded.

While Benzema has scored 45 La Liga goals since the start of 2018-19, Bale fell out of favour before leaving and Hazard has struggled for form and fitness since being brought in as Ronaldo's replacement last year.

However, Hazard made his first appearance of the season in Saturday's 4-1 win over Huesca, scoring for the first time in 392 days, while Asensio is expected to have a big future at the club after recovering from a serious knee injury.

While Zidane stopped short of comparing the trios, he is optimistic the three still at the club can achieve great success in the coming years.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Inter, Zidane said: "The players who are here always want to make history. Those three you just said are important and I'm sure they can define an era in Madrid. Those three are important and are going to do important things.

"I know there is talk about us needing to change things in the squad, but what I see inside is that everyone wants to win and compete, and that is very good for the coach, who is me at the moment.

"I enjoy all of my players and we are going to try with everyone to achieve the objectives."

The Madrid squad has shown evidence of tension of late, with Benzema caught on camera slating team-mate Vinicius Junior to Ferland Mendy in the tunnel during half-time of their previous Champions League outing against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Zidane recently said the pair have spoken and the situation is fine, and Raphael Varane is calling for the team to remain united in the face of uncomfortable reports surrounding the club.

"The Real Madrid dressing room is very close," Varane said. "We know that there is a lot of pressure here and many things are said outside the club, especially when we lose. We have to help each other. We have to be calm with things [coming from] outside the club."

Madrid have failed to win either of their two opening group games for the second season in a row, having previously not done so for 23 years. Similarly, they are winless in four games in the competition ahead of Inter's visit, their worst run since September 2006.

Red Bull Salzburg were convinced of Erling Haaland's talent "right from the start", according to their sporting director Christoph Freund, who says the Borussia Dortmund star "knew exactly what he wanted".

Salzburg paid a modest fee of £7 million ($9m) to bring in Haaland from Molde in January 2019.

The young forward signed a five-year deal with the Austrian club, and quickly proved to be one of the bargain signings of the decade.

Haaland scored 29 goals in 27 appearances for Salzburg, including eight in the Champions League, attracting attention from a number of top clubs across Europe in the process.

Dortmund won the race for his signature ahead of the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid , wrapping up a €20m (£18m/$23m) deal in the last January transfer window.

The 20-year-old has since enhanced his reputation by hitting 24 goals in 27 outings for Dortmund, and the man who initially noticed his abilities while he was on Molde's books has not been surprised by his success on the biggest stage.

Freund told Goal and Spox of Salzburg's long-winded pursuit of Haaland: "The fee for Haaland was significantly lower back then. It was a very long process for Erling. We first noticed him in 2016 at a game for the Norwegian U16 national team. 

"Because it was difficult to get recordings of his games, we had it filmed. He convinced us right from the start, so the scout contacted him and his father. 

"It is a great advantage to be in personal contact with a talent and their guardians before any other potentially interested club.

"That was in 2018. He seemed very focused, intelligent and self-confident to me. He knew exactly what he wanted."

Freund went on to insist that Haaland's departure did not have a determinantal effect on the Salzburg squad, with selling on high-quality younger players considered to be a big part of the club's policy for growth.

"Erling was not only a special story in this respect. That doesn't hurt at all, it makes us proud because it's part of our concept," he added.

"The player can take the next step, we get income through a transfer, which we can invest in scouting and new talent, among other things. 

"In addition, there is again a free place in the squad that the next talent can take. It is a confirmation for us that we are on the right path."

Pep Guardiola has claimed this season's Champions League will be more difficult than ever for Manchester City to win.

City are in their 10th consecutive season in the competition and have never got further than a semi-final appearance in 2015-16 when Manuel Pellegrini was in charge.

Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as Barcelona head coach, was appointed City manager with a remit to bring European silverware to the club.

Under the Catalan they have consistently reached the knockout phase but have never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage, and ahead of their Group C clash with Olympiacos on Tuesday, Guardiola acknowledged the quest to become European champions seems to become more of a challenge with each passing season.

"It’s tough, really tough. There’s many examples to prove what I’m saying," Guardiola told a media conference on Monday. "There are more games with managers better prepared, more games where they know what they have to do. Teams are better.

"There is more money everywhere not just a few clubs, a lot of clubs have the possibility to spend and buy players, and there are important managers.

"It’s difficult. Last season, Atalanta, look what happened, semi-finals of the Champions League, and the Italian league was incredible. Shakhtar Donetsk, look what happened and now in Real Madrid and a draw against Inter. It ridiculous, this didn’t exist before. It doesn’t matter where you go.

"It's hard to qualify [for the knockout stage], every time we qualify I say to players 'congratulations, enjoy that moment' but it’s the first success of the season, to qualify for the next round."

Guardiola won his two previous Champions League matches against Olympiacos, emerging victorious 3-0 away and 4-0 at home as Bayern Munich manager in the 2015-16 season.

His City side are unbeaten in their last 13 games in the group stage of the competition, winning five of the six games at the Etihad Stadium.

Even though City are currently top of Group C after a 3-1 home win over Porto and a 3-0 away victory over Marseille, Guardiola says his players must retain their focus.

He said: "It’s difficult every game. Even with the pandemic, the situation is more uncertain with all the clubs. You can go away and struggle, go away where you have to do a good game to beat them.

"At home as well, it’s a tricky competition, it’s why I’m delighted so far, we cannot miss this chance to get nine points and be in a position, just one more step, 16 best teams in Europe, this is the target,

"Porto is a team has to win every weekend, Olympiacos the same, they have to win, you play with this mentality you have to win too, always it’s difficult."

Gabriel Jesus is closing in on a return ahead of the Champions League clash but Guardiola may have to do without Sergio Aguero against Liverpool.

Jesus has been out since suffering a knock in City's first game of the season at Wolves in September, but is back in training.

Guardiola has not ruled out of the prospect of the 23-year-old Brazil striker making his comeback against Olympiacos.

The City boss said: "It’s too early to know. We will see today, last session. He [Jesus] is better and did one session with the team, a regeneration. We are happy he is back, but happy with Ferran [Torres] playing there [in a more advanced role], too."

Aguero is on the mend but may not be fit in time for the blockbuster Premier League clash with reigning champions Liverpool on Sunday.

The Argentina international sustained a hamstring injury in City's draw at West Ham last month, ruling the club's all-time leading goalscorer out of victories over Marseille and Sheffield United.

Guardiola acknowledges the visit of Jurgen Klopp's side on Sunday may also come too soon for the 32-year-old striker.

"We don’t want to make a step back, he's getting better," he said. "It was so hard to believe when he felt something in the last game when he played against West Ham but he's getting better."

He added: "I don't know about Liverpool, after the international break, [he] will be ready."

Arsenal need to “move away” from a potentially distracting Mesut Ozil saga, says Nigel Winterburn, with a World Cup winner not expected to figure for the club again.

A German playmaker at Emirates Stadium continues to generate headlines in north London for all of the wrong reasons.

Mikel Arteta has taken to freezing Ozil out his plans, with no space found for the 32-year-old in Europa League and Premier League squads.

With his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2021, a parting of ways would appear to be on the cards.

That could happen in January, allowing all concerned to wipe the slate clean, but may not occur until lucrative terms come to an end.

If Ozil is to stick around, then there is seemingly little chance of him seeing any game time.

With a proven midfielder now part of Arsenal’s past, Winterburn wants focus to be locked on the present and future.

He acknowledges that questions will be asked of Ozil for as long as he continues to linger in the shadows, with many left puzzled by some surprising selection calls, but the Gunners have been urged to move on as a collective – on and off the field.

Former full-back Winterburn told FreeSuperTips: “Mesut Ozil is a terrific player and the one thing that he does give you is that he will create chances but at the same time he is not going to give you that defensive side to the game, with and without the ball, which is why he hasn’t been selected.  

“When the team aren’t creating chances then Ozil’s name will always come up and we should try and move away from that because he is not going to be part of the squad and probably won’t be involved again at the football club, so he is not an option that Arsenal can consider.” 

Ozil’s last outing for Arsenal came prior to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown in March which brought competitive football to a close.

He has not been seen since, with the bench only made on a couple of occasions on the back of Project Restart, and now appears destined to leave English football with 254 appearances, 44 goals and 77 assists to his name.

Liverpool have equalled a 28-year Premier League record after reaching the top of the table in spite of their leaky defence.

The Reds have kicked off their title defence by winning five of their first seven top-flight fixtures, moving back to the summit ahead of second-placed Tottenham by two points in the process.

Leeds United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Sheffield United and West Ham have all been seen off, but flaws at the back were ruthlessly exposed during a stunning 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa and a 2-2 draw in the Merseyside derby against Everton.

Jurgen Klopp is also facing something of an injury crisis at the back , with Virgil van Dijk expected to be out for several months due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury and his stand-in Fabinho currently nursing a hamstring issue.

Joel Matip has also been unavailable for selection since suffering muscle damage in the 2-0 win at Chelsea on September 20, with Nat Phillips asked to step up to the plate in Liverpool's 2-1 home victory over the Hammers at the weekend.

West Ham were unfortunate not to go in at half-time at Anfield with a 1-0 lead after Pablo Fornals well-struck opener, having caused the home side plenty of problems in the final third over the course of the first 40 minutes.

Mohamed Salah won and converted a penalty just before the interval which shifted the momentum of the match, and substitute Diogo Jota grabbed a late winner to complete a seemingly inevitable turnaround for the reigning champions.

However, Liverpool have matched an unwanted record in returning to the top of the league, becoming the first club since Norwich in 1992 to reach first place with the highest number of goals conceded in the division.

The Reds have a goal difference of +2 at the moment, having shipped a total of 15 goals, one more than struggling duo Brighton and West Brom.

Klopp will hope his side can record a rare clean sheet when they take in a trip to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, before preparations begin for a huge showdown against Manchester City.

Liverpool will make their way to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday for a heavyweight clash against the Blues, who are currently sitting five points behind the Merseyside outfit having played a game less.

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi says their 3-0 defeat to Orlando Pirates last Saturday was a learning experience from which they “came out stronger” ahead of Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) cash against TS Galaxy.

Chiefs went down to Pirates in the MTN8 semi-final, first leg match at Orlando Stadium and are keen to recover from the heavy defeat.

It was another big loss for Chiefs who had succumbed to Mamelodi Sundowns by the same scoreline in a league match seven days earlier.

Akpeyi, who saw three Pirates goals get past him, believes that Chiefs would be a far better side on Wednesday at FNB Stadium.

“We put ourselves on the back foot and it is very important now that every single of us realise where we are going wrong and we are trying to work on that,” Akpeyi told the Chiefs media team.

“We know that all we need to do is put everything that we have into the next game to make sure that we make up for the loss against Pirates because at the moment in time the earlier we start getting points, the earlier for us to actually be on the right with the title.

“Every game matters. It’s not about the league or Cup game. Even Cup games are important, winning the trophy is very close. In league games you have to play a number of games. It is just important for us to make sure that in every game we do better than the previous game.

“That wasn’t the case in the case against Pirates but we hope that against Galaxy we come out a lot better than what we did.”

With their patchy form in the league, the Soweto giants might not have pleasant memories of their next opponents, Galaxy, who beat them in the 2019 Nedbank Cup final.

Galaxy were a first division side at the time and it was an embarrassing result for one of South Africa's giants.

“They might still have that momentum in them, believing in how they played against us in that Cup game the last time,” continued Akpeyi.

“But you know football is not about history. It is about now. So I’m very sure that they will be well prepared for us and also considering what happened last weekend we have learnt our mistakes and came out stronger from that and we hope to face Galaxy 120 per cent better."

After Akpeyi conceded three goals against Pirates, it is yet to be seen if coach Gavin Hunt will retrain him in goals or would start Itumeleng Khune, who got the nod against Sundowns.

Harambee Stars local players have on Monday, October 2 undergone mandatory coronavirus tests to determine their health status before starting preparations for November's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has ensured the exercise is done to avoid any risks ahead of the November double-header with Comoros. The Federation has confirmed the players who reported on Monday have been tested.

"Harambee Stars players and the members of their technical bench have on Monday, November 2, 2020, undergone mandatory Covid-19 tests as they checked into camp ahead of their two-legged Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Comoros," FKF confirmed on their official portal.

18 local-based players have already reported to camp, with the foreign-based players set to join them on Thursday, October 5.

Only 20 players will be included in the final squad to play Comoros.

The first match will be played at Kasarani on November 11 with the second one four days later away.

Kenya Provisional Squad

Goalkeepers: Arnold Origi (HIFK, Finland), Robert Mboya (Tusker, Kenya), Brian Bwire (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya), Ian Otieno (Zesco United, Zambia), Timothy Odhiambo (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya)

Defenders: Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito, Kenya), Brian Mandela (Unattached), Joash Onyango (Simba, Tanzania), Daniel Sakari (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya) Andrew Juma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Mike Kibwage (Sofapaka, Kenya), Joseph Okumu (Elfsborg, Sweden), Samuel Olwande (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya), Baraka Badi (KCB, Kenya), David Owino (Zesco United, Zambia), Hillary Wandera (Tusker, Kenya), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden), David Owino (Mathare United, Kenya), Titus Achesa (Sofapaka, Kenya)

Midfielders: Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Victor Wanyama (Impact Montreal, Canada), Ismael Gonzalez (UD Las Palmas, Spain), Eric Johanna Omondi (Jonkoping’s Sodra, Sweden), Cliff Nyakeya (Masr FC, Egypt), Antony Akumu (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Musa Masika (Wazito, Kenya), Bonface Muchiri (Tusker, Kenya) Lawrence Juma (Sofapaka, Kenya), Johanna Omolo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Ayub Timbe (Unattached), Peter Thion’go (AFC Leopards, Kenya), Hassan Abdallah (Bandari, Kenya), Elli Asieche (Sofapaka, Kenya), Mathew Olake (Unattached), Moses Mudavadi (Kakamega Homeboyz, Kenya), Austin Odhiambo (AFC Leopards, Kenya)

Forwards: Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), Benson Omala (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Masud Juma (JS Kabylie, Algeria), John Avire (Tanta FC, Egypt), Oscar Wamalwa (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya)

Reserves: Dennis Sikhayi (Wazito, Kenya), James Kinyanjui (Mathare United, Kenya)

AFC Leopards have confirmed Tomas Trucha as their new head coach ahead of the 2020-21 season.

“AFC Leopards are pleased to announce Tomas Trucha as our new head coach,” the club confirmed on their social media pages.

“The 47-year-old Czech Republic national is a Uefa PRO licensed coach. He will be assisted by Anthony Kimani who resumes his position after serving on a caretaker capacity.

“Join us in welcoming our newest member of the technical bench.”

Ingwe chairman Dan Shikanda welcomed the arrival of the new coach by telling Goal: “We wanted an experienced hand in the technical bench and Trucha is our best choice.

“We will give him all the support he needs to make sure that he succeeds because our main target for the season is to make sure that we start winning titles.”

The former Orapa United and Township Rollers tactician will take charge of the team following the exit of Rwandese coach Casa Mbungo, who left when the financial problems became unbearable at the Den forcing the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) heavyweights to appoint Kimani on an acting capacity.

Trucha, 49, is a Czech Republic citizen and his immediate target will be to guide the local heavyweights to success especially in the league where they have not been successful since 1998.

AFC Leopards’ Mashemeji rivals Gor Mahia have dominated the league scene where they have won the last four titles in consecutive fashion.

Apart from winning the title, AFC Leopards would also want to pick a Mashemeji Derby win as they are without one since 2016 and the new coach will be tasked to go for it under his rein.

Ingwe, who are targeting this season's league title, will start their campaign on November 20 at home against Western Stima.

On November 28, the former champions will be away to league debutants Bidco United, before they take on Zoo FC on December 4 at home in a game that will be expected to start at 18:30.

After facing Zoo, Leopards will play host to Nzoia Sugar on December 9. The Sugar Millers have always proved a tough opponent for Ingwe and the last time the two met at Sudi Stadium a 2-2 draw was recorded.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is at a loss to explain Manchester United’s “strange” form, with the Red Devils “winning every game away from home and can’t get a result at Old Trafford”.

That unfortunate sequence continued on Sunday as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal.

A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty proved to be the difference on the day, but the Gunners left the North West with a sense that their success could have been more emphatic.

United once again struggled to find a spark on home soil, with an alarming lack of creativity holding Solskjaer’s side back.

The Red Devils have shown in 2020-21 that they can mix it with the elite, both on the road and in Champions League competition, but find themselves stuck in a serious rut at Old Trafford.

Wan-Bisska is among those left baffled by failings in familiar surroundings, telling MUTV on the back of a narrow defeat to the Gunners: “It’s strange we’re winning every game away from home and we can’t get a result at Old Trafford.

“The performance was different [to Leipzig in Europe], but as you could see in the second half, we came out with a different mentality and we wanted to create chances. It’s just about taking them.

“Getting clear chances isn’t easy for both sides. It’s just about making them and taking them.”

United did improve after the break against Arsenal, but there remain a number of issues for Solskjaer to address.

Wan-Bissaka added: “It’s a disappointing result. To come out on the pitch second half and put all that effort in and not to come out with a result.

“We come out every game with the mentality to win and put in a good performance but we’ve got to learn from it and put it right in the next game.

“It’s not easy after a goal goes in. The main thing is to stick together and keep going. That’s all we did.”

United have now suffered home defeats against Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Arsenal in the Premier League, while being held to a goalless draw by Chelsea.

Just two wins have been taken from six games in total, with a seven-point haul leaving them 15th in the table and reflecting on the club’s worst start to a top-flight campaign since the ill-fated reign of David Moyes in 2013-14.

Uganda assistant coach Abdalla Mubiru has claimed Tony Mawejje still has something to offer to the national team despite a long period of absence.

Mawejje was summoned alongside other 21 local players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against South Sudan and Mubiru believes the midfielder can be of great help despite being out for over three years.

The Police FC new midfielder was last called up for international duty in September 2017 and Mubiru – who is also the Police head coach – said he held talks with national team coach Johnathan McKinstry over the need to bring back Mawejje.

“Mawejje still has a lot to offer the national team,” Mubiru told Football256.

“Before he even trained with us at Police I realised we had got a great and experienced player who’s going to add a lot to our team.”

“And since training commenced, I’ve been seeing an exceptional player who still has the ability irrespective of his age.

“I know it was some time since he had been selected for national duty but when I discussed with my boss [Johnathan McKinstry] he wished to see him hence his summoning.

“The rest lies in the hands of the head coach because he’s the main man to take a final decision but I think he still has the potential to play for the Uganda Cranes.”

The 33-yeard has played for Cranes in 83 matches since making his debut 12 years ago against Mauritius when they picked up a 3-1 win away and was also part of the 2017 Afcon squad.

The Cranes contingent arrived for the training camp at Paradise Hotel in Kisasi on Sunday in order to start the preparations for the South Sudan qualifier.

McKinstry will lead his charges against their northern neighbours on November 12 at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende before the second game on November 18.

The second qualifier will be held at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi given the security concerns in Juba.

Uganda are at the top of Group B after a draw against Burkina Faso, a win over Malawi and a victory against the Bright Stars will be a big boost in their pursuit to get a third straight Afcon slot.

Ex-Tottenham striker Peter Crouch has picked out the area that Gareth Bale has improved the most following his return from Real Madrid.

Bale made his way back to north London on a season-long loan from Madrid in September, having spent the last seven years of his career in La Liga.

The Wales international became a cult figure among Spurs fans during his first spell at the club, but they were powerless to prevent him leaving in 2013 when the Blancos came calling with a world-record bid.

Bale has since picked up four Champions Leagues and two Liga titles with Madrid while scoring over 100 goals, joining the list of Britain's greatest footballing exports in the process.

However, Zinedine Zidane was happy to sanction the 31-year-old's departure last month after exiling the winger from his first-team squad, with Jose Mourinho now hoping he can rediscover his best form to help Tottenham fight for major honours.

Bale re-opened his account for the Lilywhites when he directed a header past Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to seal a 2-1 home victory after coming off the bench as a second-half substitute in the Premier League clash on Sunday.

Crouch has been generally impressed with the Madrid loanee's aerial prowess in his first four outings for Mourinho's side, and thinks he is a far more well-rounded player now than he was when he departed for Santiago Bernabeu.

“He’s definitely improved with his heading, I have to say," the former Spurs striker said on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme. “He wasn’t a great header of the ball when I played with him. He started at left-back, has worked on his game and turned into a world-class player at Madrid.

“I think he’s realised he’s 6ft-plus, he’s big, strong and his technique is good – it was a fantastic header.

“It’s definitely something he’s worked on at Madrid. He’s definitely improved.

“He was always scoring goals from outside the box and he wanted to get maybe more scruffy goals. He’s definitely a different player now than the player who left to go to Madrid.”

Mourinho was very pleased with Bale's latest performance, and the ex-Madrid manager couldn't resist aiming a dig at his former employers over their treatment of the winger in his post-match interview.

"He deserves that [the goal]. When I have five minutes I'm going on Safari to look at the Madrid websites to see what they say about him," he said. "He knows that we care about him and he cares about the club. I think he's a perfect fit. He's very calm, very intelligent. I'm very pleased for him to score the winning goal."

Kai Havertz needs to be offering more to the Chelsea cause, says Frank Leboeuf, with the £70 million ($90m) playmaker told he “disappears” too often when the Blues need him most.

Big money was invested in the talented 21-year-old during the summer transfer window.

Given the interest he had attracted from leading sides across Europe, Frank Lampard was considered to have pulled off quite the coup in luring Havertz to Stamford Bridge.

There have been flashes of what he is capable of, including a Carabao Cup hat-trick, but an adjustment period in west London is taking longer than many anticipated.

Havertz is yet to find consistency on a Premier League stage, with the youngster continuing to drift in and out of English top-flight fixtures.

Leboeuf is among those calling on a player with undoubted ability to raise his game, with fellow new recruit Hakim Ziyech having shown in a 3-0 victory over Burnley that a telling contribution can be made when adopting the right mindset.

“I think it’s getting better, some players are getting better,” former Blues defender Leboeuf told ESPN FC when assessing Chelsea as a whole.

“I’m very pleased for Ziyech, getting fit and giving his best. But I’m still not convinced about Havertz, I still want more from him.

“I want more impact from him where I think he disappears. I’m sure Frank is still not completely happy with the way they worked together.

“Sometimes it seemed like they were looking for each other like they don’t really know each other.

“I’m looking for something better, much better from Chelsea. With the players they have, they’re capable of giving much more than we saw.

“Even though they got the win, the clean sheet, everything was going their way, but I can’t be happy with the performance 100 per cent.”

Victory at Turf Moor has lifted Chelsea back into the Premier League’s top six, with the Blues still looking for the spark that they hope will allow them to mount a potential title challenge.

Their next outing will see them return to a Champions League stage on Wednesday against Rennes, before then playing host to Sheffield United as they go in search of more precious points domestically.

KMC FC striker Relliants Lusajo has set a target of 15 goals in the 2020/21 Tanzania Mainland League.

The forward has already scored three goals in the current campaign out of the five games he has been involved in. The forward, who joined KMC from Namungo FC, finished the previous game with 13 goals.

"My target this season is to score as many goals as possible," Lusajo told the Sports Extra.

"I do not want to set a target of finishing as the season's top scorer but I want to ensure I have scored more than 15 goals. If I get to score that number of goals, then I am sure my team will finish in a good position."

The striker has also explained why he is expecting stiff competition in the current campaign especially in the race for the Golden Boot.

"There will be a tough competition especially among the strikers from most of the teams," Lusajo continued.

"There is an increase in the number of strikers in the top-tier who are hungry for goals. They might not have scored but soon, they will be doing that, so it will not be easy for anyone." 

The forward was among the players who were on the scoresheet as the Kinondoni charges defeated Gwambina FC 3-0 in their last top-tier outing played on Friday, October 30.

The Kinondoni-based team had suffered a 2-1 loss when they played their last match at home to Yanga SC and were desperate for a positive outing. 

KMC had to wait until the 44th minute to open the scoring. The hosts conceded a free kick in a good area and Israel Patrick managed to find Lusajo Mwaikenda, and the defender made no mistake from about six yards, heading the ball past the goalkeeper. 

Gwambina fought bravely hoping to get an equalizer and get at least a point. Concentration lapses at the back allowed Reliants Lusajo to score the second goal for the visitors and lower the pressure.  

The third goal came in stoppage time when the unmarked David Bryson scored from about 16 yards after sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.