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Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has revealed that former James Bond actor Sean Connery asked him not to leave Rangers in 1998. 

Connery, who died on Saturday, was a diehard Rangers fan when he wasn't busy playing the world's most famous spy and was often spotted around Ibrox. 

Gattuso spent just over a year with Rangers at the beginning of his career in the late 90's before moving to Serie A side Salernitana and eventually AC Milan where his career really took off. 

Though never really known for his ability in front of goal, Gattuso struck five times across 51 appearances in Scotland and did enough to earn the affection of Connery, who personally sought out the midfielder in an attempt to keep him at Rangers. 

"I only met him once. The president then was David Murray, he was part of the board and, it's true, one evening he spoke to me and he didn't want me to leave," Gattuso said of Connery in his Napoli press conference on Sunday. 

"I just want to send a big hug to all of his family, I definitely have beautiful memories of him. He had a great charm, great personality, he made cinema history."

Asked whether Connery ever suggested an acting career, Gattuso replied: "No, because I definitely didn't have his charm. Let me say again, I'll always carry him in my memories."

Former Rangers goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier also paid tribute to Connery over the weekend, noting the actor was a familiar figure around the club and would show great respect for the players. 

"We saw him quite often, he was very close to David Murray, our president," Charbonnier told RMC Sport.

"He was very endearing. He was very self-effacing, very reserved, he would almost apologise for being there. He didn't come to do a one-man show, he spoke with his eyes rather than his voice. He was a very striking man.

"The door was always wide open. He was part of the 'team'. He would never have allowed himself to enter the locker room alone. He was a very respectful person, very humble. You could look for comfort in those eyes. He was a giant."

It has been a rather underwhelming week collectively for foreign-based Malaysian players, after a busy time for them in the previous week.

In Thailand

Malaysia forward Mohamadou Sumareh finally made his first ever appearance for Police Tero since joining them, although he perhaps would have liked a better occassion. His club were thumped 5-0 by Suphanburi FC in their Friday Thai League 1 clash, with Sumareh introduced in the 72nd minute. He brought along some danger to Tero's by then demoralised attack, but ultimately could not help them reduce the deficit, although what he put in may have convinced manager Rangsan Viwatchaichok to hand him a more significant role.

It must have been a bitter experience for his club and Malaysia teammate Dominic Tan as well, with the central defender playing from start to finish in the drubbing. It was his ninth appearance and third start for the club this season. Tero are now in tenth place after 11 matchdays.

Norshahrul Idlan's BG Pathum continued their march at the top of the Thai League 1 standings with a hard-fought 1-0 league win at home over Chiangrai United on Saturday, but the Malaysia forward himself only saw action in injury time. He has now made five appearances for the Rabbits this season.

In Europe

It was a quiet week for Malaysian pros based in Europe.

Dion Cools, the Belgian-born right back who is also eligible for Malaysia, was an unused substitute both times his Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland were in action last week. On Wednesday they played away to Liverpool FC in their UEFA Champions League group match and lost 2-0, and on Sunday were hammered 4-1 by FC Nordsjælland in the league. The defending league champions are currently third in the standings.

Safawi Rasid has been made to wait for his official debut for Portimonense SC in the Portuguese top tier again, as the Malaysia forward was not listed in their 1-2 defeat to Saint Clara on Saturday.

Despite his historic debut for KV Kortrijk in the Belgian First Division A last week, teenage sensation Luqman Hakim Shamsudin will have to wait for his next competitive appearance. According to reports, he had picked up a muscle tear in their 3-1 defeat to RSC Anderlecht last week, which will sideline him for three weeks and has effectively ruled him out of De Kerels' next encounter, against Zulte Waregem on Tuesday morning Malaysian time.

Fagiano Okayama's Hadi Fayyadh and Sporting Kansas City's Wan Kuzain did not see action for their respective clubs and were not on the bench over the weekend. 

The year 2020 has been difficult for football due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

On-field action came to a halt in March and India, like many other countries, entered a lockdown. After several months without football, the I-League qualifiers were held with COVID-19 safety protocols in place. 

The Indian Super League (ISL) season is also set to follow, with the seventh season kicking off on November 20. The teams are currently in a bio-bubble in Goa getting ready for what is set to be a challenging season. 

The 2020-21 season was supposed to be the first full year for Odisha at their home stadium in Bhubaneswar. The supporters would have been looking forward to starting a new season at their stadium but unfortunately, the pandemic means they have to wait. 

"It is not easy, it is never going to simple," club owner Rohan Sharma told Goal. "You are always going to be worried about what may happen to your team. This year was supposed to the first year where we would have had the full year in Odisha. That is the hardest part."

He added, "The biggest black mark about the season is the fact that the youth programs are going to be really quiet. A whole year without kids playing football is bad not just for Odisha but for Indian football."

Rohan feels that the lack of opportunities for commercial activations and stunted growth of young footballers whose participation in youth leagues are in doubt are the most concerning factors amid the pandemic. 

"The commercial aspect is different this year, nobody is in their hometown (except FC Goa). (Lack of) development of football players (at the grassroots) for a whole year, that is concerning. The hardest part is commercial and grassroots. It has been a chaotic rollercoaster," he said. 

However, there are still positives to look forward to. The Odisha owner expects the seventh edition of ISL to pave way for the most exciting season yet. 

"I think this year might be the most exciting year because of the chaos, you don't know what is going to happen. I don't think there is a weak team this season. The skill levels are not that far off.

"Having East Bengal and Mohun Bagan (also) in ISL does add more excitement to the league." 

Odisha FC, who were formerly Delhi Dynamos before a rebranding and a relocation to Bhubaneswar, finished sixth on the table last season with 25 points from 18 matches. They have retained their core group of Indian players this season and have brought in experienced foreigners such as Steven Taylor and Marcelinho in their pursuit of the playoffs. 

Zohib Islam Amiri or more popularly known as Haroon Fakhruddin Amiri has joined Real Kashmir FC, Goal can confirm. 

In the previous I-League season he was plying his trade for Gokulam Kerala FC. He made 12 appearances for the Malabarians in a season that was curtailed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

He is a familiar name in the Indian football circuit as he has had several stints in this country both in ISL (Indian Super League) and I-League.  

In 2011, he set foot in India to play Mumbai FC. He soon established himself as one of the linchpins in defence and at the end of the campaign, he was awarded FPAI's (Football Player's Association of India) Fan's Player of the Season. 

He went on to join Dempo SC in the following season and made 16 appearances for the Goan outfit.  Meanwhile, he went out on loan to join FC Goa in ISL. This was followed by stints with DSK Shivajians and Chennai City FC. 

Amiri has 48 international caps, and he even led Afghanistan to a 2-0 win in the SAFF Cup against India in 2013. 

Amiri also led the squad in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup in the Maldives. On May 22, he scored the first goal of the game with a header in Afghanistan's 3–1 victory over Turkmenistan in the tournament.

Former Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony has ended his brief spell in the Saudi Professional League with Al-Ittihad.

On Sunday, the 31-year-old announced that he reached a mutual agreement with the King Abdullah Sports City outfit to terminate his contract after 10 months at the club.

Bony joined Al-Ittihad on a one-and-a-half-year contract in January, after he was released by Championship club Swansea City and he returned five goals in 10 Saudi Pro League matches he featured in.

“The board of Directors of Al-Ittihad and I have come to a mutual agreement to terminate our contractual relationship. I would like to thank the club, the players and the fans for all their support and the time spent together. I wish Al-Ittihad all the best in the future,” he tweeted.

Bony did not play a match for Fabio Carille's side since the start of the 2020-21 campaign with Al-Ittihad grabbing just a win in three league outings.

His exit came a week after the Tigers signed Egypt centre-back Ahmed Hegazi on an initial loan deal from West Bromwich Albion for the rest of the season.

Before moving to Saudi Arabia earlier this year, the Ivory Coast international trained with League Two club Newport County to maintain his fitness levels when he was in Wales.

Bony, born in Bingerville, started his European career at Sparta Prague where he won the Czech top-flight title, and he subsequently had spells at Vitesse and Swansea City before moving to Manchester City in 2015.

He spent two years at the Etihad Stadium which include a loan stint at Stoke City after he struggled to secure regular playing time in Manchester.

Before leaving England, Bony scored 35 goals in 115 Premier League games. It remains to be seen where the Ivorian star will continue his career and a return to Europe could be on the cards.

Gareth Bale scored his first goal since returning to Tottenham as Jose Mourinho's side bounced back from their Europa League disappointment with a 2-1 Premier League win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Spurs suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Royal Antwerp on Thursday and Mourinho demonstrated his dissatisfaction with that result by making nine changes for the visit of Graham Potter's side, with Bale demoted to the substitutes' bench and Dele Alli dropped from the squad altogether.

Mourinho's new-look starting XI went ahead with a 13th-minute penalty from Harry Kane before Tariq Lamptey's first senior goal pulled Brighton level shortly before the hour mark.

Bale came off the bench to head home in the 73rd minute, though, to help Tottenham move up to second place, two points behind leaders Liverpool. The Seagulls, meanwhile, remain in 16th having won just once so far this season.

Tottenham were rewarded for a bright start with their early spot-kick after a VAR review determined Adam Lallana's clumsy jump into the back of Kane had taken place just inside the penalty area.

Kane kept his focus to slam home his 149th Premier League goal for the club.

Brighton responded well to that early setback but struggled to break down Tottenham's defence, Potter's side ultimately ending the first half without a shot on target.

The Seagulls pulled level shortly before the hour mark when Lamptey slotted into Hugo Lloris' bottom-right corner from 10 yards, the goal eventually given after referee Graham Scott had undertaken a lengthy pitchside video review to assess if there had been a foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the build-up.

Erik Lamela then struck the right-hand post with a low drive from distance before Kane hit the opposite upright after a corner had fallen kindly to him.

Those misses were soon forgotten about when Bale scored his first Premier League goal since May 2013, just three minutes after being introduced for Lamela.

The Wales international found space in the area to meet his former Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Reguilon's cross from the left with a thumping header from eight yards to seal all three points for his side.

What does it mean? Spurs just do enough against spirited Seagulls

It was not always pretty against a determined Brighton outfit, who enjoyed 56.3 per cent of possession, but securing a return to winning ways after their dismal Europa League showing in midweek is what will concern Mourinho the most.

Tottenham have now lost just one of their last 13 Premier League games and with Bale back amongst the goals, the Portuguese might just allow himself to start thinking about a title tilt.

Hojbjerg dominates the midfield battle

Bale gets the headlines but Hojbjerg's contribution in midfield cannot be overlooked. The former Southampton man completed more successful passes than any of his team-mates (50) and gained possession eight times - a joint team-high with Moussa Sissoko.

Sluggish showing from Ndombele

There have been signs this season that Tanguy Ndombele is adapting to life in the Premier League, but this performance was reminiscent of last term's underwhelming displays. The 23-year-old completed just 16 successful passes and lost possession on 11 occasions before he was replaced by Giovani Lo Celso in the 64th minute.

Key Opta stats

- Tottenham, with 14 points from seven games, sit second in the Premier League table for the first time since February 2019 under Mauricio Pochettino.
- Thanks to his opener, Tottenham's Kane has moved into the top 10 all-time Premier League goals list, notching his 149th strike to move level with Les Ferdinand.
- Only the current bottom three sides (Sheffield United, Fulham, Burnley) have lost more games in the Premier League this season than Brighton (4), whilst only league leaders Liverpool (15) have shipped more goals than the Seagulls (14).
- Of the 12 players to have taken at least 25 Premier League spot-kicks, only Matt Le Tissier (96 per cent) and Thierry Henry (92 per cent) have a higher penalty conversion rate than Spurs striker Kane (88 per cent, 22/25).
- Pascal Gross, who set up Lamptey for the equaliser, has now assisted 16 Premier League goals for Brighton, double that of any other player at the club.

What's next?

Tottenham travel to Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday before facing West Brom in the Premier League three days later. Brighton, meanwhile, host Burnley in the league on Friday.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says the Arsenal players have fully bought into Mikel Arteta’s methods and they “trust the process” the head coach is trying to implement.

Aubameyang’s second-half penalty was enough to earn Arsenal a 1-0 victory against Manchester United on Sunday. It was their first win away at a ‘big six’ side for five years and their first win at Old Trafford since 2006.

Breaking that duck is another significant milestone achieved during Arteta’s tenure as Gunners boss, with next month marking a year since the Spaniard succeeded Unai Emery in north London.

The Gunners were in the bottom half of the table when Arteta took charge, with the 38-year-old guiding the club to FA Cup and Community Shield success, as well as an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.

Three defeats from their first seven Premier League matches this term suggests the team is still plagued by inconsistency, but Aubameyang insists Arteta retains the full backing of the players and his long-term vision for the club.

“We knew since the beginning that we had to trust the process,” he told the club’s website. “Mikel is bringing something very nice and everyone wants to follow him.”

Reflecting on Sunday’s win, which saw him become the first Arsenal player to score a penalty in the Premier League at Old Trafford, the Gabon striker added: “It's been a very tough night but I'm really happy because the team played very well tonight. It's been a long time without a win here, so of course it's a big win.

“I work a lot on penalties in training with Laca [Alexandre Lacazette], so I’m pretty confident. As I said, the team did a great job. I'm really happy with all the boys. Everyone was giving their best today and that's why we won.

“At half-time we were concerned we hadn't scored but we knew that in the second half we had to score because we had some opportunities in the first half. We managed the first half well and then in the second half we managed to score. After that, everyone wanted to defend as a squad. We did that well and I'm happy.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits he was glad to see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal drought come to an end on Sunday in his side's 1-0 win over Manchester United. 

After going five league games without finding the back of the net, the Gunners forward converted a penalty in the 69th minute after Paul Pogba had fouled Hector Bellerin in the box. 

In striking from the spot, Aubameyang not only ended his goal drought but he also became the first Arsenal player to score a penalty at Old Trafford in Premier League history. 

With Arsenal failing to score in their past two league outings in defeats to Manchester City and Leicester City, Arteta was clearly relieved to see Aubameyang get his name back on the scoresheet at a crucial moment. 

"I’m glad it’s finished. Every striker needs goals and in these moments we have to create more for Auba. He has scored the crucial goal and it is going to lift his confidence," Arteta told BBC's Match of the Day. 

"I wanted to keep it quiet from the players. I wanted to generate belief and I asked them to be who we are as a team right now. I’m delighted because we played with a lot of courage and big personality.

"They played a really tricky formation with four midfielders and two that constantly strain your back four. We could have scored twice in the first half and when we scored the goal we had to manage those moments. There was high stress, it is different to any other ground.

"Individually you have to win the fights and step up to the occasion and the performance of every player today was top drawer."

The Gunners' narrow victory was their first at Old Trafford in the Premier League since 2006 and also the first time they've beaten a 'big six' side away from home in the league since January 2015. 

Arsenal's win sees them jump up to ninth on the table, while the Red Devils remain stuck in 15th - closer to the relegation zone than top of the table after six games. 

Roy Kane has slammed the lack of leaders in the Manchester United side and questioned the players' attitude following their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal  at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United are winless at home in the Premier League this season after their tepid loss to the Gunners – the north London side's first victory at Old Trafford since 2006 in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 100th game as manager.

The defeat has left them languishing down in 15th place and former United captain Keane, working as a pundit on Sky Sports, gave a brutal and passionate assessment of their display, lambasting the lack of fight shown by the players.

The former Republic of Ireland international said United did not have anyone on the pitch who could "get in somebody’s face, smash somebody".

He said: "You're playing at United because you're expected to break these teams down, you’re expected to run back, you're expected to roll your sleeves up. That’s what characters at Manchester United are about.

"I don’t see men out there. I don’t see guys you want to be in the trenches with, guys you trust. Alex Ferguson always used to make the point that you need courage to be a Manchester United player - wanting the ball when you don’t really want it.

"Bravery doesn’t necessarily mean nailing somebody. Bravery means wanting possession, fans on your back, courage to pass the ball forward. We saw United players taking the easy option. They have to do better."

Keane, who made 480 appearances for the Red Devils between 1996 and 2005, claimed the current crop of players at Old Trafford do not appear to care enough when the going gets tough.

 "I'm just not convinced with these players. We often talk about characters with Manchester United - I just don’t see enough of them," he added.

"These are high-profile players. We give them a big build-up before the match. I tend to judge players by their actions and the actions I see from this team are nowhere near good enough.

"You roll your sleeves up at Manchester United. When things aren’t going your way that’s when you look at your leaders, your characters - and I don’t see any leaders out there, right through the whole team. It's a real, real worry for United now."

Jose Mourinho believes referee Graham Scott should explain his controversial decision to award a goal to Brighton, as Gareth Bale scored the winner for Tottenham in a 2-1 win on Sunday.

The Welsh superstar's header was his first goal of his second spell at Spurs and his first for the club in more than seven years, in a match that was marred by refereeing and VAR controversy.

After Harry Kane gave Tottenham the lead from the penalty spot early in the match, Brighton flyer Tariq Lamptey scored the equaliser in the second half despite Seagulls wing-back Solly March bringing down Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the lead-up.

VAR operator Jonathan Moss alerted Scott to the possible foul in the build-up to Lamptey's goal and asked the referee to come to the pitch-side monitor to review March's tackle.

Despite footage of the incident suggesting March brought down Hojbjerg without touching the ball, Scott ruled that Lamptey's goal should stand after viewing the incident for 70 seconds - much to the frustration of Tottenham's players.

When asked about the decision after the match, Mourinho said his view 'doesn't matter' but made it clear he was unhappy by suggesting Scott should attend a press conference to explain the call.

"I prefer to stay away [from VAR]," Mourinho said to Sky Sports.

"Probably the referee should go to the press conference and explain. He had time to go to the screen so only he can explain why it is a goal. He is a good ref and a good guy, only he can explain that decision. My view doesn't matter."

Lamptey's goal wasn't the only controversial moment involving VAR, with Brighton's Leandro Trossard having a penalty appealed dismissed by Moss after a review.

Trossard was clearly held by Spurs defender Matt Doherty as the low cross flashed through the box, with the Belgium international falling to floor when he was released by his opponent.

Tottenham's victory sees the team climb to second on the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Liverpool.

Their next league match comes away at West Brom next Sunday, with a tough trip to Romania's Ludogorets in the Europa League prior on Thursday evening.

Frank Lampard has praised Kai Havertz's personality and versatility to play in different roles as the Chelsea manager moves the Germany international around to find an increased balance in his team.

Chelsea put in arguably their most complete performance of the season in a comfortable 3-0 away win over Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday thanks to goals from Hakim Ziyech, Kurt Zouma and Timo Werner.

It came as Lampard opted for a 4-3-3 system for the first time from the start of a game, with Havertz and Mason Mount as the two number eights in midfield, either side of the more defensively-minded holding player N'Golo Kante.

The system saw Havertz play in a deeper role than he has been playing in since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen and Lampard admits to experimenting with how to get the best out of his £62 million ($80m) summer signing.

"It is a real plus when someone comes in and says they are happy to play in a number of positions," Lampard told reporters following the win at Burnley.

"He can play as a number 10  or out wide, which he played in previously for club and country before coming here. I know he has played as a number eight too, so that was part of the process for me, him and the team to find the best way.

"It is very normal when you miss pre-season and you are looking for those tweaks in formation at the start of the season. Now, we are playing in a slightly different way and there have been a number of positives. That doesn't mean that we can't change back.

"It is great to see what it did for Kai and Mason in bringing those attributes from what we regard as really offensive players but they also have the energy and desire to cover ground to help the team.

"They then pick the ball up and can be dangerous when they arrive high [up the pitch], they are both things that Kai and Mason have. Again, it is through the balance of the team and working on that but I am really impressed with the humility of those two to do both sides of the number eight role.

"That's what I want from the players that play when it is two number eights. I want them to help build offensively, join, help build, make assists and get goals. They both did it today."

Indeed, both Havertz and Mount impressed at both ends of the pitch as Chelsea dominated possession, created a host of chances and earned their fourth clean sheet in a row.

Like Havertz, Mount has played in a number of roles this season but the 4-3-3 allows him to play in his favoured central midfield position. Lampard has been impressed with how his homegrown star has responded to competition from new signings like Havertz, Ziyech and Werner this season.

"I never doubted Mason Mount's response professionally," he added. "There are things I see behind the scenes that maybe some from the outside don’t. His attitude is first class every minute of every day in a work sense.

"I liked the balance of the midfield. N’Golo Kante was fantastic behind Mason and Kai and there was a fluidity about it where they drop out and get on the ball in deeper areas and provide for others. There was a lot of energy in that midfield as well as quality."

Chelsea's four clean sheets in a row have coincided with the addition of new goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who faces his former club Rennes in the Champions League on Wednesday.

In fact, no Chelsea goalkeeper has put together three clean sheets in their first three league matches for the club since Petr Cech did it in 2004, and Mendy has impressed Lampard so far.

"He’s done so well so I’m pleased for the way he’s started and his personality again when you sign players and bring them into the group you want to see how they are," he concluded.

"You never quite know until they are in the building. He’s settled in really quite well. He’s engaging, trains hard, wants to talk and make relationships with the players in front of him. It’s been a really good start and I’m pleased he’s playing his old team, I think it’s a nice story."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he will pick his strongest side to face Olympiacos in the Champions League despite facing rivals Liverpool just five days later.

Illness and injuries have impacted Guardiola's options in a season when he has made his worst ever start as a coach, even with Saturday's 1-0 victory over Sheffield United.

City have made a better start in the Champions League, winning their opening two matches against Porto and Marseille.

But with a testing schedule, Guardiola wants to secure qualification for the knockout stages as soon as possible and warned that the Greek champions cannot be taken lightly.

Asked whether the Liverpool game would come into his selection thoughts, Guardiola said: "No, no, no. We have a big chance - not to qualify - but if we get nine points, it’s almost done. We will need one more point, one more victory to qualify.

"At home you need to win, you need to be careful. Now it’s Olympiacos. They were able to beat Marseille at home. We have to prepare well and after that we have time to prepare for Sunday.”

Injuries to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus have left Guardiola without a recognised striker for much of the season but the Brazilian could be back for the clash with Liverpool after returning to training at the end of last week.

Without them, City have just nine goals in six Premier League matches but, after having eight shots on target against the Blades on Saturday, Guardiola says he is happy with his side's creativity.

“One day we are going to score more goals. The most important thing is that we are creating the chances," he said.

"We had 16 shots, eight on target, and that is a lot. We have played this season without strikers but we have to try to play better and do it again and again and again. Finally we are going to find the right moment to do it.”

Summer signing Ferran Torres has stepped us as an emergency striker, scoring the opener in the victory in Marseille and leading the line at Bramall Lane.

The Spain international played the role on occasions for former club Valencia club and Guardiola has been delighted with how he has taken on the responsibility.

"We wanted to play him as a winger," the City boss added. "He has the quality to score goals, in the one against one and his pace, but we have struggled a lot in the striker position.

"We’ve not had anyone for a long time. He did really well. He had three chances to score a goal, making those runs in behind and did an even better performance than against Marseille.

"He is an incredible alternative for us. He’s settled really well in the locker room. He’s so shy but so calm.

"He wants to learn and he has helped us a lot in the positions we have without the strikers. It’s an alternative that we have.”

Gareth Bale has savoured scoring his first Tottenham goal in over seven years after securing all three points for his side in a 2-1 win over Brighton. 

After Harry Kane opened the scoring for Spurs in the 13th minute, Jose Mourinho's side conceded a controversial equaliser in the second-half as Tariq Lamptey finished calmly despite an apparent foul in the build-up. 

In search of the win, Mourinho opted to bring on Bale in the 70th minute and the Real Madrid loanee repaid his manager's faith with a headed goal just three minutes later. 

Bale's first Spurs goal since May 2013 proved decisive, and though he enjoyed the feeling of finding the back of the net, he was quick to stress the focus should remain on the team. 

"It's a great feeling. You just want to come on and do a job for the team. I worked for the team and was lucky enough to get the goal," Bale told Sky Sports post-game. 

"It was obviously great play from Sergio Reguilon and I was in the right place at the right time. It's nice to get off the mark.

"Everyone always talks about individuals but I've always said I’m a team player, I'd be happy coming on doing a job even if it's defending. The most important thing is the collective.

"We are growing every game. Even if we make mistakes we are learning from them and we can only use that as a positive. I haven’t played a lot of football. I had a little problem with my knee so it’s taking a bit of time. I am working hard in training and when I get chances."

Tottenham have jumped up to second with the win, only two points behind leaders Liverpool, and Bale believes Spurs can compete with the best if they remain focused.

"Very competitive, we know not to get too carried away. There are some great teams, we are just going to keep working as hard as we can," Bale added. 

Kane was delighted to see Spurs seize the chance to go third and was stoked to see Bale get his name on the score sheet. 

"We said it was a great chance to go second in the league and put ourselves up there. We had to grind it out," Kane said. 

"I'm delighted for Gaz to come on and make an impact and that's what we need to win games. He's had a mini pre-season with us, it's about getting fit and sharp, we all know what he can do at the highest level. Every game he'll get stronger, we need every player to make an impact.

"We have let points slip and today could have been similar but we are learning - these games are the ones you need to grind out."

Bayern Munich have withdrawn their contract offer to David Alaba after failing to reach an agreement with the Austria international.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer says the club set a deadline of 31 October to reach an agreement and decided to end discussions after Alaba’s agent indicated their latest offer was not acceptable.

The defender’s current deal expires at the end of the season and if an agreement isn’t reached then Alaba will be free to discuss terms with rival clubs from January.

A host of sides have been linked with a move for the defender, most notably Serie A champions Juventus.

“We presented him with a really, very good very fair, competitive offer - especially during these times,” Hainer told BR24Sport.

“We told David’s agent during the last meeting that we wanted clarity and an answer by the end of October, because we want to plan for such an important position and personnel. But we didn’t hear anything.

“Our sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic then contacted the agent and the answer was that the offer is still unsatisfying and that we should think more.

“We then decided to take the offer off the table completely. That means there is no longer any offer.”

Bayern’s decision to withdraw their offer is the latest twist in what has been an increasingly fractious contract saga.

A public spat broke out between former Bayern president Uli Hoeness and Alaba’s father about the negotiations over fresh terms.

George Alaba reacted furiously to Hoeness' insinuation his son was only interested in money and accused him of "spreading dirty lies”.

Hoeness had also accused Alaba's agent Pini Zahavi of being a "greedy piranha."

The comments from Hoeness forced Alaba himself to get involved in the fray, with the defender denying accusations that his financial demands were excessive.

Bayern boss Hansi Flick said on Saturday that he remained confident the 28-year-old would extend his stay at the Allianz Arena, while insisting the ongoing saga was not having an adverse affect on his performances.

Alaba had made more than 400 appearances for Bayern after graduating from the club’s youth academy in 2010.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said football must accept its fate if lockdown extends to professional sport for a second time in England amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Guardiola expressed a concern that many businesses are under threat at a time when football, albeit without fans, may get a special pass from the UK government.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that the Premier League would be allowed to continue behind closed doors, during a four-week national lockdown that will see business such as non-essential shops close their doors, along with pubs and restaurants.

Guardiola, who was speaking after a win at Sheffield United on Saturday but before Johnson confirmed lockdown intentions, indicated it was important for football to realise it may also at some stage have to shut its doors for the greater good.

Asked whether football should be carrying on, while rules are applied differently elsewhere, Guardiola indicated it was a quandary for the sport.

"It's difficult," Guardiola said. "I know the prime minister is taking the decision because the situation is getting worse. It happened in Spain, Germany and France. Everywhere.

"So the virus is still there. Maybe people say it is stronger. I think the world of football cannot be an exception in what is happening in society.

"So if we have to play, we will play. But we don't want to be different from the rest of society when they have to close restaurants or close whatever.

"It's a position in which I am not involved. I want to be safe. I want to keep well for myself, for my family, my friends, for all England, all of the UK. But honestly I don't know."

The former Barcelona boss stressed it was important to follow advice from the government and scientists, as they wrestle to bring infection rates down.

City are due to face Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday, with no indication as yet that European competition will at any point have to go on hold this season.

Guardiola is taking the coronavirus crisis seriously and many in the game may be wrestling with their consciousnesses as lockdown, due to begin on Thursday in England, returns.

"It's not a joke. It's serious. If he says stay at home, you have to stay at home. If he says don't do this, we don't do it," Guardiola added.

"Because it's not fair for half of the population doing what we have to do and the prime minister says this, and the rest of the people do whatever they want.

"So we have to be conscious – the reality is tough, it's difficult. If we have to stop, we are going to stop.

"If we have to play, because they decide it's good for society or for I don't know, just be alert, be careful, take maximum consciousness of the dangers of the situation in which we are living."

Jose Mourinho praised Gareth Bale's "personality" after his winning goal against Brighton and said he is looking forward to hearing how those in Madrid react to his match-winning display for Tottenham.

Bale's first Tottenham goal since re-joining Spurs on loan from La Liga champions Madrid in September sealed a 2-1 victory over Brighton on Sunday to move them up to second in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Liverpool. 

Harry Kane had earlier scored his 149th top-flight goal from the penalty spot to move level with Les Ferdinand in 10th position on the all-time Premier League goals list, before Tariq Lamptey drew Graham Potter's side level shortly before the hour mark. 

Bale sealed maximum points in the 73rd minute, though, heading home from eight yards just three minutes after replacing Erik Lamela in London.

Spurs head coach Mourinho was delighted with the Wales international's all-round contribution and could not resist a dig at his parent club, whose boss Zinedine Zidane had a public falling out with Bale. 

"For a week or so now, he's been improving," Mourinho told a media conference. "It's not just from watching him, the data supports that as well. We knew, Gareth knew. We share ideas and feelings.

"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 showed great personality and had a great impact, scoring a very important goal for us. He also joined Harry in a very experienced way to play the last 15 minutes for us.

"They were very clever, very intelligent, especially at holding the ball up and bringing it into zones where they couldn't hurt us. 

"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."

Bale has started just one game and made three substitute appearances since his return to north London as he slowly works his way back to full fitness. 

Mourinho revealed he would start Thursday's Europa League game against Ludogorets, although he said the club will not rush him.

"He doesn't have 90 minutes in his legs yet," he added. "We are using the Europa League to get him minutes and when we can in the Premier League. 

"He is, of course, getting better and better and better. He will start again on Thursday but he will not play 90 minutes. I will use him in the right way."

Lamptey's goal was given after referee Graham Scott undertook a lengthy pitch-side video review to assess if there had been a foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the build-up.

Mourinho would not be drawn on whether he thought it was a foul, but believes referees should have to explain their decisions after a match.

"There are decisions that I think they should explain and not leave us in front of you [journalists] explaining things we don't have any explanations to," he said. 

"I prefer not to talk about it. I see Scott as a good referee. He went to the screen and he saw what we saw on the bench. He should explain it but I know that is not going to happen."

Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that he feels healthy after recently battling the coronavirus, declaring: “Cristiano is back."

The Juventus star missed several matches, including a Champions League clash with Barcelona, after testing positive for the virus during the international break.

Juve lost that match against Barcelona, but the Portuguese star's return did guide the Italian champions to a victory over Spezia on Sunday.

Ronaldo scored the second and third goals in Juve's 4-1 win, coming off the bench in the 56th minute before finding the back of the net three minutes later.

The forward added a finish from the spot in the 76th minute as he was joined by Alvaro Morata and Adrian Rabiot on the scoresheet.

Having been cleared to play on Friday, Ronaldo is glad to be back on the field, as he declared that he is officially back and ready to contribute for Juve.

“I have been stationary. I had no symptoms and I felt good. Today I went back to doing what I like: playing football,” Ronaldo told   Sky Sports.

“Serie A is a competitive league. Milan are doing a great job, as well as Lazio and Napoli. We have to work hard, but we are growing.”

He added: “Cristiano is back, and this is the most important thing."

Ronaldo previously criticised the Covid testing process, questioning the accuracy of the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. 

"PCR IS BULLSH*T", he wrote, before eventually deleting the comment.

On Sunday, Ronaldo did not want to discuss his original comment, instead looking to move on from the discussion.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ronaldo said. "The important thing is that I came back and we won."

Ronaldo has scored five goals in three games this season, having fired 37 in 46 appearances last season.

In total, Ronaldo has provided Juve with 70 goals in 92 appearances since joining the Serie A side from Real Madrid in 2018.

Juventus are set to face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the Italian side currently sitting three points behind group leaders Barcelona.

They'll then return to Serie A to face off with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.