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Antoine Griezmann says Didier Deschamps knows exactly where to play him after the Barcelona forward played a pivotal role in France's hard-fought win over Croatia. 

Griezmann scored a superb eighth-minute goal, his third international strike of 2020, as Les Bleus prevailed 2-1 in Zagreb. 

The former Atletico Madrid player was deployed in a central position as he worked alongside Anthony Martial and Kylian Mbappe, who netted a late winner after Nikola Vlasic's equaliser.  

While he impressed for France, Griezmann has yet to find form under new Barca boss Ronald Koeman. Playing predominantly on the right flank, the 29-year-old has failed to score or even create a chance in his three La Liga appearances in 2020-21.

However, he put any club issues to the back of his mind to help his country come out on top in the Nations League clash on Wednesday.

"The coach knows where to put me," Griezmann said of Deschamps in an interview with TF1. "I take advantage of this situation, of this place, of the confidence of the coach and my team-mates. 

"It was a complicated match, not very beautiful to see, not very beautiful to play, on a difficult ground. We knew how to suffer, the most important is to win and show that we are strong."

France's victory keeps them level on points with Group A3 leaders Portugal, the two nations having drawn 0-0 on Sunday. 

"It was difficult for everyone. We knew we were going to have a battle," Deschamps told TF1. 

"We did the right thing in the second half. This team has always had character. Just because you won a title in 2018 doesn't mean you win with a snap of your fingers.  

"If we didn't manage to score against Portugal, it's also because the opposition was good. We had great opposition today even if we had an excellent start to the match."

Deschamps was recently criticised by Alain Giresse for trying to deploy Griezmann as a No.10 in a draw with Portugal. 

"The problem is, Griezmann has lost his confidence, and Didier is playing him to try and bring it back," Giresse told L'Equipe.

"He played like a 10, but Griezmann is not a 10. We have always said that if there is a player who the play should revolve around, it should be Giroud."

Former Arsenal defender Armand Traore said new signing Thomas Partey shares some similarities with club legend Patrick Vieira after he completed a permanent transfer from Atletico Madrid last Tuesday.

Vieira captained the Invincibles to Premier League glory in 2004  and Partey has been tipped to do a similar job the former France midfielder did in the middle of the park.

 After Arsenal paid his £45 million release clause, the Black Stars midfielder moved to North London on a four-year deal with the option of an additional season on the European transfer Deadline Day.

Traore who played for Arsenal between 2006 and 2011, is delighted by the signing of the 27-year-old and the qualities he will bring to Mikel Arteta’s team.

“I’m extremely pleased and I think all Arsenal fans are absolutely buzzing,” Traore told Talk Sport.

“They know about Patrick Vieira, because he is a legend of the club, and there’s definitely some similarities with Thomas Partey.

“For me, they needed someone like that in there and a grafter and someone happy to do the dirty work. He knows that’s his job and his role.

“The good thing about this guy is he’s not just there to destroy the attack or the opponent’s play, as he can play football. He’s got very good technique, really strong in the tackle [and] powerful.”

The Senegalese left-back also reserved praise for Arteta’s impact at the club after securing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract renewal a month ago and he wants outcast Mesut Ozil back in the team.

“I’m so impressed with what Arteta is doing. If you look through the lines, you can see what they’re doing,” Traore added.

“Last time, I told you the first signing or the priority was to keep [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and that’s been done.

“If Arteta and Ozil can find a little agreement to get him back in the team – because the qualities he possesses, he needs to be in that team – it would be brilliant to see Aubmeyang, Ozil, Partey and all these players [on the pitch].

“I think they’re building something great. They’re definitely moving forward and I think the fans should just trust Arteta.”

Partey is in contention to make his Premier League debut when Arsenal travel to Manchester City on Saturday. They are currently fourth in the table with nine points after four games.

Former France defender Adil Rami has admitted that a love of food and partying prevented him from accomplishing more in his career.

Rami, 34, earned 36 caps for France and was a member of his country's victorious 2018 World Cup squad, though he did not take to the field in Russia. 

The centre-back has played all over Europe in his club career, including stops at Lille, Valencia, AC Milan, Sevilla, Marseille, Fenerbahce and FC Sochi. 

Prior to the current campaign, Rami moved to Portugal to link up with Boavista, where he has started two of his side's three league games thus far. 

Though he has accomplished plenty in his career, Rami has confessed that his off-field lifestyle prevented him from reaching his full potential as a player. 

"I could have had a better career if I had a better lifestyle," Rami told Le Figaro ahead of the release of his new book. "Too much going out, too many girls and I didn't pay attention to my weight.

"My biggest problem was food. I love to eat. It is a shame because when I am 100 per cent physically, no striker in the world scares me."

Rami also spoke about his turbulent relationship with France head coach Didier Deschamps, saying that he "hated" the 1998 World Cup winner at first before eventually warming to him.

"Pascal Planque, Claude Puel, Unai Emery and Didier Deschamps are the [managers] who have left the biggest mark on me," Rami said.

"With Deschamps though, I had a bad time at first. I hated him, but now I thank him. When we won the World Cup, I went to see him to apologise.

"At first, he was too strict and he only thought about work. I love to work, but not 24 hours."

Rami was controversially sacked by Marseille in 2019 for "gross misconduct" and has claimed that he will eventually be vindicated for how his exit unfolded.

"People don't know the real reasons for my leaving," Rami said. "I still can't reveal them, but one day they will know the truth. The issue is still in court. They fired me without just cause and justice will do its job."

Bordeaux have confirmed Samuel Kalu has sustained hamstring injuries while on international duty, which rules him out of Saturday’s Ligue 1 clash with Olympique Marseille.

Kalu suffered his injury during Super Eagles’ 1-0 defeat to Algeria – which saw him substituted for Moses Simon in the 50th minute. He then missed Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Tunisia.

The 23-year-old winger was among the goalscorers as Jean Gasset’s men silenced Dijon 3-0 at the Stade Matmut Atlantique before the international break.

Bordeaux have released an official statement confirming the winger’s damage to his left thigh ahead of their crunch fixture against Andre Villas-Boas’ squad.

“The Nigerian international winger was injured in the last game of the Super Eagles. Our player suffered a torn hamstring in his left thigh. His downtime will depend on the progress of the injury,” the French top-flight side wrote.

Gasset’s side must keep winning to stay within touch of Ligue 1 leaders Rennes, who currently hold a five-point lead at the top of the table.

Bordeaux can reduce the game to two if they win their game while hoping that Julien Stephan's Red and Blacks who are unbeaten in their last five games stutter against Dijon inside Stade Gaston Gerard.

Kalu recently disclosed the efforts of Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce to secure his signature, however, he reiterated his commitment to the French elite division side.

“There is really nothing much to say because they [Fenerbahce] first gave an offer of a loan deal but Bordeaux rejected it, saying I was an important player to the club and they can’t allow me to go on loan again,” he told AOI.

“They came again with another offer for a loan and an option to buy at the end of the season but the club is yet to reply to them.

“I’m however ready to give my best to the club; if I will remain here I am 100% committed and won’t force a move away as it remains with the club to decide that.”

He was part of the Super Eagles team that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and will be expected to play a key role for the West Africans as they hope to qualify for Cameroon 2022.

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Colin Dagba has confirmed he rejected an approach from Bayern Munich in the summer and insisted he has no regrets about doing so.

Bayern were in the hunt for a right-back during the recently completed transfer window and went through a number of targets, including Ajax teenager Sergino Dest.

Dest nearly moved to Bayern but decided instead to join Barcelona, with the Bundesliga champions eventually securing the services of Bouna Sarr from Marseille.

Dagba has now revealed that Bayern were also interested in his services, but he opted to stay at PSG instead.

"Bayern Munich? There were talks with my agent. We then talked to each other and made the decision to stay in Paris," Dagba told Canal Plus.

"I don't regret this decision because there is a competition every season."

The 22-year-old is currently battling with Thilo Kehrer and Alessandro Florenzi for minutes with the French champions and has made five Ligue 1 appearances thus far in 2020-21, though only one of those was from the start.

Despite the fierce competition for minutes, Dagba believes he will get an opportunity with Thomas Tuchel's side.

"We all want to play, that's for sure," Dagba said. "There will be one game after the other and I'll definitely get my chance."

Dagba added that he may consider leaving should he not receive his share of playing time this season, but he feels he has the confidence of Tuchel.

“The goal is to win over PSG," the France Under-21 international said. "They have always given me my chance, I feel the confidence of the club.

"If [my playing time is] blocked ... it will be necessary to consider leaving. But I have always felt this confidence from the club and I am happy here.

"I always feel the same confidence from the coach, I always give everything for him on the field."

Dagba and PSG will return to the pitch after the international break with a match against Nimes on Friday at Stade des Costieres.

After losing their first two matches of the season, PSG have rebounded with four consecutive victories to move into fourth place, two points off table-topping Rennes.

TS Galaxy coach Dan Malesela claims midfielder Xola Mlambo is a misunderstood player who could not thrive at Orlando Pirates due to a lack of confidence in him.

Mlambo recently left Pirates as coach Josef Zinnbauer is building his own team after inheriting a squad crafted by Milutin Sredojevic in December 2019.

Zinnbauer has signed the likes of Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Collins Makgaka as he prepares for the new season.

The German has let go of Mlambo as well as loaning out Mthokozisi Dube and Gladwin Shitolo to Golden Arrows.

But Malesela who has welcomed Mlambo at TS Galaxy feels Mlambo is underrated and is lost to his former paymasters.

“The fact that he moved to two different clubs and he did not become a regular tells me that people don’t understand him,” Malesela told the South Africa Football Journalists' Association as per Sowetan Live.

“I think I understand him better and I think I understand how he should be played. I’m not going to tell anybody how they must play him because I will be giving them a boost in case he doesn’t join us.

“The first thing was to assemble the right squad, get the right personnel because sometimes we mess up in terms of identification. For me, when I have the opportunity, I must use the experience. I’m always one person who is building players.

“I hardly get into the club where there is a lot of leadership; I have to build from scratch. So what has been key is to get the right personnel and balance in all positions. We may not achieve everything because some players are not available but now we have a balance and we want to have a team that will compete, not just add numbers."

Malesela is returning to TS Galaxy, a team he helped win the 2018/19 Nedbank Cup while being a lower-tier side.

But TS Galaxy are now in the Premier Soccer League after buying the status of Highlands Park.

“Experience has shown me in this league that if you fall out from the top eight, you will have a challenge,” Malesela said.

“We rather be in the top eight so that we can give ourselves a better chance to finish in a good position, and you don’t find yourself having to fight relegation.”

Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer believes Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs are the favourites to win the 2020/21 PSL title.

Amakhosi and Masandawana were embroiled in a two-horse race for the league title in the second round of the recent 2019/20 season.

Ultimately, it was Sundowns who clinched the most coveted trophy in South African club football, while Chiefs settled for the runners-up spot.

Zinnbauer's Pirates secured a third spot finish on the league standings and the German tactician insists Sundowns remain the team to beat despite having lost coach Pitso Mosimane.

“Sundowns won the treble last year‚ and they have lost the coach‚ but he earned this move," Zinnbauer told the media on Wednesday. 

"But he‚ and the squad that he had‚ won three titles last season at Sundowns, that’s normal they are the favourites.

“They [Sundowns] have‚ 40 or 50 players with top qualities in their squad, we cannot say now they are not the favourites."

Mosimane, who led Sundowns to five PSL titles between 2014 and 2020, recently resigned at the Chloorkop-based giants and joined Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly.

Zinnbauer also backed Pirates' biggest rivals Chiefs, but he indicated his side has a chance although they are behind the two Gauteng giants. 

“Kaizer Chiefs finished in second place. They were in the top position for a long‚ long time‚ and in the last game they lost that position to finish second," he continued. 

"We can now say that both teams will fight for the title. But we [Pirates] have a chance. We are behind these clubs.

"But for me, it’s Sundowns or Chiefs who are the favourites this season.”

Zinnbauer, who joined the Buccaneers in December 2019, will be under pressure to end the club's six-year trophy drought in his first full season with the team.

Pirates will start their new campaign on Saturday as they take on Cape Town City in the MTN8 quarter-final match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday. 

The Soweto giants will then travel to KwaZulu-Natal where they are scheduled to face AmaZulu FC on October 24 in their maiden league game of the new term.

AFC Leopards will host rivals Gor Mahia in the first derby of the 2020-21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

According to the fixtures released on Wednesday, Ingwe will host K’Ogalo on March 6, 2021, at Nyayo Stadium before the second round duel set for the same venue on May 23, 2021.

Last season, Gor Mahia won both encounters, beating Ingwe 4-1 in the first round match before edging them out by a solitary goal en-route to winning their fourth straight league title.

AFC Leopards are yet to beat Gor Mahia in their last seven matches with the best result against their rivals coming in the 1-1 draw of the 2017-18 season with Gor Mahia winning the second round fixture 1-0.

However, the two teams have been given tough starts in this campaign as Gor Mahia will start their title defence with a clash against Tusker, – their most formidable rivals in the last four seasons – as the first opponents for the new season away from home.

It will be the second straight time the Brewers and K’Ogalo have been scheduled in a season-opening fixture as they had met in the 2019/20 season when Gor Mahia mounted a comeback to stun Tusker 5-2 in Kisumu.

The Gor Mahia-Tusker tie is one of the matches that has been scheduled to take place on the season-opening day on November 20.

The second match for Oliveira ‘Robertinho’ Goncalves' side will be against the 2010 league champions Ulinzi Stars on November 28.

For their third match, Gor Mahia will entertain the 2008 Kenyan Premier League winners Mathare United on December 4. The Green Army will then host another former league champion Sofapaka in what will be their second home match on December 9.

On the other hand, AFC Leopards will first host Western Stima, who are expected to have a relatively new-look team after Gor Mahia and Wazito FC raided their first team, on November 20.

On November 28, the former champions will be away to league debutants Bidco United. The Thika-based club has moved to strengthen their squad incredibly with players including experienced Piston Mutamba, and Stephen Waruru.

Bidco United finished second to Nairobi City Stars when FKF cancelled the National Super League in May. It remains to be seen how they will fare in the top-flight with the Ingwe match seen as their first major test.

On December 4, AFC Leopards will tackle Zoo FC 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.

On December 14, AFC Leopards will either face Kisumu All-Stars or Vihiga United in what will be their fifth match of the much-anticipated 2020/21 season.

Newcastle have tied Allan Saint-Maximin to a new deal that will run to 2026.

The 23-year-old attacker joined Newcastle from Nice last year and has become a key player for Steve Bruce's team.

The Frenchman has had a bright start to the new season, most notably scoring one and setting up another as the Magpies beat Burnley 3-1 on October 3.

His performance against Sean Dyche's team prompted his manager to hail him as a "maverick", adding: "He’s different, unique, a wonderful footballer and skills as good as I’ve worked with."

The former Monaco and Saint-Etienne player feels he has settled in well at the club and is feeling the love from his team-mates as well as the fans.

"I've played for a lot of clubs - Monaco, Nice, in Germany, but Newcastle, I feel like it's my home," he told the club's website.

"The supporters give me a lot of love, the coach too, and my partners on the pitch.

"Everybody gives me love and when you have this, I feel it's my home and I hope this stays my home for a long time.

"Every club I'd been before, the fans loved me - but not like the Newcastle fans. That's really important, because for me, you have the football and everything, but you have the human and they give me something different.

"So if I can give back to the supporters and to the club with a new deal, I'm really happy."

Meanwhile, Bruce says he expects great things from Saint-Maximin after a strong first year at St James' Park.

"We're absolutely delighted that he's committed his future here,” the Magpies manager said. “We're delighted to be keeping him - and he's delighted to be staying.

"I'm sure the supporters will be delighted with the news. He's had an introduction now to what life in the Premier League is like and with Allan, the world is at his feet. He can go as far as he wants to go, because he's got the talent to do it."

Newcastle have taken seven points from their first four matches of the Premier League campaign and are in action again on Saturday when they host Manchester United, who have lost two and won one game in the English top-flight so far.

Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) failed to match Yanga SC and Simba SC's points after drawing 0-0 against Coastal Union.

A win would have taken the Dar es Salaam side’s tally to 13, the same number of points Simba and Yanga enjoy after five matches.

The result means KMC will have to remain with the same number of points as Biashara United – who have also played six games – and Dodoma Jiji as the Tanzania mainland Premier league resumes after the October Fifa international break.

Namungo FC – the country’s Caf Confederation Cup representatives – registered a 2-1 win over Kagera Sugar. Hashim Manyanya and Blaise Bigirimana scored the winning goals for Namungo while Yusuf Mhilu was the scorer for the Sugar Millers.

Kagera Sugar took the lead in the 19th minute but the hosts fought back and equalised in the 22nd minute via Manyanya’s strike before Bigirimana won the game three minutes after the hour mark.

Mhilu is one of the prolific strikers who have emerged at the early stages of the 2020/21 season. The Tanzanian has scored three goals so far and stands fifth on the scorers’ chart.

Azam FC’s Zimbabwean striker Prince Dube leads with five goals followed by the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Golden Boot winner Meddie Kagere of Simba SC.

Chris Mugalu – who signed for Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the last window – is third with three goals too. Bigirimana has also scored three goals as the race promises to be very tight this time around.

In another match, Francis Baraza’s Biashara United picked up a 1-0 win at home against debutants Ihefu FC. Hamadi Tajiri found the back of the net in the 87th minute to break the hearts of the visitors who had fought hard.

Finally, JKT Tanzania were humbled at home after they conceded a 1-0 defeat to Ruvu Shooting. David Richard scored the all-important goal for Ruvu Shooting in a match that kicked off earlier in the day.

Azam FC remain at the top of the table with 15 points as they enjoy a perfect record so far after making key signings in the last transfer period.

Kagera Sugar, JKT Tanzania, Ihefu and Mbeya City occupy the last four, relegation zone positions.

Former Ghana international Michael Osei believes the national team's recent friendly matches against Mali and Qatar should provide coach CK Akonnor with the best approach for November's double-header against Sudan.

As part of preparations towards the resumption of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, the Black Stars tested their preparedness with matches against their West African counterparts and the Asian champions.

On Friday, Ghana fell to a disappointing 3-0 loss to Mali before bouncing back with a 5-1 triumph over 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar on Monday.

The two games were the first for Akonnor since taking over the coaching position from James Kwasi Appiah in January.

“It was a good exercise for Akonnor," Osei, former head coach of Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko, said as reported by Ghana Web.

"Since he came, he hasn’t had an opportunity to play any friendly game so this will help him know how he will go about the next game in Sudan. It’s a good test for him and he will now have ideas about player selection.

“He brought in some new players and I think this was the right time for him to invite them. Now he as a rough idea of the new players and how to mix them up with the old players.

"From the technical perspective, we did very well in the second game in terms of organisation, compactness, sharpness, determination and everything. We saw more of these things in the second game than in the first game.

“In the second game, we looked sharp, won more possession, pressed high and created a lot of chances. The second game I think was good for Akonnor. It shows that Akonnor and his team can do well."

Ghana are pushing for their 23rd appearances at Afcon.

From their previous participations, the Black Stars won the title on four occasions, the last coming in Libya in 1982.

Akonnor has been tasked to lead Ghana to clinch a fifth continental title at the next gathering in Cameroon and steer the side to World Cup qualification following their failure for the 2018 event in Russia.

Former Tottenham head coach Andre Villas-Boas has revealed a conversation he had with Gareth Bale that ignited the Welshman's career.

Villas-Boas spent a season and a half in charge in north London, leading Spurs to a fifth-place finish in 2012-13 before he was sacked midway through the following season.

The 2012-13 campaign was also Bale's final season with Spurs before his big-money move to Real Madrid, with the Wales star netting 21 Premier League goals during that season.

Villas-Boas has claimed some of the credit for the form which led to that transfer, saying a mid-season conversation with Bale helped change the course of his campaign.

“Gareth was feeling that he wasn’t unlocking his full potential," Villas-Boas explained to COPA90. “He came into my office one day and said, 'Boss, I'm not happy, things are not going well for me'.

“'OK,' I said, 'I can try and change to a 4-4-2 [formation] and you can play free at the top with Emmanuel Adebayor and I can move Gylfi Sigurdsson to the left, cutting in'.

“This is when he starts on that run of games where he scores, I think for five or six games in a row, and then the results exploded, and his career exploded from that moment on.”

Bale went on to spend seven seasons with Real Madrid, where he would win the Champions League four times and La Liga on two occasions.

The 31-year-old has now returned to Spurs on a season-long loan and could make his debut under Jose Mourinho on Sunday against West Ham.

Villas-Boas would move on to Zenit Saint Petersburg after leaving Spurs, before taking charge of Chinese outfit Shanghai SIPG and then Marseille, where he is currently the manager.

The 42-year-old also revealed two transfer targets that just slipped away from his grasp during his time at Spurs, which could have changed the trajectory of his spell in north London.

“I think [Tottenham chairman] Daniel Levy won't appreciate it too much, but we had Willian in our office watching the Champions League game together before he leaves the room and signs for Chelsea that night,” Villas-Boas said.

“We missed [Joao] Moutinho, who now becomes famous of course because of Wolves, because of a one-minute deadline.”

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick is worried by the Germany national team's lack of striker and full-back options and called on Bundesliga clubs to produce more talents to fill the gaps.

Joachim Low has lined up with Chelsea attacker Timo Werner and Bayern star Serge Gnabry up front in their recent Nations League matches against Ukraine and Switzerland. Meanwhile, they have few options to fill in at left-back and have had to call on RB Leipzig central defender Lukas Klostermann to fill in on the right side.

Flick, a former Germany assistant coach and sporting director at the German Football Association (DFB), says it is up to the nation's clubs to ensure Die Mannschaft have enough top class players in each position, but admits it is not a new issue.

“We have to create strikers and full-backs in the Bundesliga. We have to tackle things in all of German football,” he told reporters.

“For example, I don't see a real central striker on the German market at the moment. We have Serge Gnabry and Timo Werner, but they are anything but central strikers that we usually know.

“We Bundesliga clubs are there to train players who will then play in the national team. We have to make sure that we create strikers and full-backs, that's our job. That was already a big topic when I was sports director.”

The 55-year-old joked that the striker situation could get so bad Low will have to bring Germany's all-time top scorer Miroslav Klose - currently Flick's assistant at Bayern - back into action. 

“I have one here. If he trains for six weeks, he, Miro Klose, might play again. But I need him here myself,” he said.

Flick also jumped to the defence of his former boss, who has faced criticism following the 3-3 draw against Switzerland.

“I think the criticism is very exaggerated. Jogi has done a sensational job as a national coach,” he said. 

“When things don't go that well, many come out who haven't had a ball at their feet for 25 or 30 years.

“This type of criticism may be well received in the media, but it doesn't help us. We have to remain objective and work together on the future of German football.”

A West Ham fan has been banned from football for three years after pleading guilty to racially abusing Liverpool star Mohamed Salah at a match in January.

Bradley Thumwood, 48, appeared in court on Tuesday to answer charges stemming from a January 29 match at London Stadium.

After pleading guilty, Thumwood was given a three-year football banning order, fined £400 and also ordered to pay a victim surcharge and costs amounting to £125.

Thumwood was originally summonsed on July 27 after being identified by officers as the fan who was verbally abusing Salah at the game, which Liverpool won 2-0.

West Ham have said they will offer Thumwood educational sessions in an effort to reform his views, while also maintaining the right to extend his ban past three years.

“West Ham United is unequivocal in its stance - we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination," a club spokesperson said.

"Equality and diversity are at the heart of the Football Club and we are committed to continue ensuring that everyone who enters London Stadium is free to enjoy watching their team play football in an inclusive environment.

“The club works closely with Kick It Out and our fan group BAME Hammers. In conjunction with those parties, the club will offer educational sessions to the individual in question in an effort to reform their views, whilst reserving the right to uphold their indefinite bans, should those efforts prove unsuccessful.”

The Metropolitan Police's dedicated football officer PC Andy Sheldon added: "We do not, and will not tolerate hate crime of any kind at football matches and will take action against those who are found to have committed these kinds of crimes during games.

"We are committed to working closely with football clubs to identify anyone behaving inappropriately and breaking the law. We are grateful for the support of West Ham United Football Club and for their commitment to eradicating this type of behaviour.

"We ask anyone who sees or hears this type of behaviour to speak to stewards or police."

Salah and Liverpool will return from the international break with a Merseyside derby encounter against Everton on Saturday.

Maritzburg United head coach Eric Tinker is wary of Kaizer Chiefs ahead of their clash in the 2020 MTN8 match on Sunday.

The two teams are scheduled to meet in the quarter-final encounter at FNB Stadium in what will be their first game of the 2020/21 season.

Maritzburg had the upper hand over Chiefs last season as they met three times recording two wins and one draw against the Glamour Boys.

However, Tinkler is expecting a different Amakhosi side, who have a new coach in Gavin Hunt ahead of the new campaign.

“It’s going to be an extremely different team,” Tinkler told the media.

“Gavin is a winner and he plays a particular brand of football that’s difficult to compete against.

"I think last season Chiefs were very good, particularly on the set-pieces and under Gavin that’s going to continue, if not get better,” he added.

Hunt has replaced German coach Ernst Middendorp at Chiefs and the accomplished tactician has been entrusted with bringing back the glory days at the Naturena-based giants.

The four-time PSL title-winning coach will be keen to start his tenure as Amakhosi coach with a victory over the Team of the Choice.

Tinkler, who guided SuperSport United to the 2017 MTN8 triumph, is anticipating a difficult match against the Soweto giants.

“I don’t think we can compare last season to the coming season," the former Orlando Pirates coach continued. 

“We need to play and prepare ourselves extremely hard because it’s going to be a tough battle. It’s always difficult to play against a team coached by Gavin Hunt.”

Hunt joined Chiefs after Bidvest Wits sold their PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila having been outsmarted by Tinkler twice in the 2019/20 season.

Tinkler guided Maritzburg to a 1-0 win over Wits in a league encounter and a 3-1 victory on penalties following a 0-0 draw in the Telkom Knockout Cup first-round clash.

The two teams then played to 0-0 draw in a league clash in August 2020 and Tinkler will be eyeing another cup win over Hunt. 

The encounter will kick-off at 15h00 CAT. 

Ghana captain Andre Ayew has revealed the team was taken by surprise at the outcome of their disappointing defeat against Mali in Friday's international friendly meeting.

In their first match under new coach CK Akonnor, the Black Stars were knocked down by a plucky Mali side who registered a 3-0 win in Antalya, Turkey.

Ghana, though, did not miss a chance to promptly make amends as they handed 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar a 5-1 defeat three days later.

Ayew was twice on target against the Asian champions, with the other goals coming from Brentford winger Tariqe Fosu, Saudi Arabia-based Samuel Owusu and substitute Caleb Ekuban.

“I was disappointed after our game against Mali,” Ayew said, as reported by Adomonline.

“Against Qatar, we knew we had to win the game because we could not lose for the second time.

“I could not sleep properly after our game against Mali because we were not expecting such results but the players played well against Qatar and we are all happy.

“There are new players in the team but we coped properly and gelled together off and on the pitch.

“We hope to come back and continue our qualifiers and make Ghanaians happy."

Ghana return to action in November with a 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying double-header against Sudan in November.

“The players have the potential but most of them are not ready to play for the national team. With time, they can get there but currently, they are not ready," former Ghana international Sam Johnson told Happy FM.

“I don’t think the current crop of players will be able to endure and contain the pressure from us the fans.

“We should play as a team, the individual play is too much, I don’t see any uniformity in the play. The players haven’t played together so that understanding is not there yet."

Ghana will hope to build upon their latest win with victories over Sudan to consolidate top spot in Afcon qualifiers in Group C.

The Black Stars beat South Africa 2-0 in Cape Coast, and then beat Sao Tome and Principe 1-0 away to get off to a flying start.