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Arsenal have made a late move to sign Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid before tonight’s transfer deadline, Goal has learned.

The Ghana international - who has a release clause of £45 million (€50m/$58m) - has been a priority target for the Gunners all summer.

Discussions with Atletico have taken place during the past few months, with Arsenal hoping to land the midfielder for a fee less than his release clause, but Atletico have consistently stated that the only way Partey will be leaving this summer is if that clause is activated.

Arsenal have previously indicated that the release is too high, but Goal has been told that stance has now changed and Arsenal are willing to meet the clause and have indicated such to La Liga, who hold the player's registration.

Speaking about possible incomings after Sunday’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United, boss Mikel Arteta reassured fans that the club would be doing all they can to add to the squad before Monday night’s deadline.

“What I can guarantee is that we are doing our maximum for that to happen, whether we are going to achieve it or not, I don’t know,” said the Spaniard, when discussing the possibility of bringing in new signings.

“I cannot discuss the players that we want but we recognise certain positions that we believe we are short in. First of all in numbers and then adding different qualities to complement each other and this is what we are trying to do.

“I always try to be really honest and clear. Believe me that the ownership, the board, myself, are doing everything we can to maximise the resources we have to improve the team and to sustain and keep the players that are in this club to make this club successful.

“I have 100% backing from them. It's not just words, it's reality. Whoever knows me, if it wasn't like that I wouldn't say it but I say it because I feel it and it's true.”

Partey has been one of Arsenal’s top targets this summer along with Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, who has now confirmed he will be staying with the French club for another year.

Atletico do not want to lose their midfielder and have given him assurances that he will be handed a new contract once the financial difficulties brought on by the coronavirus pandemic begin to lessen, but as previously reported by Goal, Partey wants a move to Arsenal and has been waiting to see if a deal can be struck.

The Gunners have now made their move and are trying to finalise the transfer before tonight's 11pm deadline.

Ruben Dias can handle the pressure of playing for Manchester City and will provide value for money after becoming the club’s record signing, says Richard Dunne.

The Blues have invested another £62 million ($80m) in a new centre-half after considerable funds have already been pumped into that area of the field, with the likes of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi struggling to live up to their price tags.

Dunne believes Dias will be different, with the 23-year-old Portuguese having been obtained with one eye on the future.

He will be given time to unlock his full potential, but is also required to slot seamlessly into the fold and provide a reliable option in the present.

Pep Guardiola has full faith in Dias to do just that, with Dunne another of those expecting a defender who combines graft and guile to prove a shrewd addition for City.

The former Blues captain told the club’s official website after seeing a big-money buy make his Premier League debut in a 1-1 draw at Leeds: “He’s played for a huge club in Benfica previously.

“He understands the pressures of clubs and the pressures of being expected to win every game.

“Coming into the club, when the club have just spent so much money on you gives you confidence.

“He looks confident, he looks serious, he looks like he wants to win and it is about taking that and producing it on the pitch.

“It’s not always going to be perfect because there are bedding in periods for all players and the Premier League is a lot quicker than the Portuguese league so it will be difficult at times.

“He has everything, he has all the attributes, so we need to give him time.”

Dias was unable to help City to a clean sheet in his first appearance for the club, but Dunne saw enough in an encouraging bow to suggest that there is more to come from a player being charged with the task of filling Vincent Kompany’s boots at the Etihad Stadium.

“I thought he was excellent,” Dunne, a four-time Player of the Year at City, added.

“He was excellent without being spectacular. He wasn’t amazing coming forward with the ball, but that’s not what we’re looking for.

“We’re looking at his defensive attributes. In terms of that, he did everything simple. He played safely and I think he’ll be really pleased with how he has begun his career.”

Young Africans (Yanga SC’s) midfielder Mukoko Tonombe has explained how the Kiswahili language barrier has denied him complete socialisation.

The Congolese star said, that although he loves joking around with people, his little knowledge of Kiswahili has denied him full joy since he signed for Yanga in August.

Tonombe came and established himself as a first-teamer and has also produced brilliant moments for the club given he has scored four goals.

“I am a comedian and I always love to see every player or people around me happy but the main challenge in Tanzania has been the language barrier,” Tonombe told Mwanaspoti.

“Everyone in Tanzania is speaking Kiswahili and I speak Lingala but I am trying hard to learn the language so that I can be on the same page with teammates.

“I love jokes, jokes that are done after daily training sessions or after the match but the language is letting me down. At times I joke with them in my own language and end up making them laugh.”

The midfielder further revealed his targets in the Mainland Premier League, his strong foot and how he is faring so far after playing in five league matches.

“Although I can use both feet, I feel effective enough when I use my left foot. It is the same thing since I can play in any position because what matters is to see the team winning,” he explained.

“My main target is to be among the top five season scorers. I would also want to be the top scorer but I know the position will not allow me to be there. That means I can only achieve that by sheer hard work and I have no excuse why that is not possible.

“As time goes by, I am also learning the terrain of the Tanzanian league and that means I am still in prime position to score the goals I want, hopefully, Yanga will celebrate signing me.”

The former AS Vita star talked about his little known private life.

“I do not party, neither do I take alcohol nor smoke,” concluded the 24-year-old.

“When I am free I will play video games, listen to music, watch football or even sleep. That is my lifestyle away from the pitch and nothing can change it.”

Former AmaZulu and Platinum Stars coach Cavin Johnson has joined Al Ahly as Pitso Mosimane's assistant. 

Mosimane confirmed the news of Johnson's appointment in a statement he released on Monday afternoon. 

Furthermore, the 56-year-old said the arrival of Johnson completes his technical team after he was allowed to bring with him three members of his backroom staff. 

He was rumoured to be eyeing Rhulani Mokwena to assist him at Al Ahly but the young mentor decided to stay at Sundowns. 

Johnson joins Kabelo Rangoaga and Musi Matlaba who left the Brazilians along with Mosimane. 

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that coach Cavin Johnson has agreed to join me as an assistant coach at Al Ahly," said Mosimane. 

"This completes the technical team I bring with me to the Red Devils after fitness trainer Kabelo Rangoaga and performance analyst Musi Matlaba," confirmed the 56-year-old. 

Mosimane is confident Johnson's contribution will help the entire technical team deliver on its mandate. 

"Coach Cavin is an accomplished and experienced mentor who has played an integral part in the development of football in South Africa and beyond. 

He added: "With qualifications that include Caf Licence, Safa Pro Licence, Brazilian football academy, FA England courses and a diploma in Sports Management, he has what it takes to help us deliver on our mandate in this top league and beyond."

"The former head coach of  Platinum Stars, SuperSport United, AmaZulu and also having served as the first assistant for Mamelodi Sundowns, head of youth development at Ajax Cape Town was gracious enough to accept my request to uproot him from home to join me here. 

Mosimane thanked the Al Ahly management for allowing affording him the opportunity to bring in his own team.  

"I want to thank the leadership of Al Ahly for allowing the opportunity to build the leadership that I believe can help us continue the winning culture of the club. 

Johnson, 61, said it was an honour to be working with Mosimane at Al Ahly, and he thanked the Kagiso-born mentor for giving him the opportunity. 

"It's an honour to be joining one of the most successful coaches in South Africa to coach the most successful club in Africa," said Johnson. 

"I want to thank coach Pitso for giving this opportunity to work with this club of the century," added Johnson. 

 According to Mosimane's statement, Johnson will arrive in Cairo this week before officially being unveiled by Al Ahly.  

Taifa Stars captain Mbwana Samatta is expected in Tanzania on Tuesday, October 6 ahead of the international friendly against Burundi.

The two neighbouring countries are scheduled to play in a Fifa recognized international friendly on October 11 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Other stars are expected in the country as soon as Monday.

"Taifa Stars are reporting to camp today, Monday, October 5 in preparations for the international friendly to be played on October 11," the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), said in a statement obtained by Goal.

"Already players, summoned by coach Etienne Ndayiragije, have started reporting.

"Captain Mbwana Samatta is expected in the country on Tuesday morning from Turkey, but Thomas Ulimwengu will arrive on Monday afternoon from DR Congo.

"Himid Mao is also set to land on Wednesday morning from Egypt while Simon Msuva and Nickson Kibabage will arrive on the same day but at night from Morocco.

"So far, Ally Msengi has arrived from South Africa."

Tanzania will be taking part in the African Nations Championship and the Burundi tactician will be using the friendly match to gauge the fitness and preparedness of his charges.

Taifa Stars will be playing Tunisia on November 11 away, before hosting them in Dar es Salaam two weeks later. The East African nation started their campaign in Group J with a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea before falling 2-1 away to Libya in their second game.

The Tanzania Mainland League has been active since June 13 which will be a boost to players' fitness ahead of the Burundi assignment.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Metacha Mnata (Yanga SC), Aishi Manula (Simba SC), David Mapigano (Azam FC)

Defenders: Shomari Kapombe, Mohamed Hussein (Simba SC), Israel Mwenda (KMC FC), Brayson David, Abdallah Sebo (Azam FC), Bakari Mwamnyeto (Yanga SC) Dickson Job (Mtibwa Sugar), Iddy Mobbi (Polisi Tanzania)

Midfielders: Jonas Mkude, Said Hamisi, Yassin Mzamiru (Simba SC), Himid Mao (ENPPI SC, Egypt), Iddy Nado, Salum Abubakar (Azam FC), Feisal Salum (Yanga SC), Ally Msengi (Stellenbosch FC, South Africa) 

Forwards: John Bocco (Simba SC), Mbwana Samatta (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey), Nickson Kibabage, Simon Msuva (Diffa El Jadidi, Morocco), Thomas Ulimwengu (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Ditram Nchimbi (Yanga SC)

Leon Balogun has shifted his attention to the Nigeria friendlies against Algeria and Tunisia after helping Rangers to a 2-0 victory over Ross County in Sunday’s Premiership game.

The centre-back has been in fine form for Steven Gerrard’s men since his arrival from Championship side Wigan Athletic this summer.

Balogun has featured in five league games for the Ibrox Stadium outfit and helped the club keep four clean sheets.

The centre-back, who recently recovered from a muscle injury, featured prominently in the Gers’ victory over Ross County on Sunday.

Despite the win, Balogun has urged his side to improve on their performances, while revealing he will be leaving for Nigeria's friendly games in Austria.

The Super Eagles will take on the North African countries on October 9 and 13 respectively and Balogun will be expected to feature in the games, having been handed invitations for the outings.

“Our performance definitely has to improve, but [we are] happy about the important three points and another clean sheet. Off to reunite with my Super Eagles now,” Balogun posted on Instagram.

Rangers are currently at the summit of the Premiership table with 26 points from 10 games after eight wins and two draws.  

Nigeria have lined up friendlies against the Desert Foxes and the Cartage Eagles as part of their preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone in November.

Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo have pulled out of the friendlies due to injuries and other factors.

Balogun has featured 32 times for the Nigeria national team since he made his international debut against Mexico in 2014.

The centre-back was part of the Super Eagles team at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and featured for the side as they finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Manchester City are not expecting to add any new signings on transfer deadline day but there could be a number of exits.

A new left-back was a possibility in the final days of the window with Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico a potential target.

Despite being available for around £23 million ($29m), City are set to stick with Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko as their options for the rest of the season.

Zinchenko was linked with a late move away before he picked up an injury after returning to first-team training and the Ukrainian is understood to want to stay at the Etihad Stadium and fight for his place.

His City team-mate Eric Garcia does want to leave the club but is waiting for Barcelona to improve their offer so he can make his preferred move back to Camp Nou.

Barca have so far fallen short of reaching City’s valuation, with a £14m ($18m) bid already rejected but are expected to return with an improved offer.

The Catalan club are confident that a deal can be done after City completed the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica for £62m ($80m).

The 19-year-old defender has just 12 months remaining on his current contract and can leave for nothing next summer after turning down a new deal.

Fellow central defender Tosin Adarabioyo is also expected to leave, with newly-promoted Fulham showing interest as they look to strengthen their backline.

The 23-year-old impressed on loan at Championship club Blackburn last season but is not part of Pep Guardiola’s plans having failed to make the squad in the opening five matches and could move on a permanent basis.

Winger Patrick Roberts is set for another loan move and is set to return to Middlesbrough where he had a brief spell at the end of the last season.

It will be his fifth loan move away from City after two loans spells with Celtic, a period at Spanish club Girona and, for the first half of last season, he was in the Premier League with Norwich.

City have added three new signings during the window as, along with Dias, they signed Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake for an initial £40m ($53m) and winger Ferran Torres from Valencia for £21m ($27m).

Xherdan Shaqiri looks set to remain at Liverpool with no deadline day bid forthcoming for the Swiss star.

Shaqiri had been expected to leave the Reds before the transfer window closes, and had been attracting interest from clubs in Germany and Italy.

He was left out of Liverpool’s squad for the Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal on Thursday, having initially been down to start the match, and didn’t feature again on Sunday as Jurgen Klopp’s side were beaten 7-2 in the Premier League by Aston Villa.

But Anfield sources now expect the 28-year-old to stay with the club until at least January, with no formal offer received. Liverpool insist they will not consider a loan move for Shaqiri, having turned down such offers from both Roma and Sevilla back in January.

The Reds are still working on potential exits, with West Ham and Werder Bremen both keen on signing midfielder Marko Grujic. Again, Liverpool say a loan for the Serbia international is out of the question, though their stance could change should a club agree to an obligation to buy. 

Harry Wilson is another who may depart, though Burnley are understood to have backed away from a potential deal having seen their initial £12 million ($16m) bid rejected by the Reds last week. Wilson has also attracted attention from Fulham, Brighton and Newcastle this summer.

Left-back Yasser Larouci is also one to watch in the final hours of the window, with Liverpool expecting offers for the 19-year-old. Norwich and Brentford have been linked, while Leeds are also admirers.

Another teenager, Sepp van den Berg, has loan interest from his native Netherlands, but Ben Woodburn, Nat Phillips and Liam Millar should remain at the club for the time being, though all three are likely to secure loan moves to the EFL later in the month. Woodburn is wanted by Hull, Phillips by Bristol City, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest, and Millar by Millwall.

In terms of incomings, little is expected – though the Reds could confirm the signing of teenage Brazilian goalkeeper Marco Pitaluga from Fluminense. The 17-year-old has already begun training with his new team-mates having sealed his switch, with Liverpool agreeing to a deal which could cost them around £1.3m for the Brazil youth international.

Reports linking Tottenham keeper Paolo Gazzaniga with the Reds are wide of the mark, with Everton understood to be in contact with the Londoners over a potential loan move. Carlo Ancelotti’s side, surprise league leaders in the opening weeks of the season, are also considering a move for Manchester United’s Sergio Romero.

Manchester United showed no "fighting spirit" against Tottenham, according to Rene Meulensteen, who says "something strange" has happened to the club.

United suffered their joint-heaviest loss in the Premier League era at the hands of Spurs on Sunday, slipping to 16th in the table in the process.

Ex-Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho recorded a 6-1 victory on his latest return to the club as his side put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men to the sword at an empty Old Trafford.

Bruno Fernandes fired the hosts into a second minute lead from the penalty spot, but Tottenham turned the game around within six minutes thanks to goals from Tanguy Ndombele and Son Heung-min.

United were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half after Anthony Martial was sent off for violent conduct before Harry Kane added a third for the visitors and then Son doubled his account to make it 4-1 heading in at the interval.

A Serge Aurier effort erased any faint hopes of a comeback for Solskjaer's men in the 51st minute, and Kane went on to complete the scoring with a late penalty as the north Londoners moved up to sixth in the standings.

Meulensteen, who served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant between 2007 and 2013, was shocked by the nature of his old club's latest defeat, which he admits did not befit a team capable of competing for major silverware.

The former United coach has suggested that the players are no longer giving their all for Solskjaer, telling talkSPORT: “It’s unacceptable for a top team that should be challenging for trophies and Premier Leagues.

“It’s strange really, because United did really well when they came out of lockdown, they were strong up front and they didn’t concede a lot of goals.

“You think they’re moving in the right direction and they get into three semi-finals, but I think losing all three of those semi-finals has had a big impact.

“Something strange has happened for a team to lose by so many goals.

“But the biggest unacceptable things I find are that there is no urgency, no drive, no fighting spirit, because you cannot win games solely on the quality of football.

“Sir Alex Ferguson would always emphasise it, work hard and compete, they’re the biggest qualities that get you success, and I didn’t see any of that yesterday.

“Ole has been there almost two years now, but what I saw yesterday was almost the same performance as when Jose Mourinho was there. It was dispirited, there was nothing.”

Pay-TV channel StarTimes has come out to officially explain the key areas which form the lucrative deal they signed with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) last week.

FKF through President Nick Mwendwa were the first to tweet they had secured a seven-year deal worth $1.1million with the Chinese-based broadcast firm which will see them broadcast live FKF Premier League matches.

A day later, StarTimes also confirmed they had indeed signed the deal but could not divulge more details only stating they will make everything official “in the coming weeks.”

However, in the latest statement obtained by Goal, StarTimes has now revealed six key areas forming part of the deal which includes broadcasting FKF Premier League matches starting with the 2020-21 season, to air 30 live matches in the National Super League for the next three seasons – 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022-23, and also broadcast the Kenya Super Cup.

Other matches that will be screened live include the play-off between position 16 teams in the FKF Premier League and third-placed side in the NSL to determine which team earn promotion to the top-flight, at least show four matches annually for the national team Harambee Stars during the Fifa calendar and also the FKF Women's national team matches.

Goal can now exclusively reveal their first assignment will be the friendly match between Kenya's Harambee Stars and Zambia on October 10 in Nairobi.

Kenyan Premier League was switched off air at the start of last season after South African-based pay-TV channel, SuperSport withdrew from airing matches, citing a breach of contract.

This was after FKF under the new boss Mwendwa moved to extend the top-tier from 16 to 18 teams, a move the broadcasting corporation said was not in the contract and hence they decided to walk away.

The news also comes just a few days after FKF officially took over the running of the Kenyan league from KPL, after their term of office expired on September 24.

The company had been running the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) since 2003; when it was formed to curb the constant wrangles between the federation and the top-tier clubs.

The battle for supremacy between the FKF and the KPL started when Mwendwa and his team took the mantle to run football in the country four years ago.

In their recent spat, the FKF moved to end the league owing to the coronavirus pandemic and declared Gor Mahia the champions while promoting National Super League (NSL) table-toppers Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United.

The deal with StarTimes is also good news for FKF, who two months ago also signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Nigerian betting firm BetKing worth Sh1.2 billion, for the Kenya Premier League (KPL) and the Women's Premier League.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has called on referees in the Mainland Premier League to protect his players from unnecessary injuries after their 4-0 win against JKT Tanzania on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi registered their third straight win, their fourth league win from five matches at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma after they managed to pump in four goals past the law enforcers in the one-sided battle.

However, the Belgian tactician was not a happy man at the end of the match as he accused JKT Tanzania's players of using force and hard tackles which he said could have injured his players.

“We have to protect some offensive players and not to allow them to be hit and be kicked around, football is enjoyable and not to play with the intention to injure your opponent,” Vandenbroeck told reporters after the match.

“But I am very happy with how we played today [Sunday] and also very happy that we managed to keep another clean sheet, it was the best result for us for a very long time at the difficult pitch and I am happy for my players they did the job convincingly.”

Meanwhile, JKT Tanzania coach Mohammed Abdallah conceded defeat saying Simba were stronger than his side.

“It was our own mistake which allowed us to lose, we did not deserve anything from this match, we committed some mistakes and you know you cannot play like this against the champions, if you commit a mistake they will punish you and that is what they did,” Abdallah told reporters.

“We also conceded very early in the match, two quick goals in the first 10 minutes, and it was a free header, we allowed their striker to roam alone inside the box to score, it is our own mistake and we must work on them before our next league match.”

During the match, Meddie Kagere, Chrispine Mugalu, and Luis Miquissone scored to ensure Simba maintained their winning run in the top-flight.

Kagere just took three minutes to score his third league goal of the season as he made another start in the absence of John Bocco while Mugalu, who has also been another source of goals for Simba since getting regular playtime, scored the second for the champions three minutes later.

Just five minutes before the half-time whistle, Kagere returned and marked his name on the scoresheet once more as he earned a brace before Luis Miquissone found the back of the net with a long-range strike launched from the right-wing in the 54th minute for the fourth goal. 

Simba will now focus on the next match against Tanzania Prisons while JKT will entertain Ruvu Shooting on October 10.

Harambee Stars' training has been pushed from morning to the evening after the Sports Ministry requested Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to sort out “a few stuff.”

According to FKF President Nick Mwendwa, the team which reported to camp on Sunday and all the players were tested for Covid-19, will now start training on Monday at 4 pm ahead of their friendly against Zambia on October 10.

“We had planned to start training on Monday morning and my players were also ready to go to training but the Ministry of Sports has requested us to wait before we start training,” Mwendwa told Goal on Monday.

“The Sports Permanent Secretary has told us that they are trying to work out a few things with the Ministry of Health before they can allow us to use Kasarani Stadium for training and probably for the match.

“We have now postponed the morning training session and we will start training in the evening at 4 pm, we hope they will have sorted their issues by then and they can give us the green light to go ahead with training in readiness for the friendly.”

On Sunday, Mwendwa told Goal they were ready for the friendly after testing local-based players for Covid-19 though the Ministry of Sports was yet to clear the same to be played.

“We have all the local-based players named by the coach already in camp and they have all undergone Covid-19 tests,” Mwendwa told Goal. “We want to start training tomorrow [Monday] at Kasarani but we have not heard from the Ministry yet on the way forward.

“I only got a call from an official from Kasarani who told me he will give us a letter allowing the team to use the venue for training but we have not received any response yet as far as our request to the Ministry of Sports in regards to the build-up is concerned.

“We don’t know why the government is taking long to give us a go-ahead and they are the ones who said international assignments will be given first priority, we have done our part, we wrote to them as they requested but now the time is running out.

“I will make sure the team starts training on Monday as planned at Kasarani, we don’t have time to waste as we only have a month remaining before we play the Afcon match against Comoros.”

Kenya started their campaign for the 2021 Afcon, to be held in Cameroon, with an impressive 1-1 draw away to Egypt. They followed it up with another draw, by the same margin, in Nairobi against Togo.

In Group G, Comoros, who started their campaign with a 1-0 win against Togo before settling for a goalless draw against the Pharaohs, lead with four points.

Final Squad; Goalkeepers; Ian Otieno (Zesco United, Zambia), and Timothy Odhiambo (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya).

Defenders: Brian Mandela (Unattached), Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito, Kenya), Joash Onyango (Simba, Tanzania), Joseph Okumu (Elfsborg, Sweden), Clarke Oduor (Barnsley, England), David Owino (Mathare United, Kenya), Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Badi Baraka (KCB, Kenya).

Midfielders: Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Francis Kahata (Simba, Tanzania), Eric Johanna (Jonkoping’s Sodra IF, Sweden), Cliff Nyakeya (Masr FC, Egypt), Antony Akumu (Kaiser Chief, South Africa), Hassan Abdallah (Bandari FC, Kenya), Lawrence Juma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Katana Mohamed (Isloch, Belarus), Austin Otieno (AFC Leopards, Kenya).

Forwards: Elvis Rupia (AFC Leopards, Kenya), Masud Juma (JS Kabylie, Algeria), Timothy Otieno (NAPSA Stars, Zambia), Oscar Wamalwa (Ulinzi Stars, Kenya).

Scott McTominay has insisted everyone in the Manchester United dressing room is "very hurt" and that "something will be done" after their thrashing at the hands of Tottenham.

United were beaten 6-1 by Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday , and now find themselves down in 16th in the Premier League table heading into the international break.

The Red Devils opened their latest campaign with a 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace before stealing an undeserved victory at Brighton, and produced another poor performance against Jose Mourinho's team.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw his side take the lead via a Bruno Fernandes penalty with just two minutes on the clock, but Tanguy Ndombele equalised moments later after capitalising on poor defending from Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

Heung-min Son gave the visitors the lead in the seventh minute, producing an expert finish after a quick free-kick from Harry Kane, and United's hopes of a comeback were dashed when Anthony Martial was sent off following an exchange with Eric Lamela just before the half-hour mark.

Spurs made their numerical advantage count instantly, with Kane getting his name on the scoresheet after being teed up by Son, who then added his second to give Mourinho's men a 4-1 advantage at the break.

A Serge Aurier strike and a Kane penalty rounded off an emphatic victory for the north Londoners in the second half, with United left to contemplate a shocking display which leaves them playing catch-up in the league table once again.

McTominay offered an insight into the downbeat mood among the squad in the aftermath of the defeat, while promising that changes will be made before the Red Devils return to action after the international break.

“You get these shock results that come around, hopefully never again in your career," the Scottish midfielder told MUTV . "Everybody in that dressing room I can assure you is very, very hurt and we know it’s not about speaking to people and listening to what other people say. It’s about focusing on ourselves.

"This football club is absolutely massive and for us to play and perform like that is nowhere near good enough. Believe me, something will be done about that when we get back.

"Everyone will be firmly focused on what we have to do going into the remaining part of the first stage of the season.”

McTominay added on how he will personally deal with the heaviest loss of his career to date: “We have to be so dialled into everything we do. The Premier League is so strong now, you see that, and for us, a result like that it hurts massively.

"That’s the first time I’ve been on the end of a result like that and believe me, inside, it’s the worst feeling I’ve ever had. That’s football. 

"You have to accept it, you have to move on, keep your chest up and don’t duck out the way of responsibility on the pitch. You have to take the responsibility front on and try and move forward.”

Harry Kane would be a Manchester United player if the Red Devils were still in a position to attract “the best players in the world” onto their books, says former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spent much of the summer chasing down additions that he believes would raise collective standards at Old Trafford.

Landing top targets has proved tricky, though, with a long-running saga involving Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho delivering no end result as the deadline looms.

United have also faced calls to bolster their ranks in defence and up front, but creative midfielder Donny van de Beek remains their only signing as things stand.

Fresh faces may be secured before the latest window closes, with former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani said to have an agreement in place, but the Red Devils are scratching around for deals.

That was not the case when Sir Alex Ferguson made them a dominant force in English and European football, with Spurs star Kane the kind of player that he would have had his eye on.

Sherwood believes the England captain would have been lured to Manchester in days gone by, but United have slipped so far off the pace – as shown by their 6-1 humbling at the hands of Tottenham on Sunday – that they are no longer able to snap up players of that profile.

“We’ve listened to Man United fans, and quite rightly so, saying they need signings and they need this player and that player,” former Spurs player and coach Sherwood told Premier League Productions.  

“You don’t need any players to beat Tottenham. You don’t need any players to beat Crystal Palace. You don’t need any players to beat Brighton. 

“But, you need a team that has an idea, and an identity of how to play in possession and out of possession. 

“At the moment, they’re relying on world-class players – which they have in abundance – like last week at Brighton with [Marcus] Rashford breaking away and scoring that magnificent goal. 

“You need a plan. Against evenly-matched teams like Tottenham, you need a plan. 

“Yes, everyone wants them to go and make signings, Man United fans want them to sign the best players in the world. 

“They’re not in that market anymore, because that No.10 for Tottenham – if United were in that market, he’d be wearing a Man United shirt. 

“Harry Kane would be wearing a Man United shirt if they were in that market anymore, unfortunately, they’re not there. They’re not at that table anymore. 

“They need to get the best out of what they’ve got, and they’re not making the best out of it.”

Graeme Souness blamed Liverpool's poor performance against Aston Villa in part on the grass, insisting all top sides want to play on a "fast pitch".

Liverpool were handed their first defeat of the 2020-21 campaign at Villa Park on Sunday.

Villa ran out 7-2 winners against the reigning Premier League champions, who looked way below their best and a shadow of the team that won the title by 18 points last season.

Ollie Watkins hit a superb hat-trick for the hosts, while Jack Grealish grabbed a brace and John McGinn and Chelsea loanee Ross Barkley also got in on the act.

The Reds' two consolation goals came from Mohamed Salah on a night which saw them outplayed in almost every department, with worrying defensive flaws exposed ruthlessly by Dean Smith's men.

However, Souness suggested Liverpool were struggling to play their normal game due to the state of the pitch after seeing his old club head in at the interval 4-1 down.

The Anfield legend told Sky Sports: "What I would say, Villa, and it's the same for both teams, I think they've left the grass longer than normal to slow Liverpool's movement.

"I did say it's the same for both teams but all the top teams want short grass, fast pitch.

"That doesn't look like a fast pitch to me tonight."

Klopp was in no mood to offer any excuses for his side's display though, as he played down the significance of Alisson and Sadio Mane's absence post-match.

"There is no need for one excuse, absolutely not," he said. "Whatever team we could have lined up tonight, I wouldn’t expect to lose 7-2, to be honest – 100 per cent.

"It’s not necessary, it’s absolutely not necessary. I said it in the beginning and it’s true, Aston Villa did really, really well, but we helped as well."

Liverpool will now look ahead to a crucial Merseyside derby meeting with league leaders Everton on October 17.

The Toffees now hold a three-point advantage over their arch-rivals at the top of the table, and the Reds can ill-afford to lose more ground when they make the short trip to Goodison Park after the international break.

Marcus Rashford said there is "no hiding" and promised Manchester United "will do better" in an emotional apology to the club's fans in the wake of the 6-1 hiding against Tottenham.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed a day to remember on his return to Old Trafford as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min both scored twice in a rout that represented United's joint-worst defeat in a home Premier League game.

Tanguy Ndombele and Serge Aurier also got on the scoresheet for the visitors, with Bruno Fernandes' second-minute penalty ultimately proving to be nothing more than a false dawn for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

Anthony Martial was controversially sent off with Spurs 2-1 up, with Erik Lamela perhaps fortunate to escape punishment having seemingly swung an elbow at the forward that drew a retaliatory raising of the hand to the winger's throat.

But the dismissal was no excuse for United's abject defending throughout and Solskjaer said the defeat showed "the worst you can get" from the Red Devils.

"It's a horrible feeling, the worst day I've had as a Manchester United manager and player," the Norwegian boss told BBC Radio 5 Live post-match.

"We can't accept performances like this. I hold my hands up, I'm in charge and I'm responsible for this."

United forward Rashford took to social media to say sorry to the club's global fan base and said it was important he fronted up after a demoralising loss for the club.

"First and foremost I'm a United fan," Rashford wrote on Twitter. 

"This is my club. I'm so proud to wear this shirt but there are no excuses, it's just not good enough and to every single fan around the world that tuned in today, I'm just so sorry.

"You deserve so much better than that. I would have stayed away from social media tonight but you deserve to hear from me during the highs and the lows, there is no hiding.

"I feel horrible but I promise you we will do better."

The international break will give the Red Devils the chance to reflect on a painful result against a top-four rival before preparations begin for a crucial away clash against Newcastle on October 17.

Solskjaer's men are 16th in the Premier League standings after losing two of their opening three fixtures, with nine points already separating them and early pace-setters Everton, who have played a game more.

Philippe Coutinho is determined to “achieve big things” at Barcelona after being offered a clean slate at Camp Nou.

The Brazil international appeared destined to be heading for a future away from Catalunya after being sent out on loan to Bayern Munich in 2019-20.

Having failed to find a spark on the back of a big-money move from Liverpool, the South American playmaker slipped out of sight and mind.

Various landing spots were mooted for him, with Bayern opting against seeking a permanent deal of their own, and the current transfer window was expected to see another agreement pushed through.

Barca were, however, to find themselves backed into a corner that required big decisions to be made on their part.

Ronald Koeman was drafted in as the club’s new coach, and the Dutchman has brought outcasts back in from the cold while making bold calls to part with established stars such as Luis Suarez.

Fresh starts have worked in Coutinho’s favour, with the 28-year-old making the most of his second chance to catch the eye in pre-season and open the 2020-21 campaign with a goal and two assists through three appearances.

Confidence has returned to his game, with the Brazilian telling reporters after finding the target in a 1-1 draw with Sevilla: “I've got a lot of hunger to work and achieve big things.

“It was a tough and difficult game [but] we knew that already. It ended up being like that.

“We've got a point and now we're going into the international break. When we return, it's about continuing to work.”

Barcelona dropped points for the first time this season when being held by Sevilla, but they have offered cause for optimism through their early outings and Coutinho is confident that they can kick on when returning to action on October 18 against Getafe.

He added: “We've had a difficult first three games, but we're just getting started.

“We're used to this and we'll keep working.

“Sevilla played very well. There were a lot of Sevilla players in the centre of midfield and that's why we struggled a bit. We have to correct that.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa and Sam Nwamweya have mourned the death of former Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Rosemary Kadondi.

Although he did not reveal the cause of Kadondi’s death, Mwendwa stated the former kit manager passed away on Sunday.

“A sad day for football, we have lost former Starlets goalkeeper and current kit manager Rosemary Kadondi 'Mara',” Nick Mwendwa, who is seeking a second term in office, tweeted.

“I wish her family, friends and the Starlets solace during this time of mourning. May her soul rest in eternal peace.”

Nyamweya, Mwendwa’s predecessor, described Kadondi as a veteran Harambee Starlet adding her death had robbed the country of a gem.

“I have learnt with deep sorrow and grief the demise of Rosemary Aluoch Kadondi, famously known as Mara, who reportedly passed on after a short illness,” the former FKF president said in a statement obtained by Goal.

“Mara was a veteran Kenyan national women's football team goalkeeper who rose to become one of the finest female football coaches and team manager of her generation.

“Following her death, the football fraternity has been robbed of a gem of a leader and manager of the female game at a time the country needed her services and experience the most.”

Nyamweya also revealed how personal the loss is, given that he worked with Kadondi when he was the president of the local FA.

“It is a personal loss to me, having been in charge of Football Kenya Federation when it gave the chance to Mara and others for them to ascend to team management after their many years of service to women's football as players,” he added.

“Indeed, it is very painful yet the loss is one that we must all accept because God gave us Mara and has taken her from among us at his appointed time by way of death.

“May the almighty God strengthen her immediate family, the Harambee Starlets family and the larger football fraternity and the Kenyan nation as a whole.

“Her name shall forever be etched in women's football history books in Kenya.”

Kadondi’s demise comes two days after the country lost Mohammed Omar who passed away on Friday morning in Mombasa.

Omar was a well-known FKF official from Mombasa, having served the region for close to a decade and was also a Confederation of African Football (Caf) Match Commissioner.

Reims played to a 2-2 draw with Rennes in Sunday’s French elite division clash with Morocco’s Yunis Abdelhamid and Senegal senior national team invitee Boulaye Dia finding the net.

Heading to the Roazhon Park, the Red and Whites were outstanding underdogs having lost their last four league encounters, however, they picked up a point against the current league leaders.

They took the initiative against Julien Stephan’s men in the 11th minute courtesy of Abdelhamid’s strike. He headed home a well-taken corner kick from Arber Zeneli.

Nevertheless, the lead did not last long as the hosts levelled matters through Raphinha in the 24th minute. The Brazilian midfielder slotted the ball past goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic to complete a one-two move with Guinea prospect Serhou Guirassy.

Having erased their deficit, Rennes played with more confidence and made some fine attacking moves. That paid off in the 37th minute as Damien Da Silva put them ahead for the first time through a header.

The hosts could have sealed the win comfortably but missed clear cut chances, which was their major undoing. Guirassy, Eduardo Camavinga and on loan AS Roma star Steven Nzonzi missed begging chances.

In the 66th minute, Dia ensured the game ended on a no winner, no vanquished note after capitalising on a defensive mishap from Rennes.

Jean-Pierre Caillot’s men held their nerves to deny the hosts a chance of securing a late win.

While captain Abdelhamid featured from start to finish alongside Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi, Dia was replaced eight minutes to full time by Kaj Sierhuis.

Cote d'Ivoire's Ghislain Konan, Cameroon's Tristan Dingome, Guinea Bissau's Moreto Cassama and Senegal's Dialy N'Diaye played no part in the encounter.

For Rennes, Morocco's Nayef Aguerd and Mali's Hamari Traore saw every minute of the action with M'Baye Niang and DR Congo's Pepe Bonet not considered for selection.

Even with this result, Rennais remain at the summit of the French top-flight with 14 points from six games, while Reims are just one point above Dijon who sit at the base of the log.

Born in Oyonnax, France to Senegalese parents, 23-year-old Dia was handed his maiden Teranga Lions call-up for October friendlies against Morocco and Mauritania.