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Jurgen Klopp has a boastful side, according to Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders – who says the German “walks around like Conor McGregor” if he gets one over his staff.

The highly rated Lijnders says Klopp’s competitive streak comes out when Liverpool’s coaches play padel tennis, which is played on an enclosed court a third the size of a tennis court.

The Dutchman says the staff started playing while they were away on a summer break.

“We started playing about four years ago during our training camp in Tenerife,” Lijnders told the Mirror.

“We were playing the game with our staff and a few players. At first, we didn’t quite know what a padel court looked like and thought it had to be played a bit like table tennis.

“Our media officer looked up the rules of the game on the internet. We didn’t know he had given us the wrong rules till this Spanish chap came by and asked us what on earth we were doing. We said: ‘Playing padel tennis’.

“He laughed and said: ‘Well, I know one thing – you don’t play it like that!’.

“When we got back, the owners built a court for us at Melwood and now we are playing this game almost every day at our training centre.

“Jurgen is fanatical about it – and he’s good, too. But we never say he’s the best out loud – otherwise he starts to walk round like Conor McGregor.

“He battles for every point, with massive focus, too. Even when I am winning, he gets right under my skin.

“So when I do beat him, I let everyone at the club hear about it!’’

Lijnders also says the distraction of a second sport has helped the Liverpool coaching staff come up with tactical solutions on the football pitch.

“The game has been a nice distraction from our daily routine,” he said. “And yet, sometimes we come up with the best ideas to solve issues during these games.

“We sit down on a bench in between two sets and we discuss solutions for football problems. In fact, we do that a lot. When you are constantly playing matches or doing top-level training sessions every day, there is no time to wind down.

“So, these games are the perfect moments to relax.”

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford says that he loves what Marcelo Bielsa has achieved with the club, but admitted that the Argentine’s methods are painstaking at times.

After a 16-year wait, the Elland Road side are back in the Premier League, having claimed the Championship title by 10 points over second-placed West Brom.

The campaign was capped with a thumping 4-0 win over Charlton on Wednesday, and after that fixture Bamford spoke to LUTV to discuss the impact that the notoriously meticulous Bielsa has had over the course of his two-year reign to date.

“It’s almost like a love-hate relationship because he pushes us so hard and I know as a group of lads we moan a lot,” he said. “With the manager everyone says you don’t see that much of a personal side with him.

“We know, deep down he is getting the best out of us, he has improved us all as players and you can see the transformation he has done with the team.

“It was just the pure determination and willingness for him to achieve this goal with us and now you can see him relax. He’s such a loveable guy and me and the whole team owe so much to him.”

More broadly, the 16-goal forward discussed the outcome of the season.

“Who would’ve thought we’d have ended up winning the league by 10 points in the end? It was so tight until the last couple of games,” he said. “It means so much to everyone, the fans, staff and the whole club as a family has done the city proud.

“I don’t think we realise just how much we’ve achieved, there has been 16 years of heartache and we’ve managed to bring Premier League football back and until we retire from playing, I don’t think we’ll realise what kind of feat we’ve achieved here.

“I’m proud and I know the lads are proud, it has been a long season, but we deserve it.”

Although Bielsa has guided the club back into the top level of the English game, there are doubts over his future, with reports suggesting that Lionel Messi wants the former Argentina, Club Athletic and Marseille boss to take charge of Barcelona in the summer.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes the club's fans should show their support for Granit Xhaka when they are allowed back into matches, revealing he had to talk the midfielder out of leaving north London.

Xhaka reacted angrily to fans booing him when he was substituted during Arsenal's draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League earlier this season.

Previous manager Unai Emery stripped Xhaka of the captaincy and dropped him from the starting XI, seemingly paving the way for the Swiss international to leave Arsenal, but since Arteta came in midway through the campaign, he has restored the defensive midfielder to the first team picture.

Ahead of Arsenal's final Premier League match of the elongated 2019-20 season, at home to Watford, Arteta spoke of Xhaka in glowing terms.

He said: "For a football player when you are on the pitch and you feel you have the fans supporting and you feel their love, it gives you an immense amount of energy and drive.

"Hopefully, he can enjoy that when the fans are back in our stadium. People know better than me what happened and how much it affected all sides when that issue occurred. When I arrived here I had a very high opinion of him and knew him really well."

Arteta admitted he was unsure of Xhaka when he first took over, having witnessed his fallout with Emery and the fans from afar, but had been quickly convinced of the Arsenal No.34's usefulness to his team.

"I had to convince him he had a future, he had a place here and he could enjoy his career and his family could be happy here," he said. "He is a player that when he commits he goes 100 per cent. He has worked really hard and he has won everybody’s trust again.

"I think he’s started to enjoy it again and, normally, when you have those two aspects together – that’s when players perform at the highest level."

Xhaka has played in 39 games for Arsenal this season in all competitions, playing in all but one of their league fixtures since New Year's Day.

Arsenal will finish in their lowest league position for 25 years regardless of their result against Watford on Sunday, but they could still qualify for Europe next season if they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final on August 1.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is pleased with the club’s midfield and singled out Joe Aribo for praise, after he scored again in a 2-0 friendly win over Coventry City on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Nigerian netted the opening goal at Ibrox in the 50th minute before Conor Goldman doubled the lead 17 minutes later. It was the second game in a row Aribo had scored in after netting in their 4-0 win over Motherwell last time out.

It marks a 100% end to Rangers’ pre-season games, keeping clean sheets in all of them. The Scottish Premiership is set to commence for the 2020-21 season on August 1 with the Gers travelling to Aberdeen.

“The midfield we are okay, we're looking strong. Joe Aribo's jumped out of the pack and being really really strong in his performances and we're creating and scoring goals in the final third,” Gerrard told Rangers TV after the match.

“Well, I think a lot of individuals look ready, both keepers have been fantastic, I think from a defensive unit point of view we're keeping clean sheets. I think Connor's showing real good leadership skills and really driving that backline to keep clean sheets

“I think we are looking strong in the full-back areas if you look at over the course of the pre-season. I thought they could have been a little bit better in terms of how they were playing when the ball came to them.

“The only thing I’m slightly concerned about is obviously our options in the number nine position and it's something we're trying to address and it's the reason why I had to be trying to be wise with Alfredo [Morelos] and get him off the pitch as soon as I could.”

Rangers recently signed Nigeria defender Leon Balogun from Wigan Athletic on a one-year deal with the option of extending it for another year.

Gerrard believes Balogun’s arrival will create competition for places at the back, something the Liverpool legend is keen to see.

“I'm delighted to get Balogun in because it's another real strong option for us and he'll challenge the people for the shirt and that's what I want,” the 40-year-old said.

“I want real competition for places because hopefully, that will bring the best and consistency out in individual players.”

SuperSport United midfielder Teboho Mokoena has admitted that he was looking to impress scouts at the 2020 Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old player played an instrumental role in helping South Africa qualify for the global competition as the team finished third at the 2019 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.

Mokoena netted South Africa's only goal in the group stage against Ivory Coast and they secured their place in the Olympic Games' Men's Football tournament after defeating Ghana on penalties in the third-place play-off match.

This year's Olympic Games were scheduled to take place in the Japanese capital city Tokyo between July and August 2020, but the competition has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I worked hard to help the team qualify for the Games. I wanted to go there and use the platform to market myself in front of European scouts," Mokoena told Daily Sun.

“I would love to see myself playing in Europe someday and was looking forward to being in Japan. I’ve been thinking about the Games a lot this week.”

Mokoena will be 24 years old by the time the tournament starts on July 22, but Fifa has extended the age limit to 24 from 23 following the Games’ postponement due to Covid-19.

“I’ll be gutted if I don’t go to the Games next year. It’s always been my dream to debut at the Olympic Games since we qualified," he continued.

“I’ll be sad if I don’t go and my best bet of going to Tokyo is to continue working very hard at club level and at Bafana Bafana."

The 2019/20 domestic season was also affected by Covid-19 as the campaign has been suspended since March.

Mokoena and his SuperSport teammates recently resumed training ahead of the PSL resumption and he explained that he is slowly getting used to training in a small group of five players.

“We just have to get used to the new reality, and the faster we get used to this kind of training, the better for us all," he added.

The City Press recently reported that PSL is considering cancelling the suspended season due to their stand-off with the South African Football Association (Safa) over when the campaign should resume.

However, Mokoena has pleaded with the PSL not to declare the season null and void with Matsatsantsa placed third on the league standings.

“As players and as a team, we prefer to finish the season and play 30 games,” the former South Africa under-20 international added.

“We didn’t come back to training for anything else, but finish the season. Finishing the season is a matter of principle. Every one of us wants to see where their teams will finish on the log.

“It’s only fair to finish the season in the field of play and not inside the boardroom. That’s my biggest wish and my plea to the powers that be."

Highlands Park have confirmed that an “unbelievable offer” has been tabled for the acquisition of their Premier Soccer League franchise and would give it a serious thought if it is “deliverable.”

Tim Sukazi, the owner of GladAfrica Championship side TS Galaxy, had been rumoured to be behind the push to buy Highlands Park but he has since denied interest in the team.

Highlands Park co-chairman Larry Brookstone says the club is not up for sale but they might be lured to consider an irresistible offer.

“First of all Highlands Park is not up for sale. We had an unsolicited offer on the club‚” said Brookstone as per Sowetan Live.

“And the offer we’ll consider if it’s deliverable. I think everybody in the world‚ if the offer is too good to believe‚ they’ll take it. If the guy can deliver this kind of money then‚ yes‚ we would consider it.”

Brookstone emphasised the magnitude of the offer but appeared to be questioning the feasibility of the amount of money involved.

He, however, admitted to concerns that news of a possible sale of the club could unsettle their players.

“This discussion ... I’m regretting that we even listened to this unsolicited offer‚ quite frankly‚ because there is this speculation and it unsettles my players and everyone around me," Brookstone said.

“It’s not concrete. The offer is unbelievable. If they can deliver it then we will consider it. I’ve got a house on Linksfield Ridge I’ve lived in for 32 years‚ and I can tell you if someone came with this sort of offer on my home I would also consider that.

“I’ll tell you that in a weeks’ time if you hear that I’ve sold the club‚ know for sure that a guy delivered on an unbelievable promise.

“Business is marginally down on very high turnover‚ dealing with public companies and massive corporations who are not affected by the [Covid-19] situation.”

Placed eighth on the PSL standings, Highlands Park are almost assured of top-flight league football next season.

Johnstone Omurwa has been one of the standout performers at the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Wazito FC.

The influence he has had on the squad has been visible to all, and this has endeared him to the fans. 

The former Mathare United defender has also commented on the poor start to the 2019/20 season by the 2018/19 National Super League (NSL) champions.

"Yes, initially the team struggled especially at the start of the season," Omurwa told Goal on Sunday.

"It is normal for a team to struggle and Wazito is not an exception."

Inconsistency in the top-tier coupled with inhouse wrangles led to the exit of coaches at the team. Fred Ambani and technical director Stanley Okumbi were the first on the list. Melis Medo took over but was fired after barely a month.

Frank Ouna, who has been hired to assist Stewart Hall, was also axed and all these affected the team. So what made the 21-year-old Omurwa stand tall?

"I could not sit down and watch the team struggle without giving my best. I had to stand out for the team and my teammates and ensure I give my best because it is my responsibility as a player," he continued.

"Despite all, we are still players and everyone has his ambitions.

"Again, by giving my best, you cannot know who is watching or what impact your dedication to the team could have. So I decided to keep on pushing consistently regardless of our struggles."

The Kenya U23 international also revealed why he continued to do his best for the side despite all the changes at the club over the last 12 months.

"And this being our full-time job, if you do not give your best, then you can easily be released," Omurwa continued.

"But if you give your best, there will be no worries. It is for this reason I have been ensuring my work rate is good, the same as the qualities I offer." 

His consistency and discipline have reportedly caught the eye of Angola giants Petro Atletico who are keen on signing the player.

The 15-time Girabola champions are keen on winning the title once again in the 2020/21 season after alst achieving the feat in 2009. 
  

Azam FC assistant coach Bahati Vivier has described their season’s last Mainland Premier League match against Tanzania Prisons as a life and death matter.

Azam and Yanga SC are fighting to finish the campaign second to Simba SC and earn the Caf Champions League spot. Caf has not decided whether Tanzania will be given a second slot though should Libya be stripped of its place.

The Ice Makers are second courtesy of a superior goal difference and a win is what Vivier only wants from his team.

“It is the last match which is very important and one like a final for us,” Vivier said as quoted by the club’s Facebook page.

“This is a life and death match and it means I have to ensure we get good results so that we can assure ourselves of something good in the future.

“Since I said it is going to be like a final match for us, that calls for seriousness from everyone. We have shown seriousness from since we started travelling for this match and I can only hope that we can be more serious in our 'final tie' and get the job done, peacefully.”

The Tanzanian coach also spoke about the preparedness of his players and asked them to rise to the occasion and perform when the team needs them most.

“Psychologically, the team is in the right shape and you can feel every player is just fired up for the match,” he added.

“They have shown interest that they need to play this match as quickly as possible so that they can prove what they have come for.

“The players have to show what they can do for Azam. They have to ensure they write a proper record that when the time called for great performances against Tanzania Prisons, they did just that.”

Vivier will be in charge of the team since his boss Aristica Cioaba is serving a touchline ban and also appealed for total support from the fans.

“To say the truth, it is not something that is good at all because he [Aristica Cioaba] would not be on the touchline for two games,” the assistant coach concluded.

“That means it is going to be my sole responsibility to take charge of the team.

“I know Azam supporters love their team, that is not debatable at all. I know without them we will not be a team in the first place.

“A team without supporters is not a team that is why we need their support, especially at this time.

“Let them come and show us, love, as they have done before and we can repay that love with a good performance.”

All matches will be held on July 26 and will kick off at 16:00 local time.

Victor Wanyama’s manager Thierry Henry remained positive despite Montreal Impact's elimination from the MLS is Back Tournament by Orlando City.

Wanyama and his Montreal Impact teammates limped into the playoffs after a less than impressive Group C performances and their journey in the tournament hit a dead end after suffering a 1-0 loss to the Lions.

Henry singled out the lessons they learned despite elimination after picking up three losses and just a win in the tournament.

“Yes, we do have to improve, that’s for sure,” Henry said during his post-match interview.

“But we’re only five games into the league [season] and obviously we had games here, but it’s still early for me here. The process is still on.

“We still have to try to find the right balance defensively and offensively. We need to find the right balance. But I just arrived here.”

The 1998 World Cup winner also defended their performances all through but stated he has to find the right balance between defence and attack.

“I don’t know if you follow us since the beginning of the season, but we score goals. Have a look,” Henry said in his defence.

“We score goals, but we also concede. So, we have to find the right balance.”

“It’s like the end of the preseason. Obviously, some things can be improved. I am proud of my players. We came here, we did what we did despite having restarted to train later than other teams.

“I have to look after my players."

Wanyama’s captain Samuel Piette defended their playing style, saying although they have conceded goals, they have also fought and scored.

“I don’t think we’re a defensive team or offensive team,” Piette said.

“We try to keep clean sheets and try to score as many goals as possible. Like I said, sometimes it doesn’t go your way. It’s just how the game came up and how we played as individuals, as well.

“We weren’t creating enough offence as we wanted to. I don’t think it’s the coach’s fault or tactics or the way we’re playing. That’s not the case at all.”

“Obviously, we wanted to go all the way. We knew it was a tough tournament and the way we played against Toronto [4-3 loss] and D.C. [1-0 win], we strongly believed that we could’ve beaten anybody.”

Orlando City will now proceed to the quarter-finals to face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between the Seattle Sounders and LAFC on Monday.

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho believes achieving home dominance like champions Liverpool is becoming more difficult due to increasingly competitive Premier League standards.

Jurgen Klopp's title-winning Reds completed a third consecutive unbeaten league campaign at Anfield with their 5-3 win over Chelsea on Wednesday.

Mourinho knows plenty about building that sort of record, having once gone 150 games without a home league loss across a nine-year period spanning four clubs.

But while the Spurs boss thinks Tottenham Hotspur Stadium can still become a fortress, he views Liverpool's incredible three-season stretch as an anomaly.

"I think the Premier League is getting into a direction where these unbeaten records are something more and more difficult to achieve because of the level of the teams," Mourinho told Sky Sports .

"But to be strong at home and to arrive at the end of each season with an important number of points in your pocket from home matches is very important.

"I think our recent results at home without the fans are important, but we need them back.

"I can imagine that [2-1] victory against Arsenal with the stadium full of Tottenham fans. This is the kind of empathy that you can create step by step."

Tottenham are still settling into life in their new stadium, and Mourinho is keen for his team to make the most of their state-of-the-art surroundings, though it has been robbed of atmosphere by the coronavirus pandemic.

He added: "Without [supporters] you can create a kind of fortress, but based on the tactical side of the game.

"But, I think with fans, you can do it in a much stronger way because you add the emotional side of the game that only your fans in your stadium can give to you."

Tottenham wrap up their Premier League season with a short trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Mourinho's men must hope Wolves drop points against Chelsea to be in with a chance of snatching sixth and a guaranteed Europa League spot.

Spurs are in good form, with Mourinho jokingly naming himself 'the champion of the last five matches' after taking 13 points from a possible 15.

Josep Maria Bartomeu says no club has been worse affected by the coronavirus crisis than Barcelona – but he claims the club’s debt levels are still healthy.

With spiralling wages for the club’s stars, a number of expensive signings who haven’t made an impact on the pitch and the ‘Espai Barca’ Camp Nou redevelopment project, some have predicted financial troubles ahead for the club.

President Bartomeu looks to be projecting a message of calm, though he had a stark warning about the effects of Covid-19 on football.

“We saw that there was a pandemic worldwide and said that it would be a complex summer with swap deals, and that’s what is happening,” Bartomeu told Mundo Deportivo.

“Since March 14 we have not received a euro. We have missed out on €200 million (£182m/$233m). €200m!

“We have recovered a lot by reducing wages and using ERTE’s (Temporary Employment Regulation File, with the government paying 70 per cent of wages).

“We have had to close the shops and the museum, there have been no ticket sales. We have paid back the ticket money for matches fans couldn’t attend. €200m is a big blow.

“This pandemic will have effects for two or three seasons,” he added. “Nobody should think that things will be fixed by next season. The great financial gurus talk about four years, but I think football will go faster.”

Bartomeu was keen to stress the point that Barca aren’t above feeling the effects of the economic downturn from the virus.

“In our Strategic Plan we had planned on earning €1.1 billion (£1bn/$1.3bn) and now we will bring in 30 per cent less because of Covid,” he said.

“I say this because if someone thinks that the pandemic does not affect Barca, they are wrong. It affects the big European clubs and Barca is the European club that makes the most money and is the most affected.”

But, when asked about reports of the club being in poor financial health, Bartomeu was defensive.

“It’s not true," he said We had a higher level of income than the other big clubs but on March 14, everything stopped and we had to adapt to the new situation.

“And despite the losses, we will continue to be the leader in revenue. The club's debt level is not very high.

“When the audit ends in mid-August, the economic vice president Jordi Moix will explain it and we will see that we are at normal debt levels."

The 23-year-old player is happy to finally be back in training this month with the current season set to resume soon having been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sekgota explained that it is important to be mentally strong and remain focused as the Clever Boys look to perform well in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and Nedbank Cup.

“It is good to be back after a long time, football is something that we love and live for so this is a great feeling,” Sekgota told the club's official website.

“It is all about the dedication that you have, your goals in life. You have to stay strong. Challenges come and go, you just need to be mentally strong and remain focused."

Wits have nine matches left in their league campaign and they will also take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals when the season resumes.

Sekgota, who is a Bafana Bafana international, feels that there is still so much to play for, for the Clever Boys.

"We are in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals and we still have a few league games left so there is still a lot to play for," he added.

“Obviously we are a big team with a good coach [Gavin Hunt] that has a lot of experience."

Wits have agreed to sell their top-flight status to National First Division (NFD) club Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

Once the deal is approved by the PSL, Wits will relocate to the Limpopo Province and the club will be renamed Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Sekgota explained that they will need to be competitive and professional in their remaining matches.

"We have a squad full of national team players so we will remain competitive and professional up until the end of the season,” he concluded.

The Seshego-born player is set to return to his parent club Vitoria Setubal following a successful loan spell at Wits.

The Portuguese Primeira Liga side has agreed to allow Sekgota to finish the suspended PSL season before returning to Europe.

He made seven appearances across all competitions for the Clever Boys before the campaign was halted.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has suggested he will not hesitate to handle the Kenyan national team if the seat falls vacant.

The British coach has told Goal he will not mind coaching any national team in Africa if an offer presents itself and will also not mind dropping off his CV if and when the Harambee Stars need a coach.

“Being a coach and also having coached in Africa I feel one day I will give it a try to handle a national team, and Kenya is not an exceptional, maybe, who knows if the chance comes up I will definitely drop in my CV,” Polack told Goal on Sunday.

“Every coach would love to handle a national team, not me alone and if they advertise the job I will put in my CV in, that is it because also my CV has been seen in Africa already.

“I know Kenya well and this might even make it easier for me to work here but for now I am committed elsewhere, I have a contract with Gor Mahia which I have to honour, but maybe one day, you never know, I might be among a thousand of coaches applying to coach the Kenya national team."

Polack continued: “I have never walked out of my job, I always make sure that I see through my contract and that is what I will strive to do with Gor Mahia, I signed a contract with them and I have to honour it to the end, unless they tell me they don’t want me, I will remain committed to the course.”

In a recent interview, Polack told Goal how he has missed his family back home in Finland since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and promised to travel once international flights are allowed to resume in Kenya.

“I want to be quite frank, I really want to go home, I really want to go and see my family, I miss my children, my children every time I call them they keep asking me when are you coming, when are you coming, every month, every month and they ask me the same question, and I would really want to go and spend some quality time with them,” Polack told Goal.

“I need to spend time with them, father and daughter and father and son quality time, be next to them and that is something I have been looking forward to and now that the President says international flights will open in August, I am ready to head home and be with my family.

“If they resume in August, then I will go home for even seven days and come back home, I also need to find out when I go home, will I be in isolation in my country for 14 days? And when I come back another 14 days in isolation in Kenya? I need to know this before I travel.”

Polack joined Gor Mahia at the start of the season, replacing Hassan Oktay, and managed to win the curtain-raiser – KPL Cup – and the league title, after the FKF moved to end the 2019-20 season owing to the effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and declare K’Ogalo the champions.

Fatawu Safiu has recorded his first hat-trick for club and country after striking thrice in Trelleborgs’ 4-1 defeat of Dalkurd FF in Saturday’s Swedish second division encounter.

The visitors went to the Vangavallen with the ambition of ending their five-game winless run, however, they were silenced by Kristian Haynes’ side.

Erik Andersson handed Trelleborgs a sixth-minute lead before Safiu doubled his team’s advantage five minutes later after beating goalkeeper Filip Anger.

Guinean forward Kerfala Cissoko reduced the deficit for the visitors after slotting past Fritiof Bjorken from the penalty mark in the 21st minute.

Safiu, the unfamiliar Ghanaian hero, scored two quickfire goals in the 41st and 43rd minute to complete a first-half hat-trick as Haynes’ men went into the half-time break with a comfortable lead.

Before then, the visitors had Christoffer Styff shown the way out by referee Robert Daradic for a second caution.

In the second half, neither side found the net with the only significant moment Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini’s caution in the 51st minute.

After putting up an impressive display, Safiu was replaced with seven minutes left to play by Sweden’s Henrik Johansson.

For the visitors, Cissoko was substituted for Suleman Zurmati in the 66th minute, while Nigeria’s Okechukwu Offia came off for Arian Kabashi in the 73rd minute.

His compatriot John Igbarumah - who was handed a starter’s role - was substituted for on-loan Malmo striker Patriot Sejdiu in the 66th minute.

The Ghanaian’s feat ensured that he ended his eight-month goal drought since his last strike against Jonkopings Sodra on November 3, 2019.

Inspired by his achievement, the 25-year-old went on social media to celebrate his goals.

“You can’t stop a beast who is hungry for a better life,” Safiu tweeted.

Thanks to this result, Trelleborgs climbed to ninth on the Superettan log having garnered 11 points from eight games as Dalkurd remained 13th with seven points from the same number of games.

The former Asante Kotoko man will be hoping to continue this newly discovered form when they take on hosts Umea FC on Thursday, with Dalkurd welcoming relegation-threatened Orgryte to Nya Studenternas on Wednesday.

Harry Maguire says Manchester United won’t settle for a draw in their Premier League season decider against his former side Leicester on Sunday.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side third and the Foxes fifth, a point would be enough to secure Champions League qualification.

But, with Chelsea behind them on goal difference alone, United are keen to make third place their own as they travel to the King Power Stadium.

“We won’t be going to Leicester and playing for the draw, that’s for sure,” Maguire told MUTV.

“We’ll go into the game wanting to win it. We want to get the three points; we’ll approach it like we approach any other game.

“Maybe if we’re drawing in the last couple of minutes, we might approach it a little bit differently but for sure we’re going to go into the game and try to get the three points.

“We’re sat third in the league and that’s where we want to be by the end of Sunday.

“At the start of the season we wanted to reach the top four - a lot of people didn’t think we would come Christmas, but we’ve put ourselves in a great position now and it’s an exciting game to be involved in.

“It’s really important [to play Champions League football]. I joined this club to win the biggest trophies and the Champions League is one of the biggest of them all. As a club and a player, we want to be in the Champions League, so it’s really important to be there.”

Maguire is also targeting a personal milestone as the clock ticks towards kick-off time.

In his debut season at Old Trafford, the 27-year-old hasn’t missed a minute of action in the league, and he is keen to keep up his 100 per cent record.

“Touch wood I manage to play the game on Sunday and do that [play every minute of every Premier League game this season],” he said.

“It’s something I do really take pride in, being available and looking after myself in order to play every game.

“It’s important for a top defender to play every game. I’ve done it once in my career, at Leicester in my first season where I played every minute of every game, and it’s been nice, touch wood, that I’ve stayed injury-free and not picked up any silly suspensions this season.”

Just when they seemed to be down and out, heading back to the Championship after securing promotion via the playoffs last year, Aston Villa have found a previously lacking resilience to pick up seven points from the last nine.

Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat of FA Cup finalists Arsenal was probably the most significant result of a topsy-turvy campaign which ends with a trip to West Ham United, a side that were until recently fighting for their Premier League status as well.

The unforeseen run cobbled together by Smith’s side will probably be attributed to many of Villa’s players realising the ramifications of being back in the Championship in a pandemic-hit universe.

The Villans are now seemingly giving that extra bit at the back and up front, and statistics against Mikel Arteta’s men somewhat validates this claim. The West Midlands side made 16 tackles and cleared the ball away from danger a staggering 32 times, the highest numbers they’ve recorded in both metrics since the restart.

In attack, even the much-maligned Trezeguet is on the goal scoring trail again. Having failed to score a Premier League goal since early December, the Egypt star has now netted three in both wins over Crystal Palace and the Gunners to take his league tally for his maiden campaign in English football to six – only talisman Jack Grealish has more.

Still, one deficiency remains for Smith’s side: their centre-forwards’ inability to score.

The signing of Mbwana Samatta, the January addition from Belgian side Genk, has bore little fruit since making his £8.5 million switch in the winter window. With one goal in 13 league appearances since becoming the first Tanzanian to play in the Prem, Villa have had to look for goals from elsewhere in their battle to avoid relegation.

Samatta had found the back of the net seven times in 17 starts in Belgium before his transfer, while an even more impressive three goals in six in the Champions League group stage, including one against Liverpool, presented encouraging signs for Smith’s team.

Given the season-ending injury of £22 million record signing Wesley on New Year’s Day, the East African forward was supposed to fill the void of the Brazilian striker, who’d scored a decent five times in 21 games pre-injury.

However, the club’s January addition last scored on his league debut at Bournemouth in February, a strike which incidentally was the club’s first headed goal of the season. At the time it bade well for Smith’s team as it seemed like his strength in the air could be harnessed to win more points for a side heavily reliant on Grealish to create and score.

When Samatta then scored a bullet header exactly a month later to halve the deficit in the EFL Cup final defeat by Manchester City, those assumptions were given further credence.

Unfortunately, the Tanzania star hasn’t scored since March, with his confidence seemingly ebbed away as the goals have dried up. His countenance after heading over from a pin-point Ahmed El-Mohamady cross against Palace was telling; it depicted a forward on a scoreless run that’s now affecting his self-belief.

Interestingly, having attempted a total of seven shots in his first three league games against the Cherries, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, the ex-Genk man has had a miserly three in Villa’s last three games. Against Arsenal on Tuesday, he had none and carried little threat against a Gunners defence that, recent wins over Liverpool and Man City aside, have shown they can be got at.

Even more fascinating has been Samatta’s tendency to not be in the box in recent games, instead retaining a preference to graft for long punts downfield or win knockdowns. This is a departure from his opening games in English football where he was regularly in the box and available to be picked out via crosses or cut-backs.

The upshot of this loss of morale has seen Smith’s side struggle to hit the back of the net before Trezeguet recently pick up the mantle. Two of Villa’s goals before the North African attacker’s improvement in form were scored by defenders (Kortney Hause against Chelsea and El-Mohamady vs Newcastle United).

The other member of the side to have scored since the restart is centre-back Ezri Konsa, who netted in a 1-1 draw with Everton last week. The fact 50 percent of Villa’s goals in the last month have come from defenders highlights the drop-off in productivity of Smith’s attacking players since June’s resumption, including Grealish, who hasn’t played particularly well post-lockdown.

Smith’s current strikers, Samatta and Keinan Davis, account for one goal between them since February, a truly inadequate return in front of goal. There won’t be a better time to come up trumps than at the London Stadium on Sunday, but recent evidence indicates this could be a long shot.

Having had on-loan Tammy Abraham score a staggering 25 goals last year, the West Midlands team have had their strikers largely toil this term, probably an indicator of why they’ve struggled this term.

If Villa do stay up, and their latest results suggest they just might, Smith will need to ask serious questions about Samatta as well as his colleagues at centre-forward, and whether the strikers who never seem to score are the right crop for the club going forward.

Liverpool will look to add the finishing touches to their incredible 2019-20 Premier League season when they travel to Newcastle United on Sunday.

With the league title long since sewn up and the trophy finally presented at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp and his side will look back with immense satisfaction at their form over the year.

When the Premier League returned from coronavirus suspension, it looked like being a record-breaking campaign.

While their patchier form in recent weeks has meant some of those potential milestones have fallen away, there are still some all-time records which can still be beaten or equalled on a team and individual level.

Goal rounds up the Premier League records which Liverpool can still beat or level, the ones they have already set, and the ones they have missed.

Premier League records that Liverpool could break or equal

Biggest winning margin (19 points)

Liverpool are 18 points clear of Manchester City going into the final matchday of the season, and need a slip-up from City at home to Norwich if they are to equal or beat their record.

City finished 19 points clear of Manchester United in 2017-18.

Most wins (32)

If Liverpool beat Newcastle on Sunday, they will level the record of 32 wins out of 38 Premier League games.

Manchester City hold this record too, also from the 2017-18 season.

Premier League records that Liverpool have broken or equalled

Most assists from a defender (13)

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross for Roberto Firmino’s goal against Chelsea was his 13th assist of the season – a record total for a defender which he can add to against Newcastle.

The previous record was 12, which Alexander-Arnold set himself last season.

Fastest title win (seven games to spare)

Liverpool lifted the Premier League title after Chelsea beat Man City, with the Reds still having seven of their 38 games still to play.

The previous best was five games. Manchester United achieved this in 1907-08 and 2000-01, Man City in 2017-18, and Everton did so in 1984-85.

Longest winning run at home (24)

Liverpool won 24 consecutive Premier League games at Anfield, a run stretching back to the previous season.

That beat a record which already belonged on Merseyside, with Bill Shankly’s Liverpool winning 21 straight home games between 1971 and 1972.

Most home wins (18)

Liverpool won 18 of their 19 league games at Anfield, only slipping up in a draw against Burnley.

Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd have all won 18 out of 19 in the past, with no club ever finishing with a 100 per cent home record.

Longest winning run (18 games)

Liverpool looked destined to break Man City’s 18-game record for the most consecutive wins in the top flight, only to be thrashed 3-0 at Watford.

Nevertheless, they made it level on 18 – beating their previous attempt of 17, which came to an end earlier in the season.

Biggest lead (25 points)

Before their form slipped after the title was confirmed, Liverpool were 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League, beating the previous record of 21.

Best start in Europe

Liverpool won 20 of their first 21 Premier League games, taking 61 points from a potential 63.

No side in any of Europe’s top five leagues – the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 – has ever started a season so well.

Beat every other team in the Premier League

Klopp's side successfully defeated all 19 other teams in the Premier League, the last of which being West Ham in January.

In the Premier League era, Manchester City (twice), Manchester United (twice) and Chelsea have also achieved the same feat.

Premier League records Liverpool cannot break

Most points (100)

When the season resumed, Liverpool were targeting a potential 107 points, if they managed a perfect finish to the season.

Now, the most they can finish on is 99 – one shy of Man City’s 100-point record.

Most away wins (16)

If Liverpool beat Newcastle on Sunday, they will set a new club record of 14 away wins in a league season.

The league record of 16 was set by Man City in 2017-18.