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For the first time in 30 years, Liverpool are Premier League champions.

Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Thursday meant that the Reds were finally unassailable at the summit of the standings, having dominated the division throughout the season.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have dropped only seven points in 31 matches this season and have claimed the title with seven games to spare, while it remains possible that they will shatter the 100-points barrier and set a new record for points won in a league season.

Although there was some doubt as to whether the season would even be completed due to the coronavirus suspension, which saw play halted in England’s top flight for three months, there was rarely any prospect of City catching their rivals, with manager Pep Guardiola having long admitted that the Anfield side were out of reach at the summit of the standings.

The 2019 Champions League winners have averaged over two goals scored per game, but it has been their defensive record that has differentiated them from the pack, with only 21 conceded over the course of a season, in which few would argue that they have not been thoroughly deserving champions

And so Liverpool have won their first title of the Premier League era, and unsurprisingly the club, former players and its fans have been quick to celebrate the achievement of Klopp & Co. via social media.

And even rivals were gracious in defeat.

Meanwhile, the unusual circumstances the title was ultimately sealed in were pointed out.

Arsenal's 'Invincibles' team were Premier League champions in 2003, becoming the first side to win the league undefeated, but their total of 90 points does not come close to scratching the surface of record-breaking points totals.

Liverpool's exhilarating title win this season might threaten the Gunners' 'Invincibles' legacy, but that is not the only record that could be broken.

So which team holds the record for most points won in the Premier League era?

What is the Premier League record points total?

Manchester City became the first Premier League side to amass 100 points when they won the 2017-18 title.

Pep Guardiola's side were dubbed "Centurions" and deemed the greatest side to ever win the Premier League when they finished the season on 100 points, losing twice and drawing four games.

The Citizens broke numerous records that campaign, including registering the best goal difference (+79), the most away wins (16), the most away points (50), the most wins (32) and the biggest points gap to second place (19 points ahead of Manchester United).

The previous record points total for Premier League winners was held by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in 2005, who were champions with 95 points.

Guardiola registered the second-best Premier League finish when he won a second successive title in 2019 on 98 points – just two points behind his previous season's total.

Liverpool finished as runners-up in 2018-19 on an excruciating 97 points, which would have earned them the Premier League title in every season prior to 2018.

Can Liverpool beat Man City's record points total?

The Reds are on course to demolish Man City's total of 100 points in the Premier League, despite a shock 3-0 loss to Watford in February that ended their unbeaten streak.

They could finish the season on an incredible 107 points should they win all of their remaining matches.

Liverpool have blown the Premier League away this season in their charge for a first title in 30 years, setting a 22-point lead over their second-placed rivals, and could become the fastest top-flight side in history to be crowned champions.

Their victory over Tottenham in January saw them surpass Manchester City's best start to a season after 21 matches.

Furthermore, Jurgen Klopp's side could go on to lose two matches and still defeat City's points total – as long as they win their remaining fixtures.

Premier League records points totals

*Denotes a 42-game season instead of a 38-game season

**Premier League champions only

Liverpool are Premier League champions after Manchester City were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola's side had the chance to prolong the Reds' 30-year wait at least until the two sides meet at the Etihad Stadium next week, but the title was within touching distance when Christian Pulisic gave Frank Lampard's side a 36th-minute lead.

Kevin De Bruyne's spectacular free-kick brought City level and Raheem Sterling hit the post, but their vulnerability on the break was eventually punished when Fernandinho handled in a desperate 75th-minute goalmouth scramble.

The veteran Brazil international was sent off and his countryman Willian sealed the points and crowned Jurgen Klopp's dominant league winners.

Kepa Arrizabalaga acrobatically pushed Fernandinho's header from Riyad Mahrez's free-kick over the crossbar amid a controlled opening half-hour from City.

Ederson saved well from Pulisic and Andreas Christensen in quick succession at the other end, and he merited better protection when Chelsea took the lead.

Poor communication between Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy and the latter's botched recovery tackle that left Pulisic in the clear to finish coolly.

There was questionable wisdom in Mendy seeking to atone for his errors by shooting frequently from distance early in the second half.

In the 55th minute, De Bruyne added finesse to that tactic with a sumptuous dipping free-kick after N'Golo Kante clumsily fouled Mahrez.

A one-touch counter-attack then ended with Sterling dinking against the post, with Chelsea's efforts noticeably more laboured.

Ederson launched that attack but a poor pass out was almost punished as Mason Mount thumped into the side netting.

City's slick dominance of the ball but creaky defence lent an intriguing balance to the final quarter of the contest – Sterling curling agonisingly wide before Kyle Walker somehow got back to improbably deny Pulisic a second on the goal line.

Fernandinho was unable to be so precise when denying Tammy Abraham, leaving Willian to send Ederson the wrong way and prompt celebrations on Merseyside.

What does it mean: Chelsea take important step towards the Champions League

Although most of the focus was understandable on the main consequence of this Chelsea victory, it was a huge three points for the Stamford Bridge side. Their five-point advantage over a resurgent Manchester United in fifth is restored, while a wobbling Leicester City are now just a point better off with seven matches remaining.

De Bruyne shows his class once again

It feels like a trick of the mind that City won a thrilling title battle last season with De Bruyne reduced to a bit-part role by two medial knee ligament injuries. He has performed at a level above his colleagues this time around, with his free-kick here another champagne moment that adds weight to his case for end-of-season honours.

Mendy's moment to forget

In the build-up to this match, Mendy spoke of how this was his "time" and how he wanted to show people "the real Mendy" following his injury nightmare. Presumably, the slapstick version on display for Chelsea's opener was not what he had in mind. Guardiola needs a more reliable left-back next season, in terms of both form and fitness.

Key Opta Facts

- This is the third of the past six Premier League seasons to see the title decided in a match played at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea v Crystal Palace in 2014-15 and Chelsea v Tottenham in 2015-16), and the fourth of those six to be decided in a game involving Chelsea (also West Brom v Chelsea in 2016-17).
- Chelsea have won back-to-back Premier League home games against Manchester City for the first time since the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
- Pep Guardiola suffered his fourth defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – across all competitions, the only away venue he has lost as many games at in his managerial career is Anfield (four against Liverpool).
- This was the 11th time this season that Manchester City have conceded the opening goal in a Premier League game – three more than in the previous two seasons combined (five in 2017-18 and three in 2018-19).
- Christian Pulisic scored his seventh goal of the Premier League season; the most of any player in the competition aged 21 or under.
- Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne became the first player to reach double figures for both goals (10) and assists (16) in the Premier League this season.

What's next?

Liverpool will emerge at the Etihad Stadium as champions, with the main bit of pre-match intrigue now set to revolve around whether a guard of honour is workable in the age of social distancing. Before that, City and Chelsea have away FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday at Newcastle United and Leicester respectively.

Geoffrey Kondogbia scored an own goal in Valencia’s 1-0 loss to Eibar in Thursday’s La Liga game at Municipal de Ipurua.

The 27-year-old defensive midfielder was handed his 17th league start in the encounter but his error ensures his side failed to secure points away from home.

After securing victory against Osasuna last weekend, Valencia aimed to build on the impressive performance and dominated the opening minutes.

Their effort, however, failed to pay off as Central African Republic international Kondogbia puts the ball past his own goalkeeper in the 16th minute.

The own goal proved decisive as the Gunsmiths rebuffed every attempt of Valencia, who continued to dominate possession, to level proceedings.

The Bats further suffered another blow with few minutes to play when Eliaquim Mangala was sent off after picking his second yellow card in the game.

Kondogbia featured throughout the encounter while Eibar midfielder and Senegal international Pape Diop was an unused substitute.  

With the defeat, Valencia are eighth on the league table with 46 points from 31 games after 12 wins, 10 draws and nine losses.

The defeat against Eibar also compounded the woes of Albert Celades’ men, who have only won one game in their last six outings.

Kondogbia, who started his professional career with Nandy, has played for Lens, Sevilla and Monaco before joining Inter Milan in 2015.

The midfielder left the Italian giants in 2018 to team up with Valencia permanently, after impressing during his loan spells with the side.

Kondogbia has made 26 appearances, scoring two goals for the Mestalla outfit across all competitions in this campaign.

The midfielder will hope to turn from villain to hero when his side takes on Samuel Chukwueze’s Villarreal in their next league game on June 28.

Liverpool have ended their long wait to be crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Chelsea left them with an unassailable lead. 

The Reds' first league title since 1990 was confirmed on Thursday, after Pep Guardiola's side failed to win at Stamford Bridge. 

Christian Pulisic's goal had given Chelsea to lead before a wonderful Kevin De Bruyne sparked hopes of a comeback, but Fernandinho's late red card led to a coolly converted penalty to win the game - and gift Liverpool league glory.

With seven games remaining, it is the earliest any side has ever won the Premier League title, with Jurgen Klopp's men surpassing the achievements of Manchester United in 2000-01 and Manchester City's 'centurions' of 2017-18. Both of those teams clinched the league with five games left.

Liverpool had moved to the brink of the title with a 4-0 battering of Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday, and their lead of 23 points at the top of the table is the largest held by a champion in English top-flight history. 

Klopp's side will now look to write even more history. They need 15 points from their last seven matches to set a new record points total for a top-flight campaign, and can also become the first team to win every single home game in a single season. 

They will be given a guard of honour in their next fixture, which coincidentally comes against City at the Etihad Stadium next Thursday. Guardiola's side, champions in each of the last two seasons, have been unable to match Liverpool's remarkable, relentless form.

The tone was set from the very start, Klopp's side winning each of their opening eight league games to open up a significant gap on the chasing pack.

That run ended with a draw at Manchester United in October, but they responded to that setback in incredible fashion, winning their next 18 league games - including a 3-1 victory over City in November and a comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of second-placed Leicester on Boxing Day.

When they won 2-0 at West Ham on January 29, Liverpool had achieved another piece of history. For the first time ever, they had beaten each and every team in a top-flight league season. Their superiority was unarguable.

At that point, the hope was that they could match Arsenal's 'Invincibles' of 2003-04 and go through the entire league campaign unbeaten, but a shock 3-0 loss to Watford in late February put paid to that. 

Then came the ultimate spanner in the works, with the Premier League's suspension in mid-March due to the coronavirus crisis. Liverpool were 25 points clear at the pause, needing just six more in order to be crowned champions.

But they were made to wait as the world came to terms with the impact of Covid-19. Despite calls in some quarters to "null and void" the Premier League season, Klopp and his side were able to retain their focus throughout a period of lockdown, eventually returning to action last Sunday with a low-key goalless draw at Everton.

That led some to question, absurdly, whether they might be starting to wobble in sight of the finishing line, but they responded in fine style on Wednesday, thrashing Palace in what may well be their most convincing home performance of the entire season. 

Then, 24 hours later, came the moment of confirmation. Klopp, Goal understands, was watching at home as City failed to defeat fourth-placed Chelsea.

Maurizio Sarri says Gonzalo Higuain was especially touched by the events of the coronavirus pandemic, but he could feature for the first time since the resumption of the Italian season when Juventus host Lecce on Friday.

The Serie A leaders have the chance to extend their advantage over nearest rivals Lazio - who let slip a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Atalanta on Wednesday – with a victory over relegation-threatened opponents in Turin.

Juve marked their return to league action with a 2-0 triumph away at Bologna earlier this week having already played twice in the Coppa Italia, though Higuain played no part in any of the fixtures.

Sarri previously said the striker was missing due to a slight injury issue but has now revealed the Covid-19 pandemic has also had an impact on the player, although he is now training again with the rest of the squad.

"Higuain is a very sensitive person, he's been touched in a particular way from the events of the world and from his personal experiences," Sarri told the media.

"At the time of his return he thought it was not even right to go back to playing, while in addition he had this little injury.

"Now it seems to me that he is finding that desire he had at the beginning. For us, his return is important."

Juve will be glad to have Higuain back as the games come thick and fast following the restart.

Lazio's slip means the reigning champions are four points clear at the summit, though Sarri is taking nothing for granted with 11 games still to play in the league.

"The games are all difficult as physical conditions are not optimal. We'll need to be ready," the former Napoli boss said.

"We should not be looking at the other games but, instead, at our performances, which in the end will bring us the results.

"The league advantage isn't substantial as there are still 33 points up for grabs. We need to have the right mentality, always."

If Juventus do go on to win the Scudetto, it would be their ninth consecutive Serie A title, a run stretching back to the 2011-12 season.

KAS Eupen have confirmed an extension to Knowledge Musona’s loan deal which will see him remain at the club until the end of next season.

The striker arrived from another Belgian top-flight club Anderlecht on a temporary loan deal in the second half of last term, to provide Benat San Jose with more attacking options.

Musona who had previously featured for Oostende, impressed in his seven appearances for the Pandas – scoring twice before the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It will be recalled he made a scoring league debut as they played out a 1-1 draw against SC Charleroi at the Kehrweg Stadium.

“Zimbabwean international Knowledge Musona will continue to play for KAS Eupen in the coming season,” a statement from Eupen website read.

“KAS Eupen has agreed with the RSC Anderlecht and Knowledge Musona to extend the loan of Knowledge Musona.

“The 30-year-old attacking player was loaned to KAS Eupen by RSC Anderlecht for the second half of the season at the beginning of the year.

“Before the championship stopped, the 27-time Zimbabwean international played seven games for KAS Eupen and scored 2 goals.

“He scored the first goal in his first encounter with KAS Eupen. In the Kehrweg Stadium, Knowledge Musona scored against SC Charleroi in the 10th minute to score 1-1.”

Before the loan deal was assured, Musona was tipped for a return to the Premier Soccer League with Mamelodi Sundowns and former club Kaizer Chiefs showing interest to land the veteran hitman, according to his agent Mike Makaab.

“There’s no team in South Africa that has enquired about Musona’s situation. We don’t know what will happen when the season resumes. Is he still interested in coming back to South Africa?” Makaab asked Isolezwe.

“I think any player will never have doubts to play in a league that’s stable and that’s why I can’t rule out a move back to the PSL.

“He has a good contract in terms of money with Anderlecht. He has worked hard for that. Therefore he can’t make huge changes in his salary.

“Well, there were South African teams [that showed interest in January] but there was nothing serious because we never sat down and discussed Musona.”

With this, the 30-year-old would be hoping to help the Pandas to a successful campaign next season, after a 13th-place finish this term.

Christian Pulisic’s opening goal for Chelsea against Manchester City pushed Liverpool to the brink of securing the Premier League title, with the former Jurgen Klopp protege jokingly being deemed a double-agent for his former manager in the process.

With a 23-point deficit at the summit of the standings, Pep Guardiola’s side need to win at Stamford Bridge if they are to continue their two-time defence of the crown, so the opening goal in the Blues’ favour was a hammer blow to their hopes of keeping the race alive before the sides clash at the weekend.

While the strike was expertly taken by U.S. international midfielder Pulisic, there were major qualms over the way the visiting side defended the situation.

With Benjamin Mendy and Ilkay Gundogan both back defending for City as they sought to recycle possession after a free kick was cleared by Chelsea, the France international left-back contrived to slip possession to Pulisic.

Gundogan was caught on his heels but Mendy recovered his ground only to dive in and allow his opponent to easily wriggle clear, and with just Ederson to beat, the home player showed a cool head to curl a shot into the corner of the net, putting City into a position from which they had to score twice to win.

Thanks to a stunning Kevin de Bruyne strike, Manchester City got back into the match, but a late penalty from Willian following a Fernandinho handball saw Chelsea earn the victory.

As a result, Liverpool were confirmed as the champions, winning the club's first title in 30 years. 

On social media, fans and pundits were quick to point out Klopp’s contribution to Pulisic’s career, with some jokingly suggesting the German had sent him to Stamford Bridge explicitly for the purpose of putting the seal on Liverpool’s title.

Pep Guardiola has offered his congratulations to Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s side prepare to confirm their status as Premier League champions.

With Liverpool holding a massive lead at the top of the table, they will win the title if Manchester City fail to win away at Chelsea on Thursday evening.

That could mean a guard of honour for Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium next Thursday – if coronavirus restrictions allow – but Guardiola isn’t entertaining any thoughts of a dramatic collapse.

City will switch their attention to the FA Cup, as they travel to face Newcastle in the quarter-final on June 28.

"I have other options. We have a few players injured,” Guardiola told BT Sport.

“Listen, we cannot win titles. But we cannot deny this tough week.

“Congratulations to Liverpool, they have won it.

“Champions League qualification, we are in a good position so the FA Cup becomes important. We have three or four academy players on the bench.

"I think all the managers didn't know how the teams would be after these exceptional situations. We got a good result [against Burnley] and that was the important thing.”

Phil Foden starred with two goals in City’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley on Monday, but he was missing from their squad at Stamford Bridge.

"He picked up a little injury after Burnley,” Guardiola confirmed.

“The day after he could not train. We have Newcastle so we need him, and for Liverpool too.”

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard also admitted some amusement at the thought of Liverpool fans cheering for the Blues against City – but also that he knew the title race had been over for some time.

"That is an unusual combination! I think Liverpool won the league months ago, but not taking anything away from them if they were to win it tonight,” Lampard told BT Sport.

“They have been outstanding. They should celebrate for their brilliant performances. That's for them to celebrate whenever and we will just focus on our performance tonight.

"You want to deliver against Man City. Tonight won't be pivotal [in the top-four race] but we want a result.

“We have one of the best teams in the country or the world coming to the Bridge - it's going to be a tough match.”

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah was thrilled his gamble to close down Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy resulted in the opening goal of his side’s 2-0 win, with the young forward claiming he could “smell the uncertainty” from the Saints No.1.

Midway through the first half, McCarthy fielded a routine back pass but under pressure from Nketiah gifted possession to the Arsenal man, who had a simple job of putting the ball in the net thereafter.

It proved a key moment in a tight fixture, with the Gunners not kicking clear until the closing stages, when Joe Willock pounced on a McCarthy fumble to put the result beyond doubt.

Nketiah’s goal, though, was inevitably the game’s big talking point and the 21-year-old was pleased that his industry was rewarded.

“I could smell a bit of uncertainty from the goalkeeper – I followed it in, I’ve done that a hundred times so it’s nice one of those leads to a goal,” he told Sky Sports .

“We work a lot on our high press and I think we did it well today, and for me personally I try and give it all to the team.”

Although Saints made it tough for Mikel Arteta’s side, victory was critical to get back on track after successive defeats to Manchester City and Brighton.

“It was a very important three points,” Nketiah said. “I think we’ve been unfortunate in the first game and the last game, the results didn’t go our way.

“We knew we had to roll our sleeves up and really fight for the three points and hopefully we can build on this and keep pushing forwards.

““It was difficult, they came out really strong in the second half, and I thought all the boys fought and worked hard. It’s really hard in the heat to keep going but i think we did that.”

“Luckily at the end we were able to wrap it up and add a bit of gloss to the scoreline.”

Victory lifts the Gunners to ninth in the standings on 43 points with seven matches of the season remaining.

They will move up at least one place if they overcome eighth-placed Sheffield United away from home on Sunday.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed Wilfried Zaha is suffering from a calf injury and will undergo a scan to determine the extent of the damage.

The 27-year-old only played for 14 minutes in his side’s 4-0 defeat to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday before making way for Max Meyer.

The loss ended the Selhurst Park outfit’s impressive four-game winning streak and ensured they dropped to ninth on the league table with 42 points from 31 games.

Hodgson revealed the nature of Zaha’s injury and hopes the forward along with Christian Benteke will be ready for their clash against Burnley on June 29.

"It's a calf muscle strain. There were some discussions as to whether he [Zaha] should attempt to play but he was adamant it was something he could try to get away with,” Hodgson told the media.

“It became obvious he couldn't and we don't want him to be out for a long period.

“We’re in tomorrow morning and they [Zaha and Christian Benteke] will be assessed further, and I imagine both will be assessed up until Sunday – the day before Burnley.

“Benteke definitely has a strain that has been scanned and diagnosed, so I think he will be battling to get ready for that one.

“With Wilf we don’t know the extent of damage – so until we get that scan on him, we’re on a wing of prayer, and hoping we won’t be without the pair of them again.”

Zaha, who has endured various injuries since his promotion to Palace’s first team in 2010 has been playing a prominent role for the side.

Last season, the winger scored 10 goals in 34 league appearances and won a number of penalties for his side with his dazzling displays to help the Eagles maintain their Premier League status.

The forward was heavily linked with Arsenal and Everton last summer but remained at Selhurst Park as the clubs failed in their bids to secure his signature.

Zaha has scored three goals and provided five assists in 31 Premier League appearances in this campaign and Hodgson will hope the forward will be available for their clash against Leicester City on July 4, should he miss the Burnley game.

Qatar are all set to host a a pan-Arab tournament in 2021 as a preparatory event before the 2022 World Cup, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and FIFA announced on Thursday.

The proposal by Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) was ratified by the FIFA Council which met on Thursday.

It is expected that the tournament will allow the SC to use and test the facilities developed for the 2022 World Cup and assess its operational readiness.

The invitational tournament is expected to feature 22 Arab nations from Africa and Asia. It will be held in Qatar from 1-18 December 2021 and will be played outside the international match calendar.

It is interesting to note that the tournament will take place during the exact period when the 2022 World Cup is scheduled for in Qatar which will give an idea on what to expect during the World Cup. The final of the pan-Arab competition will be played exactly one year before the 2022 World Cup final.

All the matches will be played at the stadiums developed for the 2022 World Cup.

President of the QFA, H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al Thani, said, "This is an exciting moment for Qatar and football fans across the region and around the world. This new pan-Arab tournament will see teams from across the region go head-to-head in state-of-the-art FIFA World Cup venues and allow teams and fans to experience Qatar as a tournament host country.

"This tournament marks an important footballing milestone for the country and the region, and everyone involved in delivering it will gain more essential experience ahead of the Qatar World Cup.”

H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the SC, said, "This exciting tournament will act as a perfect preparatory event for Qatar ahead of the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world.

“Qatar has hosted many events since it was awarded the World Cup hosting rights back in 2010, but this will be our biggest yet and it will prove essential in utilising facilities and services ahead of 2022. The tournament is also being held at exactly the same time as the World Cup, meaning fans, players and officials will get a taste of what’s to come in 2022."

CONCACAF's World Cup qualifying campaign will look different this time around after FIFA confirmed that the September international window has been cancelled.

FIFA confirmed on Thursday that the September window would not go ahead for federations outside of Europe and South America.

The start of World Cup qualifying was set for that window, with the Hexagonal set to kickoff during that period with the top six teams per the FIFA rankings.

With the coronavirus continuing to hit hard across parts of North America, CONCACAF will now be forced to alter plans in the run up to the 2022 World Cup.

"CONCACAF welcomes the decisions made by FIFA regarding the men’s and women’s international match calendars," the federation said in a statement. "Many of our Member Associations and their communities continue to face significant challenges due to COVID-19 and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

"The rescheduling of competitions, and agreements on new international match dates, provide some encouragement across the football world and enable Concacaf to progress our planning to resume men’s and women’s international football when it is safe to do so."

The federation had been preparing for this to happen for some time, with CONCACAF discussing the uncertainty surrounding World Cup qualifying since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

CONCACAF still intends to hold the finals for the federation's inaugural Nations League as well, adding another complication to scheduling going forward.

Without an international break since February due to the cancellations of the March and June windows, the next opportunity to take the field would be in October if all goes to plan.

FIFA has helped matters a bit by pushing back the start of the from March 2022 to June 2022 while lengthening the June 2021 window by one week,

"The challenges presented by postponements to the football calendar, and the incomplete FIFA rankings cycle in our confederation, means our current World Cup Qualifying process has been compromised and will be changed. We will now work with the new framework provided and liaise with FIFA to finalize a new World Cup Qualification format for the CONCACAF region

"We will also work with our stakeholders to reorganize the CONCACAF Road to Gold Cup Qualifiers (originally scheduled for March and June 2020), the Concacaf Nations League Finals (originally scheduled for June 2020) and a range of other suspended competitions.

"A further update on World Cup Qualifying and other CONCACAF men’s international competitions will be provided in the coming weeks. We will also continue to work with FIFA and the other Confederations on the international match calendar process for women’s football to ensure we are well placed to support the return of the international women’s game as soon as possible."

The Premier League clubs have revealed which players they are set to retain and which they are set to release at the end of the month, with Arsenal’s Tobi Omole one of several young African talents set to be seeking new employers.

Late June can always be a difficult time for young Premier League players looking to make their name in the sport, as clubs take decisions on which out-of-contract players will be offered new deals, and who will be cut loose.

Anglo-Nigerian winger Jordon Ibe is one of the most high-profile African players set to be released at the season’s end, with his departure being confirmed by Bournemouth and the Premier League.

The Cherries recruited the wideman from Liverpool for a whopping club-record £15 million when he joined in 2016, but has done little to repay that fee over the subsequent four years.

While players coming to the end of their deals are allowed to be offered extensions to their current deals—in light of the exceptional circumstances this season—to play until the end of the extended campaign, Sky Sports reported that Ibe would become a free agent on July 1.

Senegal’s Oumar Niasse, another player who’s endured a testing time in the Premier League following his arrival from Lokomotiv Moscow, will also be leaving Everton after failing to make his mark on Merseyside.

Despite attempts by Marco Silva to revitalise his Everton career, the forward has been deemed surplus to requirements by Carlo Ancelotti.

Omole departs Arsenal despite having featured in the Premier League 2 following his arrival at the club’s academy in 2014.

Having been a dynamic box-to-box operator earlier in his career, his versatility allowed him to impose himself as a centre-back, while he’s also featured as a left-back during his time with the North London heavyweights.

Other Nigerians set to be out of work are Colin Odutayo of Aston Villa, Tunde Bayode of Burnley and Korede Adedoyin of Everton.

At Watford, Nigerian youngster Jamal Balogun and Ghanaian youngster Michael Folivi will both be seeking new employers, as will other Ghanaians Phil Ofosu-Ayeh (West Ham United) and Jacob Kwabena Mensah (Crystal Palace).

Mikel Arteta got a response from Arsenal as they bounced back from successive Premier League defeats with a somewhat improved performance and 2-0 win at Southampton on Thursday.

The Gunners suffered back-to-back losses to Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion following the season's resumption, but they resembled a more focused and resilient unit as they scrapped to a win, unspectacular though it was.

Matteo Guendouzi, fortunate to avoid a retrospective sanction for grabbing Neal Maupay by the throat last Saturday, was the most significant casualty of the Brighton defeat as he was dropped from the squad, but the Frenchman's absence seemed to have no negative impact on Arsenal.

A promising first half saw Eddie Nketiah pounce on an Alex McCarthy error to give Arsenal the lead, and they managed to hold firm under pressure in the second period.

Jack Stephens' late red card helped their cause, with Joe Willock netting his first Premier League goal soon afterwards to wrap up the three points and boost their Europa League qualification hopes.

For all the doom and gloom surrounding Arsenal in recent weeks, they enjoyed a bright start at St. Mary's. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tested McCarthy and also hit the crossbar either side of Nketiah having a goal disallowed for offside during the early exchanges.

But Nketiah did score legally in the 20th minute, closing down McCarthy and blocking his attempted pass before tapping into an empty net.

Saints began the second half on the front foot but almost found themselves 2-0 down in the 54th minute. Aubameyang raced on to Emiliano Martinez's drop-kick and attempted to square across goal for Nketiah, only for Jan Bednarek to divert it just past the post.

Shane Long was denied by Martinez before Arsenal eventually made sure of the victory late on.

Stephens tripped Aubameyang as the last man to earn a straight red, and from the resulting free-kick Willock turned in from close range after Alexandre Lacazette's effort fell kindly for him.

What does it mean? Gunners see things out to boost European hopes

Prior to this game, Arsenal had lost 10 points from winning positions in their 12 Premier League matches under Arteta, more than under Unai Emery and Freddie Ljungberg combined. Given the pattern of much of the second half, few would have backed them to buck that trend.

Against a better side they may well have come unstuck, but they did manage to see the win out, moving them back to within two points of Tottenham, who are currently in the final Europa League qualification spot.

Martinez dependable between the posts

With Bernd Leno out injured, Martinez finally has his chance in the Arsenal side and he certainly did not look out of place here. While he was by no means incredible, he made a couple of smart saves and his distribution was good, particularly when releasing Aubameyang early in the second half.

McCarthy does little to help Saints

Clear-cut chances were not exactly frequent for the Gunners – even their opener essentially came out of nothing. McCarthy was too casual when closed down by Nketiah, who capitalised and opened the scoring. He seemed to tempt fate again soon after but got away with it on that occasion.

Key Opta Facts

- Arsenal registered only their third away Premier League win of the season (W3 D8 L5) with all three wins coming under different coaches (Unai Emery, Freddie Ljungberg and Mikel Arteta).
- Arteta has won as many as games in 18 matches as Arsenal boss in all competitions (W9 D5 L4) as Emery and Ljungberg managed in 26 games combined this season (W9 D11 L6).
- Eddie Nketiah has scored six goals in 11 starts in all competitions this season for Arsenal (4) and Leeds United (2).
- No team has made more errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League this season than Southampton (10).
- Joe Willock scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal in his 26th appearance in the competition and with his 13th shot.

What's next?

Arsenal go to Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday before returning to Premier League action at home to Norwich City the following Wednesday. Saints face Watford at Vicarage Road in the league in three days' time.

Mikel Arteta got a response from Arsenal as they bounced back from successive Premier League defeats with a somewhat improved performance and 2-0 win at Southampton on Thursday.

The Gunners suffered back-to-back losses to Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion following the season's resumption, but they resembled a more focused and resilient unit as they scrapped to a win, unspectacular though it was.

Matteo Guendouzi, fortunate to avoid a retrospective sanction for grabbing Neal Maupay by the throat last Saturday, was the most significant casualty of the Brighton defeat as he was dropped from the squad, but the Frenchman's absence seemed to have no negative impact on Arsenal.

A promising first half saw Eddie Nketiah pounce on an Alex McCarthy error to give Arsenal the lead, and they managed to hold firm under pressure in the second period.

Jack Stephens' late red card helped their cause, with Joe Willock netting his first Premier League goal soon afterwards to wrap up the three points and boost their Europa League qualification hopes.

For all the doom and gloom surrounding Arsenal in recent weeks, they enjoyed a bright start at St. Mary's. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tested McCarthy and also hit the crossbar either side of Nketiah having a goal disallowed for offside during the early exchanges.

But Nketiah did score legally in the 20th minute, closing down McCarthy and blocking his attempted pass before tapping into an empty net.

Saints began the second half on the front foot but almost found themselves 2-0 down in the 54th minute. Aubameyang raced on to Emiliano Martinez's drop-kick and attempted to square across goal for Nketiah, only for Jan Bednarek to divert it just past the post.

Shane Long was denied by Martinez before Arsenal eventually made sure of the victory late on.

Stephens tripped Aubameyang as the last man to earn a straight red, and from the resulting free-kick Willock turned in from close range after Alexandre Lacazette's effort fell kindly for him.

What does it mean? Gunners see things out to boost European hopes

Prior to this game, Arsenal had lost 10 points from winning positions in their 12 Premier League matches under Arteta, more than under Unai Emery and Freddie Ljungberg combined. Given the pattern of much of the second half, few would have backed them to buck that trend.

Against a better side they may well have come unstuck, but they did manage to see the win out, moving them back to within two points of Tottenham, who are currently in the final Europa League qualification spot.

Martinez dependable between the posts

With Bernd Leno out injured, Martinez finally has his chance in the Arsenal side and he certainly did not look out of place here. While he was by no means incredible, he made a couple of smart saves and his distribution was good, particularly when releasing Aubameyang early in the second half.

McCarthy does little to help Saints

Clear-cut chances were not exactly frequent for the Gunners – even their opener essentially came out of nothing. McCarthy was too casual when closed down by Nketiah, who capitalised and opened the scoring. He seemed to tempt fate again soon after but got away with it on that occasion.

Key Opta Facts

- Arsenal registered only their third away Premier League win of the season (W3 D8 L5) with all three wins coming under different coaches (Unai Emery, Freddie Ljungberg and Mikel Arteta).
- Arteta has won as many as games in 18 matches as Arsenal boss in all competitions (W9 D5 L4) as Emery and Ljungberg managed in 26 games combined this season (W9 D11 L6).
- Eddie Nketiah has scored six goals in 11 starts in all competitions this season for Arsenal (4) and Leeds United (2).
- No team has made more errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League this season than Southampton (10).
- Joe Willock scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal in his 26th appearance in the competition and with his 13th shot.

What's next?

Arsenal go to Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday before returning to Premier League action at home to Norwich City the following Wednesday. Saints face Watford at Vicarage Road in the league in three days' time.

One of Italy’s young rising stars has had a loan spell cut short because his parent club weren’t impressed at his use of TikTok.

Roma forward Mirko Antonucci has returned to Italy from Portuguese side Vitoria de Setubal after scoring once in six appearances since joining in January.

The 21-year-old, who has represented Italy at five youth international levels, posted a video on TikTok shortly after Vitoria’s 3-1 defeat to Boavista last Saturday which showed him dancing and smiling.

Antonucci issued a public apology and vow to quit social media, but that wasn’t enough to save his time at the club.

"This message is to say that I'm fully aware of the mistakes I made,” Antonucci said on Instagram.

“I would like to apologise to those that felt offended: fans, club, coach and teammates. I'm going to quit social media and from now on, you are only going to see me sweat with the Vitoria Setubal jersey until the last drop. Go Vitoria!"

Vitoria manager Julio Velazquez addressed the situation ahead of his side’s home fixture with Rio Ave in midweek, which they lost 2-1.

"It was communicated to his parent club, Roma, that the loan ends now and that we no longer count on the player, above all out of respect for the fans and the history of the club and for all those who work on a daily basis to represent this team with the greatest responsibility and dignity," Velazquez said.

"For what this badge represents, for the history of the club and out of respect for the fans, a Vitoria player must be one 24 hours a day.

“The situation is very simple; the club, the management, technical team and staff understood that the behaviour of a player who was on loan was not what we wanted of a Vitoria player, nor what the fans deserve, on and off the pitch."

Antonucci joined Roma as a youngster and signed his first professional contract in 2017. He made his professional debut the following January, assisting Edin Dzeko for Roma’s equaliser in a 1-1 Serie A draw with Sampdoria.

He later featured in Roma’s Champions League semi-final clash with Liverpool, and spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Pescara.

Goalkeeper Saidi Keni has committed his immediate future with Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side SC Villa after extending his stay by one and a half years.

The youngster joined the 16-time champions in 2019 from Proline FC and has proven his worth at the club.

"I am happy to commit my future to this great club because as a young boy growing up, I dreamed of playing for one of the great clubs in Uganda and they do not come any greater than SC Villa," Keni said as quoted by the club's media team.

"At this point and time, there is no better place for me to further my career than at this great club.

"It is a relief to finally get the paperwork out of the way so I can focus on doing what I love the most – which is football." 

Football was suspended in Mid-March before the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) eventually cancelled it and crowned Vipers SC. The 20-year-old has revealed how the situation is on his side.

"It is somewhat unfortunate that there is not much football going on at the moment but I am working hard to ensure that as soon as the league returns, I am in top shape."

In the concluded 2019/20 season, the youngster played 23 matches for the Jogoo and kept eight clean sheets. 

In the process, he conceded 19 goals.

Villa were third with 46 points when the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) cancelled the UPL and declared Vipers SC winners.

The Jogoo worked hard and finished third with four fewer points compared to second-placed KCCA FC, despite facing numerous challenges.
  
The UPL title chase had been between the Venoms and KCCA FC who were on 54 and 50 points respectively. 

KCCA won it in the 2012/13 season, defended it in the following campaign before the Venoms captured it in the 2014/15 season. In the 2015/16 and the subsequent seasons, Kassasiro Boys won it again before Vipers wrestled it from them in the 2017/18 campaign.

Mike Mutebi's side earned their 13th league title after they were crowned champions for the 2018/19 season.

Maroons FC, Uganda Cup defending Champions Proline FC and Tooro United, were relegated.

In the Fufa Big League promotion tussle, Myda FC and UPDF earned slots in the top-tier while Kiboga, Kataka, Kitara and Ndejje will face off in the play-offs to produce the third team that will grace the top-tier in the 2020/21 season.

New Wakiso Giants coach Douglas Bamweyana has revealed his desire to be the best coach in Africa.

Bamweyana was appointed to lead Wakiso Giants on a three-year deal and he believes the side offers him the best chance to hit his personal targets as well as establishing the club as a force to reckon with.

“My career objective is to be the best football coach on the African continent,” Bamweyana told the club's website.

“And this project presents a wonderful opportunity to take huge strides in the right direction, and to win stuff en route to establishing the Purple Sharks not only as a fans favourite but also the bull in the kraal.”

The former Express FC coach believes the chance to take charge of the Purple Sharks will give him an opportunity to show the world how good he is.

“To be honest; I partly feel a sense of excitement at having a good coaching environment alongside a much better squad to work with, and gratitude for a wonderful opportunity to fully show how great I am as a coach - hence a keen determination to win stuff in the shortest time possible,” added the former SC Villa tactician.

Bamweyana also spoke about the strengths of the current squad and whether he would bring more players in the upcoming transfer window.

“It's generally a very good squad - but could do with better competition between the sticks, in defence and in attack - assuming we keep all our options in the middle,” he revealed.

The former Maroons coach brought Richard Wasswa as his assistant and stated the reasons that informed his choice.

“We share a lot as humans and as coaches too - in values, beliefs and philosophy. We've also been very good pals for a number of years, have deliberated the possibility of working together for quite a while and this presented the perfect timing,” said the Caf 'A' license holder.

The 1981-born Bamweyana also spoke about the fans' roles as well as his hopes to establish a developed Wakiso Giants during his tenure.

“We're going to need the fans behind us and the lads - and in return; we promise to make them the proudest set of fans in the shortest time possible,” he concluded.

“Our most ardent target is to help our players develop into the best version of themselves individually and as a group to help foster the club's objectives.”