Dimitar Berbatov has hit out at Real Madrid's Gareth Bale for his "unprofessional and disrespectful" behaviour in the Spanish capital.

Bale has found himself out of favour at Madrid, with the star forward playing just 100 minutes of La Liga action since the league returned from its three-month hiatus in June amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The four-time Champions League winner sparked uproar when he was seen on camera with his face mask over his eyes before turning and laughing with team-mates from the stands during Madrid's 2-0 victory over Deportivo Alaves last week.

Bale – a substitute – then simulated holding a pair of binoculars in front of his face while he watched Madrid's 2-1 win at Granada and former Tottenham team-mate Berbatov criticised the Welsh outcast.

"Gareth Bale is in the headlines again for pretending to sleep in the stands when he found out he was going to be an unused substitute against Granada," Berbatov wrote in his column for Betfair.

"When I saw it, I couldn't believe it. I watched him put his mask over his eyes and pretend to be asleep. I cannot support that. It is unprofessional and disrespectful to Real Madrid.

"I love watching Bale play and I can feel his pain at not playing because I have been in the same situation. But that kind of reaction is going too far.

"Madrid need to find a solution to the Bale saga. It's not good for Bale or the team and it is bad publicity. I do feel his pain, I have been in his shoes of not playing and nobody is probably giving him any answers, then you are provoked to do those kinds of things, but I cannot support what he did.

"The only solution is for Bale to leave Real Madrid. If I was a Real Madrid fan and saw a player disrespecting the team like that, it would be too much.

"Bale should be asking for a solution, even if it is a loan move. It was a show of power, it was if he was saying: 'Play me or I'll do whatever I want.' That doesn't sit right with me."

Real manager Zinedine Zidane recently squashed talk of Bale leaving the club, reacting angrily when asked if the Wales star should depart Madrid. 

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has admitted he's "scared" Lionel Messi might not extend his stay with the club due to their current board situation. 

Messi is contracted at Camp Nou until 2021 and his relationship with Barca's current boss Josep Maria Bartomeu is reportedly far from perfect making an extension complicated. 

While Bartomeu recently stressed his confidence that the Argentine will re-sign and likely see out his career at Barcelona, Laporta isn't so certain. 

Though hopeful Messi will remain at the club, Laporta noted Barca's current board members could force their star into a corner. 

"I want him to stay in 2021 but I am scared that a bad decision of this board could result in an irreversible decision," Laporta said of Messi at an event at Sant Joan de Deu hospital on Wednesday. 

"It's not BarcaGate, it's BartoGate, I am worried about how the status of the club is being put at risk." 

Laporta, who is considering running for Barcelona president again, has also warned Xavi against returning to manage the club in its current state. 

Bartomeu has declared Xavi will coach the Catalans "sooner or later" but the man himself has resisted initial calls to return until he's given more power to influence matters at the club. 

"If I was Xavi, I would never be back with this board," Laporta said. 

"Every day I have more desire to take part in the election. Some concrete conditions are needed for me to feel comfortable to run right now rather than resist for a few more years." 

Speaking in May, Laporta expressed a clear desire to get Barcelona back on track, noting he'd love for Pep Guardiola to return and manage the club. 

"I'm working to introduce myself as a presidential candidate," Laporta told TV3. "I've been president before and I'm excited to be back. The situation in 2021 will be dramatic and we'll have to reverse it. I'm working with people I trust.

“I would very much like Guardiola to come back, but now he is at City and it is a decision that Pep should take. He is a benchmark for Barcelona and many Catalans would like him to train Barca again.

“At the right time, I will speak to the person we think should be Barca coach from 2021.”

Barcelona are currently second in La Liga with Real Madrid poised to seal the title on Thursday should they beat Villarreal. 

Porto captured their 29th Primeira Liga title following the stunning capitulation of Portuguese rivals Benfica.

Boasting former Real Madrid defender Pepe, Porto celebrated a second league trophy in three seasons thanks to Wednesday's 2-0 victory over fierce foes Sporting.

Danilo Pereira and Moussa Marega scored in the second half to ensure Porto dethroned defending champions Benfica midweek with two matches remaining as iconic goalkeeper Iker Casillas heads into retirement.

Porto have been almost flawless since the season resumed in June following the coronavirus-enforced break in March, winning six of their eight matches, including five in a row.

Benfica, meanwhile, have only managed three victories since returning to action last month and just four wins from 13 league games since February to slip eight points adrift of Porto.

"The team is to be congratulated for what we did, and not only in this game," Pepe said. "Sporting were in very good form but we knew how to cancel out their strong points.

"This is down to the hard work and sacrifice our squad put in, we never stopped, not even during the confinement.

"What made us champions? Above all, the togetherness we had. We know we represent a very important region of the country and we all identify with this region. When things get tough we use this strength to overcome adversities.

"If I'm not mistaken, in the first game of the season against Gil Vicente [a defeat] I said we lose together and we win together, and today is proof of that. Not only us the players, but the entire club and all the fans.

"We didn't have holidays, we were always working, striving for perfection. It's difficult, but we were always striving for it. The spirit we had, the belief in our coach, he always believed. Today, here, we see the result."

Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao added: "We won one of the most important titles in Porto's history. I'd like to dedicate this title to my family, who suffer a lot, my wife and my children and my parents."

Conceicao's side still have two more league matches to play this season with games to come against Moreirense and Braga. 

Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri bemoaned his team's thrilling 3-3 draw at Sassuolo, with the stuttering Serie A leaders' inconsistency leaving him "perplexed".

Juve surrendered a 2-0 lead against in-form Sassuolo as they suffered a setback in their efforts to clinch a ninth successive Scudetto on Wednesday.

Defending champions Juve – who squandered a 2-0 advantage as they lost 4-2 to rivals Milan earlier this month – raced out to a two-goal advantage inside 12 minutes via Danilo and Gonzalo Higuain before Filip Djuricic reduced the deficit prior to half-time.

Domenico Berardi's stunning free-kick restored parity six minutes into the second half and the forward then set up Francesco Caputo to put Sassuolo 3-2 ahead three minutes later.

Alex Sandro salvaged a point for Juve past the hour-mark as the league leaders improved to 77 points through 33 games, seven clear of high-flying Atalanta.

"A coach expects consistency from his team, it's something we've been lacking both physically and mentally. We have some very strong moments in a match and some moments of passivity that are difficult to understand," Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.

"We've been up against teams in remarkable form recently and Sassuolo are no different, as they'd won four in a row and if they consolidate, they can become the Atalanta of the future.

"I do believe that if we resolve the issue of consistency throughout the game, we are on the right track. Any team becomes dangerous if you let them pass it around in our final third.

"We struggled because they played between the lines with the trequartista and we gave the ball away too many times. It was strange, as our full-backs in the first half were conservative, but then started to push forward and win the ball back early towards the end of the game.

"It's not so much something that doesn't work as it works in fits and starts. At times, I get the feeling this team has enormous potential. At other times, it leaves you perplexed, as it allows the opponents to enter the box far too easily. We need to find the right balance and that is not easy.

"We had to keep the ball more, as there are times when the passing move will help you to control the tempo and stay in the opposition half. We sometimes feel too rushed in trying to get to the goal in a couple of passes, which creates a situation where you go from end to end."

Juve host struggling Lazio – third in the standings – in Turin on Monday.

Arsenal clearly need to sign new players in the transfer market despite stunning Liverpool, according to head coach Mikel Arteta.

Arteta's Arsenal received a boost in their rebuilding job, upstaging Premier League champions Liverpool 2-1 on Wednesday.

Arsenal trailed to Sadio Mane's opener and only claimed the lead after uncharacteristic Liverpool errors let in Alexandre Lacazette and Reiss Nelson midweek.

Despite the surprise victory, Arsenal – ninth in the table with two matches remaining – are 40 points behind Liverpool and Arteta insisted the Gunners must strengthen.

"I think it's pretty clear that we need to strengthen the squad," Arteta told reporters post-match.

Not since 2004 have Arsenal won the Premier League – failing to finish in the top four since their runners-up performance in 2015-16.

The gap has continued to widen in the Premier League, with Arsenal – who sacked Unai Emery in November – six points adrift of the top four.

Asked how long it will take to close the gap, Arteta said in a news conference: "Well I have seen it and I have experienced it. To do it in one year, and I have seen other clubs never do it. Or some clubs do it in four or five years.

"Depends on the context, depends on the resources, depends on how much you have to change.

"We are in a process, we don't know at the moment. There is a lot of uncertainty in many areas, what we can control now is who we want to be as a team, the culture we are building in order to do that, the spirit to be successful and then improve our players.

"My main focus is to make our players better, make them feel more comfortable and create an identity for the club because it will be easier to say we need this, this and this."

Arsenal are back in action against Manchester City in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final before visiting lowly Aston Villa in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Arteta's side could still finish as high as fifth if results in the league go their way over the next fortnight - they are currently six points shy of fifth-place Manchester United. 

Jurgen Klopp insisted he was unfazed about Liverpool's chances of reaching 100 points in the Premier League being ended by Arsenal.

Liverpool fell to a 2-1 loss at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, and the champions can get to a maximum of 99 points this season.

But Klopp said there was no sense of disappointment about not being able to get to 100 points, a record set by Manchester City in 2017-18.

"No, not yet at least, I don't know if it comes," the Liverpool manager told a news conference.

"But it's just I want the points we can get and we will see what it is at the end of the season.

"I cannot make any negative of something really positive, becoming champion, having so early in the season 93 points, I'm not the type of person who makes something negative of it because we cannot get the 100 or two points anymore.

"We get the points we deserve and we will see how many that will be. In the moment it's 93, two games to go, very difficult games, but two games to go and these boys played an exceptional season and nobody can take that away from them.

"But I'm not happy about the game, I'm the opposite, I'm disappointed, angry about a few things, but the game, the game was good and the attitude is good, but we took a break and that's not good and that's why we lost the game."

Liverpool led against Arsenal through Sadio Mane, only for mistakes from Virgil van Dijk and Alisson to see Alexandre Lacazette and Reiss Nelson score in the hosts' victory.

Klopp, whose team entertain Chelsea on July 22, said they were rare mistakes by two of his stars.

"Somebody is surprised that these boys are human beings, I'm not," he said. "I see them every day, from time to time they are not perfect, but not really often. That's how it is."

Van Dijk admitted after the match that Liverpool got what they deserved from the match. 

"The goals we gave them as a present," Van Dijk lamented to Sky Sports. "Until their first goal, it was totally us, we gave them two goals and it is difficult to come back. We got what we deserved.

"Until then there was nothing wrong, we played very well. So it's easy to blame us having the the title but until I made the mistake there was nothing wrong."

Moussa Marega registered his third goal in a row with FC Porto sealing a 29th Primeira Liga title with a 2-0 win over fierce rivals Sporting Lisbon.

The Dragons have been in impeccable form since the restart with just a draw at Desportivo Aves letting them down.

What followed were victories against Boavista, Pacos Ferreira, Belenenses and against Tondela, the latter being the only game they failed to keep a clean sheet.

Porto’s last defeat came at Famalicao before the suspension of the league and they were not going to be let down by their bitter rivals Sporting.

After a goalless first half, Guinea-Bissau born defensive midfielder Danilo Pereira gave Sergio Conceicao’s men the lead in the 64th minute with a powerful header from an Alex Telles corner.

Porto were well on their way towards the title, but Marega added more gloss with the second goal coming in injury time, chipping the ball over onrushing Sporting goalkeeper Luis Maximiano. He had also scored in the reverse fixture at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on May 1 which ended in a 2-1 victory.

It was Marega’s 11th goal of the season and his 14th in all competitions from 43 outings. Among those was a goal in a 5-2 aggregate defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League round of 32.

The Mali international has now had a hand in seven goals (five goals, two assists) since the restart, his most productive outing coming in the 4-0 win over Boavista were he scored a brace and provided an assist.

Also on display for Porto was DR Congo international defender Chancel Mbemba. The former Newcastle United player had scored the only goal in Porto’s win at Pacos Ferreira and was at his solid best again at the back, contributing two clearances, four interceptions, five tackles and winning six of eight total duels.

Porto holds an eight-point lead over previous champions and record-holders Benfica who got the better of Vitoria Guimaraes 2-0 on Tuesday.

The Dragons who have 25 wins from 32 games, drawing three and losing four, will end their season with ties at home to Moreirense and away at Braga.

Mason Greenwood has made a huge impact during his breakout season at Manchester United - but if Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace had their own way he would have lined up for an entirely different club during 2019-20. 

Greenwood, 18, made his first United start in the last game of the 2018-19 Premier League season, but it is in the current term that he has really announced his talents to the Old Trafford faithful. 

With 16 goals in all competitions, only Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have outscored the teenager, with the young trio's form since returning from the coronavirus lockdown steering United to four consecutive wins prior to Monday's draw with Southampton. 

Back in August, though, Greenwood was just another Reds hopeful with a dream and a handful of first-team minutes under his belt, prompting an enquiry from Hodgson's employers that, rather fortuitously for United, fell on deaf ears. 

“Mason is a fantastic player," the Palace manager told reporters on Wednesday ahead of United's midweek visit to Selhurst Park.

"We’ve known about him for a while and in actual fact I think we might even have enquired about him at the start of the season, if there was any chance of him coming out on loan.

“Of course you get the answer ‘no chance’ because they see him as one of theirs. But it wasn’t a difficult spot.

"I think people all over the Premier League have realised there is a real talent on the books of Manchester United and it’s been just a question of time before he gets his chance.

“It was the same with Marcus [Rashford], he didn’t have to wait either and they put him in early and, as a result, they find themselves with a young but very, very talented forward line.”

United's Champions League hopes received a double blow on Monday as they tied with Southampton on the same day rivals City saw their ban overturned - a decision that means fifth place will no longer provide a route to Europe's biggest club competition. 

The Reds are currently tied on points with fourth-placed Leicester City, who hold a slight advantage on goal difference and take on Sheffield United shortly before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's charges walk out against Palace.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has stepped up his attack on Manchester City, suggesting that the Court of Arbitration for Sport was wrong to overturn the club's Champions League ban. 

Pep Guardiola's charges received a huge boost on Monday when the body modified the original sentence handed down by UEFA of a two-season European suspension on charges of manipulating Financial Fair Play regulations. 

Instead of missing the Champions League City were ordered to pay a fine of €10 million for failing to assist UEFA in its investigations, a ruling that came as a huge relief to everyone connected to the club. 

Tebas has been among City's most vocal critics, and following the announcement coach Pep Guardiola told reporters: "He must be very jealous of the Premier League. 

"Maybe next time I'll ask him what court and judges we should stand before. He should be worried about La Liga and focus on that."

The Liga chief was quick to respond to Guardiola's barbs, calling into question the validity of CAS' judgement and suggesting that there was further foul play on City's part. 

"Manchester City will be in the Champions League next season not because they have acted correctly, but rather because CAS is wrong," he fired to ESPN on Wednesday. 

"In fact, the CAS has fined them €10m, that is not just for the sake of it. From what I've read I gather it is because they didn't cooperate with UEFA. Why is that? 

"Have City hidden documentation? I would like to read the final ruling now, if I can. 

"Just as we still have not been able to read PSG's final ruling from CAS, when a lot of time has passed and it is still not available. 

"The day I sit down and read it I will tell Guardiola that of which I am convinced: Manchester City have not acted right."

Tebas also launched a withering criticism of CAS, stating that the Switzerland-based tribunal had lost its legitimacy. 

"CAS is not fit to hand down rulings in the football industry. We all know what City do! Everyone in football knows what they do," he added. 

"In fact, when the punishment first reached them nobody in European football was surprised. Quite the contrary. I won't say it was celebrated, but some people did come out and say at least justice has been served to the state-run clubs. 

"Instead, after the CAS ruling there have been protests from Klopp, Mourinho... Everyone knows they tried to dodge financial fair play. 

"CAS is dead. Its rulings have been doubtful for a long time. There is no transparency and a lot of the time, looking at the judges named, you know where their ruling is headed. 

"Switzerland has great prestige in arbitration and the CAS does it no favours."

Mikel Arteta concedes there remains an "enormous gap" between Arsenal and Liverpool despite seeing his side defeat the Reds 2-1 on Wednesday night. 

Jurgen Klopp's men took the lead through Sadio Mane after 20 minutes at the Emirates, only for the Gunners to respond in defiant fashion. 

Alexandre Lacazette fired home an equaliser in the 32 minute before the Frenchman set up Reiss Nelson for the winner 12 minutes later. 

The win sees Arsenal rise to ninth in Premier League, still a massive 40 points shy of league leaders Liverpool, with Arteta adamant his side must build upon their performance against the Reds with plenty of work still ahead for them.

"Absolutely, in terms of energy and happiness in the dressing room before the semi-final, it's a good medicine," Arteta said post-match.

"To beat this team you have to have moments in the game when you take your chances, defend and have a bit of luck. I was worried after 1-0 how we would react. We were able to pick one moment and believe again.

"We will go for both [competitions], our maximum, it is just a few games so we will keep going.

"The gap between the two teams today is enormous, we can not improve it in two months, but the accountability, the fight is now equal and I am very proud of that. The rest will take some time.

"Arsene [Wenger] did some incredible things and was very successful. I have done nothing yet. We need belief to go in the direction."

After a relatively disappointing season, Arsenal's fans will be hoping to see some serious investment put into the squad over the summer but Arteta isn't getting his hopes up. 

Asked about the club's finances, Arteta added: "A big concern, you need quality, quality players and a big squad to compete in these competitions. It is a challenge."

The Gunners next face second-place Manchester City on Saturday before rounding out their season with games against Aston Villa and Watford - two sides battling against relegation. 

As it stands, Arsenal are only six points shy of the top four and could still seal their place in the Europa League if results go their way over the next fortnight. 

Virgil van Dijk insisted Liverpool were justly punished for their mistakes as Arsenal took three points to end the Reds' hopes of setting a new Premier League record. 

The newly crowned champions boasted 93 points going into Wednesday's game at the Emirates Stadium, a mark that left them needing seven from their last three outings to match Manchester City's record mark of 100 for a single season and nine to set a new benchmark in the English top flight. 

But in spite of Sadio Mane's early opener Arsenal proved more than a match, scoring through Alexandre Lacazette and Ryan Nelson to inflict the third league defeat of the season on Jurgen Klopp's men. 

Both goals came through costly individual errors, with Van Dijk's weak back-pass allowing Lacazette to equalise and Alisson contributing to Nelson's strike with his own poor distribution. 

Arsenal's only shots on target in the entire 90 minutes resulted in goals, but the Netherlands defender insisted that the result was fair. 

"The goals we gave them as a present," Van Dijk lamented to  Sky Sports  after the final whistle. 

"Until their first goal, it was totally us, we gave them two goals and it is difficult to come back. We got what we deserved.

"Until then there was nothing wrong, we played very well. So it's easy to blame us having the the title but until I made the mistake there was nothing wrong."

Klopp, however, tried to draw focus from his usually flawless centre-back, affirming that the entire team was at fault for the goal.

"Virg lost the ball, but I didn't see a lot of offers around. Nobody wanted the ball really," the manager told reporters.

"As a full pack, we took a break and that makes no sense. And Arsenal were there. We have to take that and learn from that."

While Liverpool can no longer record triple figures for 2019-20, they still have the opportunity to record the second-best campaign in Premier League history with wins over Chelsea and Newcastle United to close out a memorable season. 

Van Dijk recognised that ending the club's 30-year title drought was the main priority but pledged to keep fighting until the very end.

"I want to win the game, but we can't change that. We will try to win the last two games but can't forget we have had a fantastic season," he added.

"Being champions is a dream come true."

Juventus suffered a setback in their efforts to clinch a ninth successive Serie A title as they were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Sassuolo.

The Bianconeri looked to have all but sealed the Scudetto when two penalties helped them preserve a nine-point lead at the top with a 2-2 draw against Atalanta on Saturday.

Atalanta cut the lead down to six points with a 6-2 thumping of Brescia on Tuesday and Juve could be only four points ahead by the time they face Lazio on Monday after an engrossing contest saw the spoils shared.

Danilo and Gonzalo Higuain put them 2-0 up inside 12 minutes before Filip Djuricic pulled one back. Domenico Berardi levelled matters six minutes into the second half and then teed up Francesco Caputo to make it 3-2, only for Alex Sandro to secure a point for Maurizio Sarri's men.

Former Manchester City defender Danilo bent home from Miralem Pjanic's low corner delivery to the edge of the area and the Bosnia-Herzegovina international's sublime throughball led to the second goal as Higuain – preferred to Paulo Dybala – converted confidently on the half-volley.

Wojciech Szczesny produced a pair of stunning saves to first deny Mert Muldur and then Berardi, but he could do nothing to prevent Djuricic from finding the top-right corner with a fine first-time finish after more good work from Muldur.

Szczesny did well to hold a drive from Berardi as Sassuolo continued to press for an equaliser, with Cristiano Ronaldo seeing a gilt-edged chance to restore Juve's two-goal lead in first-half stoppage time deflected over.

That advantage was eradicated in spectacular fashion by Berardi as he left Szczesny no chance with a superb free-kick from the edge of the area.

And a remarkable turnaround was completed three minutes later when Berardi's ball across the face of goal found Caputo to tap in at the far post.

Adrien Rabiot headed wide and Ronaldo shot straight at Consigli but Alex Sandro made no mistake in converting from Rodrigo Bentancur's corner to make it three apiece.

Consigli thwarted Ronaldo from close range and at the other end Szczesny produced heroics to deny Hamed Junior Traore, with Alex Sandro clearing Jeremie Boga's goal-bound follow-up in a fittingly frantic finale.

What does it mean? Hope for Atalanta

Juve are still overwhelming favourites for the Scudetto but, if Atalanta beat Hellas Verona on Saturday, the pressure will be firmly on Sarri's side going into the game with Lazio.

The draw ends Sassuolo's four-match winning streak but they are still unbeaten in seven and deserve great credit for a scintillating attacking display.

Brilliant Berardi

Berardi was once co-owned by Sassuolo and Juve, and the Italy international reminded the Bianconeri what they are missing out on in an instrumental display.

No case for the defence

Juve would normally be expected to cruise to victory after going 2-0 up, but they never looked comfortable at the back and are without a clean sheet in five games, conceding 11 goals in that time.

What's next?

Lazio will hope to further dent Juve's hopes on Monday. Sassuolo visit Cagliari on Saturday.

South Africa striker Thembi Kgatlana and Portuguese side SL Benfica have reached a mutual agreement to part ways.

The 24-year-old joined the European side from Chinese outfit Beijing Phoenix in January on a two-and-half-year deal and went on to establish herself as one of the key players in the team.

She only made three appearances in all competitions for Luis Andrade's team, scoring three goals, including in the 4-0 win over City rivals CF Benfica, to seal a Portuguese Taca de liga final berth.

However, their relationship has come to an abrupt end, the 2018 African Women's Football of the Year winner revealed.

"My time with Benfica has come to an end!," she revealed on Twitter.

Goal understands her exit was unconnected to the effects of the coronavirus that saw Raquel Infante, Caroline Von, Mimi Asom and Alana O'Neill depart the Portuguese side.

Corroborating Goal's sources in Portugal, her representative Chris Atkins tweeted: "I can confirm Thembi Kgatlana has left SL Benfica. 

"Covid 19 has had a big impact on the women's game but Thembi will go from strength to strength regardless. The next steps are in place and will be announced shortly."

Following the coronavirus cancellation, SL Benfica were declared Liga BPI champions with 42 points after 15 games and will represent Portugal in the Uefa Women's Champions League next season.

Having mutually left Benfica, the South Africa international will not be able to make her debut in the European club competition.

Before her move to Portugal, she has played for South African side the University of the Western Cape and NWSL outfit Houston Dash.

She starred in South Africa's maiden Women's World Cup outing in France last year, where she scored the country's maiden goal against Spain.

With the closure of the Chinese transfer window since March, Kgatlana will be hoping to stay put in Europe following her shock departure from Benfica.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United have been dealt an unfair fixture schedule in the final two weeks of the Premier League and he’s going to have to play his cards well as they chase down a Champions League spot.

United have three games left of the current campaign and an FA Cup semi final in the next 11 games and while Chelsea have four days to prepare for Sunday’s Wembley clash United have just two as they play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Thursday evening, and Solskjaer is not happy about it.

“There is a concern, obviously, that they will have had 48 hours’ more rest and recovery than us. It’s not fair,” Solskjaer said. “We spoke about a fair scheduling going into this restart and of course it isn’t. But I have to think about Thursday, winning that one, focusing on that one, and then pick up the pieces after that.”

Despite the hectic schedule, which sees United play twice next week too, Solskjaer is confident with the fitness levels of his side as they look for a final push into the top four in the last three league games.

“The next two weeks will be hectic but then again we’re fit, very fit - our lads have not felt as fit as this for years, I’m sure,” Solskjaer explained.

“It was a big thing towards the end of last season that we felt our team wasn’t fit enough, we got a few injuries, this season we’ve not had that kind of a problem.

"It’s not going to be a problem and a concern for us but 24 hours, 48 hours is a big difference at this time [of the season] so we’ve not been handed four Aces, to put it that way, for the last two weeks. But we’re going to have to put on a poker face and play the cards well.”

After coming off the bench against Tottenham in the first game since the restart Paul Pogba has started every Premier League game since and he looked a bit off the pace in the draw against Southampton at Old Trafford. But, if the Frenchman isn’t selected for the Palace clash it won’t be because he has been dropped.

“I’ve been speaking more or less every day with Paul. He knows that he wouldn’t be dropped. When Paul plays like this he wouldn’t be dropped from any team in the world - France or Man United - but he’s been out for a long, long time,” Solskjaer explained.

“There was a question mark before the game [against Southampton]. But he felt ready for it, which was great, so now let’s see how he is today or even tomorrow morning. He’s been fantastic since the restart and brought a lot to the team.”

Jose Mourinho appeared to take aim at Pep Guardiola and Manchester City over their Financial Fair Play (FFP) dispute as he bristled at a question regarding his Tottenham team selection.

Mourinho oversaw Spurs' 3-1 win at Newcastle United on Wednesday, with Harry Kane on the scoresheet twice – passing 200 club career goals – as the London outfit boosted their hopes of European qualification.

But even after victory – Mourinho's first in the Premier League at St James' Park – the head coach's focus did not seem to stray far from the result of City's appeal this week.

Guardiola's side were initially banned from European competition for two years by UEFA but successfully appealed against that punishment at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Mourinho called the outcome "a disgraceful decision" and again made reference to FFP following the game on Tyneside, going slightly off piste as he discussed his line-up.

Asked about Steven Bergwijn's role as a substitute, Mourinho replied: "You do this question to me but not to [Frank] Lampard, to [Jurgen] Klopp, to Pep.

"Lampard plays [Christian] Pulisic, you don't ask him why he doesn't start [Callum] Hudson-Odoi. Pep leaves Bernardo on bench, you don't ask why he doesn't start Bernardo Silva.

"I'm the only guy who doesn't have the right to play certain players. If Bergwijn started, you'd be asking me why Lucas [Moura] didn't start.

"You don't ask [Wolves boss] Nuno [Espirito Santo] why he leaves [Adama] Traore on the bench. [Bergwijn] is a team player, he plays for Tottenham."

It was put to Mourinho that he would be pleased by Bergwijn's impact from the bench, prompting his reply: "It is credibility for the players and for the group.

"We need good players and more than 11. We need a good group of players. And if we can do that without breaking FFP, we'll do even better."

Mourinho was cheerier as he discussed the end of his St James' Park hoodoo, halting a run of seven games as a visiting manager in the league without victory.

"It's special for us as we needed these three points," he said. "For me, it's a good feeling.

"I'm very happy for the team and finally I can leave the stadium and look at the statue of [former mentor] Bobby Robson and smile at him."