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The Federal Government of Nigeria has backed the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, for the Fifa Council Seat.

The election is slated for the 43rd Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football, in Rabat, Morocco on March 12.

Other Nigerians to reach this level were Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu.

Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nebolisa Anako, on behalf of the Minister, Sunday Dare, has expressed the support of the federal government to Pinnick’s ambition.

“Mr Amaju’s ambition would further reposition Nigeria in the global football map where we have made remarkable inroads,” Anako told the NFF website.

“If the NFF President wins the position, it would not be a victory for the Federal Government and all Nigerians alone, but the African continent.

“He would be a great ambassador of our great country if elected into the Fifa Council. As a member of the Caf Executive, Pinnick is aware of the task ahead and the Federal Government’s support to the actualization of his dream

“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and all Nigerians, we hereby pledge our unflinching support to Mr Pinnick because his victory would be our collective victory.

“[Sports Minister] Mr Dare believes Amaju can use his position and connections in Caf and Fifa to help promote and develop Nigeria and African football in all ramifications.

“Let us be resolute and firm in our support…This is no time to stand on the fence, but to be partakers in the scheme of things.”

NFF’s 2nd Vice President, Shehu Dikko believes Nigeria stand to benefit immensely if Pinnick wins the election.

“As a Fifa Council Member, Mr Pinnick will also be automatically a Member of the Caf Executive, which gives Nigeria a voice at both global and continental levels,” Dikko said.

“This is not a Pinnick project, but a Nigeria project. If countries like Guinea and Madagascar can have people in the Fifa Council, there is no reason why a big football-playing nation like Nigeria should not.”

Minnesota United have confirmed the signing of Liberian-American forward Patrick Weah on a four-year deal, with an option of an additional year.

Patrick, 17, nephew of 1995 World Player of the Year and current Liberian president George, becomes the second homegrown player in Loons history.

Weah is a 2017 Minnesota Soccer State Champion - where he was named 2017 Minnesota State Player of the Year as well as making the 2016 All-State and All-State Tournament Team.

Discussing the transfer, Minnesota manager Adrian Heath is pleased to have the youngster – whom he labels as a ‘natural talent’.

“It’s another chapter in us showing that we are committed to the youth development,” head coach Heath told the club website.

“As I said last year when we signed Fred [Emmings], if there were more kids that we felt were ready to make the step, we would have done it.

“Patrick [Weah] is another one of them kids. He’s got loads of raw, natural talent. We have to harness that over the next few years, and then try and teach him the sort of nuances of the game, because of all the physicalities in the game.

“And the basics, he’s got in abundance. We’re delighted he’s decided to join us. It’s the start of a lot of hard work for him but we feel as though he’s got a lot of raw attributes to make the next step.

“Can we continue this now, can we continually bring one or two players from the system below, to keep promoting them to the first team squad? That’s got to be the aim.”

Patrick took to social media to express his delight about his first professional contract. “Can’t wait to get started,” he tweeted.

The forward - who is eligible to represent Liberia and USA at international level - becomes the third African in the Allianz Field Saint Paul giants’ team after Bakaye Dibassy (Mali) and Romain Metanire (Madagascar).

Tanzania U17 coach Hababuu Ali has named his squad to play in the Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Morocco later this month.

The annual competition will be starting in nine days time in North Africa and the East Africans will be aiming at making an impression after a poor outing by the U20 team in Mauritania where they were eliminated in the group stage. This was a couple of weeks after the senior team Taifa Stars also fell in the group stages in the African Nations Championship held in Cameroon.

It is the third time the Serengeti Boys will be playing in the competition having featured for the first time in Gabon back in 2017 before taking part again two years later when they hosted it. However, they have not managed to get past the initial group stage.

This season, Tanzania have been placed in Group B alongside Nigeria, Algeria and Congo. Group A has Uganda, hosts Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Zambia while Group C is made up of Cameroon, Senegal, and South Africa.

The Serengeti Boys will begin their campaign in the competition by taking on Nigeria on March 14 before facing Algeria on March 17 and end their group fixtures with a clash against Congo on March 20 - with all matches lined up for Moulay Hassan Stadium.

The Afcon tournament, which consists of 12 teams, has been scheduled to start on March 13 and will last until March 31.

The Serengeti Boys qualified for the annual competition after reaching the final of the U17 Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) tournament but went on to lose 3-1 to Uganda.

The East Africans will be aiming at performing better after a poor showing in 2019 where they suffered heavy defeats from Uganda, Angola, and Nigeria. Their entire technical bench was sacked.

Tanzania Final Squad: Shomari Mbwana Mnyamani, Said Naushad Said, Liptone Eliabi Mlagulwa, Abdulkarim Kassim Kiswanya, Abubakar Abudallah Sabian, Omary Hassan Yahya, Abdurahman Juma Khery, Mohamed Saad Hussein, Kelvin Joel Komba, Omar Abbas Mvungi, Omary Bakari Omary, Abdallah Hamisi Hassan, Sylvester Otto, Ahmed Khalid Chambera, Baraka Sylvester Nyamkindo, Kassim Ibrahim Yahya, Ismail Mpank Bombama, Hijjah Shamte Lidah, Ladaki Juma Chasambi, Kamli Jesto Masanja, Abdulah Mussa Libandika, Abubakari Ramadhani Lubotile.

Watford’s Vicarage Road is turning to a ‘holy ground’, according to William Troost-Ekong following the Hornets’ 2-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers on Wednesday evening.

Andre Gray’s brace powered Xisco Munoz’s team past the visiting Chairboys – a result that brightened their chances of getting promoted to the Premier League.

Aside from securing maximum points, the Hornets now boast 41 points at their home ground in the 2020-21 campaign, more than any other Championship team.

Buoyed by his team’s latest result, the former Bursaspor and Udinese player stated that it would be difficult for any club to pick points at Vicarage Road.

“I feel like this is becoming holy ground now. To come and play at Vicarage Road for any team is going to be difficult,” the Nigerian international told Hive Live.

“Everyone’s enjoying their football and they’ve been unreal to keep the pitch how it is because it suits us to play the ball. We need to make our home games count and this should be our fortress.”

The 27-year-old also said it was crucial Watford picked all points at stake - after losing 1-0 at AFC Bournemouth the last time out – as well as recouped their defensive firmness.

He is also full of praise for Gray who rose up to the occasion in the absence of suspended forward Joao Pedro.

“It was important to make sure we got back to what we were doing before,” he continued.

“In the game against Blackburn we were fantastic at the front but in recent weeks we’ve been letting in too many goals, so to get a clean sheet and for Andre [Gray] to get two goals is fantastic for everybody’s confidence and it’s just the result we needed.

“Everybody saw he was playing football with a smile today and we’re really happy for him.

“When you have a squad like we have, you need everyone to chip in and he was fantastic today, so hopefully it’s the first two goals of many to come.”

Munoz’s men are third in the second-tier log with 63 points from 34 outings - 10 points adrift of leaders Norwich City. They take on Nottingham Forest in their next outing on Saturday.

When Eberechi Eze was replaced by Jeffrey Schlupp with six minutes of normal time to play, the 22-year-old was probably relieved by his withdrawal.

There's usually a buzz when Manchester United visit, but Wednesday night was a forgettable encounter that neither side deserved to win. The goalless result underscored the struggles of both sides in the final third of late, although Crystal Palace’s seems to have been ongoing for a while longer.

They are one of those sides the average observer tends to forget are in the Premier League; never truly battling relegation but rarely pushing for a top-half spot. Roy Hodgson’s Eagles threatened to gate-crash the top 10 party pre-lockdown last season, only to collapse spectacularly to end in 14th place.

Despite their supposedly lowly finish, the South London side were nine points above third-bottom Bournemouth. Top flight status was never in question regardless of their decline after the league’s resumption, just as it isn’t now with Palace in 13th.

Hodgson’s men are 11 points ahead of 18th-placed Fulham and there’s a sense they’ll do just enough to stay in the league…again. While their recent run reads one win in five, the London club had won three of their last five matches before hosting the Cottagers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s troops on Sunday and Wednesday respectively.

While the experienced Englishman may be content with the results at Selhurst Park, the performances are underwhelming and signs of progress are non-existent. Where does that leave Eze, who was replaced after 84 minutes against the Red Devils?

The Anglo-Nigerian was meant to spark off a change in approach in South London, but what many imagined and expected hasn’t come to fruition. What’s chiefly rankled is the fact little, if anything, has changed, and there’s an argument that a regression has really occurred.

They are averaging 40.8 percent possession this season, lower than three previous campaigns under the former England manager while their shot-creating actions per 90 in the trainer’s time at the club is at its lowest (14.0). Last year, the Eagles tellingly ranked bottom for SCAs per 90.

Eze’s arrival hasn’t boosted Palace’s attacking menace whatsoever, neither has the entertainment value risen in any form. Their shots per game in 2020/21 (6.4) is lower than previous campaigns under Hodgson and the decline is startling, despite the increase in talent at the club.

The attacking midfielder was deployed as a wide midfielder on Wednesday but created no direct chance from open play. He did release Jordan Ayew into space in the second half, but Christian Benteke’s air shot meant the Ghana forward’s cut-back wasn’t converted.

Despite completing a game-high four dribbles, none were in threatening areas and he did little utilising his strengths to carry the side upfield in the encounter.

Hence, the fact Wednesday’s dour stalemate with Man United was indeed Palace’s best showing in a while was striking. It’s not lost on anyone that the South London side have fired blanks in four of their last five PL matches, while the 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion was a classic smash-and-grab success.

10 shots on target in their last five games with none coming in the Fulham draw has put the Eagles in a bad light, and the apathy towards the team is starting to spread.

Hodgson has seemed unmoved by the criticism of his side in the last few weeks and defended the overly negative approach at Brighton, was seemingly pleased against the Cottagers and evidently delighted by the United draw.

Be that as it may, there’s a feeling this side have plateaued under the 73-year-old, who may not be in the dugout next season. Given the club’s delicate situation with no less than 12 players’ contracts running out this summer, some may suggest this could be the perfect time to rip the old approach and lay the foundations for a new phase at the club.

Still, such upheaval may be frowned upon, particularly as the club’s last attempt to be progressive in 2017 was short-lived after Frank de Boer lasted only 77 days in charge. Ivory Coast star Wilfried Zaha felt the squad’s limitations meant they faced an uphill talk at the time.

Almost four years later, the club are at a crossroads.

On the one hand, there’s a possibility of injecting fresh blood into an ageing squad with the majority in the last few months of their deals anyway. On the other hand, the club may get the ‘be careful what you wish for’ speech if they change things drastically.

Hodgson spoke about 'expecting a lot' from Eze before Man United visited, but how is the talented playmaker even expected to thrive when he’s hamstrung by the club’s broader approach?

There needs to be a sea change at Palace if they want to be beneficiaries of the Anglo-Nigerian’s talent, and this summer may be the opportune moment in South London. Whether the higher-ups make huge decisions to alter the club’s ambition and general direction, though, is up in the air.

Fulham have named Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Maja, Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina in their starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur in Thursday’s Premier League showdown.

Unbeaten in their last five games in the competition, Scott Parker’s men are in dire need of a win against the visitors – a result that will take them off the relegation zone.

In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Torino loanee Aina will partner his compatriot Adarabioyo, Joachim Andersen and Antonee Robinson at Fulham’s backline - to halt the attacking forays of Spurs which will be spearheaded by Harry Kane.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ivan Cavaleiro join on loan RB Leipzig’s Lookman in the midfield, while goalscoring responsibilities will rest on the shoulders of Nigeria international Maja.

Elsewhere, Cameroonian midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa would be hoping to feature in his 27th league game of the 2020-21 campaign having been named as a substitute.

On the other side, Cote d’Ivoire’s right back Serge Aurier has been axed from Mourinho’s squad hoping to secure all maximum points at the Craven Cottage. The 28-year-old last featured for Spurs in their 4-0 demotion of Burnley on February 28.

Speaking to Fulham website, Aina is optimistic about his side’s chances versus the Londoners if they ‘play well’.

“They’re a good team,” said Aina. “We’ve done our homework and we go into the game with confidence.

“We know that if we play well and stick to our guns then we can hopefully get a result.

“Last time [we played Spurs] the game was really rushed but we still managed to put in a performance, so now the game isn’t rushed, and everyone has had time to prepare, it should be a really good game.

“It’s going to be a challenge for them as well as we’ve shown over the past few weeks and months that we’re a good side, and a team to be reckoned with.”

Despite occupying the eighth spot in the English elite division log having garnered 39 points from 25 points so far this season, Tottenham Hotspur are not giving up on their ambition of earning a Champions League place at the end of the season.

Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz will miss his side's derby match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday, the club has confirmed.

Mariano Diaz was substituted an hour into the 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad on Monday.

What are the details of Mariano Diaz's injury?

It was announced on Thursday that the forward, who has made 15 appearances so far this season, has suffered a pelvic injury.

A statement published on the club's website read: "Following the tests carried out today on our player, Mariano Diaz, by the Real Madrid medical department, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury to his left external obturator.

"His recovery will be monitored."

How long will he be sidelined?

Madrid have not put a timeframe on the 27-year-old's absence, but he is expected to be out for two or three weeks.

As well as the clash with Diego Simeone's side, Mariano Diaz is likely to miss the home game against Elche on March 13.

He is also unlikely to feature in the Champions League last-16 encounter with Atalanta and could also be unavailable for the trip to Celta on March 20.

Who else is injured?

The Dominican Republic international's injury deprives Zinedine Zidane's side of another striker heading into the meeting with the league leaders.

Karim Benzema is in a battle to be fit in time to line up in attack against Atletico. 

Injury has kept the France international out of Madrid's last three matches.

The 33-year-old is the club's top scorer this season, having found the net on 17 occasions in 28 appearances across all competitions. 

If Benzema is unable to feature at the weekend, 21-year-old Hugo Duro may be called on to fill the centre-forward role.

Duro has made just three senior appearances for Madrid, having been promoted from the Castilla side since Benzema's injury.

Madrid are already without captain and star centre-back Sergio Ramos as well as Eden Hazard, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal.

Brazilian full-back Marcelo could be fit to start after recovering from a muscle problem to make the bench against Sociedad.

The state of play heading into the derby

Madrid have won five and drawn one in their last six matches heading into Sunday's derby.

They sit five points behind Atletico in the lead, though the Rojiblancos still have a game in hand.

Further reading

Paul Pogba must improve if he wants to stay at Manchester United, according to Nani.

Pogba has struggled for form and fitness since returning to United from Juventus in 2016, with the 2020-21 campaign proving to be another frustrating one for a man who has yet to live up his £89 million ($125m) price tag.

The World Cup winner, who is currently out of action with a thigh injury, has been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent months, and Nani can see him departing if he doesn't knuckle down and prove his worth.

What's been said?

"At this moment, I see him as one of the important players at Man United," The former United winger, who now plies his trade in MLS with Orlando City, told Stats Perform News.

"But I don't know what he has on his mind, if he wants to leave or if all this news is making some problems in his head.

"I don't know if he has full concentration on the team, on the games, on the goals of the team.

"I saw him when he was struggling with some injuries and then he came back and started playing, he was improving his performance. He was doing well.

"He was helping the team, but we know Pogba can do much better, he can do much more because he is a top player in this position. He's not using all his strength, all his qualities.

"But if he wants to stay at the club, for sure he will perform much better very soon. He needs to continue to improve his game, his confidence and try to help the team in the way he can."

Who has been linked with Pogba?

Transfer rumours have followed Pogba throughout his second spell in Manchester, with his agent Mino Raiola often doing his best to fuel speculation by speaking out against the Red Devils' treatment of the playmaker in public.

Juventus have been tipped to try and bring Pogba back to the Allianz Stadium in the summer, while a potential move to Real Madrid has also been mooted amid reports that Zinedine Zidane is eager to link up with his compatriot at Santiago Bernabeu.

Pogba's record for United this season

Despite having been laid low with a series of niggling injuries and a bout of coronavirus, Pogba still managed to rack up 28 appearances across all competitions for United in the first half of the campaign.

The 27-year-old has provided four goals and three assists to date, including spectacular winning goals against Fulham and Burnley in the Premier League.

When is he due to return from injury?

Pogba has been absent for United since limping out of a 3-3 draw with Everton on February 6, and no firm date for his return has been given as of yet.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was able to give a positive update on his recovery before his side's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in midweek.

Asked if Pogba could feature in any of the Red Devils' next six fixtures, the Norwegian boss told reporters: "I hope we will. Definitely. He’s very positive.

"He’s working really hard and he knows when he gets back, we haven’t got two or three games to give him time to play himself into form, so he's working hard."

Further reading

Of all the songs and chants that have soundtracked football matches over the years, the most famous might be the one that was composed in a studio.

The Champions League Anthem has taken on iconic status among football fans since being introduced for the debut of the new competition in 1992, building up the anticipation of the crowd by being played immediately before kick-off in every match in the competition.

It even reaches those watching at home as it is given an airing at the beginning and end of every match broadcast around the world, though it is not available to buy or download legally.

The anthem was composed by Tony Britten, a graduate of the Royal College of Music, in the style of the famous 18th-century musician George Frederic Handel. It is performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields chorus, both of which are based in London.

"The idea of the Champions League was to make the game beautiful again and the music had to reflect this quality," Britten told UEFA.tv of the composition.

The lyrics are a mix of UEFA's three official languages: English, French and German. The full words, as well as an English translation, can be found below and it can be listened to here.

Champions League Anthem lyrics

Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Es sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions

Une grande réunion
Eine grosse sportliche Veranstaltung
The main event

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions

Ils sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die Besten
These are the champions

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions

Champions League Anthem lyrics (English)

They are the best teams
They are the best teams
The main event
 
The master
The best
The great teams
The champions
 
A big meeting
A great sporting event
The main event

The master
The best
The great teams
The champions
 
They are the best
They are the best
These are the champions
 
The master
The best
The champions

Yanga SC have suffered their first defeat in the Tanzania Mainland League after going down 2-1 to Coastal Union at Mkwakwani Stadium on Thursday.

Goals from Erick Okorai and Said Mudathir were enough to help the hosts claim maximum points against Timu ya Wananchi who scored their goal courtesy of Tuisila Kisinda. 

Coastal started the game on a high, giving the former champions as much as they received. It took them just 10 minutes to get their first goal courtesy of Okorai.

The 27-time champions responded and gave their best in search of an equalizer. They were rewarded when Kisinda scored in the 37th minute and ensured the teams went to the break on level terms. 

After the break, Wananchi intensified their attacks hoping to get their second goal. However, they were not getting it easy against their hosts who sat back and hit them on counter attack.

With seven minutes to go, Coastal Union managed to get the winning goal through Mudathir. 

Yanga doubled their effort in search of an equalizer, but luck was not on their side as they succumbed to their first defeat this season. 

The Cedric Kaze-led charges are top of the table with 49 points from the 22 matches played. They have recorded 14 wins, seven draws and a loss, scoring 35 goals in the process and conceding 13.

Their hosts are 10th with 26 points that have come from 22 matches as well. They have managed six wins, eight draws and as many losses. Coastal have also scored 16 goals and conceded 28.

In another top-tier game, Polisi Tanzania defeated Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) FC by a solitary goal.

The administrative side got their goal in the 26th minute through Gerald Mdamu.

The win took Polisi to the eighth position with 28 points from the 21 matches they have played. It was their sixth win this season; 10 matches have ended in draws while five have ended in losses.

Tanzania Prisons and Mbeya City settled to a 1-1 draw. Richardson Ngodya scored for the visitors after 13 minutes while Jumanne Elifadhili equalized with a minute to full time.

Mtibwa Sugar and Biashara Mara United drew 0-0.

Jamal Musiala is generating plenty of headlines at 18 years of age, with Joshua Kimmich among those to see “something special” in a Bayern Munich starlet that is “full of tricks”.

An immediate impact has been made by the youngster on a senior stage at club level, while the decision has been taken to commit to his international future to Germany over England.

Big things are expected from the teenager for club and country, with team-mates at Allianz Arena among those getting excited by his potential.

What has been said?

Kimmich told Bayern TV of Musiala: “Already in his first training sessions with us, you could see that he can really do something special. He’s full of tricks, unpredictable and also very dynamic when it comes to controlling the ball, especially with his first touch. He always tries to take the ball forward.

“When I think about where I was at his age, I was still in my youth at VfB Stuttgart.

“He’s very advanced for his age. As a person, he’s very calm and reserved. I think he can and will look to come out of his shell even more as his self-confidence also grows.”

Why is Musiala generating such a buzz?

The Stuttgart-born playmaker has seen his star on the rise for several years. Having moved to England at a young age, he was quickly snapped up by Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and added to their academy ranks.

He swapped west London for Munich in July 2019 and made his competitive bow for Bayern 11 months later.

On June 20, 2020, Musiala became the youngest player to represent Bayern in the Bundesliga aged 17 years and 115 days, with his first goal arriving in September.

He has since gone on to become the youngest goalscorer in the Champions League, having netted in the 4-1 last-16 win over Lazio, and is expected to see more minutes over the remainder of the campaign.

Why did Musiala choose to play for Germany?

The youngster found himself in a position where he could pick between three nations.

He qualified for Germany through birth, represented England at youth levels after setting up home there and was eligible for Nigeria through his father.

A big decision regarding international allegiance was placed on young shoulders, with Musiala declaring in February that he would be committing to Germany.

He told The Athletic: “I’ve thought about this question a lot. What is best for my future? Where do I have more chances to play?

"In the end, I just listened to the feeling that over a long period of time kept telling me that it was the right decision to play for Germany, the land I was born in. Still, it wasn’t an easy decision for me.”

Further reading

Chippa United attacking midfelder Kurt Lentjies says they are treating their upcoming clash with Orlando Pirates like a cup final. 

The Chilli Boys stretched their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions when they drew 0-0 with Cape Town City in a PSL clash on Wednesday.

Lentjies and his teammates have now turned their attention to their league encounter with Pirates which is set to be played at Port Elizabeth.  

"We are looking forward to Saturday's clash against Orlando Pirates," Lentjies told the club's media department on Thursday. 

"We played Cape Town City in back to back matches. Now we are facing Pirates. It is tough fixtures, but we know that there are tough fixtures in the PSL."

"From a tactical aspect, we will analyse them and see what we can do. I am sure the technical team has done some research on them." 

The experienced player indicated that they will be ready to settle for a draw against a Pirates at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. 

"It is very important. Every game for us is like a cup final. So, we are halfway through the season already," he said. 

"So, obviously every fixture we have to pick up the points whether we draw or win. Those points are important to us."

The ageing player has played just six matches in the league this season and he is hungry for more game time under coach Dan Malesela. 

"I haven't played as much as I want to, but it is normal I have to understand. Yeah, I am working hard and I show what I can do and my quality," he added. 

"Obviously, I back myself in everything that I do. It is up to the coach to decide if he wants to play me or not. That is totally up to him."

Chippa will be seeking revenge against Pirates, who claimed a 1-0 win over the Chilli Boys in the first round league game at Orlando Stadium in December 2020.

The last time Chippa defeated Pirates was in May 2016 as two goals from Joseph Molangoane and Buyani Sali inspired the Chilli Boys to a 2-0 win in a league game in Port Elizabeth. 

Ola Aina believes Fulham can get the much-needed result when the Cottagers take on Tottenham Hotspur in Thursday’s Premier League fixture.

Unbeaten in their last five games, Scott Parker’s men take on Jose Mourinho’s men who still nurse the ambition of earning a Champions League spot despite losing five of their last seven English topflight games.

Victory for Fulham at the Craven Cottage would take them off the relegation zone. And the 24-year-old wing-back is upbeat that his side can return unscathed if they ‘play well’.

“They’re a good team,” Aina told FFCtv. “We’ve done our homework and we go into the game with confidence.

“We know that if we play well and stick to our guns then we can hopefully get a result.

“Last time [we played Spurs] the game was really rushed but we still managed to put in a performance, so now the game isn’t rushed, and everyone has had time to prepare, it should be a really good game.

“It’s going to be a challenge for them as well as we’ve shown over the past few weeks and months that we’re a good side, and a team to be reckoned with.”

Echoing this optimism is manager Parker who stated that previous results against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Spurs would boost their confidence.

“It is an unpredictable season and there’s been some crazy results. I think we can get results. I firmly believe we can give anyone a game,” the Englishman said.

“The previous results against Spurs and Liverpool give us confidence. The form table gives me confidence in my team.

“Spurs at any given moment can be out of form but they can come straight back into it.

“I had a conversation with Jose back in December, we’ve been given enough time to prepare for this one so we’re all good!”

After their tie against Spurs, Fulham travel to the Anfield Stadium to try the Reds for size before hosting Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Since joining the Premier League side from Serie A’s Torino on loan, Aina has been a constant figure in Parker’s squad – featuring in 22 league games with two goals to his credit.

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena says they were expecting “extreme conditions” in Lubumbashi ahead of Saturday’s Caf Champions League Group B showdown against Tout Puissant Mazembe but is happy the environment is favourable to them.

Sundowns arrived in the DR Congo on Wednesday and intensified their preparations for the match.

The Brazilians are in Lubumbashi as they try to keep a 100 percent record in this group after winning their two opening games.

“The travelling was okay, pretty decent infact as we had an early flight to Lubumbashi,” Mokwena told Sundowns’ media.

“Fortunately the environment with regards to the weather conditions has been suitable for us perfectly because it was overcast with a little bit of light showers which is good. We were expecting extreme conditions with high levels of heat.

“So it is good for us and also get some form of activation for the body by proper training in the next two days before the match. We did some injury-prevention work so far.”

While appearing to ease the pressure off his Sundowns players, Mokwena says TP Mazembe are the desperate side between the two sides.

The five-time former African champions are yet to pick maximum points or score goals in this group after recording identical 0-0 draws against CR Belouizdad and Al Hilal.

“They [TP Mazembe] push the wingers and full-backs very high but they can also be very conservative and sit on a block to play on the counter because they have very fast players upfront,” said Mokwena.

“So it will be very interesting to see what sort of approach they adopt particularly because they need the three points more than us.

“They are an interesting team. Very good and defensively very strong. We have watched their last three matches, they played the derby [last Sunday against Lubumbashi rivals Saint Eloi Lupopo]. They also played Al Hilal and Belouizdad.

“So in relation to what we have seen we know that they play 4-4-1-1. It will be very interesting because we still have to tactically activate ourselves and make sure that we are ready for a team that has very complex personalities and very aggressive.”

Sundowns have previously faced TP Mazembe five times, winning thrice, including the 2017 Caf SuperCup final, and losing on two occasions.

Nemanja Matic is looking for Manchester United to start taking a few risks in their bid to end a barren run in front of goal that has now reached 285 minutes.

Three full games have come and gone since the Red Devils last found the target, with nobody in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad troubling the scorers since Bruno Fernandes converted a 75th-minute penalty at Newcastle on February 21.

Blanks have been drawn against Real Sociedad, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

What has been said?

Matic told United’s official website following the stalemate at Selhurst Park: “It’s hard to explain, but I think that we have to do much better in these sorts of games, especially to create more opportunities, to risk more in their half, around their box.

“Crystal Palace were very solid at the back. Their midfield dropped in a bit so it was very difficult to break through. We have to give credit to them, but we know what we have to do. We need to do better in attack. We know these are games we have to win.”

Next up for Manchester United

The next opportunity for the Red Devils to get back on the goal trail will see them take on arch-rivals Manchester City.

Solskjaer’s men are due at Etihad Stadium on Sunday for a contest that presents them with a chance to end the Citizens’ 21-game winning run in all competitions.

United have their own 21-game sequence to preserve, having gone that many matches unbeaten away from home, and have picked up nine clean sheets on their travels this season in all competitions.

Matic added: “I think we defended well as a team, all 11 players. We need to take some positives; we didn’t concede a goal, we got a point.

“During the season, there are periods where you score lots of goals, and you have some periods where you concede some goals, but you need to break that barrier in the next game, if it is possible.

“We have to be focused for the next game because everyone knows we have Manchester City to play. [It’s a] big game and big challenge for us and we want to get three points to see where we are.”

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