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In-form Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva has “heard rumours” linking him with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid and has speculated on what his possible asking price could be.

The Portugal international has 20 goals to his name this season in just 23 appearances, to go with the 16 he hit in 2019-20 after moving to Germany on an initial loan agreement.

His exploits have not gone unnoticed, and the 25-year-old is embracing the speculation that surrounds him.

What has been said?

Silva has told O Jogo of the transfer talk he is generating: “I’ve heard rumours, but that is it. Rumours are rumours. At the end of this season, it’s something that gives me more motivation to work, it’s a sign that what I have accomplished has borne fruit and the path has been good.”

How much could Silva be worth?

Eintracht got a bargain when snapping Silva up from AC Milan, with it reported that they paid just €9 million (£8m/$11m) in order to get a permanent deal done.

The Portuguese forward had flopped in Italy with 10 goals in 41 appearances, but his reputation has been rebuilt in the Bundesliga.

Transfer fees have started to drop across the board amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and it remains to be seen what Silva would cost on the open market.

Asked to set his own price, the ex-Porto prodigy joked: “Around €105 million (£91m/$126m)?”

He added: “I’m kidding. I think I heard €30m (£26m/$36m) and something somewhere. When we sell our merchandise, we always increase the value a little bit.

“Things are as they are and, whatever happens around us, the most important thing is to look at me and what I can do.”

The bigger picture

There appears to be little space for Silva at Manchester United and Atletico Madrid at present, but that situation could change.

The Red Devils have Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani battling to lead their line, while Luis Suarez has shown no sign of slowing down in Spain after leaving Barcelona for Wanda Metropolitano.

Any exits from the respective squads of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Diego Simeone could see space open up for Silva, with both managers being urged to get long-term No 9 options onto their books.

Further reading

AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems has cautioned his players to play for 90 minutes after a poor second-half in their FKF Premier League match against Kakamega Homeboyz on Sunday.

The two teams met at Bukhungu Stadium in a Western Derby, and Ingwe managed to seal a 2-1 win after goals from Clyde Senaji and their top scorer Elvis Rupia, while Allan Wanga scored for the hosts in the 57th minute.

Despite bagging the derby bragging rights, the Belgian tactician, who registered his second win since taking over at the Den, has told Goal he was not impressed with the team’s second-half display as his players switched off and allowed Homeboyz into the game.

“You know this time we played very well the first 45 minutes, we really used the first half very well and played some good football, but I am not satisfied with the second half,” Aussems told Goal.

“In the second half we were only thinking to defend, even when we were not in trouble, but we need to keep the ball always, we need to be able to manage the tempo of the game and in the second half I am disappointed we didn’t manage to do it, we need to play for 90 minutes and not switch off.

“Fortunately, we made the difference in the first half, and I also thank my goalkeeper for making two very good saves, so first half it was very good, our plans, our intentions worked and even the playing style was superb but in the second half we put ourselves under pressure.

"I know I have a young team but when we are under pressure, we need to handle that effectively.”

Ingwe dominated the derby from the first whistle with Senaji, who is in talks with the club as he seeks to terminate his contract, scored the opener in the 10th minute after he launched a fierce strike in the 18-yard area that David Juma in Homeboyz’s goal could not stop.

In the 28th minute, Rupia scored to extend AFC Leopards' lead in a match attended by a large number of their supporters. Marvin Nabwire did well to collect the ball in midfield, put it on Rupia's path and the striker launched his trademark shot that Juma stood little chance to stop.

Wanga then scored for the hosts in the 57th minute as he ended up denying his former side a clean sheet.

Ingwe have now collected 25 points from the 12 matches played and they are placed fourth on the table. The 13-time champions have won eight games, drawn one, and lost three. They have scored 17 goals and conceded nine.

On the other hand, Homeboyz are 13th on the table with 15 points from the 13 games they have played. 

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has allayed fears of a serious injury to goalkeeper Denis Onyango who played just the first half of Sunday’s Caf Champions League match against CR Belouizdad in Dar es Salaam.

Onyango was replaced by Zambian Africa Cup of Nations winner Kennedy Mweene, who guarded goal for the rest of the match.

The injury happened ahead of Uganda’s Afcon qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Malawi.

“We don’t think it is a very serious injury because it is just a bruise. They stepped on him it’s not like he twisted an ankle or anything like that,” Mngqithi told the media.

“So we are hopeful that we will have some little bit of days before the next match and he will be able to help us.

"We don’t think it’s a serious injury. When I saw him walking on the pitch after the game I felt a little bit better, so we are hopeful he will be back soon.

"One must mention that Kennedy came in with his experience and plugged the hole, it never looked like we were shaky when he got in.”

With the match being played in neutral Dar es Salaam, Mngqithi feels Sunday's conditions favoured them and they felt at home.

“We knew we were playing against a very good team but we wanted to put our first foot forward and force them to defend because,” continued Mngqithi.

“We did feel that we have better conditions physically. The atmosphere favoured us a little bit because we are coming from high altitude and we are used to playing in the afternoon while they are not used to that."

The Algerians went down as early as the third minute when defender Chouiab Keddad received a red card.

That made them play with a numerical disadvantage for 87 minutes, which Mngqithi welcomed.

“So we wanted to push them first and it worked because very early in the game they committed a very big error and we were able to capitalise on that," Mngqithi added

"But one must also say we were assisted by the fact that they got a red card very early in the game which I would want my players to learn from. I still believe had that defender decided to let the ball go on, they would have still remained with a good number.

“They would have had a fighting chance in the game but unfortunately we were numerically superior I felt that we took that to our heads and we did not apply ourselves fully. We resorted to more ball possession instead of fighting to penetrate.”

Chelsea may have been spared by the intervention of VAR in their Premier League meeting with Manchester United, but Andreas Christensen admits to still hating the handball rule in modern football.

Callum Hudson-Odoi was let off the hook at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after referee Stuart Attwell was asked to review a first-half incident on a pitch-side monitor.

He determined that there had been no infringement in a coming together between Hudson-Odoi and Red Devils forward Mason Greenwood, despite protests from the visitors, and Christensen remains bemused as to why questions were asked in the first place.

What has been said?

The Danish defender has told Chelsea’s official website on the back of an eventful 0-0 draw: “I saw it and from my view it was their player [Greenwood] that touched it with the hand.

“I don’t know why they had to check it because it was quite obvious.

“I’m a defender so I hate that [handball] rule. If it wasn’t on purpose by either of them I think we should just leave it, especially when it’s not on goal, just in between two players not going anywhere.”

Why was there so much controversy?

The action in west London was stopped long after the incident in question had taken place, with Attwell forced to wait for a break in play before following up on instructions from Stockley Park.

He quickly determined that no penalty should be awarded, but players from both teams were in his ear during that decision-making process when they should have been nowhere near the screen.

United defender Luke Shaw then fanned the flames afterwards when claiming to have been told by Harry Maguire that the match officials had been keen to avoid another moment of controversy.

He told Sky Sports: “If it's not going to be a penalty, l don't think they needed to stop the game.

“The ref even said to H [Maguire] that if I say it is a pen then it is going to cause a lot of talk afterwards. H got told it was a penalty.

“I don't understand why the game is stopped. It's confusing with VAR.”

Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also got in on the act, pointing a finger of blame in the direction of Chelsea’s in-house media team when he said: “It’s all this outside influences, VAR talk before the game on Harry, cheeky when they put that on the website. That’s influencing referees. 

“You can read what they’re saying about Harry Maguire and putting pressure on referees to give penalties against us.

“We’ve seen there was a manager, was it Frank [Lampard], that started it. Loads of talk about us getting penalties when there’s no doubt, and of course today we should’ve had a penalty.”

The bigger picture

Handball rules in the Premier League have been tweaked on a regular basis.

Gone are the days when an infringement had to be “intentional” in order for a spot-kick to be awarded.

Any touch of the ball with a hand was penalised in 2019-20 and early on this season, with some contentious decisions made by on-field referees and VAR teams.

An “unnatural position” is now the buzz phrase when it comes to handball calls, although even that continues to cause confusion and contradiction among players, coaches and officials.

Further reading

Former Nigeria youth coach John Obuh has advised African footballers to always ask questions before taking any substances while on international duty.

Obuh spoke to Goal concerning the alarming number of doping incidents involving African stars, after Mali duo Sekou Koita and Mohamed Camara were handed three-month bans by Uefa in February.

RB Salzburg disclosed that the duo had taken altitude sickness drugs while on international duty last November which contained a substance banned by the European football body.

Earlier in February, Cameroon and Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana was banned for 12 months after he took medication prescribed for his spouse, and a banned substance was found in his urine sample after an out-of-competition drugs test in October.

Onana has rejected the ban and he is ready to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but Koita and Camara accepted their punishment.

Obuh, in his counsel, urged footballers to shun drugs and he also pointed out that the punishment, after serving it, might be a cause of shame throughout a player's career.

“Everything has its own disadvantages,” Obuh told Goal.

“It is not easy for any player to take any substances given to them by the Federation because most of these young players are so scared that they don't want to speak out, but if it were to be any player that's coming from abroad, that's of African origin, I'm sure the player will ask what that thing is, they don't just take anything.

"All these unnecessary energy drinks floating everywhere, they could also result in a positive test if they contain any banned substances.

“They just need to be very careful and players should ask questions too, talk to medical personnel and their parents. If they ban the player for two or three years now, the stigma is already on him because it will be in his head that Fifa or Uefa banned him some time ago.”

The former Nigeria U17 and U20 coach went further to cite examples of situations he had encountered while on international assignments, including age-cheating.

He continued: “It's a general thing that I have seen in most of the competitions I've attended, but because you asked with respect to African players I want to believe that Africans generally are strong enough except if the person is playing above his age category.

"Most of the time when you declare you can't perform optimally that's when you see most of them taking enhancement drugs. Even when you succeed, you will still have the feeling of cheating.

“I have seen a situation where somebody cheated of his age but could not break into the team because the age was lower, and by the time he had to wait for the signing, he was already clocking 30.

"You can imagine the difference if at 30 years, he is playing against 18-year-olds.”

Ruben Dias admits, with Manchester City on a run of 20 consecutive wins in all competitions, they stand to be their own “worst enemy” in their relentless pursuit of major silverware.

Pep Guardiola’s side, who edged out West Ham in their latest outing, have pulled 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Having seen their Catalan boss make the worst start to a season in his distinguished coaching career, the path now appears to have been cleared for the Citizens to ease their way over the line.

What has been said?

Dias, who has been a revelation at Etihad Stadium since making his move from Benfica in the summer of 2020, is wary of allowing complacency to set in, telling CityTV: “We will just continue on the same track which is one game at a time. Now, we are looking forward to the next one and nothing else.

“The worst enemy we can have is ourselves, we have just got to keep the right mentality and keep going.”

How many trophies can City win this season?

An unprecedented quadruple remains on the cards for Guardiola’s side in 2021.

City have made a habit of re-writing the record books under their highly-rated manager, and more history is there to be shot at.

Alongside a dominant display in the English top-flight, they have also booked a place in a fourth successive Carabao Cup final.

Everton are set to be faced in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, while a 2-0 lead has been established in their Champions League last-16 showdown with Borussia Monchengladbach after the first leg.

Who were the last side City failed to beat?

The Blues’ remarkable winning run stretches back to December 15, 2020. They were held that day to a 1-1 draw at home to West Brom.

City’s unbeaten run stretches back even further, with defeat avoided in their last 27 games.

Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham got the better of Guardiola’s star-studded side in north London on November 21.

City, with important goals being delivered from all over the field at present, have another busy week approaching as they prepare to face Wolves on Tuesday and arch-rivals Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Further reading

Zoo FC suffered their eighth Football Kenya Federation Premier League game by a solitary goal against Wazito FC at Bukhungu Stadium on Monday. 

Erick Otieno's early strike was what the Nairobi-based team needed to secure maximum points. 

The hosts started the match on a high hoping to get a positive result against the bottom-placed team.

The Francis Kimanzi-led charges scored after just five minutes. The goal came from new signing Erick Otieno who capitalised on an inch-perfect pass from Whyvonne Isuza.

In the 17th minute, the Tea Leaves Farmers would have conceded the second owing to poor defending. Musa Masika managed to get the ball in a good area and set Isuza through who narrowly missed the target. 

10 minutes later, it was Ali Abondo's chance to miss a sitter after good work by Masika once again.

Wazito had themselves to blame for not getting more goals in the first 45 minutes.

Even after the break, it was the hosts who had chances of scoring but the likes of Dennis Ng'ang'a and Kevin Kimani failed to capitalise on the opportunities.

Vincent Oburu came closest in the 75th minute but was denied by Vincent Misikhu who pulled a double save to ensure his team did not concede the second. At the end of the 90 minutes, it was Wazito who walked home with maximum points.

It was a much-needed result for Wazito who had collected a point from the last two matches. They first fell by a solitary goal to Tusker FC before drawing 1-1 with Mathare United.

After the win, Wazito remain in sixth-placed on the table with 24 points from 13 games while Zoo are at the bottom with just three points from 11 games.

Wazito FC XI: Levis Opiyo, Rooney Onyango, Dennis Ng'ang'a, Johnstone Omurwa, Maurice Ojwang, Fidel Origa, Kevin Kimani, Musa Masika, Whyvonne Isuza, Erick Otieno, Ali Abondo

Subs: Bixente Lizarazu, David Otieno, Michael Owino, Vincent Oburu, John Ongoro, Brian Musa, Bernard Ochieng, Boniface Omondi, Amos Asembeka

Zoo FC XI: Vincent Misikhu, Pascal Ogweno, Alex Onchwari, Patrick Matini, Dominic Ouma, Geoffrey Gichana, Kepha Ondati, Sammy Ggolola, Mathew Tayo, Collins Odhiambo, Castro Likhanga.

Subs: Brian Lumumba, George Otieno, Dennis Obonyo, Godfrey Ouma, Dennis Ongeri, Ernest Kipkoech, Danson Kiprono

Dele Alli "shouldn't be left to rot" at Tottenham according to Peter Crouch, who has urged the midfielder to consider a summer move.

Alli had to make do with a place among the substitutes during Spurs' 4-0 win over Burnley on Sunday, despite his stellar display in the Europa League against Wolfsberger three days earlier.

The 24-year-old has struggled for regular minutes under Jose Mourinho this season, and Crouch thinks he could end up letting his talents go to waste if he stays in north London.

What was said?

"I was at Tottenham last Wednesday and I thought Alli was superb. He had a glint in his eyes, he looked hungry and a class above," the former Tottenham striker told the Daily Mail. "Yes, he was playing opponents who were average but his quality shone through and it was a reminder of how good he can be.

"So I could understand why he would have been frustrated yesterday. He hasn't featured in nine of Tottenham's Premier League squads this season and that is too much absence for a player of his class.

"He shouldn't be left to rot, he shouldn't have a career that is just drifting aimlessly. 

"We aren't privy to what is happening behind closed doors and we have to respect why Jose Mourinho is making these calls, but I expect Dele would have been totally deflated at being on the bench against Burnley.

"Gareth Bale looked like the Gareth Bale we all know against Burnley. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were on fire, too. If you add Dele into that equation, you have a front four who are as exciting as anything in the country. I hope he gets another chance."

Who has Alli been linked with?

Alli was tipped to leave Tottenham during the January transfer window, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid touted as possible next destinations for the playmaker.

PSG reportedly tried to bring in Alli on an initial short-term loan deal, which would have seen him reunite with ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino at Parc des Princes, but a final deal never came to fruition.

The bigger picture

Alli's current contract at Tottenham is not due to expire until 2024.

He produced a lively display when he came on in the second half of the victory over Burnley, which may well have boosted his chances of earning a rare start when Spurs take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in midweek.

Alli could still play an important role in the club's ongoing bid for silverware with Mourinho likely to rotate his squad amid a packed fixture schedule which includes a Carabao Cup final date with Manchester City and Europa League last 16 clash with Dinamo Zagreb.

Further reading

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been arrested as part of a fresh investigation into ‘Barcagate’ at Camp Nou, Goal can confirm.

Cadena SER broke the news on Monday that former members of the Catalan club’s board had been taken into custody following a raid on offices by regional police officers.

That process started in the early hours with a request for all relevant documentation to be passed over by Barca employees and for material relating to the long-running case to be seized by authorities.

What has happened?

Alongside Bartomeu, Goal has learned that three other arrests have been made at this stage.

Chief Executive Officer of the club, Oscar Grau, former adviser to the presidency Jaume Masferrer, and head legal counsel Roman Gomez Ponti have also been arrested.

Catalan police are said to have left offices at Camp Nou on Monday morning after carrying out a search and headed to the home of Bartomeu.

What is Barcagate?

Bartomeu’s administration has been accused of paying PR company I3 to oversee online work for the club.

It is alleged that I3 were paid to clear up Bartomeu’s image, as he came under fire from a disgruntled fan base, while disparaging the reputation of a number of current and former players – including Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Xavi.

A year has passed since reports of wrongdoing on the part of Barca board members first surfaced.

Barca and I3 were quick to refute the allegations and an audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that no defamatory campaigns had been launched any against individual.

Links between the Liga giants and I3 were broken off, but police forces have continued to look into the matter.

They first raided offices at Camp Nou in June 2020 and have now returned to step up their investigation.

All of those at the centre of the allegations are innocent until proven otherwise.

When did Bartomeu leave?

Bartomeu stepped down from his role at Camp Nou on October 27, 2020.

He was the subject of a vote of no confidence from club supporters, with the decision taken to walk away before he was ousted from a prominent position.

No successor has been elected as yet, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic causing problems for sporting institutions around the world.

Barca are, however, hoping to get a new figurehead in place on March 7, with Joan Laporta, Victor Font and Toni Freixa the three remaining candidates left in the running to fill a vacant presidential post.

Further reading

Uganda U20 head coach Morley Byekwaso has stated winning their Africa Cup of Nations games has become part of their DNA ahead of the semi-final clash against Tunisia.

The Hippos will entertain the North Africans on Monday in the second semi-final and Byekwaso is confident of his team's capability to see the penultimate opponents off and reach the final.

"We have come a long way to this stage," Byekwaso said as was quoted by the Fufa website. "Believing in ourselves and working together as a team has been key to our progress.

"Winning games at this level have now become part of our DNA and we hope to put up a strong fight against Tunisia to qualify for the final."

Although the KCCA assistant head coach is aware of how difficult the contest would be, he has pegged his hopes on the preparations they have had.

"Any team at this level can win the championship. We respect our opponents but we are more than ready to face any strong side on the continent," Byekwaso added.

Initially, Byekwaso had pointed out Cameroon's 1-0 loss as their best game so far and how it helped their course in the junior tournament.

“For me, our best game was against Cameroon which we narrowly lost," he said.

"That motivated us so much and it was the driving factor for us. It motivated us to know that we can actually match some of the best nations in this tournament.

“For us, it was all about a dream to come here and play with some of the superpowers in African football. But we had our strategy and we knew how to play. We trust in ourselves and we have that belief that we can make it."

The U20 captain Gavin Kizito said they will offer strong performances in order to make history in a tournament they are debuting in.
"We want to keep playing well as we continue making history. We are a strong force because of the bonding in the team," said the starlet. "The next match is very important as we want to perform well."

After scoring four goals in open play, Tunisia are expected to give Uganda's forward line a tougher challenge. The defence that has conceded two in four matches is also expected to be on top form when tacking their semi-final opponents.

Tunisia entered the knockout stage as one of the two best-placed third teams after they had lost a group match against the Central African Republic.

The Tunisians had to see of their North African rivals Morocco via the spot-kicks in the quarter-final to book a date with the Cecafa nation. Ghana and the Gambia will face off in the first semi-final in Nouakchott.

Thomas N'Kono’s legendary career has made him an inspiring figure for African goalkeepers and one of the most respected and beloved shot-stoppers for all in Spanish, African and world football.

He even inspired a living legend like Gianluigi Buffon, who watched on aged 12 at the 1990 World Cup in Italy and who found an idol to follow.

The two have a great relationship these days.  

Sharing an anecdote about the Italian, N'Kono recalled: “I remember when Buffon was starting out at Parma and was at the 1998 World Cup in France.

“I came across Buffon with Patrick M'Boma and he told me ‘this is the future goalkeeper of the Italian national team’.”

Cameroon and Italy were both drawn in Group B, with Italy winning the match between them 3-0 in Montpellier.

“So, I asked him ‘will you come to my testimonial?’ and Buffon replied by saying that he would love to. I thought it was a joke, though, and didn’t think he would come,” N’Kono recalled.

“Later, we played Italy in the World Cup and I repeated the question of ‘are you coming to my testimonial, then?’ and he said again that he would, but that I should ask his club if he could come.

“He then signed for Juventus and I sent an invitation to the club, but I never received a reply,” he continued. “The day that we were set to travel to Cameroon for the testimonial match, he called me just before the flight. ‘I’m in Paris’, he told me. ‘What do you mean you’re in Paris?’ I replied and he said ‘yes, I’m coming to your match’.

“I drove to the other airport to find him and that’s how we both went together to my match in Cameroon. From there, a great friendship was born.

“When he became a father, he named his son Louis Thomas after me. He never told me that and I found out through the press, which was a great surprise and something I’ll always be grateful for.”

Curiously, even 20 years after that testimonial, the two players are still active in the world of football…and very active, with N’Kono working in a coaching capacity at Espanyol and Buffon still active.  

“I’ve told Buffon that he needs to have his testimonial soon because I need to go to it and take to the pitch, even if just for two minutes!” N'Kono joked.

Those couple of minutes would be N'Kono’s last footballing act in front of the cameras, while he’ll keep sharing his wisdom away from the lenses at RCD Espanyol. 

David de Gea has admitted that Manchester United must do more to win trophies after their stalemate with Chelsea.

United lost more ground on Premier League leaders Manchester City after being held to a 0-0 draw by the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are now 12 points off the pace in second, with De Gea sceptical about their chances of picking up major silverware come May.

What was said?

“I think that the draw is fine, but if we want to do something good and we want to win trophies and win the league, we have to beat these teams,” the Spanish goalkeeper told MUTV.

“We didn’t have many chances; we didn’t create too much. I think the last pass was what we missed. We created good counterattacks, but at the end, the last pass wasn't the best option, but at least we defended really well.

“They [Chelsea] didn’t have many chances. They had a couple of chances, but the team was strong. We gave everything but it wasn't enough, to be honest.”

United's record against 'Big Six' in 2020-21

United were thrashed 6-1 by Tottenham at Old Trafford in the first of their meetings with one of the 'Big Six' this season, which seemed to spark a change in tactics from Solskjaer.

The Red Devils were far more conservative during a 0-0 draw with Chelsea and a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the same venue, and that trend has continued through to the new year.

Stalemates against City, Liverpool and Arsenal were recorded between December and January, with United still on the lookout from their first goal in open play against their main rivals after seven attempts.

What's next?

Solskjaer must now pick his players up ahead of a midweek clash with Crystal Palace, which comes four days before a derby encounter against City at the Etihad Stadium.

De Gea added on the importance of those fixtures: “Win the next game and then we play against them [City], so let's see if we can beat them and we can be closer to them, because now they are winning games, they are playing well, and now the gap is bigger.

"It's not easy. But this is the Premier League; we want to give everything until the last game and fight to be as high as we can."

Further reading

Simba SC have been tipped to succeed in the Caf Champions League because they have invested a lot in their squad.

The club’s CEO Barbara Gonzalez has revealed the only thing that can bring success to football is real investment and they are doing exactly that to improve the Tanzanian outfit.

Gonzalez was speaking in regards to Simba’s good run in the Champions League where they have won their first two group matches.

Simba started their campaign in Group A with a 1-0 away win against AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and returned home to beat African champions Al Ahly 1-0 and go top of the group with a maximum of six points.

“If you invest in football you succeed quite easily without even worrying, there is no trickery or short-cuts in football,” Gonzalez said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“In order to do well in international competitions you have to have a team with the best players and a great coach, that’s what we have done as Simba, we have invested money in players and we are already successful, you can see it on the results we are posting.

“We have worked hard to bring in quality signings, we have worked hard to make sure we have a technical bench with all the required coaches, fitness, speed, and endurance, and I know we are still working hard to improve on where we have not touched.”

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi have moved to beef up their squad with Zimbabwean forward Perfect Chikwende, Taddeo Lwanga, Peter Muduhwa, and Junior Lokosa among the new players who were signed in order to boost the club as they pursue their Champions League dream.

The team also moved to hire Frenchman Didier Gomez Da Rosa to handle the side, and this came immediately after the team lost Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck, who left after guiding them to the group stages of the competition.

Simba’s next match in the group will see them visit Al Merrikh of Sudan on March 6 before they return to Dar es ‘Salaam to face the same team in their second-round fixture.

Fulham have "no fear' of Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City ahead of a tough run of Premier League fixtures, insists Joachim Andersen.

The Cottagers extended their recent unbeaten run to five matches after a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday, which leaves them just three points adrift of 17th placed Newcastle in the battle to avoid relegation.

Scott Parker's men will now prepare to face three of the traditional "big six" over the next fortnight, starting with Spurs at Craven Cottage on Thursday, and Andersen is confident that they can spring a surprise.

What was said?

"It is not the end of the world, we need to continue and I am sure we will take a lot of points," the Danish defender told Fulham’s official website. "We are really difficult to beat.

"There is no need to show fear, we know and we have showed all season that no matter who we are playing we can show a good performance. Last time we played them I feel we could have won so let's go win on Thursday.

"We should have won by two or three goals [against Palace]. It is really frustrating but again a really positive performance and something we need to build on. We have to believe the goals will come and they will."

Parker's outlook

Fulham's head coach echoed Andersen's sentiments while highlighting the Tottenham game as a big opportunity for his side to close the gap on Newcastle even further.

"I see points coming from the next game," said Parker. "I believe in this team and the team believes as well. I believe we can beat Spurs. We can go into the Thursday game and cause them problems."

The bigger picture

The general consensus on Fulham this season is that Parker has got them heading in the right direction, with only a lack of cutting edge in the final third preventing them from rising up the table.

The Cottagers have been well organised and difficult to beat in recent times, having only conceded one goal in their last five games, and the January loan signing of Josh Maja from Bordeaux has given them a valuable extra option in the final third.

Fulham only have 12 games left to beat the drop and Tottenham, Liverpool and City will all be expected to beat the west London outfit, but they will surely put up a stern fight against all three teams.

Spurs have lost their last three matches on the road, while the Reds have lost four of their last five games, with City likely to provide the biggest test after a 20-match winning streak in all competitions.

Further reading

Gabriel Martinelli has been told what he must do in order to earn regular game time at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta looking for the Brazilian forward to make selection calls “difficult” for him.

The highly-rated teenager has been unable to do that as often as he would like this season, with further injury issues complicating matters for the 19-year-old.

He has been used sparingly in a disjointed 2020-21 campaign, with Arteta leaving the youngster as an unused substitute in the Gunners’ 3-1 win over Leicester.

What has been said?

Quizzed on whether Martinelli’s fitness record is holding him back, Arteta told reporters: “Well, he needs to keep working and making it difficult for us.

“He is a player that is going to give us a lot, but we need some time to find the right games for him and the right connections with him on the pitch so that he can do what he does best.

“But the way he is and the way he trains every day, he is going to be a really important player for us, no doubt.

“But, when you have many options, it is difficult when you look for certain qualities in certain games.”

How many games has Martinelli played this season?

The promising attacker saw his start to the 2020-21 campaign delayed by a long-term knee problem, which saw him miss 30 games for the Gunners, while calf and ankle injuries have been nursed since returning to the fold.

With others being given an opportunity to impress in his absence, Martinelli has been restricted to just eight appearances. Only five of those have come in the Premier League, with 211 minutes spent on the field.

He has not figured at all in the English top flight since being withdrawn at half-time in a 0-0 draw with Manchester United on January 30.

The bigger picture

Martinelli is still held in high regard at Emirates Stadium, but is having to prove himself all over again.

A debut campaign in England that delivered 10 goals through 32 outings hinted at big things, with comparisons drawn to Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

Backwards steps have been taken since then, but time is still very much on the side of a player who will be hoping to figure prominently in Arsenal’s top-four and Europa League challenges in the business end of 2020-21.

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave Daniel James "top marks" after Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Chelsea while claiming that the Blues "kicked him between pillar and post".

James played the full 90 minutes of Sunday's stalemate at Stamford Bridge, providing a constant threat for United with his pace and direct style of play.

Chelsea did not hold back in their challenges to try to halt his momentum, and Solskjaer was delighted by his reaction and general discipline throughout the contest.

What was said?

The Red Devils head coach told MUTV of James' performance: “He did really well. His defending, his pressing, his energy. What we asked for, he gave us.

"They kicked him between pillar and post, so top, top marks for him."

James' record for Man Utd in 2020-21

James made only his seventh Premier League start of the season against Chelsea, having seen the likes of Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford play ahead of him on the right wing.

The 23-year-old has featured in two more top-flight games as a substitute and has three goals to his name so far, with his remaining six outings all coming in cup competitions.

James has appeared once in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup respectively, while scoring twice in four European games, including one impressive solo effort in a 4-0 round-of-32 Europa League victory against Real Sociedad in February.

What's next?

James will be back in contention for a place in Solskjaer's line-up when United take in a trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in midweek.

The Red Devils will then start preparing for a crucial derby clash against league leaders Manchester City on March 7, which comes four days before their Europa League last-16 first-leg tie against AC Milan.

Further reading

Manchester United’s class of 2020-21 are more realistic title challengers than the “strange bunch of lads” that Jose Mourinho guided to second place in 2017-18, says Gary Neville.

The Red Devils were held to a goalless draw away at Chelsea in their latest Premier League outing, with stalemate at Stamford Bridge keeping them 12 points back on table-topping Manchester City.

However, Neville sees cause for optimism in a side that has gone 20 games unbeaten on the road.

What has been said?

“To actually go 20 games away from home needs applauding because it's hard to do that,” Red Devils legend Neville told Sky Sports. “What do you use to demonstrate teams that have got good character and personality? They're good away from home, they're good on set pieces, they look like they want to play with each other.

“That's why I think this Manchester United team is better suited than the one from two or three years ago under Jose Mourinho that finished second.

“I actually feel there's a better spirit. I think they've got a far better chance of winning the league in the next two or three years than they were under Jose a couple of years ago.

“I thought it was a strange bunch of lads, they just didn't seem to like each other. They didn't really appeal to me as a fan.

“I think they're going in the right direction. Whether they get there or not, that's another matter; we'll know in the future, but they're certainly going in the right direction.”

Can Man Utd win silverware this season?

The Premier League title appears destined to head for Etihad Stadium this season, with in-form City stretching their winning run to 20 games across all competitions.

They are also into the Carabao Cup final and last-16 of the Champions League, with a historic quadruple still a realistic target.

United though remain in the hunt for major silverware themselves and can bring a four-year barren run to a close.

They are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Leicester, and have booked a date with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s AC Milan in the last-16 of the Europa League.

How close are United to a title challenge?

Serious regression was endured by the Red Devils on the back of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, with the  Scot walking away after securing a 13th Premier League crown.

The patience shown in Solskjaer has United back on the right track and Neville believes they are closer to reaching the summit than the expensively-assembled Chelsea team that they shut out in west London.

He said: “I think United are nearer, I think Chelsea got some work to do on the defence; I think that there's some maturity in their players in attack – [Kai] Havertz, [Timo] Werner, [Christian] Pulisic, [Hakim] Ziyech - I think there are outstanding talents there, but they've all got to merge.

“I think [Marcus] Rashford is probably a little bit further ahead in his development; there's also [Edinson] Cavani, [Paul] Pogba, [Bruno] Fernandes, so I'd say United are just a touch further ahead, and they are in the league anyway, they're six points in front. So that's suggested by the league table.”

Further reading

Wazito FC head coach Francis Kimanzi has praised struggling Zoo FC ahead of the March 1 Football Kenya Federation Premier League tie at Bukhungu Stadium.

Zoo are winless in the league and are rock bottom of the 18-team side but Kimanzi has warned his players from looking at the club's season stats and consequently underrating their opponents.

"When competing and fighting for every match, it would be misleading to look at a team and judge them with the points they have. It is only that they have fewer points than us but that does not mean they are a weak team," Kimanzi said as was quoted by the club's Facebook page.

"They are still as strong as any other team in the league. Their points can mislead us and I hope our players are prepared psychologically to know that it is going to be another fight. They have fewer points, we have more points but that does not mean we are superior.

"They have done a lot of positive things and the only thing that is negative is that they have fewer points. But still, they are a good team. They are in the league. They will fight for wins because they have more games ahead and they will fight for a win in our match of course."

Kimanzi also looked back at the break they have enjoyed since drawing Mathare United 1-1. The former Harambee Stars head coach also lauded the players in how they tackled the Slum Boys despite registering the draw.

"First of all, the break has been a big plus for us and for that reason you do not expect us to come with the same kind of rhythm," the coach added.

"I saw we had little difficulties in the game despite having new faces in the group but I can say that the 1-1 draw was a fair result for us. We also did not make a lot of chances but that is credited to the slow start we had in the season.

"We still have the spirit despite scoring an own goal in that game and that is so encouraging, we still played our game and looked like the same team we were before."

The Nairobi club will host Zoo in Kakamega County and Kimanzi has said playing there should be motivation for the players.

"Playing away from home, although we are the host team at Bukhungu is a motivation for the players because that brings excitement since it is a new stadium as different people will come to watch them for the first time this season," he concluded. 

"That alone motivates the players even more."

On his part, defender Maurice Ojwang called for patience as the players seek to fight for far better results and make the fans happy.

"The fans should be patient because everything is going to be fine. I know they did not expect a draw in our last game but we must push hard in the game on Monday," Ojwang said.

"We need to make them happy at least but it is going to be fine because we will give them a win, let them not worry at all."