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Mamelodi Sundowns have been barred from entering Algeria ahead of their Caf Champions League Group B match against CR Belouizdad on Tuesday due to 'further medical restrictions' in the north African country.

Masandawana broke the news on Thursday night and were unhappy at the late timing of the notification, which came just as they were getting ready to depart South Africa.

The Pretoria club are to follow the issue up with the Confederation of African Football at midday on Friday.

Sundowns issued the following statement on the matter:

"Mamelodi Sundowns will not be travelling to Algeria for their CAF Champions League match against CR Belouizdad after receiving communication from CAF confirming that the match which was scheduled for Tuesday (23 February 2021), has been cancelled due to further medical restrictions in Algeria.

"The cancellation comes after the Algerian FA requested a postponement due to further medical restrictions in Algeria, whilst Mamelodi Sundowns were preparing for departure to Algeria.

"Mamelodi Sundowns had made all the necessary arrangements and acquired visas which were made available by the Algerian Embassy last week Friday (12 February 2021).

"By the time of receiving the communication from CAF earlier today, Mamelodi Sundowns was about to travel to the OR Tambo International Airport to catch a flight that would take them to Doha for a connecting flight to Algeria.

"CAF’s competitions division has advised that “The case will be submitted to CAF Organizing Committee for Inter-Club Competitions to take the necessary decision, which will be communicated to all concerned parties in due time”.

"Mamelodi Sundowns is disappointed with the timing of the communication and the way that this situation has unfolded today.

"The club will be discussing this matter with CAF tomorrow at 12h00 (CAT)."

The Brazilians, 2016 Champions League winners, began their Group B campaign last weekend with a 2-0 win over Sudan side Al-Hilal at Loftus Versfeld. Also in the group are DRC giants Tout Puissant Mazembe, who played to a 0-0 home draw against Belouizdad.

Kaizer Chiefs' opening Group C game against Wydad Casablanca was also postponed after they were denied Moroccan visas.

A subsequent attempt to play the match in Egypt has also failed.

NorthEast United wasted a chance to register a win and send out a statement of intent in the race for the top-four after a hard-fought encounter against Chennaiyin FC on Thursday. 

The match, which Chennaiyin nearly won, ended as a 3-3 draw with Luis Machado scoring an injury-time penalty to save the Highlanders' blushes but in hindsight, it could prove to be a crucial point in the team's campaign. 

It was an energetic start to the game and although Chennaiyin were already out of the playoff race, they truly put up a fight and played for their pride. Lallianzuala Chhangte, who ended the game with a brace, was their star on the night and his finishing and runs were top-notch and would have left head coach Csaba Laszlo wondering how Chennaiyin kept missing chances throughout the season. 

NorthEast United, with their eyes on a spot in the playoffs with more than a couple of teams waiting to pounce on any slip-up, had no plans to sit back and absorb pressure after Chhangte had opened the scoring. Their response was typical of the fight they have displayed under Khalid Jamil and they turned around the tie in no time. First, Imran Khan found the net from close-range off a Luis Machado cross to level the scores. 

Khalid Jamil missed Federico Gallego and his creative spark in the final third due to a niggle but the midfield remained tidy due to the work rate of Khassa Camara who was always the first to react to loose balls and launch attacks when such opportunities were present.

Such an attack following a period of pressure from Chennaiyin ended up with Khassa Camara finding Deshorn Brown with a long ball over the defence. The move reached one end to another in no time and Brown, who easily brushed Enes Sipovic aside with his upper-body strength, beat the keeper with a ferocious strike to give the Highlanders a 2-1 lead at the break. 

But as we have always witnessed, Chennaiyin are a side that always poses a threat in attack. It was then the Machans' stage to pull off a comeback. Right-back Ashutosh Mehta had a torrid and forgettable outing on the flanks against the pace and skillset of Chhangte and brought the winger down to concede a penalty minutes into the second half. He was also at fault for leaving Chhante free inside the box to score the opening goal.

After Lanzarote converted from the spot, Chhangte himself got on the scoresheet for his second goal of the night when he beat the keeper with a deflected strike after collecting Edwin's pass from the midfield. 

A point is always better than having nothing to a show for after full-time. Vishal Kaith, who had a brilliant game under the bar, fouled Idrissa Sylla and conceded a penalty which Machado stepped up and converted. A point also meant that there are three teams on 27 points which means if they all have the same tally at the end of the league stage, Hyderabad and FC Goa will go through to the knockout rounds due to their superiority in the mini-group that will be considered. A draw is a draw but the Highlanders may have complicated matters for themselves. 

For Chennaiyin it was yet another night of disappointment as Csaba Laszlo's side once again conceded late and dropped points. This was the club's 10th draw this season out of the 19 matches they have played so far.

Chennaiyin biggest issue this season was scoring goals as they had scored just 13 goals before the tie against NorthEast United. However, scoring wasn't a problem for them against the Highlanders but poor errors at the back allowed Highlanders to pick up a point. 

It is one of those seasons when nothing goes right for a team despite all their hard work on the pitch. Until Thursday's match it was Chennaiyin'ss attack that was letting them down. But on the day when the attack fired, the defence gave out.

It's not easy to succeed at a Kolkata club for any player, mainly due to the fanfare and the expectations of the huge fan bases which surround the clubs. Yet Manvir Singh has belied expectations to become an important cog for ATK Mohun Bagan in his maiden season with them this time around.

The 25-year-old striker announced his arrival in style at the Kolkata club with a goal in his first-ever Kolkata derby in what was only his second match for ATK Mohun Bagan. Singh had sealed the fate of the first-leg derby with a brilliant goal from a solo effort which made him an instant hit among the Green and Maroons loyalists. There could not have been a better start for any player in a Kolkata club.

Even after that goal, Manvir was initially used as an impact sub by Antonio Habas. However, as the season wore on, Habas started to incorporate the forward in the team's starting XI more regularly and in the last few matches, he has become an integral part of ATK Mohun Bagan's lethal attack, complimenting Roy Krishna, Marcelino and David Williams with aplomb.

Singh started his ISL journey at FC Goa in 2017-18. In the three seasons with the Gaurs, the forward played a total of 47 matches. Yet he started in only seven games. The then Goa coach Sergio Lobera used to utilise his vibrancy upfront mostly in the final quarter of the matches but he was hardly an important part of the Spanish coach's plans. In three seasons at Goa, Singh managed to score only three goals.

This season, his decision to join ATK Mohun Bagan, who had a strong attack, meant not many expected him to nail down a starting spot. However, it was a decision he would now cherish. While under Lobera, the India international was a mere 'super sub', Habas has moulded him well at ATK Mohun Bagan and is getting the best out of the player.

The ATK Mohun Bagan coach used to shape his team in a 3-5-2 formation at the initial stage of the season but that took away some of team's vibrancy upfront. With Manvir in his ranks, Habas could switch the formation to a 4-3-3 and even a 4-4-2 in the last few matches and it has been a hit so far.

Be it on the flanks in a 4-3-3 or in a 4-4-2, Manvir has shown consistency this season. This season, he started 10 games out of his 17 appearances and has already scored four goals, two out of which came against Odisha FC in a 4-1 win. A striker's confidence builds up once he starts scoring goals and the tie against Odisha FC proved to be the one such match for Manvir Singh. Since scoring a brace, which included a world-class goal, the Indian forward looks like a man filled with confidence. 

It is a huge advantage for coaches when Indians start delivering in key positions in attack and midfield. It allows the managers to play around with their squads and utilise their foreign signings effectively. In fact, Habas has so much trust in the Indian player that he didn't even hesitate to field only four foreign players against the Kalinga Warriors and still won the tie 4-1.

He has already doubled his goalscoring tally from last season and that is pretty much down to the consistent game time he has received apart from the trust of the coach. 

Scoring goals has a big problem for Indian strikers but Manvir's run of form will definitely be noted by Indian national team coach Igor Stimac. 

The striker has blossomed at the Kolkata club under Habas' tutelage and on Friday he would look forward to scoring once again against East Bengal and achieve the rare feat of scoring in consecutive Kolkata derbies in a season. 

Many a derby has given birth to a new hero or has elevated the status to mythical proportions. 

Jose Ramirez Barreto's run towards the corner flag after scoring with his eyes and arms pointing towards the heaven is part of Mohun Bagan's folklore. Sony Norde's Sten gun celebration after a stunning freekick in Siliguri which silenced the East Bengal crowd is a memorable moment cherished by the Mariners. Whereas, Edeh Chidi's four goals that helped Mohun Bagan put five-past East Bengal to exorcise the ghosts of 1975, put the Nigerian on a pedestal of reverence.

The time is ripe for Roy Krishna to inscribe his name into the hearts of the millions of Mohun Bagan faithful with a performance to remember on Friday evening when they face their archrivals in the Indian Super League (ISL). 

Krishna already has a goal against East Bengal in the previous meeting and was instrumental in the 2-0 victory in November. But this time the challenge is far more difficult. 

East Bengal looked a disjointed side, had no rhythm whatsoever and meekly surrendered in their debut ISL match to a well-drilled ATK Mohun Bagan team. But, during the course of the league. they have managed to forge an identity of their own. With the turn of the year, they grew in stature and one could even argue that if a couple of results had gone in their favour in the initial stages, they could well have been vying for a playoff spot. 

It will be an interesting battle between Danny Fox and Krishna. In this edition of ISL, only on a handful of occasions, the Bagan striker has struggled to make a mark and Fox must remain on his toes throughout the 90 minutes to keep a close check on the leading goal-scorer. 

It takes an inch for Krishna to make a difference and if the British defender is hard-pressed to remember the goal from the first leg, he can check with his compatriot Peter Hartley who must be still licking the wounds from the previous fixture. The Jamshedpur FC defender did a fair job for most of the match in keeping a check over the goal-poacher and yet Krishna had the last laugh as he went on to score the winner to the utter dismay of Hartley. 

The 34-year-old has been on a goal-scoring streak for the past five games and shows no signs of slowing down. Out of his 13 goals, seven of them have come in the last five matches. With Manvir Singh, Marcelinho and David Williams ably supporting him, Krishna should look to make it a night to remember. 

Given his heroics in India, he has already established himself as one of the greatest strikers to have graced the game. His brilliant figures of 28 goals in 38 matches have made the football aficionados take his name in the same breath with some of the greatest goalscorers to have played in the green and maroon shirt. There is little doubt that he is a fan favourite and if he manages to score a couple while steering his team to a potential league double, the Mariners will have another legend to boast and worship for the years to come.

Arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal lock horns in a crucial Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa, on Friday evening. 

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

ATK Mohun Bagan Possible XI:   

Injured - Michael Soosairaj, Edu Garcia
Doubtful - None  
Suspended - None  

Key Players - Roy Krishna, Tiri  
 

East Bengal Possible XI: 

Injured - None  
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Bright Enobakhare, Jaques Maghoma
 

MATCH PREVIEW

Other than bagging the bragging rights of the derby, ATK Mohun Bagan will also look to extend their lead at the top of the table with a win over their arch-rivals East Bengal.

The Mariners currently a clear two-point lead at the top over Mumbai City and win in the derby will take them inches closer to the ISL League Winners' Shield.

Antonio Habas' side are in a scintillating form at the moment as they have won their last four matches scoring 10 goals. Since Marcelinho has joined them in the January window, the Green and Maroons' strength upfront has increased manifold.

East Bengal, on the other hand, have only pride to play for in this derby as they are already out of the play-offs race. They will hope to avenge their defeat from the first leg and restore pride.

The Red and Golds' last derby win was back in January 2019 in the I-League. Since then the two sides have clashed thrice where the Mariners have emerged victorious twice and one game ended in a draw.

East Bengal also have grown in strength since Sarthak Golui and Sourav Das joined the team from Mumbai City and Raju Gaikwad retired to the starting lineup after a prolonged injury period.

An exciting battle is on the cards as the old foes come face to face one last time this season. Who comes out on top after an intense battle of 90 minutes?

Goal is proud to announce a content partnership with Persija Jakarta ace and Indonesia hopeful Marc Klok to further highlight its commitment to supporting local football.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has deprived Indonesian football fans of their beloved passion for nearly a year now after the 2020 Liga 1 campaign was postponed back in March 2020, before it was eventually cancelled altogether earlier this year.

Indonesian football remains at the forefront of Goal's coverage, though, with Liga 1 and its clubs and star players - such as Klok - an integral part of it, especially as we edge closer to the start of the 2021 season.

Klok joined Persija in January 2020 after previously impressing at PSM Makassar and is not only one of the league's high-profile names on the pitch, but is also regarded as a bit of a trailblazer in the industry with his entrepreneurial spirit off the pitch.

The midfielder - who acquired Indonesian nationality in November 2020 and is hopeful of making his debut for Merah Putih once international football resumes later this year - is one of the founders of sports equipment company Amplify and has also launched his own brand MK The Label . 

On top of that, Klok is in the process of launching a so-called Athlete Branding Hub, where the Amsterdam-native and his team will manage Asian athletes’ social media channels, personal branding and marketing opportunities.

As part of the partnership, the Persija star will be contributing a bi-weekly guest blog on Goal to give local football fans a unique look into the life of a professional footballer, with the 27-year-old set to launch his debut article on February 26.

"I’m striving to work together with big brands," Klok explained.

"So to announce my partnership with Goal is another big achievement. Stay tuned for amazing content!"

Additionally, Goal will be able to provide its readers with exclusive sneak peeks of Klok's innovative podcast "Marc Talks", a show where the former PSM Makassar midfielder discusses the challenges and obstacles in the life of a footballer with his peers.

Previous guests on the show - which is available on Spotify and Youtube - include Indonesia legend Bambang Pamungkas and promising youngster Bagus Kahfi among others.

Episodes will be made available in full on Goal's Facebook page and other social media channels, too.

Furthermore, as the 2021 season gets underway, Klok will be giving Goal a number of exclusive interviews during Persija's hunt for silverware, with  Macan Kemayoran  looking to add another Liga 1 title to their trophy cabinet following their most recent success in 2018.

Klok and Goal will also be exploring commercial opportunities to further expand both parties' footprint across Southeast Asia.

Even Steven Gerrard, a man well accustomed to European drama, needed to recuperate after his Rangers side came from behind to defeat Antwerp 4-3 in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Scottish club's turnaround from a 66th-minute deficit and an injury to captain James Tavernier was capped by a stoppage time penalty conversion from Borna Barisic.

With the Scottish Premiership essentially put away, Gerrard can devote full resources to Rangers' European fight.

What did Gerrard say about the comeback?

"I'm just waiting for the heart rate to come down!" Gerrard told BT Sport.

"It was a fantastic game for the neutral, I'm sure you all enjoyed it, but from a manager's point of view there's certainly a lot to analyse.

"Defensively we haven't been at it tonight, we haven't been at our very best, and we've conceded three goals.

"That's the second time at this level that we've done that so that tells me we've got a lot of work to do in terms of our organisation.

"But, listen, it's very difficult to win away from home in Europe.

"The experience of Scottish teams going out in Europe tells me that, it's very difficult to win that this level away from home.

He added: "I think over the course of the 90 minutes we deserved to win the game, we could have scored a few more goals.

"It's a crazy football match to analyse right now because it's only just finished but I think once I watch it back it will be proven that defensively we need to work a lot an improve a lot.

"But it shows that we have got character and a lot of quality in our team."

What is Tavernier's injury?

Tavernier left in the first half because of an apparent knee injury. Additionally, Kemar Roofe exited with a calf injury.

"James [Tavernier] never goes off the pitch," Gerrard told BT Sport. "So that worries me a bit ... but we'll look at both situations, we'll analyse them over the next couple of days and hopefully they're not as bad as first feared."

Further reading

Victor Osimhen was in action as Napoli lost 2-0 against Granada in the first leg round of 32 of their Europa League game on Thursday night.

The centre-forward was handed his 10th start of the season at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes but did not make much impact as his side lost against the Nasrids.

The Nigeria international teamed up with the Parthenopeans last summer on a club-record fee but has been struggling to justify the huge amount paid to Lille to secure his services, having only scored two goals and provided one assist since his arrival.

The forward has battled with injury, indiscipline and coronavirus problems in the campaign which have limited his playing time.

Osimhen spearheaded Napoli attack against the Nasrids but despite his effort, Napoli were unable to continue in the winning way after defeating Juventus last time out to end a three-game winless run.

Granada hit the ground running in the encounter, opening the scoring as early as the 18th minute through Yangel Herrera.

Kenedy then scored the second goal in the 21st minute which proved to be the strike that sealed the victory in the outing.

Napoli made several efforts in the second half to try and avoid defeat but Granada were able to hold on to their lead and secure the win.

Osimhen featured for the duration of the game for Napoli in his 15th appearance this season across all competitions.

The 22-year-old will hope to make a meaningful impact in the second leg scheduled for February 25 at Stadio San Paolo.

Before the Europa League outing against Granada, Osimhen will be expected to feature when the Parthenopeans take on Atalanta on February 21.

The forward remains a key member of the Nigeria national team and will be expected to feature in the Super Eagles’ 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in March.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed one of the easiest chances he'll ever find in Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw against Benfica, side-footing a first-half shot wide of an open net from just outside the six-yard box.

The Arsenal forward, who was also flagged offside on four occasions, knows his subpar performance could prove costly. The Gunners likely need to win the continental competition to qualify for the Champions League next year given their positioning in the domestic table, and they now face a tense second leg against their Portuguese opponent next week.

Aubameyang apologised for his wastefulness on social media following the match.

What did Aubameyang say?

"We deserved better and i should Score couple goals today but still one Game to Go we keep going," Aubameyang wrote on Twitter.

How did Mikel Arteta react to the missed chances?

"Well, these things happen," Arteta said. "He was at the end of the biggest chances that we had tonight.

"He was unlucky not to score two or three tonight because in normal circumstances that would be the case."

The bigger picture

Aubameyang was already under fire for an alleged breach of Covid-19 protocol in an incident still under investigation, so his lacklustre outing against Benfica only added to the sour mood around him. If the Gunners crash out of Europe next week, much of the blame will likely target the Gabon international.

Further reading

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal should have taken more than a 1-1 draw from their Europa League clash against Benfica on Wednesday.

Bukayo Saka equalised two minutes after the Portuguese side took the lead in the first leg of the last-32 tie to put the sides on level terms before the return fixture next week.

Arsenal registered just two shots on target in the clash in Rome, while striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admitted on Twitter after the game that he should have found the net.

Arteta was happy with the way his side threatened Benfica and believes they should have won the game.  

What was said?

He told BT Sport: "We were very dominant and created some big chances. We have to be more ruthless.

"It was disappointing the way we conceded the goal. We gave them the ball then it was 1-1 and all to play for.

"We conceded a corner then from the corner we did not react quick enough and conceded the penalty. Looking at it it's difficult to judge. We had a great reaction and scored a great goal.

"We tried to maintain the level. Both teams dropped in the last 20 minutes. But overall we should leave the ground with more."

The bigger picture

Arteta will hope for a significant improvement in the final third of the pitch when his team return to Premier League action this weekend.

Arsenal are due to play host to leaders Manchester City on Sunday, and they will need to be far more clinical than they were against Benfica in order to pick up three points against Pep Guardiola's side - who have won their last 17 matches on the bounce.

The Gunners are sitting 10th in the table having won two of their last four matches in the English top-flight, and could miss out on a place in the top six unless they can rediscover a consistent streak in their final 14 fixtures.

After the City clash, Arteta will start preparing his players for the return match against Benfica, which is due to take place at the Emirates on February 25.

Further reading

Joe Aribo opened his goal account in the Uefa Europa League this season with the opening goal in Rangers’ 4-3 comeback win over Royal Antwerp on Thursday.

Aribo broke the deadlock in Antwerp in the 38th minute, courtesy of Alfredo Morelos' assist but the hosts turned the game around in the closing stages of the first-half.

Felipe Avenatti first cancelled out Aribo's opener in the 45th minute before Lior Refaelov put them ahead in the stoppage time.

After the restart, Borna Barisic equalised for Steven Gerrard's side just before the hour-mark with his strike from the penalty spot, but it did not take long for Antwerp to regain their lead with Martin Hongla's 66th-minute goal.

Rangers showed resilience towards the end of the encounter and they grabbed a vital win on the road, thanks to Ryan Kent's 83rd-minute equaliser and Barisic's 90th-minute winner from the spot.

Aribo played from the start to finish while Nigeria defender Leon Balogun came off the bench to replace injured James Tavernier in the 24th minute.

Cameroon duo Hongla and Frank Boya were in action for Royal Antwerp but they were dealt a huge blow after Senegal's Abdoulaye Seck was given marching orders for a second yellow card in the 88th minute.

Thursday's result gives Rangers an advantage ahead of the reverse fixture at the Ibrox Stadium on February 25. So far this season, Steven Gerrard's men have only lost one of their last 40 matches across all competitions - 33 wins and six draws.

With South Africa's Bongani Zungu dropped because of Covid-19 rules breach, Aribo and Balogun will be expected to help Rangers maintain their unbeaten run in the Premiership when they host Dundee United on Sunday.

They sit at the top of the table with a 15-point gap above second-placed Celtic.

Youssef El-Arabi found the back of the net as Olympiacos secured a 4-2 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the first leg round of 32 of the Europa League game on Thursday night.

The 34-year-old is not looking to slow down despite his age and has continued to deliver terrific performances for the Legend.

The centre-forward was handed his 28th appearance across all competitions and utilized the opportunity to score his 19th goal of the campaign.

Olympiacos started the game on an impressive note when Andreas Bouchalakis opened the scoring only nine minutes into the encounter after he was set up by Mathieu Valbuena.

PSV levelled proceedings five minutes later through Eran Zahavi and in the 37th minute, Yann M'Vila put Olympiacos back in front with a fine strike.

Zahavi again levelled matters for the Red and whites three minutes later and moments before the half-time break, El-Arabi scored.

After the restart, Olympiacos continued to dominate proceedings and deservedly got their fourth goal through Giorgos Masouras which sealed the victory.

El-Arabi featured for 74 minutes before making way for Kostas Fortounis while his teammate and Guinea international Mady Camara was on parade for the duration of the game along with Senegal defender Ousseynou Ba.

The Morocco international has been with the Karaiskakis Stadium outfit since the summer of 2019 when he teamed up with the Greek side after leaving Al-Duhail.

The forward has been a consistent member of the Legend team, having featured in more than 60 games for the club, scoring a number of breath-taking goals.

El-Arabi will be expected to continue his impressive form in front of goal in the return leg but before that, he will hope to help his side continue their winning run when they take on Aris in a league game on February 21.

The 34-year-old has featured 34 times for the Morocco national team since he made his debut against the Central African Republic.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Amad Diallo is close to making his first start for Manchester United after the winger made his debut as a substitute in the 4-0 win against Real Sociedad on Thursday.

The 18-year-old joined United from Atalanta in January and has been playing for the club's reserves while he adapts to his new surroundings.

Diallo featured for the final seven minutes of the Europa League last 32 first-leg match against Sociedad after replacing Mason Greenwood and Solskjaer says he will be given a bigger role in the near future.

What has been said

"He's getting closer and closer to his minutes by the day," Solskjaer told BT Sport. "That is why we felt towards the end when we were 3-0 up to go and let him enjoy his first 10 minutes for the club."

He added to reporters at a press conference: "We’ll make a decision on [his first start] after Newcastle [on Sunday].

"He’s had a couple of games in the reserves and there’s still a few players on the bench that would want to start of course but Amad is getting closer we’ll see how much game time he will get."

After Sunday's Premier League match against Newcastle, United will turn their attention to the second leg of the tie against Sociedad.

Despite their comfortable lead, Solskjaer says he will not be fielding a completely different starting XI.

He said: "No we’ve got to take one game at a time. Newcastle first, but we’ll put a strong team out because it’s about creating momentum we have been through a difficult spell and I thought we found ourselves tonight.

"I thought the boys got that zip in their legs again so it was important to take some players off and still rotated the team. We will rotate definitely but we’re not going to take it lightly."

Praise for Fernandes and James

Bruno Fernandes struck twice for the Red Devils while Daniel James, who set up one of the Portuguese midfielder's goals, and Marcus Rashford were both on the scoresheet, too.

"Dan has always been in my mind and always in contention you can see his x-factor tonight his work rate, his pace, running in behind and I think he’s scored on last three or four appearances now and he’s working every single day on improving his game. Delighted for him and he knows how much we value him," Solskjaer said.

"[Fernandes] always wants to do the next thing and the next thing correctly and the next thing to the best of his ability and that’s a very good attribute to have that you never rest on your laurels.

"If he scores two he wants three and if he has an assist he wants another one, he drives everyone on, sometimes he drives too much and he wants to do too much. I thought tonight he played his position really well, he was in the spaces we wanted him and you can see how efficient it is."

Further reading

Son Heung-min said he really enjoys playing with Gareth Bale after linking up with his Tottenham team-mate to great effect in the Europa League.

Bale impressed for Spurs after being handed a rare start in the Europa League on Thursday night, recording a goal and an assist as then north Londoners earned a 4-1 win in the first leg of their round of 32 tie against Wolfsberger.

The Real Madrid loanee provided the cross for Son to head home Tottenham's opener, and the South Korean was full of praise for the Welshman after the final whistle.

What was said?

"I have a really close relationship with him," Son said of Bale post-match. "I’m very happy he’s getting game time and scored a goal and got an assist. I really enjoy playing with him."

Bale, meanwhile, was delighted to get among the goals amid a largely frustrating second spell at Spurs which has seen him struggle to make an impact in Mourinho's squad.

"We had the mindset of coming to score as many goals as we could and get some confidence," he told reporters.

"Obviously we haven’t won many lately so it's important to get a win to breed confidence. Hopefully, this is the start of a good run.

"It was good [to score]. I just chopped inside and hit it. It's nice to get on the scoresheet to help the team.

"It’s good to get four away goals. It’s always good to win a game by that margin. We’ll take the second leg like it’s 0-0."

Son stars at the Puskas Arena

Son was making his first appearance at the legendary stadium in Budepest since winning the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2020.

The 28-year-old was pleased to cap the occasion in style, as he added: "It's a big honour. Playing at this stadium – it’s massive. It's very special because I won the award for the last year.

"We got the win, that was more important than the special feeling. It’s very important we showed from minute one that we wanted to win, not only 1-0 or 2-0.

"We showed a good attitude and scored three goals in the first half. The guys had a really good mindset."

The bigger picture

Tottenham fans will hope that Son and Bale can continue to deliver the goods in the final third when they take in a trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham on Sunday.

The former will almost certainly be back in Mourinho's starting XI for that clash, while the latter could retain his place amid fitness concerns surrounding Harry Kane.

Spurs must build on their latest European victory by winning against the Hammers, who currently sit six points above them in the Premier League standings as both clubs chase down a top-four finish.

Further reading

The Campeonato Brasileirao Serie A is the top level of soccer in Brazil and has been the breeding ground for some of the world's greatest players including Pele and Neymar.

All games are live streamed on Fanatiz and you can sign up to watch free here.

As a result, football fans and scouts from all over the world watch the Brasileirao to see some of tomorrow's stars today, as well as some of the most exciting and entertaining games on television, filled with amazing technical ability and plenty of goals.

The 2020 Serie A season was due to begin on May 3 and end in December but, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tournament calendar was paused before eventually starting in August. It will now continue until February 24, 2021, barring any further delays.

How to watch Sao Paulo vs Palmeiras

A season that started with such high hopes for Sao Paulo has ultimately fizzled out. 

The Tricolor hoped that the acquisition of stars such as Dani Alves and Juanfran would prove key in their hopes of taking continental honours, but they endured early exits in both the Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana. 

Their chances of lifting Serie A also imploded due to a wretched run of results after the New Year, although they have secured a Libertadores spot in 2021. 

With them in the competition will be Palmeiras, by virtue of winning the Copa over Santos in January. 

The Verdao have also held their own domestically and lie sixth - this is their second game in 48 hours as they make up the fixtures postponed due to their exploits in the Libertadores and Club World Cup.

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Sao Paulo vs Palmeiras team news and preview.

Sao Paulo's efforts at the Morumbi will be watched with interest by Hernan Crespo, who will take over at the end of the Brasileirao season as coach.

Benjamin Kuscevic will be suspended for the visitors following his red card against Coritiba on Wednesday, while several first-teamers will return to the starting line-up after featuring off the bench last time round.

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Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson confirmed Wilfried Zaha is yet to recover from his hamstring injury and he is expected to miss their Premier League trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday.

The 28-year-old limped off in the Eagles' 2-1 victory over Newcastle United on February 2 and he has missed their last two games.

In his absence, Crystal Palace have failed to score a goal in their last two league outings which ended in defeats (vs. Leeds United and Burnley) and they have dropped to 14th in the Premier League standings.

Ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium, Hodgson said Zaha is working hard with the club’s medial team but he refused to give a timeframe for his return.

"[Wilf Zaha] is still suffering from the injury, there’s no question of that,” Hodgson said in a press conference. “The doctors in particular and physios are very anxious to not put dates on people so they’d be very angry with me if I suggested dates he could return.

"He’s working very hard to get back as soon as he can. I’m rather hoping the prognosis will be different to the actual timescale."

Zaha is Crystal Palace’s leading top scorer this season with nine goals after 19 Premier League appearances, however, the former Liverpool and England manager wants his team "to live without" the Ivory Coast international.

“But we're not the only club, I suppose, to be experiencing that,” he said when asked about their injury struggles. “But there's no doubt that a club like ours, the sur squad is not limited, but not as profuse as some of the clubs above us. We do suffer greatly when the injuries come our way, because we rely heavily on our players.

“Wilf Zaha's name is always mentioned, we can't win without him we're told and people use the facts to document that. But we have to live without him at times. Some times in those periods we don't get the results we want.”

Bruno Fernandes joked that Manchester United team-mate Daniel James did not mean to set him up for a goal in the 4-0 win against Real Sociedad on Thursday.

United have a comfortable lead in the Europa League last-32 tie after the first-leg victory, with Fernandes netting two and James and Rashford also on the scoresheet.

The midfielder's second strike came as he took the ball from James and sent it beyond goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

What has been said?

The 26-year-old says he doubts that James intended to put the ball in his path, but credited him with the assist regardless.

"I was expecting the touch from Dan James to me. When he controlled the ball, I think he was trying to control it, but I'll give him an assist," he told BT Sport.

"I saw the ball close to me and I think on these occasions the keeper is coming out, if you kick it well on the first touch it’s difficult to react and luckily for me it was a goal."

The second leg

Although United take four away goals into the second leg at Old Trafford, Fernandes says his side cannot afford to be complacent as they look to finish the season with a trophy.

"The result of course [is pleasing], it's about winning, we want to win the games. We did everything well. The result is on our side but we still have the second leg and a tough game to do again at home," he added.

"We know 4-0 is a good result, but we have to be aware of what Sociedad can do and be ready for the second leg.

"We don't have to look at the results, we have to look at the performance. We know we don't perform well in some games, but still in some games we don't get the result we want and we perform well.

"We need to understand that we have to grow up, we have to get better and better. Of course the most important is the results that give you a bit of confidence to go into the next game and try to win again.

"My target is to score the most goals I can and assist my team-mates to score to. The position I play is to do that, assist and score when you can. The most important target is the trophies. Trophies will be more important than scoring goals."

What next for Man Utd?

United return to Premier League duty on Saturday with a home game against Newcastle United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are second in the table and 10 points behind Manchester City as it stands, with 14 matches left to play.

The Red Devils will then turn their attention back to the Europa League when they host Sociedad on February 25 before preparing for league matches against Chelsea and City.

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that Manchester United are still a "work in progress" after their comprehensive victory over Real Sociedad.

United put one foot in the last-16 of the Europa League by thrashing Sociedad 4-0 in a round of 32 first leg encounter at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on Thursday night.

The Red Devils bounced back from a disappointing draw at West Brom in the Premier League with a superb attacking display against the La Liga outfit, but Solskjaer insists his team are still "learning" amid an up-and-down season.

What was said?

The United boss told BT Sport post-match: "We scored some good goals and played some nice football.

"We deserved to win but maybe not by four goals. On a night like this when we find spaces we can be a dangerous team.

"We had to defend well, they have some terrific players up front and we earned the right to counter-attack quickly. They opened up and we got the spaces we wanted.

"Every team attacks you, it's about finding the moments to find the space. We are a work in progress, we are learning and some games we have not been able to win lately."

How did United beat Sociedad?

The Red Devils found the breakthrough against Imanol Alguacil's side with just 27 minutes of the clock, as Fernandes capitalised on a mix-up in the Sociedad defence to fire into an empty net.

The Portuguese doubled his account just before the hour mark, producing an expert finish after being set up by Daniel James, and United continued to apply pressure on the counter-attack thereafter.

Marcus Rashford netted his 17th goal of the season in the 64th minute to put Solskjaer's men out of sight before James rounded off the scoring in stoppage time, leaving Sociedad with a mountain to climb in the second leg at Old Trafford on February 25.

The bigger picture

The fixture list will start piling up for United once again after the resumption of European competition, with Premier League and FA Cup honours also still up for grabs between now and the end of the season.

The Red Devils title charge has faltered of late and they are now in danger of being dragged into the battle for a top-four finish, but winning the Europa League would be safety net for them with regards to sealing qualification for next season's Champions League.

Solskjaer is bidding to bring the club's four-year wait for major silverware to a close come May, with a home fixture against Newcastle up next in the top flight this weekend.

Further reading