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Ankit Mukherjee’s transfer from ATK Mohun Bagan to East Bengal in the January window benefited the Red and Golds immensely as the club were struggling until then to find a proper right-back in their ranks. 

In the initial stage of the league, coach Robbie Fowler had experimented with several players in that position on a trial-and-error basis. Until Mukherjee’s arrival, Surchandra Singh mostly played as a right-back or right full-back but the former Mumbai City player’s performance was not up to the mark as he was not a natural defender and was more comfortable playing as a right-winger. 

But the Bengali defender’s transfer was not just beneficial to the club but it also helped the player revive his own career. The offer from East Bengal breathed life into the defender’s career who had played just one match in the past one and a half seasons. 

“I was very excited when I got the offer from East Bengal because I last played under Steve Coppell at ATK. Last season when the team won the title, I did not get much game time, played just one match. I was waiting for an opportunity. I was hoping to play some matches at ATK Mohun Bagan this season but did not get any chance so when they offer came, only one thing was in mind and that was to deliver,” the 24-year-old footballer told Goal. 

Mukherjee, though, did not have any bitter feeling about his former employers as he fondly reminisced the time spent at ATK and then ATK Mohun Bagan and suggested that it was a good learning process for him. 

“When I joined ATK FC in 2018 I was overwhelmed. The players whom I have watched growing up were my teammates. I was selected from Mohammedan Sporting by Sanjay Sen. Only after joining ATK, I came to know what top tier football in India was like. The way professional players work, their food habits, discipline were things I learned while being there. Also, I had played under an English coach (Coppell) so I knew what an English coach (Fowler) will want from me. The transition was smooth.” 

He also thanked his senior professionals at the club who taught him the tricks of the trade.

“Last season I got to play with players like Pritam Kotal and Prabir Das who play in my position. I learned a lot from my seniors. This year at ATK Mohun Bagan, I trained with Sandesh Jhingan who also taught me a lot. So overall I enjoyed my stay there and learned a lot,” added Mukherjee. 

The former Mohammedan Sporting defender suggested that he was very excited to work under Robbie Fowler and his experience so far has been splendid. Despite being a superstar as a player, Mukherjee feels he treats every player with humility.  
 
“I was of course looking forward to playing under him (Robbie Fowler). He is a legend of the game. He is a great player and also a very good human being. Despite being such a big player, he treats us with utmost humility.” 

Mukherjee also added, “He is always guiding us and sharing important tips to improve our game. Also, he is very approachable. He always tells us that if we face any problem on and off the field, we can approach him and tell him at any point in time.” 

After their clash against Hyderabad on Friday, the Red and Golds next face their arch-rivals ATK Mohun Bagan in the second Kolkata derby of the season on February 19. 

Every aspiring footballer and especially Bengali footballers dream of playing the Kolkata derby which is the biggest match in Indian football. Ankit too is excited to make his derby debut but he also mentioned that is not feeling any additional pressure ahead of the big game. 

“Yes, I am excited about the Kolkata derby but I am not feeling any pressure. Of course, it is every footballer's dream to play the derby. It is a special game but we will treat it like any other game and the approach will be the same, to play well and win the game,” said the East Bengal defender.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has warned David De Gea that previous success will not guarantee anyone a regular start under him at Manchester United.

De Gea came in for criticism for a couple of blunders in the Red Devils’ 3-3 draw with Everton last weekend.

Solskjaer has been urged to make a change in goal, with Gary Neville saying he should buy in the summer, and the Norwegian has made it clear the only things that count are current performances.

What was said?

“It’s not about who has got the most trophies,” Solskjaer said. “I’m in a very fortunate position to have the ­goalkeeper department that I have – and it was a conscious decision to bring Dean [Henderson] back to have real competition.”

Henderson, who impressed on loan at Sheffield United in the previous couple of seasons, is pushing for a starting spot and did his cause no harm with a clean sheet against West Ham in the FA Cup in midweek.

Solskjaer has admitted to facing a tough decision as to who starts against West Brom in the league on Sunday.

“Dean has made it harder and harder for me, of course, to leave him out because whenever he plays he does really well," he said.

“It’s about what you give to the team, here and now – whether you’re a left-back, right-back, on the left wing or right wing.

“I think the whole squad knows they have to perform to be in the team.

"We have, I would say, at least two players in every position who would feel ‘I am a first choice’. The keeper position is no different to the right-back, left-back or centre-forward position.

“It’s about your performances and what you give to the team.”

Should Solskjaer stick or twist?

De Gea has been the undisputed number one at Old Trafford since joining the club a decade ago from Atletico Madrid.

The 30-year-old's recent form and emergence of Henderson have handed Solskjaer a dilemma. 

De Gea has a lot of credit in the bank and while Solskjaer has said past glories count for little, the Spaniard should retain his place - and allow Henderson to take over for the Europa League Round of 32 tie with Real Sociedad.

Further Reading

Pablo Zabaleta, a former Argentina national team squad-mate of Lionel Messi, believes Messi should transfer to Manchester City from Barcelona this summer.

Zabaleta spent the prime of his career at Manchester City and said the club "offer the ­perfect conditions" for Messi to thrive.

Messi has been rumoured to be on his way out of Spain in the near future as a financial crisis continues to take its toll on Barcelona.

What has Zabaleta said about Messi?

“If Lionel Messi ­decides to leave Barcelona and he wants to play in the best league then he has to experience the Premier League for himself," Zabaleta told the Mirror. It is something that will ­interest him because every player I know always asks me what the Premier League is like.

“Leo has been in La Liga for so many years and I think it would be a huge ­attraction for him to experience English football.

“And Manchester City offer the ­perfect conditions.

“He knows Pep very well, he knows [sporting director] Txiki Begiristain and [chief executive] Ferran Soriano and also [Sergio] Aguero. It would be a big ­decision if Leo leaves ­Barcelona. But if that’s what he wants then it would be a good thing for him to go to a club that has people already there who can help him to settle.

“When you have been at one club for so long, moving ­somewhere new can be very strange.

“I am sure clubs like ­Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus would also be ­interested in signing him, but it is my opinion that City would be the best place to go after Barcelona.”

Further reading

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not sought out Sir Alex Ferguson for advice and is not intending to even if things get tight for Manchester United at the business end of the season.

Solskjaer spent the bulk of his playing career under Ferguson at Old Trafford, and has admitted to being influenced by the Scot’s management style.

United are in the hunt for honours on the domestic and European front, but the Norwegian has said he will do things his own way even if they find themselves in a title battle.

What was said?

“I’ve probably been influenced by Sir Alex by the 15 years I worked with him of course, but we’re different personalities,” Solskjaer said. “I manage the way I think is the right way – I don’t ask anyone how I should manage. It’s probably just in my personality.

“I loved working and playing under the gaffer and I learned a lot from him obviously. But it’s been a while since we had a conversation and I’ve not asked him how I should play this one or that one.

“It’s been gradual since I came to Manchester United, I have grown into becoming this person. It’s not been consciously something I’ve done, it’s just being myself.”

Big weeks on the horizon for United

Even the most optimistic of Red Devils fan would be hard-pressed to claim United are primed to overhaul Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

Pep Guardiola’s City have won 16 matches on the spin in all competitions and are seven points clear of the chasing pack.

The title may be out of reach, but Champions League qualification is firmly within their grasp and they face struggling West Brom and Newcastle over the course of the next seven days.

In between those games is the first leg of their Europa League Round of 32 clash with Real Sociedad, and the following month is an FA Cup quarter final with Leicester.

The Premier League may be gone, but United have much to play for as Solskjaer seeks to secure the club’s first piece of silverware since 2017.

Further Reading

Emiliano Martinez almost single-handedly preserved a point for Aston Villa on Saturday by making nine saves in a scoreless draw against Brighton.

Martinez was sold to Villa by Arsenal for £20 million ($26.2m) over the summer and has since been in the form of his life, suggesting his former club may have let him go too easily despite the presence of quality first-choice shot-stopper Bernd Leno.

Villa's goalkeeper has kept clean sheets in three of his past four appearances - including one against the Gunners - to help his side into eighth place in the Premier League table. He has recorded 12 clean sheets on the season.

What did Martinez say about his nine-save match?

"I was just so cold I tried to be really reactive," Martinez told Sky Sports. "I thought I had a good game because I made a good save early on. The accuracy of my passes were right, and I'm delighted to keep everyone out today.

"I just want to repay the trust of the manager and goalkeeping coach and the club. Once I sign for a club, I try to give my everything. I think I'm doing that at Villa.

"I've settled in really quickly."

How did Villa manager Dean Smith rate the performance?

"I'm really pleased with his performance," Smith told reporters after the match. "He made at least three top drawer saves with a couple straight at him. We didn't protect him well enough today.

"Emi's a fantastic goalkeeper and a great acquisition for Aston Villa but he'll be the first to admit that for the 12 clean sheets this season he's been protected really well. Today we didn't and we kept giving them the ball back and he was called into action too much.

"He was very good today. It was a one-man show at times, such was the sloppiness of our play."

What are fans saying about Martinez's form?

The stats behind Martinez's rise

Martinez's nine saves against Brighton were the most any goalkeeper has made in a clean sheet this season.

In addition, Martinez has kept seven away clean sheets in the Premier League this season, with the only Aston Villa goalkeeper to ever register more away shutouts in a single campaign was Brad Friedel in 2009-10.

Only Manchester City's Ederson has more clean sheets this year than Martinez, who has made 81 total saves this season.

Why did Arsenal sell Martinez?

Arsenal are plenty happy with Bernd Leno, their first-choice goalkeeper who has been solid in his own right for the Gunners in recent years. With the pandemic causing financial pain to organisations around the globe, Arsenal included, the club found it economically advantageous to offload a player in Martinez they viewed as a backup.

But his performance this campaign makes the case that he would have at least been phenomenal insurance to keep behind Leno, whose last campaign ended prematurely with a knee injury.

Gary Neville has said Manchester United need to sign a new goalkeeper if they are to challenge for the title.

United have got themselves in the title mix this term, but are likely to come up short as Manchester City are powering away at the top of the Premier League.

David De Gea was in the spotlight with a couple of blunders in the 3-3 draw with Everton last weekend, and Neville feels United need to head off further problems by making a raid on the market for a goalkeeper of the highest class.

What has been said?

“We have to start asking questions about David De Gea, of course we do,” Neville told Webby and O’Neill. “The mistakes are coming more regularly and they cost points. And the game-winning saves and one-on-one saves are coming less.”

Neville is convinced Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola or Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would quickly remedy the problem if they took over at Old Trafford, as he also feels De Gea’s understudy Dean Henderson is not the answer.

“If Pep Guardiola or Klopp came in to Manchester United in six months' time, they would bring a new goalkeeper in," Neville said.

'That might be tough on Henderson, but to chance it - do you gamble with winning the league? That's the first question, is the keeper right? That's number one, deal with the 'keeper situation.

"Your goalkeeper, to win a league, has got to be exceptional.”

Is it too soon to write De Gea off?

The simple answer is yes. He has made more mistakes than in previous seasons, but Liverpool star Alisson was seen as the best goalkeeper in the league and has been castigated for errors in the Reds’ past two games.

Goalkeepers are far more exposed to errors than outfield players, so every mistake is magnified.

De Gea has three months to reestablish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league. If he fails to do so, then Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have justification in making a change. 

But with the club fighting for honours on three fronts, the Norwegian would be better served in attempting to rebuild confidence in his number one for the time being.

Further reading

Thomas Tuchel has issued assurances to Ben Chilwell, who lost his starting spot in Chelsea's team soon after Tuchel took over as manager in late January.

The £50 million ($69m) signing from Leicester City was one of former boss Frank Lampard's favourite players, but he has been benched in three of Tuchel's first five games in charge. He was subbed off in his only two starts.

Tuchel has increasingly seen Marcos Alonso as a better option than Chilwell after switching to a three-man defence complemented by wing-backs.

What did Tuchel say about Chilwell?

"Yes, if he is [worried] I can understand," Tuchel told reporters ahead of Monday's clash with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. "He has had some difficult decisions against him, where they were tight choices.

"I took the choice for Marcos [Alonso] where we played with a five because he was more familiar with the position. He played there under Antonio Conte and we opted for Marcos against Burnley for his strengths in the air for headers to defend and attack set-pieces.

"Marcos had a really good match where he scored a decisive goal and from there it was hard to come back for Tottenham. We didn’t make changes in this position. I spoke to him before the Tottenham match and said you have to trust me now that I see your talent and potential.

"I see also with Chilly a very nice guy, reflective guy and an intelligent guy. I maybe felt it in the first days that it is possible that he thinks a lot about this situation but hopefully not too much because he can trust himself and us as a staff that he can keep pushing and we will find possibilities to reward him.

"He showed a good performance in Sheffield United and it was important for him and the team. Sometimes it takes a little time and there are hard decision at the moment, at a club like Chelsea, with a squad of 22 players.

"Hopefully, we don’t have a lot of injuries but we have to deal with these situations. It is my job not to lose these players and to help them not lose trust. If he keeps on going, as a fantastic guy, he has a lot of potential and we will find possibilities for him on the pitch.

"At the same time, we wanted to give a fair start to everybody and not judge the amount of money that the club has spent but give everybody a feeling of a fresh start. Yes, Marcos is at the moment is a guy who took advantage of this situation but it is not the end of Chilly’s development. That’s for sure."

What's happening in Chelsea's other wing-back position?

Callum Hudson-Odoi has been a revelation in the right-wing back role in Tuchel's early spell at the club as he seeks attacking output from the players in those positions.

The 20-year-old has gone from being an impact player to a starter after Lampard was sacked, though he's still jostling for the role with Reece James. Tuchel sees Hudson-Odoi as a big player for Chelsea already but doesn't want him to compare himself to Chelsea's big signings.

"All I care about with how Callum works on his talent," he continued. "With big talent comes a big responsibility to use your talent to go and be ready to make the next step even if it is just a little step forward.

"Normally if you start comparing yourself with others as a player or a person generally, you start to become unhappy in a situation where you are normally happy.

"He can be, when in his comfort zone, showing composure in front of goal by scoring or getting assists. But, at Under-17s level, U19, U20 and Premier League there are steps to go forward. This is clearly his next step to becoming a regular player. To be on a certain level all the time.

"Sometimes in difficult phases, it can be a challenge to hold the level, not just improve but hold it to make the next step. We will be at his side because he has had a very good start. Now it is a challenge to show this every minute and every day.

"This is clearly the next step, to rely not only on match minutes but show that spirit in every minute here at Cobham that it become routine for him."

Further reading

Former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo scored his first goal for Al Shabab in Saturday’s 4-0 defeat of Al Nassr.

Having failed to score on his debut versus Al Raed, the 31-year-old made his presence count as the White Lions extended their winning streak to four at the King Saud University Stadium.

After replacing Fabio Martins in the 63rd minute, the former Nigeria international found the net in the 90th minute with a sublime finish past goalkeeper Bradley Jones.

Lifted by their 4-1 victory over Al Raed, Carlos Inarejos’ men approached the game with all seriousness as they hope to consolidate their lead in the Saudi elite division log.

They took the lead in the 17th minute after Ever Banega slotted his penalty past Jones after defender Osama Al-Khalaf had launched a dangerous tackle on Fabio Martins in the goal area.

In the 28th minute, the visitors doubled their advantage after Cristian Guanca headed Abdullah Al Zoari’s cross past the goalkeeper.

Despite persistent efforts from the hosts, they were unable to reduce the deficit as Al Shabab went into the halftime break with a two-goal advantage.

Inarejos’ team continued from where they stopped in the second-half and when it appeared that the goals had dried up, Guanca completed his double in the 82nd minute with a cool finish orchestrated by Fawaz Al Sagourq.

Moroccan forward Abderrazak Hamdallah was presented with a chance to reduce the deficit, albeit, his penalty kick was stopped by Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Zaid Al Bawardi.

With barely the last kick of the game, Ighalo sealed the victory after controlling Banega’s pass before beating the opposing goalkeeper.

Apart from the former Watford and Granada star, Senegalese midfielder Alfred N'Diaye was the other African in action for the Riyadh based side – playing every minute of the encounter.

Thanks to this result, the White Lion remain at the summit of the Saudi Pro League table with 38 points from 18 outings so far in the 2020-21 campaign - four points above closest challengers Al Ahli.

They would be hoping to extend their winning streak when they welcome 11th placed Al Fateh to the King Fahd Stadium on Wednesday.

ATK Mohun Bagan (33 points) trail leaders Mumbai City by a point when they face Jamshedpur agaisnt whom they suffered one of their three defeats this season. The 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) fixture will be the second of Sunday's double header, after NorthEast United play Odisha.

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
Quarantine - None

Key Players - Roy Krishna, Manvir Singh

Jamshedpur Possible XI:

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Ineligible - Boris Singh

Key Players - David Grande, Alex Lima

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has started 2021 in unstoppable form, scoring goals with a frequency unmatched elsewhere on the continent. 

The Germany international was on target again on Saturday as he scored two goals to help City ease past Tottenham in a 3-0 victory. 

Rodri scored his side's opener from the penalty spot before his midfield partner put the result beyond doubt in the second half. 

Europe's most prolific player 

Since the New Year, Gundogan has been lethal in front of goal. 

Saturday's double took him up to nine in as many Premier League games, all of which have been won by City as they have shot to the top of the table. 

None of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Robert Lewandowski can match Gundogan, who is the top scorer across all of Europe's 'big-five' leagues in 2021.

And were it not for a missed penalty last weekend against Liverpool, he could now already be on double figures before the middle of February. 

Gundogan is also gunning for a national best in England's top flight. 

With 11 goals this season in the Premier League, he is behind only Jurgen Klinsmann and Uwe Rosler in the list of the top-scoring Germans in a single league season. 

The bigger picture

Thanks to the exploits of the likes of Gundogan, City have embarked on a record-breaking run that, if continued, looks likely to return the Premier League title to the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side have won their last 16 matches in all competitions - 11 in the Premier League - and sit seven points clear at the summit.

Gundogan, meanwhile, is in the form of his life and looks to be a very strong candidate to win the PFA Player of the Year award for the 2020-21 season.

Further reading 

Pep Guardiola's hunt for a penalty taker at Manchester City is set to continue despite Rodri's successful effort against Tottenham on Saturday. 

The midfielder beat Hugo Lloris from 12 yards to put his team ahead, a week after Ilkay Gundogan had fluffed his lines against Liverpool. 

City went on to win 3-0, but Guardiola is not convinced Rodri is the right man to continue taking the side's kicks long-term. 

What was said? 

"Is Rodri the taker now? No," he told BBC Sport.

"I would say I admire the courage to take the penalty but it was not a good penalty. I am not laughing, I am concerned about this.

"We will have a real specialist to take them with quality. We have to practice."

Penalty doubts aside, Pep was pleased with what he saw from his charges as they strengthened their grip on the Premier League summit with their 16th consecutive victory in all competitions. 

 "Well deserved, they hit the post and that can turn the game but the way we wanted to play was there. Tottenham have special quality, we have played well against them in the past and lost 2-0," he added.

"They don't need anything to create chances. It is the quality and the approach of their manager. We have a special way to play and we will continue, you have to be patient, patient. Calm."

Is Ederson the answer to City's dilemma? 

Following Gundogan's miss, Guardiola jokingly suggested that goalkeeper Ederson could step up to take City's penalties. 

He returned to the topic on Saturday, albeit with tongue firmly in cheek.

"When I talk about Ederson and penalties, you see his assist, 60-70 yards, well then he will score from 12 yards!" he said. 

"For the quality of the shot, Ederson is the best but a penalty is different. I am delighted for Rodri, for the courage to take it.

"I have to reflect. The Champions League is coming, Everton in the quarter final of the FA Cup - and we don't have a real specialist to take a penalty, that is the reality."

Further reading 

Four players have pulled out of Nigeria's 23-woman squad for the 2021 Turkish Women's Cup in Alanya, Goal can exclusively report. 

The affected players are Atletico Madrid striker Rasheedat Ajibade, Paris FC goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, SL Benfica midfielder Christy Ucheibe and Eskilstuna United midfielder Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene.

The unfortunate development is coming 48 hours after the Nigeria Football Federation released their team's roster on Thursday. 

On reasons for pulling out, Goal understands Ajibade and Ucheibe's withdrawal are due to administrative reasons, while Okobi-Okeoghene and Nnadozie were exempted on health grounds. 

The setback has left coach Randy Waldrum racing against time to find replacements, with his initial 23-woman list now reduced to 19.

As it stands, coach Waldrum will be hoping for a last-minute replacements, considerably foreign-based to fill the void left by the four players in the squad.

Meanwhile, CSKA Moscow will take the place of Zambia in Group A following the African nation's withdrawal from the event on Tuesday.

The development means the Super Falcons will now face the Russian champions on February 18, before taking on Ubezkistan on February 20 and Equatorial Guinea three days later in Alanya.

The Nigeria-based contingents are scheduled to depart the country on Sunday and expected to arrive in Turkey on Monday, February 15. 

Waldrum will meet with the team for the first time since his engagement last October and will hope for a title-winning start in charge of the African champions in Turkey.

Jwaneng Galaxy central midfielder Ricardo Lourenco says Orlando Pirates' current form doesn't matter ahead of their Caf Confederation Cup clash on Sunday.

The Buccaneers will be looking to make it three wins in a row when they face Galaxy in the play-off round first-leg match at National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana.

Lourenco, who was born in Johannesburg, captained the Pirates' reserve team, before being promoted to the first team in July, 2018, but he was released by the club at the end of the 2018/2019 season without making his senior team debut.

The 25-year-old remained clubless until he joined Botswana champions, Galaxy in October 2020 and he has now opened up about life in the Southern African country. 

What's been said

“Oh yes‚ that’s been part of the plan to come here [Botswana] and play in the Champions League and be seen by PSL clubs‚” Lourenco told Sowetan. 

“Everything has been going according to plan so far and hopefully soon I will be back in the PSL.

“I’m trying to look at Sunday’s game as just another game. I don’t want to put pressure on myself and try to prove anything because that’s when mistakes happen."

“I’m just taking it as another game and another chance to improve myself and get more minutes under my belt and help the team progress to the next stage," he continued. 

“It’s very difficult because we don’t have any official games. We haven’t been able to play a lot of friendlies because there are too many protocols and regulations that we have to follow.

“Travelling and testing are very costly for the teams when they’re preparing just to play a friendly and that can’t be easy when you don’t have games that are coming soon," he added.

“The PSL is watched quite religiously here. I haven’t been watching a lot of it myself but I’ve watched Pirates and Sundowns and all the bigger games.

“But I can’t say much about their [Pirates’] form because I also think form means little going into this game.”

Why does it matter & what's the bigger picture?

Further reading

Jose Mourinho has pointed to fatigue and the concession of a “modern penalty” as contributing factors in Tottenham’s loss to Manchester City.

Spurs held their own for 20 minutes, but fell behind to a Rodri penalty after Pierre-Emile Hoejbjerg had fouled Ilkay Gundogan in the box.

Gundogan’s two goals in the second half sealed the win for City, but Mourinho felt things could have turned out different had the penalty not been awarded and Harry Kane’s free-kick gone in rather than crashing against the post.

What was said?

“It is a fresh team against a very tired team, but a team which started the game very well with the game completely controlled,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.

“We hit the post, 1-0 that could give us that fuel you need when you are especially tired like the boys were.

“And then one more of these modern penalties, to put us in a difficult situation.”

What is a modern penalty?

Understandably, Mourinho was asked for his interpretation of a “modern penalty”.

“A modern penalty is one even if you touch with a nail inside the box it can be a penalty.

“For some you touch with a nail and it is a penalty and you go to the VAR and you cannot deny there was a touch.”

What does the defeat mean for Spurs?

The loss leaves Spurs in eighth in the Premier League table, four points behind Liverpool in fourth. Had they take a point they would have been within three points of the Reds with a game in hand.

Mourinho once again praised his players for the willing attitude they showed in defeat. 

“I am very happy with the players’ attitude,” he said. “I had guys on the pitch who played two hours a couple of days ago. They gave everything. We had guys in difficulty. 

“A team that is not united, not together would be punished. But I saw guys giving everything so I have nothing to say against my players despite a couple of defensive mistakes that are always present.”

The Portuguese can point to fatigue after losing after extra time in the FA Cup to Everton on Wednesday, but it is five defeats in six in all competitions and a positive attitude can only get Mourinho and his players so far.

Further reading

Lionel Messi stands on the brink of another notable record at Barcelona, with the Argentine icon matching Xavi’s haul of 505 La Liga appearances for the club.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was named in Ronald Koeman’s starting XI for a meeting with Alaves on Saturday, a game in which he scored twice in a 5-1 win.

That outing has taken him level with a former team-mate when it comes to league outings for the Blaugrana, with it possible that the history books will be re-written against Cadiz on February 21.

How many appearances has Messi made for Barcelona?

An all-time great is now up to 759 appearances for the Liga giants across all competitions.

He is fast closing in on Xavi’s record tally in that department, with another product of the famed La Masia academy taking in 767 games during his time at Camp Nou.

Messi will be expecting to pass that mark this season, with the South American continuing to see records tumble around him.

He has hit 651 goals for the club so far, with that stunning return seeing him surge clear at the top of the scoring charts.

In terms of league appearances, Andres Iniesta is third on Barca’s all-time list with 442.

Sergio Busquets is fourth and now up to 399, while former captain Carles Puyol completes the top five on 392.

Gerard Pique is the only other current player in the top 10, with 354 La Liga games to his name, and he will hope to still have plenty more left in him yet.

When did Messi make his La Liga debut?

Messi’s La Liga bow came against Barca’s Catalan neighbours Espanyol on October 16, 2004.

Frank Rijkaard handed him a further six outings in the league that season, with the precocious talent quickly cementing a regular role.

Over the course of the past 16 years, Messi has helped the Blaugrana to 10 league titles and four Champions League crowns.

The bigger picture

It remains to be seen how long Messi will be sticking around at Camp Nou and how high he will raise the appearance bar.

His contract is due to expire in the summer and no extension to that deal has been agreed as yet.

Goal has learned that the 33-year-old will not be making a decision on his future until the 2020-21 campaign comes to a close, with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City said to be heading a queue of suitors that are ready to pounce if an exit door does swing open.

Further reading

Mikel Arteta expects Thomas Partey to provide value for money at Arsenal, with the Gunners boss pointing out that a £45 million ($62m) midfielder “knows how much he cost” and is fully aware of the pressure he finds himself under.

The Ghana international was snapped up during the summer transfer window of 2020, with those at Emirates Stadium landing a long-standing target after many years of admiring him from afar.

Partey has impressed when called upon by Arteta, but niggling knocks have limited his involvement in English football and the 27-year-old is yet to perform at the peak of his powers.

What has been said?

Arteta has told reporters of Partey and the expectation that surrounds him as a big-money signing: “He knows how much he cost and that adds a bit of pressure.

“When you are not able to play you want to hurry up and do everything quicker, and show everybody how good you are and have a big impact on the team.

“That creates some anxiety for sure. Then the physical aspect, when you look at the outputs he needs to put in when he was playing in Spain or now, are pretty different.”

Is Partey injured at present?

A hip problem kept Partey out of 10 games for Arsenal between early December and mid-January.

He has figured in seven games since that enforced absence, making five Premier League starts.

Arteta finds himself without the former Atletico Madrid man once again, though, with a hamstring problem picked up against Aston Villa set to keep Partey out of a home date with Leeds.

His manager has said on not rushing a key man back: “Hopefully we can still see Thomas back and playing at the level he can do.

“Last time we gave him more time to recover and he came back in good shape, but he was not fit enough to sustain that for 90 minutes.

“That is why we kept subbing him and trying to protect him. I think he has played 90 only once since coming back from injury.

“Now we have to protect him, make sure that he is fit and ready to come back as soon as possible - but knowing that we need the player long term as well.”

Further reading

Manchester City star Rodri has revealed that he received special counsel from Ederson on how to beat Hugo Lloris from the penalty spot - but ended up ignoring the advice. 

Fortunately for City, he found the net to break his side's penalty curse and set them on the way to a convincing 3-0 victory over Tottenham. 

Should he have failed, though, Ederson himself might have been next in line to try his luck from 12 yards out.

What happened? 

Rodri got the chance to put City ahead 20 minutes into Saturday's game against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium when his side were awarded a penalty following a foul on Ilkay Gundogan.

City have struggled from the spot this season but former Atletico Madrid star Rodri was in no doubt that he would score, even declining a few words of wisdom from his team-mate.

Indeed, Bernardo Silva was seen passing on an instruction from Ederson before Rodri stepped up to take the spot-kick.

And the Spaniard just about managed to find the net, with Lloris getting a hand to the shot, low to his right-hand-side, only to fail to keep it out.

What was said?

"Goalkeepers know each other, Ederson told me some points about Lloris, I didn't listen! I was confident in shooting in the way I did," Rodri told Sky Sports when asked what his exchange with Bernardo Silva was about.

"I was a bit angry in the last weeks because we missed many penalties, much more than we expected to, and in big games you have to score penalties.

"I was angry, I told my team-mates in the week that the next time we have a penalty I'll grab the ball and no one will take it away from me. Fortunately, I scored but the win is the most important thing."

The bigger picture

Rodri gave City the perfect start on Saturday, before two further goals from Gundogan ensured Pep Guardiola's side ran out easy winners at the Etihad Stadium. 

They now sit seven points clear at the Premier League summit with a game in hand over closest challengers Leicester City.

Third-placed Manchester United can move within five points of their rivals with victory on Sunday over West Bromwich Albion, albeit having also played one more game.

City's imperious form means that it all looks rather ominous at the moment, with Guardiola's side appearing like they will win the Premier League title.

Further reading

Ghana have included Germany-based midfielder Joselpho Barnes and Denmark-based defender Frank Assinki in their squad for the upcoming Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

The two men, on the books of Schalke 04 and Koge respectively, are part of a squad of 26 players announced on the GFA official website on Saturday for the February 14 to March 6 championship.

Joselpho, born in Germany, is the son of Ghana’s 1991 U17 World Cup-winning star Sebastian Barnes.

Players from the recent Wafu Zone B Cup of Nations where Ghana beat Burkina Faso to win the Cup predominantly make up the team.

The Black Satellites qualified for the competition by their ability to finish the sub-regional championship among the top three sides.

Team captain and Hearts of Oak attacker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, former Bayern Munich trialist and Legon Cities winger Matthew Anim Cudjoe and striker Percious Boah, who won the top scorer’s award at the Wafu Cup, are in the squad.

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim, who represented Ghana at the 2017 Fifa U17 World Cup in India and the recent Wafu Cup, has also been selected as has Samuel Abbey-Ashie Quaye who has been in top form with Great Olympics in the Ghana Premier League.

There was, however, no place for Eleven Wonders winger Mugeez Zakaria who played at the recent tournament in Benin.

Ghana are in Group C for the upcoming tournament, which also includes Gambia, Morocco and Tanzania. On the quest for their fourth continental title, the Black Satellites will open their campaign against Tanzania on Thursday before taking on Morocco and Gambia on February 19 and 22 respectively.

The top four teams at the tournament were originally scheduled to win tickets for the 2021 Fifa U20 World Cup but the global gathering has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

Full squad: William Emmanuel Essu, Philomo Baffour, Benjamin Aloma, Nathaniel Adjei, Frank Kwabena Assinki, Emmanuel Essiam, Mathew Cudjoe Anim, Sampson Agyapong, Percious Boah, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Mohammed Sulemana, David Kudjo, Patrick Mensah, Ivan Anokye Mensah, Ofori McCarthy, Appiah Kubi, Eric Ansu Appiah, Samuel Koshie Agbenyega, Danlad Ibrahim, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Samuel Abbey-Ashie Quaye, Frank Boateng, Emmanuel Agyemang Duah, Uzair Alhassan, Joselpho Barnes, James Ampofo.