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'We respect our rivals' - Pochettino weighs in on Messi dispute between Barcelona & PSG

A media war has broken out between the two clubs in recent weeks over the Argentine, who is said to be considering a move to France

Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino attempted to calm the storm between his club and Barcelona over the future of Lionel Messi. 

Barca have been irritated in recent weeks by remarks from their upcoming Champions League rivals regarding their star, who could leave for Parc des Princes at the end of the season. 

PSG director Leonardo and Messi's Argentina team-mate Angel Di Maria have both spoken out about the possibility, to the chagrin of the Catalans. 

Messi himself has stayed silent on whether he will stay or go, having asked to leave over the summer of 2020 before ultimately backing down. 

But Pochettino insists that it is not PSG's intention to insult their last-16 opponents just weeks before the clash begins. 

"Messi? We respect our rivals and other clubs," the former Tottenham boss told reporters on Saturday when asked about the conflict. 

"We respect Barca. And right now we are focused on Ligue 1. 

"The game against Barca is not for 10 days. Before that we have the derby with Marseille and then there is the Coupe de France." 

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta and coach Ronald Koeman have been among the most vocal critics of how PSG have conducted themselves in their courting of Messi, who has spent his entire professional career at Camp Nou since joining as a teenager from hometown club Newell's Old Boys. 

"For me, it's a lack of respect," Koeman told reporters in reference to Di Maria, who said there was a "good chance" of Messi moving to France.

"It's not respectful to speak so much about a player that is still a Barça player.

"It's not good. It's a mistake to say something like that, it could add further spice to the Champions League game. It's not fair. It's not respectful towards Barça to talk about one of our players like that."

For his part, Laporta fired to L'Equipe: "[PSG] have a lot to learn. 

"We didn't like PSG's behaviour at all. They have disrespected Barca." 

The two clubs meet in the last-16 first leg on February 16 at Camp Nou, with the return scheduled for March 10.

Original author: Goal

Pogba limps off injured in Man Utd's clash with Everton

The France international has been in excellent form but could be facing a spell on the sidelines

Manchester United have been dealt a blow as Paul Pogba limped off injured after 39 minutes of the Premier League clash with Everton.

The France international has been in excellent form in recent weeks, but he looks set for a spell on the sidelines.

Towards the end of the first half Pogba immediately pulled up in discomfort after playing a simple pass towards Victor Lindelof.

He pointed to his right thigh as he received treatment before being replaced by Fred and limping down the Old Trafford tunnel.

Midfield is one area of strength for Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Nemamja Matic and Donny van de Beek ensuring there are ample options to choose from.

However, in what is a congested season any absences will be keenly felt.

Following the clash with Everton, United face West Ham in the FA Cup on Tuesday before a trip to West Brom in the Premier League.

The action ramps up again the following week as the Europa League resumes with a trip to Real Sociedad.

Given the discomfort Pogba appeared to be in as he limped away from the action, it could be some weeks before he returns to the fold.

United were in command of the game when Pogba departed, having been given an early lead through Edinson Cavani, and the advantage was doubled via a screamer from Bruno to send United into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead.

 

Ighalo makes winning debut with Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia

The former Manchester United striker was thrown into the fray, two days after he joined Carlos Hernandez's side from Shanghai Shenhua

Odion Ighalo made a winning debut in the Saudi Pro League as Al Shabab hammered Al Raed on Saturday.

The encounter was Ighalo’s first outing since December 2 when he came off the bench to make his Champions League debut as a 90th-minute substitute in Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The ex-Nigeria striker was introduced in the 84th minute after Cristian Guanca's brace and lone goals from Ever Banega and Fabio Martins had secured maximum points for the hosts at the King Fahd Stadium.

Saturday's win stretched Al Shabab’s lead at the top of the Pro League table to 35 points after 17 games.

Ighalo recently left Manchester United following the expiry of his loan spell where he managed just an appearance in the Premier League in this campaign.

Immediately after his stint at Old Trafford, Al Shabab moved to sign the 31-year-old from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua and they handed him a two-and-a-half-year contract.

His stint in Riyadh makes Saudi Arabia the sixth country he has played in his career having previously featured for Norway's Lyn, Italy's Udinese and Cesena, Spain's Granada, China's Shanghai Shenhua, England's Watford and Manchester United.

Ighalo will be aiming to break his duck in the Saudi top-flight and help the White Lion stretch their six-game unbeaten streak when they visit Al Nassr for their game on February 13.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Toko Ekambi scores as Lyon subdue 10-man Strasbourg

The Cameroon international was among the goalscorers as the Kids strolled past the Racers on Saturday evening

Karl Toko Ekambi continued with his impressive goalscoring form as Olympique Lyon defeated Strasbourg 3-0 in Saturday’s Ligue 1 encounter.

Having failed to score his last time out as the Kids recorded a slim 1-0 victory over Dijon, the Cameroonian striker was back to his best as his team stretched their winning streak to three.

With just 14 minutes into the game, the visitors were reduced to ten man after Adrien Thomasson was given the marching orders by referee Amaury Delerue for a second caution.

Lyon capitalised on this numerical disadvantage to take the lead courtesy of a brilliant individual effort from Memphis Depay in the 20th minute.

Ten minutes later, Toko Ekambi put his side two goals up by lobbing the ball past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima after he was teed up by Thiago Mendes.

Rudi Garcia’s men dominated every department of the game but were unable to get more goals as they went into the half-time break with a two-goal cushion.

In the second-half, they continued from where they stopped in terms of dominating ball possession as well as creating goalscoring opportunities.

Depay killed off any attempt from Strasbourg to launch themselves back into the game – completing his brace in the 68th minute – with his brilliant free-kick flying past the Japanese goalkeeper.

While Cote d'Ivoire defender Maxwel Cornet was in action from start to finish, Toko Ekambi  - who now boasts of 10 goals in 21 league games - was substituted for Florent Da Silva with two minutes left to play, while Islam Slimani and Djamel Benlamri came in for Zimbabwe international Tino Kadewere and Marcelo respectively in the 71st minute.

Whereas, Cote d'Ivoire's Sinaly Diomande was not considered for selection by manager Garcia.

For the Racers, Ghana's Alexander Djiku and Senegalese forward Habib Diallo saw every minute of action as Ghana's Abdul Majeed Waris and Cote d'Ivoire's Kevin Zohi were subbed off for Mehdi Chahiri and on loan Monaco midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou respectively in the 77th minute.  

In the 66th minute, former France youth international of Malian background Ibrahima Sissoko was introduced for Sanjin Prcic by manager Thierry Laurey. Algeria's Idriss Saadi, South Africa's Lebo Mothiba and Bingourou Kamara were not listed for the clash.

Thanks to this result, Lyon have overtaken Lille as league leaders with 52 points from 24 outings so far.

 

 

Original author: Shina Oludare

Nchout breaks Iberdrola duck with goal and assist in Atletico Madrid draw

The Cameroonian forward put in a brilliant display at Estadio La Palmera which secured Los Rojiblancos an away point

Ajara Nchout scored her first league goal and provided an assist to help Atletico Madrid snatch a late 2-2 draw in Saturday's Spanish Primera Iberdrola encounter at Estadio La Palmera. 

Nchout made her first league appearance of the season in the 3-0 victory over Sevilla as a substitute but made her third start of the season since arriving from Norwegian side Valerenga in January.

Despite a 2-1 victory over Eibar, Atletico's quest for a second win on the bounce suffered a false start as Spanish defender Pisco gave the hosts the lead after just four minutes of action.

However, Atletico bounced back in the 28th minute when Brazilian star Ludmila da Silva set up the Cameroon international to grab the equaliser, with her first league goal in the Spanish top-flight.
 
After the break, Francis Díaz's side recovered their lead when Pisco bagged her second of the match from the spot in the 72nd minute.

On the brink of full time, Atletico were not going to give up so easily and grabbed a late equaliser when Nchout teed up Deyna Castellanos to force a stalemate.

Nigeria's Rasheedat Ajibade was in action for nine minutes after she replaced Kylie Strom, while Nchout now has three goals and two assists in five games, including a brace in the Supercopa final.

On the other hand, Cote d'Ivoire's Ange N'Guessan and Cameroon's Raissa Feudjio were in action for 75 and 64 minutes for Tenerife respectively.

The draw keeps Atletico in fourth on the log with 35 points from 18 outings, while Tenerife are seventh with 31 points from 16 games.

In the upcoming matches, Tenerife will visit Espanyol on February 10, while Atletico Madrid welcome Santa Teresa on the same day.

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Aston Villa players were ‘class’ against Arsenal – Elmohamady

An early goal at Villa Park was enough for the hosts to bounce back to winning ways after Wednesday’s loss

Ahmed Elmohamady praised his Aston Villa teammates after they secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in Saturday’s Premier League encounter.

Ollie Watkins' opener in the second minute separated both teams at Villa Park as Dean Smith's men held on for their 11th league win of the season.

Elmohamady watched on from the bench as he awaits his first league appearance in 2021 but his compatriot Trezeguet alongside Burkina Faso's Bertrand Traore and Zimbabwe's Marvelous Nakamba were in action against the Gunners.

Despite his inactivity at Villa Park, the Egypt international – who has played five Premier League games this season – applauded his teammates for showing their class in a hard-fought win.

“Great Saturday afternoon at VP, lads were class, three points and a clean sheet,” Elmohamady tweeted.

The encounter also reunited Trezeguet with fellow Egyptian Mohamed Elneny who was an unused substitute for Mikel Arteta's side.

Both players took a picture after the match and they did not hesitate to share on their social media platforms.

Saturday's defeat moved Arsenal down to 10th in the Premier League table with 31 points from 23 matches while Aston Villa climbed to eighth with 35 points from 21 games.

Next up for the Claret & Blue Army is a Premier League visit to Brighton & Hove Albion on February 13 with the Gunners expected to welcome Leeds United to the Emirates Stadium the following day.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Nedbank Cup: Twitter reacts to Orlando Pirates' narrow win over Uthongathi FC

The Bucs fans were not convinced by the team's performance against the resilient Cane Cutters in Soweto

Orlando Pirates went into their Nedbank Cup Last 32 match against Uthongathi FC as clear favourites to advance to the next round.

However, the Buccaneers had to dig deep for a 1-0 win over the National First Division (NFD) side, who gave a good account of themselves at Orlando Stadium.

The only goal of the match was netted by Frank Mhango in the 63rd minute and the Malawi international cut a relieved figure after hitting the back of the net.

The win saw Pirates advance to the Round of 16 after securing a hard-fought win, while Uthongathi defender Xolani Slawula, who frustrated the Bucs attackers, was named Man of the Match.

Football fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the game and many of them were not happy with the Buccaneers' performance against Cane Cutters. 

Original author: Austin Ditlhobolo

Gueye and Sakala strikes inspire Oostende past Sint-Truiden

The Senegalese forward and the Zambia international found the back of the net to help the Kustboys secure victory at Diaz Arena

Makhtar Gueye bagged a brace while Fashion Sakala scored a goal as Oostende secured a 3-1 win over Sint-Truiden in Saturday’s Belgian First Division A game.

Gueye was handed his 22nd league start and made the most of the opportunity, scoring twice in the encounter.

The Senegalese forward led Oostende's attack along with Zambia international Sakala, who also registered his name on the scoresheet.

Gueye opened the scoring in the 38th minute of the encounter after receiving a timely assist from Nick Batzner.

The centre-forward then completed his brace at the hour mark with a well-struck penalty before Sakala increased Oostende's lead with another effort from the spot.

Yuma Suzuki scored a late strike for Sint-Truiden after he was set up by Duckens Nazon but this was a mere consolation for his side.

Gueye featured for 77 minutes before he was replaced by Marko Kvasina while Sakala played for 78 minutes before making way for Mamadou Thiam.

With the victory, Oostende moved to fourth spot on the league table after gathering 39 points from 26 games.

Gueye has now scored seven goals in 25 appearances across all competitions while Sakala has 12 league goals to his credit.

The Senegalese forward teamed up with the Versluys Arena outfit last summer from French side Saint-Etienne and has been making impressive performances for the side.

For Sakala, the Zambia forward has been with Oostende since 2018 and has been a consistent performer for the side.

Gueye and Sakala will hope to help Alexander Blessin’s men continue in their winning ways when they take on Cercle Brugge in a Cup tie on February 9.

Sakala has 13 caps for the Zambia national team while Gueye is yet to get a chance to feature for the Teranga Lions.

Original author: Gbenga Adewoye

Mike Dean & VAR face backlash again after controversial red card for Soucek

The West Ham midfielder was sent off after a tangle with Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic

Tomas Soucek was controversially sent off late in West Ham’s 0-0 London derby draw with Fulham.

The Czech Republic midfielder was lining up to attack a free kick on the edge of the Fulham box when he tangled with Cottagers striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Referee Mike Dean was then summoned to the touchline by the VAR and, after reviewing the incident, sent Soucek off.

Why was Tomas Soucek sent off?

Soucek was trying to create space that was being denied to him by Mitrovic, and in a bid to get a yard of clearance he caught the Fulham man with his arm.

There did not look to be any intent. It appeared to be a case of Soucek keeping the Fulham forward clear of him, but Dean was given instruction to review the incident.

Dean took some time before returning to the pitch and brandishing a red card to the bewildered West Ham man.

Will Soucek's red card be overturned?

It seems almost certain that West Ham will lodge an appeal over the red card.

For VAR, it is another moment in the spotlight that football’s governing bodies could do without. Slow motion replays tend to make things look worse than in real time, but even at half speed the incident seemed to be an accidental coming together of two players.

Should Soucek fail in any appeal, and a ban for violent conduct is confirmed, he will miss the trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup and Premier League games with Sheffield United and Tottenham.

What has Soucek said?

Following the match, Soucek posted his reaction to the red card on Twitter.

He wrote: "I spoke with Aleksandar Mitrovic in and after the game and he said to me that our duel was fair, I thank him for that. Unfortunately, the referee had different opinion.

"Anyone who knows me knows i would never mean harm to another player. I am sorry for this moment in the otherwise great season. Really nice fair play moment from Aleksandar."

What was the West Ham reaction to Soucek's red card?

West Ham boss David Moyes said: "It was an accidental coming together, which to give someone a red card for is an embarrassing decision. I am embarrassed that the VAR asked him to look at it, it was a simple accident and we should just get on with the game.

"I am disappointed. The referees can easily put a stop to this by saying we are not going to react to screaming or give soft free kicks but they seem to be frightened to say no."

West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell told Sky Sports: "He [Aleksandar Mitrovic] made a bit too much of it. It's frustrating to lose Tomas Soucek. He's a massive player for us. A huge loss."

What was the Fulham reaction to Soucek's red card?

Fulham boss Scott Parker said: "It probably was a bit harsh and the game is becoming very sterile.

"I don't think it was a sending off but that's the way the game is going."

How many red cards has Mike Dean shown in his career?

The red card for Soucek was the sixth that Dean has shown in 15 Premier League matches during the 2020-21 season. It also came just a few days after Dean sent off Alex Jankewitz and Jan Bednarek in Southampton's 9-0 defeat at Manchester United.

He also sent off West Brom's Kieran Gibbs in a 5-2 defeat at Everton in September, and dismissed Joao Moutinho and Douglas Luiz during Aston Villa's 1-0 win at Wolves in December.

Since taking charge of his first Premier League game in September 2000, Dean has refereed 524 matches, showing 110 red cards and 1,927 yellow cards.

Dean is the only referee to pass a century of red cards shown in the Premier League. Next on the list is Phil Dowd (67 red cards), followed by Mike Riley (66), Martin Atkinson (65) and Graham Poll (63).

What was the reaction on social media?

LIVE: Manchester United vs Everton

First-half goals from Cavani and Fernandes had put United two goals to the good at half-time. Ancelotti's men instantly responded in the second half, scoring twice in quick succession through Doucoure and Rodriguez to pull back level. McTominay seemed to have won the game for the hosts, after heading past Olsen but Calvert-Lewin then popped up with a dramatic, stoppage-time equaliser past De Gea. That is all from this Premier League fixture at Old Trafford, which ends 3-3.

90' + 6' FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 3-3 EVERTON

90' + 3' Rashford ghosts inside from the left, inviting Holgate to challenge him. When the right-back does try to dispossess the English forward, he concedes a throw-in deep in the corner of Everton's half, presenting a perfect opportunity for the hosts to waste some vital seconds.

90' + 1' There will be four minutes of added time as De Gea rises the highest to claim Digne's long throw-in before the Spaniard tries to initiate a counter-attack through Rashford on the left.

89' The visitors are pressing as high up the pitch as possible, which is forcing the home side into playing a little bit longer than usual. The Red Devils play aimlessly long again, conceding possession as they appear content to sit deeper and soak up the pressure in an attempt to secure the three points.

88' WIDE! Calvert-Lewin dispossesses Maguire inside United's half and plays in Richarlison. The Brazilian forward squares up Lindelof on the edge of the area, moving it onto his right foot before skewing wide of De Gea's goal to the right. Maguire is furious with referee Moss as he insists he was fouled by Calvert-Lewin but the referee disagrees as he shakes his head.

86' CHANCE! Gomes drives his team through the middle of the pitch before playing to his left to Digne. The French left-back takes one touch into the area before drilling a low, left-footed effort towards the near post. De Gea, however, watches it all the way as it goes just wide of his right-hand post.

84' Calvert-Lewin comes deep in an attempt to encourage his side to play to feet. The visitors oblige, eventually reaching the edge of United's area, where the move breaks down as Digne clumsily goes through the back of Fred to offer the hosts a free-kick.

83' Fernandes has a chance to slide in Greenwood but fails to evade the sole visitors' defender and Godfrey intercepts before looking to launch an attack of his own from the halfway line.

82' The Toffees’ only win in their last 11 Premier League matches against the Red Devils was a 4-0 victory at Goodison Park in April 2019 under Marco Silva (D4 L6). The visitors' torrid record against United appears set to go on.

81' CLOSE! Holgate is on the floor behind the wall, protecting Olsen's goal if Fernandes opts to take the low route. The Portuguese midfielder chooses to go over the wall but his right-footed strike also sails just over the bar.

80' Rashford leads another counter-attacking charge, racing inside past Keane, who then brings down the United forward right on the edge of the area to concede a free-kick in a great position.

78' WIDE! Fernandes slips a pass through to Rashford, who stutters in the area, spinning around and surveying his options. When the English forward eventually takes action, he drills a left-footed effort wide of Olsen's goal to the left, despite Everton's goalkeeper being way out of position.

77' OVER! The away side deal with Cavani's initial attempts, blocking towards the edge of the area. Fred picks up the loose ball and feeds Fernandes, who cuts in on his right foot before curling a right-footed effort over Olsen's goal.

76' Holgate is powerless to stopping Rashford's driving run, as the English forward coasts past the visitors' right-back to the left of goal. Godfrey then comes across to step in and intercept before Olsen can be tested.

74' Unlike Shaw's delivery for McTominay's header, Sigurdsson fails to find a team-mate in the area from the subsequent free-kick and it looks like Ancelotti is going to make some more changes here.

72' Shaw returns the favour on Holgate, going in late on the right-hand touchline to concede a free-kick in a good position to the right of the area, which Sigurdsson will take.

71' Ancelotti will be frustrated to concede in that manner, given the free-kick that Holgate gave away was fairly avoidable on the left-hand touchline. His side now face the task of scoring a third goal at Old Trafford to get something out of this game.

69' Shaw buys an easy free-kick in the left-hand channel and the left-back will swing in the resulting set-piece.

68' Solskjaer's side work it from side to side, remaining patient in their efforts to carve out an opportunity. Their patience finally fades away, as Fred rushes a pass forward before Greenwood carelessly fouls Davies in the centre of the park to relieve the pressure on the visitors.

66' Digne looks to have the beating of Wan-Bissaka before the right-back recovers, throwing his body at the Frenchman's cross to stop it from setting up Calvert-Lewin inside the area. Down the other end, Godfrey produces a heroic diving header to intervene and not allow Fernandes to latch onto Cavani's outswinging cross into the area.

65' Fred makes it to the byline on the left after being played through by Shaw. The Brazilian midfielder, perhaps aware of the opportunity at the back post, then rushes his cross and wildly fires it over Cavani and out for a throw-in to Everton.

63' CHANCE! Cavani shrugs off the challenge of Holgate before rolling in Rashford, who races into the area to the left of goal. The English forward has just Olsen to beat but his chipped, left-footed effort is saved by the visitors' goalkeeper and trickles out for a corner.

61' The visitors press high and with real intent, however, the home side play through the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison with relative ease. Solskjaer's side then waste the opportunity to attack, as Cavani needlessly fouls in the middle of the park.

60' Only the Red Devils and Leicester City (8 each) have won more Premier League away games than Ancelotti's side this season (7), with this the Toffees’ most wins on the road in a single league campaign since 2013-14 (8).

59' Olsen immediately puts his hand up in the air to apologise for rushing a punch from Shaw's cross. Nevertheless, Everton's goalkeeper gives away another corner on the right but Fernandes' cross is poor, which allows Godfrey to deal with the danger.

57' A frantic start to the second 45 minutes has quitened down now, with the hosts happy to take a while over a free-kick on the right. When Fernandes finally takes the set-piece, his delivery gets turned behind for a corner to the right of goal.

56' Greenwood twists and turns to reach the byline before playing back to Wan-Bissaka, whose first touch is poor, which allows Richarlison to intercept and attack down the left-hand channel. The Brazilian's progress eventually comes to an end, as Maguire comes across to intervene.

54' What a response from Ancelotti's men after half-time, the hosts have not got going as of yet and they have been punished by the visitors for their second-half laziness. After all their hard work in the first half, Solskjaer's men now face the task of regaining their lead and starting all over again.

50' Looking back at the replay of the goal which reduced United's two-goal advantage, De Gea should be doing better with Calvert-Lewin's initial effort. The Spaniard could have pushed the forward's shot anywhere but still managed to find the feet of Doucoure.

48' Rodriguez spends a bit of time on the floor after being caught late by Fred but eventually the Colombian returns to his feet and play resumes with a United goal-kick.

47' SAVE! Cavani and Shaw exchange a one-two with the latter reaching the edge of the D before powering a left-footed effort towards the bottom right corner. The left-back catches it well but Olsen is on hand to dive to his left and parry away.

47' Fernandes' late first-half goal was his fourth Premier League strike past Everton in three appearances, making the Toffees the Portuguese midfielder's favourite top-flight opponents.

46' Both sets of players have returned from the tunnel after half-time and referee Moss gets the second half underway!

Looking ahead to the next 45 minutes, Ancelotti will now have to chase this game and could look to the likes of Iwobi or Bernard off the bench for some added attacking impetus. Solskjaer will be happy with his side's performance as of yet and will simply be asking for more of the same in the second half. The only real concern from the first half for the hosts will be the loss of Pogba through injury.

After starting the game in fairly promising fashion the visitors, perhaps undeservedly, fell a goal behind, courtesy of Cavani's header at the back post. Fernandes doubled United's lead in the 45th minute before Calvert-Lewin immediately had a chance to pull a goal back but snatched at his chance to drag it wide of De Gea's goal. As the two teams wander down the tunnel, it is the hosts who lead 2-0 in this Premier League fixture.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 EVERTON

45' + 1' WIDE! Calvert-Lewin beats the offside trap to latch onto Holgate's pass, racing in behind the hosts' defence to go one-on-one with De Gea. The English forward has just the goalkeeper to beat but manages to pull his left-footed effort agonisingly wide of goal to the right.

44' Davies plays in Richarlison with a floated pass over the top, inviting the Brazilian forward to run at Lindelof and into the area. Richarlison manages to get past Wan-Bissaka, however, the Everton forward then ends up on the floor, despite no one around him attempting to make a tackle.

43' CLOSE! Rashford drifts into another pocket of space, dancing towards the edge of the area before teeing up Fred. The Brazilian midfielder ignores the passing option to his right and instead shoots but manages to drag his right-footed effort just wide of Olsen's goal to the left.

41' CHANCE! Lindelof gets his clearance all wrong, striking it into the chest of Richarlison on the left-hand side. De Gea is out of his goal and the Brazilian is aware of the chance, attempting to curl a shot towards the vacant far corner. Fortunately for the hosts, the Spaniard recovers, retreating quickly to save and spare the blushes of Lindelof.

38' Pogba hobbles around the middle of the park for a bit before deciding to go down, meaning the medical team can come on to treat the Frenchman. The midfielder appeared to be struggling after playing a short pass forwards and it looks like that could be the end of his game.

37' Fernandes, perhaps aware of Olsen's positioning off his line, crosses towards the near post and nearly catches the goalkeeper out. Whether intentional or not, the Portuguese midfielder's set-piece delivery nearly caused Everton some problems there.

36' Cavani throws himself to the floor rather theatrically after Digne had clipped his hells off the ball. Despite the forward's theatrics, referee Moss awards the hosts a free-kick on the right, which Fernandes will take.

35' A chance for a second goal falls to the feet of Cavani, who gets his legs tangled up and manages to send the ball behind him and towards Gomes instead of at Olsen's goal. Initially, Wan-Bissaka and Fernandes had combined well to create the chance on the right-hand side.

33' United's opening goal here was Cavani's fourth headed Premier League goal. Only Calvert-Lewin, the man who is leading the opposition line in this game, has scored more headed goals in the Premier League this season than the Uruguayan striker.

32' Cavani's opener has settled the Red Devils down as they now are stroking the ball about with real authority and looking to attack at every opportunity they can. On this occasion, McTominay finds himself inside the right-hand channel and crossing towards the centre of goal, where Olsen claims the Scot's cross with ease.

31' Maguire, perhaps inspired by Lindelof's earlier run, sees the chance to attack and goes driving into the space in front of him. United's captain appears to have made significant progress before Gomes steps in and wins the free-kick inside his own area.

29' Shaw again goes roaming down the left, standing up a cross towards the far post, where Digne does well to climb the highest and head away. Wan-Bissaka reacts quickly to the clearance but fails to control the loose ball, allowing the Toffees to regroup before clearing long.

27' Rashford, now occupying the left-hand side, goes on a driving run into the area which eventually gets stopped by the sliding tackle of Davies. The visitors, despite starting the game strongly, appear out of ideas as they are struggling to get out of their own half at the moment.

26' The hosts have lost one of their last 27 home Premier League games against the Toffees (W20 D6), a 1-0 defeat in 2013/14 under David Moyes. Cavani's goal has put them on course to carry on their impressive record against the men from Goodison Park.

23' Shaw, who was excellent as an attacking outlet against the Saints, looks to find Cavani at the near post but Keane intercepts, dealing with the bouncing ball well before clearing long.

22' WIDE! Greenwood leaves Digne on the floor before turning Gomes one way then the other and releasing a right-footed shot across goal. Olsen sees it all the way and watches the English forward's effort trickle wide of the target and out for a goal-kick.

21' A great sliding challenge by Shaw on the edge of the area stops Calvert-Lewin from pulling the trigger after initially being set free over the top by Digne.

21' Pogba rises the highest to meet Fernandes' corner, flicking a header towards the back post, where Doucoure remains calm to hook a clearance away, despite the pressure of McTominay right behind him.

20' Greenwood is afforded far too much space outside the area, drifting in and crossing from the right towards the back post. Cavani looks set to pounce around the six-yard area, however, Holgate is there to avert the danger and head behind for a corner.

19' As the game approaches the 20th minute, it is Ancelotti's men who have made the better start to this fixture. Solskjaer's side have offered little up front as of yet, which may come as a surprise, given their 9-0 crushing of Southampton in midweek.

17' Keane manages to put what should be a fairly simple pass to Digne out of play, inviting United to attack down the right-hand side. The hosts oblige but, for the time being, appear content to remain patient in their build-up play, methodically trying to manufacture an opening.

15' De Gea looks to be in trouble from a challenging pass backwards by Lindelof, however, the Spaniard does incredibly well to quickly sort his feet and play out from the back under the pressure of Calvert-Lewin and Davies.

14' Richarlison gets isolated against Wan-Bissaka, beating the right-back with ease and racing towards the byline, where he stands up a cross towards the back post. Calvert-Lewin gets in between Maguire and Lindelof but fails to bring the pass under control, allowing Pogba to intervene.

13' Calvert-Lewin attempts an ambitious long pass to Richarlison, however, McTominay is on hand to intercept before the Brazilian can capitalise on the left-hand side. The England forward appears intent to come slightly deeper to receive possession and allow Richarlison to make the forward runs ahead of him at the minute.

11' For the second time in as many minutes, Digne gets in behind Wan-Bissaka and looks to cross. On this occasion, United's right-back recovers well to turn behind for a corner, which the home side then comfortably deal with.

10' Since a run of six Premier League matches without a win at Old Trafford, the hosts have won five of their last seven home games in the competition (D1 L1), scoring 20 goals and conceding just five.

9' Fernandes is still exchanging a few words with both Davies and referee Moss. Nevertheless, despite the Portuguese midfielder's frustrations, play goes on and Digne nearly sneaks in at the back post to latch onto Rodriguez's diagonal pass. De Gea appears concerned by the Frenchman's presence but the Colombian's pass races out of play for a goal-kick.

8' Wan-Bissaka is invited to attack down the right, however, the right-back carelessly gives possession away which allows the visitors a chance to counter-attack. Davies leads the charge but he is then guilty of fouling Fernandes and Solskjaer's side get the free-kick inside their own half.

6' Lindelof goes on a rare foray forward, coasting past numerous Everton midfielders and the centre-back looks set to test Olsen until Godfrey steps in on the edge of the area and intervenes.

5' Holgate ventures down the right-hand channel but his progress comes to an abrupt halt as Shaw dispossesses the right-back. The hosts look to shift the ball forward at speed but the move breaks down with Pogba taking too long on the ball to find the likes of Fernandes or Cavani.

3' The Toffees deal with the resulting corner with relative ease as Godfrey steers the corner away at the near post. The visitors regain possession further up the pitch, where Richarlison has a quick disagreement with McTominay over a throw-in before play resumes with Digne finding Doucoure.

2' Wan-Bissaka hesitates before playing to Greenwood, whose cross towards the far post then gets headed away by Holgate. The loose ball falls to Cavani and his shot gets deflected behind for the first corner of the game.

1' Referee Jonathan Moss blows his whistle and the away side get this Premier League fixture underway!

The players are wandering out the tunnel at Old Trafford and shortly it will be time for kick-off.

This will be Solskjaer’s 100th Premier League match as a manager (18 with Cardiff, 82 with Man Utd). He is the 70th different manager to take charge of 100 games, though none of the three who managed their 100th game against Everton have won: Dave Bassett in 1998 (lost 0-2), Roberto Martínez in 2012 (drew 1-1) & Paul Lambert in 2014 (lost 1-2).

Ancelotti opts for three changes to his side which defeated Leeds last time out. At the back, Keane replaces Mina, while further forward Sigurdsson and Iwobi drop out for Davies and Rodriguez. Olsen continues in goal in the absence of the injured Jordan Pickford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes one alteration to his starting eleven that thrashed Southampton, with Pogba replacing Fred, who drops to the bench. Cavani remains in the side, operating up top as a lone striker, supported by the likes of Rashford, Fernandes and Greenwood behind him.

SUBS: Joshua King, Alex Iwobi, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bernard, Niels Nkounkou, Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph, Joao Virginia, Seamus Coleman.

EVERTON (4-3-3): Robin Olsen; Lucas Digne, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane, Mason Holgate; Abdoulaye Doucoure, Tom Davies, Andre Gomes; Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Rodriguez.

SUBS: Dean Henderson, Nemanja Matic, Alex Telles, Daniel James, Brandon Williams, Fred, Anthony Martial, Axel Tuanzebe, Donny van de Beek.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): David de Gea; Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka; Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba; Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood; Edinson Cavani.

Fresh off the back of their 9-0 demolition of nine-man Southampton in midweek, United’s attentions now turn to Everton, who sit in seventh. Carlo Ancelotti’s side also impressed during the week, holding off a strong second-half performance from Leeds United to secure a 2-1 win at Elland Road.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford.

Fernandes gets hairdryer treatment from Solskjaer despite becoming Man Utd talisman

The Portuguese playmaker admits his manager has got “really mad” with him on at least two occasions across 12 months at Old Trafford

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that becoming a Manchester United talisman has not spared him from incurring Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s wrath, with the Portuguese admitting to getting the hairdryer treatment from a mild-mannered coach on at least two occasions.

The Red Devils have found considerable value in a midfielder snapped up from Sporting during the winter transfer window of 2020.

Fernandes has contributed 29 goals and 20 assists to the United cause through 54 appearances, becoming an on-field leader at Old Trafford when the Premier League heavyweights were crying out for inspiration.

The 26-year-old has become untouchable in the eyes of many, with plaudits raining down on him, but he has refuted any suggestion that Solskjaer is a soft touch and a coach that can hand out preferential treatment.

Fernandes told TV2: “[Solskjaer] has his moments, like everyone else. I think he's been really mad at me twice.

“It's not so much, I've played 54 games now. During those fights he has been angry with me twice, it's not bad, so I'm happy with that. Sometimes he has to be calm, other times he has to scream and yell at his players.

“It's about how to get the best out of the players. For me, it works well that he is angry sometimes. I don't want to be a player no one demands anything of.

Fernandes added on his boss: “I think everyone knows that he gives the players a lot of confidence. The conversations we had when I came here were very important to me, because he always said that I should express myself.

“In the beginning, he often repeated that I should express myself, be myself and do the same as I have always done.

“Over time, he has begun to demand more and more of me, and I think it is important that I demand a lot back.”

Fernandes has made no secret of the fact that he intends to add to his medal collection while in Manchester, with three pieces of silverware still in United’s sights this season.

He said of collective ambition at United: “We have to focus on the trophies. That's what it's about. 

“We have to focus on all the tournaments we are in. Now we are still in three tournaments. Now it's the Premier League, then the FA Cup and then the Europa League begins. 

“I think we have to think that we are going to win all those tournaments. We have the chance to do that and we have to believe that it is possible.”

Fernandes will not take kindly to ending another campaign empty-handed, with a demanding character expecting nothing but the best from himself and a star-studded cast of team-mates.

“I do not react well when we lose,” he said, with a home date against Everton next up for United.

“I do not like to lose. I know people say that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but I do not think so. For me, it's about winning every single time. I do not care who we play against, it's just about winning every time.”

Original author: Chris Burton

Nedbank Cup wrap: Wins for Cape Town City, AmaZulu, Orlando Pirates, TS Sporting and JDR Stars

There were two penalty shoot-outs, one hat-trick and one red card in the first round proper of South Africa's version of the FA Cup

Tottenham and Budapest are options to stage RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Champions League tie

Coronavirus protocols mean foreign travellers from countries with variants of Covid-19 are not allowed into Germany

Budapest and London have emerged as options to host RB Leipzig’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash with Liverpool on February 16.

It emerged on Thursday that Liverpool would not be able to travel to Leipzig due to the German government’s coronavirus protocols.

The German government informed Leipzig of their position, which prompted the club to contact UEFA to discuss options.

The possibilities were switching the ties, as Germany’s travel ban on foreigners connected to new variants of Covid-19 is due to end on February 17, shifting the match to one leg, or Leipzig finding an alternative venue for their home tie.

The latter option appears to be favourite, following confirmation that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London and Budapest have been put forward as possible hosts.

What was said?

"The two that are specific at the moment are Tottenham or Budapest,” RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff told Sky Germany. “We will make a decision for ourselves tomorrow evening, discuss it with UEFA and announce it on Monday.”

The club’s sports director Markus Krosche added: “Of course it is unfortunate that the regulations are there. 

“But we have to accept it and we are on the way to finding a solution.”

What does it mean?

With 10 days until the game, both clubs are still unable to nail down their plans.

In all likelihood, it will be an ‘away’ game for the two camps, meaning travel arrangements will need to be made.

Budapest is the preferred option for Leipzig, as while it would mean they would have to travel some 650km, Liverpool’s trip would be far more arduous than if they had to make the short hop down to London.

Leipzig are also surrendering home advantage in a European tie, but results in major leagues around the continent during the coronavirus pandemic have shown that without fans, it is not that big an advantage.

It’s clear that both teams would like the uncertainty put to one side to enable them to focus on the game.

Liverpool are in the midst of a torrid run of form, having won just two of their last eight games in the Premier League, while Leipzig have won three on the spin in all competitions, scoring eight goals without reply.

Zinnbauer not concerned by Orlando Pirates’ edgy win over Uthongathi

A moment of sublime skill from Deon Hotto, which lead to the goal, was the key moment in what was otherwise a close game against the second-tier club

For Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer, Saturday’s 1-0 Nedbank Cup last 32 win over Uthongathi was less about the performance and all about the result.

The Sea Robbers were underwhelming in their victory at the Orlando Stadium, which was secured by a goal on the hour mark by Gabadinho Mhango.

It proved enough to stop Pirates being eliminated from the competition at the first round stage for a third consecutive season, although had Uthongathi made better use of their chances, the outcome could have been different.

Zinnbauer though was not overly fazed by a somewhat lacklustre showing in Soweto.

“You play against a first division team and it's a concentration thing for the players,” he told SuperSport TV after the match.

“It's football, most of the time when you don’t score early then it’s difficult. The opponent gets the second [wind] goes forward with nothing to lose.

“We have to run, and you see the field, it's a very [big] field. It's a lot of energy and you see the players thinking ‘oh we have Tuesday the next game against Cape Town City.’

“Maybe it's the mindset from the players. But from us what’s important is that we are in the next round and that was the target today,” the German added.

Ahead in February for the Buccaneers is the game against City next week, followed by back-to-back Caf Confederation Cup matches against Galaxy of Botswana, before meeting with SuperSport United.

As such, Zinnbauer does not want his men to linger too much on potential cup glory in the Nedbank Cup, a tournament Pirates last won in 2014.

“We have to focus now on the next game against City and then we have to wait which opponent is coming and then we have time to focus on the Nedbank,” he explained.

“But first is next week, the league then comes the Caf. We have a lot of games in the past and a lot of games in the future.”

Tanzania 5-3 Uganda: Ngorongoro Boys defeat Cecafa champions in pre-Afcon meeting

The hosts lost their first tie three days ago but ensured they emerged with a huge win during the second match

Tanzania U20 emerged 5-3 winners against Uganda U20 in a second encounter of the pre-African Cup of Nations mini-tournament on Saturday at Chamazi Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam.

Both nations are preparing to feature in the Afcon 2021 edition in Mauritania and Ngorongoro Heroes picked the win after losing the first encounter by a solitary goal that was struck by Richard Basangwa.

Abdul Suleiman, Kelvin John and Kassim Shaban were the scorers for Tanzania while Derrick Kakooza, Ivan Bogere and Sam Ssenyonjo were the scorers for Uganda Hippos.

Suleiman opened the scoring in the 13th minute when he put Tanzania in the lead from a penalty. John extended the lead when he struck in the 16th minute before Uganda got the first goal three minutes later via Kakooza.

Morley Byekwaso’s side equalised in the 25th minute through Bogere but Suleiman restored Ngorongoro Boys’ lead in the 57th minute. Uganda fought and got another goal in the 73rd minute but their resurgence did not last long as Tanzania struck in the 75th minute through Shaban. The fifth goal for Tanzania came in the 90th minute when Suleiman found the back of the net through a penalty again.

Uganda are expected to take their flight to Mauritania on February 10 before the Afcon U20 competition begins.

Uganda are in Group A with Mauritania, Cameroon and Mozambique. They begin the campaign with a clash against Mozambique on February 15 before facing Cameroon on February 17.

On February 20, Byekwaso will lead his side in a final group match against Mauritania.

On the other hand, Tanzania are in Group C alongside Ghana, Gambia and Morocco. In Group B, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, the Central African Republic and Namibia are the competitors.

The two group winners will advance to the quarter-finals of the continental competition alongside the two best third-place finishers from any of the two groups.

Tanzania Starting XI: Rahim Sheikh, David Kameta, David Bryson, Samuel Jackson, Laurent Alfred, Novatus Dismas, Rajab Athuman, Abdul Suleiman, Ben Starkie, Kevin John, Nassor Sadun.

Uganda Starting XI: Jack Komakech, Gavin Kizito, Azizi Kayondo, Musa Ramadhan, Kenneth Semakula, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Isma Mugulisi, Najib Yiga, Steve Sserwada, Derrick Kakooza, Ivan Bogere.

Original author: Kiplagat Sang

Chilwell warned Chelsea spell already ‘questionable’ as Tuchel favours Alonso over £50m left-back

Former Blues defender Mario Melchiot has been impressed by a Spain international in a wing-back role, with tactical tweaks made in west London

Ben Chilwell’s position and future at Chelsea are already “questionable”, says Mario Melchiot, with a £50 million ($69m) addition by the Blues losing his place to Marcos Alonso.

The England international was taken to Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2020 by Frank Lampard.

Positive progress was made on the back of a big-money switch, once an early injury was shaken off, and the left-back berth appeared to have become his own.

A change in the dugout has, however, delivered tactical tweaks on the field, with Thomas Tuchel reverting to a three-man defence.

With wing-backs now being favoured, Spain international Alonso – who found himself frozen out under Lampard – has earned a reprieve.

He has caught the eye through a run of three successive clean sheets under a German coach, leaving Chilwell to mull over where he stands.

Former Chelsea full-back Melchiot told talkSPORT: “One manager wants you for a particular system so it was more like a 4-3-3, but now the system has changed and made it really questionable for Chilwell.

“It doesn’t mean he’s not a good player; I always admired him because I like him as a player, but Alonso knows this way of playing.

“Alonso has grabbed the opportunity, scored a goal, made a difference in the team and looks really comfortable. He looks very good compared to a player that hasn’t played for so long. Look how fit he is and how he is playing.

“He looks comfortable on the ball. We all know he’s good, he does his job and that is why he’s playing.”

Chelsea had been struggling for consistency when Lampard was ushered through the exits, but seven points from nine have been picked up under Tuchel.

The Blues are back up to sixth in the Premier League table, four points adrift of the top four, and Melchiot believes Champions League qualification can be chased down.

The Dutchman added: “Oh yeah, by far they can get that.

“This is only the first test he [Tuchel] had, so we have to realistic. Do they have the chance? Yeah.

“I always felt Chelsea had to aim for the Champions League spots and go for it. The only thing now is how are they going to perform in the next game. This was his first biggest test.

“If you saw Tuchel [against Tottenham], it was the first time he emotionally reacted in a different way than when we saw before.

“He knows there is no waiting time. The way he delivered the team to make them win, this win was way bigger than we thought it would be for him.”

Chelsea edged out Spurs 1-0 in their last outing and will be back in action on Sunday when they take in a trip to rock-bottom Sheffield United.

Original author: Chris Burton

Arteta confirms Partey injury in Arsenal loss to Aston Villa

The midfielder has been beset by problems and came off injured in the loss to Aston Villa

Mikel Arteta has confirmed Thomas Partey suffered a muscle injury in Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa, but is unsure of the severity of the problem.

Partey has been plagued by injuries since his move to Arsenal from Atletico Madrid last year, and a problem flared up again on Saturday.

With Arsenal chasing the game at 1-0 down, Partey pulled up in pain with 15 minutes remaining in the contest.

He was treated on the pitch, before being replaced by Willian as the Gunners fell to a 1-0 defeat at Villa Park.

What was said?

“He had a muscular injury so we had to take him off," Arteta said on Saturday following the loss. “He could not carry on playing. I don't know [how bad it is].

 "We will see the extent of the injury. He wasn't feeling well enough to continue playing so we had to take him off."

What does it mean?

Given the Ghana midfielder’s problems since arriving in north London, it is of huge concern to the Gunners.

Arteta has gone on record as saying no other player in his midfield has the skillset of Partey, with his all-action style allowing others the freedom to express themselves.

However, he has been beset by injuries since picking up a problem - ironically against Aston Villa - in November.

Comebacks have been made, but they have been stop-start and he suffered a knock in the loss to Wolves in midweek.

He was passed fit for the trip to Aston Villa but that may not have been the best call on reflection and it may be time for the club to take a firm hand and insist Partey works on a tailored recovery programme as he is in his prime years at 27 but is in danger of squandering them.

Before February is out, Arsenal take on Leeds United, Manchester City and Leicester City in the Premier League, and Benfica over two legs in the Europa League - and their season could be over if things go awry over the next three weeks.

Liverpool's Diogo Jota ranks first in the world at FUT Champions

The exciting forward has been laid low with a knee problem, but he has found other ways to taste glory on the pitch
Original author: Goal

Mixed emotions for Arsenal fan Ryan after defeat on debut & assistance from ‘a greater power’

The Australian goalkeeper made his bow for the Gunners at Aston Villa, but was unable to prevent Mikel Arteta’s side from losing 1-0

Mat Ryan admits to having experienced mixed emotions on his Arsenal debut, with the boyhood Gunners fan seeing his big day marred by a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

The Australia international goalkeeper made an emotional move to Emirates Stadium during the winter transfer window, with a loan switch sealed from Brighton.

The 28-year-old arrived in north London as back-up to Bernd Leno, but the German’s dismissal in a 2-1 reversal at Wolves opened the door to a starting berth.

Runar Runarsson stepped off the bench at Molineux, with Ryan nursing a hip complaint, but a Premier League bow was made at Villa Park.

Ollie Watkins grabbed the only goal of that game after 74 seconds, with his effort taking a sizeable deflection off Rob Holding and leaving Ryan to reflect on what could have been.

He told Arsenal’s official website: “Obviously with everything that's been going on with my circumstances, I just tried to adopt the mentality of focusing on myself and readying myself for the next opportunity, whenever or whether that may come.

“I think it was probably down to all that, that I was able to come in and have a performance like I did.

“Unfortunately I wasn't able to help us with the result. It was a deflection and I haven't watched it back yet, but there wasn't a lot I could do I don't think.

“It felt good to be out there though, I loved being out there. It still hasn't quite sunk in that it's my childhood club that I grew up supporting that I've just played for. But I'm sure it'll start to sink in a bit now that I've got a moment to reflect on it.

“I wanted the perfect start with the result but it wasn't meant to be.”

Ryan added on a rollercoaster ride that has seen him fulfil a lifelong dream: “I was just thinking that there's a greater power in life.

“Things happen for a reason, even the situation with Bernd. I probably could have pushed myself with some medication to be available for the Wolves game.

“If I'd have done that and the boss would have selected me, I'd have made my debut there. But when all that happened, in the 75th minute of the Wolves game my hip started to feel quite a lot better!

“That stuff can happen in football so it's just about trying to be ready and prepared.

“I was just thankful to go out there, do my best today and I want to kick on from it now. I want to continue to grow as a person and as a goalkeeper.”

Original author: Chris Burton

LIVE: Juventus vs Roma

59' Villar has space in the Juve box and he tries to drill a strike through a crowd of defenders. His effort strikes Bonucci and bounces back off the Roma midfielder. It travels towards Mayoral in the box, but the offside flag goes up against the forward.

57' WIDE! Ronaldo twists and turns but sees his path to goal blocked in the left inside channel. He works the ball back to Morata to strike on his left foot, but the forward sends his effort wide of the left post. Morata can breathe a sigh of relief as Ronaldo was offside in the build-up anyway.

55' McKennie sees space to release Ronaldo down the left flank, but the Portuguese is flagged offside as he is brought down on the edge of the box.

51' Juve are attempting to establis a rhythm to their play. The Bianconeri have been slightly off the pace since the restart.

49' Veretout whips a better cross in from the left flank and it strikes the leg of Rabiot before Chiellini hammers the ball clear of the Juve box.

48' Roma press back down the right flank and win a corner, but Veretout's delivery is cleared before Mkhitaryan wins a second set-piece.

48' Chiesa gets the better of Spinazzola down the right flank, but his cutback into the middle is diverted away by Mancini.

46' We're back underway at Allianz Stadium.

Roma have seen a lot of the ball, but have not tested Wojciech Szczesny. Bryan Cristante had their best attempt of the half, placing a right-footed volley wide of the left post. Paulo Fonseca will need more from his team in the second period to take a positive result from Allianz Stadium.

Cristiano Ronaldo's strike is the difference between Juventus and Roma at the break in their Serie A clash. Ronaldo was on point with a precise left-footed strike to put the Bianconeri ahead. The Portuguese also struck the bar with another attempt as the home side enjoyed the best openings in the opening period.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: JUVENTUS 1-0 ROMA

45' + 1' Veretout curls his cross into the box, but Szczesny makes a comfortable claim in the six-yard area.

45' There will be one minute of added time.

45' Arthur loses out to Villar and looks to the referee for a foul. The midfielder sends a low cross into the Juve box that Bonucci has to clear behind.

43' Juve have been a threat on the counter throughout the contest. Ronaldo has been a thorn in the side of the Roma defence since the off.

41' SAVE! Ronaldo breaks behind Kumbulla down the right flank to latch on to Morata's ball over the top. He strikes a right-footed effort first time at goal, only to see his attempt denied by a sharp save from Lopez.

39' Ronaldo clips a dangerous cross towards the back post for Alex Sandro's run. The left-back gets behind Karsdorp, only to nod the ball out of play for a goal-kick.

36' WIDE! Mancini rises highest in the box to direct Veretout's cross towards goal, but he nods his effort just wide of the right post.

36' Chiesa tracks back to challenge Spinazzola, and inadvertently sends the ball behind for a Roma corner.

32' The visitors have seen plenty of possession, but they need a way to work Mayoral into the game. Chiellini and Bonucci have suffocated the forward for room in the final third.

30' Lopez has a worrying moment at the back as his pass out to Kumbulla struggles to reach the defender amid wet conditions. It just gets there to allow Kumbulla to clear ahead of Ronaldo.

28' Mkhitaryan runs down the left flank before cutting back on to his right foot to bend a cross into the box. Chiellini is positioned perfectly to clear the danger.

27' Mancini sticks out a boot to divert a cross from Veretout towards goal, but the defender places his effort wide of the target.

26' Roma are playing intricate football, especially from the boot of Mkhitaryan, but the visitors are lacking in a cutting edge in the final third.

24' Ronaldo has been a huge factor in the contest already. Roma have to get to grips with the forward in the final third otherwise they'll be out of the game very quickly.

22' OFF THE BAR! Ronaldo is denied by the underside of the bar. The Portuguese collects an offload from Morata and lines up a strike in the right inside channel. Kumbulla throws himself in the way of the strike and deflects the effort on its way. Ronaldo watches his attempt travel past Lopez, but hit the bar and bounce to safety.

21' CLOSE! Mayoral tries to force a strike through a crowd of Juve defenders. It strikes Rabiot and rebounds to Cristante, who launches a first-time strike on the volley towards goal. The midfielder places his effort just wide of the left post.

20' Mkhitaryan plays a neat offload for the run of Mayoral in the box, but Alex Sandro is there to track his run, only conceding a corner from the flowing move.

19' Morata tries to latch on to a ball over the top from Danilo, but he sends Ibanez tumbling to the ground in the process.

17' Bonucci comes in hard on Mayoral from behind, but the referee only awards a free-kick to the visitors in the middle of the park.

15' Ronaldo's value presents itself once again to the home side. They had barely threatened before the Portuguese produced a special finish from the edge of the box.

11' The early stages have been fairly balanced between the two sides. No one has had an attempt in anger yet.

9' Ronaldo is released behind the Roma backline by Morata and he looks for support. However, as he looks to cut back the offside flag goes up against the Portuguese. It was a late decision from the official.

8' Mkhitaryan flicks a ball over the top of the Juve defence aiming for Mayoral, but Chiellini sticks out a boot and his clearance is caught by Szczesny.

6' Ronaldo floats a cross from a free-kick into the box from the right flank, but it just evades the run of Chiellini and into the hands of Lopez.

4' Veretout surges into the left inside channel and cuts a dangerous ball across the face of goal that Alex Sandro clears ahead of Mayoral.

2' Chiesa tries to send Alex Sandro down the left flank, but Ibanez gets across to divert the ball behind for a corner.

1' We're underway at Allianz Stadium.

Roma could be unbeaten in three consecutive league meetings against Juventus for their first time since December 2002: five in that case under Fabio Capello.

Roma have made two changes to their side that beat Verona in their last outing. Kumbulla comes into the back four to replace the injured Chris Smalling, who misses out this afternoon. Lorenzo Pellegrini is also absent for the visitors due to suspension and is replaced by Cristante.

Pirlo has made seven changes to his side that beat Inter in the Coppa Italia during the week. Szczesny returns between the posts, while Danilo, Bonucci and Chiellini all come into the backline. Arthur and Chiesa slot into the midfield, while Morata partners Ronaldo in the final third.

ROMA SUBS: Edin Dzeko, Davide Santon, Javier Pastore, Carles Perez, Bruno Peres, Amadou Diawara, Riccardo Ciervo, Riccardo Calafiori, Antonio Mirante, Daniel Fuzato.

ROMA (3-5-2): Pau Lopez; Gianluca Mancini, Ibanez, Marash Kumbulla; Rick Karsdorp, Bryan Cristante, Gonzalo Villar, Jordan Veretout, Leonardo Spinazzola; Borja Mayoral, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. 

JUVENTUS SUBS: Matthijs de Ligt, Juan Cuadrado, Merih Demiral, Carlo Pinsoglio, Federico Bernardeschi, Alessandro Di Pardo, Radu Dragusin, Gianluca Frabotta, Dejan Kulusevski, Daouda Peeters, Gianluigi Buffon.

JUVENTUS (4-4-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Weston McKennie, Arthur, Adrien Rabiot, Federico Chiesa; Cristiano Ronaldo, Alvaro Morata. 

Roma sit one place above Juve in the table in third, having reeled off back-to-back wins in Serie A. Paulo Fonseca's men defeated Spezia in a seven-goal thriller before beating Hellas Verona by a 3-1 margin on the road. I Lupi need a victory over the reigning champions on the road to prove that they are worthy contenders for the crown this term. It's an important game for Fonseca and his team this afternoon.

Juve are finding their stride in their campaign, winning their last five matches on the bounce in all competitions. The Bianconeri are sitting eight points off Inter at the top of the table, although they do have two games in hand over their rivals. Andrea Pirlo's men have momentum on their side, having recorded a comeback victory over Inter in their Coppa Italia clash during the week. However, they need to maintain that level of form to catch the Nerazzurri in the league.

Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Juventus and Roma at Allianz Stadium.


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