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Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak were not panic buys by Liverpool says Jason McAteer, who says Jurgen Klopp recruited shrewdly with “top-level” centre-half options such as Dayot Upamecano and Kalidou Koulibaly “out of range”.

The Reds were in desperate need of defensive additions as another winter deadline approached, with untimely injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Fabinho leaving them short on options.

Klopp dipped into the Championship ranks to prise Davies away from Preston, before turning to his native Germany for Turkey international Kabak – who has been taken on an initial loan from Schalke.

It has been suggested that stopgap additions have been made at Anfield, with the reigning Premier League champions expected to rekindle interest in Upamecano and Koulibaly at some stage.

They were not available in January, and McAteer believes Klopp did a fine job with the options available to him.

The former Liverpool midfielder told FreeSuperTips: “The January transfer window is always a tricky period to sign players and clubs like to inflate the price. If a club is looking at signing players midway through the season, they’re doing it because they need them, which means there is a premium on the players’ fee.

“Liverpool were desperate for a centre back, which everyone knew about, so the top-level players they would be looking at, aren’t available right now at the price they would want to pay.

“You have Dayot Upamecano and Kalidou Koulibaly that everyone keeps talking about and they aren’t going to be let go for cheap money.

“RB Leipzig won’t want to sell Upamecano as they’re still in the Champions League, facing Liverpool, they want £50 million ($68m) for him, Koulibaly is reportedly up for £70m ($96m), which is out of range for most clubs right now.

"Everyone throws a few extra million onto a player’s price when they know a club is desperate.

“You can’t question Liverpool’s recruitment. Since Jurgen Klopp has been the manager, there’s only been one or two that haven’t worked out.

“Davies has always been on Liverpool’s radar, he’s 25 and has played a lot of football in his career. He’s been in the right place to learn his trade and there was talk about a couple of clubs that were interested in him, as well as Liverpool.

“For Liverpool, signing Davies is a long-term project. I can’t see him being thrown into the team straight away, especially with Nathaniel Phillips doing well currently. Jurgen Klopp won’t take him out of the team over Davies. 

“With Kabak, he’s young and is coming with a lot of potential. We all know Jurgen Klopp has got a lot of friends in football who are advising him and are watching players around the world. He’s listened to his friend, David Wagner, who has sung Kabak’s praises and rates the defender highly.

“Kabak is a full Turkish international, having made seven appearances for the first team, he’s good in the air, good at set pieces, and Liverpool now gets the option to get a good look at him to see if they want to buy him in the summer.

“I wouldn’t say Liverpool have panic bought by bringing in two centre backs on deadline day, I believe it’s a good bit of business done by the club.”

Liverpool, who have used club captain Jordan Henderson as a makeshift centre-half over recent weeks, will be back in action on Sunday in a crunch clash with fellow title hopefuls Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola has hit back at Jurgen Klopp after the Liverpool boss claimed that Manchester City had two weeks off when they were hit by a Covid-19 outbreak.

City’s clash with Everton on December 29 was called off hours before kick-off when five players and two staff members tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the training ground to shut down.

Ahead of City’s trip to Anfield on Sunday, Klopp said that his side were tired and they had not had a "two-week break" like the Premier League leaders.

City actually had seven days between their Boxing Day victory over Newcastle before taking a depleted squad to Chelsea on January 3, and Guardiola was clearly irked by Klopp’s suggestion.

“He made a mistake, it was two months, three months, four months - that's why we're in the top-four now,” Guardiola replied. “Jurgen has to see the calendar again. We had Covid, we had one week, we played with 14 players in Stamford Bridge. Maybe I'm wrong and it was two or three weeks. 

“When I see Jurgen I will ask him how long we had off. I'm surprised, I thought Jurgen was not that kind of manager, I didn't expect that comment. Maybe it was a misunderstanding. If he sees the calendar he will see it was not two weeks, it was two months.”

City will be without Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Nathan Ake but have an opportunity to a put serious dent in Liverpool’s hopes of retaining their title if they can inflict a third successive home defeat on Klopp’s side.

Victory would take his side 10 points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand but Guardiola, who has never won at Anfield in his managerial career, admits it would be a significant win.

“Of course it will be important, I cannot deny it,” he said. “When you beat Liverpool, United, Tottenham, Leicester, Chelsea, Arsenal, Burnley, it's so important to beat them. 

“What I want to see is my team to go to Anfield to win the game like we have done since we were together. 

“We have not had exceptional results there but we made good performances. We go to try to win the game, not to draw, knowing their quality and the team they have. No more than that.”

Edinson Cavani should be fit for Manchester United’s clash against Everton this weekend, with the Uruguayan having been brought off at half-time during the Red Devils’ win over Southampton.

The striker was replaced by Anthony Martial during the break of the 9-0 victory at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explaining afterwards that he had been forced into a change due to a knock. But, the 33-year-old has recovered and should be available for United’s home date with the Toffees on Saturday evening.

“Edinson should be available he got a bad ankle knock,” Solskjaer explained at his pre-match press conference. “Eric [Bailly] is a doubt and apart from that everyone is raring to go.”

Another player who will not be available is out-of-favour goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

The Argentine shot-stopper has not been included in this season’s Premier League squad after falling down the pecking order following Dean Henderson’s return from a loan spell at Sheffield United, and is expected to leave the club at the end of the campaign.

Speaking about his situation, Solskjaer said: “Sergio is working hard and training, he’s in the group. He lost a lot of training early on in the season he joined us very late having had some time back home and over Christmas too he’s had some time back in Argentina with family. He’s working with the keepers but with Dean and Lee [Grant] and David [de Gea], it’s been more difficult to get in the match squad.”

With the game against Everton on Saturday night followed by another home clash on Tuesday against West Ham in the FA Cup, Solskjaer is looking for his team to build on the big result against Southampton and get some momentum going as they look to mount a title challenge.

“We have to build on this and really thrive on it, the more games we play in a short space of time we don’t get time to sit back and enjoy the last game, that’s a good thing because you can sit back and think we scored nine but that’s not just going to come by itself,” Solskjaer explained.

“You have to make the right decisions and make sure you start the game in the same way as we did last time and against Everton we face a really hard challenge again.”

Jackson Macharia scored the lone goal in the stoppages to help Tusker defeat Wazito FC 1-0 at Kasarani Annex on Friday in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League assignment.

Both teams had come into the match desperate for maximum points to go top of the table.

It was the visitors who started the game on a high hoping to get an early goal and in the 12th minute, Emery Mvuyekure was forced into a fine save to deny Fidel Origa and a minute later, it was Musa Masika who tried his luck but missed the target.

In the 22nd minute, once again, it was Wazito who had a chance to get a goal when they won a free-kick in a good area, but Kevin Kimani sky-rocketed his effort.

The 11-time champions had to wait until the 35th minute to get their first shot on target. Wazito conceded a free-kick about 30-yards from their goal and Ugandan Hashim Sempala took it, but goalkeeper Levis Opiyo deflected the ball for an unfruitful corner.

With three minutes to the break, the Ruaraka-based charges were forced into making a change. Eugene Asike hurt his groin and Vincent Ngesa took his place. 

Tusker came back stronger in the second half and in the 53rd minute, they had a good chance from youngster Henry Meja. He managed to work his way into the danger zone but his strike missed the target by inches.

Seven minutes later, the forward, once again, had a massive opportunity to score. But he was denied by the crossbar after doing everything right.

Francis Kimanzi introduced his new signings Elli Asieche and Erick Otieno to try and get a goal, but they could not get a chance owing to good defending by their hosts.

With 15 minutes to go, veteran midfielder Humphrey Mieno had a chance to get his shot on target and maybe get a goal for his team but shot over from 20-yards out.

It seemed spoils will be shared until Macharia scored a stunning goal with seconds to the final whistle after getting a chance in a good area owing to concentration lapse by the visitors.

The Ruaraka-based side are now on 26 points after 11 games, four more than second-placed KCB. Wazito are third with 20.  

Tusker XI: Mvuyekure Emery, Monyi Kevin, Wandera Hillary, Oruchum Christopher, Asike Eugene, Sempala Hashim, Namanda Luke, Otieno Apollo, Meja Henry, Macharia Jackson, Muchiri Boniface 

Subs: Wanjala Michael, Ngesa Vincent, Mbugua Jimmy, Odenyi Faraj, Mieno Humphrey, Ogutu George, Zakayo Eric, Majak David.

Wazito XI: Opiyo Levis, Sikhai Dennis, Ng'ang'a Dennis, Ochieng' Benard, Omurwa Johnstone, Origa Fidel, Isuza Whyvonne, Kimani Kevin, Omondi Boniface, Masika Musa, Owino Michael 

Subs: Odhiambo Fredrick, Otieno David, Odhiambo John, Asieche Elli, Oburu Vincent, Musa Brian, Asembeka Amos, Maurice Ojwang'

Cristiano Ronaldo is “a player out of the norm” like Zlatan Ibrahimovic says former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain fitness coach Giovanni Mauri, with two evergreen forwards being backed to play on beyond the age of 40.

The enigmatic Swedish striker on the books at AC Milan is fast approaching that mark. Ibrahimovic, who has been hinting at another contract extension with the Rossoneri, will turn 40 on October 3.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, is celebrating his 36th birthday on February 5, with the Portuguese star showing no sign of slowing down at Juventus.

Remarkable standards are being maintained by the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, with iconic spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid being followed by another in Turin.

Mauri worked with Ronaldo at Santiago Bernabeu, having formed part of Carlo Ancelotti’s backroom staff at various clubs, and was left in awe at Ronaldo’s ability and application.

Similar qualities were spotted in Ibrahimovic at PSG, with two modern day icons now following in the footsteps of Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Ryan Giggs.

Mauri told Tuttosport of Ronaldo and the longevity that he can enjoy: “When he arrived in Italy, I said he is a player out of the norm. He’s settled in and he continues scoring. He is following the method we proposed him in Madrid where rest is a fundamental part of the training.

“Rest doesn’t only mean to sleep. It’s not passive, but it’s made of specific exercises that aim to reach muscular, mental and articular wellness.

“I’ve worked with many footballers on their forties, from Maldini to Costacurta. When I was at PSG I was sure Ibrahimovic would have played until 40 years old. They are all athletes with great flexibility despite their strength.

“Ibra has got a dancer’s mobility despite a weight of almost 100 kg. Cristiano Ronaldo is part of this category and can play until he’s 40.”

Ronaldo has suggested in the past that he will look to extend his remarkable career for as long as possible, with plans to spend a fourth decade turning out at the very top of the global game.

Niklas Sule and Dayot Upamecano are two of several central defensive targets being lined up by Chelsea as Thomas Tuchel looks to improve his squad in the summer.

The Blues' hopes of bringing in either defender are, however, linked to Bayern Munich's transfer plans, with the Bavarians believed to be in pole position for RB Leipzig defender Upamecano.

The French centre-back will be available for £38 million ($50m) in the summer, when a release clause in his contract becomes active.

That has seen Leipzig line up Strasbourg defender Mohamed Simakan as his replacement, with Upamecano's departure seen as inevitable.

Manchester United are also in contention to sign the 22-year-old, with the Red Devils having similar ambitions to strengthen their defence in the summer.

Any Bayern move for Upamecano will also likely have an effect on the futures of both Sule and David Alaba, who could both depart the Allianz Arena and have also been on Chelsea's list of targets.

In Alaba's case, Real Madrid are the strong favourites to land his signature and he is understood to be keen on making the move to Spain. Sources in Madrid suggest the deal is all but done, but those in Germany have refuted those claims. 

Bayern wanted to keep the Austrian defender but his salary demands - reported to be in excess of £300,000-a-week - have proven out of reach. As for Sule, Chelsea have been interested in landing him since he joined Bayern from Hoffenheim in 2017.

Now, with the Germany international's contract expiring in 2022, the Bavarians are keen to renew but Sule has grown increasingly unhappy at being Hansi Flick's back-up option, with Jerome Boateng having been preferred.

Sule has already spoken publicly about his desire to play in England, making Chelsea's interest viable.

"I was considering going to the Premier League," Sule told Goal when asked about moving to Chelsea in 2019. "It's one of the leagues I really want to play in. At the time, however, I saw the move to Munich as the best step. As you can see, I'm very happy at FC Bayern. Not only because I prevailed, but also because the club, the fans and all of the staff are great."

Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had targeted West Ham star Declan Rice and Brighton defender Ben White but the Blues have since cooled their interest in both.

The desire to land a new centre-back means it is possible that Andreas Christensen or Antonio Rudiger could be sold in the summer, with both of their deals expiring in 2022.

Fikayo Tomori has a £25m ($34m) purchase option in his loan contract at AC Milan, with the 23-year-old having impressed at the start of his spell at San Siro.

Thiago Silva's future, meanwhile, remains uncertain. The Brazilian's contract is due to expire at the end of the season and although both parties have the option to extend his stay for another year, it is unclear if he will remain.

The 36-year-old - who will undergo a scan on Friday to discover the extent of a potential thigh strain he suffered in the win over Tottenham - is understood to be keen to stay put but Tuchel is yet to decide on his future.

Despite the speculation over new additions, the Blues' head coach was happy to keep all of the club's players in January and wants to assess his options first-hand before making big decisions on their futures.

Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana has been handed a 12-month suspension for failing an out-of-competition doping test, with the club claiming their number one accidentally took medicine prescribed for his wife.

The Eredivisie club revealed the Cameroon international has been banned by UEFA after it found the forbidden substance Furosemide in his urine, following the test in October 2020.

The doping suspension is effective from February 5 and applies to all football activities.

Why did Onana fail his doping test?

A statement on the Ajax website says: "On the morning of October 30, Onana was feeling unwell. He wanted to take a pill to ease the discomfort. Unknowingly, however, he took Lasimac, a drug that his wife had previously been prescribed.

"Onana’s confusion resulted in him mistakenly taking his wife's medicine, ultimately causing this measure to be taken by UEFA against the goalkeeper.

"Furthermore, the disciplinary body of the football association has stated that Onana had no intention of cheating. However, the European Football Association believes, on the basis of the applicable anti-doping rules, that an athlete has a duty at all times to ensure that no banned substances enter the body."

The Dutch club, currently seven points clear at the top of the Eredivisie, confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

What has Onana said about the ban?

What has been Ajax's reaction?

Ajax managing director and former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar said: “We explicitly renounce performance-enhancing drugs, we obviously stand for a clean sport.

"This is a terrible setback, for Andre himself but certainly also for us as a club. Andre is a top goalkeeper, who has proven his worth for Ajax for years and is very popular with the fans.

"We had hoped for a conditional suspension or for a suspension much shorter than these 12 months, because it was arguably not intended to strengthen his body and thus improve his performance.”

Which tournaments will Onana miss?

Onana is banned from all football, meaning he will not be available for Ajax's domestic or European matches, including their Europa League campaign this season. They face Lille in the last 32 later this month.

He will also be unavailable for Cameroon until February 2022, including the Africa Cup of Nations - should they qualify - which has been rescheduled to January next year. The final two games of their qualifying campaign are in March, away to Cape Verde and home to Rwanda.

What does this mean for Onana's future?

The 24-year-old former Barcelona youngster has been among the most in-demand goalkeepers in European football, with Borussia Dortmund recently making plans to sign him at the end of the season.

Onana, whose contract at Ajax expires in 2022, has also been a target for Chelsea, Tottenham, and his former club at Camp Nou.

It adds to a bad week for Ajax, who on Friday morning also confirmed that record signing Sebastian Haller is unavailable for their Europa League fixtures for the rest of the season after an administration error meant he was not registered in their squad in time.

They will also lose promising young striker Brian Brobbey in the summer, with it confirmed this week that the 19-year-old will not sign a new contract at Johan Cruyff ArenA.

The Goal View | Thijs Verhaar | Editor Goal Netherlands

"It almost seems like a bad joke. Ajax had already received bad news this week with Sebastien Haller having not been registered for the Europa League and Brian Brobbey leaving the club, now they’ll have to do without their best defensive player, Andre Onana. The goalkeeper has saved them time after time in the Eredivisie and in Europe, and it will be interesting to see what head coach Erik ten Hag will do now. 

"Ajax bought 21-year-old Kjell Scherpen a year-and-a-half ago and he's developing well but has he earned enough trust to play in the big matches? The alternative is veteran former Fulham goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who has patiently waited for his big chance and it could now be here. Dominik Kotarski is also on the books at the Dutch club but is the third choice in the pecking order. He was initially touted as a huge talent but his development has stagnated and it’s unlikely he’ll be thrown into the starting XI at this stage.

"In the Eredivisie, Ajax are unlikely to lose their seven-point lead at the top of the table but in Europe the absence of Onana is a massive problem. The club had already been handed a tough draw against Lille and the Cameroonian’s suspension doesn’t help matters. The presence of the 24-year-old lifts the defence and helps them gain confidence and Ajax are undoubtedly losing a leader in the dressing room.

"It’s also worth noting that Onana was almost certainly going to leave the club in the summer of 2021 but this ban could change everything. That said, Ajax will appeal the decision so it’s unlikely this will be the end of the story."

Arsenal are benefitting from Emile Smith Rowe getting “bullied” in the Championship during a loan spell at Huddersfield, says David Webb, the man who took a promising playmaker to the John Smith’s Stadium.

Back in January 2020, with game time in short supply for a talented academy graduate at Emirates Stadium, the decision was taken to leave north London in search of minutes.

Huddersfield were happy to open their doors for Smith Rowe, with 19 appearances taken in for the Terriers during his time in West Yorkshire.

The highly-rated 20-year-old has kicked on from that point, with his big break arriving at Arsenal in the current campaign.

With Mesut Ozil frozen out under Mikel Arteta, Smith Rowe has been presented with an opportunity to make the number 10 role his own.

He now faces added competition from January signing Martin Odegaard, while talk of interest in the likes of Jack Grealish and Houssem Aouar rumbles on, but faith is being shown in youth.

Smith Rowe has earned plenty of plaudits for his efforts, with Webb suggesting that a spell in the second tier has toughened up the England Under-20 international and made him better prepared for life among the Premier League elite.

“It was a different challenge for him altogether at Huddersfield and I think it really helped him,” Webb told BBC Sport.

“The training was quite competitive and physical, which he enjoyed and he took it on to the pitch. He was getting knocked and kicked and bullied about a bit, but he took it all in his stride.

“That really developed his fighting spirit, which has helped him now because he came into Arsenal when they were in a bit of a dip and they needed that.”

Smith Rowe has taken in 13 appearances for Arsenal this season, with two goals and five assists recorded across those outings.

He has not looked out of place on domestic and continental stages, with there a confidence in his game that has allowed him to put any personal shyness to one side and slot seamlessly into Arteta’s plans.

“He does not play like he is nervous,” former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson added to BBC Sport.

“He plays with real freedom and he expresses himself well. To say he is shy shows how different personalities come out on the pitch.”

Mikel Arteta has revealed Granit Xhaka feared he was going to be the target of more abuse from sections of the Arsenal fanbase following his sending off against Burnley and has credited the midfielder for the way he has responded to the incident.

Xhaka clashed with Ashley Westwood during the 1-0 defeat by the Clarets in December and was dismissed after grabbing the Burnley star round the neck and throwing him to the ground.

Arsenal were well on top at the time and looked certain to go on and take all three points, but the game swung after the red card and Burnley went on to snatch victory in the closing stages.

The incident came just over a year after Xhaka's Arsenal career had been plunged into doubt following his dramatic clash with Gunners fans during a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium.

The Switzerland international - who was Arsenal captain at the time - was jeered off the pitch after being substituted by former boss Unai Emery and reacted furiously, gesticulating at the Arsenal fans and telling them to f*ck off.

Emery stripped Xhaka of the captaincy after the incident and the 28-year-old had looked certain to leave the club, until Arteta arrived and convinced him to stay.

The midfielder has thrived under the Spaniard, but the red card against Burnley earlier this season threatened to derail all his hard work - with his temperament once again being called into question and some supporters again targeting him with abuse online.

But Xhaka has responded well and has arguably played his best football in an Arsenal shirt since his return from suspension, something Arteta believes shows his determination to succeed in north London.

“He has had two big episodes,” said the Arsenal boss. “You can maybe overcome one of those, but I think the second time it really shocks you and he said: ‘I don’t want to go through that again’.

“But this is why we are here, to try to support our players. I think the club was exceptional giving him all the support. We try to do the same, the team-mates did the same, and he has come through again.

“Now he is getting a lot of praise, the way he is playing, and it is down to his character. It is down to as well how much he wants to succeed at the club.”

Xhaka and summer signing Thomas Partey are beginning to form an impressive partnership in the heart of the Arsenal midfield, with the pair complementing each other’s game well.

They were excellent again at Wolves on Tuesday night and were dominating the match before the red card to David Luiz turned the contest on its head just before half-time.

Arsenal went on to lose the game 2-1, their first league defeat of 2021, but Arteta felt there were many positives to take away, with the performance of Xhaka a particular highlight.

“I thought he was excellent,” said the Spaniard. “He has been really consistent. I think he is improving game by game.

“Then there is his leadership level as well, he has matured a lot as a player and he has got a big importance in that dressing room. On the pitch, I think he is doing things much, much better than before as well.

“He is a really important player for us. Since I have been here I think he has played almost every game - and there is not a better way to show how much you like and you value a player than to give him minutes on the pitch.”

Arteta added: “His balance with Thomas is getting stronger, they haven’t played together much, and that chemistry has to flourish.

“But I think they make each other better and we have a good balance between left and right footers in those spaces as well.”

John Barnes says a trophyless season for Liverpool would “not be a failure” and should not result in star men mulling over their options when it comes to possible moves away from Anfield.

The Reds have secured silverware on a regular basis in recent seasons, with Champions League, World Cup Club and Premier League title honours coming their way.

No domestic cups will be claimed this season, while a top-flight crown that took 30 years to recapture is in danger of slipping through their grasp.

Exit talk has already been sparked around certain members of a star-studded squad, with Georginio Wijnaldum on Barcelona’s radar as he heads towards free agency.

Mohamed Salah has also seen a switch to Spain mooted, but Barnes doubts that one campaign without medals will have key men weighing up their futures.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets: “If they feel they can go to a better club than Liverpool then that’s up to them but it’s important to remember that the season would not, at all, be a failure if Liverpool weren’t to win anything.

“I don't think winning a trophy would necessarily mean that players would want to leave Liverpool. Because if we finish somewhere at the top of the table and played as well as we have done, yet didn’t win a trophy, that doesn’t mean that the team has failed.

“Yes, losing to Brighton the other day wasn’t ideal - it’s football and these things happen - but it doesn’t mean that you have to start to write off an entire team.

“If you’re a few points off the top, that shows that you’re consistently challenging each week and you’re performing in a good manner. It’s always about how close you can get to the top of the league, which shows how good you are as a team. The trophies are then the bonus to all that hard work.

“For a player such as Wijnaldum with his contract coming to an end it’s obviously up to him to decide whether he’ll stay or go - but I don’t think that his decision will have anything to do with Liverpool winning the league or not this season.

“At this stage of his career, Wijnaldum would want to be somewhere where’s guaranteed to be played rather than just looking for the big bucks - and if he feels that Liverpool will give his that, then I think he’ll stay - but it’ll be interesting to see how this pans out.” 

For now, Liverpool’s focus is locked on trying to finish the 2020-21 campaign as positively as possible, with Barnes confident that a top-four finish will be secured despite the Reds struggling for consistency.

“Nothing's ever wrapped up, but I don't think that any of the other teams are putting together a very consistent run either,” Barnes said on the battle for Champions League qualification.

“I mean, West Ham are the team below them. Does anybody really believe West Ham, as much as they're doing well at the moment, are going to put a run together to really finish in top four? Tottenham or Aston Villa or any of the other teams?

“To be honest, although it’s tough for Liverpool just now especially as teams such as Manchester City are playing with a lot of confidence, I don't think that there's anyone who can oust Liverpool from the top four.

“Also, it’s important to remember that this hasn’t been an ordinary season and we’ve seen a lot of players being off because of Covid or other injuries, but still, at this stage of the season, there’s everything to play for.” 

Timo Werner “is a bit of a worry” for Chelsea, admits Gus Poyet, with the Germany international regressing quickly after making an “excellent” start to his spell at Stamford Bridge.

On the back of a £47.5 million ($65m) transfer in the summer of 2020, Werner had scored eight goals for the Blues by November.

Just one effort has been added to his tally since then, with that solitary strike coming in an FA Cup clash with League Two side Morecambe, and he has now failed to find the target in 18 of his last 19 appearances for club and country.

Another blank was drawn in a derby date with Tottenham on Thursday, although the 24-year-old did win the penalty that allowed Jorginho to secure a 1-0 win.

Poyet admits that Werner, who was prolific at RB Leipzig, looks a little short on confidence and has moved away from the approach that served him so well upon his arrival in west London.

“Werner is a bit of a worry,” the former Blues midfielder told Stadium Astro.

“When he arrived, I thought he was excellent – the pace, the direction and he was going for goal all the time. He lost that adrenaline and that action. Half-chances, but never hitting the target.”

While asking questions of Werner, with some of those contributing to the demise of Frank Lampard as Chelsea boss, Poyet has been impressed by the early work overseen by new manager Thomas Tuchel.

The German has collected seven points from three games at the helm, with clean sheets secured in each of those contests, and the Blues are starting to establish forward momentum again.

“Normally when you go into a new team, the first thing you try to do is organisation – how are we going to play, how are we going to set up, how are we going to defend?” Poyet added.

“You then slowly create from there. The line-up starts with the goalkeeper, so you start from the back. There are now a few managers that like to start from the front, pressing and trying to go, but most of the time you will build a base from the back.

“They have changed the system at the back and are not giving too many chances away. Because they are in control with that shape, because they have more possession, there are limited chances for the opposition to attack you. That combination, at the moment, is working well.

“The challenge is going to be when they concede first and how they react and open up the game. Clean sheets are points and you improve a lot having clean sheets week in, week out.”

Aaron Wan-Bissaka wants the Premier League title and “a few cups” during his time at Manchester United, with the £50 million ($68m) full-back embracing the pressure of playing for such an ambitious outfit.

Tangible success has been in short supply for the Red Devils in recent years, with few additions made to the trophy cabinet at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has, however, got his side back in the hunt for trophy triumphs in 2021.

Getting over that line has proved to be a problem, with four semi-final defeats suffered over the course of the last 12 months, but lofty targets continue to be set.

Wan-Bissaka wants to start hitting those, with top-flight glory up for grabs alongside FA Cup and Europa League honours, with the 23-year-old telling United’s official website: “Of course, [winning the Premier League is the target], and a few cups to go with that as well.

“It would mean a lot, especially after the club's history of winning trophies, and a lot of them. It would be good to get back that.

“The mood in the camp has been good. It wasn't great taking in the loss [to Sheffield United] but we haven't let it get us down or our chances to get our hands on the Premier League.

“Team spirit is still high, as long as we stick together, we can go back to the form we had before.”

Wan-Bissaka joined United in 2019 with the intention of getting his hands on major honours, with the England hopeful confident that he can repay the considerable faith shown in him.

He added: “There is always pressure for every player who moves clubs when it comes to what a new club expects and how you settle in. But with this club it all came in one, I knew there was pressure.

“As a kid all you can do at a club like this is play week in, week out. The main thing was to play without fear and be myself, and the rest would be blocked out.”

The highly-rated defender added on the progress he has made in Manchester, with talk of another right-back being signed in the process of being fended off: “That's why I came to this club. This club is capable of helping me with that. I want to become a better player every year.

“I don't really focus on statistics at the time, but at the end of the season I look back and see if it's better than the previous season, and the season before that.”

United, who sit second in the Premier League table at present, will be back in action on Saturday when they take in a home date with north west rivals Everton.

Former Aston Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey has applauded Bertrand Traore for how he has transformed his performance for the Claret and Blue this season.

The 25-year-old has provided attacking options for Dean Smith since he returned to the Premier League in September, after his first stint with Chelsea during the 2016-17 campaign.

Traore has scored four goals and provided two assists so far in 18 league appearances for Aston Villa who sit ninth in the league table with two games in hand.

Aside his contributions in front of goal, the former Chelsea starlet's dribbling skills and ability to hold on to the ball on the flanks have boosted Villa's frontline.

In his assessment of the Burkina Faso forward, Heskey – who played for Aston Villa between 2009 and 2012 – said the 25-year-old has improved in his work-rate and he is now giving his best to help the Villa Park outfit.

“Traore has done fantastic since coming in. He’s changed actually, Traore. I see his work-rate has gone up, everything,” the former England striker told HITC.

“It just seems that he’s changed his game a little bit, and he’s doing the hard stuff now. He’s not shirking that responsibility and he’s probably buying into what Dean Smith wants him to do.

“And now we’re seeing the best of him because he looks super-fit.”

On Wednesday, Traore came off the bench for Anwar El Ghazi at half-time as Aston Villa bowed to a 3-1 defeat against West Ham United at Villa Park.

He will be aiming to make his mark alongside Zimbabwe's Marvelous Nakamba and Egypt's Trezeguet when Dean Smith's side host Arsenal for their next Premier League outing on Saturday.

French D1 Arkema club Fleury 91 have confirmed the acquisition of Algerian midfielder Lina Chabane, for the rest of the 2020-21 season.

Chabane enjoyed a fine season at Montauban in 2019-20, as she continued to gain experience in the second division since previous stints with Brest and Saint-Denis since leaving Le Mans in 2016.

Les Essonniennes granted Chabane a trial, but after witnessing her abilities in close quarters, have ultimately passed up the chance to bring her onto their books permanently.

The 23-year-old French-born started her career at USM Gagny, where she spent six years before joining Le Mans in 2012, featuring for U17 and U19 teams during her three-year stay.

On sealing her first top-flight contract, the Algerian, who has been called up for the Africa Women's Cup of Nations tune-up camp, expressed her delight and eagerness to excel with David Fanzel's team.

“I am very happy to join this great club that is FC Fleury 91 and thus evolve at the highest level," Chabane told the club website.

"More than motivated to work and progress with a group that has so much quality."

Having completed her move, she will be eager to hit the ground running for Fanzel's side, after finding themselves in the fifth position, with 19 points from 12 matches in the current campaign.

After Sunday's 2-0 Coupe de France loss, Fleury will welcome Paris Saint Germain in another home fixture, although this time in a French D1 Arkema encounter on Friday.

Borussia Dortmund interim head coach Edin Terzic has given on-loan attacking midfielder Reinier hope of more playing time this season, with the Brazilian youngster having endured a frustrating time in Germany so far.

Reinier moved to Dortmund from Real Madrid on a two-season loan last summer, but has played a mere 70 minutes of league action so far, and 136 minutes in total.

However, Terzic, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Dortmund's Bundesliga clash with Freiburg at the weekend, says the Brazilian would get more first-team action soon.

He said of Reinier: "He's a very talented player who works hard on himself. He definitely deserves the chance in the near future." 

Reinier completed a €30 million (£27m/$36m) move to Madrid from Flamengo in January 2020, having been touted as one of the brightest young prospects in world football.

The 19-year-old spent the next few months in the club's Castilla set-up, before a decision was made for him to continue his development away from Santiago Bernabeu.

Reinier was linked with leaving Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window due to his lack of game time, and it was reported that the Blancos were looking to send the teenager out on loan to Real Valladolid instead.

However, the Bundesliga club's sporting director Michael Zorc shut down those rumours in January, saying: "We basically don’t want to give him up. If someone is dissatisfied because he has too few opportunities, then you talk to each other, but we will not take the initiative ourselves."

Reinier has yet to start a game for Dortmund, and questions have been raised over his lack of fluency with the German language, as well as his physical stature to cope with the demands of the league.

However, as revealed by Goal, Reinier wanted to stay and fight for his place at Dortmund, with Real giving him their blessing.

While Reinier has struggled, Dortmund have also been enduring a tough season. Expected to challenge for the Bundesliga title, they currently sit sixth, 13 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Their poor form cost manager Lucien Favre his job earlier this season, with Terzic stepping in on a temporary basis.

Harambee Stars head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has named a provisional squad of local players to prepare for the upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

AFC Leopards’ Elvis Rupia, Tusker’s Henry Meja and Erick Kapaito of Kariobandgi Sharks have earned call-ups due to their current form in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

Kapaito – with 12 goals – leads the goalscoring chart followed by Rupia with 11 while youngster Meja, who featured for the Rising Stars in the Cecafa U20 championship, has scored five goals.

There is also the return of Kevin Kimani, who has been on top form with his current club Wazito FC and has been an important figure for a club that has picked up five straight wins.

Among the goalkeepers summoned are those who have also been good in the top-flight. James Saruni of Ulinzi Stars, Joseph Okoth of KCB and Brian Bwire of Kariobangi Sharks will battle to earn Mulee’s faith and be maintained in the final squad.

Collins Shichenje, who was previously called up but an injury ruled him out, has been summoned once again as well as Nahashon Alembi of KCB.

Despite being part of a solid AFC Leopards’ backline, Robinson Kamura and Clyde Senaji have been overlooked but Daniel Sakari, a regular starter at Kariobangi Sharks, has been picked.

Benson Omalla - who has had reduced playtime at Gor Mahia due to the signing of Jules Ulimwengu - has been named among the forwards.

Kenya will play Egypt in Nairobi on March 22 before travelling to Lome for a clash against Togo eight days later. The Harambee Stars will also engage in the World Cup qualifiers between June and November 2021.

Kenya’s Provisional Squad:

Goalkeepers: Brian Bwire (Kariobangi Sharks), James Saruni (Ulinzi Stars), Joseph Okoth (KCB), Peter Odhiambo (Wazito)

Defenders: Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito), Michael Kibwage (Sofapaka), Samuel Olwande (Kariobangi Sharks), Nahashon Alambi (KCB), Bonface Onyango (Kariobangi Sharks), David Owino (KCB), Daniel Sakari (Kariobangi Sharks), Baraka Badi (KCB)

Midfielders: Lawrence Juma (Sofapaka), Kenneth Muguna (Gor Mahia), Collins Shichenje (AFC Leopards), Micheal Mutinda (KCB), Musa Masika (Wazito), John Macharia (Gor Mahia), Reagan Otieno (KCB), James Mazembe (Kariobangi Sharks), Oliver Maloba (Nairobi City Stars), Bonface Muchiri (Tusker), Kevin Kimani (Wazito), Abdalla Hassan (Bandari)

Forwards: Erick Kapaito (Kariobangi Sharks), Elvis Rupia (AFC Leopards), Henry Meja (Tusker), Benson Omalla (Gor Mahia).

ATK Mohun Bagan will look to reduce the gap at the top of the table when they take on Odisha in a crucial Indian Super League (ISL) tie on Saturday.

Antonio Habas' side is currently at the second position on the league table and a win against Odisha would reduce their gap to league leaders Mumbai City to three points.

The Spanish coach is in no mood to take rock-bottom side Odisha lightly as he mentioned that he does not consider any ISL side as a small club.

"We have to play in the same way against Odisha as we played against Mumbai City. The competition in ISL is very high and there are no small teams. They have a special situation with the coach out now. But whenever there is a change in team or coach the motivation increases by 20 per cent."

Habas is known for his pragmatic approach and his teams' defensive solidity but Bagan have conceded four goals in their last two games. The Spaniard, however,  is more worried about missing key players to injuries than conceding the soft goals

"We can talk about this (conceding goals) when we have a complete squad. Throughout the season we have had problems with injuries above to foreign players. It is very difficult to stick to a fixed lineup in two consecutive matches.

"It is impossible to keep the same level in defence for 20 matches. We did not have a perfect defence in the last two matches but we are improving in the attack. We have to find a balance," Habas opined.

The Spaniard heaped praise on newest recruit Lenny Rodrigues who joined the club on a permanent deal from Goa in the January transfer window and suggested that the midfielder is in very good shape.

"He (Lenny Rodrigues) is a good professional player. I had him in Pune City (2016) so when we got the opportunity to sign him we signed him immediately. For me, he is in good condition and he is improving."

Brazilian attacker Marcelinho who joined the club on loan from Odisha became an instant hit at ATK Mohun Bagan as he scored on his debut against Kerala Blasters.

Hailing the Brazilian's impact on the team, Habas said, "Marcelinho is performing at his level and it is important. He has adapted immediately to the squad and we have more possibility of winning as Marcelinho is a good player."

The ATK Mohun Bagan head coach also confirmed that both Subhasish Bose and Edu Garcia are still nursing their injuries and won't be available for selection.