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Football Kenya Federation has ruled out any possibility of allowing fans to watch the Premier League derby between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards on Sunday.

The eagerly awaited derby will be played at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday after it was postponed from the initial date of January 3, owing to K’Ogalo’s involvement in the Caf Champions League.

The federation has now confirmed to Goal no fans will be allowed to watch the game owing to the strict measures put in place by the Ministry of Health to help curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“No, we will not allow fans to attend the derby,” FKF CEO Barry Otieno told Goal on Monday. “We must follow the Covid-19 rules set by the government and it is very clear no fans should attend league matches.”

With rumours spreading on Monday that the government was working on ways to have fans attend the match, Otieno said: “Those are just rumours, treat them as such, there is nothing like that, no one has talked to us, so the game will be played behind closed doors.”

Both teams enjoying a good run of results in the 18-team league table, with AFC Leopards now unbeaten from three matches since they suffered back-to-back defeats against Western Stima and Wazito FC

After losing the two matches – 2-0 and 1-0 - Ingwe have gone ahead to register three straight wins – 2-1 against KCB, 2-0 against Kariobangi Sharks, and 2-1 against Posta Rangers.

On the other hand, K’Ogalo, who are the defending champions, have also recovered from the shock 1-0 defeat against Vihiga United to win two straight matches – 3-0 against Zoo FC and 3-1 against Banda

Last season, Gor Mahia won both encounters, beating Ingwe 4-1 in the first round match before edging them out by a solitary goal en-route to winning their fourth straight league title.

In the 2019-20 season, the Kenyan champions completed a double over Ingwe winning the first match of the season 2-0 before handing them a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture on their way to clinching a record 18th league title.

AFC Leopards are yet to beat Gor Mahia in their last seven matches with the best result against their rivals coming in the 1-1 draw of the 2017-18 season with Gor Mahia winning the second round fixture 1-0.

The two teams will meet with AFC Leopards ahead of Gor Mahia on the table, as they are currently in position four with 18 points from eight matches while Gor Mahia are sixth after collecting 15 points from eight outings.

Arsenal are in talks with Newcastle United over a loan deal which would see Joe Willock move to St. James' Park.

The midfielder is one of several players who could leave the Gunners before Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Reiss Nelson and Shkodran Mustafi all potential departures.

Negotiations are ongoing between Arsenal and Newcastle for Willock over a loan deal until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season but has seen his game time dry up considerably in recent weeks. He has started just three of Arsenal’s last 16 games and none in the Premier League since the 2-1 defeat by Wolves on November 29.

With Martin Odegaard now having arrived in north London on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season, Willock will find opportunities even more difficult to come by.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Wolves on Tuesday night, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta admitted that players could leave Arsenal before Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline.

“We have decided [who could leave on loan] and we are working on it,” he said. “You will find out before 11pm. I cannot speak about any individual players. What we want to do, the conversations we've had, the various reasons. Let's see if we can get something done tonight.”

While talks with Newcastle continue over Willock, there is also a strong chance both Maitland-Niles and Nelson follow him out of the door.

Maitland-Niles is wanted by several clubs, with Leicester, Southampton and West Brom all having contacted Arsenal over the 23-year-old’s availability.

The England international is believed to favour a move to Leicester, but Arsenal are not keen on letting him go to a club they view as a rival for a European spot.

Maitland-Niles has made 21 appearances in all competitions this season but has started just one league game since the 2-1 defeat at Everton on December 19.

He is pushing to leave this month to secure the regular game time he believes he needs to secure him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for this summer’s European Championships.

Manchester United “need to go on another winning run and it has to happen quickly”, says John O’Shea, with the Red Devils warned that arch-rivals Manchester City have become “odds-on favourites” for Premier League title glory.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has forced his side back into contention for a top-flight crown this season.

Eight years have passed since United last savoured domestic dominance, with the loftiest of perches proving out of reach since Sir Alex Ferguson headed into retirement back in 2013.

United have reached the summit during the current campaign, but have also slipped from it after winning just one of their last four league games and collecting only five points from a possible 12.

City now lead the way once more, while still boasting a game in hand on the chasing pack, and O’Shea admits that the Red Devils need to rediscover a spark if they are to prevent their neighbours from emerging victorious.

“They are odds-on favourites,” O’Shea, who took in five title triumphs during his playing days at Old Trafford, told Stadium Astro of the Blues hitting top spot.

“It’s been a blow for United’s title hopes but you would have to expect that they will get back on a winning run again.

“That home game against Sheffield United, it can happen. The two months previous, United’s form was excellent and had to come to an end at some point.

“United were below par and they had the big chances against Arsenal, but weren’t able to take them. That’s given City the cushion with a game in hand.

“There are lots of games to come and they can get that momentum, as they have seen since Ole has been in charge – they do go on fantastic runs. Their away form is fantastic.

“They need to go on another winning run and it has to happen quickly. City are clear favourites.”

While admitting that more is required from United in order to get their hands on the most sought-after of prizes, O’Shea is encouraged by the strength in depth that Solskjaer now has at his disposal.

The Irishman added: “Injury-wise, Liverpool have been very unfortunate. Generally you can cope with one or two but they have struggled.

“Manchester United, when you look at the bench you can see quality in every position, and that’s a pleasing sign.

“City are favourites and in pole position because of their squad – and that’s at times not playing a recognised striker. With [Sergio] Aguero to come back in, it’s looking good for them.

“United were lucky last January to find [Bruno] Fernandes and you want that kind of player to come in and make an impact, and they cost a lot of money.”

Most of the Premier League heavyweights, including United, have been quiet during the winter transfer window and little movement is expected before the deadline passes on Monday.

East Bengal have roped in defender Sarthak Golui and midfielder Sourav Das on a permanent deal from Mumbai City FC, on the transfer deadline day, Goal can confirm.

It has been learnt that both players have terminated their existing contracts with the Mumbai-based club on mutual terms to join the Red and Golds.

Golui, 23, had joined Mumbai City from FC Pune City ahead of the 2019-20 season. He was an integral part of the Islanders' squad under former coach Jorge Costa and had appeared in 13 Indian Super League (ISL) matches last season. He had also scored a goal against FC Goa.

Under Sergio Lobera, this season, the former Mohun Bagan defender has managed to play in just four ISL matches out of which he started in two matches and came on as a substitute in the other two. He last appeared for the Islanders in their last ISL match against NorthEast United in which Lobera's side lost 1-2. 

Das, 24, too had joined Mumbai City in 2019 after an impressive 2018-19 season with Mohun Bagan. The Bengali midfielder played seven matches under Jorge Costa but in this season he has managed to play just one match. His only appearance this season was against FC Goa where he came on as a substitute.

Golui, a versatile defender, can play both as a right-back as well as a central defender. After graduating from the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Elite Academy, the defender signed his first professional contract with Mohun Bagan where he had spent two seasons before joining erstwhile ISL side FC Pune City. At Pune, Golui became a regular starter and had played 27 ISL matches for the Stallions in two seasons.

Das, central midfielder, had joined Mohun Bagan in the 2016/17 season under coach Sanjoy Sen. Although Sen did not utilise the young midfielder in the I-League that season, he did feature in the group stages of the AFC Cup. The next season, he appeared in four matches in the I-League but could not cement his place in the first eleven. It was only under coach Shankarlal Chakraborty this season that Sourav rose to prominence. 

The Bengali duo will be a welcome addition to the East Bengal side as the Red and Golds are in dire need of a defender and a central midfielder. 

U20 Uganda coach Morley Byekwaso insists he is not building a team to win trophies but he is developing one for the future.

The Hippos are currently in Tanzania for a three-nation mini-tournament ahead of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations. The tactician has revealed he wants to build a team that the supporters will be proud of.

"First of all, we want to build this team for the future because Cranes, U23, and this very U20 will be leaving soon and with my technical team we want to build this team for a long run in the future and the country will be proud of them," Byekwaso told reporters.

"When you do not give these players a strong foundation, they will not be able to go for bigger competitions so we want to weigh ourselves after playing the likes of Cameroon."

The Hippos will play Ngorongoro Heroes as well as Namibia in the 10-day competition in Tanzania and the experienced coach has explained the importance of it.

"I want us to know our pattern and know when to use the ball so we can harm our opponents and see how we can contain pressure," Byekwaso added.

"We finally want to see if these players are ready to take us where we want to be with the likes of Morocco, Cameroon and Tunisia because they have given us hard times."

In Afcon, the Hippos are in Group A alongside hosts Mauritania, Mozambique, and Cameroon. 

Provisional Uganda U20 Afcon squad

Goalkeepers: Komakech Jack (Ascent SA), Oyo Delton (Busoga United FC), Ssenyondwa Denis Kaala (SC Villa). 

Defenders: Kizito Mugweri Gavin (SC Villa), Semakula Kenneth (Busoga United FC), Musa Ramathan (KCCA FC) Kafumbe Joseph (KCCA FC), Begisa James Penz (UPDF FC), Baligeya Simon (Kibuli SS), Abdul Azizi Kayondo (Vipers SC)

Midfielders: Mugulusi Isma (Busoga United FC), Yiga Najib (Vipers SC), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers SC) Sserwadda Steven (KCCA FC), Eyamu Ivan (Mbarara City FC), Kawooya Andrew (KCCA FC), Asaba Ivan (Vipers SC), Ssekajja Davis (Bright Stars FC), Wabyoona Faisal (Big Talent SA).

Forwards: Bogere Ivan (Proline FC), Ssenyonjo Samuel (KCCA FC), Kakooza Derrick (Police FC), Basangwa Richard (Vipers SC), Bukenya Joseph Kizza (KCCA FC), Ssali Alpha Thierry (Proline FC).

Peter Crouch has offered his services as an “unconventional” centre-half option for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp still in the market for defensive additions on deadline day.

Various targets are being mooted for the reigning Premier League champions.

An approach for Preston defender Ben Davies is in the pipeline, with those at Anfield preparing to do a cut-price deal for a 25-year-old that is due to become a free agent in the summer. That may not be the only move made by Klopp before the winter window slams shut, with a number of other avenues being explored.

Liverpool area eager to ensure that, with several players nursing injuries, they have enough strength in depth to maintain challenges for major silverware on multiple fronts.

That could mean that a second centre-half is sought to slot in alongside Davies.

Crouch says he will be sitting by the phone waiting for Klopp’s call, with the former Reds striker boasting aerial prowess at six feet seven inches tall to provide cover for of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

“Oh for the chance!” Crouch, who spent three years at Anfield between 2005 and 2008, told the Daily Mail. “I quite fancy myself bringing the ball out from the back.

“I'm surprised Liverpool haven't signed one yet but it looks like it will change, with Ben Davies possibly coming in from Preston. Maybe they will try to do something else as well?

“I have to say Jordan Henderson has been brilliant in the role, as has Fabinho. They have done an excellent job in tough circumstances - but, Jurgen, if you want to try something unconventional, and I know you are reading, my phone will be on all day.”

Liverpool have had to get creative in their team selections at times this season, with senior stars being laid low at regular intervals.

Club captain Henderson has stepped back out from a midfield berth in the club’s last two Premier League outings, with Nat Phillips slotting in alongside him after seeing Fabino and Matip ruled out.

That pairing has proved productive, as back-to-back wins have been secured over Tottenham and West Ham, but more suitable options are being sought that will allow key men to figure in more familiar roles.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has described Serge Aurier's omission from their 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion as a technical decision which he is happy to have made.

Aurier is said to be fighting for his Spurs future after he reportedly stormed out of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday following his substitution at half-time in their 3-1 loss to Liverpool.

The Ivory Coast defender did not make the trip to Brighton on Sunday and Moussa Sissoko was drafted to the right-back position in his absence.

Leandro Trossard's 17th-minute effort separated both teams at the Amex Stadium, but Mourinho expressed his satisfaction with Sissoko's impressive performance in an unusual spot.

“It’s a technical decision, and I’m happy with the decision because Moussa played very well,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by Football London.

Aurier has featured in 11 Premier League matches this season and he has two goals to his name – which came against Manchester United and Sheffield United.

Despite the uncertainty around Aurier's future with the European transfer window set to close on Monday, the Portuguese tactician said he is not expecting any departures from his team.

He added: "I don’t expect, no. Of course, today was a day when I am disconnected from my bosses, I am disconnected from the club contacts, I am just focused on the game. But I don’t think so. I was not expecting anything to happen."

Tottenham, however, have conceded back-to-back league defeats and it remains to be seen if the 28-year-old defender will make a return to Mourinho's squad when they host Chelsea for their next Premier League fixture on Thursday.

Spurs are sixth in the Premier League table with 33 points after 20 matches.

Schalke star Ozan Kabak is a target for Liverpool as the Reds seek to bring in a second centre-back before the January transfer window closes, with Marseille's Duje Caleta-Car also an option.

Goal has learned that Liverpool have already tied up a £2 million deal for Preston defender Ben Davies, with the 25-year-old having undergone a medical at Anfield on Monday morning.

Davies will provide Jurgen Klopp with extra cover at the back amid an injury crisis which has forced the German to shuffle his pack during the Reds' defence of the Premier League title.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have missed the majority of 2020-21 with serious knee issues, and are unlikely to play again this season, while Joel Matip and Fabinho have also picked up untimely knocks, leaving Klopp with no choice but to deploy club captain Jordan Henderson as an emergency centre-half.

Nat Phillips filled in alongside Henderson during recent wins over Tottenham and West Ham, but Liverpool are set to dip into the market for reinforcements again having identified several short-term targets.

Goal can confirm that Kabak is on the club's final shortlist, and could make his way to Anfield on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy set to be included in the deal.

The 20-year-old, who has been consistently linked with the Reds over the past few months, has been one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise disastrous Bundesliga campaign for Schalke, featuring in 14 games in total.

The Turkey international graduated to the first team at Veltins-Arena in 2019 and has since nailed down a regular spot in the team, attracting attention from a number of clubs across Europe in the process.

Liverpool are thought to be close to winning the race for his signature, but the Merseyside outfit are also looking at alternative options, including Marseille's Caleta-Car.

The 24-year-old Croatia international was offered to the Reds over the weekend, and sources have told Goal he is seen as an attractive long-term prospect. However, Marseille will only sanction Caleta-Car's departure if they can find a suitable replacement, with time running out for the two clubs to reach an agreement before the 11pm GMT (6pm ET) deadline.

A move for Lille's Sven Botman, meanwhile, is understood to be a non-starter, though Liverpool sources have confirmed to Goal that the situation is "very fluid" with several options under consideration. 

Yanga SC have handed new signing Fiston Abdoul Razak jersey number seven ahead of the Mainland Premier League return.

The former Sofapaka striker arrived at the Jangwani giants on January 15 but he had to wait until Friday when he landed in Dar es Salaam to put pen to paper on a short-term deal of six months.

Razak, who has started training with the rest of the squad ahead of league resumption on February 13, has now been handed the jersey which was used by Mapinduzi Balama, who is currently recovering from an operation to repair his leg.

“[Razak] has been handed jersey number seven now that Mapinduzi [Balama] is still out nursing an injury,” Yanga coach Cedric Kaze said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

Balama is still not stable after the surgery in South Africa and Razak said he will be okay to use the number. Razak has also arrived in training, we allowed him to train with the full squad and we are now monitoring to see how he progresses before we resume league action.

“He came up with an introduction to the players and started training already and has been surprising his teammates with his ability to own the ball, and pass passes.

"He seems to be quick and has a quick decision with the ball which will have a good effect on us when the league starts and other competitions start so we are waiting for the league to start. The boy is on fire.”

The signing of Razak has been hailed as one of the reasons why Yanga will win the title in this campaign.

According to the club’s registration officer Hersi Said, the Jangwani giants are hopeful of wrestling the title from rivals Simba SC based on the level of investment they have done in the team.

“For a club to attain some of its set targets, you are forced to build a team based on the three areas, proper management, great technical department and sign top-class players, and as a team, we have already achieved that,” Said is quoted saying on his Instagram page.

“We have so far succeeded to do well in the aforementioned areas in a short time and it is the reason we managed to win the Mapinduzi Cup tournament held in Zanzibar two weeks ago and also why we are still leading the table and with an unbeaten record.

“God has done wonders for this great team and we will continue to ask him to protect our team, as we also strive to build the team so that we can have a successful campaign, and we hope we will all celebrate at the end of the season with the transformation we are currently going through.

“For now, we want to inform our fans that our main target is to win the league title this season, and we ask them to rally behind the team, we move together in this journey and God will see us through.”

Yanga are topping the 18-team table with 44 points from 18 matches.

Sol Campbell says Martin Odegaard has a “long road” ahead of him at Arsenal, with the Real Madrid loanee needing to show Mikel Arteta his ability can be put to good use in north London.

The Gunners have moved to take the Norway international on a short-term deal through to the end of the season.

Odegaard was handed his Premier League bow against Manchester United, with the 22-year-old stepping off the bench for seven minutes of action.

More is expected of him once fully adjusted to life at Emirates Stadium, with the former teenage prodigy looking to kick-start his career in England after a testing time in Spain.

Campbell believes Odegaard is capable of making a positive impact, but concedes that he has much to do in order to earn a regular starting spot in an Arsenal team that has established momentum under Arteta.

“It’s always nice to have young players coming in,” Campbell, who formed part of the Invincibles squad at Arsenal, told Stadium Astro. “It’s obviously not completely worked for him at Real Madrid. Going forward, if he gets more minutes on the pitch, then he will show his quality.

“You can see he’s got quality, the way he moves and his touch on the ball, he has just got to get into it, get fit and force his way in.

“It’s all about impact. He came off the bench, then you start to train and you start moving and pushing who you are. Hopefully your manager sees that and then you can get some more minutes on the pitch. After a while you start.

“It’s a long road for him but hopefully the next time he comes on he can make an impact and start pushing Arsenal up the league. We need players who are going to change something on the pitch. At the same time he is going to learn.”

Odegaard only has a few months in which to showcase his talent at Arsenal, but Campbell believes there is enough time for him to make an impression.

He added: “If you are a good player, training every day, there are a lot games. Anything can change in a second. There are plenty of games for him to impress. It’s all up to him.

“When he goes on the pitch it is all about proving who he is and staking a claim. As long as you have that attitude as a young player then you will go far. He’s got talent.”

Odegaard replaced Emile Smith Rowe against United and is excepted to figure in a No 10 role when given opportunities by Arteta, but Campbell feels he could be asked to fill a different position.

The former centre-half said: “You can’t all of a sudden say ‘which position is he going to take?’ It’s going to take time. He’s only dropped into the club recently. He has to work and train, be with the lads and be comfortable. He has to get up and running and show what he can do.”

Manchester United haven't got a "champion mentality" according to Gary Neville, who has described Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Red Devils as an "odd bunch".

United reached the Premier League summit post-new year for the first time since Six Alex Ferguson's final season at Old Trafford, on January 12.

Solskjaer's side were touted as genuine title contenders after the 1-0 win away at Burnley, and they followed up that result by knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup in impressive fashion.

The Manchester outfit then picked up a 2-1 win at Fulham to move two points clear at the top of the league, but a surprise home defeat against Sheffield United last week saw them crash back down to earth.

City, meanwhile, picked up back-to-back wins over West Brom and the Blades to open up a four-point lead in first place with a game in hand, and United missed the chance to make up significant ground after being held to a 0-0 draw by Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Neville feels his old club are not quite ready to win the Premier League trophy under Solskjaer, with a lack of "belief" preventing them from taking that final step.

"I think it's a disappointment over the three games - Liverpool, Sheffield United and Arsenal - the fact that there's two points out of those three matches," the former Red Devils defender said on his Sky Sports podcast.

"The Liverpool and Arsenal games they were there for the taking and I had this debate, I saw Roy (Keane) and Jamie (Redknapp)'s piece last night, why didn't you show more belief?

"They haven't got it yet. They haven't got the mentality of a champion team. It's difficult to have that from being eight weeks ago thinking the manager's in trouble after the defeat to RB Leipzig and going out of the Champions League, to all of a sudden eight weeks later transferring that mindset to 'we're a champion team'.

"They're not like Liverpool. They haven't won the title with all those players. They're not like Manchester City, they haven't got titles in the bank. They haven't got that experience to be able to draw upon." 

Neville added: "I get the bit where you would say 'okay, you're there, go for it, take it, it's a strange season', but they just haven't got it. We didn't think that ten weeks ago, we didn't think it ten days ago. When we're seeing them in games not quite going for it it's disappointing, and I share that disappointment but it's not surprising.

"It's not surprising to any of us because we didn't think they could do it, so when they don't do it, let's not be shocked.

"It's just disappointing that they're not quite there yet, but I accept it that they're not quite there. I wanted at the start of the season as a Manchester United fan for them to get close to Liverpool and City. If you could say to me in another two to three months they'd be sat between Liverpool and City I'd be absolutely delighted, because that is big progression."

Asked why United have been unable to maintain their previously impressive form, the treble winner responded: "They've been masses of points off them in the last two or three years, they've been nowhere near.

"When I called them an odd bunch, they're an odd bunch because they don't put really good performances together over long periods of matches. They can play for ten minutes and then they go away for 15 minutes and the game drifts along, and then they go one down and they come back. 

"It's just odd. You see patterns of teams develop but there are very few patterns with Manchester United and maybe that's because they do rotate more. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to rotate four or five times in midweek and then changes again at the weekend, and maybe that consistency just isn't quite there."

Liverpool have been tipped to add two new defenders to their ranks on transfer deadline day, with Stephen Warnock expecting Jurgen Klopp to seek out a long-term option on top of prising Ben Davies away from Preston.

The Reds are set to do a cut-price deal with the Lilywhites for a player who is due to hit free agency in the summer.

Warnock admits that looking for Davies to step up from the Championship into a Premier League title-winning squad is a “big ask”, even when taking into account the Reds’ lack of options during an unfortunate injury crisis.

With that in mind, the former Liverpool full-back believes another more proven addition may be sought as Klopp seeks to ensure that he has the numbers and quality at his disposal to see things through to the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Warnock told Stadium Astro of Davies and potential movement on Merseyside: “He’s comfortable on the ball, they wouldn’t sign him if he wasn’t. He looks more than happy playing as a ball-playing centre-half.

“The step up from going from Preston to Liverpool is a big ask, that’s never going to be easy for him, but it looks like a solution for a short-term gain just to plug that gap for a while.

“Would he come in and play straightaway in front of Jordan Henderson and Nat Phillips? It looks like Ben Davies will possibly come in as back-up, and I think another player will come in as well.

“I do think Liverpool will look to not just bring one defender in, they will look to bring two in.

“The club might look to someone who is a little bit longer term. Ben Davies could be a fix for a short period of time.

“The signing of another centre-back could be a long-term gain – someone who might come in and try to cement a place in the team. I think it’s definitely possible from Liverpool.

“Think back to the end of last season when Liverpool were linked to different players and they went about their work quietly and bought Diogo Jota. They like a smoke screen and are very good at doing it.”

Pressed on who the Reds could look to land ahead of the latest deadline, Warnock added: “I do think it will be someone from the Premier League of the Championship again because to get a player in to do a medical in these circumstances is going to be very, very tough for clubs to do.”

Liverpool have been able to make do in their last two Premier League fixtures, with a makeshift centre-half pairing of Henderson and Phillips helping Klopp’s side to victories over Tottenham and West Ham.

Natasha Tsichlas, chairperson of the Safa referees' committee, says a review panel will be looking at all the weekend's PSL action, including the alleged mistake made by referee Luxolo Badi in the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

Pirates won the match 2-1 but were denied what looked a clearcut penalty in the 70th minute after Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom seemed to manhandle Vincent Pule in the Amakhosi box.

When asked by the Sowetan whether Badi's performance will be looked at, Tsichlas confirmed it would.

“We will sit today to review all the weekend matches and analyse everything,” Tsichlas said. “We are going to get a report, and we will put it in the press thereafter, as we always do when there is a case to answer to.

“The technical team has a big TV screen where they start analysing, something akin to VAR, but even more advanced because they are doing it slowly. So they are the ones who will tell us what happened there (with the Badi incident)."

Bucs' disappointment at missing out on the spot kick was heightened after Badi booked Lorch, Thabang Monare and Ben Motshwari for their protests.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Teko Modise felt he only made the issue worse:

"Now after that (turning down the penalty appeal), with players being emotional, now you want to stamp your authority...if you had taken a simple decision (awarding the penalty) you could have avoided all of this," Modise said.

"Now you want to issue out yellow cards to all those players. You've got Covid, you've got injuries, you've got all those important players who could be suspended for next week's game because of your mistakes."

Should Badi be found guilty of wrong doing, he could face a ban similar to that of the current referee of the season Jelly Chavani, who was suspended for four weeks after he failed to give Pirates a penalty two weeks ago against Swallows in a game which ended 1-1.

An assistant referee Andile Mncwango was given an even longer suspension - 16 weeks, after wrongly calling Bloemfontein Celtic striker Sera Motebang offside while netting in a 0-0 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns on January 19. The referee from that game, Thokozani Mkhize, was hit with a four week ban.

Yanga SC have now stated they have invested enough to lift the 2020-21 Mainland Premier League title.

According to the club’s registration officer Hersi Said, the Jangwani giants are hopeful of wrestling the title from rivals Simba SC based on the level of investment they have done in the team.

Said now insists the club is riding on three strong pillars for success, hence they feel their time has come to rule football in Tanzania.

“For a club to attain some of its set targets, you are forced to build a team based on the three areas, proper management, great technical department and sign top-class players, and as a team, we have already achieved that,” Said is quoted saying on his Instagram page.

“We have so far succeeded to do well in the aforementioned areas in a short time and it is the reason we managed to win the Mapinduzi Cup tournament held in Zanzibar two weeks ago and also why we are still leading the table and with an unbeaten record.

“God has done wonders for this great team and we will continue to ask him to protect our team, as we also strive to build the team so that we can have a successful campaign, and we hope we will all celebrate at the end of the season with the transformation we are currently going through.

“For now, we want to inform our fans that our main target is to win the league title this season, and we ask them to rally behind the team, we move together in this journey and God will see us through.”

During the mini-transfer window, Yanga moved to sign three players - Saidi Ntibanzokiza, Dickson Job, and Fiston Abdoul Razak.

On signing for the team, Razak promised the club's fans he will help the team to win the Mainland Premier League this season.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank all the fans for coming to welcome me at the airport, I am happy to be here and it is now my turn to repay you with good displays,” Razak told reporters at Julius Nyerere International Airport after touching down in Tanzania on Friday.

“The only promise I can make to the fans is that I will use all my strength to help the club achieve their targets, and also give the fans entertainment by scoring as many goals as possible.

“We want to perform well, I want to assure the fans I will do well, I want us to ask God to lead us, and all I know this year, we will do well and I know we will also carry the league title.”

Yanga are topping the 18-team table with 44 points from 18 matches.

Sudan Premier League giants El-Merreikh have confirmed the signing of Uganda international Saidi Kyeyune and Jamaican star Darren Mattocks.

Kyeyune and Mattocks arrive at the club that is in the business of bolstering the squad ahead of the Caf Champions League matches in Group A.

Although El-Merreikh did not reveal the length of Kyeyune and Mattocks’ deals, it is understood the Ugandan agreed to join them for one-year.

“Ugandan international and URA FC’s attacking midfielder Saidi Kyeyune is officially a Red,” El-Merrikh stated as they gave a transfer update.

The star, arriving at El-Merreikh from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC), was signed after having individual brilliant moments at the African Nations Championship tournament in Cameroon.

He scored twice and his strike against Togo, a clinical goal that may end up being one of the contestants for goal of the tournament.

Uganda were eliminated at the preliminary stage after losing 2-1 against Togo and 5-2 against reigning champions Morocco after an opening 0-0 draw against Rwanda. Although the national side posted a poor result, Kyeyune’s show has helped him land a deal with the Caf Champions League participants.

The midfielder has left the Ugandan Premier League side URA after serving them for two decades and the El-Merrreikh deal has reportedly earned the Ugandan club $40,000.

He becomes the second Ugandan star at the Sudanese team as Salim Magoola is already serving the North African club. The duo is not the first player to serve El-Merreikh as Mike Mutyaba has been there before.

Kyeyune has now joined what is his third career club having played for Maroons FC earlier.

In the Champions League’s Group A, he is expected to clash with his compatriot Taddeo Lwanga who is turning out for Simba SC. Lwanga made the move to join the Tanzanian side in late 2020 and is expected to feature prominently in the continental competition given that Gerson Fraga is yet to recover.

He also had a good show in the just concluded Super Cup tournament where Simba emerged winners after collecting four points against Al-Hilal – El-Merreikh’s toughest local rivals – and TP Mazembe.

Apart from facing Lwanga’s Simba, Kyeyune will play against AS Vita and Al Ahly who are their other Group A opponents.

Thomas Tuchel will be "delighted" with "intelligent" Callum Hudson-Odoi says Glenn Hoddle, who thinks the Chelsea star "suits" the wing-back role.

Hudson-Odoi has started both of Chelsea's first two games under new head coach Tuchel, who was drafted in following Frank Lampard's dismissal on January 25.

The 20-year-old was in and out of the team under Lampard, but his successor found a surprising way to bring the best out the attacker during fixtures against Wolves and Burnley.

He was the most dangerous player on the pitch during a 0-0 draw with Wolves at Stamford Bridge last week, and was even more impressive during the 2-0 victory over the Clarets at the same venue on Sunday.

Tuchel has experimented with a 5-3-2 formation which has seen Hudson-Odoi take up a spot at right wing-back, with Hoddle of the opinion that he has naturally adapted to the position due to his aggressive style of play and intelligence on the ball.

The former Blues midfielder was pleased to see the England international cap a superb all-round display against Burnley with the assist for Cesar Azpilicueta's opener, and thinks his manager will have been equally impressed with his contribution.

"I think this wing-back role, the system actually suits him,’ Hoddle told BT Sport. "He likes to be wide. He likes to stay wide and hug the line. The Chelsea players, midfield players particularly on the diagonals, were finding him much easier today than they were against Wednesday. He’s always wide.

"It was intelligent play for the (first) goal, he’s drawn him in, created the space for Azpilicueta and laid it on a plate after really aggressive play.

"All the positive things down this right-hand side came from Hudson-Odoi. He’s got to be delighted with his performance and his manager certainly will be.

"I’m just wondering if he took him off to see Reece James but maybe to save him a bit so he doesn’t get injured."

Hudson-Odoi could retain his place in Tuchel's line up when Chelsea make the short trip across London to face fellow top-four hopefuls Tottenham on Thursday.

The two teams are level on 33 points at the moment, but the Blues have played a game more and Leicester City are sitting five points ahead of them in the final Champions League qualification spot.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango admitted he didn't have to do much himself to earn a clean sheet against Chippa United on Sunday.

The Brazilians beat the Chilli Boys 2-0 at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium to open up a five-point lead at the top of the standings over SuperSport United and Swallows FC.

With the amount of chances Downs had, the scoreline could have been far higher, and while the hosts were so busy attacking, goalkeeper Denis Onyango was a virtual spectator.

"I want to thank the players for doing a great job. You can see I left the game clean [he said while showing off his clean shirt], on a muddy pitch like this," the Ugandan international told Sundowns media.

"I think they did the job for me, I got away with a clean sheet, but the hard work that the guys put in after a long trip to Thohoyandou (a 2-1 away win over Black Leopards) two days back...we thought we would struggle a little bit.

"But the guys knew the job at hand and we just wanted to do this for our late brother [Motjeka] Madisha. I think that's why we scored two goals, we couldn't score a third one," Onyango added, in reference to the late Madisha's shirt number.

Onyango has four goalkeepers - Kennedy Mweene, Jody February, Ricardo Goss and Reyaad Pieterse - all eyeing his position. He says this is keeping him on his toes.

"All in all we are happy with three points and the clean sheet is important for us," the 35-year-old said.

"With the quality we have in the goalkeeping department, they push me hard. So I need to represent them properly when I come to play."

He admitted that the Chippa game was made easy for him.

"It was one of those games when I didn't do much. All I needed to do was make noise [communicate]. My job is to make noise. It's good for the team, it's good for me and good for the goalkeeping department."

Sundowns' next match is on Wednesday - they host Stellenbosch FC in a Nedbank Cup last 32 encounter.

Marcos Alonso is setting his sights on “the top” after edging back in front of Ben Chilwell in the Chelsea pecking order under Thomas Tuchel.

The Spanish left-back found himself frozen out at Stamford Bridge under Frank Lampard.

Big money was invested by the Blues in England international Chilwell during the summer of 2020, leading to Alonso seeing just three Premier League appearances at the start of the season.

Once Chilwell stepped into the side, Alonso found himself on the outside looking in and facing plenty of speculation regarding his future.

The 30-year-old did, however, make a first 90-minute outing in 19 weeks as Tuchel shuffled his pack for his second game as Lampard’s successor.

Alonso found the target in the 2-0 victory over Burnley with a spectacular strike to wrap up that win, and he is now setting lofty targets for the remainder of the campaign.

He told Chelsea’s official website after returning to form and favour: “We knew it would be dangerous against this team with the long balls and set-pieces so I was there to help. It’s been a while since I played but I’ve been working hard and I’m just happy that I was ready.

“A lot of things have been said out there but I like to work, be quiet and talk on the pitch so that was for the fans. It’s good to get the reward and hopefully there will be more to come.

“It was good to help the team with a goal but I’m just delighted for the three points and very happy for the team. We need to get back to the top, or as close to the top as possible, and today was a good start.”

Alonso, who has been deployed as a left wing-back on a regular basis throughout his career, has always been capable of making an impact at both ends of the field.

He hopes those qualities will continue to be put to good use, with Chelsea looking to force their way back into top-four contention after enduring a wobble that brought an end to Lampard’s reign.

“I have more freedom to attack because we are better covered for defending but it’s not about the system,” Alonso added. “When we play more organised, all together, knowing what to do and where to be on the pitch then this team has great potential to achieve big things.

“We have a long way until the end of the season to show that and prove we deserve a better position in the table than where we are now but we have to fight for it.”

Three points against Burnley have lifted Chelsea into seventh spot in the Premier League table, six points adrift of the top four and 11 behind leaders Manchester City.