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Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah is on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth around £1.5 million, Goal can confirm.

The 23-year-old has been told he can leave with playing time limited under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it is understood he is close to joining the German side, with Ajax also interested in taking the defender.

The right-back, who can also play centre-back, signed for United from Ajax in 2014 and would prefer a move back to his former club, however, it is understood a move to Leverkusen is looking more likely.

Fosu-Mensah was handed his first-team debut by Louis van Gaal in 2016 but, after loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, he has struggled to push his way into the United first team and Solskjaer confirmed last week that he would be able to leave having played just 108 minutes this season.

"I’m not sure if he will stay or if he’s going to take an option now," Solskjaer said. "He’s not played enough, so of course he’s been allowed to speak to clubs with a view to leaving now in January.

"It’s difficult when you have good players, talented players, and you can’t give them game time. He’s now at the stage where he needs to go and play again.

"It might be the end of January or in the summer where he finds somewhere else, he’s working hard so he’s ready for a move for any club he feels ready for."

It is set to be a relatively quiet transfer window for United, with the club only looking to move to bring players in if long-term targets become available.

Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo could be joining Fosu-Mensah on the departures list with Solskjaer confirming the club would not be extending their current deals.

Both are out of contract in the summer so, if they want to recoup a fee for the goalkeeper and centre-back, United would have to agree deals for the pair during the current window.

Solskjaer gave an update on potential transfers on Monday afternoon when he confirmed there could be a couple of exits.

“I think the signings we made in the summer strengthened squad really well, good signings and good characters and good players," said Solskjaer. "January is always difficult. If something comes up that is a long-term target anyway that is another scenario.

“But not many teams would like to lose players in January. It's unlikely something will happen on the 'in' side. There might be two or three going out because they deserve to play more football for their own good and their own careers.”

Chelsea have closed their academy building and instructed players and coaches to stay at home for a week after an outbreak of 20 cases hit the club.

Frank Lampard's first-team squad and Emma Hayes' women's side will be unaffected due to separate bubbles being implemented at Cobham.

However, the Premier League is now in discussions about rearranging the development squad match with West Ham and the Under-18s match with Brighton that were due to be played this weekend.

Chelsea will keep the situation under constant review and those affected are self-isolating at home in line with government guidelines, with staff, players and families being kept informed.

The situation in part is due to Chelsea's insistence on testing all Under-23s players regularly and more widely within the academy.

There is also a new variant of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom that is more contagious and has led to an estimated one in 30 Londoners carrying the disease.

The stoppage comes after the academy players were allowed two weeks off between Christmas and New Year due to a lack of fixtures.

Lampard had called up several academy stars to his first-team squad in that period, but they are not among those affected having been tested ahead of the FA Cup win over Morecambe.

With at least another week away from the training facility, players will be provided home workouts and the building will undergo a deep clean ahead of their return.

Chelsea have also seen their clash with Fulham moved from Friday evening to Saturday due to the impact of coronavirus on the football calendar.

The decision to move the match came after Tottenham's match with Aston Villa was postponed and replaced with a game against Fulham. In accommodating the previously cancelled fixture with Jose Mourinho's side, Fulham's match with Chelsea has been put back by another day.

The renewed challenges have led to the Premier League and FA to impose enhanced protocols to ensure that the league doesn't stop despite renewed challenges.

Lampard has also called for clubs to start sanctioning players in-house for any breaches of the government's coronavirus guidelines.

"I am not sure where the responsibility lies between the clubs or the FA," he said ahead of his FA Cup third round tie. "My feeling is clubs should have in-house policies to deal with it which is probably guided by the Premier League and the FA.

"If people break the sanctions then they should clearly be punished because we are asking every person in the UK to follow rules and the players have to follow similar rules and within the workplace to align with the FA rules and regulations."

Martin Braithwaite “likes” that Barcelona are in the market for another forward, with the Denmark international vowing to remain at Camp Nou and fight for his place.

The 29-year-old is already a back-up option in Catalunya, with the likes of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann leading an attacking charge for Ronald Koeman.

It has been suggested that more firepower will be sought in upcoming windows, with the Liga giants eager to reinforce in a vital area of the field.

Any incomings could knock Braithwaite further down the pecking order, but he will not be walking away from the challenge.

The Dane, who was a shock signing for the Blaugrana in February 2020, told TV3: “I like that other players are sought out.

“It is supposed to be like that in a club like this, which aspires to have the best in the world. 

“You need to have internal competition. You can't trust everything to a small group of players. Only in this way will you get the most out of the players and the team in each game.

“It doesn't scare me, it motivates me.”

There have been reports that Barca may look to free up funds for additions by moving Braithwaite on.

He is, however, adamant that he no exit has been agreed for the January window or end of the 2020-21 campaign, with it his intention to stay put.

A man who has netted six times through 30 appearances for the Blaugrana added on his future plans: “There is no option to leave Barca in this winter market. And not at the end of the season. Next year I will continue here fighting for my goals. 

“This season we have the chance to win many titles and this is my ambition. I don't think about anything other than winning these trophies. That's why I get up every morning and work so hard.”

Braithwaite has taken in 19 outings this season, finding the target on five occasions, and has helped Koeman’s side to rediscover a spark of late.

They remain four points adrift of table-topping Atletico Madrid, and have played three more games than the leaders, but are up to third in La Liga and within striking distance of Clasico rivals Real Madrid.

Celtic confirmed on Monday that manager Neil Lennon and 13 senior players are self-isolating, but the club are still defending the decision to hold a training camp in Dubai.

Defender Christopher Jullien tested positive for COVID-19 after the team returned to Scotland ahead of Monday's Premiership clash with Hibernian.

Although all other squad and staff members returned negative tests, Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players are self-isolating after being deemed close contacts.

The reigning champions remain insistent they followed "rigorous" COVID-secure protocols and that the threat of contracting the virus would have been similarly high had they stayed in Scotland.

In a statement, Celtic said: "Clearly we are hugely disappointed, as we know our supporters will be. The contacts were identified during the period from Wednesday last week, primarily around flight and team coach travel, during which time Celtic applied the same rigorous protocols used for pre-season training camps, UEFA match travel and for all domestic match arrangements in Scotland. 

"These protocols have served us well in the past, as the club has not had one positive case in our own 'bubble' until now. As we have already stated, Celtic's decision to travel to Dubai for a training camp was for performance reasons. Whilst we were in Dubai, the announcements made on January 4 significantly changed the COVID landscape.  

"The reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland, as other cases have done in Scottish football and across UK sport in the past week.
 
"Celtic has done everything it can to ensure we have in place the very best procedures and protocols. From the outset of the pandemic, Celtic has worked closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish football and we will continue to do so."

The Hoops' latest Scottish Premiership outing will go ahead as planned despite the Covid-19 outbreak within Lennon's squad, with Celtic in desperate need of a victory after losing to arch-rivals Rangers last time out.

A 1-0 defeat against the Gers at Ibrox saw the reigning champions fall 23 points behind in this season's title race, but they do still have four games in hand to take in on Steven Gerrard's side.

After their meeting with Hibs, Celtic will look ahead to a doubleheader against Livingston, with the teams set to meet on January 16 at Parkhead before doing battle again at Almondvale Stadium four days later.

Manchester United will be boosted by the return of Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Edinson Cavani for their trip to Burnley on Tuesday night but Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly are both doubts.

Bailly went off with a head injury in United’s FA Cup victory over Watford on Saturday, while Lindelof, Shaw and Pogba all missed the clash with injuries.

However, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed they could be available for Tuesday’s trip to Turf Moor after taking part in Monday’s training session.

“All of them trained today,” Solskjaer said. “Paul and Eric didn’t do all of it but Luke and Victor did all of it. I’ve got a decent amount of players to pick from, let’s see how Paul and Eric are tomorrow.”

Solskjaer will also be boosted by the return of Cavani after the Uruguayan completed his three-match suspension and the United boss is looking forward to the veteran striker being available again as he brings a different dimension to his side’s attack.  

“Edinson has trained well when he’s been banned, he’s had a couple of days off, of course you can’t train too much," Solskjaer explained. "But, he’s ready to go and gives us a different option.

"He’s a different type of forward to Mason [Greenwood], Anthony [Martial] and Marcus [Rashford] so I’m glad to have him back. That’s why we brought him in, he’s contributed really well so far and I’m sure he will be really important for us now until the end of the season.”

A positive result against Burnley will send United to the top of the table above Liverpool ahead of a trip to Anfield at the weekend. United have not found themselves in the position of being chased at the top for a long time but Solskjaer believes his side have the right mentality to succeed.

“We have to be aggressive, we have to go in to every game and be humble and work hard and don’t think for one second that we have cracked it if you are near the top," he said.

"That’s not the type of players we have, we have players who should play on the front foot and be aggressive, work hard, be hard to play against no matter what.

“But, of course, the group mentality is improving all the time. Now it’s a different challenge. We are in this position, it doesn’t really matter where we will end up in the league after that one (Burnley) as long as we focus on this game and this game only.”

Bruno Fernandes is an Eric Cantona-esque presence for Manchester United, admits Paul Parker, but the Red Devils’ class of 2020-21 have become a one-man team – which was never the case when an iconic Frenchman ruled the roost at Old Trafford.

A single talismanic figure is proving to be enough for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side at present, with a side starved of success in recent times forcing their way back into the Premier League title picture.

United are also chasing down FA Cup and Europa League honours, after picking up an unfortunate habit of slipping out of competitions at the semi-final stage, and Fernandes will have a prominent role to play from this point.

He has been drawing obvious comparisons to legendary figures of the past, with his role as chief playmaker placing him into a talent pool alongside the likes of Cantona.

Parker is concerned as to how long such lofty standards can be maintained by the Portugal international, with it clear that he needs greater assistance at Old Trafford – with it possible that experienced Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani could be the man to provide that.

Former United defender Parker told Eurosport: “It's the strength and the presence of Bruno Fernandes that's making the difference for Manchester United.

“Even with how much everyone thought of Eric Cantona and what he did, and they still talk about how great he was at the time, people didn't look at Manchester United as a one-man team like they do at the moment.

“United fans are fearful of Fernandes being unavailable for a few games because they have made themselves too reliant on one player to pull the strings in every attacking move they have. We saw that in the Wolves game and they defended against him very well.

“What United need is someone else on the park at the same time as him, not someone else to come in when he's injured, and to take defenders away from him.

“When Eric Cantona was on the pitch, his presence helped other players into making attacks so there was more than one attacking thrust. This Manchester United team struggle with that.

“You don't want to go out and spend in the current situation. You've got Edinson Cavani - use him. He's the best centre-forward they've got in this moment in time at the club, so try and make him a presence like they did with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“The difference, which Zlatan could not do when he was at United, is Cavani will make a run for Fernandes to find him with a pass, or will be able to see where Fernandes should be making a run and will make that pass.

“It's all about creating space and that is what he will do. Anthony Martial won't make a run to make something happen so there's a big difference between the two strikers. Cavani has to play.”

United have two crunch fixtures approaching this week, with a trip to Burnley on Tuesday – which could see them hit top spot in the Premier League table – set to be followed by a meeting with old adversaries Liverpool at Anfield.

Arsenal should be exploring the option of bringing Arsene Wenger back to the club, says Charlie Nicholas, as the Frenchman would “not be a threat to Mikel Arteta” but could help to get important transfer deals over the line.

Wenger headed through the exits at Emirates Stadium back in the summer of 2018 and, while his influence had started to wane by that point, he walked away with three Premier League title triumphs and seven FA Cup wins to his name.

Arsenal have found out the hard way that the grass is not always greener when making such changes, with Spanish tacticians Unai Emery and Arteta struggling to stop the rot in north London.

There have been signs of encouragement over recent weeks, but inexperience has shown in the Arsenal dugout this season.

It has been suggested that Wenger, who has steered clear of a return to management since leaving the Gunners, could be brought back in an advisory or directorial role behind the scenes.

Nicholas can see plenty of value in such a move, with Arteta getting the assistance he requires on and off the field to complete a long-term rebuilding project.

“I suggested about two years ago they should bring Arsene Wenger back to Arsenal,” former Gunners striker Nicholas told Paddy Power’s From the Horse’s Mouth Podcast.

“When Wenger and David Dein were a partnership that was bringing in Thierry Henrys and Patrick Vieiras, it was a partnership that the manager wanted.

“Their relationship worked an absolute treat. Wenger was probably too intelligent for football and wanted to have a say in the finances of it too, and Dein would say, 'if we can afford it, we're just going to get you the player.' It worked so well.

“And I'd still take him back now.”

Nicholas added on a potential working relationship at the Emirates: “He'd not be a threat to Arteta, he'd be there to help him.

“He's a genuine Arsenal fan, and because of that he'll show the leadership and understanding the club needs.

“If Arsene was to call or turn up to meet a player from Atletico Madrid or Barcelona or Real Madrid, I think there's a strong chance he'd help get those deals over the line because of his presence and his reputation.

“I still think he could play a marvellous part in teaching Arteta the real rules of the management game.

“Of course, he made a lot of mistakes, and Emery and Arteta have inherited some bad signings he made, but Alex Ferguson made some mistakes too. He's still the best ever.

“It happens, but what Wenger created we have to respect.”

Arsenal, after making their worst start to a season since 1974-75, have established some forward momentum of late, with three successive victories collected in the Premier League while also making their way into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Tottenham will play Fulham in midweek instead of Aston Villa, with their original clash against Dean Smith's side postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

Spurs confirmed the news in an official statement on their website, which reads: "We can confirm that our fixture against Aston Villa, due to take place on Wednesday 13 January, has been postponed.

"Our previously postponed home fixture against Fulham, originally scheduled for 30 December 2020, will now take place on the same evening (Wednesday 13 January), kick-off 8.15pm on Amazon Prime Video.

"The Premier League informed us of the decision following a request by Aston Villa on the grounds of the number of their players and staff who have either tested positive for Covid-19 or have been placed in isolation.

"Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends their best wishes to Aston Villa for a safe and speedy recovery to all those who are affected.

"Details of a new date for our match at Villa Park will be confirmed in due course."

Villa were hit with a significant outbreak of coronavirus among squad and staff members last week, leaving Smith with only youth-team players to call upon in a third-round FA Cup tie against Liverpool on Friday - which they ended up losing 4-1.

The number of cases at the club remains too high for their latest Premier League outing to go ahead, meaning Tottenham are having to deal with their second fixture postponement in the space of two weeks.

Fulham, meanwhile, have also seen a meeting with Chelsea that was originally scheduled for Friday pushed back by a day so that they have more time to prepare after their encounter with Spurs.

Jose Mourinho's men will be expected to pick up three points against the Cottagers on home turf after opening their latest FA Cup campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of eight tier outfit Marine at the weekend.

Fulham progressed to the fourth round by beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0 at Loftus Road, but they are still languishing down in 18th in the Premier League, while Tottenham are only four points adrift of first-placed Liverpool having played a game less.

Axel Tuanzebe is looking for Manchester United to hit top spot in the Premier League this week, allowing them to “bounce on” in their 2020-21 title bid.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have overcome a slow start to the current campaign to position themselves among the frontrunners early in the new year.

A return to form has seen the Red Devils pull level with defending champions Liverpool at the summit, and a crunch clash between two old adversaries is due to be staged at Anfield on Sunday.

United could be perched at the top of the division by then , with Solskjaer’s side due to play their game in hand away at Burnley on Tuesday.

Two positive results against North West neighbours will allow the Red Devils to start dreaming of a first English top-flight crown in eight years, with Tuanzebe eager to turn potential into something more tangible.

He told MUTV heading into a potentially pivotal run of fixtures: “We want to be top of the league, you know, and this is the time to do it. [They are] two games that can really cement our position at the top and we just bounce on from there.”

Tuanzebe has made 10 appearances for United across all competitions this season and, having figured again in the FA Cup third-round victory over Watford , wants to start cementing a place in Solskjaer’s plans.

He added: “I would obviously love to get more minutes, so I can constantly keep my performances up. Obviously the team are doing well so the only way in is really to force myself in with the chances that I do get.

“Sometimes it [the opportunity] can just come out of the blue, but the main thing is that we kept a clean sheet and we won the game.

“Respect to Watford. We said it before the game: they're a very tough-spirited side. Even though they made changes to the team, we know their ethos, their culture. So we knew that we had to perform to get the victory.”

Solskjaer is expected to rotate as United compete on multiple fronts, with a hectic schedule playing into the hands of Tuanzebe and those on the fringes.

The 23-year-old defender added: “For one it prevents injuries, it gives everyone opportunities to perform, spots [become] open, nobody can be lacking and it keeps competition high. So that's the positive thing about it.” 

Record-breaking Japanese star Kazuyoshi Miura has signed a new contract with J1 League side Yokohama, at the age of 53.

'King Kazu', the oldest goalscorer in Japanese professional football, has committed to his 17th season with the club and the 36th overall in his storied career.

Miura turns 54 on February 26, the day before the J1 League campaign is due to get underway.

Last September, he became the oldest player in the top-flight's history against Kawasaki Frontale at the age of 53 years and 210 days – he went on to make three more appearances that season.

Miura started that fixture, wearing the captain's armband and playing 53 minutes before being substituted during the 3-2 victory.

"When I stepped onto the pitch, I felt a deep desire to fulfill my duty and harness everyone's feelings in that armband," Miura said after the match.

In a statement released via the club, Miura said his "hopes and passion for football are only increasing" despite making only seven league appearances in the past two years.

“Last season, I was feeling the joy of playing football at a time when the world was facing a tough situation because of the new coronavirus,” he said.

Miura's last goal came in March 2017, when he scored in a 1-0 win over ThespaKusatsu Gunma in Japan's second tier at the age of 50 years and 14 days. It made him the oldest player to score in a professional league match in Japan.

Having started his career with Santos in 1986, Miura became the face of the J-League after its launch in 1993, having been the first Japanese winner of the Asian Footballer of the Year award in 1992. He led Verdy Kawasaki to the title in 1993 and 1994.

Miura, who scored 55 goals in 89 international appearances for Japan and won the Asian Cup in 1992, also had spells with Genoa, Dinamo Zagreb and Sydney FC.

He is one of only three men to score more than 50 goals for Japan, along with Kunishige Kamamoto and Shinji Okazaki.

Yokohama finished last season 15th in the 18-team J1 League, with 33 points from 34 fixtures.

Azam FC CEO Abdulkarim ‘Popat’ Amin has stated they are not afraid of Yanga SC as the two sides are set to clash in the Mapinduzi Cup’s first semi-final on Monday.

The former Mainland Premier League champions will meet at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar as the competition enters the knockout stage.

Popat believes the Ice Cream Makers are in the right frame of mind to tackle and see off Timu ya Wananchi.

“We are playing against Yanga and they are not a team to be afraid of,” Amin told Mwanaspoti ahead of the match that will be played at 16:00 EAT.

“As I have pointed elsewhere, every team that has participated in the tournament has had to face an opponent.

“The most important thing is that we qualified for the semi-final but we need to fight and see that we progress to the final.”

The official pointed out preparations as one of the difficulties they have encountered. The participating teams had to fly to the Island just after the Premier League entered its mid-season break.

“The most difficult challenge has been preparations but I am confident we will do great and earn a slot in the final,” he added.

Amin also defended Mpiana Monzinzi, who has scored just once in the competition. The official believes it would be too early to pass a judgement on their new striker.

“I think we cannot judge him based on the two games he has played alone although he scored in the first game, let us give him like five matches and see whether he will score,” he explained.

“But his transition always happens for almost every player. He is a good player I have no doubt about that.”

Azam and Yanga will be meeting for the first time since November 25 where they met in a league tie and Azam lost 1-0. The loss ended Aristica Cioaba’s reign and George Lwandamina – a former Yanga coach - was appointed in his place.

The technical changes would give the Ice Cream Makers a sense of confidence against Timu ya Wananchi, who are leading and have not lost a game after playing 18 in the league.

The 2021 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season is almost upon us, with the excitement to only build when the NWSL Draft takes place on Wednesday.

Previously known as the NWSL College Draft, the event will see the most talented players in the U.S. college system brought into what is arguably the best league in the world of women's soccer.

The draft will include expansion team Racing Louisville for the first time as they look to bolster their roster following the headline-grabbing Expansion Draft back in November.

A currently unnamed Kansas City NWSL team will also feature, with the city returning to the league for the first time since 2017, when FC Kansas City ceased operations and all its player-related assets were absorbed by the Utah Royals. The Royals ceased operations in 2020, with all player-related assets transferred to a Kansas City-based ownership group.

Last year, Stanford's Sophia Smith was chosen by the Portland Thorns as the No.1 pick, after scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists as a sophomore in 2019. She also helped Stanford win the NCAA title for the second time in three years before becoming the first teenager to ever be selected in the draft.

This year, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced huge changes to the event. The most significant of those is a change to the player eligibility rules.

Previously, players would have to declare for the draft in order to be picked. However, after the impact of coronavirus hit college sports hard in 2020, the NWSL have now announced that all senior college athletes will be eligible without the need to register.

In the past, declaring for the draft would make players ineligible for college sports. But with the college women's soccer season pushed back from the end of 2020 to spring 2021, aspiring NWSL players will have the opportunity to play their final senior season of college soccer and then turn their attentions towards becoming professional.

There has been some controversy surrounding the change, with any player selected in the draft to have their rights kept by that club until the start of the 2022 NWSL pre-season begins, whether they want to play in the league or not.

Nonetheless, the positive is that players will not have to choose between playing their final college season and registering for the draft, a dilemma which would likely have deterred some.

Who will be this year's top pick, then? Catarino Macario is almost everyone's undisputed prediction. The Brazilian-born forward acquired American citizenship last year and is set to become the first naturalized citizen to play for the USWNT, once she is cleared to represent the senior team. She has already been called up Vlatko Andonovski.

Macario announced last week that she will forego her final year with Stanford and turn professional, but reports say there is also interest in her from Europe, so it may be that the next chapter of her career is not in the NWSL.

Should the 21-year-old choose to move across the Atlantic, USWNT international Emily Fox could be chosen as the No.1 pick by Louisville. The defender already has three caps at senior level, making her debut back in November 2018 when she was just 20 years old.

Fox has spent the last four years as part of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who reached the College Cup final in 2018 and 2019.

The 2021 NWSL Draft will be streamed live on the NWSL's official Twitch channel. The event will begin at 4pm PT/7pm ET on Wednesday January 13.

Mauricio Pochettino has been boosted by the news that Neymar is back in training at Paris Saint-Germain, with the Brazilian forward stepping up his recovery from an ankle injury.

The 28-year-old has been out of action since facing Lyon on December 13. A full-blooded challenge from Thiago Mendes forced the South American superstar onto the sidelines, and he has not been seen since.

Much has changed at Parc des Princes since Neymar last took to the field, with Thomas Tuchel having been relieved of his managerial duties in the French capital.

Former Tottenham coach Pochettino has been appointed in his place, with the Argentine having plenty of early problems to contend with.

Neymar has formed part of that, while Presnel Kimpembe and Leandro Paredes have also been nursing knocks, along with Mauro Icardi, Danilo Pereira, Juan Bernat, Layvin Kurzawa and Alessandro Florenzi.

Rafinha, meanwhile, has been ruled out after contracting Covid-19, meaning that Pochettino has had to get creative with his team selections.

PSG’s list of absentees is, however, starting to ease. Kimpembe and Paredes have joined Neymar in making a return to the training field, while Kurzawa, Florenzi and Icardi were all included in the matchday squad for a 3-0 win over Brest.

That victory was Pochettino’s first in the most demanding of posts, with the plan being to kick on from this point.

Neymar’s return will be expected to aid that cause, with the Brazil international proving to be a prolific presence during his time in France.

PSG would have liked to see him involved in the clash with arch-rivals Marseille on Wednesday, but that contest may come too soon.

Just two training sessions will be taken in before facing what promises to be another keenly-contested derby date.

No risks will be taken with Neymar, given his value to the cause, and his return to competitive action may have to be nudged back slightly. The same is true for Kimpembe and Paredes, who cannot be expected to step straight back in for such an important fixture.

Pochettino is, however, getting close to full strength, as he seeks to deliver on expectations back in France, and Neymar may come into contention for the Ligue 1 meeting with Angers on Saturday.

Hunt for Power is a global expedition that took Power Horse fans on a journey from the lush palaces of Abu Dhabi, the wild jungles of Lagos and to the pyramids of Cairo.

Hunt For Power is series of ‘Scavenger Hunts’ that involves the best Power Horse and Manchester City fans who will be challenged by the best players in the world from the Citizens, from the likes of Sterling, Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus.

Each episode contains 3 challenges and a lot of twists and surprises from the Power Horse team who takes you around the world!

Abu Dhabi

Lagos

Cairo

Vote for your favorite challenge here:

Erling Haaland could be Manchester United’s No 9 for the next 10 years if they decide to spend big on the Norwegian says Michael Owen, who views the Borussia Dortmund star as the perfect striker to bring a run of stop-gap signings to a close at Old Trafford.

Considerable value has been found in ageing frontmen down the years by the Red Devils. Henrik Larsson, Robin van Persie, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani have all made important contributions.

None though have been long-term options for United, meaning that regular forays have had to be made into the transfer market for more goalscoring talent.

Owen is calling for interest in Haaland to be rekindled as the Red Devils seek to add a new Wayne Rooney to their ranks.

The former striker told Stadium Astro: “If you look at the recent past of Manchester United, they have been buying a lot of players that have been coming to the twilight of their career – when you look at Cavani, before that Ibrahimovic, before that Van Persie, Henrik Larsson.

“They have gone for players right at the end of their career. The last one they bought early on in their career is Wayne Rooney. At least then you have got a player that is going to last you for 10 years.

“At the moment, Manchester United have struggled to find that young player that is going to take them all the way as a No 9. I think the one player out there that springs to mind, a player that could be in their team for 10 years and stop them having to buy stop-gaps all the time, is Haaland at Dortmund. He is the player on everybody’s lips at the moment.”

Another ex-United frontman, Dimitar Berbatov, agrees that Haaland would be a shrewd addition, but he is also of the opinion that academy graduate Mason Greenwood could yet become the prolific central striker that the Red Devils are crying out for.

The Bulgarian said: “Definitely he’s [Haaland] the guy. He is still so young and the future is ahead of him. The amount of goals he is scoring is unbelievable. He could be a great fit for United if he develops in the same way he is doing now.

“He is going to cost a lot of money but for talent like this, you can try your best to buy him, but honestly I would like to see Mason Greenwood develop and become better and better. I’m a big admirer of him. I would like to see more chances given to him to show how good he is.

“I like Martial and Rashford as well. If United don’t go and try to buy someone, I would like to see those three develop.”