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Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter believes Tariq Lamptey's absence in Saturday's Premier League encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers will be a big miss.

For the third time in a row, The Seagulls are set to be without their first-choice right-back amid concerns about his fitness.

He has been among their top men so far this season, having made 11 appearances, scored one goal and assisted another goal.

"It [Lalana's injury] is not as bad as we first thought, he has an outside chance of playing against Wolves. Tariq probably won’t be involved, but he is not far away which is also good news," Potter said in team news ahead of Saturday's game, his club's official website has reported.

"Danny Welbeck felt the side of his knee after West Ham. He was okay for the bench on Tuesday, but I decided to be safe with him. We just need to try and get Adam and Tariq back as quickly and safely as we can.

"It's clear Tariq is a miss, he gives us a different dimension, but during the season players will all have injuries. We have a squad and have to get on with it."

After struggling for first team action at Chelsea where he developed through the youth ranks, Lamptey left for Brighton in January, making eight appearances to help The Seagulls finish the 2019-20 season in 15th position.

After a run of fine performances this term, the 20-year-old has been touted among the revelations of the season, his exploits reportedly drawing interest from Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and most recently Arsenal.

Brighton will be hoping to promptly welcome Lamptey back in action to boost their early relegation fight so far this season.

After 16 rounds of matches, Potter's outfit finds themselves just one place and two points above the relegation zone.

Lamptey’s fine performances for Brighton have also attracted interest from Ghana, for whom he is eligible to represent at international level despite currently playing for England at U21 level.

The fullback was born in Hillingdon to Ghanaian parents, a status that allows him to switch international allegiance should he decide to do so.

Former Manchester United and Scotland manager Tommy Docherty has died at the age of 92.

His family issued a statement saying Docherty - known as The Doc - passed away at his home in the North West of England following a long illness.

A family spokesperson said in a statement: "Tommy passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at home.

"He was a much-loved husband, father and papa and will be terribly missed.

"We ask that our privacy be respected at this time. There will be no further comment."

Born in Glasgow, Docherty had spells in charge of Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa among the 12 clubs he coached during a 27-year managerial career.

Docherty made over 300 appearances for Preston as a player and the Lilywhites issued a statement on Twitter which read: "Everyone at Preston North End is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former player and manager Tommy Docherty, who made over 300 appearances for the club.

"Our thoughts are with Tommy's loved ones at this sad time."

He represented Celtic, Preston, Arsenal and Chelsea during a playing career that saw him earn 25 caps for Scotland, but it was in management that he forged his status in the game.

He won a League Cup in charge of Chelsea in 1965, but he took his career to another level at Manchester United.

He was persuaded to leave his role in charge of Scotland to take on a United side that was on the way down due to an ageing squad.

Docherty kept them up in his first season in charge, but the following campaign in 1973-74 they were relegated to the Second Division.

The Red Devils bounced back into the top flight at the first time of asking and in 1975-76 they finished third in the table and lost an FA Cup final.

The following season, Docherty secured a major trophy with United when they beat Liverpool 2-1 to win the FA Cup.

A United statement on Twitter read: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tommy Docherty, who led us to FA Cup victory in 1977 with a thrilling, attacking team in the best traditions of Manchester United.

"Everyone at the club sends sincere condolences to Tommy's loved ones."

Arsenal legend Liam Brady has taken aim at Mesut Ozil, claiming the former Germany international is “not a good guy in the dressing room" as well as "not a good guy on the pitch.”

Ozil appears to have no future at Arsenal, as he has not featured for the club since March and is not part of coach Mikel Arteta’s Premier League squad.

The souring of the relationship is disappointing for all concerned with the club, as Ozil is one of the most gifted players in the game when on song.

With the Gunners struggling for form, plenty of focus has been on Arteta and his handling of the squad.

Arsenal have been crying out for the type of creativity Ozil can produce, but Brady feels the coach was right to cut him adrift.

“I don't blame Arteta over Ozil,” Brady, who won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 1979, made 307 appearances for the club and was named their eighth greatest player in their history, told the Keys and Gray podcast. “He gave Ozil plenty of chances and he performed for a couple of months. 

“Ozil just reverted back to type. 

"He's not a good guy in the dressing room; he's not a good guy on the pitch. 

“I've no problem with Mikel bombing him.”

Arteta said at a press conference on Thursday that there would be departures from the club in January. 

Ozil’s close friend Sead Kolasinac has already headed out of the club, joining Bundesliga side Schalke on loan, and there are likely to be further departures.

Whether Ozil heads for pastures new in January will likely depend on if the player can be persuaded to take a pay cut.

He signed a deal reported to be worth £350,000 per week in January of 2018 and that runs until the summer of 2021. 

If Ozil cannot be persuaded to move on in January, he will almost certainly depart the Emirates Stadium on a free transfer in the summer.

Arteta will hope the focus is on his side’s form in the second half of the season. They closed 2020 with back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Brighton and kick off 2021 with a trip to West Brom.

Ruvimbo Mucherera has joined Finnish Naisten Liiga outfit KuPS for a one-year deal, beginning in January 2021.

The US-born Zimbabwean forward parted ways with Lithuanian champions Gintra Universitetas and starred for Rimantė Jonusaite's team, including in the Women's Champions League.

The 24-year-old, who was born in Oviedo, USA started out at the University of North Carolina before signing her first professional contract with Gintra in the summer of 2020.

Commenting on her signing, the team's head coach Ollipekka Ojala told the club website: “Our manager Vesa Kauppila has done a lot of work in mapping the players and as a result of this work we attached a player to the team who with her strengths can make us even more dangerous in the attacking direction and bring more speed to our line of defence.

"We wanted a player who can also play a little higher when needed and who has the ability to lead a team within games. 

"He comes from a high-level university team and already has some experience of playing in Europe, so we believe he will adapt quickly to our operating environment."
 
Celebrating her move, she reflected on her short spell at Gintra and is looking forward to excelling on her new adventure in Finland.

“In Lithuania, the team was good and it was my first professional contract, so I didn’t know what to expect," she told the club. 

"But in the end the experience was wonderful and I am grateful to the club for the time and the possibility there. 

“I now chose the Kuopio Ball Club because I want to reach the highest level in football and I believe that this agreement will help me towards my goals. 

"I am excited about the upcoming season and team meeting. I hope to be able to help the team win the league next season, whatever comes up and I will do my best in front of the team."

Following a brief spell in Lithuania, Mucherera will be hoping to raise her profile in Finland when she joins her teammates in January for the new season.

Minio Raiola has rubbished suggestions that he has brokered a deal with a Barcelona presidential candidate to take Erling Haaland to Camp Nou.

Haaland is in his first full season at Borussia Dortmund, but such has been his impact at the Signal Iduna Park that he is being linked with a move to a European giant.

The likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all been linked, and Barcelona presidential candidate Emili Rousaud has reportedly made Haaland’s signature one of his priorities.

Josep Maria Minguella is advising Rousaud and claims the fundamentals are in place for a deal to be done.

"We know all the conditions and if we win, the following day I will call Mino Raiola and we will accept those conditions. I have already advised him of that," Minguella is quoted as saying by AS . "We have a world-class sports project that is not showing just now, but Emili Rousaud has a plan that will turn this unfortunate situation [at Barcelona] around."

Raiola was contacted by Sport1 and he has claimed the reports are “fake news” and that he has never spoken to any Barcelona presidential candidate.

"Fake news!" Raiola said. "I’ve never talked to any presidential candidate of Barcelona regarding Haaland or any other of my clients and I will not do that either. 

“If there is a new president of Barcelona elected in January he can call me.”

Raiola’s comments would appear fairly unequivocal, but Minguella said he had held talks with the agent and not the presidential candidate himself.

As such, it may well be true that Raiola has not spoken to Rousaud, but it does not mean that the groundwork is not in place for a deal to be pushed through should he win the election.

The speculation will not please Dortmund, as they are looking to steady the ship following a torrid December that saw coach Lucien Favre depart following the 5-1 loss to Stuttgart.

The club are also hoping that the New Year will see Haaland return to the side following a hamstring injury .

Sead Kolasinac is on his way back to Schalke after agreeing a loan move from Arsenal.

The Bosnia & Herzegovina international full-back has struggled for regular playing time this season and manager Mikel Arteta dropped a broad hint that the defender would be on the move when suggesting the club needed to trim their playing staff.

Schalke acted swiftly to bring the 27-year-old back to the club he left for Arsenal in 2017, signing him on loan for the remainder of the season.

The move is subject to legal hurdles being overcome, but they are not expected to cause any alarms and should be finalised on January 4.

Kolasinac is relishing his return to Gelsenkirchen and looking to help the club climb away from danger. Schalke are bottom of the table with four points to their name from 13 games.
 
"I'm happy and proud to be wearing the royal blue of Schalke 04 once again," Kolasinac said, per Bundesliga.com.

"The club is currently in a difficult situation. Over the coming weeks and months I want to do my part in order to help us pick up as many points as possible. We will manage to stay up together - I’m 100 per cent convinced of it."

Arsenal technical director Edu believes the move will benefit all parties.

“Sead needs to be playing regularly, so we have decided together that a move back to Germany with Schalke will benefit him at this moment,” Edu told the club’s official website. 

“We will be keeping in close contact with Sead and wish him huge success for the remainder of the season with Schalke.”

Kolasinac is unlikely to be the only player on his way out of the Emirates Stadium in January, following Arteta’s press conference on Thursday.

“We have a large squad, we know that,” said the Gunners boss. “A lot of things that should have happened in the summer, we could not accomplish for different reasons.

“There are some players that are going to go on loan, they are going to leave, and that’s the priority at the moment because we can’t sustain the numbers that we have in certain positions.

“We are looking to do that and then we will see. If we have the right opportunity in the positions that we need some more help, we are working with the club to try to address that.”

It is unlikely Kolasinac’s departure will free up funds to strengthen, as reports suggest Arsenal are paying a chunk of his wages during the duration of his stay at Schalke.

However, if Arsenal can get further bodies out of the door, Edu may give the green light to bolster a side that is sat in 13th in the Premier League table.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) had to dig deep to settle for a 1-1 draw with their hosts Tanzania Prisons in a Tanzania Mainland League game played on Thursday evening. 

Jumanne Fadhili scored for the administrative side before debutant Saidi Ntibazonkiza equalized matters.

The Jangwani Street-based charges came into the match as favourites owing to their good record in the first leg. However, they were not going to find it easy against their hosts who were among the four teams that had managed to get a point from Wananchi in the first round.

It explains why the two teams settled for a goalless scoreline in the first half.

After the break, Prisons upped their tempo and managed to get a deserved opener in the 52nd minute courtesy of Jumanne Fadhili. It was a reward for their good play.

Timu ya Wananchi struggled to get clear cut chances against an organized Prisons team. But their resilience to maintain their unbeaten run paid off in the 78th minute.

Burundi international Saidi Ntibazonkiza, who was making his debut, broke the hearts of the home fans with a timely equalizer. It was the goal that took Yanga's points tally to 44 from the 18 games played.

After getting the point, Tanzania Prisons moved to the ninth position with 22 points.

In another league game, 2014 champions Azam FC scored with three minutes to go and got maximum points against hosts Polisi Tanzania.

The Ice-cream Makers had an inconsistent first round which led to the firing of Romanian coach Aristica Cioaba. George Lwandamina was brought to salvage the seemingly sinking ship and it seems he is managing to do so.

A trip to Polisi Tanzania was not going to be an easy one and it looked like the spoils were going to be shared. However, in the 87th minute, Ismail Aziz scored an all-important goal to hand the Chamazi-based charges maximum points.

Finally, Coastal Union and Namungo FC played to a 1-1 draw.

Iddi Kipagawile scored first in favour of the visitors in the 10th minute. It happened to be the only goal in the first half. 

Rashid Mohamed managed to equalize with 15 minutes to go and ensure the points were shared.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles will “pursue an exit in the summer”, says Kevin Campbell, with Arsenal warned that a waiting game for the versatile 23-year-old is “not going to last”.

It appeared at one stage as though the Emirates Stadium academy graduate would seek out a switch in 2020.

Wolves were said to be leading the chase for his signature, with a £20 million ($26m) offer put on the table.

Arsenal and Maitland-Niles ultimately shunned that interest, with the highly-rated performer opting to remain in north London and compete for regular outings under Mikel Arteta.

He has been restricted to just four Premier League starts in 2020-21, despite breaking into the senior England squad, with the majority of his minutes coming in the Europa League.

The ambitious midfielder had been hoping to fill a more prominent role, especially as Arsenal have struggled for consistency this season, and patience is now wearing thin.

Campbell expects that to snap in the near future, with Maitland-Niles being tipped to push for a move elsewhere.

“I think he will pursue an exit in the summer,” former Gunners striker Campbell told Football Insider.

“Although he loves the club, he is an England international now – he has to play football.

“There is no point loving the club and being a bit-part player. You have proven you can do it on numerous occasions, you are a full England international and you are on the bench…

“That is not going to last.” 

Campbell has been forced to change his tune in a matter of weeks, with the ex-Arsenal frontman previously stating that Arteta was set to do all he can to keep Maitland-Niles on his books.

“I hear Mikel Arteta is trying to convince him to stay and sign a new contract because he is now an England international,” Campbell told Football Insider in early December.

“Which clubs let England internationals go? You do not do that.

“He wants to play, of course he wants to but we know football is a squad game. He wants to play in central midfield and they have just bought Partey to play there.

“Maitland-Niles is a good player but he is no Partey, that is for sure.

“He has a great engine on him, tough and can take a penalty because he is calm as a cucumber. He has loads of pluses going for him. He can fit in multiple positions and every team needs a utility man, and when your utility man is an international you need to keep him even more so.

“I can see Mikel Arteta going on the charm offensive to try and keep him at the football club.”

Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been banned by the Football Association for three games after he was find guilty of misconduct following an Instagram post in November.

The striker made the decision not to challenge the charge and will consequently miss United’s upcoming games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Watford. 

He has also been fined £100,000 and ordered to complete face-to-face education after it was deemed his post was insulting, abusive, improper and brought the game into disrepute. 

It is understood the club have asked the FA to use the money from the fine for anti-racisim projects and initiatives. 

The charge came after the 33-year-old responded to a celebratory message sent by a friend with the words "Gracias negrito".

The 33-year-old quickly deleted the post and apologised for his actions, saying: “The message I posted after the game on Sunday was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game.

“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offence to anyone. I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently. I would like to sincerely apologise for this.”

Goal understands Cavani decided not to appeal the charge - despite his insistence that it was an honest mistake - out of respect and solidarity with the fight against racism in football. 

A new ruling meant that if found guilty the minimum ban term for this breach is three matches and it is understood the club is pleased the governing body imposed the lowest possible sanction. 

A statement from Manchester United on the ruling read: “As he has stated, Edinson Cavani wasn’t aware that his words could have been misconstrued and he sincerely apologised for the post and to anyone who was offended.

“Despite his honest belief that he was simply sending an affectionate thank you in response to a congratulatory message from a close friend, he chose not to contest the charge out of respect for, and solidarity with, The FA and the fight against racism in football.

“While it is clear that context and intent are key factors, we note that the independent Regulatory Commission was required to impose a minimum three game suspension.  

“The club trusts that the independent Regulatory Commission will make it clear in its written reasons that Edinson Cavani is not a racist, nor was there any racist intent in relation to his post.”

Timo Werner is not “ice-cold” in front of goal and should have a further “seven or eight” efforts to his name this season, says Scott Minto, with the German said to be presenting Chelsea with a tactical dilemma.

The Blues were considered to have pulled off quite the coup when luring the prolific frontman to Stamford Bridge over the summer.

Despite boasting no prior experience of life in the Premier League, Werner was tipped by many to hit the ground running in England.

His qualities have been put to good use by Lampard, with blistering pace and predatory instincts allowing the versatile 24-year-old to play across Chelsea’s front line.

Eight goals were recorded by Werner by early November, as he offered an immediate return on a £47.5 million ($65m) price tag, but he has since gone 11 games without finding the target.

Minto feels that a fixed role needs to be found for the German frontman, as he struggles to settle and find a spark, but remains convinced that value will be found in a big-money signing.

The former Chelsea defender told Stadium Astro of Werner: “He’s a player. He’s a defender’s nightmare.

“If he’s going to play on that left-hand side, Frank Lampard has a decision to make. If they are going to play him on the left and have a big man up front, then you have to accept that he is going to come inside and try to link up with [Olivier] Giroud or [Tammy] Abraham and defensively that is going to leave you open – as we saw against Arsenal.

“Or, you stick him up front - you play him on the last defender, try and bring everybody a little bit short, make the opposition defence compact for a ball over the top or slide passes for his pace.

“In terms of his finishing, he is another one that should have, and this is his fault, another seven or eight goals to his name this season.

“He has got himself, either by good movement or by doing it himself, into some fantastic positions, one-on-one with keepers, and just not been that ice-cold striker you need to be in front of goal. But I have no doubts whatsoever that he will come good.

“I do have a problem with him tactically, in terms of playing left and defending as a team, so is Frank willing to sacrifice having that protection having him on the left-hand side and coming in or are you going to stick him up front?

“I have no doubts he will be a big player for Chelsea over the coming years.”

Chelsea, who have taken just four points from their last five Premier League fixtures, will be back in action on Sunday when they open 2021 with a testing home date against fellow title hopefuls Manchester City.

Manchester United have triggered the one-year extension option on Jesse Lingard’s contract, theoretically ensuring that the midfielder could remain at Old Trafford until the summer of 2022.

The England international’s current deal was poised to expire in the summer, at which point the 28-year-old was expected to seek new opportunities elsewhere after falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season.

Lingard has only played 99 minutes of football across two Carabao Cup games this season - with a single start against Luton Town - and has struggled to even get onto the bench for the vast majority of Premier League matches.

Yet, following now-typical procedure at the club, United have activated his contract clause to extend his current deal in order to prevent the possibility of losing him on a free transfer.

It is understood that a potential January loan deal is being explored in order for Lingard to pick up more minutes this season and that any extension would have little to no bearing on his long-term future with United.

“Jesse is a part of the club and he’s worked really hard,” Solskjaer previously said in July when questioned on the playmaker’s position within the Norwegian’s plans.

“He deserves his chance to come back in and we know his qualities. We know that Jesse’s got different qualities to other players and he knows that we value him.”

Lingard most recently made United’s squad for their 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Everton earlier this month, though he failed to feature off the bench again, further stretching a near-three month on-field exodus.

If the right deal can be agreed, it remains possible that he could leave next month on a short-term move further afield, with Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo also anticipated to be outgoing faces in a relatively quiet window.

Amad Diallo, meanwhile, is expected to arrive from Atalanta, having agreed to a Premier League move from the Serie A outfit in October.

The teenage winger remained in Italy for the first half of the current campaign but is expected to finalise his switch in the coming weeks, a month after making his Champions League debut against Midtjylland.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been charged by the Football Association following his criticism of referee Lee Mason.

In the aftermath of Wolves' 2-1 loss to Burnley in the Premier League on December 21, Nuno did not hold back in his criticism of Mason.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Nuno said: "Honestly I don't like to say it, but I must say it because I will not feel right: the referee does not have the quality to whistle a game in the Premier League.

"This is a problem that we knew. We already had Lee Mason before. It is not about the crucial mistakes or the decisions, it is about the way that he handles the game.

"The players get nervous. Too much voices. He whistles by the voices when some players shout. He does not have [it]. We are talking about the best competition and clearly he does not have the quality to whistle the game.

"I am very disappointed to say this, really disappointed to say it, but I would not feel right if I did not say it. It happened before."

Nuno went on to qualify his comments and subsequently apologised for the timing of the interview, but not the subject matter.

The FA has taken a dim view of Nuno’s actions, and charged him with improper conduct.

“Wolves Nuno Espírito Santo has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to their Premier League match against Burnley FC on Monday 21 December 2020,” the FA said in a statement. 

“It is alleged that comments made by the head coach during a post-match interview constitute improper conduct as they were personally offensive to the match official and/or bring the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.”

Nuno has until January 5 to respond to the charge.

FA regulations allow for post-match comments to be critical of performance or competence of a match official but must not imply bias, attack the official's integrity, are personally offensive, are prolonged, or are unreasonable.

Prior to having to respond to the FA charge, Nuno will take his charges to Brighton for a Premier League clash on Saturday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is pushing his luck at Manchester United, despite guiding them into second place, and needs to be bringing in a right-back such as Kieran Trippier or Max Aarons, says Paul Parker.

The Red Devils have picked up a useful habit of grinding out results this season and are now the closest challengers to defending champions Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

A team that has gone eight years since they last lifted the English top-flight crown is daring to dream that a barren run on that front could be brought to a close in 2021.

Parker admits that United are in the mix, but he feels fortune has favoured them at times and that vulnerability has been exposed when facing rivals of similar stature and ambition.

The former Red Devils defender told Eurosport: “There are seven or eight teams involved in the title race.

“It’s great because there’s been nothing like this since the early days of the Premier League, when it was really up for grabs. It’s like the old football leagues.

“The inconsistency and struggles of the campaign have allowed us to identify the mentally strong teams, and it has exposed those who are mentally weak.

“However, that doesn’t mean that United are necessarily psychologically resilient. They are failing to do their jobs properly, despite their comebacks.

“When you’re away from home, when there’s a crowd, you have to make sure that the home fans don’t get a lift. You don’t want the opposition to get the first free kick or corner, let alone the first goal. That should be the same task even without fans.

“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must know that his time is running out in these situations. When they went behind against Leipzig, it was against a better team who could control the situation. And when they did go in front against Leicester City, one of the better sides in the league, they lost their lead - twice.”

Parker believes leaks at the back should be offering United the greatest concern, with the January transfer window set to present Solskjaer with an opportunity to find an upgrade on Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back.

The ex-England international added: “If they want to maintain their title challenge then the squad they have is not good enough.

“I’m a fan of Kieran Trippier at Atletico Madrid, because he’s become a better defender there. If you can’t defend well then Diego Simeone will not pick you in defence. He’s become more disciplined playing for Simeone, and is exactly the type of player that United need for their current weaknesses.

“He’s a player of real stature on the right-hand side, who can offer plenty in attack. That’s not really on offer from Aaron Wan-Bissaka. However, I wonder if Trippier actually wants to leave Spain. I don’t see why he would want to swap Madrid for Manchester, unless his family aren’t enjoying it.

“Even though he’s 30, he might still get one more big move as people are prepared to gamble on his experience, but I wouldn’t rush back from a side like Atletico - he might regret having to start again at that age.

“Max Aarons is also a decent option. For Norwich he bombed up-and-down a lot in the Premier League, and while they conceded a lot of goals, it certainly wasn’t all down to him.

“I am not sure if at his age [20] he is the right one to sign, but I’ve liked what I have seen of him, moreso in the first half of last season. He wanted to attack, cover ground and was tenacious.”

United, who kept a clean sheet when edging out Wolves 1-0 in their last outing, will take in their first match of the new year when playing host to Aston Villa on Friday.

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena has indicated that some of their key players are still unavailable due to an assortment of injuries and illness.

Hlompho Kekana and Kermit Erasmus have missed Masandawana's last three matches, while Themba Zwane was a noticeable absentee against Lamontville Golden Arrows and Jwaneng Galaxy.

However, Rhulani Mokwena remains optimistic that they will field a strong team when they face Orlando Pirates in a mouthwatering Premier Soccer League (PSL) match on Saturday. 

"The squad status in relation to unavailability of certain players hasn't changed, we're still struggling a little bit with certain players in regards to injuries and many other medical conditions," Mokwena told the club's media team.

"Because we need to be extra careful and extremely sensitive because we are still in the middle of the pandemic and any signs of illness and any other potential related issues are taken seriously and with the advice of our doctors.

"We try to adhere to the caution and red flags raised by our medical department. It also allays fears and concerns from Masandawana who think we tamper too much with the squad."

The Tshwane giants have a formidable squad with depth and Mokwena has been pleased by midfielder Mothobi Mvala's scoring form.

The Bafana Bafana international netted on debut against Arrows in a PSL match on December 19, before scoring again in the Caf Champions League clash with Botswana side Jwaneng Galaxy on December 22. 

"Of course it may look like that but in certain moments our hands are really forced to play certain cards," Mokwena continued.

"In the absence of some players, it gives an opportunity to other players. We have seen how Mothobi Mvala has come up.

"Mothobi has scored two goals in two games and has put up his hand to say 'I have the capacity to play for Mamelodi Sundowns' and he has shown that," he added. 

"So at times, another man's poison is another man's meat. We just have to continue to make sure we put the best eleven possible and put our focus on the game against Orlando Pirates."

Sundowns will host their Gauteng rivals Pirates at the 2010 Fifa World Cup Round of 16 venue, Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Tshwane. 

The biggest event of the FIFA gaming calendar is nearly here as the FIFA 21 Team of the Year will arrive this January.

The world's best players will be released in packs during the week during the Team of the Year event, with gamers eager to get their hands on the best players in the game.

Some of these players will have huge overall scores, which mean they will be the highest-rated players during the entire season, while others will not be overtaken until the Team of the Season.

Which players will make the FIFA 21 TOTY squad and when they will be available in packs?

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What is FIFA 21 Team of the Year?

The Team of the Year (TOTY) is an annual event in FIFA, celebrating the best players from the last 12 months.

The 11 players chosen for the team receive massive upgrade boosts in the game, with some players even rated 99 in TOTY.

In the past, the Team of the Year was connected to the FIFPro World XI, but since that award has moved to December to tie in with FIFA's the Best awards, the in-game equivalent has become a standalone team.

In recent years, the final team has been voted by fans of the game from a longlist of players selected by EA Sports.

When is the FIFA 21 Team of the Year released?

The FIFA 21 Team of the Year is expected to be released either on January 8 or 15.

For the last two years, the TOTY event began in early January, but was not released until January 15 in FIFA 18.

The final TOTY XI is released in batches during the week, before the entire squad will be available from Wednesday to Friday.

Players are only available in packs and can be bought and sold on the transfer market.

Which players will be in the FIFA 21 Team of the Year?

The FIFA 21 Team of the Year will be separate to the FIFPro World XI, but it is expected that the majority of the players will be the same as they are widely considered as the best performers over the past year.

Alisson was named as the goalkeeper in the World XI, but is not expected to be in the FIFA 21 squad as Manuel Neuer was named the Best Goalkeeper of the Year by multiple outlets.

FIFPro World XI:

GK: Alisson (Liverpool)
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
CB: Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)
CB: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
LB: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
CM: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
CM: Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
CM: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich/Liverpool)
RW: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
ST: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
LW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

What players are available in Objectives and Squad Building Challenges?

Each promotion so far this season has had a special Objective player, but it is unlikely that TOTY will have a player available through Objectives.

Instead, it is likely that a special Team of the Year kit will be available through in-game Objectives, with special packs likely to be given as rewards.

There is usually a vote for a 12th man in the TOTY squad, with users able to vote for their favourite player who missed out on the final TOTY XI.

It is predicted that Neymar will prove most popular and be named as the TOTY 12th man for FIFA 21.

James Milner has saluted the “top class” qualities of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, with the Brazilian there when required during a freezing night in Newcastle to help Jurgen Klopp’s side collect another point.

The Reds were rarely tested at St James’ Park, with the visitors controlling proceedings for the most part, but end product proved to be in short supply on Tyneside.

Liverpool squandered the chances that came there way, ensuring that Newcastle remained in the game throughout.

Steve Bruce’s side came close to snatching the spoils in the dying moments, but Alisson was switched on enough to overcome any frostbite that was setting in and produce a sprawling save to deny Ciaran Clark.

Such heroics are expected from the commanding South American, with Milner telling the Reds’ official website of the most reliable of No.1s: “We restricted them most of the game but Ali is top-class – everybody knows that.

“Especially on a night like tonight, it's going to be pretty cold for him I can imagine, standing at the back with not too much to do and then having to pull a save out like that towards the end. So that shows how good he is and what a big player he is for us.”

Liverpool had been hoping to head home from the North East with much more than a share of the spoils to show for their efforts, but the defending champions remain at the top of the Premier League table – three points clear of Manchester United – and Milner expects them to kick on.

He added on a title race that has already delivered a number of twists and turns: “I think it's a positive but it seems to be at this moment in time that nobody wants to take it by the scruff of the neck.

“We've dropped points, everyone seems to be dropping points. United have had a good run and they're probably the only team who are putting a run together.

“It's important that we need to kick on now and try to get a few three-pointers. But the world is in a very strange place at the moment and it's the same in football. Everybody's lives are upside down, it's tough mentally for everybody and it's the same in football. Hopefully we can get out of this the other side and it's the same with football – we just need to keep plugging away.

“It is different, it's different times and that time where you maybe need the crowd to give you that lift and get it over the line. That might've happened on another day. But it's where we are and we need to keep working hard.

“As you can see, we've given absolutely everything. The boys are doing well. The amount of minutes some of the lads have played, it's nice to see a few of the boys getting back – obviously Thiago getting on and showing his quality.

“We'll stick together, we'll keep plugging away and we just need to get that final piece of the puzzle right. Like I say, I thought it was a good performance, we just needed that final bit to get the goals. If we keep playing like that, hopefully we can go on a run and put some more points on the board.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he does not want “fake” players in his squad as he hailed the improved mentality of his Manchester United team.

United host Aston Villa on New Year’s Day and a win would take them level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League after 16 games.

Solskjaer, who saw his team secure a 93rd-minute winner over Wolves on Tuesday, has been impressed with the improvement in mindset from his squad.

The United boss said they had focused on improving the team’s mentality, focus and drive during pre-season and that they’re now starting to see the development.

“One, they’re two years older than when I came. Two, some of them are really strong personalities that we’ve brought in and they have been a really good influence,” Solskjaer said.  

“We have competition for places, which means you cannot go around and think you can just fake your way into being part of this team. You only deserve to be in a team that you contribute to.

“I think everyone has realised they are privileged to be part of Man Utd, such a fantastic club with a fantastic history. When you’re here, enjoy it as much as you can and maybe you’ll experience some fantastic times.

“You’ve got winners like Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic. They don’t play every single game but they are so influential in the group and the build-up to games and during games when they’re not playing.”

Solskjaer made six changes for the Wolves game and with Villa arriving on Friday at Old Trafford before a semi-final Carabao Cup clash against Manchester City next Wednesday, he is likely to make more changes to his team.

But the United boss is confident the depth of the squad can see them through all competitions.

“We have a strong squad and have rotated a lot. We’ve not really called it a settled XI because I don’t think this season is going to be about that anyway,” Solskjaer explained. “It’s going to be about the squad. It’s going to be about the 25 players. I think towards the end of the season that will help us. It has to be done this way.

“When you leave Scott [McTominay] and Fred out, it’s not easy. They deserve to play every game, but Nemanja [Matic] and Paul [Pogba] played so well against Everton. Injuries and suspensions will happen, so I think our squad is well capable of being ready for every game.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta does not believe a temporary suspension of Premier League action is needed to slow down the spread of coronavirus.

On Tuesday, the Premier League confirmed 18 new positive Covid-19 tests in the week commencing December 21 - the highest number of positive cases in a single round of tests this season.

Manchester City's game at Everton was postponed at four hours' notice due to a coronavirus outbreak at the Etihad Stadium on Monday, while Fulham's match against Tottenham on Wednesday was also called off.

Eighteen positive cases surpasses the previous high of 16 recorded in the week commencing November 9, and mirrors the wider situation in England, with more people now in hospital due to the virus than at the peak of the first wave in April.

There have been growing calls for a circuit break – a tight set of restrictions, likely including the suspension of games, designed to reverse the tide of the pandemic – but Arteta, who contracted Covid-19 in March, believes the Premier League's current system is working well.

"We are all concerned with our own health and what is going on around us," he told a news conference ahead of the Gunners' clash with West Brom on Saturday.

"But at the same time, with all the protocols we have in place, everything we do around the training ground, around football matches, the fact that we play our sport outdoors, it minimises the risks a lot.

"If you see the records since we began to test, it is incredibly positive and I think as long as we can, we have to keep on doing that.

"Obviously we can't put anybody at risk but I think we have shown that the system is working.

"Okay, in the last week or so something has happened and I think we will have more restrictions and more tests to try to be as efficient as we were before, but I think it can work and I think we can carry on doing it."

Arteta is well aware that football is providing people with much-needed entertainment and escapism as restrictions tighten across the country.

Given the comforting role it is playing for so many, Arteta believes it is important the sport continues in its current guise for as long as it is safe.

"Well, the importance of football in this society is massive I think," Arteta said.

"When you ask and you talk to people and discuss what it means to have football games in this difficult period for everybody where there is not so much to do, I think it's really, really important and what we have to do is just try to do it in a safe way, as we have been doing recently.

"I think there are many, many positives."