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Semi Ajayi claimed another valuable point for West Brom in their survival fight as his 82nd-minute header snatched a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. 

The centre-back's deflected shot - later credited as a Ruben Dias own goal - helped Albion to earn a share of the spoils at Manchester City earlier this month and his looping effort came off the post before spinning beyond a helpless Alisson at Anfield on Sunday. 

Liverpool were dominant during the first half and should have had more than Sadio Mane's sublime finish to show for their efforts. 

However, nerves set in and, after Joel Matip added to Jurgen Klopp's injury headache at centre-back, an increasingly emboldened West Brom drew level. 

Sam Johnstone saved magnificently to keep out a Roberto Firimino header as Liverpool had to settle for extending their lead at the summit over Everton to three points.

Reigning champions Simba SC picked up a 5-0 win over Maji Maji FC in a Sunday Sports Federation Cup encounter at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Gadiel Michael, Chris Mugalu, Ibrahim Ame, Meddie Kagere and Luis Miquissone scored the five goals that gave Wekundu wa Msimbazi the victory.

Sven Vandenbroeck deployed most players who have been missing out on first-team slots for the Premier League and the Champions League against the lower league side. In goal, Beno Kakolanya replaced an ever-present Aishi Manula, who sat on the bench.

David Kameta, Ame, Kennedy Juma, Miraji Athumani, Larry Bwalya, and Francis Kahata enjoyed starting positions while regulars like Joash Onyango, Shomari Kapombe, Mohamed Hussein, Clatous Chama, Kagere and Miquissone were benched.

Michael gave Simba the opening goal in the third minute as they started on a high against Maji Maji, who preferred to sit back and invited attacks from the champions.

Mugalu added the second in the 16th minute as Simba looked a more solid side despite the changes made to the first team. Kahata, Ndemla, Bwalya and the second goal scorer, at this point, were reigning supreme in the final third and the visitors were lucky not to have conceded more.

Ame, who enjoyed a rare chance ahead of Onyango and Pascal Wawa, added the third goal for marauding Simba on the hour mark.

Kagere, after coming on when his teammates had already scored goals that had certainly assured them of a home win, stretched Simba’s lead further away from Maji Maji’s reach when he added the fourth in the 78th minute.

Miquissone, just like Kagere, came on and did not take long before he added the fifth goal in the 88th minute.

In another match, Premier League side Mtibwa Sugar fought to register a 1-0 win over First Division League (FDL) side Geita Gold. Ismail Mhesa scored the only goal of the encounter in the 47th minute to ensure the Sugar Millers advanced.

Simba and Mtibwa have now joined Azam in the next round of the domestic competition. The Wekundu wa Msimbazi all sailed through to the final stage and defeated Namungo FC to crown a stellar season with a treble last season.

Simba SC head coach Sven Vandenbroeck is optimistic his charges can still eliminate FC Platinum from the Caf Champions League and qualify for the group stage.

In the first leg, Perfect Chikwende scored the only goal to give the Zimbabweans a slight advantage ahead of the second leg to be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday, January 6.

The Belgian states all that is needed is proper training and from there the team will be in a good position to advance.

"There is a chance for us to make it to the group stage of the [Caf Champions League]," Vandenbroeck told Championi.

"We did not lose the first leg because our opponents were better, we were punished because of the mistakes we made. But if we do proper training and ensure we rectify the mistakes we made, I am sure we will get the result we need to advance."

The 41-year-old believes playing the second leg at home will also be a plus for his team.

"Our focus is on the second leg that we will play at home," Vandebroeck continued.

"We will be much stronger with energy to fight for the win. Currently, we are also trying to improve the team tactically because we are going for nothing less than a big win at home.

"I am hopeful we will get it and give the fans something to celebrate about."

The Belgian tactician, who missed his key striker and captain John Bocco through illness, had initially said his team did not deserve to lose the fixture because they dominated the game, especially in the first half, but could not use their chances.

"I am not happy with the results because we did not deserve to lose, we dominated the game especially in the first half but we did not have focus whilst attacking," Vandenbroeck said after the game.

"They managed to score and now we have to be careful when we meet in the return leg.”

The 21-time champions came into the match hoping to get at least a draw and stand a better chance of winning the tie having qualified for the second preliminary round after a 1-0 aggregate win over Plateau United of Nigeria in the previous round.

On the other hand, Platinum made it to the next round after a 4-1 aggregate win when they eliminated Costa De Sol of Mozambique, winning the first leg played in Maputo 2-1 before claiming a 2-0 win in the return leg played in Harare.

Liverpool's defensive injury crisis grew on Sunday when Joel Matip was forced off against West Brom with a groin injury. 

With 15 minutes gone in the second half, Matip pulled up after attempting a clearance against the Baggies and signalled to the bench that he needed medical attention.

After the Cameroon centre-back received treatment on the pitch, he was forced off and replaced by Rhys Williams in the 60th minute of the 1-1 draw.

With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez already long-term injury absentees, Liverpool can ill afford another injury to a central defender. 

Matip helped the Reds take the lead against Sam Allardyce's side just 12 minutes into the clash at Anfield. The 29-year-old played a forward pass to Sadio Mane, who chested down before lashing past Sam Johnstone.

The home match against the Baggies was just Matip's eighth in the Premier League this season. The central defender had faced spells on the sidelines earlier in the season due to injury and returned to training just over a week ago following his most recent fitness troubles.

The former Schalke player had missed his side's home win against Tottenham on December 16 but returned to play a role in the 7-0 trouncing of Crystal Palace  last week. 

Matip registered an assist in that match, too, as he set up Mohamed Salah for Liverpool's sixth goal at Selhurst Park.

Williams, 19, made his 10th senior appearance in all competitions and second in the Premier League this season when he came on to partner Fabinho in the heart of the Reds' back line for the final 30 minutes.

The England Under-21 international had previously started in the 2-1 victory against Jose Mourinho's side.

Liverpool's fitness issues in defence have been an ongoing problem throughout the first half of the season. 

But star centre-back Van Dijk gave supporters hope this week when he shared a video showing him working on his recovery.

Midfielder and defender Fabinho is looking forward to welcoming the Netherlands international back into the team, as he said this week: "Well we hope he returns soon and has a perfect recovery.

"He makes a real difference to the day to day in the dressing room and of course he will get his position straight back from me.

"I don’t know what the coach will do but I am sure Virgil will go straight in to the defence and I will go in to midfield. I hope that’s as soon as possible."

Kerala Blasters finally got their first win of the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season as they registered a comfortable 2-0 win over Hyderabad on Sunday.

A goal in each half scored by Abdul Hakku and Jordan Murray sealed the much-needed three points for the South Indian outfit. 

Coach Kibu Vicuna was pleased to finally register a win and credited his players for a satisfactory performance against strong opposition.

"I am satisfied because we played well against a very good team, a team who are playing well this season, " Kibu said after the match. "We played a good match, we deserved to win tonight and I am very happy because in the last three weeks we have been training well and we are seeing the results now."

Three important players in Kerala Blasters' starting lineup, Bakary Kone, Costa Nhameinesu and Gary Hooper were missing in the first eleven against Hyderabad and the coach confirmed injuries to the trio. 

"They had injuries and they were not ready to play. But the players who played were fantastic. The performances of Sandip (Singh), (Abdul) Hakku and Jordan (Murray) were good and they played well."

The Spanish coach explained why he utilised Sahal Abdul Samad on the left flank against Hyderabad and suggested that the India international's versatility gives the team an added advantage.

"Sahal is a very important player for us. He can play on both sides, he can play inside or outside and he is giving us the numerical superiority. He is a good player and this was his second game and I am very happy with his performance and I know he is going to get better in every game," said the Spaniard.

The former I-League winning coach revealed the instructions he gave his players after at the break.

"At half time, I spoke about some tactical issues, whatever they needed to do. But most important thing was to score a second goal because Hyderabad are a team who have good strikers like Aridane and Sandaza. At the beginning of the second half, we had the best chances, two good chances for Jordan Murray and Sahal. We didn't score then but Jordan scored in the end and we had a deserving win," the Spanish manager signed off.

Asante Kotoko and Medeama played out a 1-1 draw in a postponed Ghana Premier League (GPL) fixture on Sunday.

William Opoku Mensah netted first for the Porcupine Warriors but a late Abass Mohammed penalty levelled things for the hosts at Akoon Park.

After the result, Kotoko occupy the sixth position on the league table while Medeama hold the 13th spot.

Visiting coach Johnson Smith handed young midfielder Emmanuel Sarkodie a starting opportunity to debut for the club while also bringing Samuel Frimpong, Abdul Ganiyu and Habib Mohammed into the starting line-up

Medeama coach Samuel Boadu handed attacking responsibilities to Kwasi Donsu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Rashid Nortey and Eric Kwakwa in his set-up.

Before the match could witness any clear scoring chance, the home side were forced into an early substitution as Ali Ouattara went down injured and had to be replaced by Baba Musah in the 12th minute.

In the 16th minute, Kwakwa's shot from outside the box went off target, moments before Kotoko goalkeeper Razak Abalora denied Patrick Yeboah the opener.

Four minutes prior to half-time, Ibrahim Osman went close for Kotoko after being picked out by Latif Anabila but Medeama goalkeeper Eric Ofori Antwi was alert to produce a save.

Shortly after the break, Kwame Opoku put the ball in the back of the net for the Porcupine Warriors with an overhead kick but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Kwame Opoku went close with another attempt, smashing a volley from the edge of the box wide. Then teammate William Opoku headed over the bar following a cross from Ibrahim Osman.

After Abalora blocked Asamoah's goal-bound shot with his legs, Kotoko scored at the other end as William Opoku shot into the left bottom corner after pouncing on Emmanuel Gyamfi's lofted ball into the box in the 74th minute.

Seven minutes later, Kotoko brought on new Brazilian signing Fabio Gama Dos Santos for his debut.

Medeama found a way back into the game on 85 minutes as Abass scored from the penalty spot after Habib was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

The strike proved the last goal of the game as the referee brought the game to an end after three minutes of injury time.

In the second postponed game on Sunday, Bechem United recorded a 1-0 win over Ashanti Gold, courtesy of a Stephen Owusu 54th minute strike. 

The two matches were scheduled for earlier dates but had to be played on a later date due to Kotoko and Ashanti's involvement in Caf competitions.

Hyderabad suffered their second defeat on the trot as they went down 0-2 against Kerala Blasters in an Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Sunday.

Coach Manuel Marquez Roca stated after the match that his players lacked the attitude to win the tie against Kerala Blasters.

"We lost because they played with more attitude. It is one of those days when a coach is very angry because if the attitude fails it becomes impossible to win a game. In the first minute, they showed a better attitude. We also had our chances to score but only for their attitude, they deserved to win.

"Both teams had one week to recover but the same players are playing too many games and we were tired especially in the second half and we did not have clarity in front of the goal. Just before conceding the second goal, Fran (Sandaza) could have equalised but Albino (Gomes) made a good save," said the Spanish coach.

The Hyderabad manager also suggested that he is disappointed with the result as his side had enough opportunities to score but he was unhappy to see the attitude of his players in the first half of the match.

"We had clear chances. I don't know what happened in the first half when Aridane (Santana) didn't score the equaliser, his shooting was not good. Or just before the second goal of Kerala, Fran Sandaza got a clear chance. But these kinds of things happen in football. I am not disappointed that Kerala had the same number of chances as we had. I am disappointed with the attitude of the players in the first 25 to 30 minutes," said Roca.

The former Las Palmas manager also urged everyone to stop hyping up Hyderabad's young star Liston Colaco.

"I think people are speaking too much about Liston (Colaco). This is the first season wherein he is playing regularly and I think he needs to be calm and he doesn't need people speaking about him that he deserves to be in the national team. Liston will be a very good player but he has to improve a lot of things and he knows that. But maybe if people don't speak too much about him, it will be better for Liston." said the Hyderabad boss.

Roca also hinted that the club is looking to sign a seventh foreigner in the January transfer window also gave an update on striker Joel Chianese's fitness.

"If we sign another foreigner it will be because we have only six foreigners. Joel (Chianese) is close to playing, not yet but very soon. Let us see if we can sign another player."

Chelsea star Mason Mount says he and his team-mates have to be ruthless as they seek to bounce back from a derby thumping by Arsenal.

The Blues started the Boxing Day clash at the Emirates as strong favourites to take three points but were instead the victims of a 3-1 defeat.

England midfielder Mount wants to see Chelsea put the defeat behind them as quickly as possible and offered no excuse for the display.

“We have to be harsh on ourselves. We can’t start a game like that and expect not to be 2-0 down at half-time. It is a tough lesson and we need to learn that and we need to do better the next time,” he said to the club’s official website.

“It is something where we need to look at ourselves as players. We didn’t start the game anywhere near what we should be. We are representing Chelsea, we’re a big club and we really need to look at ourselves as players and say that was not good enough. We know that it is a big London derby and we need to start the game way better than we did.”

He is backing his side to bounce back when they play Aston Villa on Monday.

“We are big players so we can get together and really bounce back after that performance,” he added.

“It is probably better we have that quick turnaround because now we look at another game. The Arsenal one is gone, there are still big things we need to work on but now we have that one day before our next game and we can put it in the back of our heads and really go into Villa with a strong mindset, starting the game very well and hopefully doing well in the game.”

Frank Lampard’s side presently reside seventh in the Premier League standings, having played the full complement of 15 games.

They are, however, in the midst of a disappointing spell of form, with three defeats in their last four.

After they close out their 2020 calendar against Villa, they can look forward to their first game of the New Year against Manchester City.

Cheikhou Kouyate has encouraged Crystal Palace to stay focused on returning to winning ways after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

The 31-year-old featured prominently as the Eagles suffered their seventh Premier League loss of the season at Villa Park.

Goals from Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore, Kortney Hause and Anwar El Ghazi ensured Villa’s victory in the encounter.

The defeat ensured Roy Hodgson’s men dropped to the 14th spot on the Premier League table after failing to add to their 18 points so far earned in the campaign.

Kouyate has urged his side not to dwell much on the defeat but to look forward to securing victory when they take on Leicester City in their next league outing on Monday.

“After they lost a man we said in the second half we were going to come out to try and score but after two more goals it’s very hard to take,” Kouyate told the club website. 

“We tried to do everything but today is not our day. We just need to stay positive and continue to work hard because sometimes you have this moment in the season. We need to stay together.

“We need to talk and stay focussed for Monday because we have another big game.”

Palace are now winless in their last four games, including their 7-0 thrashing by Premier League leaders and reigning champions Liverpool.

Kouyate, who has featured in several roles for Palace this season, will hope to help them halt their unimpressive run against Leicester City.

The Senegal international has been with the Eagles since the summer of 2018 when he joined the side from West Ham United.

The versatile defender has played in more than 85 games across all competitions for Palace and in the current campaign, he has made 15 appearances.

Kouyate is also an important member of the Senegal national team and has 57 caps for the West African side.

He captained the Teranga Lions to a second-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and has played a significant role in their 2022 Afcon qualifiers.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has paid tribute to the club’s fans after a trying year that saw the Reds win the Premier League title for the first time.

Since March, when the coronavirus pandemic took hold, supporters have been absent for much of the year.

A handful of fans have been able to enjoy recent Premier League action at Anfield against Wolves and Tottenham, but for the most part Liverpool’s supporters have been unable to watch their side play in person.

Henderson, however, has hailed the fans for their “immense” contribution to the Liverpool cause.

“With this being our last home game of the year, I want to finish off by looking back on a remarkable 12 months and offer my own very simple Christmas message to our supporters,” he wrote in the programme ahead of the West Brom clash.

“To each and every one of you, I want to say thank you. We have been fortunate enough to be successful and even though you were not always able to be in the ground, your contribution has been immense. 

“We didn't just win the league title for our fans, we won it because of them and I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas, and also those of you who don't, are able to find an opportunity to toast the role that you played in our success.

“I know I'll be doing that, with a soft drink rather than anything stronger, and when I do I will raise a glass to Liverpool supporters for inspiring us every step of the way. 

“Today's game against West Brom is another tough one, especially with Sam Allardyce having taken over so recently, but hopefully we can end the Anfield year in a positive fashion. 

“We have done a lot of things right over the last 12 months, but we have to keep that going if we want the awards and accolades to continue.”

Should the Reds overcome the Baggies on Sunday, they will be guaranteed to finish 2020 on top of the Premier League table, despite a trip to Newcastle still to come on Wednesday.

Arsenal have been urged to show patience with Mikel Arteta and allow him the time and space to build a successful team.

A 3-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday took some of the heat off manager Arteta after it had been building during a grim seven-game winless streak in the Premier League.

Matches against Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday and West Brom on Saturday are just as important, and should Arsenal slip back to losing ways then Arteta will again come in for scrutiny.

He is a year into his Arsenal coaching career, with the former captain looking to rebuild after Unai Emery's reign proved a disappointing follow-on from the Arsene Wenger era.

Emery's long-serving assistant Juan Carlos Carcedo also left Arsenal as the club decided to clear out the first-team coaching staff in November 2019, and he is now head coach of Spanish third-tier side Ibiza.

Speaking to The Athletic , Carcedo said stability at Arsenal is needed if the club are to rediscover former glories.

"It is not easy," said Carcedo. "After so many years with Wenger, it was not an easy moment. It is true that there were changes in many different areas of the club, but the club hierarchy has to try to keep things calm and give confidence to the people working there, now it is Mikel and [technical director] Edu.

"I know it is not easy sometimes, with results, but constant changes are not good and you need to have patience for the results to arrive, and so that the people who work there now can achieve the things they are fighting for.”

The Emery era saw Arsenal win 25 of 51 Premier League games, losing 13 times, but hopes that results would turn for the better under Arteta have so far not been fulfilled.

Arteta has chalked up 14 wins and 13 defeats across 35 games in the English top-flight, starting from a draw with Bournemouth on December 26 last year.

His team have dropped 18 points from a winning position and only gained nine from a losing position, which is a record significantly inferior to Arsenal under Emery.

With the often-maligned Emery at the helm, they dropped 19 points after leading but picked up 18 after being behind in games.

AmaZulu FC head coach Benni McCarthy has set his sights on transforming Bonginkosi Ntuli into one of the most lethal strikers in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Ntuli was a reliable goalscorer for the team last season as he netted 13 of AmaZulu's 20 league goals which helped Usuthu avoid relegation to the National First Division (NFD). 

The former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns striker is yet to play for AmaZulu this season, but he recently resumed full training after recovering from an injury. 

McCarthy, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest South African strikers of all-time, wants to make Ntuli a top striker in the country because he has the physique and speed. 

“Once we get to the level where Ntuli wants to be," said McCarthy Daily Sun. 

"I want to make him one of the top and deadliest strikers because, he’s like Shaka [Siphelele Mthembu], [he has] got the physique and he can battle with players. 

“Bongi has got speed and got an eye for goal.”

McCarthy began life as AmaZulu mentor with a 3-1 win over Chippa United in a PSL match a week ago, having replaced fellow local tactician Ayanda Dlamini at the Durban-based outfit.

The Bafana Bafana legend is grateful to former Orlando Pirates trio Mthembu, Luvuyo Memela and Augustine Mulenga as they played an integral role in helping Usuthu overcome the Chilli Boys. 

“It was perfect and dream start for me," McCarthy, who sat on the bench alongside his assistant Siyabonga Nomvethe, said. 

"Memela drove the team forward with his charisma and Shaka was instrumental and his hold up play, bringing in players into the game, assisting teammate, being at the right place at the right time, from striker to winger, providing an assist for Mulenga’s goal.

“I was very pleased with the pace from the front men; Shaka, Mulenga and Memela. But I have to give all of the credit for the guys behind them.”

Memela grabbed a brace against Chippa to take his tally to six goals in the league this season, while Mulenga netted his first goal for Usuthu and provided two assists in the process. 

Mthembu bullied the Chilli Boys defence with his imposing physique and the former Kaizer Chiefs centre-forward grabbed an assist on the day.

AmaZulu's next match is against Bloemfontein Celtic on January 10 and the league game is scheduled to be played at Dr Molemela Stadium. 

Roman Abramovich will sack Frank Lampard if he doesn't deliver a top-four finish this season according to Craig Burley, who says the Chelsea boss is now on the "chopping board".

Lampard guided Chelsea to Champions League qualification and the FA Cup final during his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

The 42-year-old recieved a lot of credit for moulding a competitive team made up of several academy graduates, with Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James and Fikayo Tomori all making a big impact.

He was able to bolster his ranks further in the summer transfer window, with the Blues backing their manager to the tune of over £200 million (£183m/$245m) as Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell all made their way to west London.

Unfortunately, not all of the new signings have adapted to life in English football as quickly as a supporters might have hoped, and Chelsea have struggled for consistency amid the congested fixture list caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lampard saw his team suffer their third defeat in four matches away at Arsenal on Saturday with the 3-1 reversal leaving them down in seventh in the Premier League standings.

Burley thinks pressure is building on a club legend heading into the second half of the season, with Blues owner Abramovich not known for being patient with the managers he has worked with in the past.

“[Lampard’s] got players out of form, he’s got players that are not fully fit, and that’s a problem,” the former Chelsea midfielder told ESPN. “They have gone from looking one of the paciest, quickest sides in the Premier League, to one of the most pedestrian.

“That is a huge issue for him because you may have noticed with this owner Roman Abramovich, he doesn’t suffer inconsistency, bad results, no matter who it is. So let me be clear, Lampard is back on the chopping board currently as we speak.”

Burley added: “It’s turn-up time for Lampard and these players. This cut and thrust period can make and break you.

“I’m not suggesting Abramovich is going to sack him in the next couple of weeks, but there is one thing they need to remember – top four. If they don’t get in the top four, he’s probably done.

“It’s a big season for him. It looked as if it was going swimmingly and now it looks like they’re sinking a little bit. They seem to have a weight around their feet. He’s going to have to find the reason to put it right.”

Chelsea will be back in Premier League action when high flying Aston Villa arrive at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.

Brighton boss Graham Potter has denied that there has been any concrete interest in midfielder Yves Bissouma.

The 24-year-old has been subject to rumoured interest from Arsenal and Liverpool in recent times. Potter, though, believes that the Mali international midfielder is destined to help the Seagulls fight to retain their Premier League place before the summer.

“There have been no approaches," he asked when quizzed on the player’s future. “As I’ve said before, just because it’s in the media, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. My focus is on Yves and how I can help him improve and I think he’s still got some improvement to make.

“That’s my focus with him, to try and help him reach his full potential. He’s got some work to do yet, so that’s what we are focusing on.”

While he is pleased to have seen the midfielder enjoy a strong run of form, Potter believes that there is more to come.

“I don't read the papers and I don’t really take something that is reported in a newspaper as a true fact,” he said. “This time of the year all sorts of things are put out there which are sometimes true, sometimes untrue, but it doesn’t help me in any way if I listen to the noise.

“Yves has taken some steps and has improved but also still has some more improving to do, which is exciting and is where the work is, so that is what we will focus on.

“He has had to learn some aspects of the game and improve in certain areas but it is credit to him that he has done that so he can help us in those areas. I think he can still improve, so that’s good.”

Brighton find themselves in 17th place in the table, just a point above the relegation zone. They face West Ham on Sunday then must handle a quick turnaround in fixtures, with a home match against Arsenal to follow on Tuesday in their last fixture of 2020.

On Saturday, they will play host to Wolves as their hectic festive schedule draws to a close.

Pep Guardiola is desperate to have Sergio Aguero back but says he is holding onto the Manchester City striker to ensure he does not suffer any more injury setbacks.

The Argentinian has been eased back into the team after a slow recovery from surgery on a knee injury in the summer and a hamstring setback following his last start in October. 

Aguero has been on the bench for City's last four matches, but Guardiola says he considered starting him in the 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Saturday night.

The 32-year-old eventually came off the bench and Guardiola was impressed with his impact. The striker is in contention for Monday's clash with Everton.

"We discussed with [assistant coaches] Juanma [Lillo] and Rodolfo [Borrell] whether to start with Sergio," Guardiola said. "I need him.

"Today was very good news in general in that in the 20 minutes Sergio played, we saw him sharp and dynamic. This is incredible news for us.

"We need him, absolutely. We have to be careful. We cannot do what we did in the past, when he comes back and then gets injured. I still want to handle the minutes but I saw him well. I love this guy."

City are already without Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker for the trip to Goodison Park after they tested positive for Covid-19, but Kevin De Bruyne will be in the squad against second-placed Everton which comes fewer than 48 hours after he played 90 minutes against Newcastle.

Despite a Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United, as well as an FA Cup clash with Birmingham in January, Guardiola says it is more important to have the Belgium international leading their Premier League challenge.

"He’s outstanding, he is so important for us," the City boss added. "Sometimes, like Arsenal, he didn’t travel. I prefer to have him fit especially in the Premier League. The other competitions are important but we don’t want to be too far away from the top of the league.

"We have a game in hand, against a tough opponent Aston Villa, but in the way we are going to play, we are going to be close to the top. Then we fight to be there in the last eight or 10 games."

Rene Meulensteen says Bruno Fernandes staying fit must be Manchester United's "New Year's wish", with it his belief that the Red Devils have become reliant on the "unbelievable" midfielder.

Fernandes has been a revelation at Old Trafford since his €55 million (£50m/$67m) move from Sporting CP at the start of the year.

The Portugal international instantly adjusted to the demands of Premier League football, helping United finish third in the 2019-20 table, while also inspiring their run to both the FA Cup and Europa League semi-finals.

The 26-year-old's contribution has only increased in the first half of the Red Devils' latest campaign, as he boasts 14 goals and eight assists from his last 22 outings across all competitions, including a trademark finish in a 2-2 draw at Leicester City on Saturday.

Fernandes has been involved in 52 per cent of United's top-flight goals since making his debut, and is the first Portuguese player to reach double figures in the competition in a single season since a certain Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2008-09.

Only Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich frontman Robert Lewandowski boast more direct goal contributions than Fernandes in Europe's top five leagues since February, with Meulensteen blown away by the impact he's had in Manchester over the past 11 months.

"I think United can only have one New Year’s wish and that’s for Fernandes not to get injured or suspended," the former Red Devils assistant coach told Stadium Astro.

"His energy is unbelievable. Look at this goal again – it’s absolutely fantastic. The timing of the run and ball from Edinson Cavani is fantastic.

"As soon as Fernandes gets on the ball the likes of Marcus Rashford are on their way. Fernandes is just so, so important for United.

"He gives them rhythm, he’s a winner, he’s a leader, he creates assists and he scores goals."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have emerged as surprise title contenders with Fernandes pulling the strings in the middle of the park, but Meulensteen doesn't think they would be able to sustain their recent form without him.

"They have other players that can go in that position like Pogba or Donny van de Beek but they don’t have the same impact as him," he added.

"I’m so impressed by his energy levels. He’s not afraid to work hard. He’s always trying to hurt the opposition with a pass in behind, he’s not afraid to shoot from distance.

"It’s a player that United rely on heavily. I’m sure that if he wasn’t there it would have an effect on United’s form."

Ferran Torres says that he is ready to supplement Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s options at centre forward.

Pep Guardiola has indicated that the Etihad club are not planning on increasing their ranks during the January transfer window, despite a lack of goals hampering their title challenge.

Torres, who arrived from Valencia in the summer, believes that he is capable of filling the No.9 role and taking some of the weight off Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus.

“I'm comfortable [playing at striker] and happy with the goal today,” he told the club’s official website after striking against Newcastle in a 2-0 win on Saturday. “I just have to keep on working to keep scoring more goals!

“The manager at half-time just wanted us to keep doing our jobs, find the spaces, and make the most of them.

“It's important for us to score goals, and to play well up front, but it's just as important to not concede and to have good performances offensively and that's what we're doing.”

Although Newcastle made it difficult for City on Saturday, Torres was pleased with how the team managed to rise to the challenge and complete a third victory in succession.

“They were very well set up and they tried to defend deep and we just needed to do the job and we did it,” he commented.

“City are a big team, so we always have to win and that is something that is happening now and we just need to keep the momentum now.”

The hectic Christmas period will pit Guardiola’s side against high-flying Everton at Goodison Park on Monday then seventh-placed Chelsea on January 3 at Stamford Bridge.

City presently lie fifth in the table, five points behind league leaders and reigning champions Liverpool and only three back from the second-placed Toffees, who have played a game extra.

Rather than excelling offensively, as Guardiola’s sides are reputed to do, they have been formidable at the back, conceding a league-low 12 goals. Indeed, they have kept more cleansheets than any other club in Europe’s top five leagues to date this season.

Jamshedpur coach Owen Coyle has heaped praise on Sunil Chhetri and Bengaluru ahead of their Indian Super League (ISL) tie against the Blues on Monday.

"Bengaluru have many threats. They have individual threats with talented players - both foreign and domestic. They have an outstanding captain in Sunil Chhetri who has been a terrific ambassador for himself, his club and Indian football. It's remarkable, the career that he has had and he still looks bright. So he's definitely a threat but Cleiton Silva, Dimas (Delgado), they have some number of wonderful players. 

"Juanan organises well at the back. I know Erik Paartalu well. I think they are a threat as a group. They are united on and off the field. We are well aware of that, very respectful of that but ready for the game," Coyle said.

"I think it's a very tough game for both teams. Bengaluru is a very respectful team. They have my respect, a terrific coach (Carles Cuadrat), very good players, very hard working and organised team but it's a game that we are looking forward to. 

You want to play against the best teams and players, and Bengaluru are forging that opportunity. We know that if we are at our very best, we are capable of winning games against very good opponents," he added.

The Men of Steel had three points more at this stage of the competition last season. They had 13 points from eight games at the start of the season as compared to 10 this season, but Coyle believes in the project of the club.

"We are six games unbeaten (this season) but we have made enormous strides. This is a team that won a game in the last 13 games last year to take something like eight points from the last 13 games. Regardless, there was a lot to build upon. As I've said before, it's never about a quick fix.

"For a club like Jamshedpur and Tata (Steel, a subsidiary of the Tata Group of companies), you want to put something in place that is going to serve the club for years to come. We have a clear idea and clear vision of what we want to do and if we do that, which I'm pretty sure we will, that gives you year after year of being a team that continues to improve.

"We want to make sure that as we're building a team, we are also giving back by giving young players an opportunity. When I say young players, I don't just mean that they play in the (first) team but at the club, at Jamshedpur and Jharkhand we give everybody an opportunity to keep building and improving."

Coyle suggests two additional referees

The league organisers, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), on Christmas eve, organised an ‘Open Communication Forum’ between the head coaches of ISL clubs, officials at All India Football Federation (AIFF), and its Referees Department to give their suggestions regarding the level of officiating in ISL games.

"The referees are faced with a difficult task - we certainly know that. It's such a difficult job and what I suggested as a coach, is that we give them some help, if possible, because that's what everybody needs. Nobody goes out to make mistakes before the game but unfortunately, in our case, we have been severely punished by some of the things (refereeing decisions) that have happened.

"That being said, we still have our destiny in our own hands and what we have to make sure is that what we can control we do and the players have been doing that. There are one or two things that we need to do better at, but if we continue with the progress that we are making, as I said before, we can stand toe to toe with the best teams in the ISL," Coyle felt.

The video assistant referee (VAR) was one of the topics talked about but the reported cost for using VAR has been estimated to be around USD 6.2 million for a season.

"VAR is obviously very expensive. We felt that, as it's used in the [UEFA] Champions League with the extra goalline referee, we could have another two referees (one) at each of the goal lines to help," the Jamshedpur coach suggested.

"The AIFF can certainly chat through these things but as I've said before, nobody wants to blame the officials. We want to give them (referees) the tools to make the job easier so that we can get the decisions right. Hopefully, that can happen because as a club we have been very severely punished because of it (incorrect decisions)," he concluded.