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Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka has revealed that his wonder goal against Chelsea was an intentional finish as opposed to a mishit cross, while revelling in his side's return to winning ways.

The teenager helped to cap an impressive performance for the under-fire Gunners when he stretched their lead after half-time in their eventual 3-1 derby victory against the Blues on Boxing Day.

Having headed into the half-time break with a comfortable lead thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka, the hosts further cemented their hold just before the hour mark when Saka struck.

The 19-year-old, who turned in an impressive performance at the Emirates Stadium, appeared to float an ambitious cross from the right edge of the penalty area, looking for support near the left post.

Instead, the ball beat Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy and nestled itself firmly into the far-top corner, seemingly catching both Saka and his team-mates off-guard before they wheeled away in celebration.

Speaking after the match, however, Saka claimed that his strike was intentional, and that his finish was an attempt to catch the Senegal international off his line rather than a happy freak occurrence.

"I saw him off his line so I thought I could chip him!" the England international told BBC Sport.

Saka, who made his Three Lions debut against Wales in October and has won four caps to date under Gareth Southgate, acknowledged that a first domestic win since November 1 was just the tonic needed for the beleaguered hosts and boss Mikel Arteta.

"We feel that we are a good team who have been unlucky with results and red cards but this is a big one for our confidence," he added.

"It's been tricky, tough, but we have come out of it and we are trying our best. We grew up with each other, the young players all want to play and have the passion for this club. We want to make the fans happy."

Arsenal will next face a trip to fellow lower-table dwellers Brighton on December 29, before they start the new year against another relegation-threatened side in the shape of West Brom.

Kieran Tierney is hopeful Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Chelsea can be a springboard to climbing the table.

The Gunners came into the game on the back of a winless run in the league dating back to the start of November.

Coach Mikel Arteta was forced into a reshuffle due to illness and a coronavirus scare , and the changes paid off for the Spanish coach as his side looked far more hungry than Chelsea.

Alexandre Lacazette's penalty following a foul by Reece James on Tierney set them on their way on 34 minutes.

A brilliant free kick from Granit Xhaka on the stroke of half-time doubled the advantage, and Bukayo Saka's cross-cum-shot over Edouard Mendy secured the three points despite Tammy Abraham netting a late goal for Chelsea.

The win does little for Arsenal’s position in the table, as they only moved up one place to 14th, but it puts further points between themselves and the relegation spots.

Tierney is hopeful the first win in eight league games can help lift the gloom around the club.

“It is a start,” Tierney told Sky Sports . “We needed that today. 

“We needed to give the fans something to be positive about. We have had a few bad results this season so it is a start.

“We started better. We did not wait until we went 1-0 down to start playing and creating chances. 

“We started on the front foot. That has been the message the last few weeks in training.

"It is a start and something to build on. We wanted to get that win, to get three points and slowly but surely climb up that table.

"Chelsea are a good team, they are higher up the table than us, so to come out with three points is important.”

Youngsters Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Saka were handed starts and did not let their manager down.

Tierney felt the trio performed well and were fully deserving of their places in the side.

“All the youngsters here are hungry to play,” the Scotland defender said. “They have got the platform to play. They came in and were brilliant.”

Goalkeeper Bernd Leno repelled a penalty from Jorginho with the score at 3-1 heading into injury time, and Tierney heaped praise on the German.

“Leno has dug us out of a hole there as it would have been a long five minutes if that penalty had gone in,” he said. “Leno is an outstanding keeper and he saved us today.”

Real Madrid have confirmed forward Rodrygo damaged a hamstring against Granada, and reports suggest he could be sidelined for three months.

The winger was stretchered off in Wednesday's La Liga encounter, with Los Blancos saying he would be assessed by their medical staff in the coming days.

The Spanish champions have now provided an update, with the club confirming damage to a tendon in his hamstring.

"Following tests carried out on our player Rodrygo by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury affecting the tendon in his right biceps femoris hamstring muscle,” the statement on the club’s official website read.

Madrid did not provide any update on timeframe, but reports in Spain suggest that it is a serious injury that will rule him out for the bulk of the remainder of the season.

AS  claims that the 19-year-old is not expected to return before the end of March, meaning he will only be available for the final weeks of the season.

Rodrygo posted a Chritsmas message to his followers on Instagram , with the picture showing him walking with the aid of crutches.

The news will be a huge blow to manager Zinedine Zidane, as his side start to find a run of decent form.

Madrid have won six on the spin in all competitions, and Zidane will hope the rest of the squad can make up for the absence of the forward.

“I'm thrilled for the players because it's not at all easy to win six games in a row,” Zidane said . “We deserved the win following our second-half performance.

“We have to be pleased because winning six in a row is no mean feat. So I'm extremely grateful to the players.”

Marco Asensio replaced Rodrygo against Granada, while Eden Hazard is also an option for Zidane as the Belgian works his way back to full fitness.

“We're going to rest a bit and then Eden will gradually come back into the team," Zidane said following the win over Granada.

Real face Elche in La Liga on Wednesday and Hazard will hope to play some part as the team look to keep pace with Atletico who they are level on points with at the top of the table.

Arsenal survived a late scare to end their winless run in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta's much-maligned side claimed a thoroughly deserved 3-1 victory over Chelsea.

The Gunners headed into the Boxing Day clash at Emirates Stadium having lost five of their last seven Premier League matches, yet were worthy winners against Frank Lampard's hapless team to mark the one-year anniversary of Arteta's first game in charge in style.

Alexandre Lacazette's penalty put Arsenal ahead in a league game for the first time since a win over Manchester United on November 1, and a stunning Granit Xhaka free-kick doubled their tally.

Bukayo Saka then embarrassed Edouard Mendy early in the second half though, after Tammy Abraham's VAR-awarded goal, Arsenal ultimately had to rely on Bernd Leno's save from Jorginho's penalty to prevent a nervy finish.

That meant Chelsea were condemned to a third defeat in four league games.

Saka set the tone early on, getting in behind and crossing for Gabriel Martinelli, who volleyed wide.

Chelsea seemed to have asserted authority when Mason Mount's free-kick clipped the post, yet Arsenal were ahead in the 34th minute, as Lacazette sent Mendy the wrong way from the spot after Reece James was adjudged to have fouled Kieran Tierney.

While Lacazette became Arsenal's leading scorer, the Gunners' second came from an unlikely source – Xhaka curling in a sublime 25-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

Lampard introduced Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jorginho at half-time, but it was Arsenal who struck again 11 minutes after the restart.

Having cut into the area, Saka spotted Mendy off his line, and floated in an audacious – perhaps accidental – effort in off the left-hand upright.

Three key saves from Mendy denied Arsenal a fourth, before Mohamed Elneny struck the bar.

Chelsea made their fortune count when Abraham chested in Hudson-Odoi's cross, and Arsenal’s nerves were fraught when Pablo Mari felled Mount in the box.

Yet Jorginho, who has now missed two of his last four penalties, failed to tee up a grandstand finish – Leno diving to his left to hold onto a weak shot.

What does it mean? Belated Christmas cheer for Arteta

With Gabriel isolating due to a close COVID-19 contact, David Luiz and Willian both ill – though the duo tested negative for coronavirus – and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not deemed fit enough to start, Arteta was almost forced to rely on inexperience on Saturday.

It paid off in comprehensive fashion – Saka and Martinelli were supreme down both flanks, while Smith Rowe created two chances, including the assist for Arsenal's third goal, in a free role off Lacazette. The Gunners are now up a place to 14th, while Chelsea sit sixth.

Arsenal gunning for the Blues from distance

With his superb effort, Xhaka became the first Arsenal player to score a direct free-kick versus Chelsea in the Premier League since Thierry Henry in December 2004.

Arsenal have also scored 13 Premier League goals from outside the box against Chelsea – against no side have they netted more in the competition (also 13 v Southampton).

As for Xhaka, no Arsenal player had more pass attempts (44), completed passes (34), passes in the Chelsea half (26) or touches (55) than him.

Werner's struggles compounded by early exit

Lampard has consistently stood by Timo Werner, despite the Germany international's recent struggles in front of goal. However, after an insipid first-half display in which he managed two attempts on goal – neither finding the target – and played one key pass, the forward was taken off at the break.

Werner has now failed to score in his last 10 games in all competitions, his longest drought since a run of 12 matches between March and September 2016 across spells at Stuttgart and RB Leipzig.

Key Opta Stats: 

- Arsenal have now won each of their last 10 home Premier League matches on Boxing Day, the second-best run in the competition's history after Manchester United won 12 in a row between 1997 and 2016.
- The Gunners recorded their first win in eight Premier League matches, and their first at the Emirates since a 2-1 win over Sheffield United back in October (D1 L4).
- Chelsea have lost each of their last three away games in the Premier League, their worst run since February 2019.
- Arsenal netted more than once during the first half of a Premier League game for the first time this season, leading by at least two goals at the interval for the first time since a 3-2 victory over Watford in July.
- Since the start of last season, Abraham (21) has scored more than twice as many Premier League goals for Chelsea than any of his team-mates (Giroud, Pulisic, 10).
- Of all Arsenal players to score at least five Premier League goals, Xhaka has scored the highest ratio from outside the box (78 per cent: 7/9).

What's next?

Arsenal go up against fellow strugglers Brighton and Hove Albion in three days' time, while Chelsea will look to bounce back when they host in-form Aston Villa on Monday.

Azam FC picked up an inspiring 2-0 win over Magereza FC in the third round showdown of the Shield Cup on Saturday at the Chamazi Sports Complex.

In a bid to get a much-needed victory, George Lwandamina mixed regulars and non-regulars in the starting team against the lower division side. In goal, David Mapigano – who has become a regular first-teamer since arrival, was not in the squad as Wilbol Maseke was preferred instead.

The 2019/20 best defender Nicholas Wadada, Ayoub Lyanga, Mudathir Yahya, Obrey Chirwa, Never Tigere, and Idd Seleman were the usual first-teamers who were deployed against Magereza.

Although it largely looked a defensive approach by the Ice Makers, the former Shield Cup champions looked comfortable in launching direct attacks as well as strikes from the wings. They duly opened the scoring in the 23rd minute.

Chirwa headed home from a corner kick that was delivered by Tigere, and the opener rejuvenated the home side, who would have gone into the break with a bigger margin had the visitors not denied them on three major occasions.

Tigere found the back of the net in the 65th minute when his fierce shot from inside the 18-yard area gave the 2013/14 Premier League champions a deserved lead.

Although Azam camped in Magereza’s half for the better part of the second half, they did not manage to increase the scoreline due to a combination of their own failure to convert the opportunities created and the opponents’ resilience to deal with the attacks.

The win should be an encouraging result for Lwandamina and his team, who had begun the Premier League season on a high before they started faltering from matchday eight.

Coach Aristica Cioaba had to leave the club after a 1-0 loss to Yanga SC but since then – despite the appointment of the experienced Lwandamina – the results have not been convincing.

In nine league games, Azam have picked just eight points from a possible 27 as their title ambitions continue to fade.

On Sunday, Namungo will entertain the Green Warriors in their respective Shield Cup games as they fight to progress and perhaps surpass the achievement made in the last tournament, when they sailed all the way before falling to Simba in the final.

They did earn a first ever continental slot, which represented some consolation.

Another Premier League side that will be in action is Mtibwa Sugar as they will face off with the Division Two side Geita Gold on Sunday.

Simba, the reigning champions, will be up at home against Maji Maji FC. It will be the first domestic duty for the Wekundu wa Msimbazi since taking part in the Caf Champions League first round against Platinum FC of Zimbabwe, where they were defeated 1-0 in Harare.

Erling Haaland has said his dream is to win silverware with Borussia Dortmund.

The Norwegian forward only joined Dortmund from RB Salzburg in January, but such has been his form in the Bundesliga that he is already being linked with a move, with Manchester City just one of the sides credited with an interest.

It is almost certain that Haaland will move on from Dortmund at some stage, but he is looking to help the club win trophies first.

“My biggest dream right now is to achieve something with Dortmund and that’s what I am working for,” he told DAZN. “To try to give this to the club and to the fans because everyone in this club deserves this. I will do the best every time I can.

“The club bought me for a lot of money and the fans can expect me to give 100 per cent. Borussia Dortmund is just the big dream I’m living. Achieving something with BVB is what I’m working for.”

Haaland, who is fighting his way back to fitness following a hamstring injury picked up in training, scored four goals in a game against Hertha Berlin in November. 

It is a notable feat for any striker, but Haaland is aiming to go even better in the future.

“I always want more and more,” the 20-year-old former Molde forward said. “Yeah I scored four goals, but imagine if I scored six? How much nicer would that be? That’s also what I want.”

Dortmund are currently on their winter break, with their next game being against Wolfsburg on January 3.

It is a match Haaland is hoping to be fit for, but when he returns to the team things will be different to his last game prior to injury in November.

Since entering the treatment room, Haaland has seen Dortmund fire coach Lucien Favre and replace him with Edin Terzic.

Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga table, eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich, and are on a run of only one win from their last five games in the league.

It will be hoped that the return of their free-scoring striker will provide Dortmund with a boost in the second half of the season.

Mohammed Salisu's wait for a first Premier League outing continues as he was snubbed in preference for Jack Stephens in Southampton’s 0-0 draw with Fulham on Saturday.

With first-choice left-centre-back Jannik Vestergaard out injured, opportunity opened for the 21-year-old who had been a consistent face on the Saints’ bench in their last four matches prior to Saturday.

In his pre-match press conference, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl hinted a possible starting deployment of Salisu in the absence of Vestergaard amid competition from Stephens.

In the end, it was the Englishman who got the nod, leaving the Ghanaian on the bench once again, as the Saints and the Cottagers shared the spoils at Craven Cottage.

The result sees Southampton occupy the eight spot on the Premier League table after 15 rounds of matches.

"I think we have seen the team at the top of the league [Liverpool] play for two months without [influential captain and first-choice centre-back] Virgil van Dijk and everybody said this was not possible, that you could not play without him. They are not really less successful than before, so everything is possible," Hasenhuttl said ahead of Saturday’s encounter.

"Maybe the game will change slightly because Jannik with the ball has fantastic passes and solutions but we must adapt our game always to ever circumstance that is there - but we must trust in the other ones.

"Salisu is a completely different player. He is left-footed so a left-footed one makes it on the left a little different with the angle of how you play the ball, but we have Jack Stephens who is a very similar ball-player to Jannik. I have not decided yet what I will do.

"We must have a look. We will not be able to make a one to one change as this is not possible."

Salisu joined Southampton in a four-year deal from Spanish outfit Real Valladolid in August after impressing in La Liga.

An injury, however, saw him join his new club's pre-season training in the week of commencement of the championship.

He made his first entry into the Saints' matchday squad in a 2-1 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this month, taking a place on the bench. 

Ghana star Andre Ayew was on target as Swansea City registered a 2-0 triumph over Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on Saturday.

The Ghanaian's 44th minute strike opened the scoring for the visitors before Jamal Lowe added a second goal after half-time to ensure three points at London's Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

The matchday 21 win has taken Swansea to second on the league table, just behind Norwich City.

For Ayew, the strike increased his goal haul for the season to eight, having featured in 20 matches so far.

The former Olympique de Marseille man broke the deadlock a minute to half-time, nodding home a rebound after a looping Jake Bidwell header came off the post.

In the 54th minute, the Jack Army made it 2-0 through Lowe, who raced on goal to slot a shot past goalkeeper Seny Dieng after being picked out by Matt Grimes.

Ayew has been crucial to Swansea's chase for Premier League promotion as he currently sits as the club's top scorer.

Last season, the Ghana skipper was equally influential as the Jack Army reached the semi-final of the Championship play-off where they fell to Brentford.

He finished the campaign as the club's top scorer with 16 goals in 45 appearances, his exploits also winning him the most valuable player prize at his club's end of season awards.

“I know I must help the team and have a style of play that's not just about scoring goals; it's about trying to help the team to play better football," Ayew recently said on his performance at Liberty Stadium. “I think we're doing well. It's very important for me to try and be as complete as I can be.

"If I can get goals, that's the icing on the cake, but it's important to play our game," he added. “The gaffer and the players trust in each other and we have the freedom to play our game."

The 31-year-old, who also won the club's Goal of the Month of November award, rejoined Swansea for a second spell in January 2018 after an unsuccessful stint at West Ham United. 

East Bengal and Chennaiyin settled for a 2-2 draw in the Indian Super League 2020-21 contest at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Saturday.

The result keeps Chennaiyin at the seventh spot with nine points from seven outings. 

The Marina Machans spilt a lot of clear cut chances in front of the goal due to which Chennaiyin head coach Csaba Laszlo said that his team lost two points from the match. He also mentioned that his team needed to convert the chances but their effort left him disappointed. 

"We lost two points because you know if you stay onside you got to score. It's not normal. You have to self-critique. We create and we miss and for this reason, I'm speechless and disappointed," Laszlo said.

Lallianzuala Chhanget has been brilliant throughout the season with his runs down the flanks and the ability to set up goals. While his finishing usually isn't up to the mark, the former Delhi Dynamos winger did manage to get on the scoresheet against East Bengal and Laszlo was impressed with his effort. 

"I am working individually with Chhange because I think it's a goal he deserves today. I hope he will continue to score goals."

Jakub Sylvestr, on the other hand, did not have the best game as he had three shots on target and failed to convert more than one clear-cut chance. Laszlo was disappointed with his performance against the Kolkata giants but believes that his team needs to be consistent. 

"My answer is very short. It's more than disappointing," he said,

Chennaiyin next take on ATK Mohun Bagan in two days. As the Kolkata giants will be heading into the game after a good break of over 10 days, Laszlo believes the Mariners will enjoy an advantage.

"If you have the next game in three days, it will not be easy but it will be a different game, definitely," he concluded.  

Lionel Messi has hailed Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique as the best coaches he has worked under during his career at Barcelona, stating that he was "lucky" to have both as mentors.

The two coaches remain highly-regarded tactical masters of the past decade-and-a-half at Camp Nou, with their spells between 2008 and 2017 nabbing almost two-dozen trophies in total.

Guardiola led the Blaugrana between 2008 and 2012, winning 14 major honours and helping to establish Messi as one of the game's major talents during his tenure in the Catalan region.

Former Spain international Luis Enrique subsequently took charge in 2014 after the late Tito Vilanova and Gerardo Martino's brief spells at the helm, bringing a hat-trick of Copa del Rey triumphs and the 2014-15 Champions League to the club among other honours.

In 105 league appearances under Luis Enrique, Messi netted 106 goals – scoring every 84.29 minutes on average – provided 43 assists and created a total of 251 chances.

Though the striker and Barca have enjoyed success since Luis Enrique left, they have failed to recapture the consistent highs of his era, with both Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setien having fallen shy of expectations, while Ronald Koeman is enduring a tough start.

Now, in an interview with La Sexta which is to be broadcast on December 27, Messi claimed Guardiola and Luis Enrique are the very best he has worked with.

"Pep has something special, he makes you see things in a [different] way," the six-time Ballon d'Or winner said .

"How he prepared the matches, defensively, how to attack, he told you exactly where the game was, how you had to attack to win.

"I was lucky that I had a lot of time with Guardiola and Luis Enrique, the two best. Having them [for so long] made me grow a lot in football and in the tactical wisdom that they taught me."

Messi led Barca to a 3-0 victory over Real Valladolid on Tuesday, surpassing Pele's record of 643 goals for one club side in the process.

The Blaugrana are next in action on December 29 when they host Eibar in La Liga, before they start 2021 with a trip to Huesca.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paid tribute to Bruno Fernandes' ability to change games for Manchester United, even if the midfielder's exuberance sometimes frustrates his manager.

Fernandes was once again pivotal for United on Saturday as they drew 2-2 at Leicester City, the Portugal international setting up Marcus Rashford for the opener and then scoring the visitors' second.

In finding the net, Fernandes became the first Portuguese player to score 10 goals in a single Premier League season since Cristiano Ronaldo did so for the Red Devils in 2008-09.

Since making his Premier League debut in February, Fernandes has had a hand in over half of United's goals (31/60), scoring 18 and setting up a further 13.

Fernandes has quickly made himself indispensable for United and, while Solskjaer admitted he would sometimes prefer his talisman to play a simpler pass, he understands the attacking midfielder's abilities make him essential.

"He is definitely a player that impacts results," Solskjaer told reporters. "He creates goals, scores goals, he takes risks, which every Man United player should be allowed to do, be brave enough to do. He's definitely a brave boy who sees the pass and takes the moments.

"Sometimes I tear my hair out and say there is an easier pass, but you can't take that away from Bruno. You want that 'X factor'.

"He's got players in front making runs, getting the chances, so I'm very pleased with his influence this season – or a year he's been here now, for 11 months he's been great. He's always there, supporting and encouraging his team-mates as well.

"But that's also part of the team. When Bruno is that type of player, when he's got players in front of him who do make runs, do give him the opportunities to make those passes, that is not just down to Bruno.

"We have to remember he's come into a team that has helped him. We all have a role to play and he's playing his to the top of his ability."

Fernandes' expected assists (xA) record further highlights his exceptional first year at Old Trafford.

He has set up 10 goals in open play, but his open play xA is just 4.8, meaning he has twice as many assists as one would expect the average player to make from the situations he has been involved in.

Additionally, only Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish have created more chances than Fernandes' 74 since the start of February – the next most creative player in the division over the same period (Andrew Robertson) has laid on 54 key passes.

The tombstone of the late former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been badly damaged, it has emerged on Saturday.

The news was confirmed by the official Bafana Bafana Twitter account, which stated:

"VANDALIZED: Former Bafana Bafana  goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa's tombstone has been vandalized, 2 months after it was unveiled in Clermont, Durban."

It is unclear at this stage who is behind the vandalising and if whether it was a random act or specially aimed at the former Orlando Pirates keeper's memory.

On the 26th of October, 2014, Meyiwa was gunned down at the house of his singer girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.

The case dragged on for six years before a breakthrough was announced by Minister of Police Bheki Cele in October this year.

This was after the firearm which was allegedly used to kill Meyiwa was reportedly uncovered by the police, which resulted in five men being charged with murdering Meyiwa.

The first court appearance of the five suspects took a dramatic twist at the Boksburg Magistrate after they denied any involvement in the murder. None of the five were represented by a lawyer and they have claimed that they’ve been made scapegoats.

The latest on the case is that it has been postponed until 5 March 2021.

It was only on November 10 this year that Meyiwa's tombstone was unveiled at a ceremony in KwaZulu-Natal which was attended, among others, by South African Football Association boss Danny Jordaan, Bafana Bafana head coach Molefi Ntseki, national team captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, and Itumeleng Khune, who was a Bafana team-mate and close personal friend of the deceased goalkeeper.

Meyiwa was just 27-years-old at the time of his death and was in the process of becoming a regular for the national team - he had 13 senior caps to his credit.

He played 137 matches for Pirates and won two league titles, two Nedbank Cups, two MTN8’s and one Telkom Knockout trophy with the Buccaneers.

East Bengal continued their winless run with a 2-2 draw with Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League 2020-21 clash at the Tilak Maidan on Saturday.

German midfielder Matti Steinmann rescued a point for the Kolkata giants as he scored a brace in the second half. 

The Marina Machans created plenty of chances but failed to convert. East Bengal, on the other hand, looked threatening in patches. The Kolkata giants head coach Robbie Fowler mentioned that his team did not deserve to lose as they showed a lot of fight. 

"I think there are a lot of things you can be satisfied with. As a manager, you should go out there with an attitude of getting three points from every game. In terms of the game went, it's important we didn't lose, we showed a lot of fight. It's a game we didn't deserve to lose," Fowler said after the game. 

"We looked dynamic. The first half wasn't our brightest or best performance. In the second, we had the attitude, we had the desire, the temperament. We did look good going forward," he added. 

Fowler was happy with the performance of Steinmann who brought the team level twice in the game from set-pieces and picked up a brace in the process. 

"He's a good player. You give him a bit of role, not a free-role. He can defend as well. He has got two good goals. He's one of the players who fights till the very end," he said.

"We did a lot of work (on set-pieces). We work on things that can benefit us," he added. 

East Bengal stretched their winless run to seven matches. But Fowler believes that the critics need to understand where they stand as a club and repeated that their side was built to feature in the I-League.

"We were positive. We are massively behind. People need to understand where we are as a club. Whether people like it or not we were built for the I-League. Give us some credit for showing a lot of fight.

"And I'm certainly not under pressure. I know what we need to do. You need to ask the Kerala Blasters or Odisha managers if they're under pressure. I don't think you (media) will (ask them). Because we are big club. Obviously, we want to win games. They're (the board) backing me 100 per cent and we will get results."

Alex Morgan says that she has learned from watching Jose Mourinho and the men's team during her time at Tottenham as she said the Portuguese manager has led the club straight to the top.

Morgan joined Spurs from the Orlando Pride on a one-season deal in the summer transfer window, and is now set to return to the U.S. in January.

Unfortunately for the U.S. women's national team star, fitness issues heavily impacted her brief Spurs career, limiting her to two goals in five total appearances.

But, for Morgan, her time in England left her impressed with both the WSL and her team's men's counterpart as she admitted she learned a lot from watching Mourinho work.

However, when asked about Mourinho's new-found social media presence, the American did joke that he has some catching up to do, although she was left impressed by the Portuguese manager's humour.

"They're doing pretty well if you ask me," she told Sky Sports. "Looking forward, I feel like they've gotten off to a fairly good start, and as long as players stay healthy, that's what we say on our team.

"I feel like Jose has done a very good job to bring this team to the top. I think that was a good thing for me to watch as I entered my phase with Spurs Women. The top of the game always tries to steal from the top of the game. You're always looking to learn, get better, and be the best."

She added: "He could use some tips from my Instagram and my social media. He is doing quite alright himself. He's quite funny himself."

Morgan was not the only USWNT star to make the move to the WSL this year, as Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Sam Mewis and Christen Press all joined English teams in 2020.

The arrival of several top American stars was seen as a coup for the league as the WSL looks to raise its profile by bringing in international stars.

And Morgan says that the league is already competing among the best in the world, even if restrictions on overseas players do limit the league in her opinion.

"There are definitely some restrictions on national team players that can come here and play. They have quite difficult restrictions to overcome in terms of how many games you can play with your national team," she said. 

"Alleviating that just a little bit would be important for them continuing to get top talent. It's also important to just grow domestic players, and you're seeing that.

"I think it already is one of the top leagues in the world. I think the NWSL competes for that, and I think the WSL and the NWSL are two of the most level leagues in terms of quality across the board."

Arsenal have been dealt a blow with Gabriel set to miss their next three games due to a coronavirus precaution.

The club confirmed the Brazilian has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and will isolate as a precaution.

The 23-year-old defender has not been included in the squad to face Chelsea on Boxing Day and will also miss games with Brighton on December 29 and West Brom on January 2.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is also without David Luiz and Willian due to illness, but the club confirmed they recently tested negative for coronavirus and their situations will be closely monitored.

To be without the trio of Brazilians will be a blow to Arteta who is looking for his side to snap a shocking run of form.

The Gunners have not won domestically since beating Manchester United on November 1, and are down in 15th in the Premier League table.

A game with Chelsea is a daunting one, but the matches that follow against Brighton and West Brom are huge for a side who could be dragged into a relegation scrap.

Arteta is aware of the need to snap their winless run.

"The next seven to eight days are going to be crucial to see where we're going to be heading to in the Premier League," he told the club’s official website. "The best medicine when you are in this situation is to win a football match.

"Every defeat is another hurting moment, another moment of disappointment, another moment you have to lift yourself up and that's what we've got to do. 

"I think the medicine for all of us would be to come here against Chelsea, beat them and then move from there. It's exactly what we all need.

"We have to draw a line. A lot of things happened [against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup]. Again, we have to focus on the Premier League, because it's a priority in the situation we're in.

"We have a crucial week this week. We have to stand up and we have to pick up the points. Let's draw a line and move forward."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told Edinson Cavani that he must bide his time before securing regular starts for Manchester United.

The Uruguayan forward climbed off the bench and provided an assist for Bruno Fernandes in the 2-2 draw with Leicester on Boxing Day.

Three days earlier, Cavani played 90 minutes in the 2-0 win at Everton in the Carabao Cup, a game in which he scored the Red Devils’ first goal on 88 minutes to set them on their way to a place in the semi-finals.

United legend Paul Scholes questioned the decision to place Cavani on the bench, with the former England international of the opinion that Solskjaer should select his best XI for every game.

However, at 33 years of age and with United in the midst of a spell of six matches in 16 days, he may not have the legs to start in every game.

Solskjaer has said the former Paris Saint-Germain man will get his chances, but he must wait to secure regular starts.

“He has been out injured for a little while and played a full, physically-demanding game against Everton in midweek," Solskjaer said. “We decided to have him on the bench and he made an impact straight away, with a great pass for the goal.

“It will have to be that way for a while as he gets used to English football and the demands of this season, but he made a great impact here and he has made a big impact in the squad.”

Marcus Rashford netted his 50th Premier League goal for the club in the 2-2 draw at Leicester, and Solskjaer was full of praise for the player as a footballer and as a person.

The England international has dedicated a lot of time in 2020 to fighting for the disadvantaged and Solskjaer spoke in glowing terms of the 23-year-old.

“Both as a player and person he has been absolutely brilliant,” Solskjaer said of Rashford. “We are very proud of him as a person and a player. He was always a threat. We create chances for him and he creates them for others.”

Rashford appeared to damage his shoulder in a coming together with Harvey Barnes towards the end of the match at the King Power Stadium, and Solskjaer is hopeful it is not a serious concern.

“He felt his shoulder a bit after one of the Leicester players tugged his arm but hopefully it won’t be too bad as he completed a full sprint soon after that,” the United boss said.

Coach Sammy Omollo has explained how Gor Mahia can secure a good result against CR Belouizdad of Algeria in the Caf Champions League on Saturday.

The Kenyan champions are expected to tackle the Algerian outfit in a first-round encounter and Omollo, taking charge of K’Ogalo in his third game as a stand-in tactician, has revealed how they can be assured of a positive outcome in Algiers.

“So far, we have to thank God first for we arrived well,” the Posta Rangers’ head coach told Gor Mahia’s Online TV. “Everybody is in high spirits of course and we are raring to go for this match. We had an opportunity of watching this team and it is not that tough team but the main issue will be if we do our things correctly; strategise and defend well.

“How we defend especially in the first 30 minutes will be very important in this game but we have spoken with the boys telling them how we must remain very compact especially in the first 30 minutes.

“We must remain very organised and give a lot of hard work off the ball and if we do that you will see the confidence of the team will be going up and that is what we want today," he added. “Otherwise I believe we are going to come out with a good result tonight.”

Omollo’s sentiments echoed the words of striker Benson Omalla in an earlier interview in regard to readiness to fight for a victory.

“For us players, the morale is high and as players, we are going to give it all to get a positive outcome,” the former Western Stima forward told Goal. “It is important for us to ensure we get a good result to stand a better chance of making it to the next stage.

“The first thing for me is to ensure the team has performed well," he added. “What matters is for the team to get a positive outcome. I believe it will happen today and we will come home with good results.

“Hopefully, I am going to score my first goal for this big club Gor Mahia.”

Gor will face the Algiers-based outfit without captain Kenneth Muguna and midfielder Bernard Ondiek, who are injured, as well as Nicholas Kipkirui who will miss the showdown due to family matters.

With the absence of the former Zoo striker, Jules Ulimwengu – who has two goals in the first Premier League games against Ulinzi Stars and Tusker – and Omalla are expected to lead the goal-hunting mission.

Mikel Arteta sits "in an ejection seat" at Arsenal after their dismal start to the new Premier League season, according to club legend Robert Pires.

The Gunners, typically considered a cornerstone of English football's "big six", lie in 15th heading into their Boxing Day clash with Chelsea, after a wretched campaign to date.

The North London outfit have lost eight of their 14 opening games, and while they posted a perfect record in their Europa League group stage performance, their manager occupies an increasingly untenable position.

Pires, a Highbury hero who was a member of Arsene Wenger's Invincibles squad over a decade-and-a-half ago, admits that he finds it tough to believe just how they have slipped so badly.

"I find it difficult to explain this situation," Pires said, speaking to  Ouest France . "When you're in a negative spiral, it's very complicated to get out of it."

Pires said the Chelsea game was set up to be "important for the future of the club", and he has little doubt manager Arteta is fighting to stay in his job.

"I know him well. I know what he does, the training he sets up, what he would like his team to develop," Pires said.

"But on the pitch, it does not work. I don't like coaches being sacked but unfortunately that's what happens when there are bad results. He's in an ejection seat."

Arsenal were hoping to maintain a strong record in Boxing Day fixtures, having not lost at home in 12 matches on December 26 since going down 2-0 to Nottingham Forest in 1987 at Highbury.

Their run of nine consecutive home wins on Boxing Day includes a 2-1 win over Chelsea in 2001, when Pires played as Sol Campbell and Sylvain Wiltord scored for the Gunners.

Pires never experienced anything comparable to their recent struggles during his time at the club. Arsenal had not won in their last seven Premier League games going into Saturday's clash with Chelsea.

They were out to avoid going eight without a win, which would match their worst Premier League record, having experienced such a dry spell from November 1992 to January 1993.

"Today, Arsenal are playing to survive," Pires said. "It's hard to say, I never thought I would one day. We are talking about Arsenal after all."