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Leon Balogun has been passed fit to start Rangers’ clash with Hibernian in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership fixture.

The Nigeria international last featured for Steven Gerrard’s men in the Gers’ 3-2 defeat to St Mirren in a League Cup encounter at the SMISA Stadium.

There, he was substituted for Romanian’s Ianis Hagi with six minutes left to play after a clash of heads with striker John Obika before Jim Goodwin’s men snatched a late winner through Conor McCarthy’s last-gasp winner as Rangers’ 26-game unbeaten run came to an end.

Subsequently, he missed two games against Motherwell and St. Johnstone.

And having taken part in team’s Christmas Jumper training where he greatly impressed, he has been included in the roster alongside compatriot Joe Aribo for the visitors who are unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions in the 2020-21 campaign.

The 32-year-old has been a key player for the Ibrox Stadium lords since his arrival from Wigan Athletic on 24 July 2020 on a one-year contract, with an option in the club's favour to extend for a further year.

He has helped them maintain an unbeaten run of 17 games in the Scottish top-flight this season with 10 matches under his belt – with just two of them as a substitute.

Jack Ross’ Hibs will be without goalkeeper Ofir Marciano (injury) and Christian Doidge (suspension) but that seems not to be a concern to manager Gerrard.

“I worry about the opposition when the team sheet comes through,” he told the club website.

“I focus on me and my players and I’ll worry myself about Hibs’ team before the game.

“We don’t look back as you can’t change anything. All that game tells us is we are going to be in for another tough test.

“They have good players, they are in a good place and good form, so it is set up to be a fantastic game.

“We felt hard done by in-terms of not winning that game with the chances we had and what we created on the day.”

Victory for Rangers will see them maintain their lead at the summit of Scotland’s elite division log.

Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool’s Premier League title miss in 2014 still fuels him as he leads Rangers on their Scottish Premiership title charge.

The Reds had a first Premier League trophy within their grasp as Gerrard’s time as captain came towards an end in 2014, only to end up losing out by two points to Manchester City.

Gerrard’s famous slip in a devastating 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea became a source of mockery for rival fans across the country but his former side have silenced their detractors in recent years and are now looking to win back-to-back titles.

Liverpool have scratched their title itch but Gerrard’s remains. Rangers are 16 points clear at the top of the table as they look to prevent Celtic winning 10 in a row, though Neil Lennon’s faltering side do have three games in hand.

“Yes, it’s definitely a motivation,” Gerrard told The Athletic of Liverpool’s near miss. “Having that happen and how it happened towards the end of my Liverpool career was a real, brutal low for me.

“As a group and a team and a club, it was a big disappointment because we came so close. The fact they’ve won the title since then and are current champions - which is fantastic for me to see - has certainly helped the healing, but from a personal point of view, having a big high as a coach and manager would certainly contribute to that healing as well.”

Rangers have been through plenty themselves in recent years. When Liverpool went close in 2013-14, the Ibrox side were winning promotion back from the third tier of Scottish football.

Now, after years in the wilderness, a first Scottish title in 10 years is theirs to lose.

“The next trophy will be a big deal,” Gerrard added. “There have been a lot of stepping stones and progression. The statistics make for good reading if you go year-by-year, but the reality is that we’ve got to deliver silverware.

“This club is built on success. It’s a very traditional, historic club and there’s a big spotlight and responsibility to deliver trophies. Progress is not enough. Statistics are not enough. You’ve got to deliver, it’s as simple as that.

“The main aim in my first year was to try to get a bit of pride and respect back. They were suffering some heavy defeats. Players were hurt, fans were hurt.

“We got the fans smiling again, feeling a bit of belief. We showed improvements in the first year. In the second year, we showed we can compete and in the third year the challenge is, ‘Can we go the full distance rather than six months and fall away? Can we be there and challenge come the end of the season?’”

It has been 15 years since Safee Sali last put on the Kuala Lumpur (KL) FC jersey but he will have to opportunity to do so again in the 2021 season after he inked a 1-year deal with the promoted outfit for the coming season.

The well-traveled striker will bring bags of experience to the KL side team already teeming with bundles of experience in the shape of Indra Putra Mahayudin and Shukor Adan, coming full circle in what has been an incredible footballing journey for him thus far.

He was unveiled together with Hadin Azman on Thursday and the former Malaysian international is adamant that he's still capable of contributing at the highest level despite him turning 37 in the coming year.

"I’m honoured to be able to return to the team that gave me my first professional career 15 years back. To be back here in this stadium brings back a lot of memories. I hope that in the coming season, we can revive the aura of Kuala Lumpur," said Safee during the unveiling. 

"I’ve already had the experience of playing with Indra and Shukor, both of whom have done everything in football. I feel that we have the right combination of seniors and juniors to give others a big challenge

"I accepted it even though it was only one year, that is not an issue. For any team to take on a player of my age, they will have their worries. So it’s up to me to prove that even though I’m only here for a year, I want to prove my worth and help the team as much as possible."

Yet with age catching up with him and the lack of playing time at prevous club Petaling Jaya City FC being another indicator, Safee revealed that he's not even close to contemplating on retirement at this point in time.

Pointing to the longevity of new club mate, Shukor and current AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Safee is counting on a continued fit bill of health to allow him to emulate those two players to continue to play on when many others would have called it a day.

"As long as I haven’t said that I will retire, I want to continue to give my all to the team that I’m playing with. And when it’s with a team that I have played before, it makes me very excited that I feel like I’m only 17 despite me being 37 in the coming season.

"We have examples in our own league. Shukor will turn 42 next year and he’s still playing in the top division, so why not others. And overseas in a striker’s position, we see Zlatan Ibrahmovic being there and still scoring goals. So I want to give a signal to the young players these days that we can be here for a long time."

The last time Safee tasted success domestically was when he was still a Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) player and while KL are not seen as a potential challenger to the reigning Super League champions, Safee firmly believes that the top management's target has been set a tad too low.

KL finished last in the 2019 season to drop down to the Premier League but gained promotion immediately despite finishing third in 2020 because of Terengganu FC II's inability to be promoted. Which would not make the management's target of staying in the top flight too low a bar for the team to achieve.

However having see the mixture that the squad possess, Safee is confident that if the team can play to their potential, there's a big opportunity for the club to even finish in amongst the top half of the division.

"I feel that KL now has the capability to provide a challenge to the big teams. We have Hadin, Zamir (Selamat), Paulo (Josue) who all play important roles. For KL to be in the top five is not impossible because we have the experience. Of course the management have their targets but I don’t think that is enough because we see the quality of the players in the team have the capability to bring KL to higher than that," he added.

Gor Mahia forward Benson Omalla has assured Kenyans they are going to give their best on Saturday to get a positive result against CR Belouizdad.

K'Ogalo are away to North Africa to play the hosts in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the Caf Champions League game hoping to get a favourable outcome. The youngster has further stated the team is motivated and will be aiming at upsetting their hosts.

"Definitely it is going to be a tough game not only for us but for them as well," Omalla told Goal on Saturday from Algeria.

"For us players, the morale is high and as players, we are going to give it all to get a positive outcome. 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 Rising Star has had good outings for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League giants but has not yet opened his account. However, he hopes his first goal can come away in Algeria.

"The first thing for me is to ensure the team has performed well," the former Western Stima player continued.

"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."

The last time Gor Mahia played against an Algerian opponent was in 2019 when they were drawn to face USM Alger in the same competition.

USM Alger came to Nairobi and beat K’Ogalo 4-1 and returned home in Algiers to win the return leg 2-0 and advance to the next round with a 6-1 aggregate scoreline.

The two teams also met in the Confederation Cup in the 2018 season with the first leg staged in Kenya ending in a 0-0 draw before USM Alger won the return leg 2-1 at home to advance 2-1 on aggregate.

In 2019, Gor Mahia was also drawn to face Algerian side Hussein Dey in the Confederation Cup, and they won the first leg staged in Nairobi 2-0 but lost away 1-0 to claim a 2-1 aggregate win.

"It has been tough for us away against the North African teams, but I am optimistic we will break the jinx," Omalla concluded.

Vipers SC head coach Fred Kajoba has fired back at Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry after his dismissal from the team’s camp on Friday.

The Federation of Ugandan Football Associations (Fufa) confirmed the goalkeeper’s coach was sent home due to his failure to observe the coronavirus regulations at the camp. Kajoba has claimed his dismissal came after he attended a church service during Christmas.

“I requested the coach and I was allowed to go to church and celebrate Christmas day mass,” Kajoba said as was quoted by Football256.

“It’s interesting how McKinstry would find trouble in me going to church when some other people including himself have on a regular basis been going out of the camp.”

“Can’t they too bring in the coronavirus? I’m fine with the dismissal and in fact happy that I was dismissed from the camp because I had gone to church but not any other place!”

The coach added his expulsion from the pre-Chan squad will not affect his devotion to the church.

“Nothing or no one will ever separate me from my God and Mother Mary. I am what I am today because of the God that I have always worshipped and believed in,” he added.

“My present and future lay in him. I am yet to get someone to make me understand the wrong in worshipping more so on Christmas day.”

When the federation confirmed Kajoba’s dismissal they did not specifically state why they had to make the decision.

“Fufa released one of the Uganda Cranes technical staff, Fred Kajoba after not being able to observe the camp regulations at the team’s hotel in Kisasi which require all members of the contingent to follow the strict Covid-19 Standard Operations Procedures,” Fufa said on Friday.

“Kajoba will therefore not travel with the Uganda Cranes contingent on Monday 28th December 2020 when they fly out of the country for a pre-Chan tournament in Cameroon in preparation for the Chan finals that start mid-January 2021.  

“A replacement for the goalkeeping coach will be named by the Fufa executive in due course.”

The Cranes will be leaving for a pre-Chan tournament that involves Cameroon, Niger and Zambia from January 1 to 7. The Cecafa champions are in Chan Group B that also has Morocco, Togo and neighbours Rwanda.

Jurgen Klopp says he could not understand why any player would want to leave Liverpool – but he can’t force anyone to stay if they do want to depart the club.

Mohamed Salah has been at the centre of transfer speculation with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain all linked.

Indeed, the 28-year-old left the door open to a future move to Spain, while also expressing his disappointment at not being made Liverpool captain for the Champions League dead-rubber with Midtjylland.

Goal can confirm that the Reds are certain to offer Salah a new contract at some point, with his current deal running until 2023, and the Egypt forward has said he is fully focused on his goal of breaking records at Anfield.

Speculation is sure to persist with the January transfer window just around the corner but Klopp - who also addressed Salah's captaincy concerns -  believes the former Roma star has everything he needs on Merseyside.

“We could all look for something else if we wanted to, but for me the only reason to leave Liverpool at the moment is the weather!” Klopp smiled.

“What other reason could there be? This is one of the biggest clubs in the world. We pay the money, maybe not the most in the world but we pay good, we have a sensational stadium with outstanding supporters all over the world. Our colours are red which is the nicest colour anyway, so where are the reasons?

“You cannot force people to stay. We never did, by the way. It’s all about timing, the right moment. We make changes and bring players in, and if a player wanted to go then we wouldn’t stand in the way. It’s just I don’t understand why they would want to.”

Liverpool have looked in ominous form in the Premier League of late, and appear favourites to lift back-to-back titles despite a number of injuries to key players.

Klopp’s side have Boxing Day off, with their next fixture coming at home to West Brom on December 27.

Salah was rested for Liverpool’s last game against Crystal Palace, but came off the bench to score twice and register an assist in their 7-0 win.

Following the West Brom game, Liverpool travel to Newcastle and Southampton before an FA Cup trip to Aston Villa. A key period follows at the end of January, with games against Manchester United and Tottenham either side of a home fixture against Burnley.

We at Goal.com have teamed up with the gaming series FIFA 21 to identify the top 11 players and coach existing in the game today.

Join us in the poll sponsored by FIFA 21 and vote for your favorite manger (off the five below) but before that here is a quick snippet on them:

Zinedine Zidane: The Frenchman guided Real Madrid to their first La Liga title for three years in July. Zizou is the "captain of the ship" los blancos always needed.

Pep Guardiola: Guardiola had arguably his most underwhelming season at Man City in 2019/20. They won just one trophy: The Carabao Cup. Guardiola remains one of the best managers in the business and he will be looking to end Man City's wait for continental success in 2021.

Jurgen Klopp: Klopp granted a spot among the best managers in the world after ending Liverpool's 30-year wait for an English league title.

Hansi Flick: In November 2019, Flick took over a Bayern Munich side in turmoil. He won almost everything he could and guided his side to five trophies

Antonio Conte: With Inter, he has started a revolution, helping The Black and Blues back in the title race. Together they have made it to the top two in the UEFA Europa League and Serie A.

Azam FC will be up against Magereza FC in the Shield Cup at the Chamazi Sports Complex on Saturday as they aim to get back to winning ways.

Since parting ways with Aristica Cioaba for poor results, the Ice-cream Makers will hope to get a win in the third round of the domestic competition.

After Cioaba left, George Lwandamina was appointed but his reign has failed to pick up speed with wins in the Premier League. They had a 1-0 loss to Mtibwa Sugar, and a 1-1 draw against JKT Tanzania recently.

Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) condemned them to a 1-0 defeat before going down to Yanga with the same margin. The Yanga loss marked the end of Cioaba’s reign before the former Zesco United head coach was appointed.

Lwandamina started with a 1-1 draw against Biashara United before recording a stalemate against league debutants Gwambina FC.

The third game ended with yet another draw after the Caf Confederation Cup participants Namungo FC earned a point with a 2-2 draw.

The last league game also saw the Ice-cream Makers pick a point after a 2-2 result against Ruvu Shooting. The Shield Cup home match, therefore, gives them an opportunity to fight for a win; a result that has been quite elusive.

Meanwhile, Namungo will entertain the Green Warriors in their respective Shield Cup game as they fight to progress and maybe surpass the achievement made in the last tournament. They sailed all the way before falling to Simba in the final but earned a continental slot for the first time ever.

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 on Sunday. 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.

The Premier League went into a recess to allow the Shield Cup games to be played as well as to release players to the national team for the African Nations Championship tournament in Cameroon.

Hyderabad FC coach Manuel Marquez rates Kerala Blasters highly despite the fact that they have not won a single game in this edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).

Marquez heaped praise on coach Kibu Vicuna given that he won the I-League last season with Mohun Bagan and also believes that they have a good bunch of players.

“Kerala is a very good team. Their first game against ATK Mohun Bagan they did not deserve to lose. They equalised late last game. They deserve more points than they have. I know (Luis) Vicente as he was my player in Las Palmas. They have great players. The coach (Vicuna) won the I-League last season. It will be an equal game and they are a very good team,” said Marquez.

Hyderabad FC suffered their first defeat in the last game and coach Marquez will want a reaction from his side. However, he went on to state that the loss to Mumbai City FC hasn’t hampered his team’s morale.

“You know in football, there are three possibilities. It is impossible to win, draw or lose always. I am sure our team will try tomorrow to play a good game. The defeat against Mumbai doesn't affect our team for tomorrow's match,” he shared his thoughts.

“We are playing 4-2-3-1 and sometimes 4-4-2. I noted some details against Mumbai where we can improve and maybe we can change some players. But not too many tactical changes for the game tomorrow,” he added.

Hyderabad have been unlucky when it comes to injuries especially to their foreign contingent. They are the only team to have fielded their full quota of five foreigners in just one game and thanks to the performances and grit shown by their young Indian players, the club has done reasonably well.

Marquez was asked if inexperience has come to hurt his side in the current campaign to which he replied, “I remember only one clear good chance against Mumbai. If we had equalised at the end of the first half, the second half would have been different. In some moments, I thought it was a game with real players against young inexperienced players. But I am happy with the second half. But in ISL, when you are playing with a young squad these things can happen.”

He once again reiterated that except for Mumbai City FC, who are a cut above the rest, most teams in the ISL can compete on their given day.

“It is a strange situation. For me, only Mumbai is better than the others. There are a lot of strong teams. In the beginning, it is normal most teams are on the same level. It does not mean that teams higher on the table will have it easy against lower-ranked teams. Nobody can tell what will happen in matches. Small details decide the game,” he opined.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns centre forward Jeremy Brockie has finally found a new home five months after leaving the Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions.

The New Zealand international became a free agent after leaving Masandawana with the club having decided against extending his contract which expired in June 2020.

Brockie had spent the 2019/20 season out on loan at Maritzburg United where he struggled for game time with the likes of Thabiso Kutumela and Judas Moseamedi preferred ahead of him. 

Australian club Bentleigh Greens have now announced the signing of the experienced marksman on their official Facebook page:

"We are pleased to announce the signing of current New Zealand international Jeremy Brockie for the 2021 NPL season," a club statement read. 

"Brockie comes to Bentleigh on the back of a very successful stint in South Africa with SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns and Maritzburg United."

"Brockie has also represented Wellington Phoenix, Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets and North Queensland Fury in the A-League. We look forward to seeing Jeremy at Kingston Heath in 2021."

The 33-year-old was one the most lethal strikers in South Africa during his time with SuperSport where he scored goals with ease.

The man nicknamed Sniper spent three successful years with Matsatsantsa where he won trophies.

Sniper helped SuperSport clinch two Nedbank Cups and one MTN8 title. He looked destined to become the club's all-time top scorer.

By the time he left the club for Sundowns in January 2018, Brockie had netted 54 times for SuperSport and only Abram Raselemane had scored more goals for Matsatsantsa with 57.

Brockie is now placed third on the list of SuperSport's greatest ever goal scorers as Bradley Grobler is currently second with 55 goals.

Sniper's transfer to Sundowns proved to be unsuccessful as he struggled for game time, but he lifted two PSL titles with Masandawana.

SuperSport chief executive officer Stan Matthews confirmed that they were interested in Brockie' services after he left Sundowns.

However, Matsatsantsa later decided against re-signing the Christchurch-born player, who has now returned to Oceania. 

Kerala Blasters coach Kibu Vicuna explained his reasons for opting to start with his foreign centre-backs, namely Bakary Kone and Costa Nhamoinescu in almost every game this season.

The only game where an Indian centre-back in Lalruatthara featured was against Bengaluru FC as Costa was suspended.

Vicuna stated that if Lalruatthara and Abdul Hakku would have been ready for a start, certainly the Indian duo would have got their chances by now.

“It’s for tactical reasons. I choose the players according to the match. It does not mean that just because they are foreigners they will play. If Thara, Hakku are ready to play they will play,” said the Spaniard.

Kerala Blasters have struggled to create chances this season and Vicuna defened his side by pointing towards the last game against East Bengal where they dominated the opposition for most of the second half.

“I think in the last match we had got a good number of chances. We are improving in this aspect of the game. We also have Sahal (Abdul Samad), Rohit (Kumar) who are coming up from behind. Hopefully, we are going to get better in the next few games,” he promised.

“We wanted three points (in the last match). We scored in second half injury time. Even after the goal, we had a good chance. In the second half, we improved. We were better than East Bengal,” he added.

Sergio Cidoncha is more or less ruled out for the season and the Spaniard will be replaced by another midfielder. Vicuna affirmed that the club has signed a replacement and will be ready for action once he completes his quarantine.

“We have got a replacement. He can join as soon as possible. He will do quarantine and he will be available since the beginning of January,” he said.

Kerala haven’t won a single game this term and have only three points to show for their efforts from the opening six matches. Vicuna was questioned on what the objectives of the season for Kerala Blasters are given their poor start to the campaign.

“I think we are focussing on tomorrow's game. I will not talk about the season. We have our objectives but now we just want to get the three points tomorrow and then against Mumbai City (whom they face on January 2nd, 2021).”

Blasters will be up against Hyderabad FC, who have several injury concerns and haven’t been able to field their full quota of foreign players for even 90 minutes this season. The former Mohun Bagan coach is optimistic of his team’s chances of picking their first win.

“Every game is difficult. Hyderabad are playing well. They played well against Mumbai. We are also training well. We are improving and taking forward steps. I am confident that we will play a good match tomorrow.”

The former Osasuna assistant coach wants his team to be consistent in their performance across the entire game as opposed to doing well for just 45 minutes.

“The first game against Mohun Bagan we did really well. It was a game of few chances. Against NorthEast United, we played well in the first half. It was the same against East Bengal as we played better in the second half. But we have to do well for 90 minutes. I’m looking for that match where we can be happy after playing well for the entire match,” expressed Vicuna.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt has indicated they are in desperate need of Samir Nurkovic's services on the field sooner rather than later.

The veteran tactician watched on as his charges failed to score against Angolan side CD Primeiro de Agosto in the Caf Champions League first-round first-leg match which ended in a 0-0 draw at FNB Stadium on Wednesday. 

Amakhosi have struggled to score goals especially in the Champions League having netted once in three matches and Hunt has been unable to use the team's top scorer from last season, Nurkovic. 

“He is training. So hopefully we can get him on the field in the new year," Hunt said on The Citizen. 

"I hope so because I think he would have had a few [goals] by now. Last season when Chiefs started so well the goals came from him, we need that.”

Hunt announced that the Serbian striker was fit despite him still being sidelined from the squad earlier this month.

Reports indicating that contract negotiations appear to have stalled Nurkovic's return to the team then emerged and there has been plenty of speculation linking him with a move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

The 28-year-old's contract with Amakhosi is due to expire in June 2022 and the club has made it clear that he is not for sale. 

Meanwhile, Hunt is happy with his side’s improvement in attitude since he took over despite the team having endured a poor start to the 2020/21 season. 

“I think the biggest thing is the attitude [improvement]. We were in a unique situation, it was the same for everyone with the [Covid-19] epidemic," he said. 

"But with them [my squad], to come so close [to the title] and lose, it was a bit of a shock for everyone. It took time for them to get their heads around it.

"And there were no ins and outs in terms of transfers [Chiefs are serving a Fifa transfer ban], you could have freshened the place up very quickly."

Chiefs are winless in their last five matches across all competitions, but they have lost one game and recorded four draws and Hunt feels there are positives in how the team is playing. 

“But you can see [improvement], [at the start] when I looked through them you could see through their heads and out the back," he added. 

"Now we are at least seeing matter, it is coming slowly. Wins help, they haven’t happened but we are certainly playing better.”

Amakhosi are scheduled to face Agosto in the second-leg match in Angola on January 6. 

In a bid to get their maiden win in Indian Super League (ISL) East Bengal take on Chennaiyin FC at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, on Saturday evening.

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 TEAM NEWS

East Bengal Possible XI:   

Injured - Aaron Hamadi, Loken Meitei
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Danny Fox, Anthony Pilkington

Chennaiyin FC Possible XI: 

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - Reagan Singh

Key Players -  Rafael Crivellaro, Anirudh Thapa

The seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL) is underway for over a month and the league table has gradually started to take shape. It is evident that some teams are still trying to find their feet in the competition, whereas a few have already got into a rhythm and are picking up the three points more regularly. 

Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan are at the top of the pack with 16 points apiece while Bengaluru FC are close on their heels with 12 points. Upon taking a closer look at their team composition, the three outfits have one distinct feature in common - they have not only held on to their key players from the previous season.

ATK Mohun Bagan have chosen to stick with their winning formula and have not tinkered much with their squad. The think tank remains the same with Antonio Habas at the helm of affairs and the management has obliged the coach by retaining the linchpins who had played a significant role in ATK landing their third ISL (Indian Super League) title in six years. 

To put matters into perspective, the team have retained 21 players from the previous campaign, the most by an ISL side. Against Kerala Blasters in their opening match, nine out of the 11 starters had played together in the last campaign.  Also, they have not chopped and changed in the overseas contingent as only Tiri and Brad Inman have been added to their roster, with the Spanish centre-back a direct replacement for retired defender Agustin Garcia. And Habas is certainly reaping the benefits.

In the attacking third, Roy Krishna has carried on his rich vein of form in this edition and has already five goals to his name in seven matches. In midfield, Carl McHugh has been outstanding with his game reading skills and ball distribution. He is being ably supported by familiar faces like Pronay Halder, Jayesh Rane and Prabir Das. If Soosairaj had not got injured he would have been another name in the starting XI who knows Habas' tactics inside.  

The Mariners are yet to concede from open play and although much of the credit should go to Antonio Habas for his defensive organisation, one should also consider the fact that they have bolstered their backline by hiring the services of India international Sandesh Jhingan and a dependable centre back like Tiri. 

Similarly, Bengaluru FC have also held on to their match-winners in key positions and have brought in Cleiton Silva and Kristian Opseth to solve their goalscoring woes. The philosophy has been simple, retain the experienced performers who know the coach's blueprint.

In their 4-2 win against Kerala Blasters, the Blues had eight players on the pitch who had been together for a considerable period of time. The number could have nine if Rahul Bheke was match fit. The two new faces were Silva and Opseth who are slowly getting into the groove after taking a few games to settle down. 

Set-pieces have been their forte and it boils down to their amazing understanding with each other during the dead-ball situations. Each one of them knows their job perfectly and the execution shows the chemistry that they share with each other. 

Meanwhile, although Sergio Lobera finds himself in a new ship, he has been fortunate enough to get the sailors from the previous one.  Mourtada Fall, Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous, Mandar Rao Desai have all followed their manager from Goa to Mumbai and they are doing well after taking a couple of initial games to get their bearings in place. 

Jahouh continues to be the anchor in midfield whereas, Bomous in a more advanced role is producing the goods that Lobera expects from him. Having a quality striker in Adam Le Fondre has further eased his task, as the French midfielder loads the bullet for the forward to pull the trigger. 

Another new recruit in Cy Goddard has also adapted pretty well to Lobera's methods and is proving himself to be an undisputed starter. Hence the synergy between midfield and attack is almost perfect which is one of the primary reasons behind Mumbai's effectiveness.

The pandemic has made matters complicated for teams as they have had to settle with a short pre-season and a limited number of friendlies. In fact, Bagan did not play any preparatory match going into the fixtures. Therefore, teams who have gone for wholesale changes are taking more time to find the right combination. East Bengal started their preparations in the last week of October and it might be one of the reasons behind their poor run of form. 

But these three sides have played it smart and safe during the squad building exercise. With only 20 matches to play, the teams who get a good start certainly have an advantage over the others. The top three have done the initial bit to perfection, and now it remains to be seen whether they can keep the momentum till the business end.

Odisha FC find themselves in the 10th spot with just two points from seven games. Hyderabad are a little well off with nine from six matches but are certainly struggling to get the wins. Both these teams, apart from their on-field hardships, have one thing in common- they have chosen to register just six foreigners instead of the full quota of seven. 

If a couple of players get injured then the coach does not have an option but to field a team without making the most of the permitted quota of five overseas players. Hyderabad have been the most unfortunate victim in this campaign as they have been ravaged by injuries to key players since the beginning. 

Fran Sandaza is yet to take the pitch, as he has been nursing an injury, whereas, Joel Chianese and Lluis Sastre have had managed to play only one and two games respectively. Manager Manuel Marquez has had the luxury to field all five foreigners in the starting line-up only once in this season, that was against Bengaluru FC. However, even in that game, Hyderabad could not field five foreigners throughout the 90 minutes.

In most games, the Spaniard has been fielding only three overseas faces and against ATK Mohun Bagan the number came down to two, which highlights the misery of the manager. With a bit of luck, Indian players stepping up and Aridane Santana's prowess upfront, the Nizams are not languishing like Odisha at the bottom. But they are starting to realise the cost of going into the fixtures with just six foreigners. 

Meanwhile, the Juggernauts have struggled in almost every department on the pitch. Arguably their best player in the squad, Marcelinho, is struggling to get minutes for reasons best known to the coach. But what is clear is that the team has not been built around his strengths. 

The team is clamouring for some fresh impetus but their options are limited on the bench as the think-tank thought they could manage with six foreign players. Diego Mauricio, after a good start, lost his way a little bit before scoring against NorthEast United. Manuel Onwu is not getting the services from the wide areas, Cole Alexander looks short of gas in midfield to dictate proceedings whereas Steven Taylor and Jacob Tratt's defensive pairing is as brittle as a porcelain vase.

In this kind of situation, where most of the players are going through a rough patch it is always better to have that one extra option on the bench who might just turn out to be the difference-maker. And Baxter who is desperate for a messiah is in dire need of that seventh foreigner. 

FC Goa is another side who has opted to sign six overseas players. Although the Gaurs are not struggling to the extent of Hyderbad and Odisha. But they are definitely far from their fluent best. It is not easy to replace the likes of Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous and Goa need that anchor in the centre of the park who can control the game from a deep-lying position. 

They have Alberto Noguera in their ranks but in this season it is essential to have a cover for such key players. 

Like, Juan Ferrando chose to rotate against Jamshedpur FC and left out the Spanish midfielder which created a void. In Noguera's absence, Edu Bedia was forced to operate from a deeper position and hence they was no one up front who could unlock Jamshedpur's defence. Therefore, it is no surprise that Goa had to rely on set-pieces to get the three points from the match. 

Due to the Coronavirus, the teams have not got the opportunity to carry out a proper preseason, which is leading to more frequent injuries. Rotating the squad has become the order of the day. In these circumstances, having a strong squad has become the key to success. But by signing just six foreign players, the teams have given enough options to the manager.

Mikel Arteta says beating Chelsea on Boxing Day would be "the best medicine" for "suffering" Arsenal in a "crucial" festive period.

Arteta has come under increasing pressure with the Gunners languishing in 15th in the Premier League table.

They also crashed out of the Carabao Cup with a 4-1 quarter-final defeat at home to Manchester City on Tuesday.

Arsenal are without a win in seven top-flight matches, picking up just two points since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on November 1.

Arteta says a London derby victory over Frank Lampard's side would be the perfect remedy ahead of trips to fellow strugglers Brighton and Hove Albion and West Brom.

The Arsenal manager said: "At the moment, to keep the team together, to keep the team alive and to be a team, not a group of players, it takes a lot of energy because when you are losing football matches you have to lift them up, to get them together.

"You have to get them all being positive to each other, to not blame each other or any external factor when things are not going well.

"The best thing to do when you have a situation like that is to have the possibility to do things outside of the site, get them together in a change of environment, but at the moment, with Covid [restrictions], we cannot do it and probably we are not going to be able to do it in a while.

"We have to try other ways, but I have to say the players are really putting in a lot of energy enthusiasm not to lose what we are building, but it takes a lot of energy because we are losing games.

"Every game is a lot of weight on your shoulders, it's a lot of disappointment and people are suffering. We are hurting and suffering and we have to get back, start believing again and try to push the players, then they respond and are excited for the game.

"The best medicine, better than anything than can happen outside of our facilities, is to win against Chelsea."

Arsenal are only four points above the relegation zone and Arteta knows they have to turn the tide in a key period.

"I think the next seven to eight days are going to be crucial to see where we are going to be heading in the Premier League." the Spaniard said.

Pep Guardiola has hailed Phil Foden as one of the most "incredible" players he has seen at his age and said he can go to another level after learning to "slow down."

Midfielder Foden has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances for City this season.

The 20-year-old England international scored City's third goal with a sublime finish and put one on a plate for Aymeric Laporte in a 4-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal on Tuesday.

Foden found the back of the net eight times and set up nine goals last season, so he is well on course to improve on those tallies ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Newcastle United.

City boss Guardiola rates Foden as one of the most gifted players he has set eyes on around his age group and commended his desire to improve, but said he will only reach his peak with more experience under his belt.

The Spaniard said: "They [younger players] have incredible energy, but in the final decision, final pass, they have to slow down. The energy for a guy of that age, he wants to win the world, beat the world and be important.

"It's normal, but you need experience to be more calm. He plays football in the same rhythm, football must be need played in different rhythms: sometimes you have to walk, sometimes you have no rhythm, sometimes you have to change the rhythm.

"He has to understand this, but it is experience, it's not saying you have to do it [now], it's time. He has incredible skills and many other things and we will be incredibly patient, it's not easy for a young player to rise as he has in a club like this, playing important games and with the national team.

"There will be a moment when he slows down, it's a normal process for all young players. You just have to stick with them and be patient.

"Every time with patience and a desire to be a better player you will get it, there's no doubt. I know we can trust and rely on him all the time."

Guardiola is confident Foden has the ability to score many more goals for City.

Asked how many he is capable of scoring, he said: "A lot. The signs are good. In front of the keeper he has this composure. He has something that the other ones don't have.

"He just has to keep this incredible strength he has and to improve. A player of 28, 29, 30 years old also has margin to improve, so imagine a guy of 20 years old like Phil. The important thing is his desire and commitment and he is a joy to watch in the training sessions and in the games he will improve."

Guardiola added: "He is one of the more incredible players I have seen at that age, he is so good. I was in Barcelona, I was in Bayern Munich and yes there were more experienced players, but I saw in the academy and there were incredible players at that age.

"They had long careers and they had the mentality that Phil has and that's the most important thing."

City will be without Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker when they host Newcastle after they tested positive for coronavirus.

It hasn't been the best of starts for East Bengal in their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) season. The Kolkata club are yet to register a win in their first six matches and are placed at the bottom of the league table with just two points.

The Red and Golds have already conceded 11 goals and have managed to score just three. It took them a whopping 350 minutes to score their first goal in the ISL.

The above statistic gives us a fair idea that the Red and Golds do not have the firepower to score goals at will. The likes of Balwant Singh, CK Vineeth and Jeje Lalpekhlua have not really impressed as the main striker. In fact, after running of options, coach Robbie Fowler fielded former Irish international Anthony Pilkington as the team's number 9, who has played predominantly as winger all his career, in their last match against Kerala Blasters.

The East Bengal coach has experimented with different permutations and combinations in the six matches the team played so far. They've played with a back three and also back four at times. While they played 476 passes against ATK Mohun Bagan and kept 59 per cent ball possession, against Mumbai City, Fowler's men played 365 passes and had 46 per cent possession.

Fowler has also been forced to take a pragmatic approach against Jamshedpur FC. After going pointless in their first four matches, East Bengal were, for most parts, desperate for at least a draw against Jamshedpur. The early sending off of Eugeneson Lyngdoh actually played a key role in that decision. East Bengal did well to hold off Jamshedpur and gain a point. 

In their last game against Kerala Blasters, Fowler was once again seen focusing on defensive solidity and rely on counters while going forward. From one such counter, the Red and Golds had managed to take the lead. The first half goal had made Fowler even more defensive and they almost held on, only for Jeakson Singh's last-gasp goal to spoil their party.

Robbie Fowler doesn’t have the personnel to keep the ball and play a possession-based game. In the last game against Kerala Blasters, they started the tie by pressing high and winning the ball high up the field to launch quick counterattacks. 

In the three games where they saw more of the ball – ATK Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United and Hyderabad FC – it was more a case of the opponent allowing them to have more possession. Antonio Habas lined-up his team to hit on counterattacks, NorthEast United are known to sit back and play direct while Hyderabad only had three foreigners against them which made keeping the ball difficult.

Even when they do have more possession, they aren’t able to penetrate, nor do they have a proper number nine, and in good form, to hold the ball and bring the midfielders into play. They need to focus on defensive solidity and ensure that they do not give away cheap goals, as has been witnessed in their games against Kerala and Hyderabad.