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Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Brandon Peterson says he is not ready to relocate to Limpopo following the sale of the Braamfontein outfit to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

The former Ajax Cape Town goalkeeper has been strongly linked with Orlando Pirates, who are reportedly interested in a number of Wits players including captain Thulani Hlatshwayo.

Although he has cited family reasons for his unpreparedness to move out of Gauteng, that stance appears to be fuelling the Bucs rumours.

With most Wits players on the move in the next transfer window, Peterson has however said that he has not been in talks with any club.

“As things stand, I am still a Wits player. I haven't had any discussions with any club. My agent [Lance Davids] is still busy binding things for me. I am from Cape Town and it was already difficult to come to Gauteng,” said Peterson as per Sowetan Live.

“My wife is pregnant and she's due in August... she's already relocated from Cape Town to here [Gauteng]. It's my second child now. I don't think it'd be a nice thing for us to move to Venda.

“My focus is still on Wits. I am happy we'll be returning soon. We will keep on fighting to make sure we have good memories of the club's last season.”

Peterson arrived at Wits from Ajax at the start of the current season and has managed five clean sheets in 11 appearances and conceded eight goals.

Pirates’ rumoured interest in the goalkeeper comes as they have been in the hunt for a gloveman for next season and have been linked with Peterson’s Wits teammate Ricardo Goss who has however chosen Mamelodi Sundowns.

Maritzburg United goalkeeper Richard Ofori has for the better part of the season been talked to be a target of Pirates.

The arrival of a new goalkeeper at the Buccaneers is likely to see the departure of one between Sandilands, Frenchman Joris Delle and Siyabonga Mpontshane who form the Pirates goalkeeping department.

Liverpool's trip to Manchester City next week will take place at the Etihad Stadium after council officials decided there was no need to move the game.

The July 2 fixture had been earmarked as one that was being considered for being moved to a neutral venue, as Liverpool close in on the Premier League title.

Concerns that Liverpool fans could gather in large numbers, at a time when the coronavirus pandemic remains a threat to public health, had led to suggestions some games could be moved.

Greater Manchester Police has been carrying out risk assessments of Premier League games in the area, and the visit of Liverpool has now been cleared by Manchester City Council.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman, an executive member for skills, culture and leisure, said: “The council's safety advisory group [SAG] for the Etihad Stadium met this morning to review the upcoming fixture between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC.

"Following the most recent round of Premier League fixtures, which have all taken place behind closed doors, the SAG has signalled it has no objections to the above fixture taking place at the Etihad Stadium as planned at 8.15pm, Thursday July 2.

"As with all other Premier League matches this fixture will take place behind closed doors, with no fans present."

Liverpool have moved to the brink of becoming English champions for the first time since 1990 after a 4-0 home win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday left them needing a maximum of two points from their remaining seven games.

There is a possibility of the title being secured before Liverpool head to Manchester, with City needing to win at Chelsea this Thursday to delay celebrations on Merseyside.

Jurgen Klopp's side would make certain of the title with a draw at City, given Pep Guardiola's team are the only side that can mathematically catch Liverpool.

After making the best-ever start to a season by a club in Europe’s top five leagues in 2019-20, Liverpool were on a relentless march towards the Premier League title, but Jurgen Klopp's side were struck a cruel blow by the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, with real concerns that the Premier League could be cancelled early.

Luckily for the Reds and their supporters, who are hoping to end decades of disappointment, the Premier League restarted in June after three months of no games, meaning the fight continues for silverware.

After delivering two assists to the Chelsea cause in their battling 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, Blues legend Pat Nevin has joked that the Spaniard is having “difficulty in remembering where a right full-back is supposed to play”.

Frank Lampard’s top-four hopefuls required inspiration from somewhere after falling behind against relegation-threatened opponents at Villa Park.

The unlikely source of Azpilicueta was to help turn the tide in their favour, with the club’s long-serving captain stepping up to lead by example.

It was the direct result of his efforts that led to Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud completing a come-from-behind triumph for Chelsea in the west Midlands.

Azpilicueta – who is affectionately known as ‘Dave’ by those at Stamford Bridge - has always been a reliable option for the Blues across his eight years in English football, but is better known for his defensive steel than attacking flair.

The versatile 30-year-old has, however, shown that he is capable of making important contributions at both ends of the field, with some more creative options being overshadowed on a Premier League stage.

“Cesar Azpilicueta has great difficulty in remembering where a right full-back is supposed to play! And I mean that in the most positive way possible,” Nevin told Chelsea’s official website when reflecting on a welcome win over Villa that has kept the Blues in a Champions League hunt.

“Dave was brilliant throughout, with a whole bunch of quality crosses, and he spent more time positioned as a right winger than he did as a right full-back.

“My thinking before the game was that he would have his hands and head full keeping Jack Grealish quiet, but he decided he would be even more creative than one of the Premier League’s most exciting and creative players.

“If you are playing number 10 and you get two assists, one from the right wing and one from the left wing in open play, you would be very happy, but doing that from right-back was amazing.

“I did some analysis just before the shutdown saying I thought he was becoming one of our most dangerous attackers and it got a few raised eyebrows in response. It doesn’t seem in the slightest bit weird now. He even had a near-post header at Villa Park that was unlucky to miss.”

Chelsea will be hoping that Azpilicueta can put in another talismanic performance in their next outing, with the Blues preparing to play host to Manchester City on Thursday.

PSG have agreed a deal for another young academy talent to sign his first professional contract with the club, after Thierno Balde signed a three-year deal, Goal understands.

The 18-year-old defender follows team-mate Kenny Nagera in signing with the Ligue 1 champions, with the deal set to be officially confirmed by the club in the coming days.

Discussions between PSG and Balde have lasted several weeks, with the French side determined not to let another young talent slip through their fingers.

Central defender Balde has impressed senior staff in his journey through the academy levels at PSG, and this season appeared four times in the UEFA Youth League - the junior level equivalent of the Champions League - although they went out at the group stage after finishing behind Real Madrid and Club Brugge.

He also helped them to the quarter-finals of the Coupe Gambardella - the cup competition for French Under-19 club teams - before the competition was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, he helped the side to third place in the Championnat National U19 League, behind Le Havre and Amiens.

Balde joins 18-year-old striker Nagera in signing his first professional terms with PSG, as the Parisians attempt to protect their best young assets from transfer interest domestically and from around Europe.

Their decisions to remain at PSG are a major boost for the club, who have recently lost defender Tanguy Kouassi on a free transfer to Bayern Munich, while midfielder Adil Aouchiche also looks likely to depart this summer.

With Ligue 1 curtailed and the club handed the domestic title once more, Thomas Tuchel's side only have their currently unscheduled Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals to complete on the domestic front, while they await confirmation of who they will face in the Champions League quarter-finals in Lisbon during a condensed mini-tournament style finale.

The decision to cancel the rest of the French top-flight campaign - one of only a few European nations to do so because of Covid-19 - ensured that PSG retained their crown and a place in the Champions League once again next term.

Tuchel's men were 12 points clear of second-place Marseille with a game in hand when the action was stopped, and were subsequently named champions for a third successive season on a points-per-game basis.

Manchester United will win the title again if they sign Harry Kane, according to Jamie O'Hara, who says Old Trafford is the ideal destination for the Tottenham star to fulfil his trophy ambitions.

Kane has proved himself as one of the top strikers in European football since bursting onto the scene at Tottenham in 2014. The 26-year-old has hit a staggering 182 goals in 280 appearances for Spurs, with his latest effort coming in a 2-0 win over West Ham on Tuesday.

The England international has missed a large portion of the 2019-20 season through injury, and his second-half strike against the Hammers was his first of 2020.

Despite his struggles for fitness, Kane has been Tottenham's top scorer once again, netting 18 in all competitions, but he is still waiting to pick up the first major piece of silverware of his career.

The prolific centre-forward admitted in March that he would not hesitate to leave Spurs if he feels as though no progress is being made on the elite stage, and United are reportedly among those keeping a close eye on his situation.

The Red Devils have yet to bring in a natural replacement for Romelu Lukaku up front, with Anthony Martial currently filling that role impressively, and O'Hara thinks Kane could be the man to help bring back the glory days at Old Trafford.

“Listen, I would love to see him stay at Spurs,” the former Tottenham midfielder told Talksport. “But they have to match his ambition.

“He wants to win trophies and Man United, for me, are still the biggest club in the world. Even though they are not where they were, they are still the biggest club in the world, and I think the missing piece in that United team, even though Martial is a fantastic player, if they did sign someone like Harry Kane then you are talking about a team that wins the title again.”

Martial hit a superb hat-trick during United's 3-0 win against Sheffield United on Wednesday, taking his tally for the season to 19 in the process.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was effusive in his praise of a prized asset post-match, but O'Hara is not certain the Frenchman can be a permanent number nine for the Red Devils.

“I think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit the nail on the head really when he said he is capable of doing that, and he is," O'Hara added. “I mean, he can be a world-class player, he showed yesterday how good he was with his finishing in and around the box.

“For me, the jury is still out on him in terms of whether he can be the number nine at Man United who is going to go on and be a legend and win them trophies.

“Personally, I don’t think that is him, I don’t think he is quite at that level. When you talk of the players they have had over the years; Rooney, Tevez, Van Nistelrooy, Van Persie, I just don’t know if Martial does it enough on a weekly basis to win them a title.”

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), the organisation responsible for delivering the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has confirmed the first death due to Covid-19 among its workforce engaged in various World Cup-related projects.

The victim was a 51-year-old specialist engineer who was employed by one of SC's contractors who had been working in the projects since 2019.

"Sadly, on June 11, 2020, a 51-year-old specialist engineer employed by the contractor Conspel, tragically died after contracting COVID-19," a statement from SC read.

"He had worked on Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy projects since October 2019 and had no underlying health issues. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

The Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc throughout the world and SC confirmed the first cases of the infection among its workforce back in April. Along with the announcement, the SC had also laid down the list of preventive measures they had taken to ensure the spread is contained.

Various mitigation measures had been adopted by the SC including distribution of masks and sanitisers across all the World Cup project sites. The SC established quarantine and isolation facilities in all the sites. A process to check and monitor the body temperature of workers twice a day was implemented.

This is in addition to various awareness classes and campaigns run to ensure the workers are well abreast of the issue and know how to safeguard themselves.

SC also initiated a risk assessment review of their existing caterers' kitchen facilities and suggested upgrades to a few and identified those that needed replacement to maintain hygiene in order to mitigate the crisis.

The organisers have also mentioned that the work at the World Cup sites had slowed down due to the pandemic and the preventive measures it had undertaken. But since 80 per cent of the work had alerady been completed they don't expect any slowdown in terms of completing the projects. The work is on time.

Just two weeks back, SC had unveiled the Education Cuty stadium after a digital launch.

Liverpool fans would welcome Philippe Coutinho back to the club with open arms, says Emile Heskey, with the Brazilian playmaker still considered to be a “wizard” despite his struggles at Barcelona.

A 2018 transfer to Camp Nou has not played out as hoped for the South American schemer.

Coutinho chased the dream when leaving Merseyside for Catalunya, but a spell with La Liga giants has quickly become a nightmare – with a season-long loan at Bayern Munich failing to wake him from his slumber.

Another switch is now being mooted for the 28-year-old, with the Premier League considered his most likely destination. Plenty of teams in England are being linked with moves to land a player who starred during a productive five-year stint at Anfield.

Liverpool are yet to show their hand, with many suggesting that the Reds have moved on and have no need to build bridges with a player who forced his way through the exit.

Heskey, though, feels that Coutinho could still offer plenty to a side that has lacked a creative No.10 in his absence, with fond memories still held of his 54 goals and 45 assists for the Reds.

"What he did when he was with the Reds was phenomenal," former Liverpool striker Heskey told Sky Sports. "He's a phenomenal player and everything good Liverpool did at that time went through him

"So I think he would be welcomed back with open arms at Liverpool and the fans would absolutely love to have him back - but are you getting that same player back?

"Generally you don't but ask any Liverpool fan, they would love to have Coutinho back and that wizard playing in the midfield there."

Heskey added: "When you look at Philippe Coutinho, a lot of the good stuff went through him. He was the main player at Liverpool and he felt that way.

"When he went to Barcelona where you have Lionel Messi in the side and then you become a secondary or sometimes third or fourth in line then it can dent your confidence a bit, especially when you've come from a team where the focus is all on you.

"You've got to adapt your game and sometimes players can't adapt that and then going to Bayern, it could possibly be the same. They've got players in there that are established and know what they want to do and he's got to fit into that and sometimes that's hard."

The Premier League is broadcast to supporters worldwide and Amazon Prime has joined the list of platforms showing matches in the United Kingdom.

The live-streaming service, which has already dipped its toe into the drama of English football with documentaries about Manchester City and Steven Gerrard, secured a three-year UK broadcast deal until 2022.

Goal brings you everything you need to know about Amazon Prime's Premier League offering.

Contents

Which 2019-20 Premier League matches will be on Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime was initially set to broadcast a total of 20 Premier League matches a season for the next three seasons.

However, the streaming service's offering was increased slightly following the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, with a four games made available to watch for free.

Those free games will also be made available to watch on Twitch, according to a report in Deadline.

You can see the full list of 2019-20 Premier League games on Amazon Prime below.

Tuesday December 3, 2019

Wednesday December 4, 2019

Thursday December 5, 2019

Thursday December 26, 2019 (Boxing Day)

Friday December 27, 2019

Monday July June 29, 2020

Thursday July 9, 2020

Saturday July 11, 2020

*Available to watch for free

As well as the above selection of live matches, Amazon Prime also offers users the chance to see game highlights each week.

You can also stay up to date on the latest games being broadcast live in the UK on our dedicated page.

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How much does it cost to watch Premier League on Amazon Prime?

A yearly subscription to Amazon Prime costs £79 a year or £7.99 a month, similar to other streaming services such as Netflix. There is a 30-day free trial on offer for new members too.

Once you subscribe, the aforementioned Premier League matches can be watched on any smart TV, mobile device or via an Amazon Fire Stick.

Of course, a subscription will not only grant access to live games and highlights, but the full range of Amazon Prime programmes, including the aforementioned documentaries and others including 'Take the Ball, Pass the Ball', which focuses on the Guardiola-era Barcelona team, and the Zlatan Ibrahimovic study, 'Becoming Zlatan'.

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Asaph Mwebaze has explained why most of the current Ugandan coaches are not the best compared to the previous ones.

Mwebaze, who has been in charge of Maroons FC, Onduaparaka FC and Nyamityobora FC before, says in the recent past, coaches were led by passion something which is not the case with modern tacticians. 

“The best coaches in Uganda are those that actually got that education first before the advent of Caf courses,” Mwebaze said as was quoted by Sports Nation .

“It was first a calling and then passion took over. Lately, there are so many overly educated football coaches but have failed to master the art of the game.

“To understand football, you must be an enthusiast and a fanatic at the same time.

“Most of our peers talk a good game especially on social media and in the press but it is difficult to see when you watch the games.”

Mwebaze pointed out exactly what he thinks is wrong with the current crop of coaches who are in charge of most league clubs in the country.

“We all cannot play like Barcelona but can play like Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Stoke City or even Bright Stars under coach Kajoba Fred,” added the tactician.

“Many coaches don’t understand football as a structural building but as a makeshift tent! Every team must be built with a foundation to do specifically something in order to attain the end goal.

“But this is not what we see nowadays, we see a lot of copy and paste which may not be relevant to the topics of each football team.”

Mwebaze feels the best place for any aspiring coach is to get the necessary experience from lower league sides.

“Every coach wants to start their careers in the top-flight league because they have the qualifications as per association rules. The experience that is needed in the Premier League can only be gotten in the lower divisions and the challenges in there,” he concluded.

“There in the lower leagues, you can experiment and control the outcome easily with less pressure if the aim of coaching was to get better and achieve more.

“But unfortunately, most coaches’ CVs read like the cream of the Uganda football league but without any tangible results to show.

“The fundamentals of coaching can be learned in district leagues, regional leagues and maybe to a very small extent in the [Fufa] Big League.

“So, any coach that hasn’t coached in those leagues will, by and large, fail the ultimate test in the Premier League.”

During the 2019/20 season, a number of top-tier clubs, including eventual champions Vipers SC, sacked and hired new coaches for what they termed poor results.

Barcelona's squad are in "perfect condition" for the end-of-season run-in and to pip Real Madrid to La Liga glory, according to Arturo Vidal.

Spain's top-flight resumed this month with defending champions Barca two points clear of Madrid, but that advantage was wiped out by the Blaugrana's stalemate with Sevilla last Friday.

Zinedine Zidane's side have won four out of four since the restart and are now top due to their superior head-to-head record against Barca, who are bidding to win a third title in a row.

Quique Setien's men won their last outing at home to Athletic club to put pressure on Madrid, but the Blancos maintained their advantage by beating Mallorca 2-0 Wednesday.

However, Vidal is optimistic Barca can handle the rigours of a hectic schedule that will see them play seven league games in the space of three weeks, with a view to picking up a third successive domestic crown.

"As the games are closer together we need to use the time as best we can to ensure we go into the next game in the best possible shape," he told FOX Sports.

"But I think we are in perfect condition to be champions.

"The great atmosphere among the team is an important factor. We have all become close friends and that helps on the field. It's very important because it really shows. I'm happy."

Barca's season will not end when their La Liga campaign concludes at Deportivo Alaves on the weekend of July 18-19.

Setien's side are still in the Champions League and have the second leg of their last-16 tie with Napoli to play in August, having drawn 1-1 in Italy back in February.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals are now one-legged games that will take place in Lisbon, the City which will also host the final, and Vidal is excited about the way the Champions League will finish.

"I like the format," he added.

"If we can beat Napoli it's going to be very odd because of how and where it's happening, in August and over single legs.

"But all-or-nothing games are the ones I like the best. I want to be important in those games."

James Rodriguez’s current situation at Real Madrid is a result of “bad decisions”, says fellow Colombian Faustino Asprilla, with the talented playmaker told he should have stayed at Bayern Munich.

The 2019-20 campaign has been another frustrating one for James at Santiago Bernabeu.

He has been restricted to just 14 appearances across all competitions, with Zinedine Zidane opting to favour other creative options.

More was expected from James when he returned to Spain in the summer of 2019, with a spark in his game having been rekindled during a productive two-year loan spell at Bayern.

Asprilla believes his compatriot should have been pushing to make that move permanent.

For the former Parma and Newcastle star, happiness can only be found when playing regularly.

James is being denied those opportunities at present, despite starting a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad, and has been advised to give greater thought to big decisions on his future.

Asprilla told Blu Radio: "It seemed very strange to me that James decided not to stay at Bayern Munich.

"These are the consequences of bad decisions. What is one's happiness?

"The happiness of a footballer is playing. They valued him more there.

"Cities have lots to do with families and players' decisions because, for example, lots of players would like to play for Manchester City, but the city is not what they expect and they get bored.

"I went to Newcastle. Where could be stranger? Impossible.

"I didn't get bored because I was happy where I was playing football.

"I've been in great cities, like Newcastle, where the sun didn't shine, where it snowed, then rained... a very strange thing."

James’ contract with Real is set to run for another 12 months, but interest in his services is expected to be shown in the next transfer window.

A move to the Premier League has been mooted on a regular basis in the past, with Asprilla having previously stated that he feels a fellow countryman should be exploring options in England.

He has said: Manchester United would be a good place for James. It’s been a while since they have been winning trophies and they are thinking about strengthening the team for next season.

“They’ve got good players – like Juan Mata, who plays in a similar style to James, although he’s a little more dynamic and attacking but I think James could easily fit into that side.”

Maritzburg United coach Eric Tinkler says a lack of football for three months is unprecedented but he hopes the Premier Soccer League (PSL) will share an update on when to return to training.

With the league’s governing body yet to communicate to the clubs, the country's minister of sport Nathi Mthethwa gave the clubs the go-ahead as to the return to training on the field of play on Monday.

On the other hand, PSL clubs have already started testing players for the coronavirus pandemic and the Bafana Bafana legend says they are raring to go back to the field.

“Well, we haven’t got back to training, obviously we are waiting for the PSL to give us the go-ahead, to allow us to go back or not go back to training,” Tinkler told Goal .

“The PSL has to give the go-ahead basically. Yeah [the pronouncement by the minister gives us hope]. Obviously everybody wants to get back to the field to play and get going again.

“But obviously we have to abide by all the rules. Especially now we have seen the cases have increased. So, you know we’ve got to be careful. It’s a concern to see some players getting infected but you saw it’s happening all over the world.

“It’s happening in Germany and in England. What is important is finding the cases early and isolate them as soon as possible.”

As they continue to train from home, the 2019/20 Telkom Knockout Cup losing finalist added it’s very important to know what will happen with the current season.

“So far, we are continuing what we’ve been doing for the past three months and I think everybody wants to know what will happen going forward - that’s what we all want,” he added.

“We want to see closure to the season and obviously want to see how and when can we start the new season. That’s what is on everybody’s mind and that’s not only in football, many industries are affected by this pandemic.

“Everybody is raring to go, to be in this situation we find ourselves in it’s not a good thing. Young people like to be out there and express themselves, to be locked up and quarantined for three months is a long, long time.”

Last week, South African Football Association (Safa) confirmed the government has green-lit PSL teams to return to training pitches, but the 16 PSL and 16 National First Division (NFD) clubs have to do and submit Covid-19 tests as one of the key regulations that have to be met. 

Meanwhile, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal are reportedly the provinces that have been earmarked by the PSL to host the national camp when the season resumes.

Liverpool should be bracing themselves for interest to be shown in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, says Reds legend Robbie Fowler, while Jurgen Klopp has been urged to snap up another left-back.

Those at Anfield are currently preparing for a Premier League title-winning celebration.

Domestic glory is being secured on the back of previous successes in the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

A star-studded squad on Merseyside has hit all of the targets it set out to achieve, which could lead to some seeking new challenges elsewhere.

Reports of interest in the likes of Salah and Mane are never far away, with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid said to be leading the chase, and Fowler concedes that Liverpool may have to fend off unwelcome advances.

The Reds legend told Premier League Productions: "There's going to be a little bit of talk about Mo Salah again and Sadio Mane.

"Good players ultimately get linked with top European clubs."

Regardless of whether or not there are any outgoings at Anfield in the next transfer window, Klopp is expected to dip back into the market for further reinforcements.

Fowler admits that finding suitable additions is not going to be easy, given the strength of Liverpool’s starting XI, but feels there are gaps to be filled when it comes to squad depth.

The former frontman added: "For a player to come into this team, it's going to be hard to make them any better because they are a really good side.

"Where I'd like to see them build is - think of the game against Everton where they probably struggled on the left-hand side.

"James Milner will never, ever let you down. Him coming into that left-back position, but if Andy Robertson does get injured again or does have a dip in form, I think we just need someone to cover Robertson just to strengthen the squad."

Liverpool are now just one win away from confirming their coronation as kings of English football, while the title could be handed to them if Manchester City fail to overcome Chelsea on Thursday, but Fowler believes Klopp will continue to play a strong hand for the remainder of the season.

He said: “I’m sure when the title is won, I think Jurgen will probably go for records.

“He’ll want to get over 100 points, he’ll want to remain unbeaten for the remaining games.

“Having seen the performance [against Crystal Palace] I’ve got a little sneaky feeling that it will be hard for any team to stop them.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will be “knocking on Jurgen Klopp’s door” once Liverpool wrap up a Premier League title triumph, says Danny Murphy, with there no chance of key men wanting to take in another break.

A three-month hiatus has already been taken in by star turns at Anfield this season, with the coronavirus outbreak forcing teams across the world into a period of lockdown.

A welcome return to competitive action has now arrived, with the schedule restarted in England on June 17, and Liverpool have moved ever-closer to securing a first top-flight crown in 30 years.

That line will be crossed at some stage in the near future, allowing long-awaited celebrations to be taken in on Merseyside – albeit at a safe social distance as fans still cannot attend games.

It has been suggested that Klopp may look to tinker with his selections once another piece of major silverware was been wrapped up, with another opportunity presenting itself to blood youngsters and give minutes to those on the fringes of the fold.

Murphy, though, cannot see prominent figures on Merseyside agreeing to step aside.

While collective success has been enjoyed, there are a number of important individual accolades still to be chased down – including the Golden Boot and notable Premier League records.

With that in mind, former Liverpool midfielder Murphy expects key men in Klopp’s squad to keep pushing for as many outings as possible.

He told Match of the Day: "If they were in the Champions League, I'd understand [resting players] more.

"But if I'm Mo Salah and I'm going for the golden boot or Mane or Trent [Alexander-Arnold, on track to challenge for the record of most assists in a Premier League season], I'd be knocking on [Klopp's] door saying I want to play these last few games.

"You want to be a part of the greatest team in Premier League history."

Liverpool have already sent a number of records tumbling in 2019-20, and there are still more to aim at.

Manchester City became the first side in English football to reach the 100-point mark when easing to a title win in 2017-18, but Klopp’s side have the potential to end the current campaign on 107.

The Reds will be back in action when facing City on July 2, with it possible that their coronation as Premier League kings will have been confirmed by then.

Ansu Fati's father has dismissed rumours linking his son with a move to Manchester United, insisting "everyone that leaves Barcelona then wants to come back".

The Red Devils are reportedly lining up a summer approach for Fati, who is currently enjoying a breakout season at Camp Nou.

The 17-year-old made his senior debut for Barca back in August and has since racked up 26 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring six goals.

Earlier this month, Blaugrana director Xavier Vilajoana ruled out the possibility of selling the Spain U21 international, while insisting he will become an "important player in the coming years".

Vilajoana told Sport: "For us, there's no story with Ansu, we have never spoken about selling him.

"We won't use players from the academy to make cash. In principle, we have no intention of selling the players we believe will make the first team."

Bori Fati is also certain the teenage winger will be staying put, and says he has heard nothing concrete regarding any potential interest from Premier League giants United.

The Barcelona starlet's father told Cadena Ser: "Ansu can't be a starter at Barca right now.

"I've always been happy since my son is at Barca ... I know nothing about Manchester United.

"Ansu and I are comfortable here in Barcelona. Everyone that leaves Barca then wants to come back."

Fati came on as a second-half substitute during Barca's last outing against Athletic Club on Tuesday, with Quique Setien's side managing to earn a 1-0 win at Camp Nou to stay hot on the heels of La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Ivan Rakitic scored the only goal of the game after being set up by Lionel Messi, who has now contributed 19 assists and 26 goals to Barca's cause in 2019-20.

Fati Sr went on to hail the six-time Ballon d'Or winner for being a master of his craft, as he added: "Messi is the father of all footballers there.

"If you are alongside Messi, you have to be delighted and thank God."

Messi, Fati and Co. will be back in action on Saturday, with a tough trip to the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos to take on an in-form Celta Vigo side on the cards.

Kenyan striker Ronald Okoth has explained why it will not be fair to compare Timo Werner and Didier Drogba at Chelsea.

Okoth discusses Drogba and the German who is currently serving RB Leipzig.

“It is always not fair to compare a younger player with a great, retired player at a club,” the former Western Stima and Mathare United star said in an interview with Goal.

“Players work under different managers and have to execute a different kind of play. Drogba and Werner, of course, are working in different eras so I think it would be unfair to make a comparison between the two players.

“These are two different kinds of players to say the least. I would rather see everyone conquer the league the way they want.

“It is fair for somebody to be judged to how they play and according to what they are offering currently instead of comparing him with another player.”

Chelsea recently announced the acquisition of the German striker and Okoth, a 2013 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) winner with Gor Mahia, examines whether he could be Drogba's replacement.

“I think every player has his own qualities and it is how each impacts the club but what I know is that Chelsea will not get another Drogba. It is now upon each striker to live up to expectations,” explained Okoth.

"The shoes which Drogba left at Stamford Bridge, and the fact he has been recognised with a stand, is quite a huge shoe to fill. 

“It is all about consistency and good performances and again one has to see that Chelsea have always been impatient. Drogba had a considerable longer stay at Chelsea and if Werner performs well as he has been doing in the Bundesliga, he has all the chances of making his name at Chelsea.

“Everything favours him, age at 24 is good for him, his match stats and the fact that he scores shows that he has everything to be a success at Chelsea. He just needs to be there for a very long time to be able to replicate the same things Drogba did.”

Drogba served Chelsea in two stints; from 2004 to 2012 where he scored 100 goals in 226 appearances and in 2014/15 where he managed four goals in 28 matches. Both stints were marked by club successes and Okoth examines why the London club has not been able to get a striker like him.

“We will never have another [Didier] Drogba the same way Kenya will not have another Dennis Oliech, and also we will not have another Michael Olunga. Every player has different qualities,” explained the Sofapaka striker.

“The difference has always been qualities and Drogba was a special player who was a natural striker. The height and physique favoured him. Almost everything worked for Drogba at Chelsea.

“Look at players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo they just have that natural ability and I think that is what exactly Drogba had when he wore the Chelsea shirt.

“The inborn ability he had was exceptional and such kind of players are always seen once in a generation. That is why, until today, we have not seen another Drogba in a Chelsea shirt. It could also be the last time we are seeing players like Ronaldo and Messi.

“In Africa, we might likely struggle and go for a very long time without seeing another Samuel Eto'o. There is the type of players who would come once in a lifetime due to their unique qualities. 

“That is what Drogba had.”

Any goalkeeper in the world would struggle when working behind Arsenal’s back four, says Charlie Nicholas, while Alexandre Lacazette is among those considered to be “not doing enough” at the opposite end of the field.

The Gunners have endured a humbling return to Premier League action on the back of a coronavirus-enforced break, with back-to-back defeats suffered against Manchester City and Brighton.

Any hopes the north London giants had of forcing their way into top-four contention appear to have been dashed as they now sit 11 points off the pace.

Mikel Arteta’s side have slipped into 10th spot in the table, with Europa League qualification and a challenge for FA Cup glory now representing the height of their ambition.

Familiar issues continue to hamper Arsenal’s plans, despite initial progress being made under a new coach, with defensive leaks failing to be plugged.

That cause has been done few favours by an untimely injury suffered by first-choice keeper Bernd Leno, with Emiliano Martinez having to step in.

Nicholas feels for the Argentine shot-stopper, with the Gunners struggling for inspiration across the board at present.

The former Arsenal forward told Sky Sports as Arteta readies his side for a meeting with Southampton on Thursday: “I thought Emiliano Martinez did well when he came on [against Brighton], but tell me any goalkeeper who could play behind this back four? They are left so exposed.

“Martinez slightly got it wrong for the last goal but did not play badly at all. I cannot work out where a result is coming from for Arsenal at the minute.

“Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked more lively, and I do like Alexandre Lacazette but he was out of sorts. He has to earn the right to play and he is not doing enough.

“Nicolas Pepe scored a great goal but is not doing enough either. Eddie Nketiah will probably get a nod again and I do not have a problem with that.

“How do you work it out for Arsenal? The defence is poor - Mikel Arteta left Kieran Tierney out, but he does need games to get fit. He needs games to get confidence, but how do you get that in this defence? He has been brought into this.

“I do not know what his midfield selection is. Matteo Guendouzi is a talent but he needs experience with him, while Dani Ceballos is good on the ball but not without it, and we are in an absolute mess at the minute.

“We do not usually get something at Southampton and the top four is long gone, but I would be grateful for yet another draw, just to get a point on the board.”

Wesley Onguso has revealed Dylan Kerr and the late Henry Omino remain the best coaches he has worked under.

The left-back worked with the late Omino at Western Stima in 2016 before leaving for Sofapaka a year later, and in 2018, he joined Gor Mahia where he met the Englishman.

"I have been under several top coaches in my footballing career," Onguso told Goal on Thursday.

"However, Kerr and the late Omino are the best I ever worked under; their qualities were unmatched.

"At Western Stima, [Omino] was literally a father figure to us. He knew how to handle us and even when we had wronged, he lovingly corrected us. We loved and respected him for that and on the pitch, we gave our best.

"For Kerr, his motivation was something else! He used to psych us up before matches and ensured every player is ready to play regardless of the opponent we were facing."

The experienced defender joined Nairobi City Stars in 2019 but spent about six months out of the field.

"It was my worst moment in football because I could not do anything," Onguso reveals.

"I fell sick, and thought it would take several weeks for me to be well, however, it was not the case. It took a whole six months for me to get back to playing shape. 

"Imagine, six months without playing football, it was not easy for me but I finally managed to shake off my problem."

So what are his best moments in football?

"I cannot forget 2018 because of winning the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) with Gor Mahia. It is a moment every player wishes to have and I feel privileged to have realized it.

"Also the 2019/20 season because we gave our best to help City Stars get back to KPL. It was not an easy campaign, but I am happy we managed to go all the way.

"Now that we are back in the top-tier, we want to make a statement as well by giving our best. Promotion is not enough, we are into the real challenge and we have to prove, on the pitch, that we are no pushovers."

Two games for Arsenal after the Premier League’s restart, and the situation for Mikel Arteta is looking fairly bleak.

Before the lockdown, results suggested they had put their hat in the ring for a Champions League spot, a situation that looked inconceivable when Arteta replaced Unai Emery in December.

However, defeats by Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion have now seen the Gunners fall 11 points behind Chelsea and nine adrift of Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Those twin defeats, 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium and 2-1 at the Amex Stadium, in isolation may not have been overly criticised in normal circumstances, however, the manner of both losses were truly unacceptable.

David Luiz’s half-hour of madness cost the North London club dear in their game in hand against City, while they failed to hold on to a second-half lead against a Seagulls side that were winless in 2020 before Saturday.

Barring an encouraging opening half-hour spell against Pep Guardiola’s side, the three-time top flight champions have been dire and largely listless in every area of the pitch.

One player who has impressed in the opening exchanges is Eddie Nketiah, who surprisingly led the attack when Alexander Lacazette would have been observers’ favourite to start in Manchester.

In a game devoid of any outstanding positives for the away side, as was the same at Brighton at the weekend, the 21-year-old frontman gave as good as he got until his substitution in the 67th minute.

Given the Gunners didn’t offer much in the way of attempts at the City goal (they could only muster three all night), it’s impossible to judge the youngster on his prowess in front of goal, for that game at least.

The England U-21 international got one of the visitors’ trio of attempts as he barely got a whiff of finding the back of the net, not to mention touch the ball inside the outgoing champions’ penalty area.

Still, with four of six ground duels won on the night, the talented striker sacrificed enough in and out of possession and showed he can thrive outside doing only the fancy stuff on the pitch. Only Kieran Tierney (won five duels) was more successful in his individual tussles out of Arsenal's players, and he played for the entirety of the match.

In Arsenal's troubled start back to action, few players have done a lot to commend them, but has Nketiah shown that he can be a key part of the club's future?

There have been positives and negatives in Arteta's time at the club, Nketiah being given a greater role in the team inclusive, but the enormity of the challenges facing the former Man City assistant threatens to overshadow the encouraging signs of the opening few months.

Despite the promising facets of his young frontman’s time in the side, the general feeling is that the 2019 Europa League finalists are at their best when Lacazette leads the attack and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang plays off the Frenchman on the left of the attack.

The former Olympique Lyon striker holds up the ball better and links play smoother than his wet-behind-the-ears teammate and still posts superior underlying numbers than the England youth international.

Lacazette creates one chance per game, while Nketiah manages 0.4 per match. This reflects in their assist numbers: three for the 29-year-old while the youngster is yet to set up a teammate in his embryonic time in the side. The experienced striker’s greater number of appearances (22 to seven) plays to his advantage, and maybe fails to present a balanced view as a consequence.

Still, his superiority in possession is the minimum level Nketiah has to reach at least if he’s to have a shot at leading the line at Arsenal in Arteta’s system.

It also goes without saying, but his efficiency in front of goal certainly needs to improve as the Gunners’ number nine.

With Aubameyang’s future in the air, and Lacazette considering his future as well if the club fail to qualify for Champions League football yet again next season, the young Anglo-Ghanaian frontman could find himself playing alongside Gabriel Martinelli, another hugely talented forward, next season.

The Brazilian has caught the eye in his debut season in English football, and has impressively become the first Gunners teenager since Nicolas Anelka to hit double figures in one season.

Chances of a consistent pairing with Nketiah remain slim for now given the established duo ahead of them in the pecking order, but the duo must persist in positioning themselves as the successors for their more established teammates.

While the 21-year-old has been decent since Arteta showed belief in him, Nketiah needs to improve his goalscoring and all-round play if he’s to win the hearts of Gooners and prove he can lead the line for years to come.