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Mutiu Adepoju revealed that Nigeria’s World Cup debut against Bulgaria is one of his biggest moments as a footballer.

The Super Eagles shrugged off threats from Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria to qualify for the competition for the first time – and were zoned in Group D against Argentina, Greece and Bulgaria.

Clemens Westerhof’s team made a winning start in the United States of America by defeating favorites Bulgaria 3-0, Dallas with Rasheed Yekini, Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke getting the goals at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

In that encounter, former Real Madrid midfielder Adepoju was introduced in the game as a 69th-minute substitute for Samson Siasia.

Sunday marks the 26th anniversary of the country’s maiden appearance and their famous victory over the Europeans.

And to celebrate the occasion, the LaLiga ambassador took to social media to express his delight being a part of history.

“On this day 26 years ago, I made history with Nigeria to feature in the country's maiden World Cup game,” Adepoju tweeted.

“The icing on the cake was a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria. This is no doubt one of the biggest highlights of my career as a footballer and I will never forget this day.”

Nigeria bowed 2-1 to Argentina at the Foxboro Stadium in the second game – with Claudio Caniggia’s brace cancelling out Samson Siasia’s opener after eight minutes.

Qualification for the next round was guaranteed following a 2-0 win against Greece which was made possible with Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi finding the ne.

The Africans’ fairy tale run came to an end in the Round of 16 owing to a 2-1 defeat to eventual runners-up Italy. Amuneke handed Nigeria a 26th minute lead before Roberto Baggio levelled scores for the Europeans in the 89th minute. He completed his brace in the 101st via a resulting penalty kick from Augustine Eguavoen’s clumsy challenge on Antonio Benarrivo.

Adepoju who also starred for Racing Santander and Real Sociedad made the country’s squad to the 1998 and 2002 World Cups staged in France and South Korea & Japan respectively before drawing the curtain on his international career after 48 caps and six goals.

Romelu Lukaku issued a rallying cry to his Inter team-mates after Sunday's 2-1 win over Sampdoria saw them move six points behind Serie A leaders Juventus.

Both Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez were on target in the first half at San Siro as Inter bounced back from their Coppa Italia aggregate defeat to Napoli in the semi-finals.

Antonio Conte's side were slick in the opening 45 minutes, but they took their foot off the gas after the interval and Morten Thorsby pulled one back for struggling Sampdoria.

However, the win saw Inter remain in touching distance of Juve and second-placed Lazio, who are five points above the Nerazzurri with 12 games remaining.

"It was very important to win, as from now to the end of the season it's 12 finals, they are all life or death," Lukaku told Sky Sport Italia ahead of Wednesday's clash with mid-table Sassuolo.

"Now we have to focus and get fired up for Wednesday.

"Every game is tough from now and they will not be easy for anybody. We worked really well in training, the team is in good shape physically, but we have to keep going and get even stronger, because it's going to be a game every three days."

Lukaku's 10th-minute opener took his tally to 18 goals in his first season in Serie A since 1990, a total that only Ruben Sosa, Ronaldo and Diego Milito have previously managed in their debut campaigns with Inter.

However, he was guilty of spurning two other opportunities when Inter were well on top, and Conte was frustrated that his team did not put the game to bed earlier.

"When you have the opportunity, you have to kill the opponent," added Conte, who was still frustrated with Inter's second-leg draw against Napoli eight days earlier.

"Just look at the game with Napoli: you have the opportunity to win it, it ends 1-1 and you are criticised.

"Today you had to be bad, determined, cynical...otherwise you get in trouble. It's not that you suffer, but you go from the possible 3-0 to 2-1, knowing that the game is as vital as they will all be from here to the end."

Former Manchester United player Quinton Fortune has set his sights on one day becoming manager at Old Trafford.

A utility player in his playing days, the ex-South Africa international moved to the Red Devils in 1999 and spent the next seven years at the club, playing 76 times and scoring five goals in the Premier League.

After hanging up his boots after a career that started in Tottenham’s youth system before making a move to Mallorca and Atletico Madrid, he has earned his coaching badges but does not have any experience as a first-team manager.

Undeterred, the 43-year-old wants the top job at Old Trafford one day as he identified his main ambition.

“I thought about that question yesterday for some reason and my first thought was to become the manager of Manchester United,” he told the Manchester United podcast.

"That's my dream. Of course, I'm starting now with the Under-23s and I'm learning a lot and I want to learn as much as possible because management changes so much in the game today.

"Look, I [may] have to go out and learn somewhere else and become a manager. But the dream, the ultimate dream, is to come back and be the manager of Manchester United. From what I've been through, I'm going for the highest level."

While the issue of institutional racism has been thrust into the public conscious in recent weeks , with critics pointing out just four of England’s 92 clubs are managed by a black man, Fortune wants to be given a role because of his qualities and not because of his race.

"I want to be given the job because of my ability," said the 43-year-old Fortune. "I want to always be judged because of my character and what I can bring to the team, not because of the colour of my skin.

"When you look at the game, you see a lot of black players but why are there not many black managers? I don't know what the reason is. I think if I go too deep into that it will block my way of thinking.

"I like to think I am going to work as hard as I can, get all my qualifications, prepare myself and not let that barrier stop me. And if there is a system put in place, great, but regardless of that I'm going to go and work anyway."

Manchester United recently returned to action with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham and next face Sheffield United in the Premier League on Wednesday. 

Arouna Kone was on the scoresheet to help Sivasspor claim a 2-2 draw with Konyaspor in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The 36-year-old striker was afforded his 23rd league appearance in the encounter and made a key contribution, scoring his fifth goal of the season.

The Yigidos hit the ground running in their quest to continue with their winning form after clinching victory last time out against Denizlispor.

Former Ivory Coast international Kone opened the scoring at the half-hour mark with a fine header which caught goalkeeper Serkan Kirintili napping.

Konyaspor, however, came back stronger just before the half-time break with two quick goals from Nejc Skubic and Deni Milosevic.

Moments before full time, second-half substitute Petar Skuletic scored an all-important equalizer to ensure his side avoided defeat away from home.

Kone featured for the duration of the game along with Gabon international Aaron Appindangoye while Malian Samba Camara replaced Marcelo Goiano in the 89th minute.

With the draw, Sivasspor are third on the league table with 53 points from 28 games after winning 15 games, drawing eight and losing five.  

They are below Trabzonspor and league leaders Istanbul Basaksehir, who are on 56 and 59 points respectively.

The 36-year-old enjoyed success playing for PSV, Sevilla, Wigan Athletic and Premier League side Everton.

Kone, who had 39 caps for Ivory Coast, has been with Sivasspor since 2017 and has scored 26 goals in 72 league games for the Turkish club.

The striker, who won the Eredivisie title twice with PSV and lifted the FA Cup trophy with Wigan, featured for the Elephants in their first World Cup appearance in 2016.

He was also part of the squad to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, where they were eliminated by the eventual winner, Nigeria in the quarter-final stage. 

The forward will hope to continue his impressive performance in front of goal and help Sivasspor return to winning form when they face Kayserispor on June 28.

Real Madrid climbed above Barcelona at the top of LaLiga as second-half goals from Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema clinched a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad. 

Barca's goalless draw with Sevilla on Friday handed Zinedine Zidane's men the chance to leapfrog their rivals at the summit - and they duly seized the opportunity with a hard-fought triumph on the road. 

Ramos put Madrid in front from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half, while Benzema added a second less than two minutes after Adnan Januzaj had a goal controversially ruled out for Sociedad. 

The visitors lost Ramos to injury and were given a scare when Mikel Merino pulled one back seven minutes from time, but they held on to make it three wins from three since the restart and overtake Barcelona by virtue of a superior head-to-head record.  

Madrid took nearly an hour to get going in their 3-0 win against Valencia last time out and it was a similar story here against top-four hopefuls Sociedad. 

Vinicius Junior fired over from a good position inside 110 seconds and was then denied by Alex Remiro late in the first half, either side of Benzema's low effort being kept out. 

But Madrid did not have to wait too long into the second half to find a breakthrough, Vinicius tripped by Diego Llorente as he was about to shoot after gliding past two players. 

Ramos made no mistake from the spot, the skipper equalling his best-ever LaLiga goals haul of seven by sending Remiro the wrong way. 

Madrid lost their captain to an apparent knee injury 10 minutes later and nearly suffered a bigger blow when substitute Januzaj picked out the corner with a low drive, only for Merino - deemed to be in Thibaut Courtois' line of sight - to be adjudged offside. 

Sociedad's pain was doubled when Benzema brought down Federico Valverde's cross and fired home, the goal allowed to stand despite a VAR check for a possible handball by the Frenchman. 

And despite an unmarked Merino thumping home at the back post, Madrid saw things through to keep their momentum going.  

What does it mean? Advantage Madrid in tight title tussle 

Barcelona looked well below par in their stalemate with Sevilla two days ago and Madrid made them pay with this well-earned victory.  

Zidane's side are level on 65 points with their bitter rivals but edge in front after taking four points from the two Clasico encounters earlier in the campaign. 

Vinicius steps up for Madrid 

Brought into the side for the rested Eden Hazard on the left of Madrid's front three, Vinicius was the visitors' liveliest player in the first half and won the penalty for the key breakthrough soon after the restart. 

James unable to take his chance 

It is no secret that James is not fancied by Zidane, this the Colombia international's first league start since October. He offered little during his 78 minutes on the field and may well have to wait a little while for his next opportunity to impress. 

What's next? 

The games keep coming thick and fast for both sides, with Madrid hosting Real Mallorca on Wednesday and Sociedad at home to Celta Vigo the same day. 

The Nigeria women's national team kit has been shortlisted for the best team jersey at the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.

The African champions made their eighth appearance on the global stage as the only African team and one of the eight different participating nations to appear in all editions.

The Super Falcons recorded their only win of the tournament in a 2-0 group stage triumph over South Korea but it was enough to take the West Africans to the Round of 16 for the first time since 1999. 

Despite crashing out from the tournament in the Round of 16, the Super Falcons' home kit is the only African country on the four-nation list to battle for the prize, which also includes Australia, Norway and Germany.

The home kit, which was designed by Nike and unveiled in 2018, sported a bright green and white zig-zag design spreading across the torso, with the sleeves also featuring a black zig-zag design.

While announcing the Nigeria nomination on Sunday, Fifa explained that the development was owed to the numerous reviews it received during the global showpiece a year ago.

The contest will see the Super Falcons lock horns once again, although this time off the pitch against group stage and Round of 16 foes in Norway and Germany.

Having bowed 3-0 to both the European teams last summer, the Africans will be eager to claim this one, converting their numerical strength as the world's seventh-most populous country. 

The winner will be decided by a fan poll on the Fifa handle, with a jersey with the highest votes to be declared the winner on Monday.

Mehdi Bourabia endured mixed feelings in Sunday's Serie A encounter as he scored for both teams in Sassuolo's 4-1 loss to Atalanta.

The Morocco international turned the ball into the back of his own net in the 37th minute to give the hosts a 3-0 lead before scoring Sassuolo's consolation goal in the 92nd minute.

A brace from Daniel Zapata and Berat Djimsiti's lone strike secured victory for Atalanta in their first Serie A match since March 1, after over three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Bourabia made his eighth appearance in the Italian top-flight on Sunday, and he was in action for the entire duration of the match but Ivory Coast's Jeremie Boga was on parade for an hour before he was substituted.

It turned out to be a dull outing for Boga who failed to register a single shot and a key pass even though he completed two dribbles before his substitution.

Gambia's Ebrima Colley was introduced as a 88th-minute substitute for Atalanta while Ivorian midfielder Hamed Traore was an unused substitute for Sassuolo.

The defeat left Roberto De Zerbi's side unmoved in the 12th place with 32 points after 26 games while Atalanta climbed to fourth in the Serie A table with 51 points.

Bourabia has struggled for regular playing time in De Zerbi's team so far this season, making four league starts out of eight games and garnering 373 minutes of football action in the Italian to-flight.

This season has been short of the fine debut campaign the Dijon-born midfielder enjoyed in 2018-19 following his €2.3 million move from Turkish Super Lig Konyaspor in July 2018.

The 28-year-old earned his maiden invitation to the Moroccan national team in October 2018 for their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Comoros.

He later made the Atlas Lions' 23-man squad for the 2019 Afcon in Egypt, and he made an appearance during their 1-0 victory over Namibia in the group stage before their Round of 16 exit against Benin.

Following his bizarre outing on Sunday, Bourabia will be hoping to redeem himself when Sassuolo visit third-placed Inter Milan for their next Serie A fixture on June 24.

Sergio Ramos’ effort to put Real Madrid 1-0 up away to Real Sociedad on Sunday was a historic strike as it pushed the centre-back to the top of La Liga’s all-time scoring charts for defenders.

Ramos, who converted from the penalty spot to break a scoreless stalemate at Anoeta, overtook former Barcelona man Ronald Koeman with the effort, taking him to 68 goals in his top-flight career.

The 34-year-old’s joy, however, proved to be short lived as he was forced off with a knee injury in the aftermath, following a challenge to deny the home side a scoring chance. He was later caught by television cameras with his knee heavily strapped and iced in the stands as he limped to his seat.

A Spain legend, having won both the European Championships (twice) and the World Cup with the national side, he began his professional career with Sevilla in 2004, scoring two goals in 39 top-flight outings with the Andalusian club.

He moved to Real Madrid in 2005 and has remained at Santiago Bernabeu ever since, playing a key role in the club winning four La Liga titles and the Champions League on as many occasions.

While his combativity has been one of his main assets throughout his career, he has also caught the eye with his ability to find the net, doing so nearly 100 times for the club.

His first La Liga goal for Los Blancos arrived back in 2005, when he scored away to Malaga in a 2-0 victory, but he had to wait until a 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna in 2006 before grabbing his first goal at Santiago Bernabeu.

He is currently in his most joint most prolific campaign in La Liga, having netted his seventh of the season against Sociedad. All of these goals have come since October, although he has been boosted by taking over penalty duties since the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer of 2018.

His kick against Sociedad was the fourth time he had netted from the spot in La Liga this term (plus one more in the Champions League), while he has only ever missed one of 17 he has taken for the club.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin rued the late chances Everton passed up to end their Merseyside derby misery against Liverpool.

The Toffees are now without a win in 19 Premier League matches against their near neighbours, although they almost stole the points after an obdurate defensive showing in a behind-closed-doors Goodison Park game.

Alisson was forced into a smart save from Calvert-Lewin's instinctive 80th-minute flick before Tom Davies struck the post on the rebound.

Calvert-Lewis then sent a diving header wide and Alisson denied Brazil colleague Richarlison to leave Liverpool five points away from their long-awaited title triumph.

"Yeah, it was just instinct at the end, we had a few chances but it wasn't our day," the England Under-21 international told Sky Sports.

"Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't and unfortunately today it didn't.

"Well take the point but that was a big chance for us today."

Normally played out amid a febrile atmosphere, Calvert-Lewin conceded a Merseyside derby without fans took some getting used to.

"It was strange, I can't lie to you," he said. "Playing with no atmosphere and no fans, it was a little bit bizarre for a game of this magnitude.

"Usually the place is bouncing and it was hard to get used to. But we play football for a living and it's all about focus.

"The only thing that changes is sometimes you get that little uplift from the fans when they're all roaring.

"That had to come from within today, which I think it did, and we were unlucky not to nick it."

Calvert-Lewin also acknowledged the lack of quality for large chunks of the contest was inevitable to some extent after the lengthy lay-off.

"Obviously it wasn't as sharp as you'd expect when we had the rhythm of the games before," he added.

"It's been a long time out and the players are a little bit rusty.

"Myself, my timing was a bit off, with my check challenges and my duels and things like that. Those are things you can't really replicate and it comes with games."

Lautaro Martinez ended his mini goal drought as Inter moved six points behind Serie A leaders Juventus with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria at San Siro. 

First-half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Martinez saw Antonio Conte's side bounce back in style from their Coppa Italia semi-final aggregate defeat to Napoli. 

Lukaku netted after just 10 minutes following a one-two with Christian Eriksen, while Martinez - a rumoured target for Barcelona - swept home 12 minutes before half-time to register his first goal since January. 

Morten Thorsby pulled one back for Samp after the break, but Claudio Ranieri's men were unable to conjure up a leveller.

While this was Sampdoria's first game since March, Inter were back in action after their Coppa Italia clash last weekend and they unsurprisingly looked a slicker, sharper outfit. 

They had the ball in the net within two minutes but Antonio Candreva was adjudged offside before squaring for Eriksen to finish, not that they had to wait too much longer for a legitimate goal. 

Martinez's clever backheel found Lukaku and the Belgian coolly converted after a one-two with Eriksen for his 18th goal in Serie A this term. 

Lukaku celebrated by dropping to his knee and raising his fist to recognise the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Inter went into the break 2-0 up as Lukaku picked out Candreva, whose first-time ball across the six-yard box was tucked away by Martinez. 

After the break, Lukaku could only sweep a good chance wide following more good work from Eriksen and Inter went from coasting to concerned when Samp pulled one back in the 52nd minute. 

Omar Colley's initial header came back off the crossbar and Thorsby instinctively stuck his left leg out to poke the rebound back past Samir Handanovic. 

Inter's goalkeeper would not be beaten again, though, as the home side closed out the win. 

What does it mean? Impressive Inter still alive in title race 

Conte's men began the restart nine points adrift of leaders Juventus, and eight behind second-placed Lazio, so they cannot afford many, if any, slip-ups. 

A relatively routine victory, with both of their strikers getting goals, bodes well for the final dozen fixtures. 

Martinez lives up to the hype 

The three-month hiatus has only intensified transfer talk surrounding Martinez and Barcelona, and this was a display that showed both why the Blaugrana may be interested and why Inter are so keen to keep him. 

The 22-year-old came into this game having not scored in his previous six appearances but, having played a big part in Lukaku's opener before finding the net himself, he showed all the Barca talk is not affecting him. 

Gaston goes missing 

When facing an opponent like Inter, you expect your captain to step up. However, the game passed Sampdoria skipper Gaston Ramirez by. 

The playmaker had only four successful passes in his 69 minutes on the field and won just 21.1 per cent of his 19 duels, failing to hold the ball up when Samp needed a release from the first-half pressure.  

What's next? 

A home encounter with mid-table Sassuolo on Wednesday is next on the agenda for Inter. The tough fixtures continue for Sampdoria, though, as they visit Roma on the same day. 

Papy Djilobodji, Younes Belhanda, Sofiane Feghouli and Patrick Twumasi found the back of the net in Gaziantep’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Galatasaray in Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game.

The Yellow-Reds headed into the encounter on the back of a three-game winless run, including last weekend’s defeat to Rizespor while Marius Sumudica’s men last tasted victory in February.

The African stars, however, played key roles to decide the outcome of the match at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi Turk Telekom Stadium.

Senegal international and former Sunderland defender Djilobodji put Gaziantep in front with only 17 minutes into the encounter after he was set up by Guray Vural.

Algeria star Feghouli then found Radamel Falcao with a timely pass to level proceedings for Galatasaray in the 36th minute.

Four minutes later, Morocco’s Belhanda handed his side the lead for the first time in the encounter after benefitting from a sumptuous assist from Ivory Coast international Michael Seri.

Galatasaray were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute after Ahmet Calik received a straight red card but that did not deter them as they soon added the third through Feghouli.

With 12 minutes left to play, Ghana international Twumasi reduced the deficit for Gaziantep before Alexandru Maxim scored the equalizing goal at the death.

Gabon’s Mario Lemina, Seri and Nigeria international Henry Onyekuru featured for the duration of the game for the Yellow-Reds while Belhanda and Feghouli made way for Selcuk Inan and Jimmy Durmaz respectively.

For Gaziantep, Super Eagles forward Olarenwaju Kayode and Djilobodji were on parade for the entirety of the game while Twumasi was replaced by Vural.

With the result, Galatasaray are fourth on the league table with 51 points from 28 games while Gaziantep are ninth with 34 points.

The African stars will hope to continue their fine performances and help their sides return to winning ways in their next Super Lig fixtures.

Galatasaray will take on Istanbul Basaksehir and Gaziantep will try Antalyaspor for size on Sunday, June 28.

Jurgen Klopp hailed “world-class” Alisson Becker after Liverpool returned to Premier League action with a 0-0 draw at Everton.

In a low-key affair at Goodison Park, it was the Brazilian who produced the standout moment, his superb second-half save denying Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Reds substitute Joe Gomez deflecting the rebound from Tom Davies onto the post.

It denied the Toffees a first Merseyside derby win since 2010, but the draw means Liverpool must hope Manchester City fail to beat Burnley on Monday if they are to clinch the league title themselves by beating Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday. 

Klopp had no complaints about the draw – the third stalemate here between the side in the last three seasons – and was gushing in his praise of Alisson, who underlined his status as one of the world’s best goalkeepers.

“It says a lot about him,” he told his post-match press conference. “We should not take him for granted. Absolutely outstanding. 

“That's what a world-class goalie is, nothing to do for 90 mins pretty much, then he's there."

Liverpool had chances of their own, with Fabinho denied late on by Jordan Pickford and both Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino wasting decent openings in the first half.

They did, however, lose both Matip and James Milner to injury, with Milner now almost certain to miss the Palace game.

“He felt his hamstring,” Klopp confirmed. “We have seen before with Milly, he is smart enough to show up when he first feels it, so hopefully it is not too serious.

“Joel felt a stretch on his big toe, which was very painful. Hopefully, the pain settles and then we can see.”

On the game itself, Klopp added: "All the derbies here at Goodison looked pretty similar, I think!

“Each time is fighting like crazy but in the end not a lot of football.

“Today, the point is the one we deserve, even though I admit Everton had the biggest chance to win the game. I liked the intensity of the game from my boys. What I didn't like too much was the rhythm.

"The defensive stuff was there. Offensively, we need moments. I know we can play better football. The performance level was OK. We have to respect the opponent, and Everton were here to make our life difficult. They have quality and they could have won the game."

“But the draw was fair. I saw Carlo Ancelotti outside and he said the same.”

Klopp also praised the performance of midfielder Naby Keita, who was one of Liverpool’s brighter players in his 65 minutes on the field.

"Naby was good,” he said. “Taki [Minamino] was good as well, by the way. The change at half-time had nothing to do with his performance. Ox was lively, Naby looked absolutely good. He played because he looked so good in training.” 

Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher has said that the Reds’ offensive weakness without Mohamed Salah is worrying.

The Egypt international missed Sunday’s derby encounter against Everton, left on the bench after recent hip problems, and without him the Premier League champions elect struggled to create opportunities against their Stanley Park rivals.

Although the Anfield side dominated the game, they were unable to create any clear opportunities and the last 10 minutes were controlled by their hosts, who went closest when Tom Davies hit the post, leaving manager Jurgen Klopp to reflect that his side were a little “lucky”.

The German also pointed out a lack of offensive efficiency in his side, and Carragher says that is a worrying trend when one of their regular front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino is absent.

“The front three are as good as anyone in Europe but whenever one of them is out, there is a massive drop off,” he told Sky Sports.  

“When Liverpool dropped points at Manchester United, Salah wasn’t playing. That’s why Liverpool need to strengthen the front three. Divock Origi is a legend for Liverpool as he’s scored big goals at big moments but doesn’t have quite the quality. 

“Is Takumi Minamino part of the front three? Not for me. The front three are very robust and don’t miss many games but if Liverpool were to lose one of them, especially the two wide players, for a lengthy amount of time they could have a real problem next season.”

Carragher’s warning is a timely one as it comes in the wake of Chelsea completing a big-money move for RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, who is a player Liverpool were long credited with having an interest in.

While Salah, Mane and Firmino have contributed a combined 49 goals this season, the rest of the squad have only that number between them, while they were also without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in their ranks on Sunday, their next leading marksman with seven goals in all competitions.

Meanwhile, in terms of Premier League goals, centre-back Virgil van Dijk is next on the list behind the front three, having contributed four times this term. 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he felt his side got a little “lucky” as they picked up a point in a scoreless draw with Everton.

The Merseyside derby marked the end of a three-month hiatus for both sides due to the coronavirus pandemic and was played out in unusual circumstances at Goodison Park, with no fans present and the Reds forced to change in the car park.

The resultant game proved to be something of a scrap, and while the single point takes Liverpool to within five of a maiden Premier League title, they could count themselves somewhat fortunate to claim that given the home side’s Tom Davies had the game’s only big scoring opportunity, striking the post in the 80th minute.

“It came out of the blue. We were lucky in that moment but apart from that, we were in control,” Klopp told Sky Sports . “We didn't have a lot of chances; most of the time we were dominant but they had the biggest chance - that's how it is.

“It was a real fight. Both teams showed that they understand it's a derby - even without a crowd. It was intense, physical, all-in. 

“You saw the derbies we had here before - they were never really better, I have to say! Each team is fighting like crazy so in the end there is not a lot of football. There is space for improvement for us here at Goodison; I like football when it's slightly different but that's how it is; we had a proper fight, it was intense and we were ready for that.

“The players were really in the game, so that's good. I really liked our defending.; the high press, midfield press, counter-press good. We won a lot of balls.”

Looking ahead to a midweek encounter with Crystal Palace, Klopp wants to see more creativity and offensive effectiveness from his side. 

“Of course we want to make more chances; we have to more clear in situations - pass the ball, shoot in the right moment, more crosses,” he said.

“The second half we started to do that better but Everton defended really well; they tried to take care of Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold and we were not smart enough to use the space for somebody else. That's normal when you begin to play again but a lot of things were very good.

“Now I know we are ready because you don't know 100 per cent if we did enough (during the break), but we can involve fresh legs on Wednesday. So far, so good but I saw Crystal Palace yesterday and they looked like a well-oiled machine. It will be tough.”

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has admitted that Barcelona are interested in attacker Lautaro Martinez but says that he is “optimistic” that the Argentina international will not depart the club this summer.

The Catalan side have been closely linked with a summer move for the 22-year-old, with Lionel Messi reportedly driving on their bid, but negotiations thus far have not proven fruitful.

From the Italian side’s perspective, though, this is a positive as they do not wish to see a player who has scored 12 times in 22 Serie A outings leave.

Marotta believes that there is still reason to believe that the former Racing star will be at the club next term.

"It is known that he is the object of market attention,” he told Sky Sport Italia of a player who arrived at the club in the summer of 2018. “He started well, he is young and he has great qualities. 

“Inter is a club that does not tend to sell its best players. If he does not show his willingness to leave, we will keep him close.

“He is flattered by the attention of big clubs. On our part, there is the desire to keep him and he has never actually expressed the desire to leave. I am optimistic that we can continue with him again next year.”

Marotta, however, has previously hinted that the Nerazzurri are making plans for the post-Lautaro era.

“If Lautaro [leaves], a top player will arrive,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport at the beginning of June, when he downplayed a suggestion that Edinson Cavani could join the club following his release from Paris Saint-Germain.

"He is one of the players being monitored," he said. “But we did not go into the matter further: at the moment he is quite far from Inter.”

Inter have had a positive season in Serie A this season in as far as they are firmly established in the top three of the standings. 

As they return after a three-month absence because of the coronavirus pandemic, however, they trail league leaders Juventus by nine points ahead of their Sunday match against Sampdoria. 

They retain an interest in the Europa League, which will be completed in Germany in August, having already defeated Ludogorets in the last 32. 

Liverpool edged closer to their first league title in 30 years but were frustrated by an obdurate Everton in a 0-0 derby draw at Goodison Park. 

The Toffees are now winless in 19 Premier League matches against their local rivals, although that statistic did not appear to weigh upon Carlo Ancelotti's approach as his side offered scant attacking threat. 

They still came closest to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes from time, though, as Tom Davies hit the post after Alisson had kept out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's clever flick.

Jurgen Klopp left Mohamed Salah unused on the bench and his team need five more points to become champions, although that equation will change if Manchester City fail to beat Burnley on Monday. 

An early error from Fabinho let Richarlison loose to flash a shot across the face of Alisson's goal.  

Takumi Minamino dispossessed Andre Gomes in the 34th minute, allowing Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane to tee up Roberto Firmino, with the Brazil forward pulling wastefully wide.  

Everton centre-back Michael Keane, booked for an earlier foul on Mane, produced a vital block to thwart Minamino before half-time, by which point Liverpool had lost James Milner to a hamstring injury and sent on Joe Gomez. 

Firmino's clever chested lay-off saw Naby Keita volley wide in the 51st minute, with Everton attacks having more or less disappeared from view. 

It made Richarlison's shank into the Gwladys Street End with Virgil van Dijk breathing down his neck all the more frustrating. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold had a 63rd-minute free-kick deflected over before Joel Matip joined Milner on the injury list. 

In the context of a dour contest, Everton launched a stirring late rally, Davies agonisingly close to snatching glory and Alisson frustrating his compatriot Richarlison once more after Calvert-Lewin sent a diving header wide. 

What does it mean? Liverpool made to wait 

Not that they will mind at all, but Liverpool could still end next week without being crowned Premier League champions.

When they are, their success should be remembered in the context of what came before the coronavirus pandemic. This soulless encounter was very much at odds with the finest moments Klopp has crafted on Merseyside. 

No shame for Seamus 

It might only be one win in 15 attempts now, but Seamus Coleman is still an Everton player who knows what it feels like to beat Liverpool. The experienced captain led by example at right-back, with two inch-perfect challenges on Gomez and Mane early in the second half crucial when it came to preserving parity. 

Minamino still bedding in 

Klopp said the extended training period before the Premier League restart had been useful for January recruit Minamino. A surprise inclusion ahead of Salah, who is still short of match fitness, the former Salzburg forward showed some nice touches and enjoyed a couple of half chances, but the opportunity to make a statement passed him by. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Minamino for the start of the second half .

Key Opta facts

- Seven of the last eight Merseyside derbies played at Goodison Park in the Premier League have ended level. 
- Liverpool have now gone 22 games without defeat against Everton in all competitions since a 2-0 loss at Goodison Park in October 2010 (W11 D11). 
- Everton are the only Premier League side to remain unbeaten on home soil in 2020 across all competitions (P5 W2 D3 L0). 
- Jurgen Klopp has managed more games against Everton in all competitions without defeat than against any other opponent in his managerial career (P11 W7 D4). 
- The average age of Everton's starting XI was 24 years and 356 days – their youngest starting line-up for a league match against Liverpool since February 1986 (24 years and 250 days), when they won 2-0 at Anfield. 

What's next 

A stunning title triumph may still be completed when Liverpool host Crystal Palace on Wednesday, with Everton on the road at bottom club Norwich City. 

Keita Balde has spoken out on the problem of racism in Spain, with the Senegal international suggesting that the coronavirus crisis has highlighted the plight of seasonal workers to him.

The Monaco forward, who was born in Arbucies and brought up in Barcelona, has long been known for his charitable donations.

Balde is sourcing accommodation and food for 150 black families, who have previously been turned away by hotels, with the 25-year-old explaining that this shows that racism remains endemic in Spain.

He was drawn to the problem by a video shot by filmmaker Paco Leon, who worked with seasonal worker Serigne Mamadou to show the injustices that seasonal workers have to cope with, while he also saw the issues that workers in Lleida were having via social media.

"Black lives seem to matter if your name is Keita Balde, but if you're a part-time worker in Lleida, your life doesn't matter,” he told El Mundo.

“Maybe they didn't want to rent anything to a black boy. I felt I had to do what I could to help.

“I didn't want to offer words, I didn't want to speak, I wanted facts. People needed help. They were living in subhuman conditions, sleeping on the streets between cardboard boxes. They work 13 hours a day for €25 (£22/$27); they have to buy food, to find a place to sleep, they're not stealing from anyone.

“In Spain, we need people working in the fields to collect the fruit. We need them, but if you don't treat them well...”

Balde has also paid for 80 key workers’ accommodation in Barcelona during the Covid-19 pandemic and has explained that ever since he was a young player with the Camp Nou outfit, he felt it was important to give back to the community. 

“I’ve financed a mosque and a school in Senegal, I’ve helped with the pandemic in Europe… I like to be like this,” he said.

“I’ve been like this since I was young. I’m a boy at heart and I like to share.

“I gave out the clothes and boots that Barcelona and Nike gave me in the neighbourhood square.

“Money is one of the problems of this world. It classifies people. If you have a bill you are someone. If you don't have it, you are nobody. 

“We live in a polluted society in that regard. The person's real value is lost. It's sad. 

“I was happy before, when I had no money. And I am happy now.”