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Jamie Vardy says he will not completely rule out a return to international football, but wants to see younger strikers given an opportunity with England before him.

Leicester City striker Vardy won 26 caps for his country, the last of which came in the 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia, after which he informed England manager Gareth Southgate that he wanted to focus on his club career.

The 33-year-old has remained one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League, scoring 19 goals in the 2019-20 campaign to top the scoring charts before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With Vardy in red-hot form and injury doubts over England forwards including Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, there was talk of an England recall for the Foxes striker ahead of the European Championships.

However the tournament has now been pushed back until the summer of 2021 due to Covid-19, meaning a return to the international fold for Vardy is now less likely.

Vardy says he has not completely shut the door on returning for England, but with several young England strikers - such as Chelsea's Tammy Abraham - breaking through, he feels the new generation should be given a shot before Southgate comes back to him.

He told The Athletic: “We’ve never totally closed the door, we made that clear. But there are a lot of really good, young England forwards out there and they’d benefit more — just say if I was there getting picked, I’m taking one of their places.

"I’ve definitely benefitted from getting a full summer, relaxing, just completely clearing your head. It just gives your body and your mind a complete shut-off.”

Having come through non-league football and having not played in the top-flight until he was 27, Vardy is now just one strike away from his 100th Premier League goal.

It looks likely that Vardy will reach the landmark with no fans to celebrate however, with the rest of the season to be played behind closed doors due to coronavirus social distancing measures.

“That will be strange,” he said. “But it’s not a normal situation that the whole world finds itself in. So you just have to try to be as positive as possible.”

Harry Kane will start for Tottenham against Manchester United in their first Premier League match following the coronavirus-enforced pause after recovering from a torn hamstring, Jose Mourinho has confirmed.

Kane, 26, suffered the injury in the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on New Year's Day, condemning him to a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Initially it was suggested he could potentially miss the rest of the season, but with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing a three-months suspension to the Premier League season, Spurs' chief goal threat will be able to play a major role in their final nine matches of the campaign.

Moussa Sissoko (knee) and Son Heung-min (broken arm) also suffered serious injuries before the lockdown, but they too are ready to return.

When speaking about team news in a virtual conference on Thursday, Mourinho said: "We have little things (injuries) but we are going to wait until tomorrow [before ruling them in or out].

"Of course [Japhet] Tanganga has a stress fracture for a few months now and of course he didn't recover during this period, and we have some little problems that we have to analyse before we make a decision.

"But the ones that had the surgeries, Kane, Son and Sissoko, these three they recovered and they are ready to play.

"Kane hasn't played football for more than six months, so again he is working extremely well. I can tell you no problem he is going to start the game.

"Does harry have 90, 80, 70, 60 minutes in him? Only the game will tell us that. Is Harry on his top form? For him, I don't know. It's been around six months without a football match, but he works extremely well. He is an amazing professional and he's going to start tomorrow."

Mourinho was less certain about Giovani Lo Celso's prospects, however, as the Argentina international sustained an injury just before the lockdown, and regulations prevented him getting the treatment he required.

"I consider Gio one of the victims of the rules and one of the victims of the protocols, because he was injured in the end of the period before coronavirus," Mourinho said.

"He was in very bad condition in the last three or four matches. He played for five or 10 minutes against Burnley, he wasn't ready for Leipzig.

"Because of the rules, his injury isn't one in need of surgery, it needed daily treatment and close contacts with physios and fitness coaches, but that was not possible for about two months, he was injured and he couldn't recover from it.

"So, when the training ground opened and he started treatment. It was not enough to have him 100 per cent fit - only in the past days was he training with the team.

"Available for tomorrow? Yes, I think so, but we will test if he is going to play 90 minutes, start the game or not. It was a difficult process for him."

The Friday clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could prove pivotal for both teams' Champions League aspirations.

Spurs, who are eighth, go into the match four points adrift of fifth-placed United, who will be looking to go level with fourth-place Chelsea, at least until Sunday, with a victory.

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.

But when can Liverpool actually win the league? Goal takes a look.

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When can Liverpool win the Premier League?

Liverpool need six more points to secure the Premier League title, which translates into two wins. Alternatively, a Liverpool win and a loss for Manchester City will be sufficient.

Should the Reds beat Everton in the Merseyside derby on June 21, they have a chance to win the title at Anfield on June 24 when they play Crystal Palace.

They could also be crowned champions on June 22 if they beat Everton and Man City lose their game against Burnley.

Manchester United's title-winning 2001 Premier League victory on April 14, 2001 with five games to spare is the fastest in the competition's history.

Due to postponements, Liverpool cannot now beat Manchester United's record, but they can still win the title with more games to spare.

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What are Liverpool's remaining fixtures?

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Who is the fastest side to win the Premier League title?

Manchester United hold the record for the fastest team to win the Premier League. They won the 2000-01 Premier League title on April 14, 2001 with five games left to play.

Pep Guardiola's 'Centurion' squad won the 2017-18 Premier League title with five games left to spare as well. They missed the opportunity to surpass the record set by their city rivals when they lost the Manchester derby in April 3-2.

The Red Devils, too, won the 2000 Premier League in esteemed fashion, with four games to play.

Arsenal’s Invincibles also won with four games to spare, racking up 90 points in the 2003-04 season to become the first and only side to be crowned Premier League champions without losing a single game.

Man Utd clinched the 2013 title once again with four extra when they sealed the title after defeating Aston Villa on April 28. 

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Eric Garcia has been released from hospital after a horrible collision with team-mate Ederson in Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Arsenal on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old was crashed into by the Brazilian goalkeeper late in the match and received several minutes of treatment on the pitch before he was carried off on a stretcher and in a neck brace while receiving oxygen.

Ederson tweeted a reassuring picture of the pair together on Thursday after City boss Pep Guardiola had admitted he was concerned about Garcia in a virtual press conference after the game.

"He is conscious, but he is going to be tested tonight because a kick in the head is always so dangerous," he said.

Ederson collided with the Spanish defender when he was completing a clearance in the 80th minute, with City finishing the game with 10 men having already used all five substitutes.

But as well as the Brazilian goalkeeper's tweet, City have also confirmed Garcia has been released from hospital and that he'll be monitored in the coming days.

Their statement read: "Eric Garcia has been released from hospital after suffering an injury during last night’s Premier League win over Arsenal.

"Eric will be monitored in the coming days, ahead of a return to training and competitive action. Everyone at City wishes Eric a speedy recovery."

Garcia was making just his third Premier League start for the club and was surprisingly picked ahead of Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi, who were on the bench, while John Stones was left out of the squad altogether.

But Guardiola was impressed by his performance as he and centre-back partner Aymeric Laporte restricted the Gunners to few chances.

"Eric came back incredibly well," the City boss added. "He is so intelligent to guide the line. It was not easy to play against [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang. He is training really well and we tried to work with [coaches] Juanma [Lillo] and Rodolfo [Borrell] in this period.

"He understands perfectly well. This season, especially in the winter time, he always played good. He doesn’t make mistakes. He is always focused.

"In this game, we knew we were playing dynamic players. He understands the position and the movement. Against Burnley, for example, they play more long balls and we might need another kind of player.

"For this game, we thought he was the right guy to play alongside Laporte and they played really good."

City are back in action against Burnley on Monday night and Guardiola has hinted at rotating his line-up with the fear of muscle strains following the quick return after the Premier League was shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced that tweaks have been made to the laws of the game heading into the 2020-21 season, with perhaps the most interesting being to what should and should not be called as a handball offence in the build-up to a goal.

At present, video assistant referees (VAR) will disallow a goal and pull back play for a free-kick if any attacking player is deemed to have touched the ball with their hand or arm in the build-up, by accident or otherwise, leading to teams feeling hard done by if an individual gets in the way through no fault of their own.

For clarity, a handball offence is characterised by the ball touching anywhere from the tip of a player's fingers to their upper arm, directly in line with the bottom of the armpit – essentially meaning anything below the shoulder is a foul.

A plethora of sides have seen goals chopped off in recent times due to accidental handballs, but the new rules for the upcoming season will give attacking sides more leeway.

A statement from the IFAB reads: “‘Accidental’ handball by an attacking player (or team-mate) is only penalised if it occurs ‘immediately’ before a goal or clear goal-scoring opportunity.

“If an attacking player accidentally touches the ball with their hand or arm and the ball then goes to another attacking player and the attacking team immediately scores, this is a handball offence.

“It is not an offence if, after an accidental handball, the ball travels some distance (pass or dribble) and/or there are several passes before the goal or goal-scoring opportunity.”

Other updates to the laws of the game include goalposts and crossbars, which can now be a combination of the four basic approved shapes: square, rectangular, round or elliptical - provided they are not dangerous.

Additionally, goalkeepers will not be penalised for prematurely coming off their line during penalty kicks provided the kick taker misses or sees their shot rebound back into play - assuming the keeper is not deemed to have affected the kick taker.

Should a goalkeeper be deemed to have committed an offence on a penalty kick, they will receive a warning for the first and a yellow card for any following offences.

Former Brazil striker and Real Valladolid majority shareholder Ronaldo has named Paris-Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappe as his dream signing for the Liga side.

The 2002 World Cup winner bought a 51 per cent stake in the Spanish side in 2018 and has seen them return to the top flight under his ownership, while he harbours dreams of attracting the world's best talent to the club.

Ronaldo, who played for some of the world's best club teams in his career, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter and Milan, picked out a fellow world champion as his ideal signing, commenting that the French forward has similar attributes to those he had at the peak of his powers.

Asked at a media event sponsored by Santander Bank who he would sign for Valladolid if he had Madrid's budget, Ronaldo said: "I would sign Mbappe, he is the one who most reminds me of me and my playing times."

Ronaldo was also asked to name his picks for the best players of all time. The Brazilian resisted the temptation to include himself on the list, instead picking the two leading forwards currently playing, alongside two fellow South Americans who frequently appear on all time great selections.

He said: “For me, in the classification of the best in history, the four names would be Pele, Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they are the top four in the history of football”.

Ronaldo also gave his views on several current forwards who could be on the move this summer, including Erling Haaland, who has been frequently linked with Real Madrid.

The former Blancos forward confirmed he is an admirer of the Borussia Dortmund striker, but admitted a move to Santiago Bernabeu may not be his best option at present, given the presence of Karim Benzema in the Liga giants' front line.

He said: "Haaland is a great player, he is still young and has had a pretty good year with many goals, we will see how he ends it. Surely big teams are going to be watching, but Real Madrid have good players, like Benzema who scores goals every Sunday."

The former Inter striker also hinted Valladolid could offer a new start for Alexis Sanchez, who has struggled to impress on loan at San Siro this season after being sent to Italy following a dismal spell at Manchester United.

Ronaldo feels the Chilean will come good eventually, but said: "Alexis Sanchez has triumphed wherever he has gone but if he does not triumph at Inter, at Valladolid we open the doors for him to be with us."

Busoga United chair Diana Nyago has claimed the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) erred after cancelling the Premier League without consultation with the clubs.

Nyago says there was a need for Fufa to get to know what the clubs thought on matters for the season's cancellation as they are the primary stakeholders in the football industry.

“Fufa was meant to come to us and inform and involve us. I mean, we are not a small stakeholder; we are the people playing in the league, we are actually the league,” Nyago told Daily Monitor.

“You are making a decision on ending the league, instead, you prefer calling the media, this means, you have reduced us to the same level with the masses out there. We were meant to get this information before it went to the public.

“We would not have stopped them, because Fufa has that mandate to stop the league during such crises. This is about the breakdown in communication.”

Nyago, who has been a great critic of Fufa under Moses Magogo on various matters concerning the Uganda Premier League (UPL), says she would not be worried if her club is targeted for relegation because of her stand.

“Of course, it [being targeted for relegation] does not worry me at all,” Nyago continued.

“You want to eliminate me who has a smaller problem, have you solved your bigger problem? At the end of the day, I’m off but you will remain with a very big burden so targeting clubs is not a solution.

“They should make such clubs partners instead because they help you to identify your weaknesses.”

The Busoga United official further explained why they objected to an earlier league consultative meeting which had been convened by Fufa.

“We said if it is club licensing meeting, it’s supposed to be done by the club CEOs, and if it’s the reforms, then that’s for us the club chairpersons, and we can’t do the two items in the same meeting,” Nyoga added.

“There were supposed to be two meetings, one for the CEOs and the other to handle issues of the reforms of the league.”

On whether Busoga United were getting a financial boost from the regional kingdom, the official answered that is not the case at all.

“But the club is not called Busoga Kingdom United, it’s Busoga United FC,” she said.

“I don’t think to change the name gave us an attachment to the kingdom, like when you go down the market here, you will find a mall called Busoga Mall, is it attached to the kingdom? No.

“So, the name just gave us an attachment to Busoga, and, to me, Busoga kingdom is different from Busoga United.”

Mesut Ozil appeared to show he is still completely committed to Arsenal after posting an image of him clutching the Gunners badge accompanied by the words "no matter what".

The Gunners midfielder was absent from the matchday squad for his side's 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City on Wednesday, with Mikel Arteta having revealed he was left out due to tactical reasons.

Having featured heavily since Arteta's appointment as head coach in December 2019, it was something of a surprise to not see the German named as part of Arsenal's 20-man travelling squad.

The north Londoners suffered a double injury blow in the first half - with both Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari forced off injured - before Raheem Sterling eventually gave the hosts the lead at the Etihad Stadium.

That came about largely because of an error by Mari's replacement David Luiz, with the centre-back - whose contract expires with the Gunners at the end of June - failing to clear to allow the England winger to slam home.

It went from bad to worse for Luiz, with the Brazilian then sent off for pulling back Riyad Mahrez. Kevin De Bruyne netted the resulting spot-kick before Phil Foden added a third goal to make sure of the points.

Arteta was forced to field questions about Luiz's future, as well as his decision to drop Ozil, in his post-match media briefings after what was a disappointing display from the Gunners that dented their hopes of finishing in the top four.

Less than a day after the event, Ozil has now responded on social media as he posted an image that shows him proudly clutching the club badge on his shirt, along with the text "No matter what...".

The former Real Madrid playmaker is the highest earner at Emirates Stadium on a deal worth around £350,000 ($430,000) per week, while he's contracted to the club until 2021.

Arteta would be willing to let Ozil leave in the summer although the club is well aware that he is determined to stay put and see out his contract, with his high wages a deterrent for any potentially interested parties.

Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member Frederick Acheampong has called on veteran coach J.E Sarpong to substantiate claims of substance abuse by players on the domestic scene.

Sarpong, who has worked with Asante Kotoko, Aduana Stars, Liberty Professionals and Ebusua Dwarfs, alleged 60 per cent of Ghanaian players smoke marijuana, popularly known as weed, and went on to provide instances where he personally aided in obtaining the substance.

The claims have generated huge debate, especially in media circles.

“It’s a serious matter because some of these comments are serious and he can’t make such comments without any proof because I think it’s a serious matter and he needs to prove it with evidence,” Frederick Acheampong told Starr Sports.

“Apart from the football aspect, he can’t just make those comments and go free.

"He needs to substantiate or back his claims with evidence, numbers, statistics, figures because apart from the fact that it may amount to substance abuse in the football circles, it’s even illegal to trade in marijuana in the country, so where do the players get them to buy?"

Currently, players on the local scene are not tested for substance abuse.

Former Hearts of Oak and Kaizer Chiefs striker Louis Agyemang expressed agreement with Sarpong's claims.

Berekum Chelsea forward Kofi Owusu is the latest player to speak on the topic.

“With the weed-smoking issue coach J.E Sarpong said, in some ways I can say it is true because he has been in the system for a very long time and knows what he is talking about," Owusu told Nkunim FM.

"And again looking at his age too, I do not think he will be saying what is not true.”

Sarpong was also once the assistant coach of Ghana's U23 side.

"I can say that 60% of the Ghanaian players - both in the Premier and the Division One Leagues - smoke marijuana," Sarpong told Angel FM.

“I have coached most of them but of course we have something called a coach-player relationship.

"There was a match between Accra Great Olympics and Hearts of Oak. One player came to me and said I should buy him ‘weed’ and we will win the match.

"I later noticed that he was not the only person, he was sent by his colleagues. I told him, I can’t buy for him, so I gave him the money and in that game he was the man of the match. He gave the assist for our winning goal.

"It is a bad practice but if it will win the match [for me], I don’t mind. If my team wins the match, I take my winning bonus [as a coach] and I'm gone.

“What I will do for my team to win is what is important."

Veteran Ghana attacker Yahaya Mohammed, currently the second top scorer in the Ghana Premier League and on the books of Aduana Stars, has expressed his disappointment in the coach's claims and called for an apology. 

Former Italy and Juventus striker Luca Toni has called out Cristiano Ronaldo for his poor performance in the Bianconeri's Coppa Italia loss to Napoli on Wednesday night, stating that the Portuguese looked deeply “average” and that he “couldn't even dribble”.

Ronaldo played 90 minutes of the showpiece clash at Stadio Olimpico but failed to find the net in what was a largely uninspiring performance from both sides.

Indeed, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner mustered only one shot on target and was unable to take a spot-kick in the decisive penalty shoot-out, with Paulo Dybala and Danilo both fluffing their lines early on before Ronaldo had a chance to beat Alex Meret from 12 yards.

Toni, an Italian World Cup winner and goalscoring icon, felt that the Portugal captain was lacking his usual sharpness and was unable to inspire the Serie A champions to cup glory as a result.

“I saw the a whole Juventus team in difficulty, even Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked like an average player in what was a very slow match,” 43-year-old Toni told Rai Sport after the clash.

“You expect a big performance from him but he looked like he was experiencing physical difficulties – he couldn't even dribble a man.

“Buffon was the best player on the pitch. I liked Douglas Costa a lot too, but Sarri only let him play 60 minutes. [Douglas] Costa and [Juan] Cuadrado were the only ones able to beat their man because at the moment Ronaldo is struggling to dribble.”

Wednesday's loss marks the only time in Ronaldo's career that he has lost two successive finals, having been defeated by Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana at the tail end of 2019.

Regardless, Ronaldo's sister took to Instagram after the match to stick up for her brother, stating that he can't always be expected to win matches on his own.

She said: “What else can you do? It is what it is and my darling can't work miracles alone. I can't understand how they played like that. Anyway, keep your head up. You can't do more, my king.”

This year's Coppa Italia was the first in 11 years to be decided by a penalty shootout, and is the sixth time Napoli have lifted the trophy in their history - only four teams have won it more often. 

Football is back. After 100 days, the Premier League returned on Wednesday with Sheffield United vs Aston Villa and Manchester City vs Arsenal. The major subplot in the latter was Mikel Arteta returning to face old club and mentor Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

In a way, that fixture served as a prelude to Friday night’s encounter between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, a game inundated with subplots of its own. The major one, of course, being Jose Mourinho welcoming his old side to his new home in North London.

Somewhat buried beneath that, from an African perspective at least, is the satisfaction of seeing Odion Ighalo still in a Man United shirt. The Nigerian, who turned 31 on Tuesday, was hours from seeing a dream spell at Old Trafford end as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side couldn’t reach an agreement with Shanghai Shenhua over an extension to his initial four-month loan which was due to expire on May 31.

However, at the very death in what seemed like one of those dramatic moments on television, it was announced both sides had struck a deal. As it is, the boyhood United fan will live his dream for another eight months till January 2021.

In a sense, it seems fitting that Ighalo’s potential first appearance since the extension was confirmed is against Spurs, the club he could have joined instead on Deadline Day. It’s no longer news that Mourinho, dealing with injuries to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, attempted to bring the Nigerian frontman to north London but the ex-Watford man opted for Solskjaer’s side instead.

Sentiments aside, it seemed odd at the time that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations top scorer chose Old Trafford over the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium owing to the likelihood of getting more playing time in London.

Be that as it may, football’s suspension and subsequent returns for Kane and Son mean he probably won’t have enjoyed a sustained period as the default frontman for the two-time Champions League winner – although, there was no way events could have been predicted at the time.

Months after snubbing the Lilywhites, Ighalo could now play against them, in an attempt to put a dent in their hopes to play in next season’s Champions League.

‘What a difference a few months make’ could be the theme if the home side manages to win on Friday night. Despite being four points behind the visitors from Manchester, the disparity in the mood in both camps before March 15’s encounter indicated the Red Devils were favourites for all three points, a result that may realistically have ended the London side’s top four hopes, if not mathematically.

Ighalo and co. were on an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions, including 2-0 wins over Chelsea and fierce rivals Manchester City, featuring nine clean sheets and two goals conceded. Their tails were up and a win at a Spurs side winless in six on the trot and seemingly running on empty was expected.

The return of their top hitters, though, means Tottenham have been handed a huge lifeline in saving what seemed like a failed season in March, starting with a huge fixture against a side they’re in direct competition with for a European spot.

While Ighalo may not feature in the encounter and, as a matter of fact for a significant portion of what’s left in the Premier League this term, Serge Aurier will be an important figure for Spurs and Mourinho for the final nine gameweeks.

The perception of the Ivory Coast captain in England suggests the right-back can be a firebrand and unreliable in equal measure. Observers would point to mistakes in losses at home to Chelsea in December and away at RB Leipzig in March as Exhibit A to back up the conviction that he cannot be relied upon, while he ran foul of social distancing guidelines twice in the last two months to add to a seemingly endless rap sheet.

Notwithstanding, the notion Aurier doesn’t contribute enough on the pitch as is often argued couldn’t be more misguided.

The right-back’s importance to Spurs’ attack since Mourinho took charge in November is well documented, and how he serves as an auxiliary winger when they attack has proved useful going forward. His four assists are bettered by Son (seven) while he sits fifth for goal contributions in the entire side.

Also, 1.2 key passes per game is third behind the South Korean star (1.5) and January signing Steven Bergwijn (1.4), while the West African’s four clear-cut chances created is also third-best in the side behind Son and Dele Alli, who have set up 10 and six respectively.

Aurier’s underlying defensive numbers are also encouraging: he’s well ahead of Jan Vertonghen for tackles per game (3.1 to 2.1) and only beaten by the Belgian centre-back for interceptions per match (1.6 to 1.5).

The defender’s statistics demonstrate that while there remains room for improvement, the Ivorian is far from the liability he's been labelled as by the media.

For Ighalo, minutes may be infrequent after Project Restart becomes a reality, still, as long as he remains a Red Devil, there’ll always be a possibility of that standout moment the striker craves.

As for Aurier, the full-back’s case was always built on not judging him amid the team’s malaise but until he could be utilised alongside a healthy squad.

With Spurs and Mourinho seemingly beneficiaries of the pandemic that brought the sport to its knees, the much-maligned Ivorian can demonstrate why the criticism thrown at him is unwarranted.

Crotone forward Simy Nwankwo has asserted he only has his mind fixed on Serie A promotion as Serie B action has finally kicked off after three months of suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Things got underway on Wednesday evening with Cremonese recording a 3-1 win at Ascoli.

The Pythagoreans currently occupy second spot in the standings, 20 points behind runaway leaders Benevento after 28 games.

Regardless of such a position, Crotone are in an automatic promotion slot and will need to keep guard of Frosinone, Pordenone, Spezia, Cittadella, Salernitana and Chievo, all in the promotion play-off spot and with a realistic chance of toppling Crotone.

“I only have a fixed thought in my mind, that of arriving in Serie A with Crotone. Everything else is not important to me," Simy told the club website.

The Nigerian forward clearly acknowledges the tough task at hand as it would be like a fresh start after months of inactivity. Regardless of that Simy knows Crotone must carry the same momentum before the lockdown where they won five games on the bounce.

They tackle Chievo at the Stadio Ezio Scida on Saturday evening.

“Very little is missing, it seems a bit strange but we are professionals and we must do our job," Simy continued.

"We must immediately try to give continuity to the results as we were doing before, we know that it will not be easy but we will arrive prepared.

"We all start from scratch, it is not a normal situation but we must try to get to the race in the best way. We must face Chievo as we did against the others, trying to give our best.

"The pandemic has forced everyone to adapt to a somewhat anomalous situation, we must not complain but only think of giving the best on the field and doing what we know how to do, that is playing football."

Any hope of Crotone making it back to the Serie A after two years will rest partly on Simy who is the club's top marksman this season with 13 goals and Serie B's third-highest goal scorer behind Pietro Lemmello of Perugia (17) and Stefano Pettinari of Trapani (14).

Simba SC defender Erasto Nyoni has assured club fans they have already moved on after the shock 1-1 draw against Ruvu Shooting in a Mainland Premier League match on Sunday.

The Mainland giants had been tipped to collect maximum points in the fixture but it was not the case as they secured a draw, which delayed their pursuit for a third straight league title.

The Taifa Stars player has now told fans they have moved on from the result, focusing on their next challenge when they face Mwadui FC on Saturday.

“I want to assure our fans we are not looking at the Ruvu result again, we have forgotten about it and moved on, it was a shocking result and we know our fans were hurt but we don’t want to do that again, we want to win our next match,” Nyoni told the club’s official website.

“Our fans should not lose hope, they should come in numbers and cheer us against Mwadui, we promise it will not be the same again, we will do our best to make sure they smile back home.

“All our players are in good shape, we don’t have any injuries and in football, you either win, lose or draw, it was a painful draw because we did all we could but Ruvu were also good, we must now shift our focus to the Mwadui, it is a must-win match and we will make sure we win it.”

On whether the draw affected their title pursuit, Nyoni said: “We have our own calculations as far as the title is concerned, we don’t want to hear what people are saying, we know exactly what we are supposed to do to win the trophy and we will continue to fight to achieve the same.”

Erasto, who plays at the backline alongside Pascal Wawa, Kennedy Juma, Tairone Do Santos and Yusuph Mlipili, also dismissed claims his recent form had dipped insisting only the coach can tell him that.

“I play the way the coach wants me to play, and I don’t want to listen to the critics, they have their own opinion but mine is not to answer them through media, mine is to make sure I answer them on the pitch with solid performances.”

Simba are topping the log on 71 points, while Azam FC are second on 54 points and Yanga remains third after accumulating 51 points.

Zimbabwe striker Donald Ngoma has confessed he preferred playing for Azam FC than Young Africans (Yanga).

Ngoma was officially released by Azam on Monday after his contract ended on June 14. He had joined the ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ from Yanga, and helped them to win two trophies - the Mapinduzi Cup and Azam Sports (domestic Cup) – last season.

Ngoma has now revealed he was more than happy to play at Azam than when he was playing at Yanga, the first time he joined a club on Tanzanian soil.

“The period I left Yanga, I was injured as such, I had to spend some time off the pitch but when I recovered, I was physiologically happy to play at Azam than Yanga,” Ngoma is quoted by Daily News.

Ngoma also revealed the reason he parted ways with Azam, insisting that despite their efforts to renew the contract, he had already made up his mind.

“While in Zimbabwe, I received a phone call from Azam Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abdulkarim Amin who requested me to come and play in friendly matches so they can assess me and possibly extend my contract but I turned down the offer.

“The [CEO] insisted it could have been better if I was in Tanzania so I can play friendly matches prior to the resumption of the league and hence they can decide to extend my contract.

“To my side, I saw it as inappropriate and he told me that if I do not play friendly games, I should go on with other plans of my life. I accepted that and agreed that I should not return to the team.”

Ngoma also admitted his performance had already gone down and could have also contributed to the club losing interest in his services.

“If you are a foreign-based player, you need to show your abilities to deserve what the club gives you but for my side, my level dropped and I was far away to catch up with my teammates,” Ngoma continued.

Ngoma managed to play a total of 42 matches for Azam in all competitions, notching 20 goals in the process with four assists.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still does not know whether Angel Gomes will stay at Manchester United, with the teenager’s current deal expiring at the end of the month.

The 19-year-old has been offered a new contract at Old Trafford but negotiations have dragged on, with Gomes yet to put pen to paper.

It is understood the midfielder has concerns over playing time and with just over a week left of his current deal, time is running out for him to make a decision.

Solskjaer, though, is hopeful he will decide to stay, telling reporters: "With Angel, he's a top kid we've had at the club for so many years, we've offered him a deal and hopefully he'll take that and if not I wish him all the best.

"From what I understand it's not too far away, if not we'll wish him all the best."

Solskjaer was speaking in his pre-Tottenham press conference where he confirmed that, aside from injured duo Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe, he has a fully fit squad to pick from for Friday night's match.

That means both Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba are in contention to start, with the Norwegian adding: "If selected, Marcus (Rashford) and Paul (Pogba) have been out for a long, long period.

"They're available but how long they're going to play for, let's see."

The United manger was full of praise for Rashford after his campaigning to have free school meal vouchers extended into the school holidays led to a government U-turn.

"It’s an honour to have Marcus and what he’s done during this lockdown... he’s been unbelievable, when he can help so many people that need it; so many kids," Solskjaer said. "He’s taken from his own experience when he was a kid.

"I know how much it means for the kids and we, as a club, are immensely proud of him. He’s obviously a top footballer but he’s also a fantastic human being - a future leader, a future captain, maybe, of England, Man United, who knows?

"He’s already captained the team at the age of 22-23. We’re really proud of him and his family must be so proud as well of what he has achieved."
 

Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza says they are “working very hard” to seal a deal with a new sponsor for the league, as four corporates emerge to be interested to come on board.

PSL boss Khoza says while their main focus right now is to complete this term, there is hope for next season as they are negotiating with four companies, although the names of the prospective partners have been kept under wraps.

“We’ve got four companies at the moment [who want to sponsor the league],” Khoza told IOL.

“The economy is not in a healthy state, but we are trying to find the best ways to position our proposals. It is a very difficult one. Having said that, we are working very hard [towards finalising a deal].

"At the moment though our main focus is how to restart the season. Remember, we still have to finish the old season before we can say too much about the new season. Right now, we are waiting for the government to give us the go-ahead.”

The marriage with Absa officially ends at the end of June and there is a strong possibility the league will finish the season without a sponsor if the season resumes.

With some clubs needing to play nine matches before ending their campaign, the season could spill into August.

“It is a big, big problem for the clubs [finishing the season without sponsorship]. With the sponsorship ending in June, we might finish without any sponsor,” said Khoza.

That scenario will see clubs completing the campaign without their monthly grants from the PSL and this could weigh heavily on clubs that rely on that allotment for survival.

Absa cited the prevailing economic crunch in pulling out the sponsorship of the league.

With the coronavirus pandemic worsening the state of the economy, it is yet to be seen which partner would replace Absa.

A number of corporate giants are being speculated as possible PSL partners including telecommunications, insurance and broadcasting heavyweights.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has once again blamed the condition of the pitch for the team’s dropped points against JKT Tanzania in a Mainland Premier League match on Wednesday.

The Jangwani Street-based giants were forced to come from a goal down to secure a 1-1 draw in what was the only encounter in Tanzania's top-flight on the day.

Michael Aidan scored the opener for JKT before Patrick Sibomana equalised for Team ya Wananchi in the second half.  Yanga found themselves trailing after Aidan's long-range shot, from the right-hand flank, found its way into the top corner.

An outstretched keeper Metacha Mnata could not keep the strike at bay as his defenders looked helplessly on. This is the first goal the Wananchi conceded since the restart of the league as they had won the first match against Mwadui FC by a 1-0 margin.

The Belgian tactician has hit out at the condition of the Dodoma grounds saying it was bouncing like popcorns denying his players the chance to play their passing game.

“It was a very tough game, very difficult pitch, bouncing everywhere, the ball was bouncing like popcorns and they have a very small changing room, where the opponent could enter to go the washroom, there was only one washroom and very small,” Eymael told Goal on Thursday.

“I was talking to my boys at the half-time break and even the referee managed to enter and go to the washroom, I have never seen that in my life, very small changing room and very bad pitch the ball bouncing everywhere but one point is better than nothing.

“They scored a lucky goal but we couldn’t play our style of play because the pitch was bouncing and the ball could not settle, and we also got a red card, I call it a reckless red card but we have apologised to the opposing player on what happened to him.”

Coach Luc Eymael kept faith in his strikers who started against Mwadui as Gnamien Yikpe, who has had questions asked about his ability to help Yanga, and David Molinga both started from the bench.

The draw means Yanga will remain third with 55 points as they attempt to catch up with second-placed Azam FC, while the hard-fought result will see JKT reach 43 points, two fewer than sixth-placed Polisi Tanzania.

Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso has admitted that he only expects to retain the services of 70-80 per cent of his squad in the upcoming transfer window, with several of his players having been linked with a move elsewhere.

Dries Mertens recently pledged his future to the Neapolitan side, putting an end to speculation that the forward might join Chelsea or Inter, but there remains uncertainty regarding some of the club's other big names.

Indeed, the likes of Arkadiusz Milik, Kalidou Koulibaly, Hirving Lozano and Brazilian midfielder Allan have all been subject to transfer speculation and Gattuso admits that he doesn't expect to retain the services of everyone currently at his disposal.

“We don't need to operate too much in the market,” the trainer told the press. “We have to see who's going to leave us. Our chairman knows it – we speak about it every week. This is a strong team but I think that only 70-80% of the players will stay with us.

“We will do a few transfers but I know this team has great quality [already].”

That quality was underlined on Wednesday evening as Napoli beat Maurizio Sarri's Juventus in the Coppa Italia final, winning 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

And Gattuso, who has only been in charge for six months following Carlo Ancelotti's ill-fated spell at the helm, felt that he was kicking every ball from the dugout, calling on his own experience as a player to push his charges to victory.

“It was a great win,” he said. “I am 42 years old, this is my fourth final as a coach – I played 15 when I was a player, so that's 19 now in my career.

“When you start, coaching is completely different. I have many responsibilities on my shoulders. Sometimes I act like I am the chairman, or the doctor, or the storekeeper, and it's difficult when you live football like me.

“But it's the only way I know how to live. That's why I feel we won this trophy as if I played the game myself. I know where we started and how I pushed my players and the people working for the club. We deserved it.”

Chelsea have confirmed that they have reached an agreement with RB Leipzig to sign striker Timo Werner.

Werner has signed a five-year contract worth 170,000 per week, with the Germany international set to arrive at Stamford Bridge in July as part of a £47.5 million ($59m) deal.

The Blues confirmed that the prolific frontman will remain with his current club until the end of the Bundesliga season and, subject to a medical examination, will link up with his new side ahead of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign.

A plethora of sides, including Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter, had been credited with an interest in Werner, but it's the Blues that have won the race to sign a player who is currently enjoying the most prolific season of his career.

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Werner said: "I am delighted to be signing for Chelsea, it is a very proud moment for me to be joining this great club.

"I of course want to thank RB Leipzig, the club and the fans, for four fantastic years. You will forever be in my heart. I look forward to next season with my new team-mates, my new manager and of course the Chelsea fans. Together we have a very successful future ahead of us."

The forward, capable of playing anywhere across the frontline but often deployed at part of a strike duo, has amassed an incredible 32 goals and 13 assists across 43 appearances this term and the club's hierarchy are understandably excited at completing the transfer coup.

Director Marina Granovskaia said of the signing: "We are very excited that Timo Werner has chosen to join Chelsea. He is a player who was coveted all over Europe and it is no surprise, he has that rare mix of being young and exciting and yet established and proven. 

"We can’t wait to have Timo on board, but until then we wish him and RB Leipzig all the best for the rest of this season."

Currently sitting third in the Bundesliga, Leipzig are on course to qualify for the Champions League once again.

They may well have do without Werner for what remains of the 2019-20 edition of Europe's premier club competition, however, with Goal having reported that the striker has told Leipzig he is unwilling to feature.