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Britt Assombalonga scored a goal as Middlesbrough lost 3-2 to Newcastle United in a friendly game on Tuesday.

The Premier League is expected to resume on June 17 while the Championship kicks off three days later and clubs are being allowed to organise friendly matches with teams that are within close proximity, while observing strict hygiene and social distancing measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Boro led 2-0 in the first half thanks to George Saville and Assombalonga, the Democratic Republic of the Congo international scoring a screamer from outside the penalty area which left Newcastle's goalkeeper Martin Dubravka no chance.

The Magpies resurged in the second half via the efforts of Yoshinori Muto, Miguel Almiron and Joelinton.

Assombalonga will be looking to be part of the Boro XI that tackles Swansea City at the Riverside next Saturday.

The Teeside outfit are currently in a big relegation battle, sitting in 19th place, just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Jonathan Woodgate's men have claimed just nine wins from 37 Championship games this term, drawing 14 and losing another 14.

Assombalonga has the third-highest goal involvement in the team (eight - six goals, two assists) behind Ashley Fletcher (13 - eight goals, five assists) and Lewis Wing (eight - seven goals, one assist).

Middlesbrough never lost a game in which Assombalonga scored this term, his goals coming in a 3-3 draw at Luton Town on the opening day of the season, a 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic, a 2-2 draw at Bristol City, a 1-1 draw at home to Preston North End, and a brace at Queens Park Rangers.

Assombalonga bagged his assists in a 2-1 defeat at Birmingham City and a 2-2 home draw with Hull City.

The 27-year-old joined Boro in 2017 and has previously been on the books of Watford, Wealdstone, Braintree Town, Braintree Town, Southend United, Peterborough United and Nottingham Forest.

Assombalonga was born in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa and though he grew up in London, he opted to represent the DRC and has been capped eight times, scoring one goal which came in a 4-0 victory over Zimbabwe at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) alongside Uganda Premier League (UPL) Board has held a consultative meeting despite a snub by nine clubs.

Fufa had invited the Premier League clubs to discuss matters relating to the 2020/21 season and the club licensing programme, but some teams raised concerns and stated they would not attend the meeting scheduled for June 10 at Fufa House.

The league CEO Bernard Bainamani had invited Vipers SC, KCCA FC, SC Villa, Busoga United, URA FC, BUL FC, Mbarara City FC, Express FC, Wakiso Giants FC, Kyetume FC, Police FC, Bright Stars FC and Onduparaka FC and newly-promoted side MYDA FC for the consultative meeting.

But on Tuesday SC Villa, Busoga United, BUL FC, Mbarara City FC, Express FC, Wakiso Giants FC, Kyetume FC, Bright Stars FC and Onduparaka FC confirmed they would not be part of the Fufa-UPL board meeting.

“The invitation to discuss club licensing and league reforms in one meeting is ineffective and will not deliver the desired outcome of the meeting,” read a letter signed by Mbarara City Chairman Mwine Mpaka on behalf of the nine objecting chairmen.

"The under-listed chairmen have noted with concern the following anomalies that we would like to draw your attention to; the invitation to discuss club licensing and league reforms in one meeting is ineffective and the notice given is rather too short for us to make the necessary preparations and consultations.

“We had earlier planned for a similar meeting scheduled for June 18th, 2020 as communicated by yourself on the UPL forum.

“Owing to the above, therefore, we have unanimously agreed not to attend the scheduled meeting due on June 10th, 2020. The following suggestions are also proposed for better planning going forward.”

Fufa went ahead to call the consultative meeting after it had cancelled the 2019/20 season and awarded the title to Vipers SC.

The local federation also sent notification to clubs in the other leagues for a similar meeting on different dates as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Wednesday's meeting is understood to have been attended by Fufa president Moses Magogo, the UPL Board and Fufa Club Licensing Committee together with eight representatives from different clubs.

Luke Shaw has confirmed that he scored twice during Manchester United's in-house 4-4 friendly draw on Saturday which also saw Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes find the back of the net.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad split into two teams of 11 to take part in a 90-minute game at Old Trafford over the weekend.

The game was arranged to build up the players' match fitness ahead of their return to the pitch against Tottenham on June 19.

Rumours over the final scoreline and team members have been circulating on social media over the last few days, and Shaw has now come out to set the record straight.

The United full-back told MUTV: "We had a great 11-a-side training game on the Old Trafford pitch over the weekend and it was eventful!

"There have been a lot of different things circulating on social media and I’m happy to set the record straight: it did end 4-4 and I did score twice! Also on my team, Bruno [Fernandes] got one and Jamo [Daniel James] got one, while, on the other team, Rashy [Marcus Rashford] got two and so did Odion [Ighalo].

"To be fair, my first goal was decent. It was from a great cross by Bruno and my volley went straight in. I was happy with it. My other one was just getting forward, Juan [Mata] played it to me on the edge of the box, I took a touch and shot in. It was quite an open game, as you can probably gather, with a lot of space, since it was the first game back.

"Everyone looked good and the most important thing was getting minutes in the tank. This was definitely a step forward from the games we’ve been having at the training ground."

Shaw added on the experience of playing a full home game without supporters: "It was also our first chance to get used to a silent Old Trafford, which was different. We all felt like it made the pitch seem bigger because the stands are totally empty.

"Sometimes during games the fans push you on when you’re tired, but now we’ve got to get to grips without that support. It was a really valuable exercise to be able to play at Old Trafford without that.

"We were creating our own noise around the stadium and that’s something we’ve got to make sure we do.

"The important thing is that it’s another step forward. It’s getting more and more exciting now and we just want to get playing games. We’ve got a couple of in-house games at the training ground scheduled over the next few days, which will help us step things up even further before the big game next week against Spurs."

Shaw went on to talk up the importance of their meeting with Tottenham, as both clubs continue to chase down a top-four finish in the Premier League.

"It's a massive fixture and I think everyone on both sides has got full-strength squads now, so it should be a really good game. It’s definitely one we’re all looking forward to," he said.

"In training, we’re looking really sharp, really fit and ready to go. We’re looking forward to it. We just need to pick up where we left off, doing the things we were doing before the break, and, hopefully, we can climb towards the Champions League spots, which is what we really want."

Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza has confirmed that PSL teams will not receive their monthly grants beyond June 30 if football doesn't return in the country. 

This is in light of Absa's decision not to renew their contract with the league coupled with the coronavirus pandemic which has forced the suspension of the 2019/20 season. 

As things stand, there's no clear indication as to what is going to happen to the current campaign as both the South African Football Association (Safa) and the PSL awaits the go-ahead from the government on when the season can resume. 

Khoza says it will be everyone for themselves if no resolution is found by June 30 because it wouldn't make sense to continue paying the monthly grants if teams aren't providing a service to the league. 

All the 16 PSL teams receive R2.5 million every month, and the suspension of the season has hit the majority of them hard in the pocket.  

"The 30th of June is the end of the grants for the PSL teams; everybody must see for themselves," Khoza told eNCA. 

"Because nobody can give money when you are doing nothing, providing no service, no contract. So, it's a challenge that's why it's a question of balancing the act. It's not being insensitive, it's a reality that is facing us. 

"If the mines; the most generous industry, media voice is stronger to resume work. You can understand why they do that because it takes money and years to make a profit if you close the mines.

While both the PSL and Safa are confident of resuming the season, the ball remains in the hands of the South African government to ease coronavirus regulations and allow competitive matches to take place even if it's behind closed doors like in Germany, Italy and England.

Safa has maintained that no football should be played under Level 3 of the lockdown which is expected to come to an end on June 30. 

However, it's unclear if the country's FA will endorse the PSL for football to return under Level 2 lockdown when making submissions to Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize and Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula.  

Pyramids FC winger Abdul Lumala has expressed a wish to quit the Egyptian club and return to Europe.

Lumala was among the Ugandans who signed for other clubs after the conclusion of the 2019 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Egypt.

Although he had started well at Pyramids under his former international coach Sebastien Desabre, his playtime has been limited since the coach was sacked in December following what the club said were poor results.

The 22-year-old joined the Egyptian side from Kalmar FF of Sweden.

“It’s been very difficult for me to adopt because of their system of play. It’s not a game for me and hopefully, very soon I will be moving back to Europe. That’s for sure,” Lumala said as he was quoted by Daily Monitor.

“It’s not [Sebastien] Desabre who brought me here. Of course, he wanted me but the club wanted me more. I am still in the coach’s plans. It’s only football. You play good football and people will always want you in their team.”

Lumala suggested he is not happy being on the bench under the Croatian manager Ante Cacic, who succeeded Desabre.

“No ambitious player in the world would want to be on the bench. It is a character. I want to always be playing,” added the winger.

“There were many links to many teams but this was the best deal for me because I was with my coach.”

Lumala, who spent loan stints at Helsingborgs IF, IFK Varnamo and at Syrianska FC, revealed why Uganda players often seem to struggle in Europe, unlike their West African counterparts.

“Most of those West African players you see playing in Europe were either born or have lived there,” he explained.

“They have been in that system for a long time. You cannot compare someone who has been in that system for long. It is not easy. It is a process and Ugandans must be patient.”

Meanwhile, coach Asaph Mwebaze has blasted KCCA FC head coach Mike Mutebi for claiming Muzamiru Mutyaba has not lived up to expectations.

“Blossom to what?” Asaph asked when responding to Mutebi's claims as quoted by Football256.

“Mutyaba has helped the team to all the league titles they’ve won since he joined KCCA. He has been named the Fufa player of the year [2017]! Is there anything else to prove?

“Let him [Mutyaba] move on and achieve more elsewhere.”

Simon Sserunkuma, Jackson Nunda, Mike Mutyaba and Jamil Malyamungu are the other players expected to leave the Kasasiro Boys when their contracts expire in June.

Mutyaba won three league titles and two domestic cups with the 13-time UPL winners.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant Omondi Aduda has called on Nick Mwendwa to consult with clubs to find a solution on the fate of Kenyan Premier League (KPL).

Five days ago, FKF president Mwendwa categorically stated they will have no business to discuss with the league managers when their term in office expires at the start of September.

The KPL has been the one mandated to run the top-flight after they signed a five-year contract with the previous regime led by Sam Nyamweya.

But with their term of office coming to an end in September, Mwendwa revealed to Goal they will not renew their contract and will instead, take back the running of the league in the country.

“It is over between FKF and KPL, we don’t have anything to discuss nor to negotiate about, they [KPL] have finished their mandate and that is it, the league will now move under FKF,” Mwendwa told Goal at the time.

However, Gor Mahia CEO Aduda has now called on Mwendwa to stop applying force to solve the matter and instead, convene a meeting with the clubs to decide on the way forward.

“KPL is a company owned by 17 clubs and it’s those clubs which [Mwendwa] is supposed to engage, he can only engage with those clubs because those clubs are the owners of KPL, he needs to engage with the clubs to come up with a direction on how the league or which body will run the league,” Aduda told Goal on Wednesday.

“Mwendwa is not the owner of KPL and FKF is not the owner of KPL, they [KPL] are owned by the 17 clubs and Mwendwa should take note of that.

“What I am saying we should stop the war of words and people should sit down and map out what to do next, it is not a contest, if FKF are not keen to renew the contract of the body that has been running the league, then he [Mwendwa] should sit down with members and come up with what to do next.

“What does he want to do? Kenyan football is not the preserve of Mwendwa, he should understand that and stop holding stakeholders at ransom.

“We know the policies of Kenyan football because some of us have been there long enough to know why the clubs formed themselves into that third party to run the league, we know what used to happen when the league was under FKF, so can’t people sit down and sort out the mess?

“I don’t have a problem with him [Mwendwa], but it is high time people sat down to discuss the way forward because it is not within the preserve of an individual but it is about Kenyan football.”

The battle for supremacy between the FKF and the KPL started when Mwendwa and his team took the mantle to run football in the country four years ago.

In their recent spat, the FKF moved to end the league owing to the coronavirus pandemic and declared Gor Mahia the champions while promoting National Super League (NSL) table-toppers Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United.

However, the move was quickly protested by the KPL, who insisted they are the ones mandated to run the top-flight, and thus they are supposed to decide the state of the league.

Liverpool and Everton are confident that the upcoming Merseyside Derby in the Premier League will take place at Goodison Park, despite police recommending that it should be held at a neutral venue.

The clash between the north-west rivals was one of several Premier League fixtures it was suggested should be played away from the stated home ground, due to fears of fans congregating and contravening social distancing rules, with the game to take place behind closed doors to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Liverpool are six points away from securing a first top-flight league title in 30 years, and could win the championship if they beat Everton, should Manchester City lose to Arsenal a few days prior.

A statement from South Yorkshire Police last month said there is a desire for at least five Premier League games to be played away from the home team's ground due to concerns of fans gathering at the stadiums.

Everton vs Liverpool was selected as a match to be played at a neutral venue, as well as the game in which Jurgen Klopp's side could secure the league title.

However the Premier League said they wanted games played home and away "where possible", and now both Liverpool Council's Ground Safety Advisory Group (GSAG) and Merseyside Police have backed the game being played at Everton's ground.

Liverpool said they welcomed the decision following discussions with Everton, the council and fan groups from both teams.

They said: "Following already positive discussions with key partners including Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Police, Spirit of Shankly, Everton Football Club and Blue Union we have committed to working together to restart the season safely with the overriding aim of ensuring these games are completed by prioritising public health so the return to football is a success for Merseyside.

"These discussions are very much part of our normal match day planning and arrangements. Further dialogue between all partners is scheduled this week and together will provide clear and regular updates for supporters throughout this process."

Councillor Wendy Simon, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool and chair of GSAG, said: “We are satisfied that the considerable evidence and guidance provided will ensure that the outstanding fixtures for the 2019/20 Premier League season can be safely and securely played at both Goodison Park and Anfield.  

“A lot of factors have been taken into consideration by the GSAG, especially the safety of the players, match officials and staff in attendance at both stadia.

"We are confident the measures in place will allow the matches to be held behind closed doors without any detrimental impact to all concerned and recommend to the city council that the safety certificates for both grounds be amended to allow this to happen. 

“I’m sure fans of both teams will welcome this recommendation and, subject to ratification, we look forward to watching the first of these matches - the Merseyside Derby on 21 June - which will be broadcast live on free-to-air TV for the first time since the Premier League began.

“We would also advise that everyone, wherever they may be watching these fixtures, to strongly adhere to the guidance on social distancing around the current Covid-19 pandemic and for not only these matches but the wider relaxation measures anticipated for the city.”          

Merseyside Police assistant chief constable Rob Carden, said: “In relation to crime and disorder we have no objections to any of the Everton, or Liverpool, home fixtures being played at their respective grounds.

“The main issues of concern was always going to be public health. It is not the role of the police to make operational decisions on the basis of public health. We are guided by experts in public health and the government. We accept the decision of the GSAG in this respect and will work closely with our partners to play our part in delivering safe events. 

“We are still in unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there are strong concerns in Merseyside, and the wider North West, due to the fact that the R rate here is still higher than the rest of the country.

"For that reason, we would urge supporters to do the right thing – stay at home, enjoy the opportunity to watch every second of the game free of charge on your own TV , in your own living room and keep yourself, your family, friends and neighbours safe.” 

Beijing Guoan striker Cedric Bakambu has revealed he has no disappointments about not joining Barcelona during the January transfer window.

With Luis Suarez out injured, the Blaugrana needed a replacement and the Congolese man was a candidate.

A deal never happened with Barca eventually settling for Denmark international Martin Braithwaite from Leganes.

Bakambu, however, found Barcelona's interest in him as "very flattering" and motivating as well.

"About FC Barcelona, ​​who wanted to buy me at the last winter transfer window, there was not even a disappointment," Bakambu told RFI.

"It would have been a nice bonus, I did not expect it, it was the last hours of the transfer window and I had other more concrete tracks, but it happened.

"In addition, being coveted by Barca is very flattering and motivates me for the future, because I always have in the back of my mind this come back in Europe.

"Knowing that such a stable coveted me tenfold my motivation. China is not a retreat, I am only 29 years old!"

Bakambu joined Beijing Guoan from Villarreal in 2018, and has scored 39 goals and provided 14 assists in 55 appearances.

He is yet to play in the Chinese Super League this year which has been halted because of the coronavirus pandemic, which had its origins from the city of Wuhan, before spreading to other parts of the world.

While football leagues in Asia such as South Korea and Vietnam have resumed, there is still no certain date for a return in China, but Bakambu - who is presently outside the Far East country, is eagerly waiting for a return.

"China has its borders closed to foreigners for the moment, I can't go to Beijing, so I'm waiting for news," the 29-year-old continued.

"But I want to go back, since December it's been a long time. I have prepared myself, I am ready. I want to find the competition, I am a high-level sportsman. I miss it, and my club is out there right now."

Bakambu has previously played for Sochaux in France and Bursaspor in Turkey.

Aston Villa and Tanzania striker Mbwana Samatta has picked Cristiano Ronaldo as his best player when asked to choose between Lionel Messi and the Juventus star.

Ronaldo and Messi have been subjected to intense discourse over the last decade over who is the best, but the Taifa Stars skipper has explained why he would pick the Portuguese star over the Argentinian.

“Messi or Ronaldo? I will go with Ronaldo,” Samatta told Villa TV during an interactive session with supporters.

“I love Messi as he is a fantastic player and it is amazing to watch him but for me when I started playing football, I was watching Ronaldo as an example and when you can play, shoot or head you can be as good as Ronaldo.

“I will stick with Ronaldo because I know he is fantastic and what he is doing and showing every player that if you want to be that good you can be but you have to work hard.”

The 27-year-old striker also revealed why Liverpool's Virgil Van Dijk is the toughest opponents he has encountered before.

“[Virgil] Van Dijk is the toughest player I have come across. I remember when we, at Genk, were playing in a Champions League match against Liverpool it was difficult to beat him,” the former Simba SC star stated.

The Tanzanian also spoke about his short stint at Villa Park so far, his targets and the challenges he has encountered in England.

“I have been here for five months and I am trying to adjust and be as good as the teammates. I am working extra hard to help the team to remain in the Premier League. I cannot guarantee what to expect but I will do my best,” promised the ex-Tout Puissant Mazembe forward.

“I think I have not settled fully yet but I am trying. I think it is going well because as I am starting to understand many things about England and football here, the club, the teammates, and everyone around.

“The supporters are fantastic and for me, I think football is everything for the supporters and people who like football here. They love the game and love the players.

“I feel good to be here as it was my dream as well because this is the best league in the world I can say that.”

Aston Villa will face Sheffield United on July 17 when Premier League restarts.

Peter Schmeichel has described Fred as "one of the great stories" of Manchester United's season, while insisting the Brazilian has been "instrumental" in the club's recent revival.

Fred arrived at Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee of £52 million ($62m) in the summer of 2018, and was initially hailed as the man to add "another dimension" to United's midfield by Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old failed to hit the ground running in Manchester, however, and quickly fell down the squad pecking order amid persistent form and fitness issues.

Mourinho publicly expressed his belief that Fred wasn't up to the task defensively, which led to question marks over the club's decision to fork out such a large fee on the Brazilian.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was drafted in when the Portuguese head coach was sacked from his post in December 2018, and he immediately set about stamping his own mark on the squad.

Initially, Fred did not figure much in the Norwegian's plans, but after a summer of intense transfer speculation he reported for pre-season training with a point to prove.

The ex-Shakhtar star has rediscovered his best form this season, helping United gradually re-emerge as a Premier League force while racking up 39 appearances across all competitions in total.

Solskjaer's men are now within sight of a top-four finish and an FA Cup and Europa League double, with a clash against Tottenham up next on June 19 which will mark the club's first fixture since the coronavirus outbreak called a temporary halt to proceedings in March.

Schmeichel has credited Fred for playing a key role in the club's recent success, and has also reserved praise for Solskjaer for helping to restore the playmaker's confidence.

"Fred has been, for me, absolutely instrumental in how well the club has done this season," the former United goalkeeper told CNN.

"He was always perfect for the club but he's now been given playing time and the more time he's been given, the more confidence he's gained and for me, he's been one of the great stories this season at Manchester United.

"Of course it's down to Fred but it's down to Ole for giving him that confidence. I like that. I like the way he's kind of introduced players that were already there but are now in the first team and are now playing well.

"He's also brought all these values in. The players now know them. If you don't share our values, there's no place for you here.

"So you have to live up to his values. And he's bringing in his own culture and you can see it and it's there and it's brilliant."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have set off to Shinyanga ahead of their Mainland Premier League match against Mwadui without key striker David Molinga.

The Congolese import has been training with the team since sporting activities were allowed to resume in the country ahead of the league resumption, but was conspicuously missing from the travelling squad named by assistant coach Boniface Mkwasa.

Speaking before the team left for Shinyanga, Mkwasa could not talk about Molinga but confirmed they will miss the services of another player – Bernard Morrison - through "domestic issues".

“We will travel to Shinyanga by flight ahead of the first match on Sunday,” Mkwasa told reporters after the team’s last training session in Dar es Salaam.

“We have worked hard to rectify a few mistakes which cropped up during our defeat to KMC in a friendly and I am sure the boys are ready to take on Mwadui and return home with maximum points.

“We missing a number of players the likes of Morrison, who is left behind because of domestic issues but I am confident the squad we have will win the match.

“I also want to say that Mwadui is a good team, we will not underrate them as they will be playing at home but Yanga is also a big team which never minds whether playing home or away, the most important thing is to win the match.”

Meanwhile, Molinga has refuted claims he was left behind because of staging a go-slow ahead of the trip.

“I want to deny the rumours going round that I have refused to travel with the team, let me remind all of you that what brought me to Tanzania is to play football and there is no way I can refuse to travel whereas I have been training with the same team,” Molinga said.

“When the coach named the list of the traveling squad, my name was missing and the one who can answer the reason why I have not travelled is the coach because he picked the squad.

“I have not missed training since we resumed and I don’t know why the coach decided to leave me behind.”

Yanga will face Mwadui at Kambarage Stadium on Saturday.

Playing for South Africa's 'Big Three' teams is almost every player's dream but not for retired defender Jacob Tshisevhe. 

Tshiseve played professional football for 10 years between 1993 and 2003, but unlike many players who played for Kaizer Chiefs, he still regrets joining the Soweto giants. 

He spent seven of those 10 years at Amakhosi between 1993 and 2000 but he feels he shouldn't have donned the famous gold and black jersey. 

Surprisingly, the now 51-year-old retired defender didn't disclose what really happened during his time at Naturena as he opted to say he learned to live with some of the "disturbing things" he found at the club when Chiefs signed him.

Tshisevhe was 24 years old at the time, and he arrived when the Glamour Boys had the likes of Lucas Radebe, Ntsie Maphike and Neil Tovey in their ranks, who became the top defenders in the country.    

He went on to become a household name in the PSL and many would recall his rivalry with former Orlando Pirates striker Jerry Sikhosana in many Soweto Derby matches in the 1990s. 

"Any regrets? I think playing for Kaizer Chiefs was a big regret for me because you go there as a player, you want to play in the team but you find some other things that disturb you or some things that you didn't know you'd find them in life," Tshisevhe said on SA FM.  

"But because you are there, you just have to carry on with them."

Tshisevhe left Chiefs in 2000 and took a break from football for a season before joining Black Leopards for the 2001/02 season. 

He then signed for Mamelodi Sundowns where he lasted for three months before ending his career at the now-defunct City Pillars in 2003. 

Speaking about playing against Sikhosana, Tshisevhe said: "When you talk about Jacob Tshisevhe and Jerry Sikhosana, you are talking about the real Derby because when you talk about it, some the whole week some would be saying, 'Sikhosana is going to get passed Tshisevhe', and others would be saying, 'No, Sikhosana won't get passed Tshisevhe'.

"That made the Soweto Derby very interesting. 

"Actually, it was not a nightmare because I loved playing against forceful like Jerry Sikhosana; players that are physical and like to terminate others.

"I knew that playing against me would make me exactly what I wanted."       

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has "done a tremendous job" since being appointed Manchester United manager, according to Peter Schmeichel.

Solskjaer was handed a three-year contract at Old Trafford in March 2019 after a hugely impressive interim spell in the dugout following the departure of Jose Mourinho.

The Norwegian was unable to build on that platform initially as United slumped to a sixth-place finish last season, but signs of improvement have been shown in 2019-20.

The Red Devils sat fifth in the Premier League standings when coronavirus stopped play in March, and had also made their way through to the latter stages of the FA Cup and Europa League.

January arrivals Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo seemed to complete the puzzle Solskjaer had been piecing together, with an 11-match unbeaten run raising the levels of expectation among supporters heading into the business end of the season.

With English football's three-month hiatus set to end later this month, Schmeichel has offered an assessment of Solskjaer's first year at the helm, expressing his belief that an old-team mate has already affected significant change.

"I think he's done a tremendous job. I think he's far exceeded my expectations on what could be done in a relatively short period of time, it has to be said," the ex-United goalkeeper told CNN.

"Basically what he's taken over is six years of too many different directions. He's taken over players that were with Sir Alex (Ferguson), he's taken over players that were with (David) Moyes and Louis Van Gaal and then (Jose) Mourinho.

"All of them are different. They're different in their approach, they're different in the players they like. So he's not really had an opportunity to build what he wants but he has.

"I think he has been helped by circumstances for absolutely sure but he's given opportunities to players who you always thought that they were good, they could do the job, but because of the lack of patience or understanding of the players' ability."

United will need to pick up as many points as possible from their remaining nine fixtures to leapfrog Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish, and Schmeichel is well aware of the importance of Champions League football when it comes to attracting top talent.

He added: "Getting into the Champions League, that is a massive leap towards [winning the Premier League in the future].

"Not getting into the Champions League is not a disaster because it's another year of development and I don't think there's anything wrong in taking one step back to take two steps forward.

"But if we could manage to get into the Champions League, that would mean that the up-and-coming transfer windows will have a different feel to it because the best players in the world want to compete in the Champions League."

Talks between Juventus and Paulo Dybala are progressing well, with the Argentina international forward aiming for a new €12 million-a-year (£11m/$14m) contract with the perennial Serie A champions.

Juventus resume their campaign on Friday evening against Milan in the Coppa Italia, the first game back in Italy in the 2019-20 season following the lengthy break enforced by coronavirus.

Dybala, who contracted the virus and suffered an especially bad case of the disease, is set to feature having become an important part of Maurizio Sarri's team as they aim to hold off title challengers Lazio and Inter to retain their Serie A crown.

The 26-year-old, who has a contract in Turin until the summer of 2022, previously said there had been no contact from Juve about an extension and that the onus was on the club to make the first move.

He told CNN on Monday: "Renewal? For now there is nothing. I have a year-and-a-half left on my contract, it is not so much, and I understand that since what happened with the coronavirus it is not easy for the club, but other players have renewed. Let's wait, it depends on Juventus."

While this set alarm bells ringing in Turin, Goal can confirm Juventus are very confident of agreeing a new deal with Dybala and the player himself wants to stay with the club. Talks have started, and both parties want to find a resolution quickly.

Dybala, who has moved out of the hefty shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juve and has established himself as a potent attacking force in his own right, is aware of his value to the club and wants €12m a year, a substantial increase on his terms at present.

He said in his CNN interview: "I am happy to be here, people love me very much and I love people very much. I have a great appreciation for the club and the people who are here, I have a good relationship with my president and we will certainly talk at some point."

Goal has also learned that Dybala, who has scored 91 goals in 216 appearances for Juventus, has demanded that he keep the No.10 shirt which he has worn for four years at the club, regardless of who they sign in the future.

Gicumbi FC and Heroes FC have lost their appeal case in which they sought to reverse the decision which saw them relegated to the Ferwafa Men’s Second Division.

When Ferwafa moved to suspend the Rwandan Premier League on March 15, due to the coronavirus restriction measures, Heroes were 15th with 16 points while Gicumbi were bottom with 15 points.

Ferwafa cancelled the league on May 23 after it had held consultative meetings with clubs and stakeholders and arrived at the decision of declaring the champions and as well as the teams relegated and promoted.

When Heroes and Gicumbi learnt of their fate, they launched an appeal to Ferwafa but the Appeals Body has moved to dismiss their case.

The two clubs claim the decision to relegate them went against what clubs had agreed on during the consultative meetings.

“The appeals have no legal ground. The Ferwafa Appeals Committee has upheld the decision to relegate Heroes and Gicumbi from Rwanda Premier League following the abrupt end of the season,” Ferwafa's Appeal Body stated as they delivered their judgement on the case launched by the two clubs.

“Based on Match Day 23 standings, Heroes FC and Gicumbi FC with 16 points and 15 points respectively are therefore relegated to the second division league for the 2020/2021 season," Ferwafa said at the time of league cancellation.

Heroes president Fidele Kanamugire had stated previously that the relegated clubs had the chance to redeem themselves if the league was restarted. There were seven matches remaining before the competition ended.

“The decision is against what we discussed during the consultative meeting with Ferwafa. The idea was to award the title to APR as runaway leaders, but relegate no team,” Kanamugire said as he argued against Ferwafa's move to end the 2019/20 season and consequently relegate his side.

Although the Premier League was cancelled, the women's competition would wait to see whether the government will allow its continuation.

“Due to the nature of women's competitions, the 2020 edition of the women’s first and second division leagues are hereby suspended and will resume when Government of Rwanda eases the lockdown on sporting activities,” Ferwafa's statement at the time read.

The 2020 Peace Cup tournaments for men and women were declared null and void while Ferwafa's youth competitions in all age categories for the 2020 edition were postponed.

APR were declared champions of the cancelled league.

Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes "have hit it off" at Manchester United, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is hoping to see a new partnership "flourish" at Old Trafford.

United have been starved of success on the biggest stage since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, and their struggles continued in the first half of the 2019-20 campaign.

Solskjaer's side showed glimpses of their future potential during fixtures against the top six, but fell out of contention in the race for a top-four finish after failing to maintain any sort of upward trajectory.

However, the mood of gloom surrounding the club was lifted almost instantly following the £50 million ($62m) signing of Fernandes from Sporting CP in the January transfer window.

The Portuguese playmaker inspired a turnaround in fortunes which saw United win eight of their 11 fixtures before the coronavirus outbreak stopped play in March.

The 25-year-old's energy also appeared to rub off on his new team-mates, especially Martial, who found the net in three of his last four outings to take his tally for the season to 16 from 34 appearances in all competitions.

Solskjaer wants to see the pair pick up from where they left off when the action gets back underway, with the Red Devils set to take on fellow Champions League hopefuls Tottenham on June 19.

The United boss told Premier League Productions: "Anthony’s had a difficult season with injuries but he started the season really well and he’s finishing off…well, the season’s not finished yet but he did really well towards the end.

"He’s working hard and for me Anthony was on the way to his best season at Manchester United so let's see if he finishes it off and kicks on again.

"Tony and Bruno [Fernandes] have hit it off together so it’s a partnership that we hope can flourish.

"We knew he was a quality player and knew that when he came in he would have an impact straight away but you never know if he’s going to settle early in a new country but he’s taken to it like a duck to water."

Former Bidvest Wits midfielder Mark Haskins is very concerned amidst reports indicating that the club is set to be sold.

National First Division (NFD) side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila is reportedly close to securing Wits' Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

It is said that the club would then relocate to the Limpopo province ahead of the 2020/21 season.

This has come as a huge surprise to Haskins, after his former side established its self as one of the top teams in the PSL under coach Gavin Hunt.

“Nobody knows what the truth is, because people have come out and denied the claims, so we are all looking for truth, direction and clarity,” Haskins told Far Post.

“It came as a big surprise when it was first reported in the media, especially when you think of how well the team has done in the past couple of years

"I mean being one of the teams that has been able to win the league [ in the 2016/17 season] which is not an easy thing to do and now to think that they are being sold you have to wonder what went wrong or is it just the ambition of the club has changed or what?

"I don’t know. But it’s very surprising given how competitive this team has been."

Haskins, who is the head coach of the Wits University team which competes in the Varsity Football Tournament, revealed that his son is part of the Clever Boys' academy.

“The crazy thing is that my son plays for the Bidvest Wits U15 side so even the youngsters are not sure what the future holds for them because they had just started their league campaign already and they have been wanting to see it through should they get to resume but everyone is everything up in the air right now,” he continued.

Haskins feels for the players, who don’t know where they will be playing next season, after the current campaign was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“That’s why I am saying it’s surprising because the quality of the squad and the quality of the coaching staff is of a higher standard," he added.

"The players I can just imagine what is going through their minds, whether they are going to have to relocate or not. Nobody really knows what is going to happen.”