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The India women's national team is currently undergoing a preparatory camp for the AFC Asian Cup in Jharkhand under the watchful eyes of head coach Thomas Dennerby. The Swede was handed over the reins in August after former coach Maymol Rocky stepped down. 

From Sushil Bhattacharya in the 1970s to Rocky, all the previous managers of the Indian women's team had been Indians and Dennerby became the first foreign coach when the  AIFF's (All India Football Federation) Technical Committee thought that it would be best to use his experience for the benefit of the senior team, keeping in mind the upcoming Asian Cup in 2022 which will be hosted in India.  

The former Nigerian national team coach mentioned that the target in the Asian Cup is to at least reach the quarterfinals. 

"We will put in a huge effort to reach the knock out stage that means going into the quarterfinals and if we can do that it will be successful tournament for us," he stated in a recent media interaction. 

However, he thinks that the team must play at least 11 to 13 international matches before the main event to get into the groove. 

“It is very important for us to play 11-13 matches before the tournament (AFC Asian Cup) starts. The federation is working very hard trying to help us, we know about the situation with corona. It is important to us to play not less than 10 games before the tournament starts and we need to play different opponents with different playing styles," said Dennerby. 

"We need to play some teams which are a little bit weaker to implement attacking ideas and (need) some games against equal teams.t is also important to find opponent who are a little bit better, who will help us to speed up the pace of the game, the decision making, the passing and receiving and all that you need to do," he mentioned.

In the last five years, the Indian team has flown to different parts of the world to take part in various exposure trips as well as to participate in many international tournaments like the Cotif Cup, Gold Cup, and the Turkish Women's Cup. Let us have a look at their performance in the international arena in the last five years. 

Mauricio Pochettino joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-German in January 2021 after an impressive five and a half years stint at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Argentine coach, who joined the Spurs in the 2014/15 season after managing Southampton for a year in the Premier League, guided the club to a top-four finish on four occasions and also helped them reach a Champions League final for the first time in the club's history in the 2018/19 season where they lost 2-0 to Liverpool.

Despite Pochettino establishing Tottenham as one of the top clubs in England, neither could he guide them to a Premier League title, nor could he win any other trophy with the club. In November 2019, Pochettino parted ways with Spurs and Jose Mourinho replaced him at the helm.

Last season when Pochettino joined PSG, the French giants were third on the points table behind eventual champions Lille and Olympique Lyon. Pochettino managed the club in 21 league games where he won 16, lost four and drew one. In the end, PSG lost out on the title by just a point, finishing second with 82 points from 38 matches.

PSG witnessed a massive overhauling of their squad this season with the signings of big names like Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnaruma, Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. The French capital-based club have been the strongest team in Ligue 1 in the last decade winning the league title on seven occasions in the last nine years. Now that Pochettino is in charge of one of the strongest teams in Europe, he will hope to win his first-ever league title as a manager.

Other than PSG's Pochettino, there are quite a few top European clubs whose managers have never won a league title in their career. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta began his professional coaching with the Gunners in 2019 and is yet to win a league as a manager. He had served as an assistant coach at Manchester City to Pep Guardiola though.

Bayern Munich's Julian Nagelsmann replaced Hansi Flick at the helm of affairs this season. Nagelsmann, who has prior experience of managing Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, has never won the Bundesliga title. Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui guided the Spanish club to a Europa League triumph in the 2019/20 season but the Spaniard is yet to win a league title in his career.

Here, we take a look at some of the top European clubs' managers who have never won a league title in their careers.

The AFC Women's Asian Cup is a quadrennial competition that was established in the year 1975. It is the marquee women's football competition in the AFC region which also acts as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup. 

The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup will be the 20th edition of the tournament and it will be hosted in India. The Indian women's team have already qualified for the competition by courtesy of being the host nation. It is slated to take place between January 20 and February 6. 

The Indian team have already started preparing for the competition under new head coach Thomas Dennerby in Jharkhand. The last time India eves qualified for the tournament was back in 2003 and their best performances came in 1979 and 1983 when they stood second. 

In the upcoming edition of the competition, 12 teams will participate with Japan being the defending champions. 

Who were the previous winners? Check out the table below. 

AFC WOMEN'S ASIAN CUP WINNER'S LIST

Umar Sadiq scored a brace to help Almeria ease to a 4-0 away victory over Alcorcon in Friday’s Segunda Division outing.

The Nigeria striker dazzled in front of goal in the first-half as the Rojiblancos returned to winning ways following last Sunday's 1-0 loss against Ponferradina.

Sadiq started the party at the Estadio Santo Domingo with his fifth-minute opener and he doubled the lead for Rubi's men 10 minutes later, courtesy of Francisco Portillo's assist.

The former Rangers and Roma star had the chance of grabbing his hat-trick in the 37th minute but his effort from the penalty spot hit the bar and it went into the net off goalkeeper Dani Jimenez.

It was his third brace in Spanish football since he joined Almeria from Partizan Belgrade in October 2020, he scored two goals against Alaves in a Copa del Rey match in January and in a league outing against Real Oviedo in May.

Nine minutes after the hour-mark, Alejandro Pozo sealed the emphatic away win for the visitors as they pile pressure on league leaders Sporting Gijon who have 13 points from five games.

Sadiq was on parade from start to finish and the two goals fired him to the top of the Segunda Division scorers' chart with four goals after six appearances.

Last season, he scored 20 goals in 40 league games for Rubi's side but they narrowly missed out on La Liga promotion in the play-offs.

This season, Almeria have started their push to return to the Spanish top-flight on a bright note and they currently occupy the second spot in the league table with 12 points after six games.

Their next league outing will be against Tenerife at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos on September 24.

Thomas Tuchel is glad that Harry Kane remained at Tottenham amid strong links to Manchester City this summer, while the Chelsea boss also says his club were "never close" to pursuing the Spurs star.

Kane remained at Spurs this summer despite Manchester City's pursuit, with rumours of a move only heating up after Kane didn't show up to the club's first training sessions.

But Kane has said that he's fully committed to Spurs going forward, which Tuchel is happy to see as a fan, even if he isn't eager to face the striker as a coach.

What did Tuchel say?

"I thought that this is going to happen," he said of Kane's proposed Manchester City move. "No I was not scared, but if it would have happened I would have been very interested in how maybe it would have changed Manchester City’s style of playing.

"We are not afraid of anyone. We accept any team and Manchester City, Man Utd and Liverpool, they are the teams strong like no other in this league and they have strong squads. These are the guys with whom we want to compete and it’s normal that they fight for the best players and I thought this is maybe going to happen. 

"On one side I was happy that he stayed because it is also nice that it exists in football that players play for one club only and so Harry Kane is Tottenham. Even for me I have absolutely nothing to do with Tottenham, I have never worked for them, when I think about Tottenham in the last decade you think about Harry Kane and this is very nice.

"Like you think about [Lionel] Messi and straight away you think about Barcelona and it is very hard to think that he plays for another club now and that’s the same for Harry Kane.

"So from this side, I was happy because I like it and a part of my personality is still a fan and I like that things like this happen. It is also nice that Romelu [Lukaku] is back at Chelsea and some things are a good fit and should not be changed."

'We were never close'

Tuchel went on to reveal that his club were never really in pursuit of Kane, even before signing Lukaku this summer.

“We never had a list with his name on it and I never went to Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director] to tell her to buy him," Tuchel said of Kane. "But the club sorted out the situation.

"There are many people around players, their agents and advisors and people in between and we had some information from these people but it was never that close that we had to experience the rivalry. We know about the rivalry but I had a feeling that it was never that far.”

Lukaku completed a £98 million ($136m) return to Stamford Bridge this summer, giving Chelsea the star No.9 they had been aiming for.

And he has started the season well, scoring four goals in as many games ahead of Chelsea's clash with Spurs this weekend.

Kane, meanwhile, has scored twice in five appearances in all competitions this season.

Further reading

Jurgen Klopp insists there is “much more to come” from Thiago Alcantara, as the Liverpool midfielder completes his first 12 months on Merseyside.

Thiago arrived at Anfield on September 18 last year, the Reds having agreed a deal worth £25 million ($34.5m) with Bayern Munich for the Spanish international.

And while his first year at the club has been mixed, mainly due to an injury sustained at Everton in his first Premier League start, Klopp believes we will soon see the 30-year-old’s full range of skills.

What did Klopp say about Thiago?

Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s game against Crystal Palace this weekend, Klopp told reporters: “The start was not perfect. He got Covid, got injured early which of course makes things much more difficult. But he showed what kind of player he will be for us. There is much more to come of course.

“It has been a year, but if you want it is only half a year because of all the things which happened. Coming to a new club, in the most difficult period in all our lives, he settled really well. His family is here, he loves it here, he was in the middle of the team very quickly. He’s a really good character, really good personality and obviously a world-class player. It is all fine!”

‘He’s like a world-class golfer!’

Discussing Thiago’s role in the Liverpool team, and the specific tactical instructions he is given, Klopp compared the former Barcelona man to a golfer.

He said: “He played more often at Munich in a double-six role, but for us it’s a complex position; you have to be offensive, you have to be defensive, you have to be between the lines, you can drop into the last line to receive the ball, but not always. 

“But he is such a natural footballer it is not like we have to give him 15 or 16 different things to do in the game. I don’t ask him for constant runs beyond the last line. He is a playmaker, obviously, who can sometimes be a little deeper, but he must be there in the two ‘interesting’ lines of the opponent as well.

“He has great vision and can change things with his passing. In a closed area with his passing he is really good, and he can chip balls into each area like a golfer, actually. A good golfer. A world class golfer! He does that without even thinking. 

“I love the way he plays. It’s a complex position to be the No.8 for us. We have different skill sets and we use different skill sets from time to time when we think a particular skill set makes more sense against a particular opponent.”

Liverpool team news

Klopp will be without striker Roberto Firmino for the visit of Palace, the Brazilian having yet to return to training following the hamstring injury suffered against Chelsea last month.

There are no fresh concerns, though the Reds boss hinted he would make changes again to his starting XI having rested the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah for the Champions League win over AC Milan on Wednesday.

“We spoke a lot about the schedule but this one is normal for us, three games a week," he said. "We did these kind of things and thank God we came through, the boys did really well but we will have to make changes again, that is clear."

Further reading

Alex Iwobi said his best playing position at Everton is as a winger while he is better either as a number ten or number eight for Nigeria.

The 25-year-old has been drafted into several positions since he left Arsenal in 2019 for a new adventure at Goodison Park.

At the early stage of his career in North London, Iwobi was likened to his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha, who played dominantly as a playmaker during his active days.

He has proven his versatility over the years and he believes that the experiences have had an impact on his game.

Iwobi told the club's website: "I think playing different roles has helped me to understand the game a bit more, especially those defensive roles. I'm not going to complain - playing right wing-back, right midfield, left midfield, I'll play anywhere and I'll always give my best.

"My aim is to get more goals and assists but if I'm asked to do it at right wing-back, then I'll do it and try my best!

"I think, for Everton, my best position for the team is probably out wide. For my national team, it's completely different and I do like playing in the midfield as a number 8 or number 10.

"I feel like I can play in any position. For each manager and each team it's going to be different."

Iwobi has not hidden his admiration for Rafael Benitez since the former Liverpool coach succeeded Carlo Ancelotti at the helm in June.

The Super Eagles star hailed Benitez for his form and the team's overall performance as they currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with 10 points after four games.

"I think the manager has really made us feel confident," he added.

"He's made sure we're working hard every day and I think that's showing out on the pitch. 

"He's got the team playing as one. As you can see, we're in a good place right now - the players and the fans. We're feeling good, very confident and excited about any challenge that comes our way. It's been really good.

"He's someone that demands a lot - not just from me but from everyone. He wants the best out of every single player.

" He's working hard with individuals and he speaks to us every day. He'll tell you when you've done something well, but he'll also always give you something you can improve on - and something that's going to help the team. He's really helped me."

Cristiano Ronaldo completed a sensational return to former club Manchester United this summer in one of the most surprising moves of the transfer window.

The striker left Juventus after three years to be reunited with the Old Trafford side, which he left in 2009 for Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has taken a slight pay cut to join the Red Devils, so how much does he earn now? Goal takes a look.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo's salary at Man Utd?

Initial reports suggested that Ronaldo was to earn a whopping £480,000 per week at Old Trafford, but according to the Daily Mail the figure is now closer to £385,000 a week.

It's still a hefty sum, and it now makes Ronaldo the highest-paid player at Man Utd ahead of goalkeeper David De Gea.

Ronaldo even agreed to take a £6 million pay cut to join Man Utd after leaving Juventus, where he made £500,000 per week. The Portugal captain's agent Jorge Mendes had tried to negotiate a salary of £20m per year, but Ronaldo had to make do with less in order to seal his move to Manchester before the summer transfer window closed.

The deal that took Ronaldo back to Old Trafford was for an initial £13 million (€15m/$18m) with add-ons of up to £7m (€8m/$9m). 

Man Utd made a shock swoop for the player after he revealed of his intentions to leave the Serie A club, with Manchester City an early frontrunner for his signature.

And while it looked as if the Citizens would be the next destination for Ronaldo, it was Manchester United who eventually won the race to sign him for a second time.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo's net worth?

Ronaldo is understood to have a net worth of around $500m (£363m), accumulated through his wages, salary and various endorsement and sponsorship deals.

It is estimated that his net worth is slightly higher than that of his long-time rival Lionel Messi, although the Paris Saint-Germain forward has been the recipient of more lucrative contracts.

Ronaldo was ranked third on Forbes' 2021 list of the highest-paid athletes in the world, with combined earnings of $120m (£87m), $50m (£36m) of which was earned through business off the pitch.

Who are the highest-paid Premier League players in 2021?

Ronaldo is both the highest-paid player at both Manchester United and in the Premier League.

According to reports, he is followed by Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne who is on a reported salary of £380,000 per week, and United team-mate De Gea who is on £375,000 per week.

Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling are reportedly earning £300,000 a week each at the Etihad, with N'Golo Kante earning £290,000 per week at Chelsea.

Marumo Gallants joined Orlando Pirates in the second round of this season's Caf Confederation Cup. 

Bahlabane Ba Ntwa proved too strong for Equatorial Guinea’s Futuro Kings FC in the first round second-leg match as they claimed a 3-0 win on Friday evening.

Therefore, the Limpopo side won the tie 4-2 on aggregate having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in the first-leg encounter at Estadio de Mongomo in Equatorial Guinea last weekend. 

Gallants, who are making their debut appearance in the Confederation Cup, will now take on DR Congolese giants AS Vita Club in the second round tie next month.

While their PSL rivals, Pirates are scheduled to take on the winner between Bumamuru FC of Burundi and Congo-Brazzaville side CSMD Diables Noirs.

The first-leg encounter ended in a 0-0 draw in Tanzania with Bumamuru frustrating Noirs away from home last weekend and they are now set to meet in Burundi on Saturday.

Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, who had grabbed Gallants' away goal, started after passing a late fitness test at Peter Mokaba Stadium as the hosts looked to overcome the deficit.

It took just three minutes for Celimpilo Ngema to open the scoring as the 23-year-old attacker netted his first goal of the season to make it 1-0 to Gallants.

The hosts then pushed for their second goal of the match, but the Kings stood firm at the back and Gallants were leading at half-time with the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate.

However, Gallants took a 2-0 lead on the night a few minutes after the restart with Ngema grabbing his brace with a decent finish. 

The Kings found it difficult to penetrate the Bahlabane Ba Ntwa's solid defence which was marshalled by their inspirational captain Lehlohonolo Nonyane.

Thabo Mnyamane then sealed Gallants' 3-0 victory on the night when the former SuperSport United forward scored with 12 minutes left on the clock.

Gallants have now turned their attention to their PSL campaign as they are expected to face Maritzburg United on September 22.

The game will be played at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

The sound of Jonathan Moss’ whistle at Selhurst Park was met with an excitement that hadn’t been felt at Crystal Palace in months, following their 3-0 success over Tottenham Hotspur.

Red card to Japhet Tanganga aside, the Eagles were the more ambitious team before the young defender’s dismissal just before the hour and merited maximum points on the balance of play. Aside from a couple of FA Cup wins over the North London outfit in 2016 and 2019, this is a fixture that tends to end with Spurs on the winning side.

This was Palace’s first Premier League win against Tottenham in 13 attempts, ending a six-year wait since that 2-1 win over their cross-town rivals since January 2015. Only three players from that 18-man squad remain, including Wilfried Zaha who thrived in Saturday’s triumph.

It was Patrick Vieira’s first win in South London and it was thoroughly deserved after weeks of improvement following that disjointed opening day defeat at Chelsea.

If you’re a glass-half-full person, you’re bound to look at the positives from that incredible showing at Selhurst Park. If you see the glass as half-empty, then Jordan Ayew’s extended goal drought will be a nagging worry.

In a sense, the latter statement will be derided by optimists in South London.

Zaha, the club’s talisman scored and assisted, new signing Odsonne Edouard had a dream debut, on-loan Chelsea midfielder Connor Gallagher continues to impress and Michael Olise finally featured for the Eagles.

The latter was even involved in the move leading up to Edouard’s second for the club, and observers are already predicting he’d supplant Ayew in the XI in no time.

While that claim remains to be seen, the Ghana star’s blank last time out extended an unbelievable run that’s lasted 31 matches without finding the back of the net.

The 10-month drought began in November last year following a 4-1 hammering of Leeds United and it’ll be a surprise if it doesn’t extend to 32 with Vieira’s men to visit Liverpool on Saturday.

A notable facet of the West African’s play in the box last week was the lack of conviction in his two shots, perhaps indicative of a player currently low on confidence and one who hasn’t netted in almost a year.

Admittedly, neither shot came from a clear-cut chance — and the fact both shots amounted to 0.1xG reflects this — but a player in form may have converted either opportunity.

The first came immediately after Tanganga’s dismissal but the Ghana international couldn’t direct his shot on target following Gallagher’s delivery. The forward’s reaction showed his irritation.

Six minutes later, Ayew should have opened the scoring. After Zaha got the better of Emerson Royal and sent a cross into the box to his West African teammate who smartly held his run at the far post, the Black Star’s lack of conviction was evident in the execution of the eventual shot blocked by Dele Alli.

Despite firing blanks yet again, though, the 30-year-old attacker was involved for his side until his 86th-minute withdrawal.

Only two players outdid his four shot-creating actions (defined as passes, dribbles or fouls drawn directly leading to a shot), he ranked third for successful dribbles for Palace and was second to Zaha for progressive carries (10-7).

Furthermore, his four tackles plus interceptions tally was outdone by James McArthur and Tyrick Mitchell’s five, a tally he could have surpassed if he finished the game.

Having said that, Ayew needs to start scoring again if he’s to retain his place in the team, particularly after the summer arrivals of Edouard and Olise.

In a slight defence of the Ghanaian, though, he hasn't missed chance after chance in the last 10 months. Ayew’s non-penalty expected goals of 2.4 last term (resulting in one goal) was rather low and the fact he failed to tuck away only one opportunity that fell into the big chance category further highlights this claim.

Roy Hodgson’s men ranked 18th for clear-cut chances created last year, suggesting the former Lorient striker was hamstrung by his former manager’s conservative nature.

It feels a long time ago that Ayew seemed to rise to a role as co-talisman along with Zaha pre-lockdown in 2029/20, where he eventually scored nine Premier League goals, notably from 6.5xG.

The ongoing drought began following the league’s resumption and the 30-year-old’s goals drying up is a concern.

Vieira praised his team’s Spurs showing in Friday’s press conference but has called on them to produce a repeat performance against one of Europe’s best sides on Saturday.

“We just have to go on the field to perform and give them problems, because there are also sides we can exploit,” the Frenchman told reporters on Friday. “To exploit it we must be brave and go there thinking we can get something from the game. If we go there thinking about defending for 90 minutes, they will score goals because they can do that.

“We had a good game (against Tottenham), yes, but can we repeat this kind of performance? This is our challenge.”

Liverpool have won the last nine encounters between the clubs, with the last three matches finishing 4-0, 7-0 and 2-0 to the Reds. Having ended a six-year wait against Spurs last time out, another top showing at Anfield will demonstrate the growth of this Palace side since a disappointing opening day performance at Stamford Bridge.

If Ayew scores in the process, perhaps those people seeing a glass-half-empty will wear a robe of positivity and optimism and start to believe in Vieira’s Eagles rebuild.

The Ghana Football Association has charged Ashanti Gold and Inter Allies on multiple accounts of match manipulation, the national outfit has announced.

The two clubs are in hot water for allegedly fixing their Ghana Premier League matchday 34 encounter last season.

Both teams are also being investigated by the Ghana police.

“Ashanti Gold SC and Inter Allies FC have both been charged by the GFA Prosecutor on counts of misconduct for match manipulation in their 2020-21 Ghana Premier League week 34 match played at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium on July 17, 2021,” the GFA stated on its official website on Friday.

“After investigations into the acts of misconduct, the GFA Prosecutor charged Ashanti Gold SC on three counts of misconduct for breaching Article 34(5)(a), Article 34(6)(d) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, 2019, Article 18(1) of the GFA Disciplinary Code, 2019.

“Inter Allies FC have also been charged on two counts of misconduct for breaching Article 34(5)(a) and Article 34(6)(d) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, 2019.

“Both clubs are expected to submit their Statements of Defence to the charges on or before Wednesday, September 22 after which the GFA Disciplinary Committee will adjudicate their cases respectively. Some players and officials of both clubs have also been charged.”

The fateful match saw Ashanti Gold run away with a 7-0 win involving two own goals, with viral post-match footage on social media showing what were described as “cheap goals”.

Later, Inter Allies defender Hashmin Musah, who came into the game as a second-half substitute and netted two own goals, confessed to deliberately putting the ball behind his own goalkeeper with intentions of foiling what he suspected was a standing, fixed 5-0 scoreline.

“Our football has been attacked by faceless cowards. It is my responsibility and that of the Executive Council to defend the passion of the nation,” GFA boss Okraku remarked on the subject last month.

“Everybody who has played a part [in match-fixing relating to betting] will face it.

“We will clean our sport and bring confidence to a sport that feeds me and all of us, a sport that gives hope and spiration to the entire 30 million people of this country.

“If you are here and you know that you played a part, just be ready.”

Allies were already confirmed relegated before the said game, while Ashanti Gold ultimately finished ninth on the table.

Many goals wouldn't be scored if not for the players providing the crucial assists: a great delivery from a free-kick or an in-swinging corner that makes a tap-in easier than ever.

Goal-scorers tend to get most of the attention during matches, but a good assist should never be overlooked.

So which player holds the record for providing the most Premier League assists in a single campaign? Goal takes a look.

What is the record for most Premier League assists in a season?

The record of most Premier League assists in a single season is shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, who both tallied 20.

Henry racked up his incredible assist tally playing for Arsenal during the 2002-03 season, while De Bruyne clocked in 20 assists for Manchester City in 2019-20.

De Bruyne makes the top 10 list an astonishing three times, managing 18 assists during the 2016-17 season for Manchester City plus a further 16 assists in 2017-18 for the same club.

They are followed by former Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil in third place, who had 19 assists to his name during the 2015-16 season.

Then comes former Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Cesc Fabregas plus De Bruyne again, all on 18 assists each.

Fabregas also appears on the list twice, his 17 assists for Arsenal in 2007-08 ranking him in seventh place.

Most Premier League assists in a season full list

Who has the most assists in Premier League history?

Ryan Giggs is the current record-holder for most assists in Premier League history, with 162 during his extensive career at Old Trafford.

He is followed by Fabregas, who provided a total of 111 assists during his time playing for both the Gunners and Chelsea – but he is still a whopping 51 behind Giggs.

Wayne Rooney comes in third with 103 assists, with Lampard shortly behind on 102.

Ex-Arsenal man Dennis Bergkamp rounds out the top five with 94 assists

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is wary of Jordan Ayew and the Crystal Palace attack ahead of their Premier League clash on Saturday.

Fresh from a 3-2 comeback win over AC Milan in the Champions League, the Reds are set for a matchday five showdown against the Eagles at Anfield.

Palace, under new coach Patrick Vieira, are no pushovers, having stunned Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at Selhurst Pak on the previous matchday, with two goals coming from new French striker Odsonne Edouard.

“Massive,” Klopp said when asked on what difference he sees in Palace under new manager Vieira, adding “A proper football-playing side I have to say and he has obviously a clear idea how he wants to set it up, you can see that. He brought in new players, used them.

“I always said it’s incredible how strong they are up-front with all the players they have: now [Odsonne] Edouard came in and scored twice, obviously had anyway quite a decent scoring record. [Jordan] Ayew, [Christian] Benteke, the boy from Mainz and [Wilfried] Zaha obviously.

“So that’s incredible quality and now in midfield, [Cheikhou] Kouyate back in his position, [Conor] Gallagher – I’m not sure you can still say he’s a talent when he plays for [England] U21s, but he’s a really, really good player, and then the third position [James] McArthur or whoever can play there.

“It’s a decent team with a real football-playing idea. So, it’s a change and they will do well I’m pretty sure - but we want to, and have to, do well as well so tomorrow hopefully we can do that.”

Palace head into Saturday’s game 11th on the table, having won one, drawn two and lost one of their four games played this far.

Ayew, meanwhile, has featured in all four matches, starting in three.

The Ghana striker, though, is yet to find his scoring boots, a point of worry for Vieira who is hoping to help the forward rediscover his best form.

Last season, he netted once in 33 matches for the Eagles, who at the time were led by Roy Hodgson.  

Oscar Bruzon is all set to lead the Bangladesh national football team as interim into the 2021 SAFF Championship to be held in Maldives in October.

According to a report in risingbd, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) national teams committee on Friday have decided to relieve English coach Jamie Day as Bangladesh coach for a period of two months and replace him with Bruzon.

With the SAFF Cup to kick off on October 1 with its final on October 16, Bruzon will be set for his first assignment with a national team as the Spaniard has previously coached Spain, India, Maldives and most recently with Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings.

Bangladesh are presently on a seven-game winless run and have lost their last two friendlies against Palestine (2-0) and Kyrgyz Republic (4-1) earlier in September. They are set to open their SAFF Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on October 1, before facing India, Maldives and Nepal in a round-robin format. The top two teams will advance to the final. 

Under Day since August 2018, the Bengal Tigers managed a record of W9, D5, L15 in 29 games and were eliminated from the group stages of the 2018 SAFF Championship.

It must be noted that under Bruzon, the Kings scored as many as 68 goals in all competitions this season, before ATK Mohun Bagan piped them to a spot in the 2021 AFC Cup Inter-Zone play-off semi-finals from Group D.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has lauded "exceptional" Sadio Mane for his form ahead of their Premier League game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Mane has scored two goals in five appearances for the Anfield outfit across all competitions this season.

During their last league game against Leeds United, the 29-year-old sealed the Reds' 3-0 win at Elland Road in the stoppage-time after attempting 10 shots in the match.

Klopp does not see the missed opportunities as an issue and he believes Mane, who has 97 Premier League goals to his name, can join Mohamed Salah in the 100-goal club.

“Sadio looks really good, he looks really sharp,” Klopp said in his press conference.

“I know we talk about these things when a striker misses some chances, but that he has the amount of chances he has, the amount of finishes he has, that’s actually the important stuff.

“Sadio is in a good moment; a really good moment physically and mentally as well, so really confident and you can see that. A player misses a chance and doesn’t look desperate or whatever, he has a smile on his face and he knows, ‘I could have done this or this better…’ and all these kind of things.

“It's all good for the moment but Sadio is an exceptional player so he has to perform exceptionally because this is the standard we expect from him and he usually delivers.”

On Wednesday, Mane played just played 27 minutes of football in their opening Uefa Champions League opening against AC Milan when Klopp's side sealed maximum points in a five-goal thriller.

He described the result as a well-deserved home victory for Liverpool.

“I think for sure it would have been very unfair because if you watched the game, you see how many chances we created and at the end of the day if you lost it or drew, I think it would be very unfair,” the 2019 African Footballer of the Year told the club’s website.

“But what we know from the beginning - I think that’s why we pushed - is that we have a tough group and it was very important for us to get the three points, especially at home.”

The Ghana Football Association has announced it is in the final stages of deciding the next head coach of the Black Stars.

The four-time African champions are running against time for a new trainer ahead of next month’s 2022 World Cup qualifying matches against Zimbabwe following the sacking of CK Akonnor on Monday.

The football governing body had given itself 72 hours to settle on a new coach, tasking a three-man panel to achieve the task.

“The three-member Search Committee which was appointed by the Executive Council to make recommendations for a new coach of the Black Stars has on Thursday, September 16, 2021 submitted their report to the Ghana Football Association,” the GFA announced on its official website on Friday.

“The Committee made up of vice president Mark Addo, Dr. Ransford Abbey and Alhaji Salifu Zida Shaibu was given three days to find a new coach and assistant(s) for the Black Stars following the dismissal of Charles Akonnor on Monday.

“Following the submission of the report, the next steps will include finding internal alignment with relevant stakeholders and decision making by the Executive Council before signing of contract, official announcement and unveiling.”

Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, who guided Ghana to the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup, is reportedly among the favourites to get the job.

Borussia Dortmund assistant coach Otto Addo, who represented Ghana at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2006 World Cup, has also been linked with the position, as has Ghana-born former Netherlands international George Boateng, who currently coaches Aston Villa’s U23 side.

Akonnor was given the sack on the back of a 1-0 away loss to South Africa in 2022 World Cup qualifying, which dropped his side from first to third on the table in Group G.

In 10 games at the helm of affairs, the former Wolfsburg skipper registered four wins, losing four matches and drawing the other two.

He assumed duty as Ghana boss in January last year, taking over from James Kwasi Appiah, under whom Akonnor briefly served as assistant coach.