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Colombia will aim to bolster their Qatar 2022 World Cup hopes when they travel to face Paraguay in a CONMEBOL qualifier at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asuncion on Sunday.

Watch Paraguay vs Colombia on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

Los Cafeteros saw their chances take a blow in a draw with 10-men Bolivia earlier this week - but could get it back on track against Los Guaranies after they were downed by Ecuador.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & rosters

*denotes uncapped player

Eduardo Berizzo saw his side fall short of a second win of their qualifying campaign, but he will no doubt have taken something from their loss as he looks to bolster his side's increasingly unlikely prospects.

A debut for striker Luis Amarilla up front last time suggests he could clock up consecutive caps as Los Guaranies welcome their rivals for what is shaping up to be a vital encounter.

Predicted Paraguay starting XI: Silva; Espinola, Balbuena, Alonso, D. Martinez; Morel; A. Romero, H. Martinez, Sanchez, Arzamendia; Amarilla.

*denotes uncapped player

Reinaldo Rueda will rue the fact his side could not seize three points in their first game of the international break, pinned back late on in a game punctured by drama - but his side have an immediate chance to course-correct now.

Los Cafeteros handed a debut to Andres Andrade at the ripe age of 32 against Bolivia and he could be rewarded with another cap this weekend.

Predicted Colombia starting XI:  Ospina; Munoz, Sanchez, Murillo, Tesillo; Uribe, Barrios; Cuadrado, Quintero, Diaz; Martinez.

Last five results

Head-to-head

Gareth Southgate has named his England squad to face Andorra, with Trent Alexander-Arnold deployed in a midfield role.

Following the comfortable win over Hungary on Thursday, it would be a major surprise if England were to drop points against the minnows, despite Southgate experimenting with his side ahead of the final match of this qualifying triple header against Poland on Wednesday.

Also involved from the outset is Leeds star Patrick Bamford – a player many felt should have been given more of a chance ahead of Euro 2020.

Alexander-Arnold in midfield

Perhaps the biggest surprise that Southgate has brought in his line up for the Wembley fixture is Alexander-Arnold in a midfield role.

The 22-year-old Liverpool star will earn his 14th England cap, with four of those previously coming in a right-midfield role.

Indeed, his debut against Costa Rica back in June 2018 saw him used in that position, while it was not until his fourth cap and a five-minute cameo against Spain that he was used in his more habitual right-back position.

This will also be Alexander-Arnold’s first England appearance since a 1-0 friendly victory over Austria on June 2.

He missed the subsequent eight fixtures, including the run to the final of Euro 2020 due to a hamstring injury, while he was left on the bench during the 4-0 win over Hungary, which was a match more notable for the racist abuse that the England team suffered than what happened on the field.

England ring the changes

Southgate made a full 11 changes to his starting XI following England's 4-0 midweek win away to Hungary in Budapest.

It was the first time the men's national side has named a completely different starting XI from their last match since June 1982 in a friendly against Finland.

Further Reading

Chelsea Women's manager Emma Hayes has called for VAR and goal-line technology to be incorporated into the Women's Super League, claiming the division needs to be modernised or else the players will remain "second-class citizens". 

Reigning champions Chelsea kicked off their WSL campaign on Sunday with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Arsenal. 

There was controversy over the Gunners' final strike, which appeared to come from an offside position.

What was said? 

“It was two yards offside. The positive is there have been goals for the fans and it’s been a brilliant weekend for women’s football," Hayes told reporters after the final whistle. 

"There have been good attendances. The negative is that by putting our product in such a brilliant place is that everyone is asking the questions of why we don’t have goalline technology or why we don’t have VAR."

The bigger picture

The Blues were not the only team to suffer from a lack of technology at the weekend.  Reading thought they had netted during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Friday, but a goal was not given despite the ball crossing the line. 

"It was over the line, but there’s nothing I can do about it now," Royals boss Kelly Chambers said after that game. “These kind of incidents just go to show how the top level of men’s football is so far ahead of the women’s game. Theirs is so much more advanced than ours.

“I’m sure it would have been picked up by goal-line technology, but we’re not quite at that level yet unfortunately."

Hayes agrees with her colleague, saying:  "I heard before the game that there was a conversation around it not being a priority because it’s really expensive but I think we’re selling our game short.

"We have all got used to VAR and goalline technology so I feel by not having it in the women’s game is like being second-class citizens."

Further reading 

Ecuador will be after back-to-back wins in their quest for the Qatar 2022 World Cup when they face Chile in a CONMEBOL qualifier at Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado in Quito this weekend.

Watch Ecuador vs Chile on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

La Tri saw off Paraguay to increase their hold on third place with seven games played but know that La Roja - edged out by Brazil - will present a fearsome test of their own too.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & rosters

*denotes uncapped player

La Tri couldn't have asked for a sharper start to their September international break, coming up with the three points to further cement their place inside the top four of the qualifying table with seven games gone.

Carlos Gruezo, a late call-up to the squad, is likely to keep his spot in midfield, as Gustavo Alfaro looks to back up a crucial win with another major scalp this weekend.

Predicted Ecuador starting XI: Galindez; Leon, Arreaga, Torres; Franco, Gruezo, Gaibor, Estupinan; Mena, Valencia, Rojas.

*denotes uncapped player

Having gone down narrowly to the Selecao for the second time in as many games, Martin Lasarte may view his side's second trip of the international break as a must-win for their qualification hopes.

The lack of Alexis Sanchez, Ben Brereton Diaz and Francisco Sierralta still hurts however, while Guillermo Maripan and Erick Pulgar are now suspended for this clash, forcing changes.

Predicted Chile starting XI:  Bravo; Isla, P. Diaz, Medal, Roco, Mena; Aranguiz, Jimenez, Vidal; Vargas, Morales.

Last five results

Head-to-head

Harambee Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by Rwanda in Group E 2022 World Cup qualifier played at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.

Stars were rewarded inside the first 10 minutes courtesy of Michael Olunga, but the hosts fought back and managed to equalize courtesy of Abdul Rwatubyaye.

Rwanda had lost their opening game against Mali by a solitary goal and were under pressure to get a win against Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee's charges, who had drawn 0-0 with Uganda at home in their first group game.

It was the visitors who showed hunger in early exchanges as they pushed forward with every opportunity, but failed to capitalise on a slow start by the Amavubi.

Mvuyekure was the busier of the two keepers and had to be alert to twice deny Masoud Juma and Olunga. However, in the ninth minute, he had no answer to the latter's strike.

A dangerous ball from the right was sent in by Daniel Sakari. The goalkeeper fumbled it with Juma trying to connect the rebound, but the defenders made a goal-line clearance. The ball went as far as the towering Olunga, who gladly took the chance to score for the first time in international football since November 2019 in a 1-1 draw against Egypt.

On the other end, Yannick Mukunzi and Jacques Tuyisenge had half-chances that they failed to take, but Rwanda did ultimately equalise in the 20th minute.

Joseph Okumu headed the ball out for a corner, it was crossed in and Tuyisenge headed against Rwatubyaye and the deflection, fortunately, bounced in the net.

From that moment, the ball flew from one end to another, but composure in the final third, for either team, was lacking. The defenders cleared anything that came their way to ensure their goalkeepers were well guarded. 

In the 41st minute, Sakari had to be alert to stop Tuyisenge from getting on the end of a good cross from the right. Stars had failed to mark effectively, but the Kariobangi Sharks man was there to save the day.

A minute before the break, Masoud Juma received the ball in a good area, pushed it close to the byline before cutting back but, with the goalkeeper stranded, no one was there to finish.

Stars started the second half on a high note and won a free-kick in a promising position after Haruna Niyonzima fouled Lawrence Juma. Olunga took it and Richard Odada flicked it, but the goalkeeper parried it out for an unfruitful corner.

Kenya defence was almost punished for ball-watching in the 55th minute, and Niyonzima danced past three players, only for his final shot from about 16 yards to be blocked by Eugene Asike with the goalkeeper wrong-footed.

Olunga would have scored his second goal in the 56th minute when he cut in and left Djihad Bizimana for dead, but, with the goal at his mercy, he went for power and shot over the bar.

Stars looked dangerous every time they attacked, and in the 62nd minute, once again, Olunga failed to guide the ball home after a good cross from the right had beaten the centre-backs.

Concentration lapses at the back allowed Meddie Kagere to receive the ball inside 12 yards, but he flashed the ball wide much to the relief of Ian Otieno in the Harambee Stars' goal.
Kenya are now second in the group with as many points, one behind league leaders Mali who will play Uganda on Monday.

The next assignment for Kenya will be against the West Africans as Rwanda play the Cranes.

Arsenal striker Beth Mead admitted she shocked both herself and Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger with the first of her goals on Sunday, with the latter telling the former she “didn't know you had a left foot”.

The Gunners kicked off their WSL campaign with a 3-2 victory on Sunday, with Mead scoring a double to add to Vivianne Miedema's opener.

Both of Mead's strikes were fine efforts, but it was her left-footed rocket to make it 2-1 that stood out the most.

What was said?

Latching on to a superb through-ball from Miedema to restore Arsenal's lead early in the second half, Mead told Sky Sports of her goal: “Viv's world-class and she probably seen that ball before I made the run.

“It was funny actually – after the game Berger actually shouted to me that she didn't know I had a left foot. I surprised myself! I just tried to stay composed in front of the goal and luckily my left foot worked today.”

Signal of intent

Head coach Jonas Eidevall's charges were visibly exhausted after the full-time and Mead feels that she and her team-mates are now working at a level that could see them overcome the disappointment of losing out to their main WSL rival teams so many times in the past.

“It's hard to put into words. It's been a long time coming. We've had a lot of seasons when we've fell short in these games,” she said. “Jonas is big on working hard and I'm sure you seen that on the pitch today, girls were falling to their knees they were working that hard. Amazing start to the season and what a shift from the girls.

“We're working hard, we've worked hard in pre-season and we're a team that want to fight for the title. We won't make it easy for these teams and hopefully we can continue to do that for the rest of the season.”

Injury concern?

Mead took a knock into the advertising boards near the end of the game but the player of the match insisted that it was nothing to worry about, adding: “I'm fine, just being a drama queen!”

Further reading

Adrien Rabiot has played down reports of a long-standing feud between his mother and the families of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba after their apparent bust-up at Euro 2020.

Veronique Rabiot, who is Adrien's agent, was seen arguing with the Mbappe and Pogba families in the stands during France’s quarter-final defeat to Switzerland.

It was a fitting end to a chaotic tournament for Les Bleus, but Rabiot says the incident was blown out of proportion.

What did Rabiot say?

Reports in the French media suggested Veronique Rabiot had told Mbappe’s father that his son, who missed the decisive penalty in the shootout defeat, was arrogant. She is also alleged to have fallen out with Pogba’s family after the Manchester United midfielder's mistake led to a Switzerland goal.

Pogba and Rabiot themselves were also seen arguing on the pitch as France’s tournament collapsed all around them.

However, when asked by Telefoot about the incident the Juventus midfielder says it was all a fuss over nothing.

“Nothing at all happened in the stands,” he said. “It was a bit surprising to hear all of that. I spoke with her [Veronique] and I believe her. When she tells me that nothing happened, that’s the truth. You could see some irritation on the video, that can always happen, but who knows what was said?

“I haven’t spoken about it with Mbappe or Pogba, there was nothing on their side nor on my own so there was no need to speak about any of it.”

France’s struggle for fluency on the pitch has carried over into this season, with the world champions being held to draws by Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine over the past week.

That is still enough to move them five points clear at the top of World Cup qualifying Group G, although second-placed Finland have two games in hand.

Further reading

Lionel Messi’s infamous burofax, which he sent to former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu last year in an attempt to engineer a move away from Camp Nou, has now been revealed.

Messi expressed his desire to leave Barca shortly after their Champions League thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich in August 2020 and believed there was a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave for free, despite having another year left on his deal.

The Catalan side disputed the claim and Messi ultimately relented, though he would only stay for another year before moving to PSG.

What did the burofax say?

The burofax, obtained by Mundo Deportivo, is dated August 24, 2020, nine days after Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League defeat by Bayern and a day after the German side lifted the trophy with victory in the final against PSG.

Messi’s contract had a clause that stipulated he could leave if he requested to do so before June 10, 2020 – the scheduled end of the 2019-20 season.

That deadline was obviously missed, but Messi argued the delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant the clause was still valid.

He cited force majeure, which is a clause regularly used in contracts that prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations because of an unforeseen event out of their control, with the pandemic being such an event.

"I understand that the time frame of the right of unilateral termination without cause regulated by the aforementioned clause must be interpreted in accordance with the exceptional circumstances in which the 2019/20 football competition season has taken place, due to the state of emergency and the situation of force majeure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” read the burofax.

"Due to these exceptional circumstances, the 2019/20 competition season ended yesterday, without prejudice to the fact that for our team, this end took place on August 15, when we returned to Barcelona after our elimination from the Champions League on the night of August 14.

"In any case, within 10 days following the end of the season of competition, and thus meeting the agreed deadline for exercising the aforementioned clause 3.1., in accordance with the material contract of our agreement, which must be interpreted in accordance with the exceptional circumstances of the 2019/20 season, I exercise my right to terminate the contract with effect from August 30, 2020, with the consequences provided for in the aforementioned stipulation 3.1."

Barcelona disputed the claim and it looked like the issue would need to be decided in the courts before Messi backed down and decided to stay.

Barca hoped that Joan Laporta’s return as president and a fire-sale of players to raise funds would allow them to tie Messi down to a new contract.

They succeeded in persuading Messi to stay, but after allowing his contract to expire in June they were unable to re-register him La Liga due to the club's financial restrictions.

A tearful Messi subsequently announced his Barca departure a few days later, before making the stunning move to Parc des Princes.

Further reading

Brazil takes on Argentina in a repeat of the 2021 Copa America final, hoping for a different result than the last time the teams met.

Watch Brazil vs Argentina on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

A 1-0 win for Argentina saw it win the tournament, but Brazil has a commanding lead in World Cup qualifying after a strong start in South America.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & rosters

Brazil restarted its World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Chile thanks to a goal from Everton Ribeiro, staying six points clear at the top of the CONMEBOL standings.

The game against Argentina will likely be more of a challenge, especially with many key players absent due to the coronavirus restrictions in the United Kingdom.

Premier League players have not joined up with the squad, meaning the likes of Alisson, Ederson, Thiago Silva, Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus are all absent.

Predicted Brazil starting XI: Weverton; Danilo, Militao, Marquinhos, Sandro; Ribeiro, Casemiro, Guimaraes, Vinicius; Barbosa, Neymar.

Lionel Messi failed to score in Argentina's 3-1 win over Venezuela, meaning he still needs one goal to match Pele as the highest-scoring South American player ever.

Argentina have been able to call up their Premier League stars, with Emiliano Martinez likely to continue in goal and Giovani Lo Celso set to feature in midfield.

Lionel Scaloni's side currently sit second and look in a comfortable position to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Predicted Argentina starting XI: E. Martinez; Molina, Pezzella, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Rodriguez, Lo Celso; Di Maria, Messi, Lautato Martinez.

Last five results

Head-to-head

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has revealed that Percy Tau opened up to him that Brighton and Hove Albion coach Graham Potter had little trust in the player.

This conversation came about as Tau was pushing for a move to Al Ahly which eventually happened, to end a tumultuous time in the Premier League.

Broos was one of the prominent football figures who publicly threw his weight behind Tau going to Egypt as the move divided opinion.

“Yes, I spoke with him, I think two weeks ago and I asked ‘what’s the situation there?’” Broos told iDiski Times.

“He said ‘I will try to leave this club Brighton because I will not play. The coach doesn’t have confidence in me and I will let you know when there is something.’ Already now, I’m seeing that he is in Egypt... from Brighton to Egypt. I’m happy that Percy is in Egypt because he will have a chance to play.”

Tau managed just six appearances across competitions at Brighton who he joined in January after loan stints at three Belgian clubs. 

The 27-year-old was, interestingly, one of those picked by Broos ahead of the ongoing 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, on the background of struggling for game time at their clubs.

But the Belgian defended his selection, saying match fitness was not much of an issue after most players were busy with pre-season.

“Now it’s not really a problem, also for other players, because of them doing pre-season and having time for preparation. So physically, I think the players are for the moment good,” added Broos.

“But if it goes on like this, with players not playing, then in a few months it will be a problem.

"A few teams have an obsessive number of players in the squad. Everyone cannot play, so let’s hope that will change a little bit and the next selection in October will be a bit easier than this one.”

As Bafana drew 0-0 against Zimbabwe in their World Cup qualifier opening match in Harare last Friday, Tau was a peripheral figure as he struggled to impress.

Nigeria’s routine 2-0 victory over Liberia on Friday had a face only a mother could love.

So, when Gernot Rohr gushed afterward about the quality of the performance in the second half, it was easy to understand it as the effusiveness of a parent celebrating the little wins.

The reality on the ground was a little more pedestrian, far removed from the platonic ideal of good football, and quite a chore to sit through.

Two bits of quick thinking from Kelechi Iheanacho in the first half ensured the Super Eagles began on a strong note in the bid to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, for large portions of the game, Rohr’s side made heavy weather of asserting superiority against overmatched opponents.

The sodden nature of the pitch, beset by three days of near-constant rain, did little to help, of course.

On some instances, most notably early on when Moses Simon was presented with a decent opening one-on-one with the goalkeeper, the ball found scant purchase and stuck in the muck, forcing the nonplussed Nantes winger to beat a retreat and seek to recycle the ball. There were bobbles, awkward bounces and wet sloshes aplenty on a surface at Teslim Balogun that, even on the best of days, is hardly the best carpet obtainable.

However, beyond even that, there was plenty to criticize: poor pressing structures, sub-optimal spacing in attacking situations, a lack of compactness between the lines of the team and an inability to control the opponent during defensive transitions.

Had Liberia possessed better quality and found favour from the inept match officials, they could have made hay at various points during the game.

That they did not owed to their own inefficiency, but also to the ability of several Super Eagles players to maintain a consistent level of performance irrespective of the chaos before them.

Iheanacho’s brace deservedly earned him an official ‘Man of the Match’ distinction, but behind him, Alex Iwobi adapted to the conditions to produce an inventive display, dappled with delightful little touches and marked by almost impeccable timing.

Wilfred Ndidi was masterful as always at recovering the ball while policing large swathes of space, but also at carrying it forward against pressure, especially in the second half.

The centre-back pairing of William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun were close to impeccable on the sort of uncertain footing that can sometimes be the undoing of even the most experienced campaigner.

The former had a wobble or two, but nothing terminal; the latter recalled some of his finer performances advancing with the ball out of defence to unbalance the Liberian block.

While it is no surprise that the team’s finest performers would be those based in the United Kingdom – the Premier League is, after all, Europe’s highest-ranked per Uefa’s coefficient system – it nevertheless is a problem, considering the team will have to do without them for the trip to Cape Verde on Tuesday.

Along with the above four, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo will also depart.

That leaves the Super Eagles without its most impressive and experienced players, a daunting prospect indeed.

While Cape Verde are a respectable side, the real challenge that comes with facing them is less to do with their inherent quality and more in association with the artificial turf in Praia and the altitude. These conditions can be new and uncomfortable for some of the younger players in the squad, unaccustomed as they are to excelling in them.

The fact it was the team’s more experienced heads that adapted most readily to the playing surface in Lagos is instructive. With nous comes the ability to take setbacks on the chin, as they can draw on a wealth of information, but also on the certitude of their own fully-formed skillsets.

Even with the gutting of the squad, there is still enough quality to present a competent side capable of holding its own. That much is undeniable.

What cannot be replaced, however, is the equanimity and leadership that will be lost between the two matches: when the heat is on in Praia and heads begin to drop, rather than being able to look to Ndidi and Balogun, it will fall to the debuting Innocent Bonke to instol control in the middle and an impulsive pair of defenders in Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem to defend with quiet assuredness.

It raises the stakes and ramps up the jeopardy so much more.

Toni Kroos says he is still in pain and does not know when he will return to action as the Real Madrid midfielder continues his recovery from a groin injury.

The former Germany international has not featured this season after suffering the injury during pre-season training at the start of August.

The 31-year-old says he is making progress but cannot say for sure when he will be pulling on a Blancos shirt again.

What did Kroos say?

Kroos offered an update about his recovery on social media with a video showing him doing individual training drills.

"I can tell you that I am feeling better", he posted on Twitter. "The truth is that I still can't do everything without pain. That's normal with this injury.

"I can't say exactly when I'll be back yet, but I work on it every day to be able to get back as soon as possible."

The bigger picture

Kroos’ last competitive match was Germany’s last-16 defeat by England at Euro 2020 at Wembley in June. He announced his retirement from international football a few days later, a move which should benefit Madrid as he can now focus purely on domestic matters.

However, Madrid have yet to benefit from Kroos' decision, with the former Bayern Munich midfielder having already missed their first three matches of the season.

With Luka Modric also sidelined with a thigh problem and Martin Odegaard returning to Arsenal manager Carlo Ancelotti is short of midfield options, with league matches against Celta Vigo and Valencia and a Champions League clash with Inter to come in the next few weeks.

Further reading

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona has explained what attracted him to Saudi Arabia where he signed for Al Tai FC in June.

The 31-year-old joined the Saudi Pro League side which was returning to the top division for the first time since 2008.

The move ended a difficult spell at Belgian giants Anderlecht where his stay was marked by loan stints at Lokeren and KAS Eupen.

Following the end of his loan deal at Eupen, some reports suggested that the Zimbabwe skipper could be returning to the Premier Soccer League to rejoin Chiefs.

But the player explains what influenced him to play in Saudi Arabia instead.

“I have settled very well here. I like the country, I like the team and I like the place. But it is always challenging when you move from a place that you are used to, to a new environment,” Musona told The Standard.

“I think the football here is good, it has improved over the years. I am looking forward to the season and also contributing to helping my team to win matches as well as staying in the top-flight league.

“I think it is one of the strongest leagues in Asia because, at the moment, a team [Al Hilal] from this league has won the Asian Champions League a record three times.

“This is evidence of how good the football in this country is while considering they play teams from Japan and Korea or basically everywhere in Asia. They managed to be champions in 2019 and that says a lot about the quality of football in this county.”

Musona has previously had two stints at Chiefs, with one being on loan from Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim.

At 31, Musona is not yet thinking about retirement and wants to extend his playing years in Saudi Arabia.

“I also look forward to playing many more years [in Saudi Arabia Pro League] because it is a strong league. There is nothing to look down upon,” added Musona.

The ex-KV Oostende forward led Zimbabwe against Bafana Bafana last Friday in a 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui says Chelsea failed in their pursuit of Jules Kounde because they failed to meet the Liga outfit's valuation of the France defender.

The European champions were keen to add Kounde to their squad before the deadline, but saw a late bid rebuffed by the Spanish side and did not return with another offer.

Kounde missed last weekend’s La Liga draw at Elche and sparked speculation that a move was imminent, but he ultimately remained in Seville.

What did Lopetegui say?

Lopetegui admits he was powerless to prevent Kounde leaving had Chelsea bid the right amount.

His words echo that of sporting director Monchi, who told a news conference last week that Kounde would only move to Stamford Bridge if Chelsea paid his €80m (£68m/$95m) release clause.

Despite selling Kurt Zouma to West Ham to seemingly make space for Kounde in their squad, Chelsea did not return with a fresh bid.

With the window now closed, Lopetegui says Kounde’s continued presence in the squad is a huge boost for the rest of the season.

“Kounde in the end has stayed because the club has decided that it was the right thing to do based on the evaluation of the offers they may have had,” he told Diario de Sevilla.

“For me, as a coach, that Jules stays is positive. With the evolution he has had in these two years, it is positive, without any doubt.

“We trust that he'll continue to grow with us and, above all, perform, which is the most important thing.”

Lopetegui jokes about Mbappe ‘bid’

One of the other names to dominate the closing days of the transfer window was Kylian Mbappe.

Real Madrid ultimately failed in their bid to land the PSG striker, but it was the name seemingly on everybody’s lips as the clock ticked towards the deadline.

Asked whether he had missed not being asked about Mbappe, Lopetegui joked that Sevilla had made last-minute offer themselves – but were also unsuccessful.

“I knew that somehow or other you were going ask me,” he said. “We tried to bring him in at the last minute, but we couldn't.”

Further reading

Trent Alexander-Arnold says his recent England performances have been “mediocre” and has not done enough to justify a regular place in the starting line-up.

The Liverpool right-back was dropped from the Three Lions squad in March and although he was included in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad, a thigh injury in a warm-up game against Austria caused him to miss the tournament.

Now fit again, Alexander-Arnold is back in the international fold and is hoping to do enough to force his way back into Southgate’s starting XI.

‘I haven’t been the best version of myself’

Alexander-Arnold made his England debut against Costa Rica in a World Cup warm-up in June 2018 and went on to feature at the tournament itself in Russia.

He has earned 13 caps to date, scoring once, but believes his Three Lions form has dipped significantly since a penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in the Nations League third place play-off in June 2019.

"I thought I played really well then, I just couldn’t hit the ground running after that," he told the Telegraph. "Otherwise, they have been mediocre performances by my standard, and that’s what I need to improve.”

Such an admission may come to a surprise to Liverpool fans, who have seen the 22-year-old make the right-back position his own and help the club win the Premier League and Champions League titles in recent years.

However, unlike at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold faces intense competition at international level, with Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier all at Southgate’s disposal - something the defender sees as a challenge.

“I would say there is a lot more competition for places here,” added the defender, who is hoping to feature in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley. “At the club I am a regular who plays most of the games. I think it is just not finding form and finding the level I need and the level I demand on a daily basis. I have just not been able to reach that bar.

“You’re playing a different system [with England], with different players. It’s no excuse, but it’s hard to find your feet, to find form when you’re not playing in a team with the same players every time. Anyone is going to have difficulties with that.

“I feel like since I’ve come into the squad, I haven’t really been the best version of myself. I haven’t put in the performances I have regularly for my club and I expect more for myself when I play for England. Hopefully over the next week I am given an opportunity to perform and am able to take it.

“I want to win trophies [with England] I want to become a regular. I want to lead the team out. And I think those things are achievable for me.”

Alexander-Arnold open to wing role

Alexander-Arnold’s attacking instincts has led some to suggest he could move up the pitch and play on the right wing in the future, particularly with England given the competition he faces at right-back.

The defender has never played in that position for Liverpool, though he is very much a forward-thinking full-back and is ready to play there if selected.

"I am a right-back. I have played that my whole career and I have not really stepped out of it too much,” he said. “In big games in the Premier League I haven’t been thrown in there [midfield], so it’s tough to say that, yeah, I would be able to handle it. You never know.

"I just try to play football. I try to help the team as much as I can, try to get forward and influence the game, create chances and hurt the opposition. Whether I find myself out wide or inside on the ball, it doesn’t matter. I want to hurt the opposition and break them down.

"Essentially there are only two people’s opinions that can change that and that is both the managers I play for. They are the ones who will make the decision.”

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