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Manchester City talisman Kevin De Bruyne is one of the Premier League's most precise passers of the ball and is particularly decisive when setting up goals for his team-mates.

The Belgium international is one of the most creative forces in the division and he is closing in on a record for the number of assists supplied in a single season.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry holds the record and De Bruyne revealed that he warned the Frenchman that he was gunning for the crown of assist king.

"I always joked with Henry in the national team, even at Vincent Kompany’s testimonial this year. I saw him and said 'I’m coming for you this year'," the midfielder said in an interview with The Athletic.

So what exactly is the record and will De Bruyne finally crack it this season? Goal brings you all the details.

What is the Premier League assist record in a single season?

The record for most assists in a single Premier League season is 20 and it is held by Henry, who achieved the landmark in the 2002-03 campaign.

In all, Henry was involved in 44 Premier League goals that season, having scored 24 himself - though, remarkably, he was beaten to the Golden Boot by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who bagged 25 for Manchester United.

"I hold the record. [De Bruyne] said the other day that he wants to beat it," Henry said in a Puma broadcast this year. "But I told him that with those 20 assists, you will have to score 24 goals as well! Not only assists!"

Another Arsenal legend follows Henry in the record books; Mesut Ozil racked up 19 assists during the 2015-16 Premier League season, falling just short of Henry's high.

Three players, including De Bruyne, complete the top five with 18 assists in a single season.

The Belgian playmaker reached that tally in 2016-17 and is joined by Frank Lampard, who did it in 2004-05, and Cesc Fabregas, who achieved it in 2014-15.

De Bruyne has already equalled his 2016-17 high in 2019-20 and is on course to surpass it as he attempts to break Henry's total.

He has consistently demonstrated his ability as a playmaker by getting into double figures in the assist charts, registering 16 in 2017-18.

Prior to his arrival at Man City, De Bruyne topped the Bundesliga assist charts in 2014-15 with a total of 20 for Wolfsburg, so it is a number he has reached before.

It is interesting to note that Henry is the only striker in the top five, with Ozil, Lampard, De Bruyne and Fabregas all being playmakers whose job is ostensibly creating goals.

The World Cup winner may be Arsenal's all-time record goalscorer with 228 goals (175 in the Premier League), but he has never identified as a classic striker, relating instead to the likes of Ronaldo or George Weah.

“Sometimes I get more pleasure at giving a goal than to score it,” Henry told The Telegraph in 2005.

“My mind is not, ‘I need to score today’. I want to help. If we lose 4-2 and I’ve scored two great goals, I will still be fuming.”

Who has the most assists in Premier League history?

Ryan Giggs holds the record for most assists in Premier League history. The Manchester United icon set up 162 goals for his Red Devils team-mates during the course of a two-decade-long career.

Next in line after Giggs is Fabregas, who clocked up plenty of assists during his time at Arsenal and Chelsea, though the Spaniard falls over 50 short of Giggs with 111 assists.

Manchester United and Everton hero Wayne Rooney is third in the all-time table for Premier League assists with 103, just one ahead of Lampard, who laid on 102 goals for his Chelsea and West Ham team-mates.

Dennis Bergkamp completes the top five with 94 assists in his 10 years at Arsenal.

Linkopings head coach Olof Unogard is happy with Uchenna Kanu's fine start after she opened her maiden Swedish Damallsvenskan goal account with the winner against Djurgardens.

Kanu joined the Swedish outfit from Spanish Primera Iberdrola side Sevilla this summer following the expiration of her six-month contract.

The 23-year-old is gradually establishing herself in Sweden, having featured in three matches, scoring once and providing an assist in two starts for Unogard's team this season.

Having broken her Damallsvenskan duck last Saturday, the manager believes the Nigerian striker has huge potential in her while encouraging her not to rest on her oars.

"Everyone can see that she has huge potential," Unogard told Goal. 

"She still has to improve in defending but is a great asset for us offensively. Uchenna is a very humble person. 

"So I don’t need to tell her anything other than to keep improving and learning, and prepare well for a long and a competitive season."

The triumph over Durjgardens made it three wins out of three for Unogard's team as they go top of the Damallsvenskan log.

With his side opening a two-point gap on top of the table, the 31-year-old tactician attributed the progress to the efforts of the players and coaching crew as he focuses on stunning 2018 champions Pitea.

"It feels great, of course. I’m very happy for the players and the staff. They truly deserve it.

"We have been meticulous in choosing the players for this years’ squad. Great players but also great persons, that work well together.

"Against Pitea, it will be a tough away game for us but we are prepared and ready to go again!"

Unogard is eager to guide Linkopings to domestic glory this season and claim a Champions League berth but will count on Kanu to maintain their fine start at Faith Micheal's Pitea on Wednesday.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Tammy Abraham must learn from fellow Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, who he has described as a "breath of fresh air".

Giroud has enjoyed an impressive run of form for the Blues since the Premier League restart on June 17.

The 33-year-old has hit three goals in his last four outings, with his latest effort proving to be the difference between Chelsea and Norwich on Tuesday night.

The World Cup winner's first-half header gave Frank Lampard's side a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge, which saw them move four points clear of Leicester and Manchester United.

Abraham was Lampard's first-choice centre-forward in the first half of the season, and he is currently Chelsea's top scorer with 14 Premier League goals, but his output in the final third has dropped significantly in 2020.

Indeed, despite his contract having been extended to 2023, his long-term future at Stamford Bridge is anything but certain.

Hasselbaink thinks Giroud brings more to Lampard's starting XI than Abraham at the moment, and has warned the England international that he will have to work on his all-round game to force his way back into the team.

"They are two different players," the Chelsea legend told Premier League Productions. "What Abraham has to learn, look at him (Giroud)... he brings other players in, he makes other players look better. 

"For me, he (Giroud) needs to score more goals. At times he can be more selfish but what he does and brings to the team is an outlet and that outlet the majority of the time is very secure. 

"With Abraham at times – especially in the last few matches – it’s been erratic. At the beginning of the season, he was brilliant and it’s normal because it’s his first year at Chelsea at a high level. 

"There will always be a difficult time for him and that’s what’s happening now. Giroud has been brilliant, a breath of fresh air."

Asked what the main difference between Giroud and Abraham is, Hasselbaink responded: "One thing Giroud is really good at is his movement.

"If you see [his goal] he is with the defender but then all of a sudden he’s gone. It’s a feeling and he has that feeling of where the ball is going to go.

"At the moment it’s not really working for Tammy Abraham and Giroud is picking up the pieces. He’s been so important for Chelsea."

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Presidential aspirant Sam Nyamweya has rubbished reports he has merged into a coalition to help remove Nick Mwendwa from office.

On Tuesday, four presidential aspirants – Nicholas Musonye, Omondi Aduda, Sammy Sholei, and Twaha Mbarak – told a press conference they will likely form a strong team to remove incumbent Mwendwa from office when elections are held.

Nyamweya has now come out to dismiss the claims insisting he has no intention to be part of any coalition.

“I wish to state for the record I have no intention now and even in the near future to be part of the coalition and any assertion of having been invited to the said meeting is a c**k-and-bull story intended to seek relevance by the said coalition,” Nyamweya said in a statement obtained by Goal.

“The said coalition has nothing new to offer the football family than to regurgitate facts that have already been canvassed.

“My mind is very clear on the vision, goals, and objectives for Kenyan football, my fight to have a free, fair and transparent FKF election cannot be gainsaid and is unstoppable.

“Our quest for electoral reforms have seen the Sports Disputes Tribunal cancel the FKF elections twice and declared section four of the FKF 2020 Electoral code unreasonable and in violation of Article 81 of the constitution of Kenya 2020.

“To unlock the election impasse the Sports Disputes Tribunal had begun a process of bringing the football stakeholders together with a view to having a road map for all-inclusive free, fair and transparent elections, a position I fully and will continue to support.”

Nyamweya further added: “The pathway to electoral reforms and holding of an all-inclusive free, fair and transparent elections remains my clarion call and we shall resist any other attempt to subvert this cause.

“I continue to dedicate my effort, time, and resources with progressive Kenya football stakeholders under the banner of the National Football Forum, a National Football stakeholders’ forum of impeccable quality and substance which has been the driving force in the quest for electoral reforms and justice in FKF.”

Meanwhile, Nyamweya has warned those using a fake Twitter account to spread lies about his candidature that their days are numbered.

“I reported this to the police and after that they stopped for a while, they have again started using the same fake Twitter handle to tarnish my name, I don’t have a Twitter account and Kenyans should know it, I don’t run any Twitter handle, and those using my name are being pursued and will be arrested soon.”

The date for elections, which has twice been called off, is yet to be announced by Fifa.

Lionel Messi's comparative goals shortfall this season is not a concern for head coach Quique Setien, who swiftly pointed out the Barcelona superstar does more than just put the ball in the net.

Although Messi is the top goalscorer in La Liga this term with 22, 2019-20 looks set to be his least prolific season for more than a decade.

With just two matches left of the league campaign, he is one shy of the 23 goals he registered in 2008-09 – his lowest La Liga haul since his 26 in 2015-16, which he followed with totals of 37, 34 and 36 in the previous three seasons.

Few would begrudge Messi a slight decrease given this Barca side is arguably the weakest since the Argentina icon made his breakthrough, and he is 33 years old.

It was again put to Setien that Barca's talisman might be in need of a rest, and while he accepts that could be the case, he also reminded detractors that Messi does not just score – his 20 assists in La Liga is nine more than anyone else in the division.

"Surely many players need to rest. The records are the same, but everyone is losing that clarity of expression," he said ahead of Wednesday's visit of Osasuna. "We have already talked a lot about this topic.

"I see him [Messi] well. It is true that there may be some records that he does not meet when compared to other years.

"[But] we all know who Messi is, if he's not [contributing] with goals, he is with assists. All I can say about him I have already said."

The absence of Frenkie de Jong has not helped Barca in recent weeks, with the Dutchman missing seven matches due to a calf injury, though he looks set to return against Osasuna.

"He has done several training sessions with the group, he is in a good frame of mind, with the problem almost forgotten," Setien added. "We will see if he starts tomorrow or starts on the bench. He is at the team's disposal, of course."

Setien also effectively confirmed Juventus-bound Arthur will only be used if absolutely necessary, with the Brazil international's €82 million (£74m/$94m) transfer already confirmed.

The Barca boss said: "He has returned to the team and is training. He will have an option to play if it's essential and necessary."

Hosts Qatar will kick-off the 2022 World Cup on 21 November 2022, as per the match schedule of the global footballing extravaganza which was announced by FIFA on Wednesday.

The first game of the tournament, involving Qatar, will be played at the Al Bayt Arena and will kick-off at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on 21 November 2022, Monday.

The World Cup will witness as many as four games on a matchday during the group stages.

The first game of a matchday will kick-off at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT) and the last game will kick off at 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT). The second and third matches will both be consumed by the broadcast audience across the world, with those games kicking-off at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT) respectively.

The simultaneous kick-offs for the last round of group games will be 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT) and 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT).

The knockout stage matches are also likely to kick-off at a similar time slot as the last round of group games.

Khalifa International Stadium will be the venue for the play-off for third place on 17 December 2022. The final will kick off on 18 December at 18:00 local time at Lusail Stadium.

The group stage will last just 12 days and, with four matches per day, and will help in giving teams enough rest before the knockout stages.

FIFA has also state that ticket sales for the general public will be conducted via FIFA.com/tickets in late 2020, details of which will be available at a later date.

This will be the second World Cup to be held in Asia and the first one to be held in the Middle-East. Japan and South Korea had hosted the first World Cup in Asia back in 2002.

It must also be kept in mind, fans travelling to Qatar will be able to watch more than one match per day, thanks to the proximity of the venues for the 2022 World Cup. All 2022 World Cup venues are no more than an hour apart and have excellent connectivity, thanks to the newly opened Doha Metro.

Of the eight proposed venues for the World Cup, three have already been inaugurated by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) - the organisation responsible for the timely delivery of infrastructure for the tournament.

The kick-off timings for the group matches of the World Cup, announced by FIFA on Wednesday, is likely to come across as good news for fans in India, with most of the games falling in the prime time window across the sub-continent.

The World Cup will witness as many as four matches during a day. during the group stages.

The first game will kick-off at 15:30 IST and the last game will kick off at 00:30 IST (the next day in India). However, the second and third matches will both be consumed by a prime time evening broadcast audience in India, given that they start at 18:30 IST and 21:30 IST respectively.

The simultaneous kick-offs for the last round of group games will be 20:30 IST and 00:30 IST (next day).

The knockout stage matches are also likely to kick-off at a similar time slot as the last round of group games.

Khalifa International Stadium will be the venue for the play-off for third place on 17 December 2022. The final will kick off on 18 December at 20:30 IST at Lusail Stadium.

The group stage will last just 12 days and, with four matches per day, and will help in giving teams enough rest before the knockout stages.

India is 2.5 hours ahead of Qatar and as such, the timings for the knockout stage matches, which will command huge viewership in India is also likely to be at a comfortable timing for fans in the country.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) had chosen Mumbai in September 2019 as one of the 13 international cities outside the MENA region for simultaneous unveiling of the Qatar 2022 logo.

This will be the second World Cup to be held in Asia and the first one to be held in the Middle-East. Japan and South Korea had hosted the first World Cup in Asia back in 2002.

It must be noted that the Indian diaspora is very strong across the Middle-East.

It must also be kept in mind, fans travelling to Qatar will be able to watch more than one match per day, thanks to the proximity of the venues for the 2022 World Cup. All 2022 World Cup venues are no more than an hour apart and have excellent connectivity, thanks to the newly opened Doha Metro.

FIFA has also state that ticket sales for the general public will be conducted via FIFA.com/tickets in late 2020, details of which will be available at a later date.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is "not happy" with him after the club's failed title defence.

City have enjoyed unprecedented domestic success since Guardiola's arrival at the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2016.

Eight trophies have been collected over the course of his four-year reign, including two Premier League titles, with the Blues emerging as the dominant force in English football.

Liverpool lost out to Guardiola's men by the narrowest of margins last term, but they used that disappointment as motivation for a relentless march to glory in 2019-20.

The Reds have successfully knocked City off their perch, picking up a first league crown in 30 years with a record seven games to spare after their rivals' defeat at Chelsea on June 25.

Jurgen Klopp's men are on course to finish the season top by the biggest margin in history, as City currently trail the new champions by 21 points.

They can also set a new points record of 102 if they win they're remaining three fixtures, with Guardiola insisting City's struggles for consistency have not gone unnoticed in the board room.

“I’m critical of my club,” Guardiola told a press conference ahead of a midweek clash with Bournemouth.

“Internally, when I don’t like something I say to my chairman, [but] my chairman is not happy with me.

“We finished 21 points behind Liverpool. He’s not happy with me, but we discuss internally to try and do better next season, to convince them. But always on the pitch.”

The 49-year-old's current contract with City is due to expire next summer, and although he has yet to make a final decision on his future, he has no doubts that the club will continue to be successful regardless of his presence in the dugout.

“This club is incredibly solid with Pep and without Pep,” Guardiola added.

“This club had success before my arrival here, with [Roberto] Mancini and [Manuel] Pellegrini, they won a lot of titles and played really good football.

“So without me, when I leave – and I don’t know when that will be – the structure of the club wants to grow and to be solid.”

Harambee Stars striker Esse Akida has clarified comments she made comparing the Kenyan Women Premier League with Real Madrid.

The forward, writing in a Facebook post, called on Kenyan Premier League sides Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Bandari to form sister clubs, as the Spanish giants did recently, to play in the KWPL.

However, in a subsequent post she has clarified her initial comments, and urged Kenya's top teams to emulate the ethos of La Liga's biggest sides.

“I didn't compare the two teams, I compared the desire and dreams,” the Besiktas forward noted through another Facebook post. “Every person has to dream.

"Every serious institution has to dream. If you cannot dream, then you have no business in living. You cannot be a fan criticizing an office for not putting enough efforts in the game and be against those who dream. Choose one struggle.”

The 27-year-old star also dismissed claims that there must be business sense before the formation of women's teams.

“This is a myopic thought. More than myopic actually,” Akida added refuting those claims. “Real Madrid have just formed a team, Manchester United formed a ladies’ team just the other season. These are two teams who would still do wonders without the ladies’ teams.

“They can still decide to fold the ladies’ teams and they will still survive. The point here is not about business but giving deserving female players a chance as their male counterparts.

“Furthermore, it's not like KWPL has a lot of money to give but it is a platform that has opened doors for some of us.”

Akida also gave examples of Tanzanian sides Yanga SC and Simba SC who run women’s teams, despite the accompanying challenges.

“Walk into Tanzania and look at the Simba ladies team. They might not be the best in the region but they are doing wonders,” she explained. “Can Simba survive without them? Of course yes. Yanga have a ladies’ team. Is their male team struggling financially? Yes.

“But are they going to fold their ladies team because their men are not well financially? A big no.

“Are they bringing any profits to their owners, I don't think it is that much. The more competitive teams in the league the better for the ladies and the more the opportunities.”

Currently, no KPL club have an associated women's team.

Diego Simeone is not surprised by rumoured interest in Jan Oblak but hopes the goalkeeper will remain at Atletico Madrid.

Oblak has been named best keeper in La Liga for the previous four seasons and has only conceded 26 goals in 36 games in the current campaign, helping Atleti once again clinch a top-four finish.

Chelsea are reported to be interested in the 27-year-old Slovenian, with speculation suggesting they could look to involve Kepa Arrizabalaga in player-plus-cash deal.

Simeone has become accustomed to rumours over the future of key players in his squad, however, as was the case previously in the Antoine Griezmann transfer saga before he eventually joined domestic rivals Barcelona.

"It does not surprise me, every year our most important players are wanted by the best in the world," the Atletico boss told the media ahead of Thursday's game with Getafe.

"It is normal to always look for the best – and we have many. Some have left and others have stayed.

"It is logical and normal that anyone wants Oblak. He is our captain and an important player. I hope we can count on his work, which is enormous for Atleti."

When asked again about Oblak's future at Atletico during the media call, Simeone replied: "I repeat the same thing: it is normal that they want a goalkeeper of his characteristics and value.

"It does not surprise me. He is decisive and important in the dressing room year after year. He has evolved in every way, as a goalkeeper and within the group."

Oblak has been integral in Atletico going on a nine-match unbeaten run since the resumption of the season in Spain.

The impressive streak – which includes a 2-2 draw away to second-place Barcelona – has secured Champions League football again for next season, while they still remain in the running to win this year's competition after knocking out holders Liverpool in the last 16.

For Simeone, qualification is crucial for Atleti's development both on and off the field.

"It's our responsibility to qualify, always looking at the growth that the club has from this possibility that we generate by qualifying year after year," he said.

"That's how the club grows in every aspect, so it is a responsibility, an objective to be met, which is not easy always to do in life.

"We all have objectives, in any type of job. I have the luck, the work ethic and the perseverance to qualify every year and allow the club to grow and improve. When the goals are met it is normal for the club to grow."

Karim Benzema and the rest of Real Madrid's squad are all deserving of this year's Ballon d'Or, according to Zinedine Zidane.

Benzema's sensational form has been a driving force in Madrid's title tilt, with the Frenchman having scored 19 goals in 35 La Liga appearances this season.

Madrid can win the Spanish top flight for the first time in three seasons should they defeat Villarreal on Thursday, or if Barcelona drop points against Osasuna.

There have been suggestions that Benzema should be in the running for this year's coveted Ballon d'Or award and Zidane has claimed every Madrid player could be worthy of the prize.

"In football, everyone can have a say. For me, my players are the best," the Madrid boss told a press conference.

"Karim is not only this year, he has done very well for many years. The Ballon d'Or is won by only one, and everyone can comment, but for me all my players deserve it."

Los Blancos need only two points from their final two matches of the season to claim their 34th domestic crown.

Zidane believes Real Madrid's hunger to return from lockdown at their best is what has given them an advantage in the title race.

He also insisted there is no risk of complacency creeping into his squad before lauding the desire his players have shown following the three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"No, not at all," Zidane said when asked if his side already felt like champions.

"The beautiful thing we have is the energy we put in every day, day by day is what motivates us. The rest, we don't know what will happen.

"The players when they get here know the history of this club, what it is, what it wants, the ambition we always have.

"The particular thing about now is that after the confinement, when we returned to work, after staying home almost three months, the players wanted to do great things.

"You could see it in training. You could see it in games, but I see them in training, they trained phenomenally, they wanted to stay afterwards and that tells you everything."

Though his side requires only two more points, due to their head-to-head record with Barca this term, Zidane is demanding victory against Villarreal.

"I would not want two draws. It is not what I prefer or not, it is that we are here for one thing, to think about tomorrow's game and win it," he added.

"It is what motivates us. We prepare for that. Villarreal knows how to play, it is a very difficult opponent, as always. I think it will be the most difficult of the last ones we have had."

Former Kaizer Chiefs utility player Joseph Malongoane said he only found out that he will not be finishing the current season at Naturena 24 hours before the club made the announcement. 

Malongoane's contract expired on June 30 and while Amakhosi had a chance to offer him a two-month extension they decided against it. 

"I got a call [about my release] the day before it was announced and that was it," Malongoane told SA FM.  

Asked if he had an opportunity to ask Chiefs to at least keep him until the end of the suspended campaign, Malongoane said: "I didn't get the opportunity to say anything but it's okay. It's football and you just have to move on."

The Alexandra-born player said he isn't bitter that Chiefs decided to let him go after four years at the club, saying he carries only good memories with him as he's about to begin a new chapter in his football career. 

Malongoane further revealed he remains grateful for the support Amakhosi showed him on his journey to recovery following that horrific 2018 injury. 

"I only have good memories, especially how they took care of me when I was injured - that was the most special memory because they were there, supportive. My teammates, the management and everyone else, they were supportive and made sure I was always in a good space," he continued. 

The 32-year-old winger also responded to reports that he was at one stage very close to retirement. 

He said not even on a single day did any of the club's doctors tell him to end his football career because of the broken leg despite taking very long to recover from it.  

"The doctors were very supportive towards me and they always made sure that I got back to running and I got back to what I do best. There was no time when I was advised to retire whatsoever," he confirmed. 

Malongoane, who also played for Orlando Pirates, is currently a free agent but he will have to wait for the new season to begin before he can join a club of his choice.      

Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri insisted he was unworried about criticism as his team continue to chase trophies this season.

Ahead of a trip to Sassuolo on Wednesday, Juve are six points clear at the top of Serie A with six games left to play, and also in the Champions League last 16.

Sarri, who has lost the Coppa Italia final and Supercoppa Italiana this season, has faced some criticism, but the Juventus coach is not bothered.

"Honestly, I don't pay much attention to criticism, I always try to be focused only on what I can do," he told a news conference.

"I don't know what people say on social media because I'm not on them and I will never be in my life.

"If we talk, instead, of people in the streets, I only receive support and affection."

Juventus are winless in their past two games and needed a pair of penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo to draw with Atalanta last time out.

Sarri was asked about his side's lack of goals from midfield, but he has no concerns about their firepower, although Ronaldo (seven) and Paulo Dybala (four) have netted the majority of their goals in the past six games.

"We scored 17 goals in the last six matches and I'm not concerned about our scoring ratio frankly," he said.

"We all know that among our midfielders [Aaron] Ramsey is the one that can potentially score more goals considering his individual characteristics.

"Then we have two players that are growing a lot and in the future, I'm sure they will score more like [Rodrigo] Bentancur and [Adrien] Rabiot."

Sarri also acknowledged that Giorgio Chiellini's absence through injury and fitness issues has been one of the "great regrets" this season.

Chiellini, 35, ruptured a knee ligament in August, ruling him out of action until February, when he made a couple of Serie A appearances before the league was suspended due to coronavirus.

The centre-back still has not featured since the resumption last month because of fitness-related issues, though he was given a new one-year contract to keep him at the club until 2021.

Sarri confirmed Chiellini has been in full training over the past week and is still considered an important player.

"Chiellini's absence is one of the great regrets of this season," said Sarri.

"He is a player who knows how to be enthralling. He has been training with the team for five days. I see him growing, and, in the future, he will give a great contribution for us."

Olivier Giroud has revealed why his pen and pad celebration in Chelsea's win against Norwich was dedicated to injury absentee N'Golo Kante.

Chelsea welcomed the already relegated Canaries to Stamford Bridge for a crucial Premier League clash on Tuesday night.

Frank Lampard's men needed three points to tighten their grip on third place after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United last time out, and Giroud ended up being the match-winner when he found the net just before half-time.

The French striker headed a beautifully flighted Christian Pulisic cross past sprawling Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul, before wheeling away to celebrate with his team-mates.

Giroud then turned to face Kante, who was sitting in the stands while he continues to recover from a hamstring issue, and appeared to use an imaginary notepad and pen to write a message to his fellow countryman.

When asked about the gesture during a post-match interview with Sky Sports, the Chelsea frontman responded: "It's just I play Scrabble with N'Golo Kante and I aimed it at him. That's it!"

Giroud added on the Blues' latest performance: "We really wanted to bounce back, we played a good in team in Sheffield United and they played well, so efficient in front of the goal.

"The focus and determination today was high, the cohesion was good.

"The most important thing was three points to be honest with you and we're relieved now."

Lampard singled Giroud out for praise after the final whistle, highlighting the 33-year-old's unique attributes in and around the penalty area.

"He is always going to give you a desire to get in there for the team," the Chelsea boss told reporters.

"He has scored important goals. He has never given me a problem, always trained well. His professionalism is always good."

The Blues will now start preparing for an FA Cup semi-final showdown against Manchester United on Sunday, which comes just three days before a meeting with newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool.

Chelsea will conclude their top-flight campaign with a home fixture against Wolves on July 26, before focus shifts to a Champions League last 16 second-leg tie against Bayern Munich.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) forward Bernard Morrison is in trouble again with the club after he failed to report to training since losing to Simba SC in the FA Cup on Sunday.

The Ghanaian forward, who has been in and out of the team since the top-flight resumed on June 13, played in the derby against the Wekundu wa Msimbazi but walked straight to the tunnel after being substituted in the second half for Patrick Sibomana.

Yanga went on to lose the clash 4-1 and missed out on a direct ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup while the huge win enhanced Simba’s chances of sealing a double this season having won the Mainland Premier League title with six matches to spare.

Morrison’s conduct after being substituted in the derby and skipping training on Monday and Tuesday has now caused panic in the Yanga camp with officials threatening to take action against the player, who has continuously been linked with a transfer move to Simba.

“As Yanga, we have set up a committee to discuss his conduct and we will come up with action any time soon,” Yanga Information Officer Antonio Nugaz told Goal.

On Tuesday, Yanga coach Luc Eymael confirmed to Goal only a few players turned out for training just a day after they suffered the humiliating 4-1 defeat against Simba in the FA Cup.

“A lot of players were not there on [Monday] for training, it is when you see the character when you are facing tough times, some players are there and some are not there but we will do with the players we have at hand,” Eymael told Goal.

“If people are not there perhaps they are thinking beyond the club, maybe their mind is not at the club and what can we do? We have to live with that and work with those players who are ready to play.”

Pressed further to name the players who skipped training and whether the club will take action against them, Eymael said: “I don’t want to comment on that…okay, thank you very much.”

Goal now understands, Morrison is among the players yet to report to training and coach Eymael has now said he will only work with the players who are available.

“The issue with Morrison is now a complicated one, I don’t know is whereabouts same as the players who have shown up for training since the derby, I can only let the management to do their work and give us the way forward,” Eymael concluded.

Yanga are now fighting to finish second with close challengers Azam FC as they lie third on the log.

Marcus Rashford will receive an honorary degree from The University of Manchester after his summer charity campaign against child poverty.

Rashford hit the headlines in June for writing an emotional letter to the government detailing his experience of using foodbanks in his youth.

The 22-year-old expressed his belief that all children who benefit from free school meals during term time should continue to have access to the service over the summer, as he urged Members of Parliament to update their policy.

The England international succeeded in changing government legislation, before raising over £20 million ($25m) to aid vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis after joining forces with FareShare, a major poverty and food waste charity.

The University of Manchester have decided to present Rashford with an honorary doctorate for his work in the community, which will see him follow in the footsteps of United legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton. 

The Red Devils striker released a statement announcing the award, which reads: “It’s a proud day for myself and my family. When you look at the great names that have been awarded this doctorate in the past, it’s humbling.

“We still have a long way to go in the fight to combat child poverty in this country but receiving recognition from your city means we are heading in the right direction and that means a lot. Thank you to The University of Manchester.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, the University of Manchester's president and vice-chancellor, praised Rashford for standing up to affect significant change in the city during a hugely uncertain and challenging time for the public.

“Marcus is an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary talent and drive that stretches well beyond the football field," said Professor Rothwell.

“His work for charity and his high-profile campaign will not only help countless young people across our own city, but across the entire country.

“Our university has social responsibility at its core and this sense of civic pride and duty is something we are proud to share with Marcus. That is why the university is delighted to make Marcus our youngest ever recipient of an honorary degree.”

A United spokesman added on Rashford's unique achievement: “Marcus is an exceptional player and an exceptional person. His work with FareShare and his focus on child poverty make him richly deserving of this tremendous honour and everyone at Manchester United is incredibly proud of him.”

On the pitch, Rashford has hit 21 goals in all competitions for the Red Devils in 2019-20 despite missing a large portion of the campaign through injury, and will be back in contention for a place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad for a midweek trip to Crystal Palace.

Kaizer Chiefs centre back Daniel Cardoso has revealed who converted him into a defender.

The 31-year-old player has established himself as one of the best defenders in the country since last season.

Cardoso was included in the Bafana Bafana squad which participated in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt.

The Johannesburg-born player has disclosed he was a striker until he joined Bidvest Wits' academy where he worked with former Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler.

“Look, I wish I could still be playing striker, there’s no doubt about it," said Cardoso during a joint initiative with Toyota South Africa.

"But it’s one of those things. They converted me when I went to Wits [academy]."

Cardoso also played for Jomo Cosmos academy as a youngster and he worked with Roy Matthews and Jomo Sono.

Furthermore, the tough-tackling player had a stint with Pirates' former reserve team, Yebo Yes United where he worked with Augusto Palacios.

However, Cardoso is grateful to current Maritzburg United coach Tinkler, who helped transform him into a centre back.

“Coach Eric Tinkler put me at centre-back and thought I would do well there, and I’ve excelled from there," he added.

“It’s a position I had to adapt to and I’m loving the position now, so I’m thankful and I’m glad that I’m making everybody proud.”

Cardoso was well-travelled as a youngster having also turned out for Robertsham Callies and SuperSport United academy.

The no-nonsense defender got his big break at Free State Stars with coach Steve Komphela giving him his breakthrough as a professional footballer.

Cardoso made his PSL debut during the 2012/13 season when he started for Stars in their 2-0 win over Bidvest Wits in August 2012.

The experienced player spent three seasons with Ea Lla Koto before securing a big move to Chiefs in 2016 where he is now a key player.

Cardoso is also a goalscoring defender having netted five goals across all competitions this season which has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He has been an ever-present player for the Soweto giants in the league having started all of their 22 games this term.

FC Lausanne-Sport’s ambition to secure promotion to Switzerland’s top-flight got a massive boost after an emphatic 3-0 triumph at SC Kriens on Tuesday evening, with Anthony Koura bagging a brace.

The Blue and White went into the Challenge League encounter on the back of victories against FC Schaffhausen and Chiasso.

Knowing a win against Bruno Berner’s men at the Stadion Kleinfeld would do them a lot of good, they stepped up their game to hit their hosts for three with Burkina Faso international Koura finding the net twice in the first half.

Giorgio Contini’s men had the first glaring chance after 19 minutes following a pass from Aldin Turkes to Maxime Dominguez. However, the midfielder failed to find the net.

Seven minutes later, Koura gave his team the lead after firing past goalkeeper Pascal Brugger thanks to a brilliant pass from Nicolas Getaz.

A good counter-attacking display saw the Burkina Faso star complete his brace in the 36th minute with Turkes the architect this time around.

In the second half, the visitors continued with their impressive brand of attacking football to seal all points at stake through Turkes in the 64th minute after tapping into the net courtesy of Getaz’s assist.

In the 83rd minute, substitute Joao Oliveira could have registered his name among the scorers but his shot rebounded off the crossbar after a deflection.

Kriens were rarely dangerous and could hardly threaten Lausanne who remained as league leaders having accrued 64 points from 31 outings and are on course to earn a berth to the Swiss Super League.

27-year-old Koura, who now boasts seven goals in 18 league games, was replaced in the 79th minute by Christian Schneuwly. Senegalese goalkeeper Mory Diaw saw every minute of action.

Republic of Congo's Igor Nganga was introduced for Elton Monteiro in the 78th minute, while DR Congo's Josias Lukembila was not listed for the encounter.

For Kriens, Nigerian goalkeeper Sebastian Osigwe was not listed for the game, whereas Ghana's Asumah Abubakar was in action from start to finish.

Contini’s side welcomes second-placed Grasshoppers to Olympique de la Pontaise on Friday, while Kriens visit Schaffhausen on the same day.