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Mesut Ozil insists he is "ready" as Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta expressed his uncertainty over whether the playmaker would feature again this season.

Since football resumed in mid-June following the three-month coronavirus-enforced shutdown, Ozil has not played a single minute for the Gunners.

The 31-year-old has been an unused substitute for two Premier League matches and was recently missing due to a back injury.

Arteta did not elaborate on the reasons why the former Germany international was absent from Sunday’s north London derby defeat by Tottenham and it seems likely Ozil will not be involved against Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Ozil posted a picture on social media on Tuesday evening to say he was "ready", and indicated he had been involved in training with the Arsenal squad.

However, when asked at his pre-match press conference about speculation over whether Ozil will play again this season, Arteta was non-committal.

“I don’t know,” said Arteta. “At the moment, the situation remains the same. We will see if that changes.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates Stadium will see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain return to north London almost three years since his departure from Arsenal.

The England international has won the Champions League and the Premier League during his time with Liverpool, having previously played alongside Arteta for the Gunners.

The Spaniard did not want to be drawn on whether Oxlade-Chamberlain’s decision to move has been vindicated by his recent successes, and feels the midfielder was a popular figure during his stay at Arsenal.

He added: "It's easy to say that right now but in the moment you have to understand all of the circumstances.

"I don't know what Alex wanted to do in his career at the time, or the situation with the club or how the negotiations were. I don't have all the information surrounding that.

"We all could see the potential of Alex and where he could develop. He picked an incredible club to move to and he wanted a challenge probably after so many years here.

"We have to accept that and I think we all wish him the best because as well as being a great player, I think he was someone who was really, really liked here amongst the fans, the staff and the players."

Ugandan midfielder Khalid Aucho has filed for the termination of his contract with Egyptian Premier League side Misr El-Makkasa over salary issues.

Quoting an Australian based intermediary Stevenson Kakooza, Kawowo Sports reports the midfielder has decided to end his Egyptian stay with side Misr El-Makkasa for a delay in salaries for seven months now.

“[Khalid] Aucho is filing for the termination of the contract because he demands seven unpaid months with the amount coming to USh300M,” Kakooza said as was quoted by Kawowo Sports.

Aucho was among the Ugandan stars that made a move just after featuring in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt in 2019.

He moved to Misr El-Makkasa in July last year for free after his contract with Churchill Brothers of India had ended.

The Ugandan had featured for Misr El-Makkasa and did score in his maiden tie.

Geoffrey Solo Kayemba, the midfielder's agent who is in Uganda, has already forwarded Aucho’s complaints to football governing bodies including Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa), Egypt Football Association (EFA), Caf and Fifa for action against the club.

Aucho is an experienced star having played for clubs in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, India and now in Egypt.

In Uganda, the 26-year old midfielder featured for Jinja Municipal Council (JMC), Hippos, Simba, Water Uganda while in Kenya he played for heavyweights Tusker and Gor Mahia.

Red Star Belgrade and OFK Beograd are the clubs the Ugandan featured for in Europe while in India he played for East Bengal and Churchill Brothers.

Baroka FC was his club while he was in South Africa.

He was also part of the Cranes squad that played in the 2017 Afcon finals in Gabon and has so far amassed 45 caps with the senior national team.

In a recent interview, Aucho made it clear he may consider a move back to Gor Mahia.

“Gor Mahia remain my club and will always be my club,” the midfielder stated.

“If another chance came my way, why not? I wouldn’t mind playing for the club again. I loved the club. The only club l played with passion and the only club l ever enjoyed my football.”

“My stay in South Africa and Asia were all good l can’t complain but the truth is, my football life at Gor Mahia was the best. Gor Mahia fans are some of the best fans.”

Aucho’s situation has cropped up just after Joel Madondo ended his contract with Wydad Casablanca of Morocco over almost similar issues.

Manchester United striker Anthony Martial is "on the cusp" of becoming an "elite number nine", according to Darren Fletcher.

Martial is currently enjoying his finest individual season yet at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old had previously struggled for consistency in the final third in a United shirt, but has managed to take his game up a notch since being shifted into a central role.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trusted Martial to lead the line after selling Romelu Lukaku to Inter last summer, and the Frenchman has rewarded his manager's faith by scoring 21 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions.

His latest effort came during a 2-2 draw with Southampton on Monday, as he drove into the box at pace before firing an unstoppable shot past Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy midway through the first half.

Though the result saw United miss the chance to move up to third in the Premier League standings, Fletcher was very pleased with Martial's overall contribution on the night.

The ex-Red Devils midfielder has been pleasantly surprised by the former Monaco youngster's recent resurgence, and says he is starting to show that he has the desire and hunger to match his natural ability.

"I thought Anthony Martial was fantastic," Fletcher told MUTV after the Southampton clash. "I think his endeavour, his work-rate… the talent has always been there.

"There’s always been questions marks about his work-rate and his desire but he’s definitely putting that right and he’s been the most surprising player for me [since the restart].

"I think he’s been fantastic. I think we’re seeing somebody on the cusp – if he keeps this going – of being a real elite number nine goalscorer.

"His attitude all night was a real positive for me."

Solskjaer also waxed lyrical over his star centre-forward in his post-match interview, telling reporters: "Anthony I thought he was excellent today, absolutely top class.

"Especially the second goal that’s how we want to play football. Fast, quick, through the pitch and a very good finish."

Martial will look to add to his impressive goals haul when United take in a trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Thursday.

The Red Devils are fifth in the Premier League at the moment, but only trail fourth-placed Leicester due to an inferior goal difference, with Chelsea four points further ahead in third having played a game more.

Boniface Ambani has openly claimed he warned Young Africans (Yanga SC) not to go for the services of striker Gnamien Yikpe from Gor Mahia.

The Ivorian striker left the Kenyan champions for the Jangwani Street-based giants after signing a two-year contract in 2018 but has been criticised by Yanga fans for his poor displays in the Mainland Premier League.

The most recent incident came after Yanga’s 0-0 draw against Azam FC at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, where club fans descended to the team’s dressing room after the match demanding for the release of the player and even went further to question the officials behind the transfer.

Ambani, who played for Yanga for two seasons and scored over 40 goals, has now revealed how he pleaded with the club officials not to sign the striker, who has only managed to score one goal since arriving at the club.

“Yes…I did, I warned them not to sign the striker and now everyone is crying foul,” Ambani told Goal on Wednesday. “They [especially fans] want to know who was behind [the Yikpe] signing and I had warned them about his signing.

“I watched him at Gor Mahia. I am a striker and I know the calibre of strikers Yanga likes. I knew he won't fit the bill. I have watched him on several occasions, his runs are poor, his first touch poor, always running off target and his finishing not clinical.”

After Yanga’s humiliating defeat in the FA Cup against Simba SC, which ended their hopes of winning silverware this season, Ambani has now advised the club to cut down their squad to 25 players and break the bank for serious signings.

“This season is now gone and Yanga should now start focusing for the new season, they should look for quality players, maybe they should sign two central defenders, two strong and powerful defensive midfielders, one serious attacking midfielder and two complete, established strikers,” Ambani continued.

“The management should also move to streamline the squad, they should cut it to 25 players and must spend a huge amount of money to sign serious players, also they should involve former players in transfer signings and must not allow unscrupulous agents to bring players into the club.”

Yanga are currently fighting to finish second on the Mainland Premier League table since Simba have already been crowned the champions for the current campaign.

Benin Republic head coach Michel Dussuyer has backed Nigeria to qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

The Super Eagles qualified for the global football showpiece on six occasions with their best performances being Round of 16 finishes at the 1994, 1998 and 2014 editions.

Regarded as a specialist in African football having handled teams from the continent since his first stint with Guinea in 2002, he told Fifa the likely countries that would make it through to Qatar.

“I’d go for countries that have participated before in the World Cup like Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. Nor should we forget Algeria, who won the Africa Cup of Nations,” Dussuyer told Fifa website.

“Then you have teams that could spring a surprise, such as Mali, who have made huge improvements recently and who I’d consider a dark horse in these qualifiers.”

The Frenchman is managing the Squirrels for the second time after he was replaced by compatriot Jean-Marc Nobilo following an uneventful first spell that lasted between 2008 and 2010.

The 61-year-old opened up on his return and how his style of play paid off.

“My first stint with Benin was good on the whole. I spent two years with them and we qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations,” he continued.

“Since I returned, we’ve tried to adopt a style that suits the team. We worked together until we reached the level that took us to the quarter-finals at Egypt 2019. This didn’t happen by accident, and we played very well as a team.”

To achieve their ambition of qualifying for their maiden World Cup, the West African country must first qualify from Group J that includes Congo DR, Tanzania and Madagascar.

Nevertheless, the former Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire coach who admitted that zone is a hard-hitting one believes his side can build on the last eight finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations to build for the future.

“The group is tough, as we’ll be facing three teams who appeared at the most recent African finals. Congo DR are a very strong team who came very close to qualifying for Russia 2018,” he added.

"Madagascar were the dark horses of Egypt 2019 yet reached the quarter-finals on their tournament debut. Tanzania have also made enormous progress of late and took part in the most recent Cup of Nations.”

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have called on their fans to dust themselves up and forget the humiliating 4-1 defeat suffered against rivals Simba SC on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi proved too strong for their rivals in the FA Cup semi-final clash as goals from Fraga, Clatous Chama, Luis Miquissone and Muzamiru Yassin were enough to make Simba fans smile wide at a half-packed National Stadium, and kept alive their hopes of sealing a double this season.

On the other hand, the defeat dashed Yanga’s hopes of earning a direct ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup next season.

Yanga official Hassan Bumbuli has now called on the fans to forget the humiliating defeat and focus on helping to finish the season in a respectable position starting with their Mainland Premier League match against Singida United on Wednesday.

“We cannot change the outcome of our match against Simba, we lost and we cannot do anything now, we must accept that we lost the derby and now shift our focus to helping the team to do well in the league,” Bumbuli is quoted by Sokaletu.

“Our focus now is what can we do to have a good end to the season? How do we support the team to win the remaining matches? That is what we should all be asking ourselves, we still have enough time to prepare the team well and push them to do better.

“We still have time to rectify our mistakes from the derby and we want to appeal to the fans to continue their support, they should not be divided because we lost in the derby, they should come in large numbers and support the team, Yanga is a big team and we must show an immediate response in our next match against Singida United.”

Yanga will be keen to return to winning ways against a Singida United, who have already been relegated from the top-tier after playing 34 matches, winning three, drawing six and losing 25 matches.

However, Yanga must be wary of Singida who are coming into the match after losing their last league fixture 2-0 to KMC.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has called on Chelsea to "manage the pressure" of securing Champions League qualification.

Chelsea’s 1-0 win over relegated Norwich City on Tuesday evening edged Frank Lampard’s side a step closer to claiming a top-four Premier League finish this season.

The Blues are now four points clear of Leicester and Manchester United, who play each other on the final day of the season, and have two matches remaining.

However, Chelsea’s final league fixtures are away at champions Liverpool and at home to Wolves, who are not yet out of the running for a Champions League spot, and Loftus-Cheek does not want his side to be relying on other teams slipping up.

"We have to manage the pressure," Loftus-Cheek told the club's official website.

"We’re used to it playing for Chelsea, that comes with it. We have to do the job, and we really want to be in the Champions League next year so we’ll give it our all.

"We have two really tough games against Liverpool and Wolves to come, so it’s in our hands. We don’t want to be reliant on other results to put us through to the Champions League. We’re in a good position. We have got to nail it down and give it our all."

Loftus-Cheek’s appearance against Norwich was just his second start since rupturing his Achilles in May 2019, and the midfielder acknowledged he is still building up his match fitness.

The 24-year-old added: "I feel like I’m improving. My game’s coming on. I was really happy to start and get some more minutes.

"This injury is a lot different to previous ones I have had, and the explosiveness is still to come, but I’m getting there."

The England international also praised the qualities of Olivier Giroud after the striker’s goal just before half-time saw off Norwich at Stamford Bridge.

"He’s really important for us. He’s a finisher, a poacher in the box, which is what we need at the moment when teams are sitting back and defending against us.

"You always have a chance to sling it in the box and Oli might be there to put it in. Great team player."

FC Goa's Seriton Fernandes was on the verge of joining his first camp under India coach Igor Stimac before the Coronavirus pandemic struck.

The remainder of India's 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifier matches against Qatar, Bangladesh and Afghanistan got postponed. That in turn led to the national team camp that was to be held in Bhubhaneshwar from March 9th was cancelled. This was ahead of the game against Qatar that was initially scheduled for March 26.

Now the  Blue Tigers are expected to resume their campaign on October 8th when they take on Qatar. Seriton has revealed his conversation when he met Stimac in Goa before the Croat had named his list of 43 probables back in February.

"He (Stimac) told me he liked my game and how I play. He asked me to keep working hard and offered me some tips on how to defend and attack," the right back revealed to  FC Goa Fan Club in an Instagram chat.

"It (national team call-up) was a big achievement in my life but I'm not disappointed (not to join the India camp) right now because we have to understand the (Covid-19) situation," he added.

Fernandes came up with some interesting answers during the Rapid Fire round. He picked Brandon Fernandes as his favourite player from the Indian Super League (ISL).

Meanwhile, asked to name his FC Goa six-a-side, the 27-year-old called the names of Mohammad Nawaz, Mourtada Fall, Brandon Fernandes, Lenny Rodrigues, Ferran Corominas and Hugo Boumous - in that order - before opting to leave out the Moroccan when he was asked to include himself.

Come the 2020-21 season, Seriton will face competition from the newly promoted right back in Leander D'Cunha. "I spoke with Leander. He told me that I am the best player and that he is learning more by watching me play. I [had] told him to stay at the FC Goa developmental team and I said to him that he will make it to the senior team. So I am very happy to see Leander [in the first team]."

Having qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage after topping the regular season of ISL 6, Fernandes stated that he is eager to play in the Asian competition besides insisting that he doesn't see himself playing for any team not based in Goa.

"I am very excited to play in the AFC Champions League. In India, FC Goa is the first team to play in [the group stage of] this competition. 

"I love Goa very much. I love to play in Goa and I don't want to go outside even if it is for a higher salary," he claimed.

According to recent developments, at least the initial phase of the ensuing ISL season is set to be played behind closed doors with all matches most likely to be played in Goa.

"Without fans, football is incomplete. You can see in Italy, Spain, they are all playing without fans. I don't think we can (enjoyably) play (without fans). I personally feel motivated to play with the cheering from fans. But I understand the Covid-19 situation," Fernandes opined.

Sudeva FC are one of just three clubs who are in the running for direct entry into the 2020-21 I-League.

The New Delhi-based club, along with Shillong's Ryntih SC and Visakhapatnam-based Sreenidhi FC, have submitted a bid after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) invited interested parties to fill the spot left vacant by Mohun Bagan who have merged with Indian Super League (ISL) franchise ATK. 

However, Sudeva FC are the front-runners to win the bid and if they do, co-owner Anuj Gupta has huge plans for the upcoming season. And 'desi' is the dominating tint to the vision he has for Sudeva.

"Hopefully, the license (to play I-League) comes through for us. There are a lot of things I want to implement. Winning and losing is sometimes not in our hand. But what is in our hands is our philosophy. I believe in a philosophy that is pro-Indian," Gupta told Goal.

"We want to win the bid and post the bid, I would be announcing several things including our plan for the coming five years."

Sudeva, who are an established name in the junior circuits and has an expansive residential academy, have already laid down the groundwork for the upcoming season including potential recruits.

"I have already identified the players who we want for the squad and we have called them for selective trials in August."

However, the club is not planning to recruit foreign players as of now, in small part due to the restriction imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and mainly due to a pro-Indian vision that Gupta swears by.

"I don’t think I would be focusing on overseas players as of now. The best day for Indian football would be when a completely Indian contingent wins the I-League.

"Also, because of the pandemic, there is a lot of uncertainty. The whole I-League will happen in one or two cities and there will be a problem getting a foreigner and see what their travel and other arrangements might be. My focus would be to get the best talent in India and showcase them. Give them the chance with a very good pre-season and put up a fight in the competition."

If Sudeva are given a chance to play the I-League and they struggle with an all-Indian side, Gupta states prudently that they might consider getting a few foreigners in during the January transfer window.

"Hopefully, it will be an Indian contingent. But it depends. If our season goes well, I guess we won’t need to sign any foreign players but if we struggle, we might take a couple of foreigners in the January window. But I would like to give more chances to Indian players."

"Nothing is finalised right now. Only after we receive the license, we would be revealing everything," he adds cautiously.

Sudeva are also looking to fast-track some of the promising recruits from their flourishing academy in New Delhi into the first team this season. It has to be noted that Gupta is also the owner of Spanish third division side Olimpic de Xativa, with Spanish coaches coming in to help him and his team scout for talent.

The extensive scouting process on multiple levels including youth football, Santosh Trophy and even University tournaments has helped them identify the players they need.

"We will have I-League winners, ISL players, youth players from our academy and other academies. It will be a combination of youth and experience. I have scouted in over 11 states. It doesn’t matter for me where the player has played. I have scouted players from state teams, Santosh trophy teams and university teams. It is an opportunity I want to give to any player who is good enough," said Gupta.

Winning the I-League with an all-Indian squad remains the dream for Gupta, one he feels he will be immensely proud of if he achieves it.

"I want to win the I-League with a completely Indian team. I think that would be a proud moment for any Indian involved in Indian football. That is my dream. I would be proud if one day I end up giving an Indian player a wage that overseas players command right now."

Most professional footballers in West Bengal start developing an affinity for the sport while playing in the para (community) playgrounds during their childhood. If he scores a few or strings some neat passes, his football-enthusiast parent would, more often than not,  get him registered into a local academy with a dream that his son would one day represent Mohun Bagan or East Bengal. 

Abhash Thapa’s story almost treads on the same lines. His father Dhan Singh Thapa was a district-level player and has been a constant pillar of support in his journey so far. Singh inducted his son in an academy at his hometown Bandel, at a very tender age. And within months, Abhash would find himself participating in the Subroto Cup tournament for a local school as a striker and also in inter-district football tournaments. 

"Interestingly, I started playing cricket at first. But I lost interest in it soon and enrolled myself in a football academy. Since my father himself was a footballer, he would give me ample freedom to pursue the sport," reminisced the 21-year-old to Goal. 

At 14 he started taking trials for various Kolkata outfits like Mohammedan Sporting and Mohun Bagan. He got through Mohammedan and under coach Saeed Anwar, he started playing as a winger-cum-striker. But his days in Black and White were numbered as he was selected by Bagan's SAIL Academy in Durgapur where he would spend his formative years as a player. 

"Jahar Das was my coach in the first year. It was an U18 team and I was just 14 when I joined. Naturally, I did not get any competitive minutes in my first year. In my second year, I first played for the team in an invitational tournament in Chandigarh as a central midfielder. I was playing in different positions and I learnt a lot." 

Incidentally, Brazilian defender Douglas De Silva started his coaching career in this academy in 2014. It was him who first deployed Thapa as a full-back during one of the youth league games. But it was a temporary measure to fill in the vacant boots of the regular right-back who was sidelined with an injury. 

"I think I did well as a full-back. I like to attack and go on the overlap and the position was suiting me very well. But coach thought that I would fit as a midfielder and I once again slotted in at the centre of the park." 

Thapa spent four years in Durgapur and after graduating he once again started appearing for trials in various clubs for a place in the senior team. It was not a cakewalk as his spirits would be tested with a slew of rejections until he finally landed himself with a contract with Royal Wahingdoh and subsequently, with Bhowanipore FC. 

"The Bhowanipore officials liked me during the trial. But Bablu da (Coach, Subrata Bhattacharya) was not impressed. So I could not make it. I then went for trials in Peerless SC. I was practicing with the team but the management was not offering me a contract. Now, Bhowanipore and Peerless practices in close proximity in the Maidan. So one day, one of the Bhowanipore officials spotted me and asked if I was still free. After a few days, I got a call from them and I finally signed." 

After joining his first task was to win the confidence of the coach. Bhattacharya was a difficult coach to please but gradually the youngster won him over with hard work and perseverance in the training sessions. 

After plying his trade in the Calcutta Football League (CFL) for a season Thapa felt that he was ready for the next step. Fortunately, Real Kashmir was in the city at that time scouting for players for I-League second division. 

"Pintu (Mahata) informed me about the trials. It was a closed trial and you needed a recommended to gain entry. Yet I went there with my kit. For three days straight I was tested and after that, I went back home. I kept waiting and after a few days, I got a confirmation. It was a huge relief."

Thapa was picked as a winger but once again providence had something else in store for him. Kamalesh Nadar, the first-choice left-back got injured and David Robertson asked his young ace to fill in that space. He made seven appearances in the second division and played a vital role in Kashmir's promotion to I-League. 

He made his debut against Mohun Bagan in the top league and in the very first match, he was given the responsibility to contain Mahata, his long-time friend. 

"Pintu was playing as a right-winger. It was completely out of the world to play against Bagan. I was so charged. Fortunately, I had a good game and Pintu was changed in the first half. Playing in the I-League helped me understand that mentality is the most important thing. You should not bog down to pressure. Loveday (Okechukwu) also guided me a lot." 

After two successful seasons in Kashmir, he joined Indian Super League (ISL) side Hyderabad FC but he could not find his foot in new surroundings. he was loaned out to East Bengal. Under Mario Rivera, he became a regular but much to his dismay, he could not participate in the famed Kolkata Derby as the match was called off due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

"It is a huge disappointment. It was a dream to play in the Kolkata Derby. Just a day away and the match got called off. Hopefully, sometime in the future, I will be able to play in that match." 

Thapa 's immediate concern is to establish himself as a regular in his next venture so that he can improve further as playing for India remains the ultimate target.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said he will let Serge Aurier decide if he wants to play or not following the death of his brother .

Media reports began to circulate on Monday claiming Christopher Aurier had been shot outside of a nightclub in Toulouse.

The 26-year-old's death was later confirmed in a statement by Spurs.

Tottenham are in action against Newcastle United in the Premier League on Wednesday - as they attempt to qualify for the Europa League with three league matches remaining.

Mourinho confirmed he will talk with Aurier before deciding whether to involve him, while he also confirmed the player can go back to France should he wish.

"I still don't know [if the player would train later that day], I don't know what he is keen to do, I am not going to put any pressure on him," Mourinho said.

"Maybe he travels with us because it is good for him to travel but then he is not ready to play. At this moment I have no idea. I have no idea, the only thinking that is clear is that we are here to support him and not to demand anything of him at all.

"[We gave him] all the options. He can do what he wants, he can go to France, he can stay here, he can come to training, he can go to the game.

“That's obvious, that's human, family is more important in this tragic situation than our need for him and our crucial match. Nothing matters, he does what he wants.

"Let me speak with him and we will see. At this moment I don't know. I spoke with him on the phone, no more than that.

"We gave him the space to process, the space for him to be involved with his family. We are going to make the decision that he wants.

"[Whether he plays] depends on the feelings I have on the conversation. We are going to speak."

Aurier has been a key player in Jose Mourinho's team since the Portuguese manager's arrival in November, and he has played 30 games in the Premier League this season with a goal to his name.

Frank Lampard has hailed Olivier Giroud for scoring another important goal after the French star fired Chelsea to a win over Norwich on Tuesday.

Giroud scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory, one which kept Chelsea in the race for a top-four spot.

After being beaten 3-0 by Sheffield United last time out, Chelsea are in a battle with Leicester, Manchester United and Wolves to claim the final two Champions League spots with just several games remaining in the Premier League season.

Knowing what's at stake, Chelsea will need results to remain in the hunt, and Lampard praised Giroud's contribution on Tuesday, hailing the French striker for taking advantage of his time on the pitch.

"He is always going to give you a desire to get in there for the team," Lampard told Sky Sports. "He had a few half chances in the central area. That is what you have to do when he is in the team - use his attributes.

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

The World Cup-winning forward has had to deal with time out of the starting XI this season, with Giroud making only 20 total appearances this season while scoring seven goals.

Giroud made 45 appearances last season, his first full campaign with Chelsea, scoring 13 times in all competitions.

Now back in the team following a good run of form, Giroud says he is still finding his confidence in front of goal despite a haul of three goals in four matches.

"We needed to be patient and move the ball quick against a team who play a deep block," he said. "We created a lot of chances but it was important to score before half-time. We should have scored more goals as we had a lot of possession. The team was a bit under pressure also because we know we needed the win definitely so we are happy.

“I missed some things some times that I wouldn’t miss usually but maybe I lost a bit of confidence. My desire to score was bigger though so I tried to stay focused. It was a great cross from Christian [Pulisic] so I scored the header. I will always believe and work hard. I am very pleased with the goal and it helped the team win the game.

“We really wanted to bounce back and we played a good team against Sheffield United. We have done mistakes obviously so we tried to not do it again. This determination to do well tonight was very high. The most important thing was the three points so we feel relief now.”

Chelsea are set to face Manchester United on Sunday in a match that could determine their fate this season before a difficult clash with Liverpool three days later.

The Blues will then conclude the season with a match against Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

Thiago Alcantara would prove a skilled addition to Liverpool's squad if the Spaniard was to sign for the Reds next season, according to old club favourite Dietmar Hamann.

The former Anfield star, who was a member of Rafa Benitez's Champions League-winning side in 2005, believes that the Bayern Munich creator could bring a technical nous to Jurgen Klopp's side were he to swap the Bundesliga for the Premier League.

Thiago has been at the Allianz Arena for the better part of a decade but could look set to bring the curtain down on his time with the German champions and make the move to England, with Merseyside a touted destination.

Speaking as the European football season builds to a belated climax following the coronavirus pandemic-enforced suspension, Hamann noted that the 29-year-old skewed older than Liverpool would likely prefer, but that his skill could arguably trump all other concerns.

"He doesn't quite fit the profile of the Reds' transfer policy at his age," the former Germany international midfielder told Abendzeitung. "Regardless, a transfer would make sense in my eyes.

"Jurgen Klopp has more workhorses in his midfield with Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Naby Keita. He could use an intricate technical player like Thiago well.

"On the other hand, he will surely have a new contract at Bayern waiting to be signed. I would be surprised if he was not offered a lot to stay."

Further pressed on how much Thiago could be sold for if he were to exit the Bavarian giants, Hamann admitted that he would expect Liverpool to drive a hard bargain, acknowledging that the player's place in the relative pecking order under Hansi Flick may play a part in his price.

"Liverpool certainly want to keep the cost down," he added. "Thiago is 29 now, and when everyone is fit in the Bayern midfield - Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Thomas Muller - he starts on the bench.

"Thiago certainly has his brilliant moments. I like to watch him, but he's never played in a Champions League final for Bayern. The bottom line is that he's one of the most likely options for Liverpool to pursue, for me."

Chelsea knew they needed to take advantage of Manchester United dropping points as the Premier League's top-four battle race heats up, according to coach Frank Lampard.

The Blues overcame relegated Norwich City 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in a nervy display that kept the team in third position - four points clear of Leicester City and Man Utd.

With the Red Devils conceding a 96th minute equaliser to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth on Sunday night, Lampard said his players knew the Norwich match was an opportunity to get some breathing space on their rivals for Champions League places.

"I actually didn't speak to them about [capitalising] today because I think I have mentioned other games around us," Lampard said. We all saw the game but I don't think I had to say that to them today.

"We know that when the team around you has a moment like that then you have to capitalise. We failed to do that at other times this season.

"All I wanted to do was make sure we did our job tonight. I felt tonight was about us. We were against a team who has just been relegated. With all respect, here at home if we get our job done at home we get three points and we did do that."

Oliver Giroud scored the only goal on the stroke of half-time against the Canaries as the Blues collected three points before a tough set of matches to come in the league.

Chelsea will face Liverpool at Anfield - with the champions seeking to break Man City's league points record of 100 - before taking on Wolves at home in their final contest.

Lampard knows it's a difficult run of matches for his players to ensure they finish in the top four and hopes they can focus enough to get through them.

"When you keep coming up against Liverpool away and Wolves at home - they are just two really good opponents," he said. We just have to focus on one-by-one, prepare right and show the right attitude.

"I thought we showed it today in a way. Those two games will look completely different to what tonight did but rather than talk about bottle, I want to talk about focus and talk about attitude and then hopefully we have enough to get through but it is going to be tough."

With the Blues on the verge of qualifying for next season's Champions League, Lampard's team are currently still alive in the current edition but face an uphill battle with a three-goal deficit to overturn against Bayern in the second leg of their round-of-16 match next month.

With an FA Cup semi-final to come against Man Utd on Sunday, Lampard feels the team can be pleased with where they are at in their current development stage.

"I think we can be happy with where we are right now, " Lampard said. "I don’t want to jump the gun because we have games that will be pivotal to where we actually finish, but if we’d said we’d be third and contesting in the FA Cup and the Champions League, [I'd have been happy]."

Handwalla Bwana scored Seattle Sounders' only goal in their 2-1 loss to Chicago Fire on Tuesday.

Bwana came off to bench to equalise for Brian Schmetzer's side 19 minutes after his introduction in the 58th minute, but his effort was not enough to secure a point for the Sounders at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Field.

The Kenya-born midfielder was assisted by Jordan Morris in opening his goal account at the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando.

After a goalless draw against San Jose Earthquakes last Friday, the defeat left Seattle Sounders third in Group B having gathered just a point from two matches.

They will be hoping to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout round when they battle Vancouver Whitecaps in their final group fixture on July 19.

Bwana who was born in Mombasa, has been at the United States of America since 2010 and he joined Seattle Sounders in 2015.

He has been a regular fixture for the Sounders since his debut outing in 2015 and he was also part of the squad that won the 2019 MLS Cup after a 3-1 win over Toronto FC.

The 23-year-old who spent six years of his childhood at a refugee camp in Kakuma - a town in the North-western region of Kenya, is eligible to play for Harambee Stars on the international scene.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has disclosed that Serge Aurier can do what he wants after the death of his brother on Monday.

Aurier's brother, Christopher was shot dead outside a nightclub in France, less than 24 hours after the Ivory Coast international helped Spurs earn the North London derby bragging rights with a 2-1 win over Arsenal.

Ahead of their visit to Newcastle United on Wednesday, Mourinho said the 27-year-old who is still in grief is not ready to play but he might travel to France or travel with the team to Tyne and Wear.

"I still don't know [if the player would train later that day], I don't know what he is keen to do, I am not going to put any pressure on him," Mourinho was quoted as saying by Football London.

"Maybe he travels with us because it is good for him to travel but then he is not ready to play. At this moment I have no idea. I have no idea, the only thinking that is clear is that we are here to support him and not to demand anything of him at all.

"[We gave him] all the options. He can do what he wants, he can go to France, he can stay here, he can come to training, he can go to the game.

“That's obvious, that's human, family is more important in this tragic situation than our need for him and our crucial match. Nothing matters, he does what he wants.

"Let me speak with him and we will see. At this moment I don't know. I spoke with him on the phone, no more than that.

"We gave him the space to process, the space for him to be involved with his family. We are going to make the decision that he wants.

"[Whether he plays] depends on the feelings I have on the conversation. We are going to speak."

Aurier has been key play in Jose Mourinho's team since the Portuguese manager's arrival in November, and he has played 30 games in the Premier League this season with a goal to his name.

Leon Balogun said Wigan Athletic might be one of the best clubs he has played for if they retain their Championship status while in administration.

The Nigerian centre-back joined the Latics on an initial six-month loan in January after struggling for regular playing time at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Following the extension of the Championship campaign due to the Covid-19 suspension, Paul Cook's side moved to sign him until the end of the 2019-20 season.

After playing a significant role in helping Wigan stay clear of the relegation zone, Balogun, who had played nine games in the second division at the time of writing, recalled his initial worry about the team.

“I tried to find a solution and then Wigan came in. To be very honest, I was not so impressed; a Championship side when I was feeling fit and good enough to play in the Prem," Balogun told the Athletic.

"Moving to a potential relegation team, I was thinking ‘Agh, that’s tough’. Looking back now, my agent told me, ‘You could go there and it could be one of the most memorable times in your career’.

“It might turn out that way, especially if we make it with the administration and everything. I’ve had some nice dressing rooms but the Wigan dressing room, the staff, are up there with the best I’ve had.”

The former Mainz 05 defender helped Wigan avoid defeat in eight of the nine appearances he made for the club before suffering a groin injury in their 3-0 loss to Brentford.

Balogun picked up an injury in the opening minutes of the encounter at Griffin Park before Algeria's Said Benrahma struck thrice to end their unbeaten streak.

Earlier this month, Wigan announced that they are in administration and the Nigerian defender has revealed that they got the news in the team's group chat.

“We played Stoke on the Tuesday night [a 3-0 win on June 30] and on the Wednesday morning, we were off," he added.

“One of the lads put it up in the group chat. I actually had to translate first because I wouldn’t know what it meant. My native language is German. I had to look it up and then it was pretty obvious. ‘Oh wow, what is going on?’.

“Everybody just hopes there will be a happy ending because I don’t think anybody deserves it (relegation). I’ve not been at this club for long but they have really grown to my heart already in this short period of time because the people in the club, around the club, are just amazing.

"You can see that from the run we’ve had. If you exclude the Brentford game, because that just wasn’t us on that day, it’s really, really amazing.”

The 32-year-old also disclosed how the team drew inspiration from the movie 300.

“Before I joined the club, they got massive stick. They had been through hell, they’d been booed by their own fans — everything that could possibly go wrong or against them happened," Balogun said.

“When you think nothing more can happen, then this came up. Everybody just has that determination and motivation to say, ‘You know what, we are going to be like the Spartans in the movie 300 and use it as this extra motivation’.

“All the odds are against us but you will see that this is actually our biggest strength.

“I’m always a very positive guy. Even in my time at Brighton when everything was absolutely not as I wished that it would be, I was pretty much always smiling, trying to create a good atmosphere.

"And I’m playing until this injury. I think I’ve had more games now in two or three months than I had at Brighton, so that is a positive.”

Olivier Giroud's third goal in four matches was enough for Chelsea to claim a 1-0 win over already-relegated Norwich City, giving them a four-point advantage of Manchester United in fifth.

Champions League qualification appeared to be on the rocks after third-placed Chelsea lost 3-0 to Sheffield United last time out, but after Leicester City and United dropped points too, Frank Lampard's men have consolidated their place in the driving seat.

That is not to say they were in great shape throughout at Stamford Bridge – there were times in the first half where the Blues looked like they might disappoint again, but Giroud finally punished slack defending in stoppage time.

Clear-cut chances were more of a rarity after the break, but against a Norwich side that has scored just 26 times this season, Chelsea never looked in danger of being pegged back and Giroud's header was enough.

Chelsea were dominant throughout the first half but were less than convincing in front of goal.

Giroud, starting ahead of Tammy Abraham, was guilty of spurning two excellent chances with mishit finishes, with the hosts appearing to grow frustrated as the first period progressed.

Christian Pulisic went close as well, though Tim Krul's reaction save saw him tip the American's fierce strike on to the crossbar in the 36th minute.

Giroud eventually made the breakthrough just before half-time, however, nodding in Pulisic's cross from six yards.

The second half was an even cagier affair, with little happening at either end before Cesar Azpilicueta's speculative long-range effort with his left foot flew just over.

Krul then thwarted Pulisic from close range 15 minutes from time, though Chelsea were not made to rue that error, as they saw out the triumph.

What does it mean? Chelsea get the job done

It was not as comprehensive as most would have predicted – and expected. But, at this stage of the season, getting three points is all that matters and it keeps the Blues on course to finish third.

Given their final two matches of the season are away to Liverpool and at home to Wolves, anything other than a win here would have surely been critical.

Willian a willing creator

It is fair to say Willian is doing his chances of earning a new contract beyond the end of the season no harm with recent performances. He may not have finished the game with any goals or assists, but he was a creative threat – he laid on seven key passes, more than anyone else on the pitch.

Drmic anonymous

It was always likely to be a thankless task leading the line for Norwich, but Josip Drmic did not exactly help himself – the Switzerland international offered precious little after getting the nod ahead of Teemu Pukki and Adam Idah.

Key Opta Facts

- Pulisic has registered 11 goals involvements in the Premier League this season (eight goals, three assists), the most by a United States player since Clint Dempsey in 2012-13 (also 11).
- Since his Premier League debut in August 2012, Giroud has scored 31 headed goals in the competition, five more than any other player in that time.
- Giroud has scored in three successive Premier League starts for the first time since January 2017, when he netted in six consecutive games as a starter for Arsenal.
- Chelsea have won five consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since December 2017.
- Norwich have now lost 25 Premier League games this season – the most defeats they have ever suffered in a league campaign.

What's next?

A trip to Wembley awaits Chelsea on Sunday as they face Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals, before then returning to Premier League action at champions Liverpool. As for Norwich, they play their final home match of the season against Burnley on Saturday.