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Arsenal need to be looking at bringing in “a top midfield player” in the next transfer window, says Martin Keown, with Mikel Arteta already being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey.

Recruitment plans are being drawn up at Emirates Stadium, with there an acceptance that further reinforcement is required.

That is because the top-four and Champions League qualification is to remain out of reach once again in 2019-20.

Former club captain Arteta has been returned to familiar surroundings in a bid to get a fallen giant back on its feet, with consistency still proving to be a problem at present.

Defensive leaks are doing little to aid that cause, with calls for money to be spent in that area continuing to mount in intensity.

Keown has spoken of the need to find a reliable option at centre-half on a regular basis, with questions often being asked of David Luiz, Shkordan Mustafi and Co.

The former Arsenal defender is, however, also of the opinion that a leader needs to be found in the middle of the park, amid questions of Matteo Guendouzi’s future, with the Gunners having lacked a talismanic figure in that department since the days of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva.

"Well, there are many [things to improve] and it is really about getting that DNA back into the players, that toughness, that will to win, raising the bar really," Keown told BT Sport.

"Defensively we know there are a lot of problems, Arsenal are carrying five or six central defenders, which one of them is good enough?

"Who's going to be the partnership? Today it's a three, often it's a four that they play there.

"And the middle of the park, I don't think we've really had a top midfield player so to speak, that can control things for us, since the Vieira days, Gilberto Silva days.

"So let's try and get a top midfield player into that position. I'm assuming that is what the club is working towards doing."

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a bid to prise Ghana international Partey away from Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old has seen a move to the Premier League mooted for some time and now boasts the experience that could see him become a key figure in the Gunners’ engine room.

Yanga SC coach Luc Eymael has revealed he would rather have played Azam FC as opposed to Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-finals.

The Jangwani based side made it to the last four of the competition after eliminating Kagera Sugar. David Molinga and Deus Kaseke struck a goal each with Aweu Awesa scoring the only goal for the Sugar Belt side.

On Wednesday, John Bocco and Clatous Chama gave Wekundu wa Msimbazi a 2-0 win to set a date with Wananchi.

"Many have asked for my reaction after setting a date with Simba in the last four of the FA Cup but I will respond as I did already," Eymael told Goal on Thursday.

"I know many of my players wished to play Simba in the semi-finals but would have preferred to play Azam. However, it is still okay; Simba were a good team, same as Azam, we will still give our best."

However, the 60-year-old has said his immediate focus lies elsewhere.

"We have to focus on our forthcoming games away against Biashara United, then that of Kagera Sugar. We have to prepare well and be ready to play on a bad pitch," Eymael added.

"Our aim will be to collect maximum points from the games to ensure we retain second position on the pitch.

"After that, we can now focus on playing Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-finals."

Simba are targeting a double after clinching the Tanzania Mainland League title. Yanga had won the last meeting between the two sides by a solitary goal scored by Bernard Morrison.

"To face Simba again? We are ready, but first, they play Azam, who are a very good side and we must wait for the outcome to see who comes top," Eymael had told Goal earlier.

On the Kagera game, Eymael hit out at officiating once again, blaming the match officials for denying his side a clear penalty in the first half.

"The game was tough, it was a difficult game, we conceded a very silly goal, but we recovered and scored two nice goals, we should have received a penalty in the first half, it was a clear penalty, and I don’t know what the referee was thinking," Eymael continued.

"My players were brought down inside the box and it is very clear that when you are fouled inside the box it is a clear penalty, I looked at the referee waving play on and was shocked with the decision, it was a clear penalty if you ask me."

Antoine Griezmann has become "a caricature of himself" at Barcelona, where his former Real Sociedad boss, Martin Lasarte, feels a toxic environment is taking its toll.

Quique Setien has named Griezmann on the bench for three of Barca's past four games, including important meetings with top-four hopefuls Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.

The World Cup winner was not sent on until the 90th minute against Atletico on Tuesday, with Ansu Fati introduced ahead of him in the 2-2 draw at Camp Nou.

Barca will fall four points behind Real Madrid with five games remaining if La Liga's leaders beat Getafe on Thursday, with reports suggesting Setien has lost the backing of his players.

Martin Lasarte, who handed Griezmann his professional debut as an 18-year-old in the Segunda Division with La Real, believes the atmosphere at Barca is having a negative effect on the France star's adaptation to the team.

"What you see of Griezmann is like a caricature of himself. I see him sad, with his head down, running without much sense," Lasarte told Radio Marca.

"The coach has every right to make changes whenever he wants but I do not feel the other night [against Atletico] helped Griezmann's psychological situation.

"When things don't go well for a player, the coach should be there to support and help. Of course, Antoine will have his responsibility but there is an environment that does not help him to succeed.

"It would have been better if he had gone to Barca a year earlier. I have the feeling that when he said he was staying at Atletico something broke with the Barca dressing room."

Barca sacked Ernesto Valverde when they were top of the league in January and Lasarte thinks that sapped the momentum Griezmann was starting to build.

"Griezmann may have had a hard time adapting at first but then I felt he improved in December and January. Now he conveys a sad, down feeling," he said.

"The truth is I don't know if the change of coach at Barca was the most successful, it has not given the feeling of having improved much.

"That surely has also influenced Griezmann's situation."

Manchester City have to sign a “leader” to sit alongside Aymeric Laporte at the heart of their back four, says Micah Richards, but there could still be a role for John Stones in the squad heading forward.

Pep Guardiola opted against bolstering his ranks in that department when the talismanic presence of Vincent Kompany headed through the exits at the Etihad Stadium in 2019.

The long-serving Belgian had been a rock, when fit, in a centre-half berth and was always going to be difficult to replace.

It came as some surprise when City made no effort to cover the loss, with Guardiola having had to get creative at times as a result – Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho often being asked to play out of position.

That decision has been taken because the likes of Stones and Nicolas Otamendi have failed to convince when called upon.

Richards believes reinforcements must now be found in the next window, with another big-money option allowing the Blues to address a need in their starting XI while also adding greater depth to their squad.

The former City defender told Sky Sports: "It's been very difficult for City. I feel a bit sorry for John Stones. He's obviously a top player and you'd think the way City play he'd just fit in easily, but he's made a couple of high-profile mistakes, and he's not really been able to claw that back.

"Without Laporte there, they don't really seem like they've got much stability. Losing Laporte for the first half of the season was massive. City are looking at various players for the summer, but for me they need a leader at the back to play alongside Laporte. That's no disrespect to Nicolas Otamendi and Stones, I'd still have Stones around to try and win back the manager's confidence.

"But when you have a central midfielder dropping back into centre-back, you know you've got a player there. I know people say that Pep Guardiola dropped Javier Mascherano back into defence at Barcelona and it worked, but this is a bit different in the Premier League. When you've got Lionel Messi on your side, it's completely different.

"Going forward it hasn't been a problem for City. They've been scintillating at times, but then you just know that there's going to be some sort of uncertainty at the back without Kompany's leadership.

"They're just missing that voice. It doesn't have to be the world's best centre-half, just somebody who knows how to lead the team, get people in the right positions, and who is not afraid to shout at people if their positioning is wrong."

Richards added: "It's not as simple as getting a centre-back in. Fernandinho will be a year older and his legs won't be the same as this season or past seasons.

"Just buying a centre-back is not going to solve all the issues. People say [Virgil] van Dijk solved Liverpool's problems, and he did to an extent, but his arrival coincided with the improvement in Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and [Andy] Robertson, and also Alisson arrived.

"But getting a centre-half would help so much in terms of consistency, and to have somebody who understands that position more to drive the team forward."

City are expected to spend in the next window, having surrendered the Premier League title to Liverpool in 2019-20, but are still waiting on the outcome of an appeal against a two-year ban from European football which could have a massive impact on their recruitment plans.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena has boasted about being the first Chippa United head coach to see out his contract with the club.

The 35-year-old recently surprisingly parted ways with the Chilli Boys a month after club chairman Siviwe 'Chippa' Mpengesi indicated they are looking to keep him for the long term.

However, the Chilli Boys, who have a history of firing coaches in South African football, announced Mokwena will leave the club when his short-term deal expired at the end of last month.

Mokwena had joined the Eastern Cape-based side in March 2020 on loan from Orlando Pirates, but he departed as a proud man.

“We only played one match, but there’s a lot of positives that one can take. That 0-0 draw was something that we were prepared to take as a positive," Mokwena told IOL.

"By default, it means I leave the club undefeated! I leave Chippa United as the first coach to finish his contract. I finished my stay without getting fired."

The 2019/20 season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic shortly after Chippa's goalless draw with Bidvest Wits in a PSL match on March 7.

The Chilli Boys confirmed a collaboration with the High Performance Centre at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) during Mokwena's time with the club.

“Those are the positives. Beyond that is what we’ve done for the club and they will benefit in the future," he added.

"We have an agreement with the High Performance Centre at Nelson Mandela Bay. We’ve set up a few good processes."

According to the publication, Mokwena was unwilling to speak about his future plans with his contract with Pirates having expired on Tuesday, June 30.

Mokwena was demoted to assistant coach following the arrival of German tactician Josef Zinnbauer at Pirates midway through the current season.

However, the former Platinum Stars assistant coach took a study leave and he was later appointed Chippa head coach replacing Norman Mapeza.

It remains to be seen whether Mokwena, who is highly-rated by Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza, will return to the club when the suspended campaign resumes.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) President Moses Magogo has explained how he had to deal with established clubs that used to break laws.

Magogo stated his initial tenure at Fufa as the Competitions Secretary saw him get into direct conflict with clubs as he tried to implement rules.

"There is a time, Bunamwaya FC [the club owned by the Fufa President then] used a player with a red card and the committee had to take the decision to deduct six points," Magaogo said on a Facebook post.

"Of course, the likes of Haruna Kyobe could not believe this but when I explained the rules to Colonel Bell, he called Dr Lawrence Mulindwa [then Fufa president] and explained it to him.

"I met the Fufa President and the best interest for the game was to implement the rules. It sounds easy after but not a simple thing then. These two gentlemen allowed me to implement the rules.

"Young, naive, innovative, fearless, very energetic with a passion to organise fair competitions, I took the bull by its horns. I definitely stepped on many toes and created a new normal."

The Caf Executive member, who stated how key the late Jackson 'Bell' Tushabe helped him throughout the tumultuous stint as the Competitions Secretary, gave the example of the rules that saw him rub big clubs the wrong way.

"There are countless incidents that Colonel Bell stood up for me. Most notable when the big clubs wanted me to be removed from the powerful position of Competitions Secretary because I did not offer preferential treatment they always enjoyed before," added Magogo.

"For example, on behalf of the committee; I had warned and denied KCC FC not to use Owen Kasule with three yellow cards having accumulated two in the lower league and one in KCC FC as prohibited by the rules.

"I had denied Villa outside the window registration of Ibrahim Kongo as prohibited by the rules.

"I had ordered the replay of Express FC without fans in the morning at Nakivubo and enforced it for the first time in reaction to a match aborted by hooliganism in accordance with the prevailing rules then.

"The clubs thought I was being too much but Colonel Bell put down his foot that I can only leave if he is leaving too. And the clubs had to accept the status quo."

Jurgen Klopp has established total control at Liverpool, says John Barnes, with a Shankly-esque coach earning a level of respect that predecessors such as Brendan Rodgers lacked.

During the Reds’ 30-year wait for title glory, many highly-rated managers passed through Anfield.

A few got close to delivering the ultimate prize, with Rafa Benitez savouring Champions League glory while Rodgers pieced together a star-studded squad that included the likes of Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling.

Klopp, though, has been the man to get Liverpool back on the loftiest of perches.

His success has come as no surprise to Barnes, with the German tactician proving himself to be the leader that the Reds had been crying out for prior to a game-changing appointment in October 2015.

“Too often over the past three decades Liverpool could be accused of living in the past, and Brendan Rodgers suffered from being measured against our great managers of the past but along came Jurgen and gave the club a new identity,” Barnes said in the foreword to ‘CHAMPIONS AT LAST - How Liverpool Finally Won the Premier League in Football’s Longest Season’.

“You’re seeing the same at Manchester United now with his (Sir Alex Ferguson's) successors questioned over every move they make with fans saying ‘this isn’t how Fergie would have done it’.”

“The Liverpool fans believe in Jurgen Klopp. When he makes a decision, such as he did about Daniel Sturridge for example, the fans accept it.

“They didn’t accept similar decisions by Brendan Rodgers, and if he left, say, Sturridge out of the team, they would let him know their feelings.

“If the team lost 4-0 at Stoke, the fans would boo the manager. If Klopp loses a game, like 3-0 at Watford, that doesn’t happen, the fans have faith in him, but they also have that connection, the sort of connection that goes back to Bill Shankly and the Boot Room philosophy, the fans love Klopp’s character, his passion, his commitment to the cause.

“In reality, certainty at first, Klopp’s record was no better than that of Brendan Rodgers. It might have been very similar but the fans liked the Klopp attitude, his character, they believed in him the way they believed in Bill Shankly. Klopp is a throwback to Shanks in many ways.

“Alex Ferguson was one of the best in the world when he took over at Old Trafford but United’s board gave him three or four years to turn it around and get it right. By and large the fans took to Fergie even in the early days when he wasn’t successful, they liked him and could see what he was doing with the youth team, so they got behind him.

“If fans don’t like the manager, then they are not slow in screaming and shouting about it and letting you know how they feel.

“It was something similar with Pep at City, it was obvious the guy was a winner and would be successful there so there was an instant connection with the fans, and they backed him, rather than turning on him, when they had a mediocre first season.

“On the other hand, Jose Mourinho won a few things at United but the fans felt no connection to him because of his style of management and the style of football so the board had to act. It was the same with Louis van Gaal.”

Liverpool have Klopp tied to a contract through to 2024 and will be hoping that the success achieved over the course of the last 12 months proves to be the start of another era of domination for those on the red half of Merseyside.

The transfer market, fraught as it is, nevertheless has some handy markers for what constitutes a smart bit of business.

In acquiring Morocco international Achraf Hakimi from Real Madrid for a reported €40 million fee, Inter have managed to tick every box.

The first, most obviously, is the cost. For a player who, over the last two seasons, has been directly involved (goals and assists) in 29 goals from full-back/wing-back at the age of 21, that outlay represents a steal.

Eye-catching performances for Borussia Dortmund over the last two seasons, both in the league and in Europe, have marked Hakimi as one of the game's most accomplished wide players. His raw speed, his ability to dribble, the timing of his arrivals in the final third, and his low, measured deliveries into the penalty area from the right have proved difficult to deal with for even the most illustrious of opponents.

He is versatile positionally as well: his hat-trick of assists against Atletico Madrid in 2018 saw him devastate Diego Simeone's side while playing from left full-back, and he was at his rampaging best against Slavia Prague last year when pushed forward to play as a winger. "I think that, within a few years, he will be among three or four best full-backs in the world. His potential is tremendous," gushed Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky.

As his performances have taken on a fiercer aspect, questions over his future have only intensified. Dortmund keeping him beyond the end of his two-year loan always seemed improbable, and despite the player's admiration of Zinedine Zidane, a return to Real Madrid held some uncertainty.

The incumbency of Dani Carvajal was the most obvious roadblock, but there is also the peculiarity of Hakimi himself. He is hardly conventional, and so requires some creative tactical thinking to properly harness.

With respect to Zidane's overwhelming, unprecedented success as a manager, he is hardly known for the breadth of his ideas. It is understood that his chief influence in terms of coaching is from his time spent under Marcelo Lippi at Juventus, and he espouses a lot of the same collectivist ideals as the Italian.

There is no overt emphasis on tactics, and that suits a club with a culture like Real Madrid's. Instead, experienced, peak-age, technical players in premium physical condition are given a degree of freedom, and can be relied upon both to determine when to exercise it and to bring their superior quality to bear on the opposition.

How Hakimi would have fit into that paradigm is difficult to envisage. He remains a work in progress and, for all his potential, there are flaws: he requires the sort of indulgence that no one gets in Zidane's system, in much the same way that Liverpool structure their play to cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold. At the Bernabeu, there would also be less tolerance for the occasional lack of defensive rigour that the Moroccan is still working through.

These factors combined have made Hakimi, not only available, but also highly attractive to Inter, where a back three system means his strengths would be perfectly accommodated.

There is no concern when it comes to displacing an incumbent: Antonio Candreva, who has started most frequently at right-wing-back, is 33, and recent reports suggest Victor Moses' loan deal will not be made permanent.

The very particular demands of the role also suit Hakimi. "(Antonio) Conte wants the wing-backs, every time we have the ball, we need to be as forward as possible, where the attackers are," Ghana international Kwadwo Asamoah said last September.

"It takes a lot of physical energy to do this job. Sometimes it’s even time to shoot on goal."

There are few full-backs in the game more suited to this brief than Hakimi. In fact, it reads like a manifesto for him: he demonstrated his aptitude inside the box when he scored a brace to haul Dortmund back from defeat against Inter back in November, a performance that no doubt piqued the Italians' interest.

There is more to the fit than the simple fact of a wing-back system, however. It is Conte's specific imagining of the role that holds such promise. While at Chelsea, he often had the wing-backs so high up they formed a front five, and at Inter the shape while attacking becomes a 3-3-4.

This is more than just a quirk though: 15 of Inter's goals this season have been assisted by wing-backs, with Candreva's seven the most in the squad overall.

There is also a huge reliance on them for progressive passing, with Candreva, Biraghi and Moses all in the top five in the squad for progressive passes per 90 according to FBref data.

Interestingly, the numbers also indicate a skew toward the right-hand side. Moses, the now-departed Valentino Lazaro and Candreva (all of whom have played at right wing-back) are 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the squad respectively for expected assists per 90. Biraghi is in 8th, while Ashley Young and Kwadwo Asamoah are 13th and 14th.

Given Hakimi's ability to play to a high level on both flanks (he has admitted he's not sure which side he's more comfortable on), he could either upgrade an already potent right side, or awaken a slightly dozy left.

That makes him doubly valuable to Inter, and underlines what makes this such a smart move for both parties. Within a system geared toward affording him free rein, as well as even greater influence in the final third, Hakimi could evolve further into a world-class attacking weapon.

Crucially, given the work Conte did to mould a flighty, carefree winger like Moses into a capable defender, there is also scope for the Getafe-born wideman to become more complete and robust inside his own defensive third.

Make no mistake though, while he will no doubt become more rounded, Inter have signed him for the mayhem he can foment higher up the pitch. His speed, allied to the unpredictability of his movement, his final ball and his ability to finish, immediately give the Nerazzurri a new dimension in attack.

Back on the May 1 2020, Malaysian Football League put out a tentative date of September 1 of restarting the Super League (MSL) and Premier League (MPL), cutting down the league fixtures to half from 22 matches to 11 matches which culminates in the final league match being played on the last weekend of September.

With the MSL and MPL both only had four rounds of matches played, that means a remaining seven rounds of fixtures must be completed in order for the competition to come to an end. That is seven matches in approximately 26 days - a game every three to four days.

A taxing schedule for the players and teams in an unusual season with restrictions on the kind of preparations teams can do with reference to friendly maches. But a fast improving situation surrounding curbing the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia has seen individual traning being allowed back in football starting June 15. 

The continuous improvements shown following outstanding work by the Malaysian government and Health Ministry has seen a relaxed Movement Control Order (MCO) and now the Sports Minister, Reezal Merican has stated that he will bring to the table a proposal for team sports to begin contact trainining as early as the middle of July.

All of which points towards the professional game in Malaysia being allowed to resume as quickly as early August, which brings forward the initial plan proposed by MFL by a full month. Provided the format of only playing out 11 matches per team is maintained, that should give MFL the chance to schedule the matches further apart and give teams more time to train.

As can be seen with the return to action in big Euroepean leagues like the German Bundesliga and English Premier League, players are susceptible to injuries because the body is still adapting to change and the perils of a pre-season training minus the chance to ease themselves back into the best conditions via friendly matches.

The possibility of a more reasonable schedule instead of a punishing one where the players are asked to play every three days for four consecutive weeks - will be very helpful for when Tan Cheng Hoe calls up his squad by the end of September to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers against United Arab Emirates (Oct 8) and Vietnam (Oct 13).

"It's a good sign that the league could start back earlier. Definitely have time so that the league won't have to squeeze such a tight schedule. In my opinion, if the league start in August, then it will definitely help the national team that the players have time to adapt and recover," Cheng Hoe told Goal.

Kalidou Koulibaly would be the “perfect fit” for Manchester United alongside Harry Maguire, claims Dwight Yorke.

The Red Devils sit on a long list of clubs to have been linked with a move for the commanding Napoli centre-half.

Those at Old Trafford have already invested heavily in that area over recent years, with the likes of Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and current club captain Maguire brought onto their books.

There is, however, a sense that United could be even stronger at the heart of their back four.

Bailly and Lindelof have suffered form and fitness issues at times, with Maguire the undoubted success story when it comes to big-money recruits.

Yorke believes the Red Devils should be rolling the dice again in the next transfer window, with there every reason to believe that they could win the race for Koulibaly’s signature – despite the Senegalese also said to be registering on recruitment radars at Liverpool and Manchester City.

"Without a doubt I think he's one that everyone is after and if United are going to make some big signings like they always do, I would definitely [sign him], if we can afford him then why not?” 1999 Treble winner Yorke told Stadium Astro.

"I think he is the perfect fit to come into centre-half alongside Maguire, that would be awesome to have him there and suddenly we look a proper team then, with the likes of [Paul] Pogba and Bruno [Fernandes] and one of the holding midfielders and the front three forwards.

"We become a team who suddenly everybody will be fearing.

"The Italian league for me used to be the top league, it's very difficult. But certainly with everyone after him, what he's done in the Italian league so far he is a name everyone is after.

"If he's one that everyone is after then why should United not go after him?

"And that sends a clear message that we are hard to beat and certainly with the quality we are possessing at the minute, for me that's kind of a no-brainer if I were United at this stage, or if I was Ole or in Ole's position, I would be persuading to get him because I know how important [it is] to have another centre-half of his quality alongside Maguire."

United have been more resolute at the back since the turn of the year, with another clean sheet collected in a 3-0 victory over Brighton, but they are expected to spend again when the next window swings open.

Kenya winger Francis Kahata has revealed Simba SC had to be at their best to eliminate defending champions Azam FC from the FA Cup.

Clatous Chama and John Bocco were on target for Wekundu wa Msimbazi to send home the Chamazi based side and advance to the semi-finals where they are scheduled to play four-time champions and sworn rivals Yanga SC.

It was the fifth time the Msimbazi based side won against the third-placed team in the league in all competitions this season.

"Azam is a good side with equally good players, and winning against them does not lower their quality," Kahata told Goal on Thursday.

"Simba had better preparations and took their opponents with the seriousness they deserve. There was no complacency and we are happy to have made it to the last four and keeping the double-dream alive.

"Now we are focusing on our semi-final game [against Yanga SC] hoping to get a positive outcome."

It will be the third time Yanga and Simba will be meeting in the Kariakoo Derby. In the last two, there has been a draw and a win, in favour of Yanga.

Kahata played a vital part as Simba bagged their third consecutive league title this season and their 21st in general. However, the winger insists they are still keen on bagging maximum points in the remaining matches.

"I take the opportunity to thank the fans, management and the technical bench for playing a huge role in helping us successfully defend the title," the Kenyan added.

"We are remaining with six league matches, and we are going all the way to ensure we win. No complacency, we have to take all matches with the seriousness they deserve.

"So those who think we will get our feet off the peddle after winning the title are wrong."

The FA Cup semi-final is scheduled for July 11-12 with the overall winner playing in the Caf Confederation Cup.

In another semi-final match, Sahare All-Stars will play Namungo.

Yanga had qualified on Tuesday after seeing off Kagera Sugar 2-1 while Namungo FC eliminated Alliance FC 2-0. Namungo’s opponents Sahare All-Stars defeated Premier League outfit Ndanda FC to book their slot in the final four. 

Jurgen Klopp says he would never compare himself with Liverpool legends Kenny Dalglish and Bill Shankly, despite winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Liverpool ended their three-decade wait for top-flight silverware last week, a little over a year on from being crowned champions of Europe for a sixth time.

Klopp is only the third manager in the club's history to win both trophies in their various guises, alongside Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, with Dalglish and Shankly unable to achieve the feat.

However, ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp - who also won the Club World Cup in December - insists he is not interested in comparisons with two of the club's all-time greats.

"I'm rather surprised to be honest," Klopp told Sky Sports. "The reasons why Kenny [didn't win] I know, but with Bill I don't know exactly why he couldn't win it.

"But it is not important. I would never compare myself with them. Nobody should do that actually. It was different times, building a club and carrying a club.

"It's a big achievement, I know that. I know how we did it, pretty much because of all the hard work people put in at Melwood and the passion that people showed for this club.

"It's never easy, it was not easy this time but it makes it much more valuable, worthy and emotional."

Like Klopp, Jordan Henderson has also written his name in Anfield folklore by joining Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson and Graeme Souness in captaining Liverpool to both major honours.

Henderson succeeded Steven Gerrard as skipper in 2015 and has proved his critics wrong with his performances over the past couple of seasons, much to Klopp's delight.

"I couldn't be more happy for him to be honest," the German said.

"If we speak about people carrying expectation around with them, Hendo could and should probably write a book about it and how he deals with that because it was massive when I came in here.

"I felt it pretty early, that it is really difficult to do his job. How people saw him as a player... thank God we all knew what kind of player he really is and together we could make that obvious.

"Now he is probably in the best place ever, in a good shape of course. Not only at the moment but this is of course the big one.

"I can't wait for him to be sitting in a TV studio two or three years after his career has finished, talking about Trent Alexander-Arnold and the other guys and telling them what is right and wrong!

"That will be good fun for sure."

Frank Lampard insisted Chelsea have a lot of hard work ahead to reach the level of Premier League champions Liverpool and Manchester City following their shock loss at lowly West Ham.

Chelsea suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat to West Ham, who moved three points clear of the relegation zone thanks to Andriy Yarmolenko's 89th-minute winner at the London Stadium.

Willian's brace was not enough for Chelsea to secure at least a point away from home – the result ending the club's six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.

Chelsea remain fourth in the table, just two points clear of in-form Manchester United and Wolves with six matches remaining in the race for Champions League qualification.

Asked if he was concerned that Chelsea had a mental issue following their inconsistent form in 2019-20, head coach Lampard told reporters: "It's something that has happened a few times this season.

"We've had opportunities to close gaps and jump over teams because of other results or whatever situation.

"But we haven't done it and that's a sign of where we are. We know we have a lot of hard work to do to get where we want to be and the reason the rest of us are chasing Liverpool and Man City is because of the consistency that develops over time. That's what we have to work towards.

"It's obviously frustrating but if we're in that position it's how you bounce back, how you move forward. We have Watford now at the weekend and games after that to try and carry on.

"We have to realise the position we are in in terms of fighting for the Champions League places and move forward."

While Chelsea – who will welcome relegation-threatened Watford to Stamford Bridge on Saturday – lost their 10th game of the campaign, Christian Pulisic was a shining light against West Ham midweek.

Pulisic earned the 42nd-minute penalty which Willian converted before winning the free-kick that was also put away by his Brazilian team-mate with 18 minutes remaining.

"A big positive," Lampard said. "He's playing really well, as we can all see. Him and Willian as well. Willian gets his two goals. But with Christian I think it's more like earlier in the season when he had a patch in the run up to Christmas where he was playing towards his level.

"Then he got injured and has been out for a long time. It's nice to see him back, fresh and hungry, and playing with the quality he has. He's a young player with great talent."

QUICK FACTS

Name: Uzbekistan

Nickname: White Wolves

Manager: Olim Shakirov

Last match: India 1-1 Uzbekistan (22 September 2019)

TEAM PROFILE

Uzbekistan’s performance in the AFC U16 Championship is rather interesting. They have featured in the final round in just nine of the 18 editions so far but have performed well whenever they have reached the finals. They first participated in the group stage in the 1994 Qatar edition. They lost all four of their games, conceding a whopping 31 goals in the process.

Their campaign in 1996 in Thailand was only marginally better, with just one win in four games as they failed to make the knockouts yet again. Uzbekistan’s best performance at that point arrived in 2002 when they finished fourth in the tournament held in the UAE.

The White Wolves could manage a quarterfinal finish when they hosted the tournament in 2008 but quickly outdid themselves with a silver medal in the 2010 edition, which was once again played in Uzbekistan.

This enabled them to qualify for the 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup that was held in Mexico. They did well to top a group that also contained USA, New Zealand and Czech Republic. A thumping 4-0 win over Australia in the last-16 ensured Uzbekistan marched on to the quarterfinals in great momentum. But a 2-0 defeat against eventual silver medallists Uruguay ended their campaign.

Uzbekistan witnessed a peak of sorts during the turn of last decade. After bagging a silver medal in 2010, they went on to become champions in the 2012 edition that was hosted by Iran.

They defeated big names such as South Korea, Iran and Japan in the knockout stages to claim their first AFC U16 Championship title.

Uzbekistan were eliminated in the quarterfinals in the two subsequent editions and failed to qualify for the 2018 AFC U16 Championship. India can expect a tough challenge against a side that has experience of winning silverware in this competition.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST

The Indian colts and the young White Wolves have locked horns on three occasions so far – twice in the qualifiers to the AFC U16 Championship and once in the final round. Uzbekistan have won twice but the most recent result was a 1-1 draw in the 2020 AFC U16 Championship qualifiers.

Sridarth Nongmeikapam scored for India whereas Rian Islamov scored for the hosts in the 1-1 draw.

RECENT RESULTS

Uzbekistan finished runners-up in the 2019 CAFA (Central Asian Football Association) U16 Championship that was held last year in Tajikistan. The White Wolves failed to win either of their first two games but came back strong to defeat Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in the following games. Eventually they finished second with 10 points, with Tajikistan winning the league-format tournament with 13 points.

In September 2019, Uzbekistan hosted the qualifiers for the upcoming U16 Championship. They started their campaign with a 3-1 win over Bahrain and followed it with a 3-2 win over Turkmenistan. The final game saw them split points with India after a 1-1 draw.

WHAT TO EXPECT

They have scored 19 goals in their last eight games, averaging an impressive 2.38 goals per game. They scored at least one goal in each of their games and at least three in five of the eight games.

One can expect an attack-minded approach from Uzbekistan when they take the field in Bahrain later this year. The defence has kept just two clean sheets during this period but have not conceded more than two goals in any of the games.

India will have to be on top of their game to overcome the White Wolves.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Islamov has scored in each of their three qualifier games last season, including a late equaliser to deny India the win in the final game.

Forward Rustam Turdimurodov is another player who could grab the headlines. He scored two goals in the qualifiers.

Raul Jimenez insisted he was "very happy" at Wolves amid links to Manchester United.

Jimenez, 29, is enjoying another prolific season, scoring 24 goals in 47 games for Wolves to lead to apparent interest from United.

But the Mexico international said he was happy at the Molineux, where he arrived from Benfica in 2018, initially on loan.

"It feels very good. Two years here have been unbelievable, I think we made that connection since the beginning, since my transfer here," Jimenez said, via the club's website.

"I'm very happy to be here."

Jimenez has been keeping the exit door propped open in recent months , admitting  any interest from Barcelona or Real Madrid would be difficult to ignore . He has also spoken of his pride at earning links to domestic rivals of Wolves, with his price tag said to have soared to around the £90 million ($111m) mark.

The Mexican is enjoying being swept along for the ride at present, with no definitive call on his future offered once again when discussing the speculation he is generating with Telemundo.

“First of all I am very happy here with the Wolves,” Jimenez said last month. “I am in a place where from the first moment we made an incredible connection.

“I am no stranger to all that [the rumours], every day a new team comes out, every day a new offer comes out, I do not know how many millions.

“It is good to know that they are talking about you, but what I have to do to make that happen is to continue doing my job here with the Wolves.”

Jimenez has helped Wolves sit sixth in the Premier League, with his team-mate Adama Traore also attracting interest from elsewhere.

The forward praised Traore, who has scored four goals and provided nine assists in the league this season.

"Every striker wants a team-mate with his conditions. He can cross from anywhere, you know he's going to be at the final line and he's going to cross, so you have to be there at the right time to score," Jimenez said.

"We train on it in the week. We talk to each other before the games, or in the training sessions, so we know where we’re going to be, his crossing and where I have to move.

"It's not a coincidence, it's something we train and work for."

Wolves are next in action on Saturday when they host Arsenal.

Newell's Old Boys vice-president Cristian D'Amico has reiterated that the doors are open for Lionel Messi, while conceding that the player will have the last word on whether he wishes to return. 

Messi, who played as a boy in the Newell's youth set-up before moving to Catalunya at the age of 13, once more struggled to inspire his under-performing Barcelona side as the Blaugrana were held 2-2 by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to record their third draw in their last four outings in La Liga. 

That run has seen them surrender the title initiative to rivals Real Madrid, who can move four points clear at the top with victory over Getafe on Thursday. 

The Argentine's future at Camp Nou has rarely come under such serious doubt as in recent months, and while he has stated in the past that a move back to Argentina would be extremely difficult for family reasons, D'Amico insists that Newell's will not give up their hope of seeing him take the pitch in his hometown Rosario. 

"I don't know if it is impossible. It is all up to him and his family," the director signalled to  TNT Sports . 

"As directors we have to provide the best context possible to help him make a decision. When Maradona came to Newell's nobody thought he could come.

"I hope that something similar can happen with Leo.

"Obviously we shouldn't be making things up, this is a delicate subject. What Newell's doesn't dream of seeing the world's best player in their team's colours? Time will tell maybe, we have to stay calm."

Newell's were able to welcome one former favourite home this week, with veteran striker Ignacio Scocco joining on a free transfer for a fourth spell at the club following three goal and trophy-laden years at River Plate. 

Ex-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid star Maxi Rodriguez also returned to the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa in 2019 for a third stint, and the 39-year-old called on his 2010 World Cup team-mate to pick up the pace in coming home. 

"I hope he comes at some point. It would be a dream for fans. There's a family behind him and that can be tricky. But if he is coming, he'd better make it soon or else I won't be able to play with him at Newell's!" the forward joked. 

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned to scoring ways against Norwich City, with the Gabon international accentuating his scoring prowess against teams in the relegation zone.

Having fired blanks against Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton, the 31-year-old found the net twice as Mikel Arteta’s men chalked up a 4-0 triumph over the Canaries.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man robbed Tim Krul as he attempted to clear his lines and then scoring into an empty net to reach his half-century.

Four minutes later, he turned provider for Granit Xhaka who fired in from close range to give Daniel Farke’s a mountain to climb, before completing his double in the 67th minute.

With this, Aubameyang boasts of 14 goals in 14 games against sides starting the day in the Premier League relegation zone since joining the Emirates Stadium outfit in 2018, netting a brace both home and away versus the Carrow Road Stadium giants.

His impressive outing on Tuesday evening propelled him in Arsenal’s history books as he scored 50 goals in a quicker time than Thierry Henry and Ian Wright, who took 87 and 101 games respectively to reach that mark.

Also, he is now the joint-leader in the race for the 2019-20 Golden Boot, moving level with Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy on 19 goals as he aims to win the accolade for the second season in a row.

Auba has a year left on his contract and manager Arteta disclosed that the forward is willing to remain with the North London team.

"He is willing to stay with us," Arteta said during the post-match conference.

"He is really happy where he is. He can see what we are trying to do and hopefully, he can evolve as well some parts of his game he might feel he can improve. We are pushing him every day.

"I leave that to the football club and the senior people that finalise the contracts."

For Arsenal, they have never lost in 21 home Premier League games against sides starting the day at the base of the table winning 15 times and playing draw on six occasions.

They visit Europe-chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, while Norwich host Brighton and Hove Albion in a must-win encounter.

Lyon should be aiming to be a major force in the Champions League, ex-NBA star Tony Parker believes.

The four-time NBA champions has moved into sports management since retiring from his athletic career and is presently with the city’s basketball club ASVEL.

He has been earmarked to one day take the reins of Ligue 1 giants Lyon from current president Jean-Michel Aulas, and it is his goal to construct a side that is a force on a continental stage.

“The club won a lot of titles in the first decade of the century but it’s been a long time since they were champions of France,” he told RMC of the side that last won Le Championnat in 2008.

“The Champions League always remains an important objective. We must try to regain the title of French champions and continue to grow the club.

“With the news stadium, once the loan has been paid off, we will have more means to put into the team. We have to continue to be patient, many things have to be put in place.

“In three or four years, we will try to build a team that’s even more competitive.”

Parker, meanwhile, admits he has a steep learning curve to follow if he is to one day take charge of OL.

“We’ve already started with the takeover of the women’s club in Seattle,” he pointed out of the OL Reign. 

“There are 50,000 things to manage in a club. I’m lucky to have someone like Aulas who is ready to show me all these things at a club that is listed on the stock exchange.

“I don’t want to control everything. I want to have a global vision. In football, if I was put into the job 100% tomorrow, the first thing I’d do was surround myself with football minds.”

Lyon endured a difficult season in Ligue 1 and face a fight to be involved in European football at all next season.

In order to reach the Champions League, they will have to win the current edition, in which they lead Juventus 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie, while the Europa League remains a possibility if they overcome Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de la Ligue final on July 31.