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Football is bound to face some key challenges in the post Coronavirus world, as is evident from the European leagues. The world is still getting used to experiencing games with no fans in the stands and the norms are here to stay for a while now.

An increased travelling for matches and diversity in the number of stadiums used for the tournament makes it difficult to contain the spread of the virus. UEFA ruling to host the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final of the Champions League in a neutral venue (Lisbon) hence comes as a welcome move.

The European footballing body confirmed that Estadio da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade, home to Benfica and Sporting respectively will play host to the single-legged games in the subsequent rounds. There will be no changes in venues for the remaining games from the Round-of-16.

Even the Qatar Stars League (QSL) has adopted this format to finish their league off. The rest of the rounds in QSL will be played in three stadiums. Numerous other leagues, including the Chinese Super League (CSL) and Australia's A-League are mulling over a short tournament at neutral venues.

Considering the rapid spread of the virus in India, it should not come as a surprise if the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the league organisers of the I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) adopts a similar strategy as a backup plan ahead of the 2020-21 season which could begin in November tentatively.

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), indicated in a virtual meeting representatives of 15 sports federations including the AIFF on Tuesday that tournaments could start without spectators from August. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the virus, Rijiju feels the plan should be to start some sporting events by then.

"After today’s meeting the Sports Ministry will review all the ideas and work in tandem with federations to open up sports. I feel, from August onwards, we should be able to start some sporting events as well,” Rijiju said.

"Since federations are best qualified to decide the way forward for each sport, the ministry would like to get ideas from federations. Their ideas will be the key in planning India’s post Covid strategy in sports,” he added.

Interestingly, Rijiju highlighted the need to innovate the events in order to make it easier to organise.

“Given the situation, we have to be innovative about events. We may need to hold smaller events in stadias and not have spectators. But we can surely try and beam the sports on television channels and social media platforms.”

As per sources, the Indian FA did communicate to the Minister that the domestic leagues will only start by November tentatively but they will be looking to start training camps for the various national teams in the next couple of months, given the international tournaments scheduled to start in October and November - World Cup qualifiers and AFC U16 Championship apart from preparation for the 2020 Women's U17 World Cup which will take place in February 2021.

But if the virus situation does not abate by the time October comes along, AIFF and the league organisers might need to think of alternative plans to hold both ISL and the I-League. One of the alternatives could be holding these tournaments without the 'home and away' format, at a neutral venue with a smaller schedule.

Such an arrangement would also help in case there are restrictions and quarantine procedure for inter-state travel. As of now, different quarantine rules apply for inter-state travel for each state which could possibly complicate matters when it comes to players and the operational entourage travelling back and forth.

Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are the worst-hit among the footballing cities. Bengaluru, Kochi and Goa are moderately hit but the trend in the number of recorded active cases per day is not encouraging. The North-Eastern states, Odisha and Kerala have done well to maintain low numbers and are closest to flattening the curve.

Clearly, different parts of the country will recover at different rates. It would be overly optimistic to expect Mumbai, a city with 28,893 active cases as on June 21st to host ISL games in November.

Having just two-to-three stadiums play host could also prove beneficial in other ways as the footballers get accustomed to the new, temporary normal. With minimal training off-season and a high possibility of lack of overseas pre-season, the fitness levels of the players are bound to take a hit.

The reduction in the number of host stadiums could hence work in their favour. The fatigue due to travel is reduced and the recovery time is increased. This could play a massive role in ensuring a decent level of fitness of the players when they play three games in one week.

More importantly, any tournament or camp in the coming months will need to follow a standard operating procedure (SOP), much like what leagues in Europe are currently doing in order to ensure the virus doesn't spread. A compact tournament at a reduced number of venues will help the organisers implement the SOPs required to maintain safety and health of players.

According to the SOPs, sanitising the venues and training area is paramount and so is testing the players for Covid-19 every week. It is a costly undertaking but something that cannot be avoided.

The reduction in the number of stadiums also reduces the operational cost of the tournament due to a significant decrease in travelling and limited staff. With the economic situation in a post Coronavirus world affecting sponsorship deals and the prospect of closed-door games posing a threat to match-day revenue, this reduction in the operational cost will be a welcome move.

As such, the compact nature of an alternative tournament will only ease the burden on the organisers. Netherlands' Eredivisie have decided to open up the league for spectators from September, with social distancing restrictions. But again, they have made it clear it is dependant on the virus situation improving.

Keep in mind that such an option should only be an alternative in case the conducting the season regularly becomes unfeasible due to the situation of the virus.

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic lauded star team-mate Anthony Martial following his first senior hat-trick.

Martial scored his maiden treble as United outclassed Sheffield United 3-0 at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Wednesday.

A first-half brace set the tone before Martial became the first United player to celebrate a Premier League hat-trick since Robin van Persie in 2013.

Martial has scored a career-high 14 Premier League goals and 19 across all competitions this season as Matic hailed the French forward.

"I think it was very important for him to score goals, for every striker it's important, for his confidence," Matic told MUTV .

"I'm happy that our strikers are in good condition, tonight Anthony was man of the match, every chance he had went in.

"Let's see in the future what he can do for us. But I'm happy for him. Congratulations to him."

Matic also produced an impressive performance alongside Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in midfield as United kept their Champions League bid on track.

Fernandes and Pogba started together for the first time for United, who extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men fifth in the table – two points behind Chelsea and six adrift of stuttering third-placed Leicester City.

Matic said: "I think it's always good play with top players. Not only them, we're lucky we have top players in every position.

"So tonight I played with Bruno and Paul, I think we did well, it was good there, I'm sure in the future we can improve a lot together, and also with Scott [McTominay] and Fred, whoever plays with us; I'm happy with the team performance and the way we controlled the game.

"I think we had control during all 90 minutes, of course we knew they were going to have some dangerous counter-attacks because tactically they play well.

"We analysed them very well, we treated them with respect, I'm so happy with the team performance, 3-0 against a team who creates problems for every team in the Premier League."

Real Madrid returned to the top of LaLiga thanks to a 2-0 defeat of Real Mallorca at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium on Wednesday.

Barca's 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao 24 hours earlier had put the pressure back on Zinedine Zidane's men, but Vinicius' goal after 19 minutes steadied any nerves within the home side.

Mallorca, who sit third from bottom of the table, gave a spirited account of themselves but rarely looked likely to claim a share of the spoils despite Madrid having made four changes from the 2-1 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Zidane elected to start Vinicius, Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale in support of Karim Benzema but it was captain Sergio Ramos who made the win safe with an exceptional free-kick early in the second half.

Vinicius might have been a surprise starter but he justified Zidane's call 19 minutes in, steering a finish high past Manolo Reina after a clever reverse pass from Luka Modric.

The Brazilian hit the bar with a lob from a Karim Benzema throughball four minutes later, but it was Mallorca who threatened more as the half went on, even though Thibaut Courtois' goal was largely well protected.

Madrid took control with a second goal 10 minutes into the second half, Ramos curling a fine free-kick into the top-left corner from just outside the penalty area.

Mallorca did not lose heart at least and threatened through Madrid loanee Takefusa Kubo, who saw a shot hit the side-netting after one impressive run through the box.

The visitors remain three points from safety and at serious risk of relegation, but they did at least make a moment of LaLiga history when Luka Romero came off the bench to become the youngest player ever to play in the competition at the age of 15 years and 219 days.

What does it mean? Zidane's side taking shape for double charge

Madrid are back on top of the table above Barcelona on their head-to-head record and appear to be in good shape after the lockdown.

Zidane changed the system and personnel but was still rewarded with a strong performance. That sort of adaptability bodes well for their title challenge, and the return of the Champions League in August.

Vinicius on a mission

Having gone through a difficult spell this season, Vinicius looks determined to become a mainstay in Zidane's plans.

He scored one good goal, almost got a second and pressed across the front in the second half to keep the Mallorca defence worried.

No lucky break for Bale

Bale got out of Vincius' way to let his team-mate open the scoring and it was his most useful contribution of the game.

It was more a disinterested performance than a poor one, but certainly was not one to make his coach think he merits a regular place in the first XI.

What's next?

Madrid head to Espanyol on Sunday, with Mallorca facing Athletic Bilbao at San Mames a day earlier.

Trent Alexander-Arnold says he is honoured to be compared to David Beckham, but he says he has a long way to go to match the former Manchester United star as "the best free-kick taker in Premier League history".

The Liverpool fullback scored a stunning free kick to open the scoring in the Reds' 4-0 battering of Crystal Palace, a victory that moved the champions-elect within two points of sealing the title.

Alexander-Arnold has developed a reputation as a dead-ball specialist, with former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher describing Wednesday's stunner as "Beckham-esque".

When told of the comparison, Alexander-Arnold laughed and admitted that he believes he's not there yet.

"The comparisons with the best free-kick taker in Premier League history are very nice but there is a lot of work to do," Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports.

He added: "I have been practising a lot and I had a few against Everton which I was disappointed not to score with, but it's always good to get the ball rolling for the boys."

As Alexander-Arnold started the scoring, it was also only the beginning of one of Liverpool's best performances of the season.

Fabinho, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah found the back of the net as well, with the former firing a long-range missile to compete with Alexander-Arnold for the goal of the day.

The victory comes on the heels of a performance that was poor by Liverpool standards, as the Reds settled for a 0-0 draw against Everton last time out.

"The lads have done really well," Alexander-Arnold said. "It was a difficult game and we were disappointed to only get the draw at Everton, but for the first game back at Anfield, it couldn't have gone any better."

With the win, Liverpool can seal the title as early as Thursday as Manchester City take on Chelsea.

If the Blues are able to seal a win or a draw against Pep Guardiola's side, Liverpool will officially be declared champions. If not, though, the Reds can win the title in their next match which comes, coincidentally, against Manchester City.

"It is quite close [the title] but we know a lot can happen in the Premier League. We have worked hard for this and this is what we have always dreamed of," Alexander-Arnold added.

"We are in a good position so hopefully we can get over the line soon. We have to focus on ourselves, we are not hoping Man City drop points, we know it's our hands. We still have to go to City next week and get a result."

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool showed their supporters “the respect they deserve” in beating Crystal Palace 4-0 on Wednesday night.

Anfield’s first behind-closed-doors saw the Reds move to within touching distance of a first league title in 30 years, after a performance of discipline, hunger, intensity and quality from the runaway Premier League leaders. 

Goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Sadio Mane gave the Reds their joint-biggest home league win of the campaign.

Liverpool will be crowned champions on Thursday night should Manchester City, 23 points adrift in second place, fail to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but Klopp was happy just to savour the excellence of his team’s display against a shell-shocked Palace.

He said: “We showed a lot, if not everything, which helped us into the position we are in.

“Before this part of the season, I said I wanted to see the best behind-closed-doors football ever. I don’t know if we had that, but for sure it was the best counter-pressing behind closed doors ever! 

“The attitude, the passion we showed was exceptional, and we played some outstanding football. Usually in my job I have to calm things down and say we can improve – and we can improve – but that’s not important tonight.

“We showed our supporters the respect they deserve – that we can play like they are here even when they are not. 

“Yes, they can push us to incredible things, and without them it is nothing. I never missed them more than I did tonight because imagine this game in front of 50,000 people, the emotions that would have been in the stadium. It would have been incredible!”

Klopp confirmed he would watch City’s game at home tomorrow night, but insists that he is still focused completely on his side’s remaining games – including their trip to the Etihad next week.

“I will not watch it to prepare a celebration, but because we play against City a week later!” he said. 

“And we play Chelsea as well, so this game is important to watch for plenty of reasons. 

“Whatever happens tomorrow, we cannot influence. But I’m pretty sure that when we play City, it is a must-watch for each football fan on this planet. Whatever is decided or not, it will be two really good teams facing each other. It will be pretty interesting, to be honest!”

For now, though, Liverpool can reflect on a job well done. Even Roy Hodgson, the Palace manager, admitted his side could not cope with the Reds’ energy, desire and relentless pressing.

“You should not underestimate how much this team wants it,” Klopp said. “This team really wants it. 

“They want to fulfil the wishes of the people at home, really. We all have a common dream but we have to work for it.  We have to work our way for it.

“We can’t play like other teams but we can play pretty good stuff. That is what the boys did. 

“The game was exceptional. From talking about football, it was exceptional from so many points of view.

“This game will last in my mind for a while. This is where we want to be. This is what we have to show against each and everybody. This is us.”

Mallorca youngster Luka Romero became the youngest player ever to feature in La Liga when he came on against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The 15-year-old replaced Idrissu Baba in the 83rd minute of the 2-0 defeat to Zinedine Zidane's side to set a new record in the Spanish league.

The previous record had been set over 80 years ago when former defender Sanson made his debut for Celta in December 1939.

The attacking midfielder had been included in the Mallorca matchday squad for clashes against Villarreal and Leganes in recent weeks, but was finally given his first taste of senior football with a brief appearance against the capital club.

Romero, who is said to have caught the attention of Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus and Atletico Madrid, was born in Mexico but represents the Argentina Under 17s. 

At the age of seven he had a trial at Barcelona and impressed the Camp Nou outfit's scouts enough to convince them to try to sign him, but his parents refused to move to Catalunya and he ended up joining the Mallorca youth set up five years ago.

The teenager is the son of Argentine defensive midfielder Diego Romero, who currently plays for Son Verí in the regional leagues in Spain. 

Romero's brief appearance could do little to turn his team's fortunes around, as Los Blancos had already taken a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Vinicius Junior and Sergio Ramos.

The victory took the Santiago Bernabeu side back to the top of the Spanish top flight with seven games left to play. They are level on points with Barcelona but have a better head-to-head record over their fierce rivals.

Mallorca, meanwhile, are still in the relegation zone. Vicente Moreno's team are third from bottom and three points behind 17th placed Eibar, who have a game in hand as they face Valencia on Thursday.

Sergio Ramos says people "shouldn't be imagining things" when it comes to Real Madrid benefitting from decisions in an apparent riposte towards Gerard Pique and Barcelona.

Zinedine Zidane's side moved back to the top of La Liga by virtue of their superior head-to-head record on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Real Mallorca, thanks to goals from Ramos and Vinicius Junior.

Madrid reclaimed top spot after La Liga's return this month due to Barcelona's 0-0 draw with Sevilla last Friday, after which Pique suggested it would be hard to stop Los Blancos winning the title because VAR and referee decisions too often go their way.

Ramos, though, thinks such arguments are only being made now that Madrid have the edge in the title race.

"There's a lot of noise in the media because we’re leaders again," he told Movistar. "They didn't talk so much before. They talk about VAR, but I don't think anyone has an advantage over the season.

"We don't pay attention to this noise. I don't think they [the referees] take any predetermined decisions. It seems like we should be thanking the refs for being leaders! People shouldn't be imagining things.

"We've been working hard and since the lockdown, we've been united, and we deserve to be where we are."

Ramos became the top-scoring defender in La Liga history against Real Sociedad last week and his goal on Wednesday, his 69th in the top flight, made him the first defender to reach eight in a single season since Ezequiel Garay 13 years ago.

However, the Madrid captain remains far more concerned with team performances and admitted they felt tired as the Mallorca match went on.

"I've always said this is a team game at the end of the day," he said. "The personal side makes you feel proud and motivates you but it's secondary. The most important thing is the consistency of the team. It's a job well done and three more points. 

"The team was tired, we felt that. Obviously, we don't have long to recover between games, and we have to continue improving. We all know what our objective is but there are plenty of things we can improve.

"Our play stagnated a little at times, but I think we can generally improve in all aspects. We could have put the game to bed earlier and taken more chances, played with the ball in their half. That's what we want to do: we want to dominate more."

Lucien Agoume has expressed his feeling after playing a part in Inter Milan’s 3-3 draw against Sassuolo in Wednesday’s Serie A fixture.

The Yaounde-born midfielder replaced Christian Eriksen in the 62nd minute for his second appearance in Antonio Conte's team this term since his summer-signing from French club Sochaux.

Goals from Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Biraghi and Borja Valero were not enough to give the Nerazzurri maximum points at the San Siro Stadium.

During the 28 minutes he spent on the pitch, Agoume completed 10 passes with a 100 per cent accuracy, and he also managed three tackles - the third-highest by an Inter player after defenders Milan Skriniar and Andrea Ranocchia.

In his reaction, the 18-year-old rued Inter Milan's missed chances as the dropped points leave them unmoved from the third spot in the Serie A table with four points behind second-place Lazio and eight points behind leaders Juventus.

"I am happy to have entered today even if the result is a pity. We had many opportunities, we had to win,” Agoume told the club website.

He made his league debut against Fiorentina last December, and he has disclosed how he is working to make himself a better player in Italy.

"I always try to work to be available to the coach when he needs me and I hope to continue like this,” he added.

“I try to learn from everyone, in my role there they are many strong players, I want to learn the best to improve more and more.

“Everyone told me to be calm, to play as I can do without haste. I tried to do it when I entered.”

Although born in Cameroon, Agoume also has a French nationality and he has represented the European country across their U16, U17 and U18 youth teams.

He led France U17 team as captain to the 2019 World Cup in Brazil where they won bronze.

The 18-year-old is currently France U18 captain and he is still eligible to play for Cameroon at the senior level.

Mohamed Salah’s notable Premier League scoring form for Liverpool continued in Wednesday’s 4-0 thumping of Crystal Palace.

The Egypt international got a goal as Jurgen Klopp’s men smashed the Eagles for four at the Anfield Stadium.

With the Reds taking a 23rd-minute lead through Trent Alexander-Arnold's wonderful free-kick, Salah doubled his team’s lead a minute before the half-time break.

In the process, the 28-year-old recorded his 15th English topflight goal at Anfield this season, with no other player scoring more than ten home goals in the tournament so far.

Also, the former AS Roma man has now scored seven times in each of his last six fixtures on Liverpool’s home ground.

Salah was handed a starter’s role against Palace after missing his team’s 0-0 draw against Everton on Sunday due to fitness concern. He accentuated his importance to the squad by ensuring that the Reds moved closer to emerging as league champions.

He also turned provider for Sadio Mane’s goal with his throughball allowing the Senegalese run on goal before navigating a low shot past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

For his contribution against Roy Hodgson’s side, the two-time African Player of the Year recorded 82 touches, five shots, 67 passing and a passing accuracy of 77.6 %.

Mane who scored his 15th league goal of the season from 28 matches was replaced with six minutes to play by Guinea international Naby Keita.

Cote d’Ivoire international Wilfred Zaha was a first half substitute for Max Meyer after an early injury forced him off the field of play. Ghana star and the Eagles’ leading scorer Jordan Ayew could not add to his goal tally so far as he was marked out by the hosts’ backline anchored by Virgil van Dijk. Nevertheless, he was replaced by Cameroon prospect Brandon Pierrick after 84 minutes.

Luka Milivojevic came in for Cheikhou Kouyate with 24 minutes left to play, while Jeffrey Schlupp was not listed for the showdown.

Liverpool have time to recover before they travel to the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City on July 2. Hodgson’s Palace are in action prior to then, however, welcoming Burnley to Selhurst Park on Monday.

Jurgen Klopp joked Pep Guardiola should play poker after the Manchester City boss hinted he may rest some key players for Thursday's trip to Chelsea.

The reigning Premier League champions travel to Stamford Bridge before playing Newcastle United less than 72 hours later in an FA Cup quarter-final at the weekend.

City must win against Frank Lampard's side to keep the title race alive, mathematically at least, after Liverpool moved closer to being crowned with a resounding 4-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday.

Asked about Guardiola's comments on leaving out some of his leading names against Chelsea, Klopp told Sky Sports: "What? He said that? Pep...he should play poker probably."

Klopp had exalted Guardiola's squad before the game against the Eagles and was again effusive in his praise after the victory, admitting his Reds cannot expect to play in a similar manner.

"Manchester City - I couldn't respect them more," the Liverpool boss added.

"The football they play, I really like it a lot. We are different, we have to be different. We cannot be like Manchester City. 

"We probably celebrate different things when they happen. There are different ways of football and I like them both."

After a 0-0 draw away at neighbours Everton on Sunday, Liverpool rediscovered their scoring touch to brush aside Palace and move to the brink of glory, albeit the ongoing coronavirus pandemic meant no fans were inside Anfield to enjoy the occasion.

"Imagine if the stadium was full today and all the people could have experienced that live – it would have been amazing," Klopp said.

"I don't think the game would have been better, to be honest. My boys played like everybody was in the stadium. The atmosphere on the pitch was incredible. 

"It was for sure the best counter-pressing game I've ever seen behind closed doors. It was exceptional. 

"The attitude shown by the boys was amazing, I liked it a lot - and the football we played as well."

Mohamed Salah has voiced Liverpool’s enthusiasm to emerge as Premier League champions as the Reds boosted their title chances against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

Injury hassles ruled the Egyptian out of their 0-0 draw at Everton, however, he was handed a starter’s role against the Eagles - scoring one and assisting one in Jurgen Klopp’s team 4-0 win.

Consequently, Liverpool could end their 30-year wait to win the diadem on Thursday should Manchester City fail to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Pep Guardiola’s men held their nerve on the final day of last term to reach a tally of 98 points, one more than the Anfield Stadium giant’s haul of 97 - which was the highest total ever amassed by a second-placed side in the competition's history.

In the wake of this result, the former AS Roma and Chelsea star is delighted about the current situation while disclosing his mission at Liverpool.

"I feel great. Since I came here I said I want to win the Premier League with the team. The city didn't win it for a long time, so it was the right time,” Salah told Sky Sports as reported by Liverpool’s website.

"Maybe last year we had a chance to win it but Man City also performed really good and they won it. It's our time to win it and it's great."

Following his goal against Roy Hodgson’s team, the 28-year-old recorded his 15th Premier League at Anfield this season, with no other player scoring more than ten home goals in the tournament so far.

Moreover, he has now scored seven times in each of his last six fixtures on Liverpool’s home ground.

"Two points to go to win the league, it's great,” he continued.

“We had a great performance today and all the players were unbelievable.

"I'm happy about the result and looking forward to the next two games. 

"I think all the players are motivated, everyone is motivated in his way – but everyone is motivated to win the league."

Liverpool travel to the Etihad Stadium for their next fixture versus Manchester City on July 2.

Vinicius Junior lauded Eden Hazard and said it was easy to play alongside the attacker in Real Madrid's 2-0 La Liga win over Real Mallorca.

A fine finish from Vinicius and Sergio Ramos' brilliant second-half free-kick saw Madrid climb back above rivals Barcelona and to the top of the La Liga table.

Vinicius was happy with his performance and also talked up his combination with Hazard, with the pair starting together in Madrid.

"I am very happy with today's match. We have worked a lot at home to get to our best version," the forward said, via the club's website.

"As for me, I think I'm the same as before the break, but it's true that I worked a lot at home to be physically well.

"This is like a World Cup with few games and we have to be focused from the beginning. I always try to improve in all aspects. The coaching staff always helps me a lot to improve and I want to continue evolving at Real Madrid.

"Hazard is easy to play [with] because he is a great player and today was the first time that [Zinedine] Zidane has brought us together. It went very well."

Madrid extended their winning streak to four since returning from the coronavirus-enforced break, staying on track to win the La Liga title.

Vinicius said it was important for the whole squad to be ready when called upon by head coach Zidane.

"We are all ready to enter the field when Zidane decides and we will do our best. We have the best players on the field," he said.

"We are going to do our best to win the remaining seven finals. We have won four and we are going for the league."

Madrid continue their campaign with a trip to Espanyol on Sunday with their last La Liga loss now dating back to October 2019 when they were defeated 1-0 by Mallorca. 

Since returning to action following the break of play caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Zidane's side have won all four of their matches by a combined scoreline of 10-1 to strengthen their push for domestic success. 

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane said Sergio Ramos always leads by example following his spectacular free-kick against Real Mallorca.

Ramos curled a stunning set-piece past Manolo Reina as Madrid returned to the top of La Liga thanks to a comfortable 2-0 win over Mallorca on Wednesday.

After Vinicius Junior's 19th-minute opener, Madrid captain Ramos showcased his set-piece ability 11 minutes into the second half at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium.

Ramos took his season tally to nine goals, becoming the first defender to score eight or more goals in a single LaLiga campaign since Ezequiel Garay in 2006-07 and Zidane hailed the Spain skipper.

"He's been looking for a free-kick goal," Zidane said after the match in the Spanish capital. "He's worked on it a lot in training.

"He's our leader, our captain and he always leads the way."

Ramos appeared to respond to comments made by Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique following Madrid's victory midweek.

Madrid reclaimed top spot after La Liga's return this month due to Barca's 0-0 draw with Sevilla last Friday, after which Pique suggested it would be hard to stop Los Blancos winning the title because VAR and referee decisions too often go their way.

Ramos said people "shouldn't be imagining things" after Madrid moved back to the summit due to their superior head-to-head record.

Zidane, however, was reluctant to add to the controversy following Madrid's fourth consecutive win since the coronavirus-enforced postponement.

"I'm not going to get involved in these things," Zidane said. "Ramos has already spoken.

"I have my own views. We have to rest and think about the next game."

Madrid will travel to Espanyol on Sunday and Zidane added: "I'm sure it's going to be difficult until the last game."

Vinicius, meanwhile, savoured his first chance to play alongside Eden Hazard on Wednesday as he compared La Liga's final few games to the World Cup. 

"I am very happy with today's match. We have worked a lot at home to get to our best version," the forward said via the club's website.

"As for me, I think I'm the same as before the break, but it's true that I worked a lot at home to be physically well.

"This is like a World Cup with few games and we have to be focused from the beginning. I always try to improve in all aspects. The coaching staff always helps me a lot to improve and I want to continue evolving at Real Madrid."

Mohamed Salah said Liverpool's time to win the Premier League had come after their resounding 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah, Fabinho and Sadio Mane at Anfield saw Jurgen Klopp's men take another step towards a first league title in 30 years.

Liverpool could be crowned champions on Thursday if Manchester City fail to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Salah is thrilled to have Liverpool just two points away from a first league crown since 1990.

"I feel great," he told Sky Sports. "Since I came here I said I want to win the Premier League with the team. The city didn't win it for a long time, so it was the right time.

"Maybe last year we had a chance to win it but Man City also performed really good and they deserved to win it. It's our time to win it and it's great."

Liverpool were dominant against Palace on their way to a 28th win in 31 league games this season.

Salah hailed the performance, with Liverpool now not in action again until July 2, when they visit City.

"We had a great performance today and all the players were unbelievable," the forward said.

"I'm happy about the result and looking forward to the next two games. I think all the players are motivated, everyone is motivated in his way – but everyone is motivated to win the league."

Klopp dedicated Liverpool's strong performance on Wednesday to the club's fans, who won't be in attendance when the Reds do wrap up the league title.

“We showed a lot, if not everything, which helped us into the position we are in," he said. 

“Before this part of the season, I said I wanted to see the best behind-closed-doors football ever. I don’t know if we had that, but for sure it was the best counter-pressing behind closed doors ever! 

“The attitude, the passion we showed was exceptional, and we played some outstanding football. Usually in my job I have to calm things down and say we can improve – and we can improve – but that’s not important tonight.

“We showed our supporters the respect they deserve – that we can play like they are here even when they are not. 

“Yes, they can push us to incredible things, and without them it is nothing. I never missed them more than I did tonight because imagine this game in front of 50,000 people, the emotions that would have been in the stadium. It would have been incredible!”

Anthony Martial scored Manchester United's first Premier League hat-trick for more than seven years as he monopolised the scoring in a 3-0 win over Sheffield United.

Martial revelled in his role at the centre of an attack featuring Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford, with the latter claiming the first of two assists in the seventh minute.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a mockery of questions over his attacking capabilities from right-back as he tormented Enda Stevens to set up Martial's second a minute before half-time.

A clever chip completed his treble – becoming the first United player to do so in England's top flight since Robin van Persie against Aston Villa in April 2013.

Sheffield United began on the front foot but fell behind when Marcus Rashford got to the byline and smashed across goal, where Martial nipped in front of Chris Basham to score.

Martial looked to return the favour when he raced clear in the 13th minute, only for Rashford to inexplicably scuff wide with the goal at his mercy.

Bruno Fernandes' set-piece prowess was to the fore, with Simon Moore – in goal for the visitors due to Dean Henderson being unavailable against his parent club – pushing away a free-kick from the left before Harry Maguire had a header from the Portugal midfielder's corner chalked off for a foul on Phil Jagielka.

The drinks break seemed to revitalise the Blades but more static defending allowed Martial to tuck home from Wan-Bissaka's cross.

Mason Greenwood had a snap shot deflected behind by Jagielka 10 minutes into the second period, with Fernandes again vibrant in the build-up.

Martial swiped over in pursuit if his hat-trick, taking the ball off the toe of Paul Pogba – whose dazzling dribble was the shining moment of his first start since September.

The France forward would not be denied the matchball, however, exchanging passes with Rashford and producing a sublime dinked finish to seal the points 16 minutes from time as his side extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.

What does it mean? Solskjaer's Champions League bid on track

Victory means Manchester United keep up the pressure on Chelsea and lie two points behind the fourth-placed side, who host Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

No goals and one point from a dismal three-game run since the Premier League restart means Sheffield United are rapidly fading from that equation.

Fernandes sets the tone

Fernandes was unable to add to his hastily compiled tally of goals and assists in England but it was again clear United are a team transformed since his January arrival from Sporting CP. The 25-year-old was bright and inventive at the heart of a dominant performance and the early signs are that he and Pogba will thoroughly enjoy one another's company.

Jagielka wilts in the heat

Sheffield United's esteemed former England international did not sign up for playing against relentless, pacey attackers in 30-degree temperatures at 37 years of age. Jagielka was left in Rashford's wake for the opener and this was largely an ordeal for he and his team-mates thereafter.

What's next?

An FA Cup quarter-final at Norwich City on Saturday means Solskjaer will have the chance to advance ambitions for a first piece of silverware in his Old Trafford tenure, with Sheffield United hosting Arsenal at the same stage of the competition on Sunday.

Anthony Martial's hat-trick against Sheffield United is the first in quite a while for Manchester United as the French forward provided the first three-goal performance since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club.

The striker provided all three of his side's goals on Wednesday, leading the way in a 3-0 win over Sheffield United at Old Trafford.

Martial opened the scoring just seven minutes into Wednesday's match, firing home a Marcus Rashford assist from a tight angle to get United up and running.

His next finish came just moments before the half-time whistle, as Martial benefitted from an Aaron Wan-Bissaka assist to fire a first-time finish that sent the hosts into the dressing room with a two-goal lead.

Finally, Martial's third came in the 74th minute from another Rashford assist, as the Frenchman chipped goalkeeper Simon Moore, who was in net to replace United loanee Dean Henderson, who was unable to play against his parent club.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to remove Martial seven minutes after he completed his hat-trick, bringing in fellow forward Odion Ighalo in the 81st minute.

Martial's hat-trick was the first of his career, stretching back to his time at Lyon and Monaco before his Manchester United move in 2015.

It was also the first Manchester United hat-trick since Ferguson's departure in 2013, with Robin van Persie the last player to fire three goals in one match with the Red Devils.

Van Persie's hat-trick came in 2013, Ferguson's final year in charge, with the Dutchman's three-goal effort coming against Aston Villa as they clinched the title to send the legendary manager into retirement on a high.

This season, they sit fifth in the Premier League, level on points with six-place Wolves and two points behind Chelsea, who will face Manchester City on Thursday in their game in hand.

Next up for the Red Devils will be back-to-back matches away from Old Trafford, as Martial and co. face Norwich on Saturday before visiting Bright & Hove three days later.

After that, United will return home to face Bournemouth for their fifth game of the Premier League restart. 

Giangiacomo Magnani's 89th-minute goal stunned Inter as the Nerazzurri were made to pay for a dreadful miss from Roberto Gagliardini in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Sassuolo in Serie A.

Gagliardini was guilty of one of the misses of the season midway through the second half at San Siro, yet Inter – who took a 2-1 lead into half-time following goals from Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Biraghi – seemed to have got away with it thanks to Borja Valero's 86th-minute effort.

Yet Sassuolo, who had drawn level at 2-2 following Gagliardini's miss through Domenico Berardi's spot-kick, fought back again – Magnani bundling home from two yards out.

With tempers frayed, there was still time for more drama when Milan Skriniar received a second booking for a foul on Lukas Haraslin in stoppage time as Inter squandered the chance to keep the pressure on Serie A's top two.

It took just four minutes for Sassuolo to open the scoring – Francesco Caputo finishing from Filip Djuricic's throughball.

Jeremie Boga's foul on Skriniar ended Sassuolo's resistance four minutes before the break, with Lukaku making no mistake from the resulting penalty. 

Inter's tails were up and, with Sassuolo's resolve broken, the hosts had their second in the first minute of stoppage time when Biraghi lashed in from a tight angle.

Gagliardini seemed destined to put the result beyond doubt in the 64th minute, only to slam an effort against the crossbar of a gaping goal after Andrea Consigli had parried out Lukaku's low strike.

Sassuolo made their good fortune count – Berardi keeping his composure from 12 yards following Ashley Young's foul on Mert Muldur to spark late drama.

After Lukaku saw a goal ruled out for offside, Valero's close-range finish from Antonio Candreva's free-kick seemed to have handed Inter victory, but Sassuolo rallied once more, with Antonio Conte left seething as the unmarked Magnani rescued a point for the visitors.

But Inter's frustrations were compounded moments later – Skriniar receiving his marching orders for a rash tackle on Haraslin in a frantic conclusion to a thrilling clash.

What does it mean? Inter's slim title hopes fading fast

Some costly defeats prior to Serie A's suspension due to coronavirus saw Inter slip down to third, but they would have, temporarily at least, moved to within two points of Lazio – and six of Juventus – with a victory on Wednesday.

Now, they sit on 58 points, with what seems too much ground to make up in the remaining 11 fixtures.

Berardi keeps up his run against Serie A's leading sides
With his penalty, which just snuck under Samir Handanovic, Sassuolo star Berardi has now scored four goals in his last four league matches against a side in the top three, with his previous such effort coming against Inter in the reverse fixture.

Gagliardini set for the blooper reel

In terms of misses, there will surely not be many more glaring ones this season than Gagliardini's. With the entire goal to aim at, the midfielder somehow managed to hit the woodwork from inside the six-yard box, and he will likely have to face Conte's wrath after Inter’s collapse.

Key Opta Facts

Inter have conceded three goals in a single Serie A game for the first time since the reverse fixture against Sassuolo (4-3 win).
Inter have conceded three goals in a single Serie A home game for the first time since April 2018 (2-3 v Juventus).
Lukaku has scored 19 goals in Serie A this season, his second-best campaign in the top five European Leagues (only fewer than in 2016-17 with 25 goals scored for Everton in Premier League).
Valero scored his first Serie A goal for Inter at San Siro, he had scored the first three away from home.

What's next?

A trip to Parma comes next for Inter on Sunday, shortly after Sassuolo face Hellas Verona.

Mikel Arteta believe Bukayo Saka will sign a new long-term contract at Arsenal ‘very shortly’ following positive talks with the club.

Fears have been growing over the future of the teenage winger, who has been a revelation since being brought into the senior side by former boss Unai Emery.

Arteta has continued to start the 18-year-old since taking over from Emery in December, with Saka now having three goals and 11 assists to his name this season despite being played in several positions for the struggling Gunners.

However speculation has been rife over his future, with the Arsenal academy product having just one year remaining of his first professional deal, which was signed in September, 2018.

Top clubs from across Europe have been keeping close tabs on the situation with Borussia Dortmund particularly keen to lure Saka over to Germany, but Arteta has moved to calms fears that the winger could be on his way out and is hopeful that a new deal is imminent.

“I am very positive that everything is going to be done with Bukayo very shortly,” said Arsenal’s head coach, who takes his side to Southampton on Thursday night.

“The communications between the club, agents and the family has been going on for months and is very fluent.

“The player and family knows how much trust I have in him. I think he is just showing that every week and his consistency level is getting better and better.

“I’m so excited with the young players that we have. They just need the right environment around them to explode and Bukayo is doing that even in difficult circumstances which is even more merit for him.”

Meanwhile, Arteta has backed Emiliano Martinez to be an able replacement for the injured Bernd Leno between now and the end of the season.

Leno suffered knee ligament damage during Saturday’s defeat at Brighton and although the injury is not as bad as first feared, he will be sidelined for the he remainder of the campaign.

That will give Martinez an extended run in the Premier League and Arteta has full confidence in the Argentine, who has been with the Gunners for the past 10 years but only made seven league appearances.

“What I know about Emi is the way he prepares himself, how patient he has been and how much he has been waiting for this opportunity,” said Arteta.

“When you do that, you expect when the opportunity comes to perform and put everything that you have done in the past into the next few games to help the team and make yourself proud that it was the right decision to stay, work and behave the way he has over the years in the club.”

When asked whether he believes Martinez has what it takes to put pressure on Leno for the No 1 spot, the Spaniard added: “Of course he has. If not you wouldn’t be the No 2 goalkeeper at Arsenal.

“The No 2 goalkeeper at Arsenal has to be ready to play, not just to be a backup player and when you are needed, to make the difference for your team.”