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Jurgen Klopp hailed “world-class” Alisson Becker after Liverpool returned to Premier League action with a 0-0 draw at Everton.

In a low-key affair at Goodison Park, it was the Brazilian who produced the standout moment, his superb second-half save denying Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Reds substitute Joe Gomez deflecting the rebound from Tom Davies onto the post.

It denied the Toffees a first Merseyside derby win since 2010, but the draw means Liverpool must hope Manchester City fail to beat Burnley on Monday if they are to clinch the league title themselves by beating Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday. 

Klopp had no complaints about the draw – the third stalemate here between the side in the last three seasons – and was gushing in his praise of Alisson, who underlined his status as one of the world’s best goalkeepers.

“It says a lot about him,” he told his post-match press conference. “We should not take him for granted. Absolutely outstanding. 

“That's what a world-class goalie is, nothing to do for 90 mins pretty much, then he's there."

Liverpool had chances of their own, with Fabinho denied late on by Jordan Pickford and both Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino wasting decent openings in the first half.

They did, however, lose both Matip and James Milner to injury, with Milner now almost certain to miss the Palace game.

“He felt his hamstring,” Klopp confirmed. “We have seen before with Milly, he is smart enough to show up when he first feels it, so hopefully it is not too serious.

“Joel felt a stretch on his big toe, which was very painful. Hopefully, the pain settles and then we can see.”

On the game itself, Klopp added: "All the derbies here at Goodison looked pretty similar, I think!

“Each time is fighting like crazy but in the end not a lot of football.

“Today, the point is the one we deserve, even though I admit Everton had the biggest chance to win the game. I liked the intensity of the game from my boys. What I didn't like too much was the rhythm.

"The defensive stuff was there. Offensively, we need moments. I know we can play better football. The performance level was OK. We have to respect the opponent, and Everton were here to make our life difficult. They have quality and they could have won the game."

“But the draw was fair. I saw Carlo Ancelotti outside and he said the same.”

Klopp also praised the performance of midfielder Naby Keita, who was one of Liverpool’s brighter players in his 65 minutes on the field.

"Naby was good,” he said. “Taki [Minamino] was good as well, by the way. The change at half-time had nothing to do with his performance. Ox was lively, Naby looked absolutely good. He played because he looked so good in training.” 

Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher has said that the Reds’ offensive weakness without Mohamed Salah is worrying.

The Egypt international missed Sunday’s derby encounter against Everton, left on the bench after recent hip problems, and without him the Premier League champions elect struggled to create opportunities against their Stanley Park rivals.

Although the Anfield side dominated the game, they were unable to create any clear opportunities and the last 10 minutes were controlled by their hosts, who went closest when Tom Davies hit the post, leaving manager Jurgen Klopp to reflect that his side were a little “lucky”.

The German also pointed out a lack of offensive efficiency in his side, and Carragher says that is a worrying trend when one of their regular front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino is absent.

“The front three are as good as anyone in Europe but whenever one of them is out, there is a massive drop off,” he told Sky Sports.  

“When Liverpool dropped points at Manchester United, Salah wasn’t playing. That’s why Liverpool need to strengthen the front three. Divock Origi is a legend for Liverpool as he’s scored big goals at big moments but doesn’t have quite the quality. 

“Is Takumi Minamino part of the front three? Not for me. The front three are very robust and don’t miss many games but if Liverpool were to lose one of them, especially the two wide players, for a lengthy amount of time they could have a real problem next season.”

Carragher’s warning is a timely one as it comes in the wake of Chelsea completing a big-money move for RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, who is a player Liverpool were long credited with having an interest in.

While Salah, Mane and Firmino have contributed a combined 49 goals this season, the rest of the squad have only that number between them, while they were also without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in their ranks on Sunday, their next leading marksman with seven goals in all competitions.

Meanwhile, in terms of Premier League goals, centre-back Virgil van Dijk is next on the list behind the front three, having contributed four times this term. 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he felt his side got a little “lucky” as they picked up a point in a scoreless draw with Everton.

The Merseyside derby marked the end of a three-month hiatus for both sides due to the coronavirus pandemic and was played out in unusual circumstances at Goodison Park, with no fans present and the Reds forced to change in the car park.

The resultant game proved to be something of a scrap, and while the single point takes Liverpool to within five of a maiden Premier League title, they could count themselves somewhat fortunate to claim that given the home side’s Tom Davies had the game’s only big scoring opportunity, striking the post in the 80th minute.

“It came out of the blue. We were lucky in that moment but apart from that, we were in control,” Klopp told Sky Sports . “We didn't have a lot of chances; most of the time we were dominant but they had the biggest chance - that's how it is.

“It was a real fight. Both teams showed that they understand it's a derby - even without a crowd. It was intense, physical, all-in. 

“You saw the derbies we had here before - they were never really better, I have to say! Each team is fighting like crazy so in the end there is not a lot of football. There is space for improvement for us here at Goodison; I like football when it's slightly different but that's how it is; we had a proper fight, it was intense and we were ready for that.

“The players were really in the game, so that's good. I really liked our defending.; the high press, midfield press, counter-press good. We won a lot of balls.”

Looking ahead to a midweek encounter with Crystal Palace, Klopp wants to see more creativity and offensive effectiveness from his side. 

“Of course we want to make more chances; we have to more clear in situations - pass the ball, shoot in the right moment, more crosses,” he said.

“The second half we started to do that better but Everton defended really well; they tried to take care of Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold and we were not smart enough to use the space for somebody else. That's normal when you begin to play again but a lot of things were very good.

“Now I know we are ready because you don't know 100 per cent if we did enough (during the break), but we can involve fresh legs on Wednesday. So far, so good but I saw Crystal Palace yesterday and they looked like a well-oiled machine. It will be tough.”

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has admitted that Barcelona are interested in attacker Lautaro Martinez but says that he is “optimistic” that the Argentina international will not depart the club this summer.

The Catalan side have been closely linked with a summer move for the 22-year-old, with Lionel Messi reportedly driving on their bid, but negotiations thus far have not proven fruitful.

From the Italian side’s perspective, though, this is a positive as they do not wish to see a player who has scored 12 times in 22 Serie A outings leave.

Marotta believes that there is still reason to believe that the former Racing star will be at the club next term.

"It is known that he is the object of market attention,” he told Sky Sport Italia of a player who arrived at the club in the summer of 2018. “He started well, he is young and he has great qualities. 

“Inter is a club that does not tend to sell its best players. If he does not show his willingness to leave, we will keep him close.

“He is flattered by the attention of big clubs. On our part, there is the desire to keep him and he has never actually expressed the desire to leave. I am optimistic that we can continue with him again next year.”

Marotta, however, has previously hinted that the Nerazzurri are making plans for the post-Lautaro era.

“If Lautaro [leaves], a top player will arrive,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport at the beginning of June, when he downplayed a suggestion that Edinson Cavani could join the club following his release from Paris Saint-Germain.

"He is one of the players being monitored," he said. “But we did not go into the matter further: at the moment he is quite far from Inter.”

Inter have had a positive season in Serie A this season in as far as they are firmly established in the top three of the standings. 

As they return after a three-month absence because of the coronavirus pandemic, however, they trail league leaders Juventus by nine points ahead of their Sunday match against Sampdoria. 

They retain an interest in the Europa League, which will be completed in Germany in August, having already defeated Ludogorets in the last 32. 

Liverpool edged closer to their first league title in 30 years but were frustrated by an obdurate Everton in a 0-0 derby draw at Goodison Park. 

The Toffees are now winless in 19 Premier League matches against their local rivals, although that statistic did not appear to weigh upon Carlo Ancelotti's approach as his side offered scant attacking threat. 

They still came closest to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes from time, though, as Tom Davies hit the post after Alisson had kept out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's clever flick.

Jurgen Klopp left Mohamed Salah unused on the bench and his team need five more points to become champions, although that equation will change if Manchester City fail to beat Burnley on Monday. 

An early error from Fabinho let Richarlison loose to flash a shot across the face of Alisson's goal.  

Takumi Minamino dispossessed Andre Gomes in the 34th minute, allowing Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane to tee up Roberto Firmino, with the Brazil forward pulling wastefully wide.  

Everton centre-back Michael Keane, booked for an earlier foul on Mane, produced a vital block to thwart Minamino before half-time, by which point Liverpool had lost James Milner to a hamstring injury and sent on Joe Gomez. 

Firmino's clever chested lay-off saw Naby Keita volley wide in the 51st minute, with Everton attacks having more or less disappeared from view. 

It made Richarlison's shank into the Gwladys Street End with Virgil van Dijk breathing down his neck all the more frustrating. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold had a 63rd-minute free-kick deflected over before Joel Matip joined Milner on the injury list. 

In the context of a dour contest, Everton launched a stirring late rally, Davies agonisingly close to snatching glory and Alisson frustrating his compatriot Richarlison once more after Calvert-Lewin sent a diving header wide. 

What does it mean? Liverpool made to wait 

Not that they will mind at all, but Liverpool could still end next week without being crowned Premier League champions.

When they are, their success should be remembered in the context of what came before the coronavirus pandemic. This soulless encounter was very much at odds with the finest moments Klopp has crafted on Merseyside. 

No shame for Seamus 

It might only be one win in 15 attempts now, but Seamus Coleman is still an Everton player who knows what it feels like to beat Liverpool. The experienced captain led by example at right-back, with two inch-perfect challenges on Gomez and Mane early in the second half crucial when it came to preserving parity. 

Minamino still bedding in 

Klopp said the extended training period before the Premier League restart had been useful for January recruit Minamino. A surprise inclusion ahead of Salah, who is still short of match fitness, the former Salzburg forward showed some nice touches and enjoyed a couple of half chances, but the opportunity to make a statement passed him by. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Minamino for the start of the second half .

Key Opta facts

- Seven of the last eight Merseyside derbies played at Goodison Park in the Premier League have ended level. 
- Liverpool have now gone 22 games without defeat against Everton in all competitions since a 2-0 loss at Goodison Park in October 2010 (W11 D11). 
- Everton are the only Premier League side to remain unbeaten on home soil in 2020 across all competitions (P5 W2 D3 L0). 
- Jurgen Klopp has managed more games against Everton in all competitions without defeat than against any other opponent in his managerial career (P11 W7 D4). 
- The average age of Everton's starting XI was 24 years and 356 days – their youngest starting line-up for a league match against Liverpool since February 1986 (24 years and 250 days), when they won 2-0 at Anfield. 

What's next 

A stunning title triumph may still be completed when Liverpool host Crystal Palace on Wednesday, with Everton on the road at bottom club Norwich City. 

Keita Balde has spoken out on the problem of racism in Spain, with the Senegal international suggesting that the coronavirus crisis has highlighted the plight of seasonal workers to him.

The Monaco forward, who was born in Arbucies and brought up in Barcelona, has long been known for his charitable donations.

Balde is sourcing accommodation and food for 150 black families, who have previously been turned away by hotels, with the 25-year-old explaining that this shows that racism remains endemic in Spain.

He was drawn to the problem by a video shot by filmmaker Paco Leon, who worked with seasonal worker Serigne Mamadou to show the injustices that seasonal workers have to cope with, while he also saw the issues that workers in Lleida were having via social media.

"Black lives seem to matter if your name is Keita Balde, but if you're a part-time worker in Lleida, your life doesn't matter,” he told El Mundo.

“Maybe they didn't want to rent anything to a black boy. I felt I had to do what I could to help.

“I didn't want to offer words, I didn't want to speak, I wanted facts. People needed help. They were living in subhuman conditions, sleeping on the streets between cardboard boxes. They work 13 hours a day for €25 (£22/$27); they have to buy food, to find a place to sleep, they're not stealing from anyone.

“In Spain, we need people working in the fields to collect the fruit. We need them, but if you don't treat them well...”

Balde has also paid for 80 key workers’ accommodation in Barcelona during the Covid-19 pandemic and has explained that ever since he was a young player with the Camp Nou outfit, he felt it was important to give back to the community. 

“I’ve financed a mosque and a school in Senegal, I’ve helped with the pandemic in Europe… I like to be like this,” he said.

“I’ve been like this since I was young. I’m a boy at heart and I like to share.

“I gave out the clothes and boots that Barcelona and Nike gave me in the neighbourhood square.

“Money is one of the problems of this world. It classifies people. If you have a bill you are someone. If you don't have it, you are nobody. 

“We live in a polluted society in that regard. The person's real value is lost. It's sad. 

“I was happy before, when I had no money. And I am happy now.”

Daniel Jinadu has set a three-pronged target at West Ham United, with his major priority a desire to feature in the Premier League.

Achieving ambitious goals remains a possibility for the teenage goalkeeper who starred for Nigeria during the 2019 U17 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

Alongside Keenan Appiah-Forson, Harrison Ashby, Sam Caiger, Dan Chesters, Will Greenidge and Joshua Okotcha, the 17-year-old signed his first professional contract with the English top-flight side last week – a result of his consistency and diligence for the club’s U18s during the 2019-2020 season.

Having had the chance of training with Joe Hart and Lukasz Fabianski, Jinadu expressed his drive to play in the Premier League, while hoping to play international football at the highest level.

“The targets I’m setting for myself are to one day play in the Premier League which is one of the highest levels of football, and also to get a lot games and hopefully, to play international football at the highest level,” Jinadu told Goal.

“My target also is to develop my skills as a goalkeeper and as well gain experience of playing men’s football - playing at a high and advanced level.”

The youngster is still on cloud nine over his professional contract with West Ham and he disclosed what this means to him and his family, who have always rallied round him during his formative years.

“Signing my professional contract with West Ham was a very important moment in my life because it is what I’ve been working for since I was really young when I started playing football,” he continued.

“It has been my dream to become a professional because I always love playing football and my family and everyone around me have sacrificed a lot for me to get to the position I am.

“I’m just grateful that all the hard work that my family has put in has yielded fruits and it’s really good.

“My family was so proud of me and really happy for me because they have been really supportive in my journey. Hearing that I signed for a big club like West Ham – they were over the moon with joy.”

James Milner limped off the pitch during the first half of Liverpool's Merseyside derby clash with Everton with Joel Matip forced out due to an injury later in the match.

The Reds were forced to make a change when the 34-year-old pulled up with a suspected hamstring injury just before half-time at Goodison Park.

Milner was making the 535th Premier League outing of his career on Saturday, which saw him draw level with Welsh legend Gary Speed in fifth in the top-flight's all-time list of appearances.

Joe Gomez was sent on as a like-for-like replacement for a fellow England international at left-back, as the Reds push for a win which would see them move to within three points of the Premier League title.

During the second half, it was Matip who was forced out of the match with an apparent leg injury, with the defender replaced by Dejan Lovren for Liverpool's fifth and final substitute of the day.

Liverpool haven't won the league in 30 years, but 27 wins from their first 29 fixtures put them in pole position before the coronavirus stopped play in March.

Jurgen Klopp's men will increase their lead over reigning champions Manchester City back to 25 points at the summit if they beat their local rivals, but they weren't at their brilliant best in the first half.

Neither side was able to carve out any clear goalscoring chances in a match staged behind closed doors due to the continued threat of coronavirus.

The last four Merseyside derby encounters to take place at Goodison have been goalless at the break, but Liverpool are at least on course to extend their unbeaten record against Everton to 22 matches.

With strict social distancing measures still in place, the Reds were forced to get changed for their latest clash in the car park at Goodison, with a large portacabin erected just outside the ground.

The tunnel inside Everton's famous stadium has been deemed too small to allow safe and hygienic entry for players, which means all teams visiting over the next few weeks will have to take the same route onto the pitch.

After their latest clash with the Toffees, Liverpool will start preparing for a meeting with Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday.

Klopp's men will then benefit from an eight-day break before coming up against City at Etihad Stadium on July 2, which could potentially be a title decider.

Ghana defender Joseph Aidoo featured for the third game in succession as his Celta Vigo side recorded an emphatic 6-0 win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on Sunday.

Despite helping Celta keep a clean sheet in midweek in the 0-0 stalemate against Real Valladolid, the defender started from the bench and was brought on in the 72nd minute.

Goals from Jeison Murillo, Iago Aspas, Nolito, Santi Mina and Rafinha's brace saw the Sky Blues take advantage of the spaces left by 10-men Alaves.

Martin Aguirregabiria received a straight red card for a high-foot challenge on Rafinha, leaving Babazorros depleted for most of the match.

Before Sunday's encounter, Oscar Garcia's men were hovering a point above the relegation zone, but the win took them up to 16th with 30 points, four adrift of 18th-placed Real Mallorca with eight games left in the current campaign.

Black Stars defender Aidoo replaced Jeison Murillo for his 26th appearance of the season, making him one of Garcia's most important men this campaign with 2031 minutes played.

Only Aspas, Nestor Araujo, Lucas Olaza and Ruben Blanco have played more minutes than him in his maiden season in the Spanish top tier since arriving in the summer form Racing Genk.

Ghana's new coach Charles 'CK' Akonnor had named Aidoo amongst his four centre-backs in his squad that was scheduled to play Sudan in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers prior to the Covid-19 hiatus.

Akonnor, a former captain of Ghana, replaced Kwasi Appiah and has been tasked with qualifying Ghana for the 2021 Afcon and 2022 World Cup.

Aidoo is expected to form a long-term partnership with Germany-based defender Kasim Adams Nuhu at the heart of the Black Stars' defence.

Aidoo has been capped five times for Ghana.

Frank Lampard hailed Christian Pulisic as a "top-class player" after Chelsea's win over Aston Villa, while insisting the winger was "hungry" to make an impact after so long away from the pitch.

Chelsea marked their return to competitive action following the coronavirus-enforced break in the season by securing a 2-1 away win against Villa on Saturday afternoon.

The result saw Lampard's side move five points clear of Manchester United and Wolves in the race for fourth while closing the gap on third place Leicester to just three.

The Blues were made to work for the victory, however, as the hosts took a surprise 43rd minute lead against the run of play.

Villa had been pegged back in their own half until Kortney Hause bundled the ball into the net following their first meaningful attack of the game.

Chelsea regrouped at the interval and came out for the second period with renewed purpose, but Lampard decide further inspiration was needed in the 55th minute, as he introduced Ross Barkley and Pulisic to the action.

Pulisic found the back of the net within five minutes of coming on, smashing a pinpoint Cesar Azpilicueta cross into the net at the back post to level the scores.

Olivier Giroud completed the Blues' comeback moments later, swivelling gracefully in the box before turning the ball home with the aid of a wicked deflection.

Lampard singled Pulisic out for praise post-match, while admitting that it was a difficult decision for him to omit the United States international from his starting line up.

The Chelsea boss told reporters: "He was hungry, I know that and I felt for him. He has trained well. The ability to arrive in the box is a big thing.

"It is a difference between being a very good player on the flank and a top-class player.

"With Christian and Ross [Barkley] they both have trained well, I have selection problems, good ones. I had them on my mind to come on early in the second half."

One man who did make Lampard's team sheet was Ruben Loftus Cheek, and Lampard was "delighted" to see the England international return to the pitch after 13 months on the sidelines.

"I am delighted for Ruben to be back in the fold," he said. "He got in the team on his own merit with working well. In training, he has looked good and strong.

"We need to give him time to adapt. I thought it was a game for his physicality. There is more to come."

Lampard added on Chelsea needing to add a cutting edge to their game in the final third: "I am really pleased with the performance. Villa had the opportunity to do it one time more.

"It was new for us. We moved the ball well, dominated but we need to be more clinical.

"I can give leeway on that because it has been a long time out."

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has justified his decision to start with Anthony Gordon in Sunday’s Merseyside derby against Liverpool.

The 19-year-old was a surprise name on the Toffees’ teamsheet for the encounter at Goodison Park, with the locally-born teenager have never previously started a Premier League match before, let alone one of such importance.

Experienced manager Ancelotti, however, believed he had seen enough from the youngster to justify his selection as his side ended an unscheduled three-month break due to coronavirus with a grudge fixture against Jurgen Klopp’s men.

"Anthony Gordon trained well, showed confidence and this is a good opportunity for him. He deserves to play,” Ancelotti told Sky Sports.

The attacking midfielder has featured previously for Everton in the Premier League, making his debut against West Ham away from home as a half-time substitute for Bernard in a 1-1 draw in London, while he also featured as a late replacement in the 4-0 loss to Chelsea immediately before the pandemic struck, putting the brakes on the season.

He has, however, been on the fringes of the Toffees’ first team for a long period, having made his debut off the bench in a Europa League encounter against Apollon Limassol in December 2017.

He was commonly found in Everton’s Premier League 2 squad this season, turning out with some success at that standard. He netted twice against Arsenal’s Under-23 side then followed that up with another double and an assist against Southampton’s youths, while he ended the season with six goals and two assists in nine outings at that level.

In addition, he has turned out for England at both Under-18 and Under-19 level.

Everton, who are presently 13th in the Premier League, were seeking to end a dire record against their Stanley Park rivals, having not overcome Liverpool in any competition since October 2010, when goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta guided them to a 2-0 victory over Roy Hodgson’s struggling side at Goodison Park.

Subsequently, they have played 21 times, suffering 11 defeats in that period while registering 10 draws. Their sorest defeats were a couple of 4-0 losses to their rivals.

Uganda international Joel Madondo has revealed he has been denied access to Wydad Casablanca's training ground.

Madondo has not had a smooth time with the Moroccan club since his new year move as, a few weeks ago, he explained how he had neither received his salaries nor allowances since March while staying in a rented apartment.

Things appear to have hit a new low when Madondo when he wanted to return to training for the league's resumption, but he was denied access to the facility.

“The club is already back in training because they are preparing for the resumption of the league and Caf Champions League but I went there the other day and I was denied access to the training ground,” Madondo is quoted as saying by Kawowo Sports.

“I went back to training and coach Diego Megias [conditioning coach] told me to talk to the head coach Juna Carlos Garrido who is currently in Spain. When I called him, he told me I should first settle my issues with the club.

“I decided to do personal training at home and I also go to road work. There is a small pitch next to the airport where Nigerians train, I joined them but they train just two days a week.”

In the earlier assertion, the former Busoga United forward said Casablanca had also taken away his passport, and the 22-year-old revealed he is ready to fly home as soon as possible after it was returned to him.

“I got my passport back and I’m only waiting for the airport to open. All I want now is to return home and have some peace. I have been through a lot since I arrived here," added Madondo.

“For now, I don’t care how people will judge me. They always blame us without hearing our story but I don’t think anyone would want to go through what I have experienced.”

Meanwhile, Isaac Muleme has blamed SC Villa for "greed" for not allowing five of its players to join Vietnamese clubs in 2011.

Villa were invited for BTV Cup in Vietnam and according to the full-back, five players had offers thereafter for good performances but the Jogoos turned them down.

“If Villa had accepted those offers then our careers would be far different from how they have now turned out. Sometimes I think our clubs are too greedy,” Muleme told Daily Monitor.

The Viktoria Zizkov defender also explained the difference between the Czech Republic league compared to Uganda's competition.

“You need quick thinking, speed and power to survive here. They move the ball very fast from one end to the other and make our domestic league appear as if we are playing in slow motion,” the defender, on loan to Nitra FC, concluded.

Muleme has also played for KCCA FC and Egyptian side Al Assouity Sports Club before. 

Chelsea midfielder Christian Pulisic is excited about what lies ahead with Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech joining the side.

The Blues secured a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Aston Villa on Sunday, with the USA international coming off the bench to convert a cross from Cesar Azpilicueta to draw the sides level shortly before Olivier Giroud’s winner.

Victory further secured Chelsea’s spot in the Premier League’s top four, and with Ziyech and Werner set to join the Stamford Bridge side on July 1, the end of the season promises to be an exciting one for the Blues, although neither will be permitted to play domestically.

“I think we already have a very strong team with strong players, but to add players like Timo Werner is incredible. We're focused on this season for now, but excited for what's to come too,” Pulisic told Sky Sports .

Meanwhile, the former Dortmund man was content with his contribution to his side’s cause.

“I'm really glad that I could come in and help the team,” he said. “Luckily today it was with a goal and helped us get a good result. [Manager Frank Lampard] said go in and help us win the game, nothing special really, just use my talents to see what I can do. 

“I don't think I hit it perfectly with my left, but i got enough on it to steer it on target.”

It was Chelsea’s first match in three months following the coronavirus pandemic and was played in an empty stadium as a consequence. Although the atmosphere was unusual, Pulisic explained that he did not think it hampered his side.

“Obviously it's very different playing with no fans, but I think the team brought good energy and we finished really strongly,” he said. “I've been out for a while, it felt really nice to be back out here after the injury, all the guys have been off but we've been trying to stay fit as best we can.”

Chelsea, who enjoy a five-point gap to Manchester United and Wolves in fifth and sixth respectively, face a challenging week ahead, with a home encounter against Manchester City to come on Thursday before a trip to tackle third-placed Leicester City next Sunday.

Salzburg played out a 2-2 draw with AC Wolfsberger in Sunday’s Austrian Bundesliga game, with Zambia’s Enock Mwepu finding the net.

The hosts came into the encounter on the back of three wins on the bounce and were in need of a victory to increase their title chances; nonetheless, they were held by Ferdinand Feldhofer’s tenacious side, who are eyeing a place in next season’s Europa League.

Japanese winger Masaya Okugawa put Salzburg ahead in the 19th minute after been played in by South Korea’s Hwang Hee-chan.

Die Mozartstadter showed the desire to add more goals but their efforts met strong resistance by the visitors who put up a solid defensive display inside Wals-Siezenheim’s Red Bull Arena.

Mwepu doubled Jesse Marsch’s men's lead in the 71st minute after beating two Wolfsberger defenders before firing past goalkeeper Alexander Kofler.

When it looked like the visitors would be heading home with their heads bowed low, they launched a comeback with less than 10 minutes to the end of the game.

First, it was captain Andreas Ulmer who turned the ball into his own net in the 80th minute before substitute Michael Liendi ensured that the game ended with no winner following an assist from Cheikhou Dieng’s replacement Alexander Schmidt, with four minutes more to play.

Despite the draw, Salzburg occupy the summit of the Bundesliga log with 38 points from 28 games, while Feldhofer's Wolfsberger are fourth with 25 points from the same number of matches.

For goal-scorer Mwepu, Sunday’s game was his 22nd of the season. He played every minute of the game alongside compatriot Patson Daka, while German-Nigerian Karim Adeyemi came on for Hee-Chan after 74 minutes.

Ghana’s Majeed Ahimeru came on for Okugawa with 26 minutes left to play while Cameroon’s Jerome Onguene, and Mali duo of Sekou Koita and Mohamed Camara were not listed for action.

Wolfsberger face Isaac Donkor’s SK Sturm Graz in their next game on Wednesday as Mwepu and Daka’s team face a daunting task against second-placed Rapid Wien, which parade Nigeria’s Bright Edomwonyi and Gambia’s Maudo Jarjue, before hosting fifth-place Hartberg on Sunday.  

Steve Bruce expressed delight for Joelinton after the Newcastle United striker ended his Premier League goal drought in a 3-0 win over Sheffield United.

The Magpies resumed Premier League action following the coronavirus-enforced stoppage and took a significant step towards survival against the 10-man Blades.

After John Egan was sent off in the 50th minute, Allan Saint-Maximin and Matt Ritchie put Newcastle in control.

Joelinton rounded off the win with his first league goal since his effort in a 1-0 win at Tottenham on August 25.

The Brazilian striker, a club-record signing in the close-season, had seen his previous 39 league shots fail to result in a goal.

Magpies manager Bruce was thrilled to see the former Hoffenheim man end his wait to find the net, revealing Joelinton had endured a tough time during the lockdown measures enforced by the British government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"We're all delighted for him," Bruce said afterwards. "He probably suffered more in the lockdown, he had no family over and he was stuck in an apartment somewhere.

"It's been difficult for him but I'm delighted for him because he's a really good pro and he can only get better."

Miguel Almiron supplied the assist for Joelinton, the South American pair and Saint-Maximin performing excellently as Newcastle's front three.

Newcastle are now 11 points clear of the bottom three with eight games remaining.

"After the restart the one thing you want to do is get off to a good start," added Bruce. 

"We've got our big players playing at the top of the pitch and as we've seen today they can be a threat."

Dynamo Moscow have announced the postponement of Sunday's Premier League match against Krasnodar after three players tested positive for coronavirus.

The three infected players were identified to be Cameroon striker Clinton Njie, Burkina Faso midfielder Charles Kabore and Sebastian Szymanski after Saturday's test and they have been placed in a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Dynamo Moscow were scheduled to resume their 2019-20 Russian top-flight campaign on Sunday after the league was suspended in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After notifying the Russian Football Union and the league authorities, the White-Blues disclosed that Krasnodar have agreed to the postponement of the matchday 23 fixture to July 19.

Dynamo Moscow expressed their gratitude to their opponent with the assurance of their readiness for their next league fixture against CSKA Moscow on June 27.

"Based on the results of scheduled testing of players and team members for Сovid-19 the previous morning, the presence of coronavirus was detected in three football players - Clinton Njie , Charles Kabore and Sebastian Szymanski," the club statement read.

"They were sent to a two-week quarantine under the supervision of doctors in accordance with the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor.

"The rest of the team, the coaching staff and staff from yesterday are at the club’s training base in Novogorsk in closed mode.

"FC Dynamo Moscow immediately notified the test results and measures were taken by the RFU, RPL and Krasnodar football club.

"We promptly received an official response from the leadership of Krasnodar that we agreed to postpone the calendar match of the RPL 23 round from the scheduled date on June 21 to the reserve day.

"Understanding that such a decision could not be simple, both purely from a football point of view and in the light of the resonant events of recent days, we want to express on behalf of our entire club, our sincere gratitude to the President of FC Krasnodar Sergey Nikolaevich Galitsky for a goodwill gesture, for human and sporting nobility.

"On Saturday morning, in order to conduct additional sanitary and anti-epidemic measures, members of our team, with the exception of those who have previously confirmed the presence of the virus, underwent further in-depth testing. All results are negative.

"Today, the Bureau of the Executive Committee of the RFU, following an emergency meeting, approved the RPL proposal to postpone the date of the Krasnodar - Dynamo match to July 19.

"We thank the leadership of the Russian Football Union and the Russian Premier League for a constructive approach to solving this situation.

"Thus, the next game of our team will be held on June 27 at 19.00 against CSKA at VTB Arena-Central Stadium Dynamo named after L. Yashin. Additional information on how to conduct this match will be announced later."

Prior to the suspension of football in Russia, Njie who moved to Moscow from Marseille last summer, has scored just a goal in 15 league outings while Kabore has made 17 league appearances.

Dynamo Moscow are seventh on the league table with 30 points after 22 matches.

Olivier Giroud's hot streak against Aston Villa continued as Chelsea secured a win on their return to Premier League action.

The Blues picked up their first away victory of 2020 by beating Villa 2-1 in their own backyard on Saturday afternoon.

Frank Lampard's side moved to within three points of third-placed Leicester City as a result, while opening up a five-point lead over Champions League qualification rivals Manchester United.

Chelsea dominated the first half at Villa Park, but were made to pay for a lack of cutting edge when Kortney Hause bundled home the opener for the hosts in the 43rd minute.

Dean Smith's side weren't able to hold onto their lead for very long, however, as substitute Christian Pulisic stabbed into the roof of the net from close range right on the hour mark.

The Blues found themselves in front just two minutes later when Giroud showed off his predatory instincts to spin in the box and fire past Orjan Nyland in the Villa net - albeit with the help of a slight deflection.

That strike marked the World Cup winner's fourth goal of the season, and justified Lampard's decision to start him over top scorer Tammy Abraham.

Giroud has now found the back of the net in each of his last six outings against Villa, but his latest strike was his first for Chelsea against the West Midlands outfit.

The 33-year-old hadn't featured against Villa since scoring a hat-trick for Arsenal in a 4-0 win way back in May 2016.

Chelsea will now look ahead to a huge meeting with reigning champions Manchester City on Thursday, which comes just three days before another vital encounter away at Leicester.

Prior to the Blues win at Villa, former Stamford Bridge favourite Joe Cole expressed his belief that Lampard will lead his old club to a top-four finish after an "unbelievable" first year at the helm.

Cole told 90min: "The future's looking bright, you know, credit to the club for appointing Frank at the start of the season. It was a bold decision and credit to Frank, I think he's been unbelievable, his staff as well."

Ndanda FC head coach Abdul Mingange has lauded the resilience shown by his players in the Tanzania Mainland League match at home against Biashara United.

After a goalless draw in regulation time, the referee added four extra minutes and it was these added minutes when Abdul Mangalo was adjudged to have fouled Kassim Mdoe in the danger zone.

Abdul Hamisi kept his cool to score what turned out to be the winning goal which assured his team maximum points.

"[Biashara] are a good team and they were defensively organized which gave us a hard time penetrating them," Mingange told journalists after the match.

"Yes we won the game, but it was not easy considering it was our first game since the suspension which happened, owing to Covid-19.

"However, the spirited fight from the players paid dividends and the substitutions we made had a positive impact."

Despite the loss, Biashara United coach Francis Baraza was impressed with the show put up by his players.

"Fitness level of my players was at 70%, according to my opinion, which is fair but the boys pushed it to almost 80% which was impressive," the Kenyan tactician told reporters.

"Despite the loss, we have played good football. 

"We will now turn our attention to our game against KMC on [Wednesday, June] 24. We also have six home games which we want to bag maximum points."  

The Mtwara-based side lost by the same margin when they met in the reverse fixture played in December 2019.

It was the fourth top-tier meeting between the teams, and both sides have won two and lost as many.

The win took Ndanda to the 14th position with 34 points from the 30 matches played. They have registered eight wins, 10 draws and 12 losses.

Mara-based Biashara are four places higher with 40 points from as many matches. They have managed 10 losses, as many draws and as many wins as well.

In other matches played this weekend, fourth-placed Namungo needed a Hashim Manyanya strike on the stroke of half-time to defeat Kagera Sugar.

JKT Tanzania defeated Singida United 2-0 with KMC claiming a 2-1 win over Ruvu Shooting, while Mbeya City fell by a solitary goal to their visitors Alliance. 

Simba mauled Mwadui 3-0 while Azam FC and Yanga SC battled to a goalless draw.