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Gor Mahia head coach Steven Polack has called for club stability and a strengthened squad if they have to realise success in the Caf Champions League.

After the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) forwarded their name as Kenya's representative in the upcoming season, eyes are on Polack to see whether he can guide the team further in the competition.

The former Asante Kotoko coach says K'Ogalo must ensure there is stability in the manner in which players are signed or released.

“Basically, from my coaching experience, we need to get stability to go forward. If you look at the big teams in the world, they don’t keep on changing ten players every year because it’s impossible," Polack told reporters.

“But if you keep doing that, I don’t care which club you are, you won’t win anything. Therefore, it is my hope that we will keep hold of most of the players we have and make a few additions for next season.

“I am not going to state which area of the team I will need to be strengthened because it is not fair for the players playing in there.”

The tactician, who was awarded his Coach of the Month award for the third time on Wednesday, also spoke about the need to have a strengthened squad for a successful continental journey.

“First of all, we have to look at the players’ contracts. Some of their contracts are running down, so we need to know the ones we are going to keep or release,” he continued.

“But we need to learn from the last Caf competition, we need to strengthen our squad because it’s not easy to play in those competitions.

“Players are training individually but following the same training regime,” the coach said concerning his stars who cannot hold joint training sessions. "As a coach, I can't be there in person but I think it is all about trust.”

Polack also spoke about the largely unsettled Kenyan Premier League (KPL) 2019/20 fate saying a decision has to be made quick and one which will be good for football.

“Remember we have to wait for the President's directives on June 30 [to know whether a public gathering ban will be extended],” said Polack.

“That means, the season won’t finish until either September or October. By the rules which I have read, after the last game of your season, you need to have 60 days before the first game of the new season starts.

“So, basically that means we will start the new season in January. So, they need to take a good look at that and make the decision very quickly not only for Gor Mahia but for the whole football in Kenya.

“I don’t know what they are waiting for because this has been going on for three months now yet you tell me that you don’t have a plan A or B in case of a lockdown.”

Mikel Arteta insisted David Luiz's horror show in Arsenal's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City has not changed his opinion of the defender.

David Luiz was at fault for two of City's goals as the Gunners resumed their Premier League campaign with a resounding defeat in the Manchester rain on Wednesday.

The former Chelsea centre-back's failed clearance allowed Raheem Sterling to open the scoring prior to half-time, with David Luiz then seeing red for a desperate foul on Riyad Mahrez – Kevin De Bruyne tucking in the resulting penalty.

Phil Foden netted a third as City cruised for more than 40 minutes against 10 men, yet Arteta – who has stated his intention to keep David Luiz at the club beyond the expiration of his current deal – stuck by the Brazilian.

"He has spoken in the dressing room," Arteta told Sky Sports.

"David is someone that is very honest and is straightforward. I'm sure he will talk to you guys and explain his feelings, but my opinion on David doesn't change.

"The moment I joined, what he's done for the team, what he's done for me, it won't change because he had a difficult performance."

Asked if his opinion had changed in regards to taking up the option to retain David Luiz, Arteta added: "This won't change nothing. For me, no.

"Whatever we're going to do, or we did before today's game, we'll keep it internally."

He also addressed the issue in his post-match press conference, telling reporters: "I don't know what will happen with his contract. I know what happened today, I know the way David reacted.

"As a player and a person I know him well, he can handle the situation. There was a reason why I didn't select him from the start and he had to play because Pablo [Mari] got injured.

"He's always going to try to give you his best for the condition that he's at and he's tried again. It didn't work out for him or the team but that's it."

It was a miserable return to City for Pep Guardiola's former assistant Arteta, whose positive test for coronavirus was a driving force in the suspension of the Premier League in March.

Arsenal lost Granit Xhaka to injury early on, with defender Pablo Mari going off hurt soon after, and ruing the early set-backs, Arteta added: "Everything went wrong from the first minute, when Granit got injured and we had to change the plan a little bit.

"Every possible accident that could have happened, hopefully happened today and not in the rest of the games we have ahead of us."

Another player under scrutiny at Arsenal is Mesut Ozil, who was left out of the squad altogether on Wednesday despite having started in every previous Premier League match under Arteta, with the Gunners' coach confirming the playmaker was omitted for a "tactical reason".

Kenyan giants Tusker FC have dismissed reports linking their goalkeeper Emery Mvuyekure with Orlando Pirates.

It was reported that the Rwanda international had attracted interest from the Buccaneers after his two-year deal with Tusker supposedly expired.

Mvuyekure also confirmed Pirates' interest in his services and he explained that he was looking forward to playing in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

However, Tusker chairman Daniel Aduda has now insisted the experienced shot-stopper's contract with the club expires on November 30 next year.

"There is no way the player can leave as a free agent yet he has a running contract with us neither have we delayed his salaries," Aduda said on Kenyan publication, The Star.

"The news caught us by surprise considering he has a copy of the contract and we are always ready to give printouts to our players."

However, Aduda said that they are open to selling the 30-year-old, who has been on their books since 2018.

The club boss also urged Pirates to follow the right channel if they want to sign their player.

"We are always open to our players when it comes to deals elsewhere. In this case, we do not intend to stand in his way but the right channel must be followed,' he added.

"Those who want his services should approach us for negotiations and I believe should we reach consensus, then we will let him go with our blessings. Heading south is a good move."

The publication indicated Aduda confirmed they are looming talks between him and Mvuyekure's agent to wipe out the misunderstanding regarding the player's contract.

Pirates currently have Wayne Sandilands, Siyabonga Mpontshane and Joris Delle in their goalkeeping department.

However, Sandilands' contract with the Soweto giants is set to expire at the end of this month having joined the club on a three-year deal ahead of the 2017/18 season.

The 36-year-old shot-stopper has been Pirates' first-choice keeper this season and it remains to be seen whether the club will extend his contract.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to the suspension of the 2019/20 PSL season since mid-March 2020.

Brescia's young star Sandro Tonali is ready to play for a "top, top club" amid strong links to Juventus and Inter, said former Italy international Federico Balzaretti.

Tonali is highly coveted following his exploits for Brescia – the Italian midfielder attracting interest from the likes of Serie A champions Juve, Inter, Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona.

The 20-year-old, compared to Italian great Andrea Pirlo, has been tipped to join either Inter or Juve at the end of the 2019-20 coronavirus-hit season.

Balzaretti hailed "special" three-time international Tonali in an interview with Stats Perform News.

"Tonali, the first time I watched him, his passing [stood out]," former Torino, Palermo, Juve, Fiorentina and Roma full-back Balzaretti said.

"His idea, to pass and to play vertical. He is totally different to Andrea Pirlo but he could play together with Pirlo. It would be a great, great partnership because he is more physical maybe than Pirlo.

"What Andrea has is a light interior and a vision to map the field, to play under pressure and understand one or two times before other players. Tonali doesn't have that yet.

"But of course, Tonali is a great character. His defensive numbers are very high in the league. When you watch him after 10-15 minutes, you say okay he will be a national team player for the next 15 years.

"It's impressive. I watched him three years ago, he is very young. It's unbelievable. He is an incredible player. He is ready to play for a top, top club in Europe – if it's Juventus, Inter, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, I don't know, it doesn't matter. He is ready for the next step."

Tonali is set to shape the future of Italian football alongside fellow 20-year-old and Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo.

Zaniolo has flourished in the Italian capital since arriving from rivals Inter in 2018, establishing himself as a key player for Roma and Italy.

The attacking midfielder, who is continuing his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, has been linked with a move away from Roma.

A possible return to Inter has been mentioned, while Juve have reportedly had an offer rejected amid reports Roma could be forced to sell prized asset Zaniolo due to their financial situation.

"It's very important to keep the best player, of course," Balzaretti, who spent three years playing for Roma before retiring in 2015, said.

"But also, there is the financial part, which is sometimes more important because if you have a big debt, you have to sell, sometimes the management doesn't want to sell but they need to.

"When you need to sell, the offer comes for the best player you have. Clubs aren't stupid. They don't want to buy your worst player, they want your best player. Sometimes you need to.

"The problem is not to sell this kind of player, maybe it's a problem, but the first thing is to have a good balance financially. You have to be stable. You don't need to sell players, Zaniolo or someone else. This is the goal for this kind of club for me. Sometimes, you don't want but if you have less €100 million, you need to sell because if not, FIFA will kill you.

"If you want to win the league, be stable in the Champions League, compete with the best clubs, you have to keep your best player. If they are young, like Zaniolo and [Lorenzo] Pellegrini, that can improve and be part of your future, of course it's not good. But if you ask everyone in Rome, the president and sport director, no one wants to sell their best player and sometimes you have to."

The 38-year-old added: "Zaniolo is a modern player physically. The power, amazing power. He is fast, he kicks well, he is a very modern player. He can play in midfield, wide, he can play number 10. A complete midfielder, an offensive midfielder.

"His impact in Serie A is so huge. You have to think that he played in Primavera, so under-19. His step was U19 direct to Serie A and not direct to Serie A to one 'normal club', with Roma and the pressure you have at Roma is amazing, so huge. His impact was more huge than the pressure he has. When you are special, you do something like that."

Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden were on target as Manchester City impressed on their Premier League restart with a convincing 3-0 win over 10-man Arsenal at a wet Etihad Stadium.

It was an unhappy return for former City assistant and now Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, whose positive test for coronavirus led to the postponement of this fixture and decisively moved the Premier League towards suspension in March.

Perhaps it was the three-month hiatus that accounted for David Luiz's forgettable evening, his woeful misjudgement allowing Sterling to score his first goal of 2020 just before the break.

The Brazil defender then saw red for fouling Riyad Mahrez after more poor defending, with De Bruyne converting the 51st-minute penalty.

City's only worry was when Eric Garcia was taken away on a stretcher after an ugly collision with team-mate Ederson, before Foden rounded out the win in the first of 11 additional minutes.

After a minute's silence was observed, players from both sides took a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement shortly before kick-off.

Bernd Leno tipped a 20-yard De Bruyne free-kick over the top in a pedestrian opening in which Arsenal lost Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari to injury, with the hapless David Luiz replacing the latter.

City found their groove, though, and Sterling cut in from the left to test Leno, who brilliantly denied David Silva after another slick move by the hosts.

Sterling was then guilty of wastefulness when trying to scoop a close-range effort over Leno as Arsenal's defence became stretched.

But it was third time lucky for Sterling on the stroke of half-time. David Luiz made a complete hash of De Bruyne's throughball and the England forward rifled across Leno on the half-volley.

David Luiz's nightmare continued in the second half when he dragged down Riyad Mahrez and was shown a straight red.

De Bruyne emphatically found the bottom-right corner to end City's run of four missed Premier League penalties.

Leno also denied De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan before there was a sour note to proceedings when Garcia was hurt after being accidentally clattered by his own goalkeeper.

Following a long delay, Foden tapped into an empty goal when fellow substitute Sergio Aguero struck the post.

What does it mean? City make a statement on return

Though this result means Jurgen Klopp's men cannot clinch it at Everton on Sunday, the Premier League title is heading to Liverpool. Guardiola knows that, City know that, but they still remain in the hunt for an EFL Cup, FA Cup and Champions League treble and on this evidence you should not discount that possibility. 

For Arsenal, who had won their past three and not lost the previous six in the top flight prior to football's suspension, the damage to their already slim Champions League qualification hopes may now be irrevocable. The Gunners are eight points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea with nine games to go.

Sterling a menace as De Bruyne and Silva pull the strings

It took a little while for City to click through the gears but when they did was it a timely reminder of what we have missed these past three months.

Sterling was a regular threat to a disjointed Arsenal defence, who were admittedly not helped by the early losses of Xhaka and Mari, while De Bruyne and Silva were the architects of a wonderfully well-oiled midfield.

David Luiz undoes Leno's good work

Leno was brilliant for Arsenal and was the main reason for the Gunners holding their own until the German goalkeeper's fine work counted for nought thanks to David Luiz's costly error with the half-time whistle looming. More flat-footed, shoddy defending led to him giving away the penalty and earning the red that left Arsenal no way back into the game.

David Luiz has now conceded penalties away at Liverpool, Chelsea and City this season, while he was also dismissed at Stamford Bridge.

Key Opta Facts

- Arsenal are winless in their last 26 Premier League away games against fellow 'big six' opposition (D10 L16), with their last such victory coming at the Etihad in January 2015 (2-0). 
- De Bruyne has been directly involved in more Premier League goals than any other player this season (25 - 9 goals & 16 assists) – it is also his best goal involvement tally in a single top-flight campaign in England.
- Sterling scored in his 50th home club game in all competitions – he has never been on the losing side in those fixtures for Liverpool and Manchester City (W47 D3). 
- David Luiz has conceded four penalties in the Premier League this season – the joint-most in a single campaign in the competition's history (also Jose Fonte 2016-17, Gary Caldwell 2011-12, Ibrahima Sonko 2007-08, Claus Lundekvam 1999-00, Ken Monkou 1993-94 & Luc Nijholt 1993-94).
- Arsenal have been shown three red cards in 11 Premier League games under Mikel Arteta – the same total they registered in 51 games under Unai Emery. 
- Ederson has registered 46 clean sheets in his first 100 Premier League appearances: the third most shutouts by a goalkeeper in their first 100 games in the competition's history (Cech 59 & Reina 54).

What's next?

City are back at the Etihad Stadium on Monday when Burnley head to Manchester. Arsenal are on the road once again when they visit Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

Joao Felix struck twice as Atletico Madrid ended a three-match winless streak in LaLiga in style with a 5-0 hammering of Osasuna on Wednesday.

Diego Simeone's side had slipped to sixth prior to their trip to El Sadar Stadium, but Joao Felix's double set the stage for them to move into the top four.

Having broken the deadlock in the 27th minute, Joao Felix was on hand to tuck in his and Atleti's second shortly after the hour, with Adrian Lopez spurning a glorious chance to get Osasuna back into the game.

But any lingering doubt over the result was eradicated when Marcos Llorente drilled home with 11 minutes remaining.

Llorente then teed up Alvaro Morata to add a coolly taken fourth, before Yannick Carrasco completed the rout.

It was a quiet night for Jan Oblak as he set the record for the fewest games played to rack up 100 clean sheets in the Spanish top flight, the century reached in his 182nd appearance.

Diego Costa was Atleti's greatest threat in the opening stages, but it was strike partner Joao Felix who opened the scoring with a blistering first-time finish high into the net.

Angel Correa failed to take advantage of fine work from Joao Felix shortly before half-time, but Atleti's record signing made no such mistake 11 minutes after the restart, calmly slotting into a gaping net after latching onto Costa's square ball.

Adrian should have made an instant impact a minute after his introduction from Osasuna's bench, yet the former Atleti striker failed to keep his composure from close range.

Atleti soon had the win wrapped up, Llorente firing in a low finish before setting up Morata three minutes later, with the striker's goal awarded by VAR after initially being disallowed for offside.

Llorente claimed a second assist two minutes from time, providing Carrasco with a simple finish to add further gloss to a resounding triumph.

What does it mean? Atleti lay down a marker in Champions League race 

With nine matches remaining, Atleti sit fourth, two points behind third-placed Sevilla, with Real Sociedad – who play Deportivo Alaves on Thursday –Getafe and Villarreal all in hot pursuit.

Their strength in depth was displayed in full force on Wednesday, and should they pick up momentum, Simeone's side have more than enough quality to ensure their place at Europe's top table for next season.

Joao Felix back with a bang

After missing the draw with Athletic Bilbao, Joao Felix – who had suffered an injury on Atleti's return to training – made sure to leave his mark on Wednesday, with his two strikes richly deserved for a display full of craft and ingenuity.

Special mention must also go to Llorente, who made a sensational cameo from the bench.

Adrian fluffs his lines

Having come on as a substitute just after the hour, Adrian had the perfect opportunity to strike against his former club, only to prod wide from point-blank range.

What's next?

The fixtures are coming thick and fast, with just a three-day turnaround for Atleti, who host Real Valladolid on Saturday. Mid-table Osasuna face Valencia on Sunday.

Jamie Carragher believes David Luiz has no future at Arsenal after he was sent off in a 3-0 loss to Manchester City .

Luiz has struggled to impress since moving to the Emirates from Chelsea, giving away four penalties so far this season - the joint-most by a single player in one Premier League campaign. 

On Wednesday against City, the Brazilian also became the first player to be sent off , concede a penalty and commit an error leading to an opposition goal in a Premier League match since Carl Jenkinson did the same for West Ham in August 2015.

With his current Arsenal contract due to expire at season's end, Carragher believes Luiz has no long-term future at the club as he discussed the defender's latest error. 

"I know Kevin De Bruyne does get a good ball in at the time and maybe it's come off the turf as well which adds the extra bit of pace but no, it's happened so often it's no surprise why he's on the bench," Carragher said on Sky Sports post-match. 

"As I said before the game, I don't think there's any future here for David Luiz at Arsenal next season, that probably just puts pay to that."

Carragher added: "People keep talking about experience. Sometimes experience is one of the most overrated qualities. It's actually how good you are.

"It doesn't matter how old you are. David Luiz is not good enough for Arsenal. They got a young French lad coming in next season, they got [Pablo] Mari, they need to buy another one because they've got  Sokratis, [Shkodran] Mustafi played tonight. These are not good enough.

"That's the problem. You've got David Luiz and you think, 'I'll get the best out of him, I'll do this or I'll do that'. You won't.

"The people at the top of the club are deciding that he shouldn't get that year extension, and they're right. If Mikel Arteta thinks he should get that year, then I think he's wrong.

"I'd be worried if I was an Arsenal fan if Arteta thought David Luiz should get another year at Arsenal. I'd be worried."

Luiz, who was subbed on in the 24th minute for Mari following an injury to the Spanish defender, looked far from his best against City, with Gary Neville adamant the 33-year-old hasn't learned from past mistakes. 

"I have no words really," Neville said on Sky Sports . "I've said everything I've got to say over the last few years. He never learns, he's so rash.

"You've just got to let him go. We've seen so many times he's been unable to let the first mistake go and that second one...off you go.

"City started playing well 25 minutes ago in this game - when David Luiz came on. He will never get rid of those kind of mistakes."

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira  recently suggested Luiz was close to signing a new deal with Arsenal but the player himself conceded post-game his future remains up in the air and needs to be sorted.

Pep Guardiola spoke out on the Black Lives Matter movement after Manchester City thrashed Arsenal on Wednesday, admitting he is "ashamed of what white people have done to black people".

The Premier League put on a unified front against racism as English football returned following a three-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus.

Sheffield United and Aston Villa led by example when they kicked off the midweek action, with all players from both sides wearing jerseys displaying "Black Lives Matter" across the back instead of their own names.

The two squads took a knee on the pitch just before kick-off in a show of solidarity with the global movement, before the same gesture was seen in the second game of the day at Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City and Arsenal also took part in the display against racism while wearing kits with the BLM logo printed over the Premier League badge.

After watching his side pick up a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Gunners , Guardiola explained why he is so desperate to see significant change affected when it comes to equality among races.

The City head coach told a post-match press conference: "White people should say sorry for the way we have treated black people for 400 years.

"We should send a thousand million messages for the black people. I'm embarrassed and ashamed of what the white people have done for the black people.

"How people can think they are different? All the gestures are good and positive. Everything we can do to make it conscious, it is not acceptable.

"We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far."

City winger Raheem Sterling, who launched his own anti-racism social media campaign in the wake of the mass protests taking place around the world, feels English football is finally "going in the right direction" when it comes to tackling the issue.

He told Sky Sports : "I see it as a massive step for the Premier League to allow something like that to happen and it shows we're going in the right direction.

"Little by little we’re seeing change. It was natural, it was organic. We saw the teams do it in the earlier kick-off and thought it was something we had to do as well."

Sterling netted his 12th Premier League goal of the season against Arsenal, and was pleased with how well City performed as a collective after an extended period away from the pitch.

He added: "It’s been a confusing last couple of weeks. We're all buzzing to be back in the stadium and put in a good effort.

"We expected it to be weird but the message after the break was to find something inside ourselves and dig deep.

"First 10 minutes we were getting used to the atmosphere but after that, I thought we controlled the game well."

David Luiz has accepted responsibility for his role in Arsenal's 3-0 loss to Manchester City and stressed his desire to remain at the club next season. 

The Brazilian was subbed on in the 24th minute on Wednesday and went to make a key error for City's opener before also conceding a penalty and being sent off shortly into the second half . 

With his contract at the Emirates due to expire at season's end, pundits have declared Luiz has no future at the club , but the man himself thinks otherwise. 

Speaking post-match, the defender conceded he was to blame for his side's loss and admitted his Arsenal future needs to be sorted with both he and manager Mikel Arteta eager for a contract extension. 

"It was not the team's fail,  it was my fault. The coach is amazing, all the players did amazing, it was just my fault," Luiz told  Sky Sports . 

"I should have taken a different decision in the last two months. I didn't - it was all about my contract. I don't want to use that as an alibi or excuse, it's just my fault and that's it. 

"I love to be here that is why I continue to train hard and that is why I came today. Nobody asked me to speak, it is up to me to show my face.

"I want to stay. The coach knows and wants me to stay, we are waiting for the decisions."

Arsenal's return to Premier League action was a night to forget with Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari both forced from the field with respective injuries . 

Arteta admitted post-match that it was a horror night for his side as he refused to throw Luiz under the bus for his performance. 

"Everything went wrong from the first minute. Every possible accident that could have happened hopefully happened today," Arteta told Sky Sports . 

On Luiz, Arteta added: "He is someone that is very honest and straight forward. My opinion on David Luiz hasn't changed. It won't change because he had a difficult performance tonight."

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira  recently suggested Luiz was close to signing a new deal with Arsenal  as his own club couldn't afford to sign the Brazilian. 

Cristiano Ronaldo lost a second consecutive final for the first time in his career when Juventus lost to Napoli in the Coppa Italia decider on Wednesday.

After a goalless draw in normal time, Napoli secured the trophy in a penalty shootout, beating the Bianconeri 4-2 after Paulo Dybala and Danilo missed their efforts.

While Ronaldo played the entire game – he had three shots and hit the target with one – he did not get the chance to take a spot-kick as Gennaro Gattuso's men were declared winners before the Portugal star's turn came around.

After losing the Supercoppa Italiana to Lazio at the end of last year, it is the second straight final defeat for Maurizio Sarri's side.

While Ronaldo has contested many domestic and continental finals with every team he has represented so far in his illustrious career, the 35-year-old had never before lost two in a row.

This year's Coppa Italia is the first in 11 years to be decided by a penalty shootout, while it is the sixth time Napoli have lifted the trophy in their history - only four teams have won it more often. 

It is also the third time Napoli have triumphed over the Turin giants on a neutral field, adding to their 2011-12 Coppa Italia and 2014-15 Supercoppa victories.

With the Coppa Italia wrapped up, Serie A will return on Saturday, with Torino taking on Parma in the first game back from the coronavirus-enforced suspension.

Juve’s first game back will be against Bologna on June 22, with Napoli taking on Hellas Verona the following day.

Sarri’s team are one point ahead of Lazio at the top of the table after 26 matches, while Napoli sit sixth in the table.

They are already sure of a place in the Europa League group stage after Wednesday’s win, but are just nine points behind the Champions League places with 12 games left to play.

Meanwhile, Lazio striker Ciro Immobile is leading the race to be the league’s top scorer with 27 goals, while Ronaldo lingers behind him in second place having scored 21 times in his 22 appearances.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has insisted that he chose to leave Mesut Ozil out of his squad to face Manchester City for "tactical reasons".

The Gunners got their latest Premier League campaign back underway against the reigning champions at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Arsenal came into the match protecting an unbeaten record in 2020, but ultimately fell to a 3-0 defeat against City due to a combination of bad luck with injuries and a nightmare performance from David Luiz.

Mikel Arteta's team selection also raised more than a few eyebrows, as he fielded a youthful line-up while leaving the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac on the bench. 

Meanwhile, Ozil, who had been a fixture in Arsenal's starting XI before the coronavirus crisis stopped play in March, was not even asked to travel with the squad, despite the new rules allowing five substitutions per game.

When asked why the German playmaker was left out of his plans, Arteta told reporters post-match: "It was a tactical reason."

In the end, Ozil's absence counted for little, as Arsenal were undone by lapses of concentration in defence and ill-discipline.

The man most chiefly responsible for the defeat was Luiz, who came on to replace the injured Pablo Mari after 24 minutes.

Raheem Sterling capitalised on the Brazilian's failure to deal with a lofted pass from Kevin De Bruyne, stealing in behind before firing past Bernd Leno in the Arsenal net just before the interval.

Four minutes after the restart, Luiz was sent off for bringing down Riyad Mahrez in the penalty area, which allowed De Bruyne to step up and double City's lead from the spot.

Phil Foden's late effort rounded off an easy night's work for City, and Arteta was left bemoaning the sequence of unfortunate events which left his side with a mountain to climb.

He said: "Everything went wrong from the first minute. Every possible accident that could have happened hopefully happened today."

Arteta added on Luiz's horror show at the back: "He is someone that is very honest and straight forward. My opinion of David Luiz hasn't changed. It won't change because he had a difficult performance tonight."

The Arsenal boss concluded by expressing his belief that the players' pre-match show of solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement will go a long way to helping eliminate racism in English football.

"I think it is bringing everyone back together again in a very strong message," he said.

David Luiz has equalled Ibrahima Sonko’s undesirable Premier League following having conceded a penalty in Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

He becomes the first player to have given away four penalties in a single top-flight season since Jose Fonte at Southampton in 2016-17, living up to his reputation as one of the most unreliable defenders in European football.

Also in this rank includes the ex-Senegal international, Gary Caldwell, Claus Lundekvam, Ken Monkou and Luc Nijholt.

The English topflight returned on Wednesday after over three month of suspension following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Luiz was brought in as a replacement for injured Pablo Mari with just 24 minutes into the first half, and the hosts profited from his howler to take a first-half lead.

The Brazilian’s miserable miscalculation allowed Raheem Sterling fire past goalkeeper Bernd Leno before the break – his first goal of 2020.

Things got worse for the 33-year-old after he was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor for a clumsy challenge on Algeria international Riyad Mahrez – as the Citizens were awarded a penalty.

Kevin de Bruyne stepped up to score as Pep Guardiola went two goals up before Phil Foden completed the damage in the closing stages of the game.

With that, Luiz becomes the first player to be sent off, concede a penalty and commit an error leading to an opposition goal in a Premier League match since Carl Jenkinson for West Ham against Bournemouth in August 2015.

Sonko achieved that unwanted feat during the 2007-08 season while at Reading where he spent four seasons before heading for Stoke City, then loan spells at Hull City and Portsmouth.

Following his release by the Potters, the defender was signed by Championship team Ipswich Town on a one-year deal before moving to newly promoted Turkish Süper Lig side Akhisar Belediyespor on 15 August 2012.

Defeat for the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium mean they now have a slim chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. They are ninth in the log having accrued 40 points from 29 league games – eight points adrift of fourth-placed Frank Lampard’s Chelsea with nine games to play.

AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer has reacted to reported transfer interest from PSG and Manchester City, claiming he is honoured by the transfer links.

The Algeria international has been a standout player in Milan's midfield this season, playing in 24 matches across all competitions so far.

Bennacer has struck a partnership with Ivory Coast's Franck Kessie Stefano Pioli's team with their commanding displays in the heart of the midfield, and he is said to have a release clause of €50 million that won't be active until the summer of 2021.

The Algerian midfielder joined AC Milan on a five-year deal from Empoli last July, and he has disclosed that he feels 'great' at the San Siro Stadium.

“I am not aware of anything. I just work, give everything on the pitch and I am at the service of AC Milan. My focus is on my club, where I feel great. Obviously the interest of big clubs honours me,” Bennacer told Le Buteur via Milan Live.

He joined Arsenal from French club Arles in 2015 but he was restricted to just one first-team appearance which came in a League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday that same year before he was sold to Empoli.

He turned heads in Italy after his arrival in 2017, helping Empoli gain promotion to the Serie A in his debut season but his effort was not enough to help them maintain their top-flight status in the 2018-19 campaign.

Last summer, the 22-year-old shone on the continent as he was crowned the Player of the Tournament and the Best Young Player at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as a reward for his contributions in Algeria’s triumphant campaign in Egypt.

Bennacer decided to play for the Desert Foxes in July 2016 after playing for France youth teams across the U18 and U19 levels.

He has made 22 appearances for the North African country since he made his debut outing against Lesotho in September 2016.

Gennaro Gattuso felt Napoli's hard work was rewarded by a "God of football" as they defeated Juventus to win the Coppa Italia.

Napoli came out on top in Wednesday's penalty shootout after a dismal 0-0 draw, with Paulo Dybala and Danilo failing from the spot in a 4-2 reverse.

The Partenopei deserved their success after seeing some big opportunities come and go, largely thanks to the brilliance of veteran Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

It represents a first major triumph for Gattuso as a coach, and he told Rai Sport: "Whoever does this job must have respect for it.

"We are lucky. This is why I get angry; there must be passion, respect, seriousness. Then there is a God of football who rewards you when you work well."

In the moments after Napoli's success, Gattuso's mind turned towards his sister, Francesca, who passed away earlier this month following a battle with cancer.

"The world of football has given me more than I deserved," he said. "But you always think of your family first. In life, when what has happened happens to you, you don't digest it."

The coach is now keen to see Napoli kick on in the closing weeks of the season in Serie A, in which they sit sixth, nine points behind fourth-placed Atalanta.

"We have a duty to play these last 12 games with respect," Gattuso added. "We must not think about giving up."

Maurizio Sarri has now lost two finals since taking over at Juventus and felt his side are still struggling to perform at their best following the coronavirus pandemic. 

"There is disappointment for the boys, for the club, for the fans, but at the moment we cannot express more," he told Rai Sport.

"We have tried to press less high, our condition is not the optimal one, but we did the game with excellent levels of application.

"I think that at the moment we are struggling especially in terms of individuality and that this lack of brilliance is characteristic of this period.

"I didn't say anything to the players, we were all very angry and disappointed and I think it's better to be silent right now. We will talk about it."