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James Milner believes Virgil van Dijk ranks alongside the best defenders ever to have played in the Premier League.

And the Liverpool vice-captain has revealed the moment his team-mate left him “wanting to stand and applaud” in the middle of a game.

Van Dijk’s impact at Anfield has been immense. Since joining the Reds in January 2018, the Dutchman has helped Jurgen Klopp’s side become European and world champions, and they will soon add the Premier League title to their collection too. 

He was the PFA Player of the Year last season, and finished a narrow second to Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or award. 

Speaking at a virtual media session hosted by Stadium Astro in Malaysia, Milner paid tribute to Van Dijk’s excellence, comparing the 28-year-old to some of the world-class centre-backs he played with earlier in his career.

He said: “He’s right up there. I’ve been very fortunate to have played with some amazing centre-halves. You look at Rio [Ferdinand], Jonathan Woodgate, Vinny Kompany, and Virg is right in there with all those guys.

“He reads the game so well, he’s quick, he’s strong, he’s good on the ball, he’s a good communicator and he’s deadly in the air. 

“And his positioning is so good. You can see that after the game when you look at how far players have run. He’s run miles less than everyone else, even the other centre-halves, and you think ‘how is that possible?’ but it’s because he reads the game so well. 

“He’s an incredible player for us, and a big part of what we do. The spine in the team is massive and he is obviously a rock in that defence.”

Milner has often played alongside Van Dijk on the left side of Liverpool’s defence, as well as in front of him when operating in midfield.

And he laughed as he recalled an incident during the Reds’ win over Southampton at the beginning of February, which he says sums up the former Celtic man’s class.

“Liverpool put the clip out recently,” he said. “The ball has come over his shoulder, he’s got a forward sprinting to close him down, hunting him down into the corner and he’s just knocked it over his shoulder, first-time, into my path.

“It was one of those moments in a game where I nearly stopped an applauded before I controlled the ball myself! It was ridiculous defending, but that’s the sort of thing he does.”

Milner added: “Hopefully he’ll keep improving as well. But the players he has around him – Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren – I don’t think their impact on him can be lost either.

“Virgil gets a lot of credit and rightly so, but look at the rest of the back four and the goalkeeper, look at the screening of the midfield, and look at the other centre-halves alongside him.

“The competition is massive in the team, but really Virg is there and it’s about who will partner him.”

Liverpool are set to return to Premier League action on Sunday, making the short trip to face Everton.

The Reds need just two more wins to secure a first league title since 1990 – and could indeed be crowned champions with victory at Goodison Park if Manchester City lose against Arsenal on Wednesday. 

Wherever they win it, they will do so without supporters, with all remaining games to be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Milner admits it will be a new experience, but says the impact of ‘ghost games’ will not affect Liverpool’s players. 

He said: “I think any time you play a derby, whether it’s a behind-closed-doors friendly match at the training ground or a Premier League game, with or without fans, both clubs are desperate to win. 

“We’re playing for the fans whether they’re there or not. We know how much it means to them. They’ve got to walk around the city and see each other regularly, so we need to give them those bragging rights. 

“It’s straight into the deep end with a derby first up, but maybe that’s a good thing. There’s no time to ease yourself in, it’ll be flat out from the first minute and that’s what we’ve been preparing for. Hopefully we can start well and get back on the run we were on before we finished.”

He added: “The fans are part of everything we do. The support they give us is amazing.

“But as long as the fans know that they are with us and that we are playing for them, that’s what matters. They’re still a massive part of what we do. We just need to do this small period without them. 

“They’ve had a long wait and we’ll be pushing as hard as we can to secure that league title.” 

Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour has the potential to become a "world-class" player, according to former Rangers boss Mark Warburton.

Gilmour was enjoying a breakthrough season at Stamford Bridge before the coronavirus pandemic stopped play in March, having been promoted into a first-team role by Blues boss Frank Lampard.

The 19-year-old has featured in seven games in all competitions, with his standout display coming in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Scotland U21 international was named man of the match after running the show from the middle of the park, getting the better of Reds talisman Fabinho while linking up with Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount to great effect.

He repeated the trick in a 4-0 win over Everton on March 8, and impressed once again as Chelsea warmed up for the Premier League restart with a 7-1 friendly victory against QPR on Sunday.

Gilmour was on Rangers' books before he joined Chelsea in 2017, and Warburton recalls being wowed by his performances in the academy.

"David Weir and I went to his house to try and keep him for Rangers," the ex-Gers head coach told the Daily Mail. "We spent time with his mum and dad, but when the big boys come calling, it’s tough.

"His talent was unquestioned. I remember he played against what was a Dundee reserve side with a number of first-team players in it.

"I’m looking at Billy who was 15 and thinking there is a health-and-safety issue here because he was so slight. But he went out and absolutely ran the show.

"He had trained with us a couple of times in the first team and I am really pleased to see how he is doing now. What a talent. I think Scotland have a future world-class midfield player, I really do.

"I think he is going to keep on improving because he is in a great environment with Frank and Jody (Morris, assistant manager) and the players at Chelsea.

"I very much hope he can continue that progress because, if so, Scotland truly will have a world-class midfield player there."

Warburton went on to compare Gilmour to former Arsenal playmaker Jack Wilshere, who was tipped to reach the very highest level of the game after a bright start to his career at Emirates Stadium.

The 57-year-old added: "I remember one of my first academy games with Watford was against Arsenal. We had a good team and we got beaten 9-0.

"I think it was Under-12 level and I saw this kid just run the show. It was Jack Wilshere. Whichever side he was on would have won the game 9-0. He was so far ahead of his time and so talented.

"Billy Gilmour is right up there with him. Jack has been unlucky in terms of being hit by injuries, but Billy is in a great environment.

"If you love the game of football, his development is great to see. It really is."

Karim Benzema has secured his place in call of Duty: Wazone ultimate team, which features a combo of COD's operators and football players who have similar characteristics.

Goal.com has teamed up with Call of Duty to make the "Coalition vs Allegiance" ultimate team. The concept consists on choosing 11 characters from both the Coalition and Allegiance who are featuring in Warzone.

We then analyze the specific traits of each character and potential Footballers who fit the mould and resemble well with the character. The audience is involved by voting for their favorite Operator-Footballer combo to make it feature in the Ultimate team.

For the new poll, we had a duel between Karim Benzema and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who were representing Wyatt from the coalition team and Mace from the Allegiance team respectively.

Real Madrid's striker led the poll with 56% of the votes (10131) beating out Arsenla's player who ended up with 44% of the votes (8036).

Stay tuned for our next poll...

Veteran Ghanaian coach JE Sarpong is incensed by calls to apologise for perceived derogatory remarks about footballers on the domestic scene.

The former Asante Kotoko and Liberty Professionals man generated controversy in an audacious claim in which he labelled 60 per cent of Ghanaian players as smokers of marijuana.

The allegation attracted the attention of Ghana and Aduana Stars striker Yahaya Mohammed, the second top scorer in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) this season, who lashed out at the tactician and called for an apology.

"When I say about 60 per cent of Ghanaian players smoke weed [marijuana], you [Yahaya] are telling me 'what am I talking about?' Where were you when I started coaching?" Sarpong told SportsworldGhana.

“As someone who has coached on the local scene for close to four decades from the grassroots to the top level, I have dealt with footballers at all levels and I know what I am saying.

“Some even smoke weed and come to play. And after games, some go and smoke it.

“Former Black Stars goalkeeper Robert Mensah those times if you don’t buy him weed, he won’t play and this was even confirmed by the late Ghana FA chairman Ben Koufie who said at one time he had to buy marijuana for Robert Mensah before he kept the post.

“Odame, Oppong - all in Kotoko were smoking marijuana back then so who doesn’t know some Ghanaian players smoke weed?

“There is a weed smoker in every team in the country."

Sarpong, who has also had stints with Premier League sides Ebusua Dwarfs, Great Olympics and Yahaya's present club Aduana, went ahead to reveal personally helping obtain marijuana for a player ahead of a league clash with Hearts of Oak during his time with Olympics.

He was also once assistant coach of the national U23 set-up.

Yahaya, who played for French side Nice in 2007-08, was named in Ghana's 23-man squad for a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sudan, which was later postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 32-year-old has also played for Mexican fold Murcielagos and Azam in Tanzania. 

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has confessed he has not thought of discussing new signings with the club in the coming transfer window because “there is no money to support my transfer activities.”

K’Ogalo have already been listed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf} as Kenya’s representatives in the lucrative Champions League for next season and will need to strengthen their squad if they are to make a mark in the competition.

While Polack has already identified a few players he would love to bring to strengthen the squad, the financial situation at the club has forced him to wait for things to improve.

“Sorry, for now, I cannot talk about signings when the club does not have any money for the business,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“Let me give you a very good example, let’s say you are a player and I am talking to you, by the way, please I will like you come and play for my club, this is the reason why and tell me about you, you explain to me and then you ask me, what about the finances, do you have the money? 

"That will be one of your questions and currently, Gor Mahia doesn't have the money.

“I cannot tell you, yes we might have some money in the future, I cannot pledge because the situation is bad. I cannot discuss anything to do with transfers until the clubs shows me they have finances, you cannot do anything, we might have some in the future so for now, I don’t want to discuss anything.

“For me, I don’t want to tell players to come to play for us when we don’t have money when you want to sign a player I always talk to the management first, how much money do we have? And then I can bring in my new players, but the case, for now, is different at Gor Mahia because we don’t have money.”

In a recent interview, Polack revealed to Goal he was praying hard that some of the key players in the club will stay in the coming season.

The Kenyan champions are struggling to pay salaries to players and the technical bench and most of their key players have already expressed the desire to move to greener pastures if they get good offers.

Goal understands captain Kenneth Muguna and his assistant Joash Onyango are among the players who are targeted by a number of clubs, with Tanzania giants Simba SC already in talks to sign the former.

Tanzanian keeper David Mapigano has also claimed he will not return to play for Gor Mahia unless they pay him all the money he is owed, while defender Dickson Ambundo is a transfer target for another Tanzanian club, Yanga SC.

Azam FC have confirmed striker Donald Ngoma has left the club after his short-term contract ended on June 14.

The Zimbabwean player signed for the “Ice Cream Makers” from Young Africans (Yanga SC) two season ago but the two parties have now reached an agreement not to renew the contract which has run down.

Azam have confirmed the exit of the player, who helped them to win two trophies – Mapinduzi Cup and Azam Sports (domestic Cup) – last season.

“We can officially confirm Donald [Ngoma] has left Azam after his contract came to an end on June 14,” the club confirmed in a statement seen by Goal.

“We want to thank him for his services and especially for helping the club to clinch two trophies last season and also want thank him for being a dedicated player, who led by a good example during his stay here.”

For the period he played for Azam, Ngoma was the club’s main striker and managed to score 14 goals in all competitions last season to become the club’s top scorer in that period.

Ngoma managed to play a total of 42 matches for Azam in all competitions, notching 20 goals in the process with four assists.

Goal understands the fate of the striker was sealed by head coach Aristica Cioaba, who gave the green light for the player to leave at the end of his contract.

Ngoma was among the seven foreign players in the Azam squad but was yet to report to Tanzania owing to the lockdown being experienced in Zimbabwe.

Last week, Azam managed to secure the services of their Uganda defender Nicolas Wadada ahead of the Mainland Premier League which resumed on Saturday.

Wadada had relocated to his native Uganda and with the country still serving the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, getting the player back to Dar es Saalam was not an easy task.

Azam’s other foreign players include the Ghanaian trio of Razak Abalora, Dan Amoa and Yakubu Mohamed, and two players in Zimbabwe - Never Tigere, and Bruce Kangwa.

In a recent interview, coach Cioba confessed the absence of the players from his squad will greatly affect the team’s performances when the league resumes.

Azam, who are second on the league table behind leaders Simba SC, are also in the quarter-finals of the domestic Cup.

Eddie Nketiah can help Arsenal move to "the next level", according to Mikel Arteta, who has been impressed with the striker during the first few months of his tenure at Emirates Stadium.

Nketiah rose through the youth ranks at Arsenal before graduating to the senior squad in 2017, but was made to wait for his breakthrough after a string of cameo appearances.

The 21-year-old notched his first Premier League goal on the final day of the 2018-19 campaign against Burnley, and went onto enjoy a strong summer under Unai Emery.

Despite scoring four goals during Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States, Nketiah was sent out on loan to Leeds in August to continue his development.

Unfortunately, he struggled for regular playing time at Elland Road, and the Gunners ended up calling him back to the Emirates in January.

Arteta. who replaced Emery in December, says he quickly decided not to allow Nketiah to go out on loan again after witnessing his ability at close quarters, and he is now expecting the young English forward to reward him for his faith by helping Arsenal finish the season strongly.

"We treat Eddie as an important part of our squad," the Gunners boss said in a press conference on Monday.

"We had to make an important decision not to let him go on loan again after the spell he had at Leeds.

"I watched him train and I was very convinced he was the right player for us to move us to the next level, that he can contribute in a big way to the way we want to play.

"He has been fantastic so far."

Nketiah hit three goals in seven outings for Arsenal after returning to the club from Leeds, before seeing his progress interrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.

He will be hoping to pick up from where he left off when the action resumes on Wednesday, as Arteta's men prepare to come up against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal slipped to ninth in the top flight when play was stopped in March, eight points behind Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish, but they do have a game in hand on their Champions League rivals.

Yanga SC have parted ways with their secretary-general David Ruhago, effective immediately.

In a letter dated June 15, the 27-time league champions confirmed the exit of the official.

"Yanga club management and Secretary-General David Ruhago have today [Monday, June 15] reached a mutual agreement to part ways," read the statement signed by communications officer Hassan Bumbuli and obtained by Goal.

"The decision has been reached after extensive talks by all the parties involved. So effective today [Monday], Ruhago is no longer serving the team as the secretary-general."

The Jangwani-based side went on to thank the former official for his services before appointing his replacement. 

"The Yanga Service Committee under the leadership of Chairman Mshindo Msolla wishes to thank Ruhago for the time he served at the club," the statement continued.

"During this transition period, the service committee has appointed Simon Patrick who is a lawyer by profession to take over as the new Yanga secretary-general."

Ruhago was reportedly shown the door for failing to agree with the top management regarding some issues regarding the club's future.

Timu ya Wananchi have gone three seasons without the league title, and during the same time, they have been under tough financial constraints.

The East Africa side is aiming at winning the league next season; however, in the current campaign, they are targeting the FA Cup.

In the league's restart last Saturday, Yanga managed to defeat Mwadui by a solitary goal.

On Tuesday, they will be playing JKT Tanzania in Dodoma and in an earlier interview, Bumbuli admitted it will not be a walk in the park.

The Dodoma-based side have regularly been a difficult opponent for the 27-time league champion and in the last four meetings, they have managed two draws and as many wins.

With that in mind, the official admitted it will be a tough game but all they want are three points on the road.

"We respect [JKT Tanzania] they are a good team, and to be honest we respect all our opponents," Bumbuli told journalists.

"All teams are tough to beat especially at this time when they are chasing their objectives. However, we all know Yanga is a big, established and historic team and will do absolutely everything to win especially on the pitch.

"Like our game [on Saturday] against Mwadui, it was tough but we won; we scored two goals, we were denied one but still managed to get maximum points by the 1-0 win.

"We are one team determined to get maximum points regardless of the opponent we are playing against. For instance Prisons, they were unbeaten by the time we played them in the first round, but we defeated them.

"So regardless of how good JKT are, we just want to go there, beat them and return to Dar es Salaam with maximum points."

Mikel Arteta has confirmed sorting out a new contract for Bukayo Saka is a priority for Arsenal alongside resolving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future.

Saka has enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Emirates Stadium and has made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and supplying 10 assists.

He impressed as a makeshift left-back in the weeks leading up to the coronavirus lockdown, but is keen to revert to his more natural position on the left wing in the future.

With Kieran Tierney now fit again, and Aubameyang generally deployed on the left flank, Saka could find starting opportunities more limited when the Premier League resumes on Wednesday.

At the same time, Arsenal are also trying to tie down Saka to a long-term contract, with the 18-year-old’s current deal due to expire in 2021.

The likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund have been linked with Saka, and Arteta acknowledged the teenager’s situation is one of the more urgent ones facing Arsenal.

"We are trying, as a club, to finalise the deals that are more urgent and are a priority for us," said Arteta.

"The ones you are talking about [Bukayo and Aubameyang] - they are both really important, not just for now but for the future of the club as well and if the club has something to announce, they will do it in the right moment."

The Gunners restart their season with a trip to Manchester City on Wednesday and it is likely to be a hectic period during the coming weeks.

Arteta will need to juggle his squad, but is keen not to place any undue pressure on the talented crop of young players at his disposal.

He added: "They have to keep developing and one of the biggest challenges is always consistency.

"They have been doing it for a certain period of time, for certain moments of certain games but to do it consistently for every three days for 94 or 96 minutes, that's a different story.

"In order to do that and develop the right way, they need the right players next to them, with the right mentality, with the right qualities and with the right drive.

"That's what we have to do, we have to give them the right foundations in order for them to feel free to develop, without the extra pressure that they don't need in these moments and they cannot carry on.

"We don't give them too much responsibility too early, because there is always a risk to burn them."

Steven Gerrard says Liverpool should already be "starting work on a statue" of Jurgen Klopp ahead of their title coronation.

Liverpool will be confirmed as the new Premier League champions if they pick up six points from their final nine fixtures of the 2019-20 season.

Klopp's men had established an unassailable 25-point lead over holder Manchester City before the coronavirus stopped play in March, having won all but two of their first 29 games.

Project restart will begin when City take on Arsenal on Wednesday, and if they lose, it will open the door for Liverpool to ascend to the top-flight throne by beating Everton in Sunday's Merseyside derby.

Club legend Gerrard, who took up his first head coaching role with Rangers in 2018, says Klopp has set the standard for all managers to aspire to, and he has been delighted to see Liverpool reach new heights under his stewardship.

“Let’s cut to the chase, sitting here, doing this interview right now, I think Jurgen Klopp is the best manager in the world,” the ex-Reds midfielder told The Athletic.

“I know there are a lot of successful managers about. Pep Guardiola is exceptional. Carlo Ancelotti is exceptional too and I think Everton are really lucky to have him with his CV. I could name many more.

“Having had the experience of being a manager for the past two years, you realise how difficult and challenging the job is. I have nothing but respect for Jurgen.

“The way the man handles himself, the way he’s been with myself, the way he goes about his business, the way he comes across. I think he’s got a heart and I think he’s got a head. He just works for Liverpool. He has come and taken the club to the next level.”

Once Klopp delivers Liverpool's 19th league title, he will go down in history alongside the club's legendary former managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, both of whom sit outside of Anfield in statue form.

Gerrard says the German boss will deserve the same tribute once Liverpool's transformation from also-rans into European and English champions is complete.

He said: “Knowing Jurgen, he won’t want to be put in that bracket. I know what he’s like, he’s humble and respectful. When you look at the scale of the job he’s done, for sure he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those iconic managers.

“What you need to take into consideration is that when Jurgen took over Liverpool they weren’t close to being the best team in the country, they weren’t even in the top four.

“To come to Liverpool when he did, get to the amount of finals that he has, deliver the sixth European Cup and then deliver the first league title after 30 years…

“For me, someone like Jurgen should be rewarded now. It seems like in football we often wait until people get older before their achievements are fully recognised.

“But I know the owners of Liverpool won’t let that happen. When Jurgen delivers the league they should already be starting work on a statue of him.”

Gerrard added on the "relief" he will feel when Liverpool finally hold the trophy aloft: "You don’t want to count your chickens until it’s certain but I think we all know that it’s inevitable.

“For me, there will be a lot of relief. Being a fan for a lot of those years and being a player and coming ever so close, you know that this is the one that people have craved.

“This is the bread and butter of the club. I grew up watching all the successful Liverpool teams winning leagues. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do it myself.

“I’m a fan now and I always will be until the day I go into a grave. When they get it done and they lift that trophy, it will be 100 per cent happiness for me. I can’t wait for it. I’ll be the proudest man on the planet.”

Posta Rangers have reached out to the government to have them included in the stimulus package which is helping to assist sportsmen and women in the country financially.

The government introduced the stimulus package one month ago, to help support the players owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

AFC Leopards and Sofapaka were among the first teams in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) to receive a stimulus stipend.

The Ministry of Sports, through Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohamed, announced Sh20 million had been released from the Sports Fund to help players amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

While players from all teams in the top-flight are shortlisted to get financial help for the next three months, Tusker, Bandari, Wazito FC, KCB, Posta Rangers, and Ulinzi Stars, were excluded since they allegedly have financial backing.

Posta Rangers have now come out crying and begging Amina to help their players, who have suffered because they have not received salaries for the last three months.

“We wish to inform you Posta Rangers players and officials are also struggle financially and they are not stable as it was deemed,” Posta Rangers said in a statement dated June 11, signed by club chairman John Tanui, sent to Amina, and obtained by Goal.

“The players and officials owe rent arrears for at least two to three months.

“In addition to facing imminent eviction, as their June rent is due, they and their families now face an increasingly desperate housing, food, and health crisis. We look forward to your positive consideration and appreciate your continued support for the growth and development of sports in Kenya.”

During the first release, AFC Leopards pocketed the largest amount (Sh350,000) after submitting 35 names which included players and members of the technical bench. 

Kisumu based All-Stars received Sh340,000 for 34 names with Sofapaka and Zoo FC getting Sh300,000 each for 30 individuals. 

Women's footballers were not left behind. Gatundu-based Gaspo FC, who are taking part in the Kenyan Women Premier League (KWPL), also received their fair share. The technical bench and players numbering 28, received Sh280,000.

Gor Mahia have also received financial support though most of the players feel the Sh10, 000 is not enough to help them pay accrued debts.

Mainz striker Taiwo Awoniyi has thanked the club’s medical team for their efforts to ensure he regained consciousness.

The Nigerian forward was stretchered off in the 23rd minute in his side’s 1-0 defeat to Augsburg in Sunday’s Bundesliga game at Opel Arena.

Awoniyi hit the head of Felix Uduokhai and then landed awkwardly before he was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a severe concussion.

On Monday, Mainz manager Achim Beierlorzer revealed the striker has regained consciousness and can now remember the incident.

The former Nigeria U23 striker has thanked God, his club and Mainz University Medical Center for saving his life.

"The last thing I can remember from this scene is how I hit the ball with my head, and then I passed out,” Awoniyi told the club website.

“It was difficult for me on the field to regain consciousness and really awake and it also took a little while before I could remember everything. But I feel much better now.

“I would like to praise our medical department at Mainz 05 and Mainz University Medical Center. They looked after me very well.

“And I thank the dear God who protected me in this situation and made everything possible for me anyway.”

Awoniyi joined Mainz last summer from Premier League club Liverpool and has featured in 11 Bundesliga games for the Opel Arena outfit since his arrival.

The 05ers are three places above the relegation zone and the 22-year-old, who revealed he will not play a part when his side takes on Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, is confident they can avoid the drop from the top-flight at the end of the season.

“Unfortunately I will not be able to help my team on the pitch in Dortmund, but I will support them as much as I can. Together we will give everything for the fans and avoid relegation, I'm sure of that,” he added.

Awoniyi has been with Liverpool since 2015, after his impressive showing for the Golden Eaglets at the 2013 U17 World Cup, where he scored four goals in the competition to help Nigeria win the title.

The forward has, however, spent most of his time on loan playing in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

It is yet to be seen when he will be allowed to take the field again.

Ashraf ‘Fadiga’ Mugume has explained the reason he signed for Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC).

The 13-time league champions, who are reeling from losing out on the 2019-20 Ugandan Premier League (UPL) title to rivals Vipers SC, confirmed the double signing of midfielder Mugume and striker Charles Lwanga at Lugogo Stadium on Sunday.

Both players were free agents with Lwanga having run down his contract and parted ways with SC Villa while Mugume was at Police FC.

Mugume, who penned a four-year contract which will see him stay at the club until July 2024, has explained he wants to win trophies in Uganda hence the decision to sign for the former champions.

“I can’t wait to get started, repay the club for the faith they have had in me, fight for the badge and earn my spot on the first team,” Mugume is quoted by the club’s official website.

“I want to win trophies with the club, I want to make the fans happy and my family proud.

“I am happy and feel overwhelmed to join KCCA. I have had a chance to train with the club since January 2020 and I immediately felt at home since the first day here.

“I have a couple of players that are my friends here and also grew up with a number of them so the chemistry is good.”

Mugume, who started his career at Red Star FC while studying at Old Kampala Primary Senior between 2012 and 2014, says he already likes the environment at Lugogo and he is ready to get a fresh start.

“I want to put all the past behind me and have a fresh start here at KCCA FC,” Mugume continued.

“I feel this is the right environment for me to develop and grow into the right player I want to be. I have been involved in a number of practice games with the club and I felt the style of play was the right for me to blossom. They love to use the ball and I am comfortable in that kind of style.

“The club has very good technically gifted players and competition here is real. Many players are on the National team and this speaks volumes for the kind of quality here.”

After leaving school in 2014, Mugune joined the Vipers Junior Team while at St Mary’s SSS, Kitende in 2015, where he won the Fufa Juniors League in 2015 and was later promoted to the senior team in 2016 and played his first match against Mbarara City.

KCCA are also understood to be in the final stages of finalising the signing of Pius Obuya from Maroons. Obuya is thought to be an apt replacement for Allan Okello, who left in January for Paradou AC.

Lucas Hernandez still needs to get up to speed with the tactical demands of playing for Bayern Munich following his spell on the sidelines, according to boss Hansi Flick.

World Cup-winning France international Hernandez was an €80 million (£72m/$91m) acquisition from Atletico Madrid last year but he has struggled during his debut campaign in Bavaria.

The 24-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage at the end of October and was sidelined for more than three months.

During that time, Niko Kovac was sacked as head coach and Bayern were revitalised under Flick, who will complete a stunning resurgence and guide the club to their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title if they beat Werder Bremen on Tuesday.

Alphonso Davies has enjoyed a rapid rise to establish himself as first choice at left-back, while David Alaba has slotted in at centre-back in accomplished fashion, meaning Hernandez's versatility is of no immediate use in terms of remedying his situation.

Flick handed Hernandez a start in the weekend win over Borussia Monchengladbach, but Hernandez was substituted after the hour, having been replaced at half-time during the 5-0 thrashing of Paderborn

Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City are among the clubs to have been linked with his services and Flick concedes the player has work to do after such a long spell on the sidelines.

"Lucas is an absolute professional, I like his dynamic training," he told a news conference on Monday.

"He was absent for a long time and therefore has tactical deficits. 

"I'm happy with him, every player needs a rhythm. I see its potential."

Star forwards Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski are set to return from suspension against Werder, while Niklas Sule is to resume training later this week following a long-term knee ligament injury, along with Philippe Coutinho (ankle).

"There will be two changes that everyone can think of." Flick said, alluding to Lewandowski and Muller's involvement, although Javi Martinez is laid low with a stomach bug.

Weekend goalscorer Joshua Zirkzee is nursing a knock, as is winger Ivan Perisic.

Bayern lead second-placed Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race by seven points with three games to play.

Pep Guardiola has taken Bernardo Silva's game on to another level at Manchester City, according to former Portugal great Nuno Gomes.

Silva joined City from Monaco for £46 million ($58m) in May 2017 with a Ligue 1 winners' medal in his possession.

He has since been an integral part of the side that Guardiola has guided to six of the past seven major domestic honours on offer, including back-to-back Premier League titles.

Silva was voted City's player of the year in 2018-19 and went on to inspire Portugal to glory on home soil in the inaugural Nations League Finals.

Gomes told Stats Perform News he is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old.

"Bernardo is, for me at the moment, one of the best players that we have in Portugal," he said.

"With Pep he's improved a lot. I believe that Guardiola has said a lot of times that he is a massive fan of Bernardo Silva, and I believe Bernardo Silva, knowing that he has the trust and the confidence of the coach, he goes onto the field and he plays naturally, because he has a talent that is natural."

As he did during Monaco's run to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2016-17, Silva has excelled roving in from the right flank at City.

However, injury problems for Kevin De Bruyne last term meant he also spent a lot of time operating on the right of a central midfield three and Gomes feels the defensive side of the playmaker's game has come along considerably.

"He has improved also in terms of defending, the way that he pushes the opponent, [as well as] the way he can compromise [opposition] defensive situations, because with the ball he is one of the best," he added.

"I believe with Pep Guardiola, he has already improved a lot in his style of play, and I’m a big fan of Bernardo Silva."

Guardiola's men host Arsenal on Wednesday when the Premier League resumes from the coronavirus shutdown.

Liverpool are poised to end City's reign as champions, but Silva and his team-mates remain in contention in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Even at a young age of 22, Chennaiyin FC's Anirudh Thapa has established himself as one of the best midfielders in India, with consistent performances for both club and country.

A lot of credit for Thapa's rise in stature over the years lies with the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Elite Academy which identified his talent and gave him an opportunity to fulfill it. Thapa was also sent on a three-month long training stint to Ligue 1 side FC Metz which he feels has been highly beneficial in his growth.

Thapa explains the challenges he had to face when he first moved to the AIFF Elite Academy from the St. Stephens School in Dehradun when he was 14 years old.

"When I joined AIFF Academy, I was just 14 and I had come from St.Stephen’s. The players there were all really advanced. I had a good coach at St.Stephen's but I never really had the quality players around me whom I found at the AIFF Academy to challenge myself," Thapa told Goal . 

"The facilities and coaches were great at the AIFF Academy. It was difficult for me at first because the competition was huge."

But Thapa, who had paid scant attention to domestic football in India before, was to get an intensive crash course in the same during his stay at the academy.

"It was a great process for me. I could advance my game. I learned what football is in the country. We used to watch Pailan Arrows and I-League together. Before that, I just saw the national team but after coming to AIFF Academy, I got to know the history, Kolkata football and more."

Thapa's impressive performances in the AIFF set-up soon saw him grab the attention of numerous clubs, with Chennaiyin FC managing to sign the player up. The Dehradun-born player was also selected for a three-month training stint at FC Metz in 2016, alongside Jerry Lalrinzuala and Prosenjit Chakraborty.

It was a period that helped Thapa improve his technique and understanding of the game, thanks to the intensive nature of the training sessions in France.

"When I went to Metz, it was a huge step up. The football there was very advanced. The quality of the players, facilities and infrastructure was great. Players were training even at the age of six-to-eight. We used to train with the B team and sometimes with the U23 teams. It was great to learn from them. The tempo of the game was really high and the training we used to do was more technique-oriented and it was more with the ball.

"The food was also very different from what we got in India. Even my sleeping pattern. But it was great to learn and when I came to Chennai, it was not that hard for me to make the step up. Of course, the players at the club were more experienced but when it came to technique and game, I was able to compete with them. That was a huge thing for me.

"Yes, I wanted to stay there longer but I had already signed a contract with Chennaiyin FC and had to come back."

A lot of young players in India have been moving to lower tiers of European leagues of late. Thapa feels that it is very important to move to Europe at a young age and spend some time there. He feels that the amount of knowledge and skills you learn in a short period of time in such leagues is a lot more than what you learn in India.

"If you go at a young age, you get to learn a lot. When I went, I was 18 and even then, I learnt a lot. If you go at 14-16, you will learn much more and become much better players.

"If they can stay for a longer period, it will be good because you can advance your game and be technically better. It is not just learning these things, it is also about learning it quickly. That is the main thing.

"In India, what you learn in two-to-three years, you will learn it there in one year. The training sessions are advanced and you play a lot more games than in India. They obviously play twice a week. It’s a big thing. You get more game time and it is very important in the learning curve for a player," reasoned Thapa.

Kerala Blasters sporting director Karolis Skinkys believes changes to the foreign player policy in the Indian Super League (ISL) should be a gradual process. 

As reported earlier , after the recommendation of the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) technical committee and the ratification of the Executive Committee regarding the '3+1' rule, ISL clubs had agreed for a reduction in foreign players' from the 2021-22 season. The decision was in line with the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) guideline of including a maximum of four foreigners in the starting lineup out of which one player should be from Asia. 

Though the number of foreigners in the starting XI is set to be brought down, the compulsory inclusion of the Asian foreigner in the starting XI is syet to be agreed upon.

In an exclusive chat with Goal. Skinkys said, "To be honest, this (foreign) policy has two sides. I agree with the argument that domestic players will get more games with fewer foreigners. However, it is equally important for them to have a competitive environment to grow and learn."

He continued, "The goal should always be to ensure greater development of Indian players who can compete with and against the best. All things considered, we are in line with the vision of AFC but any change should be a gradual process as opposed to a sudden transition."

During a meeting held a few weeks ago, most of the clubs in ISL agreed to the recommendation of fielding a maximum of four overseas players at any given point of time on the pitch from 2021-22 season. But there are still some differences in opinion on the number of maximum foreigners that could be registered in the squad. While some want the teams to register five foreign players, a few want the number to be increased to seven.

There have been suggestions on not making it mandatory for the Asian foreigner to be in the playing XI as well. In the last two seasons, the ISL clubs were allowed to sign a maximum of seven and a minimum of six foreign players and could field at most five foreigners on the field. 

India is set to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022 and hence participate in the final round of the tournament for the first time since 2003. One country from which they should pick up a few tips and tricks is Vietnam.

Vietnam hosted the tournament twice so far – in 2010 and 2014. Along with Thailand, they have also been one of the most common ASEAN faces in the final round of the tournament since the turn of the century.

Given the exceptional way in which Vietnam hosted the tournament, India could possibly take a leaf from their handbook ahead of the 2022 edition. Of course, India will be hosting a bigger tournament and will have the experience of hosting the U17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for next year.

We look at how Vietnam organised the 2014 edition of the Women’s Asian Cup and whether they faced big challenges during the build-up to the big tournament.

Australia were set to host the tournament but a withdrawal from the same in May 2013 allowed Vietnam to be considered. However, their status as hosts was subject to qualifying to the main tournament from a group that also contained Hong Kong, Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan. Vietnam smashed 24 goals past their opponents in three games to storm into the final round.

There were very few operational difficulties in hosting the tournament and good footballing infrastructure was one of the biggest reasons why. Ho Chi Minh City was chosen as the host city for the tournament that was held over 11 days between May 14th and May 25th.

Eight months prior to the competition, AFC representatives gave the go-ahead to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) after an inspection of the infrastructure and progress of the preparation ahead of the tournament. There was no big roadblock to discuss at that time.

Eight teams featured in the tournament – Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Jordan. The first four qualified by virtue of finishing in the top-four of the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The other teams won their group in the qualifying rounds.

Thong Nhat Stadium was used as the main venue for the games. The presence of university stadiums and training grounds in close proximity to the stadium ensured reduced operating costs. The RMIT University and Ton Duc Thang University grounds were near the Thong Nhat Stadium and the training ground in Phu Tho Football Centre was also just two kilometres away. These grounds were used for training purposes.

The last set of Group Stage games are to be held simultaneously. The Go Dau Stadium in the Binh Duong province hence hosted two games – Japan vs Jordan and Thailand v Myanmar.

This stadium is home to Becamex Binh Duong FC, a popular first division Vietnamese club and one of the biggest in the country. It is located just 30 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City and travel was hence not a big concern.

The Thong Nhat Stadium is often the host to Vietnamese V-League games, Vietnamese National team matches and meets the AFC standard requirements. The presence of high profile hotels at Ho Chi Minh City ensured a pleasant stay of the players and match officials.

With two high profile stadiums in proximity hosting the games, there were little operational hiccups during the tournament. That women’s football does not garner as much attention as Men’s football reduced the burden on security. There was hence little chance of pitch invasion.

The attendance for the games that did not feature the Vietnamese women was rather underwhelming, with only a few thousand turning up for the games. This is less than your average attendance for a V-League game.

However, the fifth-place tie featuring Vietnam and Thailand witnessed about 20,000 people pouring into the stands. The long-time rivalry between the two countries ensured this fixture gathered the hype and was turned into a grand spectacle. Much to the dismay of the local crowd Vietnam lost 2-1 to finish sixth.

In India, the women's national team matches rarely attract many spectators which was also the case in Vietnam. However, as you can see, 20000 people attended a fifth-placed tie of the Vietnam national team. The 2022 tournament will see more interest in the women's game in India and will, hopefully, attract more fans to support the team from the stadium, as evidenced in Vietnam.

Elsewhere Japan and Australia overcame China and South Korea to book a date for the final. Azusa Iwashimizu scored the lone goal that won Japan their first title in the competition.

Thus, concluded one of the smoothest and well-organised tournaments. The then AFC General Secretary Mr Dato Alex Soosay praised the VFF for the organisational work of the Asian Cup and ensuring the tournament was completed without any big difficulties.

Come 2022, India will be the cynosure of women's football in the continent. They will do well to replicate what Vietnam managed in 2014.