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Every home game for Brentford this season is momentous, but Saturday carries an extra significance with Liverpool set to visit the Brentford Community Stadium.

It is only the Bees’ third ever Premier League home clash and, having faced Arsenal in their opening day encounter, play another traditional English side this weekend. Admittedly, the understrength Gunners were there for the taking in August’s meeting, but Jurgen Klopp’s Reds pose an obviously different test.

Supporters were expectedly raucous in that 2-0 success and a repeat atmosphere is expected on Saturday when they play the six-time European champions for the first time since 1947.

Thomas Frank wants his team to feed off their energy and has declared that every Bee will give everything on the pitch.

“[The fans] need to perform unbelievably and overmatch the performance against Arsenal,” the Brentford boss asserted in his pre-match press conference. “Against Arsenal, they were from a different universe and if they do that then, I promise, we will give everything on the grass.

“The pressure is off. We have a balanced squad that is confident but humble. We will go into the game with fire in our eyes and a smile on our face to attack and probably defend a lot as well," he added. “We are looking forward to the challenge.”

Frank gave a big hint into his possible line-up for the encounter, revealing 10 of the starters from that impressive 2-0 success at Wolverhampton Wanderers will retain their spots in the side.

“I need to find the last one,” he acknowledged.

Having had to make appearances off the bench in the last two Premier League games, Frank Onyeka will welcome a recall for another meeting with the Reds. The former Midtjylland midfielder faced off with Klopp’s men in last season’s Champions League, picking up a point from an available six from both encounters.

Despite being the underdog on Saturday, the Nigerian will strive to be third-time lucky, nonetheless.

Onyeka’s place in the team had been taken by Shandon Baptiste, who missed out against Oldham Athletic on Tuesday through suspension. The Grenada international hasn’t particularly pulled up trees in those outings following the West African’s return after contracting coronavirus and the summer arrival ought to feel positive about his chances of reclaiming his spot on Saturday.

Marcus Forss palpably stole the show with his four goals in their EFL Cup thrashing of Oldham in midweek, but Onyeka was one of Brentford’s top performers in the 7-0 success.

The Nigerian won 10 of his 13 total duels, higher than any player on the pitch for both sides which included a 100 percent success in his aerial duels. Throw in his three interceptions, three tackles and two completed dribbles (a game-high) and one understands how dominant the 23-year-old was in the rout.

Admittedly, the quality of the opponent — Oldham sit bottom of League Two — implies little should be read into Tuesday’s showing, yet a player who currently ranks fourth for average tackles plus interceptions may be favoured against the Reds.

Perhaps an even more notable facet of his game in how he aids the team’s pressing could give him the nod on Saturday. While Baptiste currently leads the way for pressures per 90, just above second-placed Onyeka, the Nigerian pips the Grenada man for success rate —38.2-34.1 percent.

Brentford’s summer signing was already profiled as a pressing machine before his arrival and has undoubtedly showcased elements of that side of him in the early gameweeks of the season.

Interestingly, his inclination to engage in and win a high volume of duels tallies with the side’s other starters in midfield. Vitaly Janelt and Christian Norgaard have respectively won 5.0 and 4.2 duels per game, with Onyeka’s average at 4.3.

Baptiste, in three appearances so far, is averaging 1.7 duels won, a significantly lower mean than Janelt, Norgaard and the Nigerian, and may well make way against Liverpool.

The Reds have tasted defeat just once in 27 Premier League encounters with promoted sides, their only blemish coming against Fulham during a depressing run of home defeats last season. The mood on Merseyside is different these days, but Brentford will relish the opportunity of claiming another scalp in their debut season.

Frank has promised his troops will give their all against Klopp's team, and Onyeka will want to play his part as the Bees look to sting another league giant in front of their full-throated supporters.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has acknowledged that he must watch for the limits of his body as he approaches his 40th birthday, with the Milan striker stating that he is "not Superman".

The Rossoneri striker, a journeyman forward and serial winner, has frequently rated himself among the game's modern greats, with plenty of achievements to back up his boasts.

But in an uncharacteristic moment of humility, the idiosyncratic Swede has admitted that even he has barriers that he will be unable to break as he continues to play into his fourth decade.

What has been said?

“When I was young, I just played, even if I felt pain in my tendons," the 39-year-old told Sportweek. "I wanted to win and score, stop. With time and experience, I started using my head and I realised how important it is to listen to your body.

"My head is fine, but my body is getting old, it doesn’t always keep up with it [the head] and it’s a problem. This year I have to listen to my body, every little signal it sends me.

"Only by doing so, I can avoid worse consequences. I need to listen to my body every day to play consistently. I need to think slowly, day by day, and realise that I am not Superman."

Ibrahimovic approaching final swansong?

The veteran attacker - currently sidelined with an Achilles problem but with an eye on next week's Champions League clash with Atletico - has defied expectations to remain at the game's summit.

But with his current deal at San Siro set to expire next June, the question remains whether he will play on and where he would do so.

With trophies amassed across five countries and seven clubs, there is no doubt however that he will leave a glittering record behind him if he does choose to hang up his boots in 2022.

The bigger picture

Milan have made a near-perfect start to the new league season in Serie A, having been edged out in last term's title race by Inter as Juventus' Scudetto chokehold was broken.

Save a draw with the Bianconeri, Stefano Pioli's side have won all of their top-flight games this term and are continuing to set about their credentials early on.

They travel to Spezia on Saturday, before they return their concerns to Europe at the end of September.

Further reading

Former Inter Milan defender Achraf Hakimi has revealed why he opted to join Paris Saint-Germain over Chelsea.

The 22-year-old played a crucial role to help the Italian heavyweights win the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years. The Morocco international says the Blues were keen on his services, but he opted to join PSG.

"When I received these two offers [from Chelsea and PSG], I had the intuition that I had to come to Paris, that I was going to be happy there," Hakimi told L'Equipe as quoted by PSG Talk.

"PSG is a great club, and I appreciated how much the people here seemed to love and desire me. And I was lucky that my arrival was accompanied by great transfers. I am already sure I wasn’t wrong; I feel good, we have a dream team, and I am happy to be part of it."

Inter Milan had slapped a €60-million price on the player, and the English charges were not ready to pay the full amount, but they were interested in involving a player in the deal.

However, the Parisians paid the full amount to sign the Atlas Lion who has since been impressive. His latest contribution was on Wednesday when he scored a brace in the team's 2-1 win over Metz in a Ligue 1 assignment.

Five minutes into the game, Hakimi put PSG ahead but the hosts restored parity through Mali’s Boubakar Kouyate six minutes before the half-time break.

The ambitions of Frederic Antonetti’s men to earn all points suffered a massive setback as Tunisia’s Dylan Bronn was given his marching orders by referee Jeremie Pignard for a second caution.

Profiting from Metz’s numerical disadvantage, the nine-time French kings sealed a valuable away win with Hakimi completing his double in the closing minutes.

"I'm happy with the win and the three points and the hard work of the whole team until the last minute," Hakimi told the PSG website later on.  

"I'm really happy to be able to help the team with my two goals so that we can continue our good momentum. As I said, we have worked very well, and we want to continue in this direction and with this victory continue as long as possible."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed Ghana star Thomas Partey, and Switzerland's Granit Xhaka, are in the best possible shape ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's visit on Sunday.

The Gunners will be hosting their North London rivals in the Premier League assignment with the former club aiming at collecting their third straight league win.

It will not be an easy outing considering the fact that Spurs have lost their last two Premier League matches, against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, by 3-0 scorelines and will be even more determined to bounce back.

Partey and Xhaka have been out owing to injury and suspension respectively, with the Swiss international testing positive for Covid-19 in the past and has since recovered. 

"Well, they are in the best possible state that they can be. Obviously, they’ve both had different issues in the last few weeks. [Partey] with a big injury and Granit with a suspension," Arteta told reporters ahead of the Sunday game as quoted by Metro.

"Ideally, you want players with more of a run of games and to be a little bit more consistent in terms of minutes, but they are both available."

Regarding Xhaka, the Arsenal manager explained why it is vital to have the player available for the Sunday assignment.

"He came back and he was fine because he really looks after himself. He was training and as he always is, he gives you the maximum and the best possible attitude to compete and win matches."

In the absence of Xhaka, Sambi Lokonga and Partey have been impressive in their latest engagements, and whether the Swiss will be involved on Sunday, is yet to be known.

The Gunners are currently placed in 13th position with six points from the five matches they have played while Spurs are seventh with three more points.

The top positions are taken by Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United who have 13 points each.

Kenya head coach Engin Firat has explained the football philosophy that he would implement as he steers the national team.

The Turkish mentor was appointed coach for an initial two-month contract when Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee reached an agreement with Football Kenya Federation to part ways. The former Moldova tactician has now revealed what will be his guiding policy in the new job.

"I believe too much in science and in my feelings too. Therefore, I am following up on what is going on as I am always updated. Modern football is all about details and nothing else. It is not like 20 or 30 years ago," Firat said.

"Apart from talent, there are so many details that can decide everything, including the logistics that can decide a game.

"I do not believe in luck in football, I push for it. For example, if I am playing a much better team, then I will want to control the game. They can have better players, but I do not care. It is all about what you do as a team. 

"Many coaches are now playing with the 4-2-3-1 system and I do not understand why. If you have two good centre-forwards, why should you leave one on the bench just because it is what the system demands?

"I have to find a way to use the two together.  The system will always depend on the quality of the players.

"We are in a digital world where you get every piece of information. If I want to know about one player and how he behaves technically, I will get all the information and statistics that I want."

The 51-year-old tactician also explained who he is from a personal perspective and how he relates with the players he coaches.

"You know you change with time. Your character will change, and as a coach, you will have to change too. Now I am more focused and controlled than I was when I was younger," he added.

"It is very rare when I shout louder compared to when I was younger, and the players know it would not be right if I shouted aloud. 

"I am more focused on the players and very much focused on their character because you cannot judge a person only by their qualities, but you must understand them as a person first. That can help a lot in keeping his performance up.

"If you are building a team, let's say of 24 people, that means you have 24 characters and some of them you have to help while you have to be nice to others. Therefore, you must get a feeling for every person, and in the end, everything must work together as a team."

Firat's first competitive games for Harambee Stars will be against Mali in Group E's World Cup qualifiers in October.

Benson Mhlongo has advised Goodman Mosele he has to remain consistent and smarter to command a regular position in the Orlando Pirates team.

Mosele joined Bucs from Baroka in the concluded transfer window and is hoping to be considered often in the first team. Mhlongo insists the 21-year-old needs time before commanding a starting berth at the club.

'Mosele needs time'

"For example, Oupa Manyisa came in as a youngster, Andile Jali came in as a youngster. He needs time," Mhlongo said as quoted by Times Live.

"Because he's still going to come up against players who want to impress so that they can be signed by Pirates. So every opponent he comes up against will be someone giving everything he's got.

"Mosele needs time to understand that playing in midfield for such a big team requires you to be level-headed at all times, and requires you to be settled. Yes, you've got skill but if you're smarter you get to survive in the position. 

"That's why you see Pirates chopping and changing in that position because the boys play two games and become too excited. In that position, you don't need to shine every game but you need to be settled, you need to be consistent, to survive.

"So I wish he can keep his consistency, doesn't get too excited, and understands that he's the one who holds the team together. And that is too much pressure sometimes. If he can handle that, I see a bright future for him." 

'I expected to spend some time adapting'

In his recent interview, the midfielder - who has featured in every minute for Pirates in the PSL, was surprised at how he has managed to stamp his authority at the club.

"I didn’t think the opportunity to start games would come so soon," said Mosele as per iDiski Times. "I expected to spend some time adapting to the team’s style, but the chance came and I grabbed it.

"I’m encouraged by how I’ve performed. All I can say is if you work hard, things will go well for you. Yeah, I’m quite proud of how I’ve played so far and I want to continue doing well."

The next assignment for Pirates will be this weekend against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates stadium for the first North London derby of the Premier League season on Sunday.

The two rivals began the season in contrasting fashion with Spurs winning their opening three matches and the Gunners suffering three defeats, yet consecutive defeats for Nuno Espirito Santo's side coupled with Arsenal winning their last two games mean just three points separate the sides.

It should be tasty battle between two teams who cannot afford another loss at this point.

Here's how to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham in the 2021-22 Premier League from India.

Contents

What time does the 2021-22 Premier League game between Arsenal vs Tottenham start?

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How to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham on TV & live stream in India?

The Star Sports network (Star Sports and Star Sports Select) has the rights to show Premier League matches in India.

In addition to the English Broadcast on Star Sports Select, regional feeds in Bangla and Malayalam will be made available for key weekend matches on Star Sports 3 (geo-tagged for West Bengal and Kerala) and Star Sports 1 Bangla.

Matches will also be available on streaming mobile applications Disney+ Hotstar VIP and JioTV, allowing supporters to watch multiple games simultaneously and catch the replay of matches in their preferred language.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

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Arsenal vs Tottenham: Team news & key stats

The Gunners have no major injury concerns and welcome back Granit Xhaka from suspension.

Spurs too have a relatively clean bill of health with Ryan Sessegnon and Steven Bergwijn the only players unavailable. 

Key Stats:

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New Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac believes the Black Stars could have won the 2010 World Cup during his first spell with the West Africans if Luis Suarez had not slapped out a goal-bound header in extra-time of an intense quarter-final fixture against Uruguay.

Africa’s sole survivors in the competition in South Africa, the Black Stars went close to securing a possible match-winner when Dominic Adiyiah headed from a goal-mouth scramble, but the Atletico Madrid striker kept out the ball with his hand on the goal-line, leaving the referee with no option than to point to the spot and give the Uruguayan his marching orders.

In what was the last kick of the game, Asamoah Gyan’s penalty struck the upright, leaving Ghana broken hearted and sending the game into penalties on the back of a 1-1 scoreline after 120 minutes of action. The Black Stars ultimately lost in the shoot-out.

“When you get to the World Cup you realise this is the biggest achievement. We all have to work together; GFA, technical team, media and supporters. The last time we did it, we did it together. I believe we can deliver,” Rajevac, who has been reappointed as Ghana coach, said at his announcement and unveiling in Accra on Friday.

“This was the biggest success in Ghanaian football and the biggest success in my career. I was happy to share this success with you. If Suarez hadn’t done what he did, we might have been world champions.”

The Serbian coach has not only been tasked to lead Ghana to victory at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament but also to help the side secure qualification to the World Cup in Qatar next year.

After two rounds of matches in the qualifiers for the global showpiece, Ghana sit second in Group G following a 1-0 opening day home win over Ethiopia and a 1-0 away loss to South Africa.

The defeat to Bafana Bafana led to the dismissal of coach CK Akonnor, creating a vacancy for Rajevac’s return.

“Our focus is on the World Cup qualifications,” said the Serb.

“We have a lot of work today, we expect the players to be positive, trust me and give me their best. I know they can deliver.”

Ghana’s next assignment is a double-header against Zimbabwe next month.

AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has proposed some radical changes to football's rules that he believes will make the sport more exciting.

Pioli was initially asked about the five substitutes rule and how it benefits his team, which prompted the 55-year-old to suggest some more innovations.

One of those includes a rule preventing teams from going back into their own half after they've crossed the halfway line, similar to basketball’s backcourt violation, which Pioli says would encourage more attacking play.

What did Pioli say?

Speaking to reporters to preview Saturday’s trip to Spezia, Pioli said the use of five substitutes, first introduced when football restarted following the coronavirus outbreak last year, is beneficial to player welfare.

“They are very important,” he said. "I have been saying this for a long time. Especially now that we play every three days. It is never the quantity of minutes in which one plays, but the quality with which one plays them.”

That prompted Pioli to think of some more innovations that he believes will improve the sport.

“If I had my way the clock would stop when the ball goes out of play and I’d bring in a time-out in the first half,” added Pioli, likely in response to last weekend's stop-start draw with Juventus, where the ball was only in play for 48 of the 95 minutes.

“If we want to see more attacking football in the modern game, bring in a rule where you can’t go back into your own half once you’ve crossed the halfway line.”

Pioli up for title challenge

Milan go into the Spezia game in third place in Serie A after last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Juve.

Leading the pack is Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli, who have won five league matches out of five so far.

Pioli is not surprised by their fast start and expects them to challenge for the title as the season progresses, alongside Milan.

"I expected Napoli to do as well as they have,” he added. “They've changed very little and added [Andre-Frank Zambo] Anguissa who is strong. They are among the best in the league. They have a deep squad and a great coach. They'll fight for the Scudetto.

“The battle for the top spots will be fierce, but I’m happy with my team, the squad is of high quality and I have many solutions.”

Further reading

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has called on the football authorities to urgently find a solution to the “problem” surrounding Brazilian Premier League players and potential quarantine regulations after international duty.

Two Reds stars, Alisson and Fabinho, were among eight Premier League-based players to be called up to the Brazil squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers.

However, under current UK Government regulations they would be required to quarantine for 10 days on their return because the South American country is currently on its coronavirus red list, an issue which saw Premier League clubs refuse to release their players earlier this month.

What did Klopp say?

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford, Klopp said he remained hopeful talks would lead to a resolution.

“There must be a solution because we cannot just leave it like it is and say it's not a problem,” he said.

“Yes, it is a problem. I'm pretty sure the decisive people are working on that. In fact I know they are, but there is nothing decided yet as far as I'm concerned.”

Klopp questions scheduling

Even if his Brazilian players were able to avoid quarantine on their return to the UK, Klopp is still frustrated at the fixture schedule.

A third qualifier has been squeezed into the international break to catch up after matches were postponed because of Covid-19 earlier this year.

Brazil are scheduled to play Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay over the break.

Their final match against Uruguay in Manaus kicks off at 1.30am UK time on Friday October 15, with Liverpool back in action against Watford at 12.30pm the following day.

“I expect them to go," added Klopp. “Obviously nobody thought about that [the scheduling] yet and it's a Liverpool problem, not a problem for anybody else.

“Good for Watford and all these kind of things, but I just don't know how you can do these things and nobody reacts on the schedule.

“The schedule is always a problem but it's like the TV guys and the Premier League just say, ‘Ok, that's how it is, they have to play.’

“Let's have a look at how we can sort that. It's another thing that's not good for the players and not good for the clubs as well. I hope on top of that the government comes up with a solution.”

The bigger picture

The Premier League clubs' refusal to let their South American players travel for the internationals earlier this month prompted the Brazilian, Paraguayan, Chilean and Mexican federations to enforce the "five-day rule," a FIFA directive which was designed to protect international teams from unnecessary, club-influenced withdrawals.

The complaints were eventually withdrawn following last-ditch talks between FIFA and the UK Government, with further talks promised ahead of the October international break.

The Brazil Football Federation’s football coordinator Juninho Paulista says discussions have taken place with FIFA, the Premier League and the UK Government.

But a solution has yet to be found, with a little over a week to go before players are expected to join up with their countries.

Further reading

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that Cristiano Ronaldo could play at the top level into his 40s.

Ronaldo has begun his second spell at United in great form, scoring four goals in his first three games back at the club.

Though Ronaldo will be 37 in February, Solskjaer has said the Portugal star keeps himself in such good physical shape that he can keep going for several more years.

What was said?

‘’I wouldn’t be surprised if he was still playing at 40, not at all,’’ Solskjaer told reporters.

‘’The way he looks after himself, that’s the key, that’s the key to it all and, of course, some genes. There must be some genes in there! He has put every single ounce of energy and effort into becoming the player he is.

‘’He deserves every single plaudit that he gets for first, his own physical state but, even more impressively, when you have achieved as much as he has. He is still just as hungry as ever.

‘’His mentality is still absolutely spot on and that’s just desire from inside of him and he’s going to keep going until his legs or even his head say no that’s it, I've given everything now."

What's next for Man Utd?

Solskjaer was speaking ahead of his side's Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, as United look to stay level on points with Chelsea and Liverpool at the top of the table.

United will then face Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday after dropping their European opener against Young Boys.

Should Ronaldo feature against Villarreal, he would break the all-time record for Champions League appearances.

Further reading

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City need a striker after failing to find a replacement for Sergio Aguero in the transfer window.

City spent the summer chasing Harry Kane but couldn’t strike a deal with Tottenham while Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Manchester United after being linked with a late switch to the Etihad Stadium.

Meanwhile, title rivals Chelsea signed Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku in a £98 million ($136m) deal and, ahead of Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge, Guardiola said City lack a similar goalscorer.

What’s been said?

“We survived without [Aguero] in a good way in the way we played,” Guardiola told a news conference. “There are two options that we have right now: complaining or saying we have exceptional players.

“We don't have this weapon that other teams have like Chelsea, United or Tottenham or other teams so we have to use what we can do as a team.

“We don't have a player to score 25 league goals for himself so we have to do it as a team. This is what we will try this season.”

The bigger picture

City clinched last season’s Premier League title and reached the Champions League final largely without a striker after Aguero struggled with injury and illness.

With Gabriel Jesus becoming more effective as a winger, Ferran Torres has been switched to centre forward while Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have all acted as a false nine.

However, Guardiola says he has played with a striker throughout his coaching career and that City must address the position in upcoming transfer windows.

“Always I had a striker in my career - like goalkeepers, strikers are the biggest specialists,” the City coach added.

“I played with Samuel Eto'o, maybe the best or one of the best strikers I ever trained - what a player Samuel was - and [Thierry] Henry. I don't know if he's a striker or what he is but Lionel Messi was able to score a few goals. There was [Robert] Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Sergio here, always I played with a striker.

“We want it as a club because I think the club knows, not for me, it needs in the next years a striker.

"Sometimes it is possible, sometimes not because they are the more expensive ones and it is difficult to find them and when it's not possible, it's not possible.”

Further reading

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has declared Edouard Mendy ready to start in goal in Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Manchester City.

The Senegal goalkeeper missed the Blues’ matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa due to a knock he picked up in the Uefa Champions League game against Zenit St Petersburg.

Before the setback, Mendy has started each of Chelsea’s games this season and he has been passed fit to reclaim his spot.

“Yes, he's available and will start tomorrow,” Tuchel said in his press conference on Friday.

Saturday’s match at Stamford Bridge will be the first time the Blues will face Manchester City since their Champions League final triumph last season.

When quizzed if Chelsea have physcological edge over Pep Guardiola’s men, the German coach said: “We have the positive experiences. We know how tough it feels at half-time in the dressing room, how much work we put in and how much input was needed.

“When I say it’s 50/50, I mean 50/50. When we look back at situations on how to defend or attack. It still feels dangerous and we hope they will not score again! Luckily it does not happen even though I looked several times. You really have to work for it and earn it.

“Don’t forget, you also need momentum and a bit of luck. Yes, genuine belief that you can do it is the most important thing in sports. On this kind of level, we have the belief that we can do it. We have the belief and we know well what it takes to have the possibility to win.

“I have the feeling that it does not take a miracle to win against Manchester City but it is absolutely necessary that we bring our best performance. This is tough enough and this is maybe the confidence it gives us. This is one of the biggest tests in European football. It’s on tomorrow, in our stadium and we feel ready.”

Former Scotland midfielder Barry Ferguson has warned Rangers about how Joe Aribo will attract interest in England.

Aribo has been handed a starting role in each of the 12 matches he has played for the Gers so far this term and he has a contribution of a goal and an assist to his name.

While Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos continue to get the buzz in Steven Gerrard’s team, Ferguson – who had two playing stints at Rangers – credited the Super Eagles star for his work in the middle of the park.

The former Blackpool caretaker manager even cautioned the Gers about transfer interest from clubs in England.

“I just feel Joe Aribo is getting better and better with each game I see,” Ferguson said, via Football Fancast.

“A lot of people talk about Ryan Kent and [Alfredo] Morelos.

“I think Aribo is one player a lot of clubs down south will be looking closely at.”

A few weeks ago, Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa compared Aribo whom he played with at Charlton Athletic to African legend Yaya Toure.

“Having Gerrard as his manager at Rangers, that has made him go up another level," Konsa told Daily Record.

“Joe’s style is unique. When I was with him at Charlton he did remind me for a while of a left-footed Yaya Toure. But you don’t get a lot of midfielders like Joe, there aren’t many around.

“Like Toure, for a tall guy he’s got such great feet. But that languid style he’s got is actually fairly unique in the game.

“It took him quite a while to open up and start talking to everyone else. But we knew he had great ability. I remember thinking when I was there that it was only a matter of time before he broke into Charlton’s first team.

“The stuff he did on a pitch at times was unreal. It was like he was still playing street football. So we knew he’d go far in the game.”

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has described his maiden North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur as 'amazing' and ‘a crazy experience’ for him.

The Gabon international had his first feel of the local rivalry in December 2018, over 11 months after he joined the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund.

Aubameyang marked the memorable outing with a brace and an assist as Arsenal fought from behind to win the six-goal thriller at the Emirates Stadium 4-2.

Ahead of Saturday’s home match, he summarised the atmosphere he experienced in his first appearance against Spurs as Mikel Arteta’s side now aims to grab their fourth straight win across all competitions.

“When I think back to my first North London derby at Emirates Stadium, I still get goosebumps,” Aubameyang told the club’s official matchday programme. “I was talking to Laca about it a few days ago and we are both saying that we’d love to play in another match like that one.

“It was just amazing. The way we came back from 2-1 down was brilliant. The crowd was so loud - they gave us so much energy. I remember when Lucas Torreira made it 4-2 and everyone just went crazy. It’s a really good memory of mine.

“Leaving the stadium was a crazy experience too. I remember driving home and stopping at a red light, right in front of a bar full of Arsenal fans. They were outside the pub singing my song, and that was really cool. It brings a lot of joy to me when I bring happiness to people.”

Aubameyang highlighted the encouragement he got from Arsenal legend Ian Wright before he made a statement in his first game against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium.

“I remember Paul, our kitman, talking to me and letting me know how important this match is for everyone associated with the club,” he said. “I’ve spoken to Ian Wright about it too.

“When you’re an Arsenal player, you’re Arsenal for life. When people like Wrighty speak to you, you listen. The only thing you want to do is go out on the pitch and show them that you’ve taken in what they’ve said and that you’re ready for it.”

The last encounter between Arsenal and Tottenham ended in a 2-1 win for the Gunners as Martin Odegaard and Alexandre Lacazette cancelled out Erik Lamela's opening goal deficit back in March.