Al Nassr FC will meet Al-Wehda FC in a Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match at the Al Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 27.

The Al Nassr vs Al-Wehda Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match will start at 8:50 PM IST on Friday. Live streaming and telecast of the match will be available in India.

Organised by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the Saudi Pro League is the highest division of professional football in the country and has 18 teams participating in it.

Al Nassr have won the Saudi Pro League title nine times and finished runners-up on eight occasions including last season. 

Meanwhile, Al-Wehda is yet to win the Saudi Pro League title but have won the Saudi First Division League - the second-tier of professional football in Saudi Arabia - four times.

Al Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, is currently in the fifth spot in the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 season with eight points from four games and are the only unbeaten team in the league alongside table-toppers Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Al-Wehda are placed 14th in the table with four points from four matches.

Al Nassr had a comfortable 3-0 victory away at Al-Ittifaq in the league last week with Ronaldo opening the scoring with a first-half penalty. They also won their Kings Cup Round of 32 match against Al-Hazm by a 2-1 margin on Monday.

Al-Wehda, on the other hand, suffered a 0-1 home defeat against Al-Kholood after getting reduced to 10 men after Ahmed Bandar Derwish’s red card in the 58th minute.

Ronaldo, along with Sadio Mane, will once again be the key men to watch out for in the Al Nassr attack while Aymeric Laporte provides the much-needed assurance to the home side’s backline.

Al Nassr vs Al-Wehda head-to-head

Al Nassr have met Al-Wehda in 43 matches across all competitions with Al Nassr winning on 27 occasions. Al-Wehda have won eight games while eight have ended in draws.

In their most recent encounter in May 2024, Al Nassr thrashed Al-Wehda 6-0 in the Saudi Pro League last season.

Where to watch Al Nassr vs Al-Wehda Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match live in India

The Al Nassr vs Al-Wehda Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network’s TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the Al Nassr vs Al-Wehda Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match will be available on the SonyLIV app and website in India.

Photo credit: Imago

The Saudi Pro League 2024-25 began on August 22, 2024 and will conclude on May 26, 2024.

Organised by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 is the 49th edition of the Saudi Professional League, the top Saudi professional league for association football clubs.

As per the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 schedule, as many as 18 teams will compete in a total 306 matches over a span of nine months. Each team will play the other 17 sides twice in a home-and-away format. 

Al-Kholood, Al-Orobah, and Al-Qadsiah FC are the three promoted clubs that are featuring in Saudi Pro League 2024-25. These three teams have replaced Abha, Al-Hazem, and Al-Tai who were relegated to the Saudi First Division League 2024-25 .

Al-Hilal SFC are the defending champions of the Saudi Pro League, having pipped Al-Nassr FC by 14 points to clinch their 19th league title last season.

Meanwhile, the likes of Al-Nassr FC, Al-Ahli Saudi, Al-Taawoun FC, Al-Ittihad Club, Al-Ettifaq FC and newly-promoted Al Qadsiah FC are expected to offer a strong challenge to reigning champions Al-Hilal SFC in the 2024-25 season.

Apart from the league title, all eyes will be on the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 top-scorers race.

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo pipped Aleksandar Mitrović of Al-Hilal to win the Golden Boot in the Saudi Pro League last season. The Portuguese star netted 35 goals in just 31 appearances in the Saudi Pro League 2023-24.

Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Aleksandar Mitrović, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Neymar, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Talisca, Firas Al-Buraikan, Odion Ighalo, Malcom and Bernard Mensah will be in the race for the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 Golden Boot.

Some of the talented Saudi local stars will also aim to impress in the ongoing Saudi Pro League.

Here’s a look at the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 top-scorers list:

Saudi Pro League 2024-25 top scorers list

Player	Club	Matches	Goals
Cristiano Ronaldo	Al-Nassr FC	2	2
Craig Goodwin	Al-Wehda FC	1	2
Talisca	Al-Nassr FC	2	2
Julián Quiñones	Al-Qadsiah FC	2	2
Aleksandar Mitrović	Al-Hilal SFC	1	2
Turki Al-Ammar	Al-Qadsiah FC	1	1
Bernard Mensah	Al-Riyadh SC	1	1
Lucas Kal	Al-Riyadh SC	1	1
Djaniny	Al-Fateh SC	2	1
Marcelo Brozovic	Al-Nassr FC	2	1

Photo credit: Alamy

The Saudi Pro League 2023-24 started on August 11, 2023 and will conclude on May 27, 2024.

Ahead of the new season, the Saudi Pro League made few changes. The number of teams have increased from 16 to 18 clubs from the 2023-24 season. 

Four teams were promoted from the Saudi First Division League 2022-23, and only two teams were be relegated from the Saudi Pro League instead of the usual three.

As many as 18 teams will compete in a total of 306 matches over a span of nine months. 

Al-Ahli, Al-Hazem, Al-Okhdood, and Al-Riyadh are the four promoted clubs that will feature in the 48th edition of the Saudi Professional League. 

Al-Ittihad Club are the defending champions of the Saudi Pro League, having pipped Al-Nassr FC by five points to clinch their ninth league title last season.

The likes of Al-Ahli Saudi, Al-Hilal, Al-Taawoun FC, Al-Ettifaq FC and Al-Nassr FC are expected to offer a strong challenge to reigning champions Al-Ittihad in the 2023-24 season.

Apart from the league title, all eyes will be on the race for the top-scorer in Saudi Pro League 2023-24.

Several top European footballers including the likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Sadio Mane have followed Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi top-division league.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished as the top-scorer in the Arab Club Champions Cup 2023, will be a leading contender to take home the Golden Boot in the Saudi Pro League 2023-24.

Some of the talented Saudi local stars will also aim to impress in the ongoing Saudi Pro League. Al-Ittihad striker Abderrazak Hamdallah was the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League last season. He netted 21 goals in 26 appearances in Saudi Pro League 2022-23.

Here’s a look at the Saudi Pro League 2023-24 top-scorers list:

Saudi Pro League 2023-24 top scorers list

Rank	Player	Club	Matches	Goals
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Al-Nassr FC	18	20
2	Aleksandar Mitrovic	Al-Hilal SFC	17	17
3	Georges-Kevin N'Koudou	Damac FC	17	14
4	Talisca	Al-Nassr FC	14	11
5	Firas Al-Buraikan	Al-Ahli Saudi FC	17	11
6	Abderrazak Hamdallah	Al-Ittihad Club	14	10
7	Karim Benzema	Al-Ittihad Club	15	9
8	Salem Al-Dawsar	Al-Hilal SFC	18	9
9	Malcom	Al-Hilal SFC	18	9
10	Bernard Mensah	Al-Tai FC	15	9

Photo credit: Alamy

With Lionel Messi coming to MLS this past summer, soccer in the U.S. was forever changed. It led to an immediate impact in the popularity of the sport. Miami FC prices rose to an all time high and the number of MLS Apple subscribers have more than doubled. Moreover, the top US soccer betting sites recognizing that soccer remains the world’s most popular sport, have been promoting Miami FC’s matched on their platform to th point where Miami FC became the second most bet soccer team in the league. 

At the same time, with Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, a debate has stirred about which superstar is playing in the better league right now. Ronaldo himself has stated that the Saudi League is better than MLS despite never playing in MLS. Let’s explore this topic a little to see if we can determine whether the Saudi Pro League is better than MLS.

Star Power

The biggest reason why there is a debate between the Saudi Pro League and MLS is the fact that Ronaldo and several other stars made the leap from top European clubs to clubs in Saudi Arabia. Bonafide superstars like Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané, N'Golo Kanté, Jordan Henderson, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves, Roberto Firmino, and several others have all taken big paydays and joined teams in the Saudi Pro League. Needless to say, that has filled the Saudi Pro League with an abundance of star power.

On the other hand, Messi is only the biggest and latest superstar to move from Europe to MLS. The top-flight league in the U.S. has long attracted top European stars in the twilight of their career. Long before Messi, the likes of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Frank Lampard all joined MLS teams. In other words, MLS was bringing in star players long before the Saudi Pro League was. Among current players, Messi is joined by the likes of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Xherdan Shaqiri, Lorenzo Insigne, and others among former European stars finding a home in MLS.

Overall Quality

The obvious caveat for both the Saudi Pro League and MLS is that their transplants from top European clubs are all past their primes. Even superstars like Messi and Ronaldo aren’t the elite players they once were, even if they still attract fans. To create a strong and competitive league, it takes a deep player pool, not just a dozen superstars.

This is where MLS has a clear advantage over the Saudi Pro League. Outside of stars like Messi, MLS has quality players from all over the world. MLS has a long history of having players called up to national teams despite not always recognizing international breaks. In November 2023, 45 players from the Saudi Pro League left to play for their national teams while MLS had more than twice as many leave their clubs for national team duty. 

Outside of the recent collection of European stars, not all of whom still play internationally, the Saudi Pro League doesn’t send a large collection of players to national teams with some Saudi clubs only having one or two international players on their squad. Only one Saudi club had more than four players on international duty in November whereas nine MLS teams sent five or more players to their national team.

The Verdict

Despite Messi’s presence in MLS, the Saudi Pro League surely has a bigger collection of stars than MLS. However, the overall depth of MLS makes it a better, more competitive league. MLS has more teams, more international players, and also sends its best young players to top European clubs whereas the Saudi Pro League doesn’t. While the Saudi Pro League has done well to acquire big names and excellent talent, from top to bottom, MLS has more quality and should be considered a superior league.

Photo credit: Alamy

German heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will lock horns in the latest edition of Der Klassiker - Germany’s biggest football game - at the Allianz Arena in Munich. This clash will be a top-of-the-table encounter in Bundesliga 2022-23 and the match will start at 10:00 PM IST on Saturday, April 1.

Saturday’s Der Klassiker will be the first match for former Dortmund head coach Thomas Tuchel as Bayern’s new manager after Bayern Munich sacked Ex-manager Julian Nagelsmann during the international break.

BAY vs DOR Dream 11 prediction for Bundesliga 2022-23

Dortmund is at the summit of the 2022-23 Bundesliga standings with 53 points after 25 games, whereas Bayern trail Die Borussen by one point having managed 52 points from 25 matches. A win would see Bayern leapfrog Dortmund in the standings, while a Die Borussen victory would give them a four-point lead in the points table.

Die Borussen have four wins and a draw in their last five league games, while the Bavarians have won three and lost two of their five previous league outings. The head-to-head in all competitions gives Bavarians the edge in this encounter.

Out of the 132 Der Klassikers so far, Bayern has won 67 and Dortmund has won 34, while there have also been 31 draws. With a new manager on the bench, a bounce can be expected for the players, which is why Bayern are slight favourites to win this clash.

BAY vs DOR Dream11 team tips for Bundesliga 2022-23

Top tip: Best forward - Sadio Mane

After not always being on the same page as former Bayern manager Nagelsmann, expect Sadio Mane to prove a point under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel. Mane has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in all competitions so far. With the full backing of the manager, expect Mane to kick on and have a strong end to the season, starting with Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash.

Top tip: Best midfielder - Jamal Musiala

A prodigious talent with unfathomable potential, having Jamal Musiala in your fantasy football team is a no-brainer. The young German international has 15 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, including 11 goals and nine assists in the Bundesliga. A threat whenever on the ball, Musiala is likely to make his presence felt against Dortmund.

Top tip: Best defender - Raphael Guerreiro

A reliable defensive presence and a livewire while bombing forward as a left-back, Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro makes for a smart addition to your fantasy team. He can defend when called upon and is a huge threat in attack as his 11 assists in all competitions, including nine in the Bundesliga demonstrate. He’s also netted thrice in the Bundesliga and twice in the UEFA Champions League this season.

Top tip: Best goalkeeper - Alexander Meyer

Alexander Meyer has enjoyed plenty of game time as Dortmund custodian of late, and he can expect another challenging outing against Bayern on Saturday. Even though he’s kept just three clean sheets in all competitions, Meyer doesn’t concede many and can be expected to make his fair share of fine saves against the Bavarians, making him a wise pick for your fantasy football team.

Photo credits: Alamy

DFB-Pokal winner RB Leipzig will host Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup 2022 at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany in the early hours of Sunday, July 31. The match will kick off at 12:00 AM IST (Indian Standard Time).

German Super Cup is a one-off football match between the winners of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal.

Under manager Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern Munich booked their place in the German Super Cup after clinching their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title and their 32nd overall last season. The Bavarians finished at the top of the Bundesliga 2021-22 standings with 77 points from 34 matches, eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

On the other hand, RB Leipzig qualified for the German Super Cup 2022 after they pipped SC Freiburg on penalties in the DFB-Pokal final last season. Interestingly, this was Domenico Tedesco-led Leipzig’s first-ever major title in German football.

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is expected to make his competitive debut against RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup on Sunday.

New summer signings Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Ryan Gravenberch and Mathys Tel are also likely to be added in the Bayern squad for the clash.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig will bank on their star forward Christopher Nkunku, who was adjudged the Bundesliga Player of the Season 2021-22, netted 35 goals and provided 20 assists across competitions last season.

However, Leipzig will miss the services of their left-footed defender Joško Gvardiol, who is unavailable for the German Super Cup final.

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich head-to-head

Bayern Munich have a dominant head-to-head record against RB Leipzig in all competitions, winning eight of the 14 matches that they have played so far. Leipzig have managed just a solitary victory while five matches have ended in draws.

The last time these two sides met, Bayern defeated Leipzig 3-2 at the Allianz Arena in Bundesliga last season.

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich probable playing XI 

RB Leipzig playing XI (probable): Peter Gulacsi (goalkeeper/captain); Willi Orban, Mohamed Simakan, Marcel Halstenberg; Benjamin Henrichs, Konrad Laimer, Xaver Schalger; Angelino; Christopher Nkunku, Emil Forsberg; Andre Silva

Bayern Munich playing XI (probable): Manuel Neuer (goalkeeper/captain); Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Lucas Hernandez, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka; Leroy Sane, Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman; Thomas Muller

Where to watch RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich German Super Cup 2022 live in India?

The RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich German Super Cup 2022 match will be telecast live from 12:00 AM IST on Sony TEN 2 and Sony TEN 2 HD TV channels in India, on Sunday, July 31.

Live streaming of RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.

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Featured photo: Ronny HARTMANN / AFP

The AFCON 2021 came to an exciting conclusion on Sunday as Senegal overcame Egypt 4-2 via penalties to win their first African Cup of Nations title.

The Senegal national football team entered the final of the 33rd edition, having finished as runners-up to Algeria in AFCON 2019.

The Lions of Teranga have played in three AFCON finals - 2002, 2019, 2021 - and their triumph over seven-time winners Egypt helped them win their first international trophy.

The AFCON 2021 final pitted two Liverpool stars in Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane against each other but it was the Senegalese who had the last laugh after converting the winning spot-kick to win the AFCON title.

Sadio Mane was named as the Player of the Tournament as he captained Senegal to a historic triumph and registered three goals and two assists at AFCON 2021.

Vincent Aboubakar, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, won the Golden Boot award as he netted eight times in AFCON 2021.

Only three players have scored 8+ goals at a single AFCON tournament:

�?Ndaye Mulamba (9, 1974)
�?Laurent Pokou (8, 1970)
�?Vincent Aboubakar

The hero for #TeamCameroon pic.twitter.com/mL851u84W9

�?Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 5, 2022

Aboubakar’s record of eight goals was one short of the tournament record set by Zaire's Ndaye Mulamba (9) at AFCON 1974. Aboubakar’s goal tally was also the first time an African footballer scored eight goals at a single tournament since Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou at AFCON 1970.

SIX GOALS IN FOUR GAMES.

Vincent Aboubakar passes @SamuelEtoo's record (5) of most goals in a single AFCON tournament for Cameroon pic.twitter.com/lPmPViSfkg

�?B/R Football (@brfootball) January 24, 2022

The former Porto forward scored the most goals by a Cameroon international in a single edition of the tournament, going past Samuel Eto’o’s tally of five goals in 2006 and 2008.

Édouard Mendy won the Best Goalkeeper award after he played a crucial role in Senegal’s title-winning run at AFCON 2021. The Chelsea custodian kept three clean sheets in five games.

Senegal, meanwhile, scripted their third straight win over Egypt in 13 meetings. While the Lions of Teranga won the first-ever meeting between the nations at AFCON 1986, it was only from 2014 onwards that Senegal again started getting positive results against the Egyptians.

Between 1987 and 2006, Senegal won just once against Egypt who lead the head-to-head record against the former with six wins, five defeats and two draws in 13 matches.

Who scored the most goals in AFCON 2021?

The Cameroon national football team finished with the most goals in AFCON 2021, scoring 14 goals. The Indomitable Lions registered seven goals in the group stages and four in the knockouts. Cameroon, who won the third-place playoff against Burkina Faso via penalties (5-3), also scored three goals within regulation time in the match.

Champions Senegal scored nine goals in AFCON 2021, with a major chunk of goals coming in the knockout round. While they managed just one goal in three group games, the Sadio Mane-led side scored eight goals in the playoffs, including three goals each in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. 

Country	Goals
Cameroon	14
Senegal	9
Morocco	8
Nigeria	6
Ivory Coast	6

Who registered the most assists in AFCON 2021?

Three players are the joint record holder for most assists at AFCON 2021. Burkina Faso’s Issa Kabore, with three assists in seven games, shares the honour with Cameroon duo Collins Faï and Martin Hongla.

Who conceded the least goals in AFCON 2021?

Mali conceded the least goals in AFCON 2021, leaking just one goal in the group stage. They exited the competition in the Round of 16 after suffering a 5-6 defeat to Equatorial Guinea via penalties.

Who has won the AFCON the most times?

Egypt have won the African Cup of Nations a record seven times. After two unsuccessful attempts (2002 and 2019), Aliou Cisse’s Senegal lifted their first AFCON title and became the 16th different team to win the African Cup of Nations.

Teams	AFCON titles
Egypt	7
Cameroon	5
Ghana	4
Nigeria	3
Algeria, DR Congo, Ivory Coast	2
Congo, Ethiopia, Morocco, Sudan, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia	1

Author: William Paul

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Featured photo: AFP / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD

Premier League football returns after an exhausting international break, and with several first-team players set to be on the nursing table for Gameweek 9, it is high time we look at who we need to draft in our fantasy teams. Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has been ruled out after contracting the virus while injuries to Joe Gomez has further put a dent to their defending campaign.

Further absentees include the likes of West Ham’s Michael Antonio, Southampton’s Danny Ings, Leicester City’s Caglar Soyuncu, Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw. So with that being said, we look at five players who are tipped to shine in the upcoming matchweek of the Premier League.

Player: Ollie Watkins

Team: Aston Villa

Match: Aston Villa vs Brighton

Ollie Watkins has been a revelation for Aston Villa, to say the least. Thriving alongside captain Jack Grealish and new signing Ross Barkley, the 24-year-old former Brentford frontman has already chipped in eight goals in 10 appearances across all competitions. After scoring a hat-trick during his side’s 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool, Watkins has scored three goals in his last two outings, meaning he would be a total menace for Brighton, who have conceded 14 goals this season. With Villa enjoying a fine run of form, expect Watkins to be amongst goals against Brighton on Saturday.

Player: Kevin de Bruyne

Team: Manchester City

Match: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

In what has been a rather dull start for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, a certain Kevin de Bruyne has been their light this season. With three assists and a goal already to his name in six Premier League outings, the Belgian will be the key for City when they face Tottenham Hotspur away from home on Saturday. With Sergio Aguero absent and Gabriel Jesus expected to lead the attack, the onus will be on de Bruyne to deliver from the deep.

Player: Richarlison

Team: Everton

Match: Fulham vs Everton

Quick stat: Everton won four of their opening five games with Richarlison in the team and then went on to lose three back-to-back games when Richarlison was suspended. 

The Brazilian might have scored one and assisted two in five Premier League outings thus far, but his importance in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup is way beyond that. Everton face Fulham next, a team that has shipped in 15 goals already this season, and Richarlison will want to make his comeback a grand one. One can expect him to play a big role in Everton’s outing on Sunday.

Player: Sadio Mane

Team: Liverpool

Match: Liverpool vs Leicester City

Liverpool have suffered several injury setbacks this season, with as many as eight first-team players currently nursing their respective injuries. So as they face Leicester City next, a certain Sadio Mane will be expected to spearhead the attack which will be without Mohamed Salah. The former Southampton forward has either assisted or have scored a goal in all of his previous five outings against the Foxes, and we can duly expect more of the same from the Senegalese.

Player: Wilfried Zaha

Team: Crystal Palace

Match: Burnley vs Crystal Palace

Five goals and two assists in eight games this season means Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha is a must-have player in your fantasy team. Palace face Burnley away from home at Turf Moore, a venue where the Ivory Coast international has an impeccable record. He has scored two goals in his last two visits at the venue, and with Burnley’s form also down the wire (one of the three teams to have yet to register a win this season), Zaha remains one of the safest options in the fantasy team, to say the least.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Michael Regan

Premier League football returns after the mid-week UEFA Champions League action, and as the competition is now five games old, we have a pretty decent idea about who to pick in the fantasy teams. Some exciting rounds of games await, and we believe these five names will bring you a lot of luck this week:

Player: Jack Grealish

Team: Aston Villa

Match: Aston Villa vs Leeds United

Aston Villa’s scorching start to the new Premier League season is largely owed to a brilliant form of their captain and midfielder Jack Grealish. In four appearances this season, the 25-year-old has contributed in as many as six goals (three goals and three assists). Riding high on confidence, Grealish’s Villa welcome Leeds United on Friday night (Saturday midnight as per IST). Leeds have had a decent start to the season, but kept a solitary clean sheet so far, and with Villa banging in goals left, right and centre, expect Grealish to be the focal point.

Player: Sergio Aguero

Team: Manchester City

Match: West Ham United vs Manchester City

With several first-team players out nursing injuries, Pep Guardiola is certain to rely on his striker Sergio Aguero when they take on West Ham United on Saturday. West Ham have scored 16 goals in their last five appearances in all competitions but managed to keep their goal clean on just two occasions. City, on the other hand, have rightly been wobbly, but scored in all of their games so far this season. As far as Aguero is concerned, he scored in his last outing - a 3-1 win over Porto in the Champions League - and will be hoping for more of the same on Saturday.

Player: Bruno Fernandes

Team: Manchester United

Match: Manchester United vs Chelsea

The fact that Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 19 goals in his 18 Premier League appearances for Manchester United (11 goals, 8 assists) represents a significant worry for Chelsea. Like Manchester City, United have been extremely unpredictable but their record against Chelsea gives them an edge. Fernandes is arguably United’s most influential player and he has continued to dominate the proceedings. In his four Premier League outings, the Portuguese has bagged three goals and two assists, and one can expect another stern performance from the former Sporting man.

Player: Sadio Mane

Team: Liverpool

Match: Liverpool vs Sheffield United

Liverpool take on Sheffield United on Saturday night (Sunday midnight as per IST) with a hope of extending their unbeaten Premier League run at Anfield to 62 matches. And one man who can have a big say in it is Sadio Mane. Sheffield are one of the four teams that are yet to win a game this season, and the fact that their defence has conceded seven goals works well for Mane and Co. The Senegalese has scored four goals in his last four appearances, including a brace against Chelsea, and he is highly tipped to do the same against the Blades.

Player: Son Heung-Min

Team: Tottenham Hotspur

Match: Burnley vs Tottenham

Tottenham blew their 3-0 advantage against West Ham United last time out but on Monday night (Tuesday midnight as per IST), they are likely to come out with all three points as they face Burnley away from home. And as one can expect, Son Heung-Min is going to be extremely integral. The South Korean has bagged seven goals and two assists in five Premier League games, and the number is only expected to be on the rise from here on. Given Burnley’s defensive frailties, the 28-year-old will be looking forward to piling further misery. A must-have in your team.  

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Alex Pantling

Liverpool sharpshooter Sadio Mane broke the deadlock in a 2-0 English Premier League win over Aston Villa at Anfield by scoring his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.

It was the third straight campaign in which the Senegal forward and reigning African Footballer of the Year has bagged at least 20 goals for the Merseysiders.

The other African on target in the Premier League at the weekend was Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho, whose goal set Leicester City up for a 3-0 home victory over Crystal Palace.   

ENGLAND

SADIO MANE (Liverpool)

Jurgen Klopp's side found it hard work breaking down struggling Villa, but Mane had the answer when he fired home from close-range after running onto Guinea midfielder Naby Keita's pass. With five games left, Liverpool have 89 points and remain in the hunt to break Manchester City's Premier League record of 100 points established last season.

Read | Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend

KELECHI IHEANACHO (Leicester)

The striker bagged his 10th goal of the season as he broke the deadlock in the 49th minute, side-footing home a low left-wing cross from Youri Tielemans to claim his second goal in as many games. Leicester's first win since the coronavirus hiatus was sealed by the 100th and 101st Premier League goals of Jamie Vardy's career, leaving the Foxes in third place and on course to qualify for the Champions League.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal)

The Gabon forward failed to score for the fourth time in five matches since the Premier League restart, but the Gunners still won 2-0 at Wolves. Amid speculation that he will ask to leave Arsenal in the close-season, Aubameyang's only goals since February came in the 4-0 win over Norwich on July 1. But he made a crucial contribution against Wolves with a clever pass to Kieran Tierney, who went on to set up Bukayo Saka's 43rd-minute opener. Suitably inspired, Arsenal clinched their fourth successive win in all competitions to remain in the hunt for European qualification.

SPAIN

ANSU FATI (Barcelona)

Fati came off the bench to score his seventh goal of the season in Barcelona's 4-1 victory over Villarreal. The Guinea-Bissau-born 17-year-old cut in from the left and drove the ball inside the near post to continue a remarkable breakthrough season for him at Camp Nou. Fati's goal helped Barca reduce the gap at the top of La Liga to four points, with Real Madrid still in pole position with four games to play,

ZOUHAIR FEDDAL (Real Betis)

Moroccan defender Feddal rescued a point for Betis by scoring a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo. He was left free at the back post, where he controlled and finished for his first goal of the season in La Liga. It earned a valuable point for Betis, who have been sliding closer to the bottom three. They sit nine points clear of the relegation zone with four rounds left.

ITALY 

MUSA JUWARA/MUSA BARROW (Bologna)

The pair of Gambian forwards combined to deal a potentially fatal blow to Inter Milan's Serie A title hopes as Bologna fought back to beat Antonio Conte's side 2-1 at the San Siro. The 18-year-old Juwara came off the bench to drill in a 74th-minute equaliser before Barrow capped a flowing counter-attack late on with a low finish to score a dramatic winner.

GERMANY

EDMOND TAPSOBA (Bayer Leverkusen)

When Leverkusen's Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba clattered Robert Lewandowski, who went onto score twice, early in the German Cup final, David Alaba swung in the resulting free-kick to give Bayern Munich the lead in a 4-2 victory at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. After Alaba and Serge Gnabry scored in the first half for Bayern, Lewandowski netted twice after the break to leave him with a total of 51 goals this season while Sven Bender and Kai Havertz bagged consolation goals for Leverkusen.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis