He keeps surprising us - Ten Hag on Casemiro.

Casemiro scored a beautiful overhead kick goal, Brazilian style, on Saturday when Manchester United beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium.

The midfield kingpin, who formed part of a mean midfield partnership with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos at Real Madrid before his move to United, has continued to show how great a talent he is with his contribution at Old Trafford this season.

His has done some sterling work on and off the ball in his 44 appearances for Man United across all competitions, scoring four goals and contributing six assists.

That has left Man United boss, Erik Ten Hag, without any regrets for signing the 31-year-old, whom he says keeps surprising them with his excellent performances.

"He keeps surprising us," said Ten Hag in his post-match press conference as quoted by manutd.com.

"He’s such a brilliant football player, we know him as very good organisation, positioning, anticipating, intercepting a lot of balls, winning duels, a fighter, keeping the team together, but also in possession his passing, his distribution, but also finishing. Just a great football player. 

"We emphasise a lot and where we train on a lot, it’s about the movements when we are in the final third and movements of course has to come from the front line, second line just behind but also from the third line with fullbacks and with Casemiro coming from there.

“The movement is great, the touch from Christian Eriksen I think is great and the finish is brilliant."

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Ten Hag says Casemiro has exceeded the expectations they had when they signed him, in terms of what he brings to the club.

"Absolutely, by far,"

"One of the things that came out of our analysis, we missed a player in the midfield. A strategist and we searched for the strategist – it was not easy because they are not many in that profile who fits to the standard of Manchester United and so we are happy we found him."

I'm a believer, I'm a hard worker - Zwane.

Under fire Kaizer Chiefs coach, Arthur Zwane, who calls himself a believer and a hard worker, says football has taught him to have a thick skin and a big heart.

Zwane led Chiefs to a fifth place finish in the DStv Premiership on his maiden season as a head coach.

It was, to say the least, a turbulent debut season for Zwane, which ended in total disaster, with the coach attacked by supporters after losing to SuperSport United.

To top it all off, Chiefs lost four of their last five league games, which meant they lost 12 matches in total in the league.

A believer Zwane might be, but it is hard to believe that Chiefs management will still believe in him to lead their revival process next season.

"I'm a believer, I'm a hard worker. If there's one thing that football taught me is never be in the game if you don't have a big heart. In football, you develop a thick skin. I'm not the first one that has been in this situation. I've seen coaches struggle in their first season then they come up different in the following season," said Zwane as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/i-ve-developed-a-thick-skin-says-underfire-kaizer-chiefs-coach

Perhaps, what Zwane says next doesn't align with what Amakhosi are as an institution.

For an ambitious club like Chiefs, a coach doesn't necessarily get to have a 'learning season'.

Even Xavi of Barcelona fame had to go and learn somewhere else before he came back to lead his former club to league glory.

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"It was more like a learning season for me for the fact that me now being the head coach, making decisions. Obviously with the help of other technical team members but I've always been this supporting member of the team. Supporting other coaches that have been here before."

Is he going or staying? That is the question. But as things stand, to stay might come with more tears. 

My arms are ready to lift two more titles - Gundogan.

After Manchester City lifted their third English Premier League title in a row on Sunday afternoon, captain, Ilkay Gundogan said his arms are now strong enough to lift two more trophies.

Man City have the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League finals coming up against Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively.

According to Gundogan, there is no special secret to his leadership role as the Cityzens captain besides staying calm and focusing on what is important.

"I have no secrets," Gundogan told amp.mancity.com.

"Maybe my secret is to stay calm and stay patient. I focused on the important things and that is the success of the team.

"This is what we’re doing day by day. Today is special, it feels more special than previous years. Because of the atmosphere in the training ground, we’re here for each other, we fight for each other in tough periods.

"Two more finals to go, we’re looking forward to it. My arms are ready to lift two more titles."

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In 30 appearances, Gundogan contributed eight goals and five assists to City's EPL success this season.

Adaptation is what he credits his positive contribution to.

"It’s adaptation. The holding position requires different things to the offensive roles. This is what Pep [Guardiola] appreciates about me.

"I’m not special in times of giving decisive goals and assists, my qualities are in terms of bringing my teammates in the best possible situations.

"Leading them to these kind of simple situations. My football is simple, I try to make it as simple."

We have done something exceptional - Guardiola.

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has described winning the English Premier League title as something exceptional.

Exceptional it is, as the Cityzens have become only the fifth English top flight side to win the league title three times in a row.

They have equaled a record set by Huddersfield Town (1924-26), Arsenal (1933-35), Liverpool (1982-84), and Manchester United (1999-2001, and 2007-09).

While the celebrations are still very much going on, Guardiola is already plotting a way to create Man City's own history, that of becoming the first ever English top flight side to win four league titles in a row.

"When we start next season, we are going to try to be the first team to win four Premier Leagues," Guardiola told amp.mancity.com.

"We don’t need decades to think about how good it was. We have the feeling we have done something exceptional."

But for now, it is the UEFA Champions League trophy that Guardiola has set his sights on, which will confirm Man City as one of the greatest teams in Europe.

"To be one of the greatest teams in Europe you have to win the Champions League otherwise maybe people will say it’s not complete," he added.

"But just in case we cannot do it against Inter or next season, what we have done is extraordinary. Everybody knows it."

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Guardiola expects a strong challenge for the title next season, which he believes will require top mental preparations if they are to defend their crown.

"The next season all the teams will want to beat us, it’s normal.

"Defending our crown, mentally we have to prepare for that. That will be the challenge.

"We are going to play with the quality that we have - and human quality. The quality will be there."

City next travel to Falmer Stadium on Wednesday 24 May to face Brighton & Hove Albion, with the kick-off at 21:00.

It’s special, I am going to enjoy this day - Haaland.

Sometimes, one forgets that Erling Haaland is only 22-years-old. His influence in the world of football is so phenomenal it surpasses his age.

But that is what the best in the beautiful game do, they make an immediate impact, and that is what Haaland has done in his first season with Manchester City, by netting a record 36 goals.

After their win over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, Haaland said lifting the English Premier League title is a memory he will cherish forever.

"These are memories I will remember for the rest of my life. We’ve been fighting so hard," he told www.mancity.com.

"[I feel] unreal. I honestly don’t know what to say. You see me smiling and everything, I’m so happy!"

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While he said he will enjoy this day, and lifting the title in his debut season, the Norwegian goal machine is salivating at the prospect of featuring in the FA Cup final as well as the UEFA Champions League finale.

"It’s special. I am going to enjoy this day," he said.

"It’s a special moment with the trophy. Without the club this would not be possible. It is amazing.

"Debut season, 36 goals so far, Premier League trophy and two finals left, not a bad start!"

We won everything together - Firmino on his time at Liverpool.

Roberto Firmino marked the end of his Liverpool journey with a goal against Aston Villa in their 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

To say goodbye to Anfield with a goal, was fitting for Firmino, a proven goal scorer who lives Liverpool with 110 goals in his name.

Firmino featured 361 times for Liverpool, and won seven medals, including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

The 31-year-old Brazilian forward spent eight years at Anfield.

He said as much as it was hard to adapt to the environment and the type of football played, he is grateful to have achieved so much with the club.

"In the beginning when I arrived it was hard to adapt to the climate, the football, everything. As for every player, it’s the same," Firmino told liverpoolfc.com.

"But thank you God, we achieved everything here, we won everything together. Without my teammates, my family, the manager, you cannot do this. I’m very proud of the history, for everything we achieved together."

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On scoring in his last game for the club, Firmino said although they didn't win, he was happy to score a goal in his final Anfield appearance on a Liverpool shirt.

"Yes, unfortunately we didn’t get the win, it wasn’t the result that you want.

"But the last game at home with the fans, my family here, everyone, friends, I was very emotional and happy for this, to score my last goal at home. With this shirt, this big club, I’m very happy."

Sundowns Ladies beat stubborn UJ.

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies made it six Hollywoodbets Super League wins in a row when they beat a gallant University of Johannesburg 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at the UJ Stadium.

UJ, who hadn't won a match in their last five outings, put on a strong defensive performance at home, making it difficult for Sundowns Ladies to play through their lines.

But Banyana ba Style were still able to find some openings in the first half, which led to their two goals from Lelona Daweti in the 3rd minute, and Melinda Kgadiete in the 46th minute.

In the second half though, UJ tightened the screws even more, as they got more compact in the central channels, denying Sundowns Ladies enough space to maneuver.

As a result, Sundowns ended up with a lot of the ball without any impact in the final third, despite the determined efforts of Refilwe Tholakele and Chuene Morifi.

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While UJ were excellent in defence, offensively they were found wanting.

After winning possession, it was quickly recovered by Sundowns as their offensive players were almost always isolated in the Sundowns defensive third.

In the 87th minute, UJ finally executed a profitable offensive transition which led to their consolation goal.

With their win, Sundowns Ladies sit on top of the log with 37 points, a point ahead of University of Western Cape, who managed to beat JWV 2-0 on Saturday.