Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he expects a subdued transfer market this off-season amid speculation regarding Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho, with the German wary of spending.

Paris Saint-Germain's Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund duo Haaland and Sancho – both reported Liverpool targets – have been linked with big-money moves at the end of the season.

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on and off the field, with clubs counting the financial cost of COVID-19.

Liverpool could be further impacted by their failure to qualify for next season's Champions League – the Reds are sixth in the Premier League table and seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with two games in hand.

Klopp, whose Liverpool were dethroned by Manchester City in the Premier League this season, played down talk of a spending spree in a bid to revive the club's fortunes.

"Not playing Champions League doesn't help, obviously, but it is not our biggest problem because the market will be really strange," Klopp said of Thursday's showdown against rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

"I hear a lot about big-money moves – is Kylian Mbappe going or not, Haaland, Sancho – I don't see that happening because the football world is still not in the same place it was before.

"We will see how the market develops but it will not be an early market, for sure.

"If we don't go to the Champions League it is not good but there is still a chance and as long as we have a chance we should not speak about it as if we have no chance. And if it is not then we have to deal with that."

"Do I know what we have to work with? Yes, not a lot, anyway," Klopp said. "We cannot speak for years and years about our structure or whatever, it is always how it is.

"It depends to the business, what happens, if someone wants to leave or if players want to go, if we sell, so we can never really plan early.

"… Getting the injured players back makes us already better. These are our first transfers. We don’t know exactly when that will happen but it will happen at one point. All the rest we have to see."

Klopp has managed away at United without ever winning more times than any other opponent in his managerial career (six – D4 L2).

Liverpool have won just two of their six midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) Premier League games this season (D1 L3), with both of those victories coming against Tottenham. The Reds have failed to score in the four games they did not win.

Klopp added: "Can we challenge Man City next season? And Chelsea. And Manchester United.

City and Chelsea have always had [financial] advantages in this and we still won the league and the Champions League, so it is our situation to work like we work and I never look at other clubs and say 'we can't do this' or 'we can't do that'.

"The only thing I am interested in, and I said this earlier when I arrived here, I am not interested in being the coach of the best team in the world. I am interested in being the coach of the team who can beat the best team in the world.

"If two or three of them play in our league then we will try to beat them and some others as well so we have enough points to win something. It is absolutely not the situation to moan or cry. I am not going to cry about our situations. Our situation is fine.

"A year ago people didn't know exactly how football would go on. Only one year later we speak about what we can do in the transfer window. People talk about changing the football structure completely, the German model, I can tell you the budget will go down massively.

"So changing the structure of the ownership model and [then] signing Haaland for £150m or whatever, that doesn’t work together. We have to use our situation better than we did this year."

Jurgen Klopp fully understands Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reasons for fielding a much-changed team in Manchester United's defeat to Leicester City.

Liverpool's Champions League hopes were dealt a blow on Tuesday, with the Foxes running out 2-1 winners at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer made 10 changes in total from the team he started in Sunday's comeback win over Aston Villa, with only Mason Greenwood – who continued his fine goalscoring form with an eighth in all competitions since March 21 – retaining his place.

The victory moved Leicester onto 66 points, two clear of fourth-placed Chelsea and nine clear of Liverpool, who sit sixth though do have Thursday's Premier League match with United in hand.

Some sections of Liverpool's support were infuriated by Solskjaer's decision to prioritise Thursday's game against the Reds over Tuesday's match, yet Klopp does not believe the United boss had much of a choice.

With United's planned game with Liverpool postponed due to fan protests on May 2, the Premier League rearranged the fixture for May 13, giving United a gruelling task of three games in five days.

"It was the line-up I expected. Not exactly but I knew he had to make these changes. They played Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday," Klopp, who has not yet won at Old Trafford as a manager, said in Wednesday's pre-match news conference.

"I've said it 500 times, with all the things that happened and the protest in Manchester that lead to that situation, to play Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday is a crime. It is. It's not the fault of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the players.

"My question was to myself, would I have done the same? Yes, you have to. You have to. We are late in the season. United went to the Europa League final, that means an awful lot of games."

Klopp also questioned why the Premier League could not have instead played the game this coming Sunday – May 16 – moving Liverpool's match with West Brom.

"Now you get Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. That's not possible. But the weekend off is a weekend off for United. They play now Thursday and have the weekend off," he continued.

"I'm not the guy doing the schedule, the fixture list, but when we thought how it could work out on the day the game got cancelled and we drove home on the bus.

"We made our fixtures and there was no Tuesday, Thursday game. We would have played all the games and moved one West Brom game. But that didn't happen.

"The explanation from the Premier League was no other team should suffer because of the things that happened in Manchester. That didn't work out pretty well. Obviously nobody else [suffered] but a little bit West Ham, a little bit Liverpool.

"But if we don't go to the Champions League and don't qualify for it, it's not the fault of Solskjaer because of team selection or the Premier League, it's our fault.

"But in this specific case, I think you could have done it differently. But you get more and more used to things barely going in your favour or in your direction and just accept it."

United have avoided defeat in both meetings with Liverpool in all competitions this season (W1 D1).

The last time they faced the Reds as many as three times in a season without losing any was in the treble-winning campaign of 1998-99, though Liverpool have not lost consecutive games against United in all competitions since a run of four between 2014-2016, with the Reds losing 3-2 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup in January.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not expect Harry Maguire to feature in the Premier League again this season but remains hopeful he will be fit for the Europa League final.

United captain Maguire suffered ankle ligament damage when he collided with Anwar El Ghazi during a 3-1 win at Aston Villa last Sunday.

The England centre-back was at Old Trafford on crutches wearing a protective boot on his left foot for a 2-1 loss to Leicester City on Tuesday, a defeat that sealed the title for Manchester City.

Solskjaer thinks Maguire's top-flight campaign is over with three games to play, but is optimistic he will face Villarreal in Gdansk on May 26.

The United boss said on the eve of Thursday's Premier League encounter with Liverpool: "The good news was it wasn't broken. There was no fracture, but a ligament injury of course is serious as well.

"If I'm very positive - that's maybe stretching it - I'm hopeful that he might be ready for it [the Europa League final]. I don't think he'll play in the league again before [the end of the season]. We'll do everything we can to get him ready for the final."

Solskjaer said there should be no concerns that he might take a risk by playing Maguire with Euro 2020 on the horizon.

"You always try to look after players long-term. If he's fit, he'll play for us, if he's not he won't," said the former Norway striker.

"As I said, we're hopeful that he's ready. If he's ready for us, he'll probably be ready for the Euros. Norway are not in the Euros, so I'm not really that concerned [about the Euros]."

Solskjaer made 10 changes to his starting line-up for the defeat to the Foxes and will rotate again when they face Champions League hopefuls Liverpool, given United are amid a schedule of four games in the space of 10 days.

"There will be changes of course but many of the players that played tonight did really well so they're in contention as well," he added.

"It's about managing the squad now and building momentum, building confidence, making sure we get enough points to get second and then going into the final confident."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has congratulated Manchester City after the Reds were officially dethroned as Premier League champions.

Defeat for Manchester United at Leicester City on Tuesday meant Pep Guardiola's side sealed their third title in four years without playing.

Klopp revealed he had texted Guardiola and his former Borussia Dortmund player Ilkay Gundogan to congratulate them.

And he recognised their accomplishment as he addressed reporters for the first time since City were crowned ahead of Liverpool's trip to Old Trafford to play United on Thursday.

He insists City are beatable, but the combination of Guardiola and an expensive squad makes it the toughest of challenges.

"It is a great achievement, congratulations," said Klopp. "I texted Pep last night and already texted Ilkay obviously. 

"Really well done after a very difficult year for the whole world, not just in football, and what they achieved so far this season is exceptional. 

"If you have financial resources and football knowledge, you have a good chance to create something special and that is obviously the case. 

"Incredible squad, and the best manager in the world so that makes it a good recipe I would say! 

"Always a joy to play against them as it is a massive challenge from a football point of view.

"You can beat them but you have to be at your absolute top to beat them. We have done that from time to time but obviously not this year, so well deserved and congratulations."

If Liverpool are to make a push to regain their title next season, Klopp thinks he will have more than just City to worry about.

He added: "We knew last year were weren’t 20-odd points better than other teams and we know next year we have to win football games.

"City are not the only challenge next season, Chelsea – I said to Thomas [Tuchel] that his squad was a present [to him]. 

"[That squad] together with Thomas it works out pretty well. If you look at the squad they can make 11 changes and you still think that’s a proper team.

"So they will go for it next year definitely. They will not get worse next season that’s a fact, and United is in a good way. 

"So it is not who is far away or whatever. My concern is not the gap. We did it last year, it means you have to win your own football games and that’s possible.

"Our season was difficult but we don't close our eyes or blame anyone else, we should have five or six more points, we know that.

"Now we need help from other teams - not the situation you want but now we deal with that.

"[With those points] we would be closer to the Champions League spots with four games to go.

"Now we need help from other teams. We have to win our games and we need help from other teams. That is not the situation we want to be in. But it’s the best we could do and now we deal with that."

Klopp did not rule out a more aggressive approach than normal if his side were drawing in the closing stages, given they sit seven points adrift of Chelsea in fourth.

He added: "Our plan was to win all the games, so we won't change that. Do we have to take more risks when it's a draw? Possible, but not planned now. 

"If you play a game and think only about attacking, you have lost before the first whistle.

"We're not that bad in the form table but two draws [against Newcastle and Leeds] when we 'lost the game' pretty much late on, it felt harsh. That's the situation."

UEFA has opened a disciplinary investigation against Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, the three clubs who are yet to withdraw from the European Super League.

Nine of the original 12 founding teams involved in the controversial project – including all six English clubs – have renounced the competition and promised to take all possible steps to remove themselves from it.

They all agreed a peace accord with UEFA last week that saw them recommit to the current structures of club and international football.

As part of the deal, those nine teams also accepted light punishments including goodwill payments to UEFA and a small portion of their prize money being withheld.

But Barca, Juve and Madrid are yet to terminate their involvement and on Saturday insisted the breakaway project was lawful, hitting out at "intolerable" pressure and vowing to persevere. 

When announcing their agreement with the nine clubs who came back into the fold, UEFA said it would "take whatever action it deems appropriate" against the remaining three.

That process has now begun, as UEFA released a statement on Wednesday confirming the disciplinary probe.

It read: "In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA disciplinary regulations, UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspectors have today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA's legal framework by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus in connection with the so-called 'Super League' project.

"Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course."

Speaking last week, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin discussed the recent developments, praising the nine clubs for stepping back from the Super League.

"I said at the UEFA Congress that it takes a strong organisation to admit making a mistake especially in these days of trial by social media," he said.

"In accepting their commitments and willingness to repair the disruption they caused, UEFA wants to put this chapter behind it and move forward in a positive spirit.

"The measures announced are significant, but none of the financial penalties will be retained by UEFA. They will all be reinvested into youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK.

"These clubs have done just that, recognised their mistakes quickly and have taken action to demonstrate their contrition and future commitment to European football.

"The same cannot be said for the clubs that remain involved in the so-called 'Super League' and UEFA will deal with those clubs subsequently."

Virgil van Dijk has confirmed he will not be taking part in Euro 2020 for Netherlands due to injury.

The Dutch captain will miss the tournament and complete his recovery with the aim of being ready to start pre-season training with Liverpool.

Van Dijk, 29, has missed much of the season having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Everton in October, ruling him out ever since.

And Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently dented fans' hopes of seeing Van Dijk in action again this season by saying he is still "quite a way" from returning to training despite footage of the player running.

Van Dijk has now confirmed he will not risk his recovery by playing at the Euros, though he is disappointed to miss out.

The defender told Liverpool's website: "In this latest stage for myself, I have come to a decision that I had to make: would I be involved in the Euros, yes or no?

"With everything that is going on, I feel physically it is the right decision that I've decided not to go to the Euros and to go into my last phase of rehab during the off-season. 

"So, the full focus will be on pre-season with the club and that's a realistic goal, so I am looking forward to that.

"Obviously I am very gutted to miss the Euros, to miss the European Championship and leading out my own country there, but things have been like they have and I have to accept it – we all have to accept it. 

"I think the decision to not go is the right decision in the grand scheme of things. It's tough, but I'm at peace with it.

"I am looking forward to football hopefully with fans and with Holland, we will try to reach the next tournament [the World Cup].

"Hopefully I can lead the boys there for a historical tournament, but we're not there yet. 

"It's going to be a very, very hard but hopefully a promising 18 months for club and country."

Van Dijk's status for the Euros has been a talking point ever since his injury, with debate over whether he should risk playing if he is not fit to return for Liverpool.

His leadership and imperious attributes made him a huge part of the Reds' Premier League title triumph last season, playing all 38 matches.

Only one defender in the league bettered his 191 aerial wins, he attempted – and completed – more passes than any of them and Trent Alexander-Arnold was the sole defensive player to have more than his 3,624 touches of the ball.

His excellence did not only help keep them solid at the back but his influence stretched to their wider philosophy on the ball as well, yet they have been without that for most of 2020-21.

The injury absence of Van Dijk and a host of other players, particularly in defence, has hit Liverpool hard in a campaign where they are now struggling to finish in the top four.

"We all know how the season has gone – and we're not happy with how it's gone," added Van Dijk. "It's been frustrating for all of us, for all the Liverpool fans.

"With everything that is going on in the world and in the football world as well, personally it has been a very tough year, but I am looking forward to next season.

"It has been a very, very tough journey so far, but I am in a good place right now and I'm progressing nicely.

"Seven months ago I got injured and it's been a very, very long road. I had to take it step by step, as I have done. Things have been going well, I've not had a real setback or anything, I've just progressed nicely.

"I am not the youngest anymore; I'm obviously not old, but I am quite mature and I know by now what could be a good decision.

"I think this decision has definitely been the right one, in my opinion, to give my body and my knee a little bit more extra time.

"Obviously I want to be back out there, I want to be helping my team-mates, helping my country in this case and I obviously want to help the club.

"But I think it’s the right thing to do to stay a little bit more patient and work even harder during the off-season and get ready."

Netherlands are in Group C for Euro 2020 along with Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer applauded Mason Greenwood for playing with responsibility alongside some of Manchester United's younger players against Leicester City and wants him to retain that authority when teaming up with first-team regulars.

United lost 2-1 at home to Leicester on Tuesday, a defeat that confirmed Manchester City as Premier League champions for the third time in four years.

The result did not come as a huge surprise, however, given Solskjaer had made 10 changes to his starting XI from the 3-1 win over Aston Villa just two days earlier – Greenwood the only player to keep his place.

The England international got United's goal, a tidy finish into the bottom-left corner after skipping past Caglar Soyuncu to cancel out Luke Thomas' spectacular opener.

Alongside him in the United attack were 18-year-old Amad Diallo, making his Premier League debut, and Anthony Elanga, who was playing his first ever game for the senior side – Greenwood, although only six months older than the latter, was making his 102nd appearance.

Solskjaer felt Greenwood – occupying the central striker position – played with greater authority and responsibility as a result and he wants the 19-year-old to take that into their next game against Liverpool on Thursday, when the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba can expect to be back in the team.

"You saw some definite leadership, the way he had to take responsibility," Solskjaer said.

"He's got Amad and Anthony next to him, looks at them and thinks, 'I've got 100 games here so I need to help them', which is great.

"He did really well, considering his age he's got 100 games and has got loads of experience.

"The way he took responsibility, I was really pleased with it. That's maybe not as easy when you've got Bruno, Paul, Marcus and Edinson [Cavani] next to you, which is natural.

"I still want him to take that responsibility when he plays. No matter how old you are, if you believe in yourself, trust in yourself, and think it's the right decision, you make that decision.

"He did that [against Leicester] and I still want him to do that on Thursday, when he plays with the more experienced ones."

It has been a testing season for Greenwood, who struggled early on to replicate the remarkable form he had shown in 2019-20.

The teenager had to cope with the death of a close friend and was then involved in controversy on England duty, finding himself sent home after making his debut and then being excluded from the next selection.

Greenwood also appeared to become something of a target for certain sections of the British media, and his form suffered considerably, only managing three goals across all competitions between the start of the season in September and the end of 2020.

His struggles continued into 2021 and the forward went on a run of 15 appearances without a single goal from late January, but he ended that barren spell against Leicester City on March 21 and has since netted eight times in 11 matches.

No Premier League player has scored more goals on all fronts over the same period, with Greenwood once again showing the kind of killer-instinct in front of goal that made him so feared in 2019-20, when he scored 17 goals.

Ten of those came in the league from an expected goals (xG) value of just 2.9, meaning he scored 7.1 goals more than expected. No player in the division could match that xG overperformance.

This would generally indicate elite-level finishing or a player getting lucky. Greenwood's form earlier this season suggested it was the latter, but since March 21 his xG overperformance across all competitions is 5.0 – almost double the next-most efficient player in that time, Kelechi Iheanacho (xG overperformance of 2.9).

After a shaky period, Greenwood is seemingly back on track and showing the finishing talents that made people sit up and take note last season.

While Solskjaer wants him to keep playing with authority for United, on current form many would even be backing him to take extra "responsibility" with England at Euro 2020.

Manchester United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has criticized the scheduling of his side's league fixtures, labelling them as "impossible" amid a pile-up.

Solskjaer fielded a second-string line-up for Tuesday's 2-1 home loss to Leicester City, which comes only two days after they won 3-1 away to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Red Devils' fixture pile-up has been compounded by their run to the Europa League final, having completed their passage on Thursday with an 8-5 aggregate win over Roma.

But United's backlog was made worse by their postponed league fixture against Liverpool due to fan protests at Old Trafford.

United play that fixture against Liverpool on Thursday before another league match against Fulham on Tuesday.

Solskjaer acknowledged the situation the postponed Liverpool fixture had created but called for fairer re-scheduling.

"It can’t be like this again," Solskjaer said post-game. "You can’t play Thursday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday - it is impossible.

"That’s the reason why we had to make these changes because it is unheard of. I say it again, if this game was tomorrow, no problem and if we have another game on Saturday.

"If you have two days in between, there is no problem but this is impossible for the players to perform at this level Thursday night, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. It is impossible."

Sadio Mane has been urged "not to panic" despite the Liverpool forward admitting he is enduring the worst season of his senior career.

The Senegal international has scored 13 times in all competitions this season, nine of which have come in the Premier League, with his effort against Southampton last weekend just his third league goal at Anfield in 2020-21.

That form has been in stark contrast to last season, when Mane scored 18 times in the top flight alone to help propel the Reds to their first Premier League title.

The 29-year-old has struggled to find answers to his problems and has even sought medical advice to see if physical impairments are behind them.

"This is the worst season of my career. I have to admit it," he told Canal Plus. "If you ask me what is wrong I will struggle to give you an answer. Personally, I don't know.

"I have always tried to be positive, whether things are going well or badly. I question myself all the time. I even underwent a test to take a look at my body. Am I eating the right foods, or has everything changed? But they checked the test results, and everything is fine.

"I need to understand that in life there are ups and downs. I will keep on working hard – and perhaps in time this situation will pass."

BELOW EXPECTATIONS

Mane's output in terms of creating for others is similar to last season's: he is only two assists (five) and seven chances created (52) down on the numbers he recorded in the league in 2020-21.

His reduction in goals is also not for lack of trying. He has already attempted 86 shots in the league this term, nine more than last season, while his shot accuracy has dropped by just three per cent. Similarly, his conversion rate for Opta-defined 'big chances' has only reduced by 4.4 per cent.

However, Mane's overall shot conversion rate in the league this season has dropped to 10.47 per cent from 23.38 per cent in 2019-20. This indicates a broader problem with his finishing – and the evidence supports this.

Last season, Mane scored 18 times in the league from an Expected Goals figure of only 13.67. His Expected Goals on Target – a metric that helps to model the quality of a player's on-target shots – was 15.86. That gives him a difference between xG and xGOT, called Shooting Goals Added (SGA), of 2.21.

This indicates that, when presented with a chance by team-mates, Mane was often executing shots that were in locations a goalkeeper would find difficult to save. In other words, he was finishing clinically. This season, however, things have changed.

Mane's xG in 2020-21 has lowered slightly to 12.45, but his xGOT has dropped substantially to 10.65, giving him an SGA of -1.8. The likelihood of him scoring this term based on the quality of his own shooting has fallen discernibly, albeit not massively.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

If Mane's problems in front of goal are clear but not drastic, what is the solution? The message from one former coach is clear: don't panic.

Alain Giresse, who was Senegal coach from 2013 to 2015, thinks part of the problem is that Jurgen Klopp's side were always bound to suffer some sort of dip in standards given their sustained excellence in the previous two seasons.

"The pole vaulter who is getting people used to clearing six metres, the day he clears 5.80m, we're not going to question it," Giresse told Stats Perform.

"The seasons that Liverpool have just had were at such a high level that to keep them for years to come is extremely difficult.

"They have dominated European football and English football. To stay at the top at this level is very complicated. Something eventually erodes and they are in the middle of that.

"I'm still in touch with Sadio and I tell him not to panic even though it's clear you have to work constantly. Clubs know this. For example, Monaco were on a 12-game winning run, and when they lost the 13th game in Strasbourg, the coach said that it was bound to happen.

"The problem in this type of situation is that you get the impression that it's the end of the world. You say to yourself that out of 13 games, you lose one, while you've won all the others... Liverpool are in a similar situation."

Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland together at Camp Nou?

Barcelona are among a host of clubs interested in Borussia Dortmund's Haaland.

Joan Laporta is reportedly fighting to bring Haaland to Spain.

TOP STORY – BARCA NOT GIVING UP ON HAALAND

Erling Haaland remains Barcelona's number one transfer target, according to Diario Sport.

Borussia Dortmund star Haaland has been linked with Barca, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite their financial problems and cheaper alternatives, Barca are determined to prise Haaland to Camp Nou, though Inter's Lautaro Martinez and Tottenham star Harry Kane remain possible options.

ROUND-UP

- Le10Sport claims Arsenal are desperate to lure Rennes sensation Eduardo Camavinga to London. Camavinga is in demand amid reported interest from Madrid, United and PSG. Mundo Deportivo, meanwhile, reports Barca are eyeing the France international as a replacement for Sergio Busquets.

- Milan intend on signing Fikayo Tomori on a permanent deal from Chelsea, reports Fabrizio Romano. Tomori has impressed since arriving at San Siro on loan. It comes as Chelsea work to extend Thiago Silva's contract.

- FT says Bayern star Kingsley Coman wants to double his wages in a contract extension. The France international has previously been linked with United.

- Liverpool have shown interest in Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford, according to The Athletic.

- Calciomercato reports Serie A champions Inter and Lazio are targeting Chelsea veteran Olivier Giroud, who is set to leave Stamford Bridge amid the Blues' links with Bayern star Robert Lewandowski and City free agent Sergio Aguero.

Iconic former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson put aside any anti-Liverpool agenda as he saluted the impacted Steven Gerrard has had on another of his old clubs, Rangers.

Gerrard played for United's bitter rivals Liverpool from 1998 to 2015, a period that coincided with Ferguson's glory years at Old Trafford, and was Reds captain for much of that time.

But despite their respective roles in one of English football's fiercest rivalries, Ferguson can appreciate the job Gerrard has done since trying his hand in management.

Gerrard took over at Rangers – with whom Ferguson spent two years as a player in the 1960s – in 2018, the club having been without a top-flight title since 2010-11. They had to start all over again in the third tier in 2012 after insolvency.

Rangers' great rivals Celtic went on to claim nine successive Scottish Premiership titles, but under Gerrard's guidance they ended the Bhoys' dominance this term, cruising to the crown in remarkable fashion.

They wrapped it up in early March having not lost a single game and, with two games left, are in with a chance of completing the campaign undefeated, a feat they have not managed since 1898-99.

And Ferguson, who won 16 top-flight titles with United and Aberdeen, has been impressed.

"Oh, he's done magnificent," Ferguson told the Guardian ahead of the release of a documentary about his life.

"He really has, both on and off the field. A press interview can lose you your job in management. But Steven's press conferences are fantastic.

"He's cool, he's composed, he gives the right answers. He's really top because it's an art."

Nevertheless, Ferguson stressed he has not exactly become an avid follower of Rangers in his retirement – he is only really bothered when it comes to one game in particular.

"The only time I really support Rangers is when they play Celtic. The big one," he added. "Jason [his son] is a Celtic fan.

"I love phoning him up when Rangers have beaten them. The funny thing is that the one team I always look for on Saturday night is Queen's Park, my first club.

"I had a great learning experience as a 16-year-old lad playing for them. People think it's an amateur team but you had to be tough to play for Queen's Park. That was a great foundation for me."

As the 2020-21 season comes to an end, Jadon Sancho's future is dominating headlines.

Having been tipped to leave Borussia Dortmund at the start of the campaign, the England international is once again in the spotlight.

A move could be on the cards but remaining in Germany is also an option.

TOP STORY – BAYERN TO SWOOP FOR SANCHO?

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are considering a move for Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho, according to The Telegraph.

Sancho has long been linked with Premier League giants Manchester United, as well as Liverpool and Chelsea in the past.

But Bayern are believed to be ready to prise Sancho from Dortmund as they also reportedly wait to prise in-demand team-mate Erling Haaland to Bavaria.

Haaland, who has a release clause that is not valid until 2022, is wanted by Bayern, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

ROUND-UP

- After re-signing Neymar, PSG are on the right track to lure Madrid captain Sergio Ramos to the French capital, claims ParisFans. Ramos is out of contract at the end of the season and yet to renew with Madrid.

- Leicester City are set to sign Lille star Boubakary Soumare for less than £26million (€30m), reports Fabrizio Romano. He has previously been linked to United.

- Romano and L'Equipe say Julian Draxler has signed a contract extension with PSG. Arsenal and Bayern had reportedly been eyeing the German.

- Telefoot continues to link PSG with Rennes sensation Eduardo Camavinga, who has a host of admirers, including United, Barca and Madrid.

- Roma and Juventus are eyeing former Inter captain Mauro Icardi as ParisFans says the PSG striker's future could be away from Paris at the end of the season.

Manchester City will have to wait to get their hands on a third Premier League title in four years after they fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Chelsea on Saturday.

Sergio Aguero in particular will want to forget the game in a hurry after a failed Panenka attempt, which he later apologised for on social media.

Liverpool kept their first home clean sheet in nine top-flight games as they overcame Southampton 2-0, while Leeds United cruised past Tottenham 3-1 at Elland Road.

Elsewhere in Yorkshire, Crystal Palace inflicted yet more misery on Sheffield United, running out 2-0 winners at Bramall Lane.

Stats Perform News uses Opta data to take a look at the best facts from the four games.

Manchester City 1-2 Chelsea: Aguer-woe for leaders as Blues hit back

City suffered more penalty woe as they missed the chance to be crowned Premier League champions.

It had started well for the hosts, however, with Raheem Sterling giving them the lead with his 10th Premier League goal of the campaign. The England international has now reached that total in four successive seasons, with only Aguero (nine) hitting double figures more regularly in the competition for City.

Aguero should have doubled their advantage before the interval, but his woeful Panenka attempt from the spot was comfortably gathered by Edouard Mendy. City have now failed to score more penalties (four) than any other side in the Premier League this season, while they are the first to miss at least four spot-kicks in consecutive top-flight seasons since Tottenham in 1993-94 and 1994-95.

Hakim Ziyech made the most of that reprieve, levelling with his first Premier League goal in 18 appearances since scoring against Burnley in October.

There was worse to come for Pep Guardiola, who has now lost four home league games this season – twice as many as he had lost in any other campaign in his managerial career.

At 91 minutes and 54 seconds, Marcos Alonso's scuffed finish was the latest winning goal scored by the visitors in a Premier League game at City since Paul Scholes for Manchester United in April 2010 (92:41).

Liverpool 2-0 Southampton: Mane helps sink former employers

Liverpool kept their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive with victory at Anfield in the late kick-off.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring in the first half with his second goal in three Premier League games, having found the net just once in his previous 14 outings in the competition before that.

He was teed up by Mohamed Salah, marking the first time the pair have combined for a top-flight goal this season.

Thiago Alcantara added a second in the 90th minute to become the 140th player to score a Premier League goal for Liverpool, though the first to get off the mark for the Reds from outside the box since Divock Origi in December 2015.

Southampton, meanwhile, have now earned just 11 points from their 18 Premier League games in 2021, fewer than any other side this calendar year.

Leeds United 3-1 Tottenham: VAR bars Kane as Spurs suffer

Leeds' superb record against the Premier League's 'big six' continued.

Marcelo Bielsa's side became the first to remain unbeaten at home in the top flight against each of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Spurs in a season since West Ham in 2015-16, and only the third newly promoted team to do so, after Ipswich Town in 2000-01 and Birmingham City in 2009-10.

Stuart Dallas broke the deadlock to become the first Northern Ireland player to score as many as eight Premier League goals in a season since Chris Brunt in 2008-09.

Son Heung-min equalised for the visitors, but Patrick Bamford restored Leeds' advantage to move onto 22 Premier League goal involvements this term (15 goals, seven assists). Harry Kane is the only Englishman to have been involved in more (34).

Rodrigo then added a third late on as Spurs suffered a fifth defeat in 10 top-flight away games in 2021 – more than they experienced in the entirety of 2020.

Sheffield United 0-2 Crystal Palace: Benteke helps Eagles deal with blunt Blades

After a run of three consecutive defeats, Palace could not have wished for more accommodating opponents than the already relegated Blades.

Christian Benteke opened the scoring after just 66 seconds, registering the club’s earliest Premier League goal since James McArthur's strike against Everton in November 2017 (51 seconds).

Benteke has now scored more goals this season (seven in 27 appearances) than he managed in his previous three Premier League campaigns combined (six in 71).

Eberechi Eze continued his impressive season with a second late on. Only Wilfried Zaha (12) has been directly involved in more Premier League goals for Palace this season than Eze (four goals, five assists), while no Eagles player has laid on more goals than the former Queens Park Rangers man.

The result meant United have failed to score in 20 matches within a single league season for the first time in their history, while in terms of the Premier League, only Derby County in 2007-08 (22), Leeds United in 1996-97 (21) and Huddersfield Town in 2017-18 (21) have failed to score in more games in a single campaign.

Manchester United wanted Jadon Sancho ahead of the 2020-21 season.

But, United were unable to prise Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

United, though, are reportedly still pursuing the England international.

TOP STORY – UNITED WANT SANCHO

Manchester United are lining up a bid for Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho, according to the Daily Star.

United were heavily linked with Sancho at the start of the season but a move did not materialise, while the Red Devils have since been mentioned as suitors for fellow Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland.

But United have reportedly cooled their interest in Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich target Haaland as they make Sancho their top transfer priority.

ROUND-UP

- Diario AS claims Juventus have rejected a renewed effort from Barca to sign Netherlands centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

- Udinese goalkeeper Juan Musso, City defender Nathan Ake and RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer are on Jose Mourinho's list of targets as he prepares to take charge of Roma, reports Gazzetta dello Sport. Corriere dello Sport also claims Lille midfielder Renato Sanches is wanted by Mourinho.

- Mundo Deportivo says Barca are continuing to chase Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravernberch. Barca have also been linked with Liverpool's soon-to-be free agent Georginio Wijnaldum, who has since emerged as a reported target for Bayern.

- Chelsea are frontrunners to prise Harry Kane from Tottenham according to Football Insider. Kane has been linked with United, City, Barca, Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid, while Chelsea have also emerged as a possible destination for Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski.

Jadon Sancho said he is "very happy" at Borussia Dortmund but is unsure over his future amid growing links to Premier League pair Manchester United and Liverpool.

Sancho was heavily linked with United at the start of the season, but a blockbuster move did not materialise, though the Red Devils reportedly remain interested in the England international.

Liverpool have also emerged as a possible destination for Sancho, who has called Dortmund home since arriving from Manchester City in 2017.

After scoring twice in Dortmund's 3-2 win over Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig on Saturday, Sancho was asked about his future as speculation mounts.

"I don't know about my future," the 21-year-old Dortmund star told ESPN.

"I am very happy here in Dortmund at the moment. I love the club, the fans and the team.

"They gave me my first professional start. The fans motivate and push me to the limit."

Sancho has scored eight Bundesliga goals and supplied nine assists for Dortmund this season, while he has netted 14 goals across all competitions in 2020-21.