Attacking absences do not excuse Mourinho’s lament.

A year to the day since Liverpool last tasted defeat, in a reverse to Manchester City that effectively cost them the league title, Mohamed Salah helped ensure his team remained firmly on course to put that matter right in 2020.

Daniel Storey asks if Mourinho will change for Spurs or if Spurs will change for Mourinho.

Daniel Storey looks at what we learned in the Premier League this weekend.

Students of time travel will know this is precarious. In John Delaney’s grandiose vision, Ireland’s future has been mapped out and somehow it’s looking bright

To paraphrase Brando, “Stick with us baby, we’re the fellas you came in with”.

Offering an idea for sale to the week’s sport In the North London derby tomorrow afternoon, Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino will enjoy a welcome break from the tedious business of narrative control.

For the past three seasons, the top of the Premier League has been a closed shop. While both Manchester United and Arsenal have recently dropped out of the Champions League places, so far their financial advantages and traditional pulling power for top players have kept their heads above water.

There are two definitions of ‘charisma’ in the dictionary - and while Jose Mourinho may prefer the description as a ‘divinely conferred power or talent’, we're sticking to the more traditional understanding of the word - a ‘compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others’.

The age of Spain, bookended by two Liverpool triumphs. After the miracle of Istanbul in 2005, Barcelona and Real Madrid won the European Cup in eight of the next 13 seasons.

Brendan O'Brien Column B

Vincent Kompany, 11 years a loyal Manchester City servant and a symbol of the stratospheric changes the club has undergone in that time, scored his first goal in 13 months at the most opportune moment and in the most spectacular fashion last night.

Vincent Kompany struck a sensational winner as Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League with a dramatic and tense 1-0 win over Leicester.

PSG loanee Weah is the son of former World Player of the Year George.

Daniel Storey on the big takeaways from the weekend's action...

Is the world about to end?

So little about this Manchester United season has been extreme. This is a team with rounded edges, who send watching supporters and journalists into an slumber.

Former Ireland star Damien Duff is on his way to Celtic next month to take up his first full-time coaching post.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Leigh Griffiths will be out of football "for a period of time" as he "needs some help."

Odsonne Edouard grabbed a double as Celtic powered their way to within a point of Ladbrokes Premiership leaders Hearts with a 5-0 hammering of the Jambos at Parkhead.

Unai Emery has set a mean stall out. On Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Singapore, the team coach drove by the hotel from the airport and straight to the training ground. A signal of intent to his new players, perhaps, and certainly an instant contribution to the ‘narrative’.

Smith, a lifelong Villa fan, leaves Brentford, while Terry moves into coaching having just announced his retirement as a player. Jesus Garcia Pitarch has also been appointed as sporting director.

Luckily for Manchester City, the bloated Champions League format means that opening group games can hardly be regarded as critically important, never mind ‘must win’, but even if the competition couldn’t ever hope to hit the ground running the way the World Cup did in Russia, this week’s action did see some of football’s global superstars exhibiting varying degrees of luminosity — from dull to blinding — in their attempts to twist again like they did last summer.

Celtic 1 Rosenborg 0

Brendan Rodgers wants his players to demand more of themselves in front of goal when Celtic take on Rosenborg in their opening Europa League Group B game on Thursday.

Oran Kearney began his tenure as St Mirren boss with an encouraging 0-0 draw against 10-man Celtic at the Simple Digital Arena.

Leigh Griffiths scored his 100th goal for Celtic as they beat Suduva 3-0 in the play-off second leg to book their place in the group stage of the Europa League.

The latest chapter in Daryl Horgan’s career as a professional footballer began with a run off the bench for Neil Lennon’s Hibernian in their 1-1 draw away to St Johnstone in Perth last weekend.

Very few of us paid attention when Greg Cunningham’s transfer from Preston to Cardiff City went through in June.

Celtic all but secured their place in the second Champions League qualifying round following a commanding 3-0 win against Alashkert in the searing heat of Yerevan.

It’s said if you’re once bitten you’ll be twice shy, so Declan Bonner has reason to be tentative as Donegal head to nearby Celtic Park in Derry well-tipped to win Sunday’s Ulster SFC quarter-final.

Celtic 5 Rangers 0: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admits his side should have equalled their record Old Firm win after they clinched their seventh successive Premiership title in stunning style with a 5-0 thrashing of Rangers at Parkhead.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was “a little bit surprised” to see Steven Gerrard linked to the manager’s job at city rivals Rangers.

It wasn’t one of those games that will go down in FA Cup folklore — nor can I imagine will Mourinho have any sleepless nights between now and the final.

European heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the big-hitters in today’s Champions League semi-final draw in Nyon (12pm midday )but Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not under-estimate surprise package Roma.

Celtic's post-split match against Rangers at Parkhead has been scheduled for Sunday, April 29 - the second of their five remaining fixtures.

"A proportion of proceeds from the match will go towards various charities and causes of Scott's choice, including the family of former Celtic and Ireland player Liam Miller."

Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday week.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is said to be on a list of candidates to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.