Ice Cold Palmer, Man Utd’s Chaos Continues & A Foxes Fightback
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We're recording this episode early on Monday morning and the latest news

is that Mikael has had surgery on a lower limb fracture and will now be monitored in hospital over the coming days. We had Mikael, of course, on the show as a guest recently. Wonderful guy, infectious love of the game. And I think you'd join me in sending our best wishes for his recovery, chaps.

Yeah, get well soon, big man. Everyone's thinking of you. Hope you're okay. Yeah, I agree with that. I call that as well. He's a fighter though. He'll be all right. All the best, Antonio. Let's hope. Now, Micah, you are wearing, would you class that as a fedora? It's a hat. Is that what it is? Oh, good. You're looking splendid. Where are you?

Well, I'm actually in Dubai at this moment in time. But I was in Abu Dhabi for the Grand Prix. I came to Dubai last night. What a place out here, guys. For the F1. It's just, it's fantastic. Give me another adjective to say, please, Gary. I'm sick of using fantastic. I'm sick of using unbelievable. I'm sick of using splendid. Sensational. Give me something...

Sensational. How about that? Just for starters. I'll give you one every week. You're looking as if you've done F1, F2, F3 and F4 and F5, by the way. LAUGHTER

Let me give you a little walkie. Where's he going? He's giving us a tour of his room. Let me give you a little catwalk. Oh, the catwalk. You're looking well. You're looking well. You've had a good weekend, haven't you? What on the F was that, Micah?

Yes, I've had a great weekend, but I've not watched any football. So I'm relying on my two buddies to take us through. Well, not watched any football. Well, Alan and myself were together at Match of the Day on Saturday and watched a lot of football this weekend, including games yesterday. Well, let's start with an incredible game at the London Stadium between Tottenham and Chelsea. Spurs got 2-0 up. Both goals after Cucurella slipped.

and then changed his boots from short studs to long studs. And from there on in, Chelsea really dominated, to be honest.

having said that Spurs did still have the odd chance on the counter attack but Cole Palmer no I was just going to say the little assist that he got I mean it was a deflected pass in the end but he came in from the touchline it was almost Messi-esque it was beautiful then he scored two penalties the second was a little Panenko it was beautifully taken what a talent how's your balls by the way doing that but look at the technique though obviously I've seen all the goals and stuff but

I didn't watch all the live games, but just even look at his body position as well. That is an angle where the goalkeeper's already going one way and he just delicately lifts at the right height. Give me another word, Gary. I need another word. Superb. Superb. Miraculous. Extraordinary. Extraordinary talent. Exceptional. We have said this about me. We have said this about Cole Palmer. I feel like...

where we're banging the drum and repeating the same thing at times. But we have to call it how it is. And we did know he was a superb talent, but he's just showing it week in, week out, isn't he? Is he the best in the Premier League at the moment? Along with perhaps Mo Salah and maybe Saka's... I don't know. What do you think?

Yeah, he's just unbelievable. I wonder how Man City are looking at him, how he's doing now, you know, and their decision to... I know they got big money for him, but I'm not sure they would have thought that he was going on to do the things he's doing. No way. Well, they got big money. They get nothing like what he'd be worth now. Exactly.

It's a good question that, Al, actually, because at the time it was perfect for City. He's homegrown, he gets 40 million quid and it's worth more because of the rules and everything like that. So in essence, at the time, everyone was saying it was a fair deal. People were saying 40 million for a player who has come off the bench from Man City. So it looked like a really good deal.

but Man City knew about his talent the only thing I would have said with that I would have just sent him out on loan for another a year or two see how his development improved and then made the decision but especially when you knew he was going to have to replace Amares you know they brought in Savinho they brought in Adoku Cole Palmer could play on either wing

I know a lot of effort has gone into the improvement and the development of Foden, but imagine them two in the same team. I'll say it again. The difference is between Cole Palmer and a Foden. I feel Cole can do it in any team. I think Foden needs a system. And probably in any position in the midfield. Correct. Correct. I remember his season last year. He was probably unlucky not to get Player of the Year, but what Foden did with them winning the league and everything. Yeah.

in answer to your question, is he the best? I think he is because I think he's making the biggest difference in any team, especially because we thought Chelsea would maybe just be fighting for top four, but it looks like they're going to do better than that. What I like about him as well is nothing seems to faze him at all. I mean, it's that ice cold thing, isn't it? But he genuinely is in many ways. He is stupidly relaxed. I mean, it's like

Can't tell you how hard penalties are in that difficult moment, you know. He just makes them look easy and they're not. It's like, yeah, he's so cool. It's unbelievable. Yeah, both penalties were brilliant in their own way, weren't they? I mean, we can't go on too much about penalties because obviously a great opportunity to score. But the first one...

I mean, it was right in the side netting. And then I actually called the Paneg. I said, he's going to go down the middle. He's going to do it. Did you? Yeah, because I said, it's a guaranteed goal if he goes down the middle. Because there's no way the goalkeeper's not going to dive out of the way. So yeah, I did actually. I've got witnesses as well. Not that it matters a row of beans, but anyway. Yeah.

but it was marvellous. I mean, I just love watching him play. He's so silky. Even when he's not got the ball and he's just moving on the ground, he's got a running style that is very graceful. I love watching him play. He's got a great arrogance about him, hasn't he? He's like... And I'm not being disrespectful to him there. I mean it in a good way. Just everything about the way he flows and...

runs and moves and just so arrogant in a great way. I love it. I think he's a fantastic player. Confidence probably perhaps the kinder way of putting it maybe. So did Chelsea do anything differently in you two's opinions? What's changed? They made another six or seven changes to the starting line-up and that...

Have we reached the point now, because Chelsea are massively overperforming compared with what all of us thought. And I think, have we reached the point? Because if we go back a few months or even a year or two years, we're all going, what are the owners doing here? You know, they're buying these players, they're spending a fortune, they're giving them these incredibly long contracts. They've got an extraordinarily large squad. How are they going to be able to cope with all this?

And now what we're seeing is that he's rotating all the time. They've got so much quality that they can afford to do that. Do we have to say, perhaps, we were wrong and the owners were right? Well, time will tell, won't it? But at the moment, it's starting to look that way. Obviously, the appointment with Maresca was a really clever one because I think he's done an incredible job under not easy circumstances.

No, I think, yeah, obviously it's working at the minute. But I think once you get into crunch time, into the bigger games and all the players obviously want to play in the bigger game, I think it becomes more difficult. I think at the minute where they're basically changing their XI for Europe on the cup games and what have you, I think it'll become more difficult when you're playing the latter stages of the season in the...

I wouldn't say more important games, but in the bigger games. Given the other results at the weekend, obviously Liverpool now look stronger favourites than even before the weekend. Would you say that Chelsea are possible title contenders? When you look at their position, you would probably have to say that. As you said, none of us thought that they would do what they're doing. I still think it'll be Liverpool-Arsenal. Yeah, I'd agree with Alan on that. I don't...

But they've been doing the business quietly. You know, we've not talked about them. I said at the start of the season, I think Chelsea will challenge for top four. And I'm going to stick by that. I think they're overachieving at this moment in time. I think you're right in...

In saying the manager's getting the balance right between Europe and making these changes, they seem fresh. They are conceding a few sloppy goals, even though they are scoring goals. So I think the longer that goes on in the season, it's going to be difficult to sustain if you're conceding the goals that they are. But...

Yeah, I still say top four. I don't think they're going to challenge for the league. But, you know, it might change. It might change my opinion further down the line. What about Tottenham? What's going on with Spurs, guys? What's happening? I mean, I still like watching them play because you know you're going to get anything can happen in their games. Like yesterday, it was end to end. It was brilliant watch. Fantastic game of football. Ultimately, though, they don't defend.

Very well. And I think therein lies the problem. You know, left Madison out again. When he came on, he, you know, he created a goal immediately with a bit of brilliance. It was a strange performance from them. Again, I suppose the way they play...

creates really entertaining games of football, but ultimately it's a results business. And at the minute, they're very erratic in that sense. So a bit of naivety, I think, sometimes in midfield. I mean, the penalties that they gave away were just dastardly.

You know, really bad decision making and lunging in and almost in a panic situation. So I don't know. I suppose Ange must be under pressure now. You never know how a club actually feels about the coach, but it's generally the coach that gets the blame for these things. I was at the game on Thursday

Thursday when they played Bournemouth, they did the core comms for Amazon and they were awful. And it was a... You could actually chuck at them that they didn't really look bothered on Thursday evening. It was that bad, particularly first half. There was a slight improvement in the second half, but that was really worrying, I think, from Tottenham's point of view. And then Ange went over to confront the fans because they booed them off and rightly so, they were that bad. And that, for me, I thought...

problems. You know when you look at players and they look at their body language and everything else and Thursday was rotten. They really were that bad. They were awful. So they were better yesterday but yeah, it's not a great sign I don't think. What do we think about Ange, guys? Just because we're Spurs, we're the managers that they had previously.

And we talked about the style of play. Every Spurs fan I speak to said, we're happy to wait for a right manager that can play attractive football. So, Angie's done that and we've given credit for that. But now, it's the other part of the game that they need to improve. So, we can't keep giving someone credit for playing entertaining football if then you're going to concede stupid goals. So,

Yes, it is on the manager because we've given credit for them playing well, but he needs to tighten up the other end of the pitch as well. If I'm playing in that defence, I'm thinking, come on, guys. Yeah, we're playing all right. Everyone wants to get on the ball. Everyone wants to try and pass forward. Everyone wants to make these beautiful passes. But, you know, we've got to work hard as a team at this moment.

It's not happening. I believe he can get it right. I don't think they should be looking at a new manager. I think he just got to now adjust certain things of how he wants to play because certain parts of what they're doing is good. He's not going to change his style. That's him. He's said it. This is the way I play. Like it or lump it. He can tweak the style a little bit. We all have a way and a style of playing or how we want to play. Sometimes you don't have the players...

Sometimes, you know, you have to adjust to the league that you're in. You know, when he was at Celtic, he could play that way because he was the best team, played attractive football. But now you're in the Premier League with players who are not probably at the level of a Man City, a Liverpool or an Arsenal. So you have to tweak certain bits for you to go forward. And I think he has to.

You know, because you don't want to be just known as a manager who's got one way of playing. And I'm not talking about changing his philosophy. I'm talking about adding defensive tweaks on a more consistent basis. I think also you're not helped by, I mean, some crazy decisions yesterday. The second penalty that they gave away, but Sar...

What on earth was he thinking there? I mean, it just ran straight into the back of him. There was no danger. He was going out the box. And if you do things like that, then you're going to suffer. But that's ultimately players making mistakes. But I know the argument. He's the one who picks the players, et cetera, et cetera. But bit of a rut at the moment, Spurs. But,

But it's quite a tight pack behind once you get outside the top three or four. So, you know, a couple of wins and the world's a better place. Let's move on to the other, well, a few games played yesterday, but the other one that was involved with the title race.

Arsenal dropping points after a recent good run of form. First, I think you should mention Fulham and what a really good job he's done there. Good manager, isn't he? Good side, yeah. He's really good. Really good manager. I think he's intelligent, gets the best out of those players. I think they're recruited well. Yeah, they're a decent side, Fulham. They're tough. Don't you think it's great what they've done in terms of, like Alan just said, they're recruited well. They've sort of got players who are...

first team options in the top four, top six. We've seen likes of Awobi being at Arsenal and Everton. We've seen Smith-Rowe being at Arsenal and really he should have stayed in

in terms of quality-wise, but he couldn't really get into the team. He goes out to Fulham, does well. Adama Traore, he's at Barcelona. He's been consistent for them. Jimenez was at Wolves after his big head injury. So they've got players who have got something to prove. Bassi's improved a lot. Tete's a good player as well, and they've got a good keeper as well. So yeah, the manager's sort of built a team around...

I don't say rejects, but players who've got something to prove. And the system seems to suit them really well. I thought Lukic and Burge, the two holding players, did really well yesterday because Arsenal really struggled to create much. Once again, they look really dangerous from set pieces and corners because their delivery is so good. We were talking yesterday about how do you defend corners against Arsenal?

Arsenal. And I think Fulham actually defended them really well. But eventually, if you keep getting a perfect delivery, a perfect delivery, which they do both from Saka when he takes them on the right-hand side and Rice when he takes them from the left,

That delivery is so accurate, so consistently, that eventually an Arsenal player is going to win one of the headers. And I think Fulham won most of them. I thought they did really well. But I think it was just more down to the delivery. This must be incredibly difficult. But my concern a little bit about Arsenal is at the minute, they're not...

scoring the goals without those set pieces and they didn't create too many opportunities as yesterday I did the game again on Wednesday and it's probably it's one of the finest display of set piece deliveries I've ever honestly it was like corner after corner after corner it was the same yesterday it was the same

And, I mean, you mentioned Saka and Declan Rice. The deliveries they put in, and you're right, it's so difficult to defend. And eventually, if they keep putting them exactly where they want them, which they do, they're that good, it is so difficult to defend. And without those set pieces, where would they be? I mean, it's because of the last couple of games, they haven't created that much. They didn't against...

Man United didn't yesterday so yeah they're so important those set pieces unbelievable don't you think the bigger picture though with an Arsenal or a Liverpool or Man City whoever's challenging for the league do you

Remember when we were fighting for Premier Leagues? You go to Fulham away, or any ground away, you get a draw, you're absolutely buzzing with a draw. Now, if you draw in the Premier League, it's like the end of the world, isn't it?

Or Arsenal are out of the title. They've got to go to Fulham and win convincingly if they're going to win the title. That's how competitive it is now. It's just madness. Do you think perhaps that's down to, in the recent seasons, Manchester City's brilliance though? Because the points tallies have been so high. Correct. A point away from home, even against really good opposition, is seen as

is seen as two points lost rather than a point won. So therefore, maybe this season that, I mean, Liverpool have taken over that mantle at the moment, but they could, you know, they could get a couple of bad results in the forthcoming weeks. We don't know. At the minute, you'd say, crikey, it looks like Liverpool are going to run away with it. But I'm not so sure that will happen. I don't think we're going to get like record points. You know, City got to...

90 odds got to 100 points, didn't they? I think it's going to be low 90s, maybe even high 80s this year. I think it might be in the 80s this year. It might be. But you need to win it, I would say. To win it. Liverpool could get more, but we'll see. Well, I think

We're on target for an away point here. So let's get ourselves together at halftime. Bit of a team talk and come out strong in the second half. See if we can steal all three points. We'll be back shortly.

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Welcome back to the Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker. Before we move on to the Saturday games, a quick line on the other two Sunday games that obviously weren't televised live. I've seen the highlights and I've got to mention a little thing.

fight back from the mighty foxes who were trailing 2-0 with just two or three minutes remaining and our man Vardy our man Jamie Vardy comes and gets another goal sixth of the season and then a brilliant assist at the end for Deco Dover-Reed to get a great point didn't see that coming did you?

I saw this. Do you know this season there's only been two managers sacked so far? Ruud van Nistelrooy has replaced both of them. All right, yeah. I saw somebody tweet that the weekend. I thought that was... It never crossed my mind. But, you know, a good start. Five points clear of relegation, which is... Are you positive, Gazza?

I'm nervous because like all fans of the team when you're down that if I express any degree of confidence here then you know it's like two games later all of a sudden your head's in your hands again but I don't know I think it's difficult I don't

don't think we've got a great squad at present. I don't think the club's been run brilliantly in the last few years, particularly in terms of recruitment. Made a lot of mistakes. A lot of people at the club are worried about things at the top, but I think there's a togetherness there and I think you can see that and they're fighting, they're trying and when you've got leaders like Vardy on the pitch and even Connor Cody who's come back and played a bit at the back, I think actually in the squad themselves, you've got some good pros. So,

I'm hopeful. Hopeful is probably the best way of describing it. But Ipswich as well, I felt for them yesterday because they've not won a game at home all season. They're 1-0 up. It's almost time. Bournemouth come back with two late goals to win another game. What a job he's doing, by the way. Bournemouth, eh? Unbelievable.

Flying high. Let's move on to Saturday's game. And we'll start with Manchester City because I asked Alan the question on Saturday night on Match of the Day. I said, are Manchester City out of the title race? And Alan went, one word answer, yes. Now, if City go on a run and win the next 12 games and go on to win the title, that...

That's what he said, Mike. As soon as I said yes, when we went to the next game, he went, I'm fucking desperate for them to win the league now. He said, so that's going to come back and haunt you. It's horrible, isn't it? Because you think, and that's what a lot of people don't see behind the scenes, right? Your opinion now, and it's a bold one, but...

really it looks like you're right aren't you really because they're not the same Man City that we've seen previously but football is just one of those things where when you go bold Micah let me ask you the question are Manchester City out of the Tiger way just a yes or a no Micah that's all we want um

Can I? No, we just want a yes or a no. Can I talk to my lawyers? Were you out there in Abu Dhabi doing a bit for Manchester City, weren't you? Was that? Whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm doing a bit for now. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I saw some clips on you shooting and falling over. What was that? That was in the bar. LAUGHTER

In Benji Bean, I'm like, no. No, where we going? The jokes, the jokes, the jokes. Go on. Yes, they've got like a... I actually forgot what you call it, but they have...

young kids, not kids, it's for anyone, and I've built a store, basically, where it goes through all your attributes. So there's a jumping one. I broke the record for that. The shooting one. There's a speed one, passive and all that. I did a shooting one, and I think the record was, I think the speed was 150,000.

I don't know what it's measured in. I don't know how they, whatever the measure in speed. Kilometers per hour or miles per hour, probably. Correct. Correct, Gary. So I wanted to beat it. I wanted to beat it. I've got the detail, the detail. I wanted to beat the score. So,

So I've run up as fast as I could and blasted it. But it's got one of those goalkeepers. Oh, they always save it. Yes. So I've shot. It's rebounded off the keeper and hit me, banging my face.

And I was just like, only me? That could only happen to me, that. Oh, dear. Yeah, I did say a little bit. You're looking well, though, Meeks. You're looking well with your hat on, man. Look at you. Cheers, man. You pull it off well. I'm feeling good. You know what? I need a gig out here, don't I? I need a...

This warmer... You've just got to dig out there. It's the sunshine that brings the best out of you, Micah. Correct! That's correct. I feel like I'm being locked up when I'm back in the UK, you know? It's not good for my bones. Back to the football. You said also on Saturday night there's something different about this slump with Manchester City. And you also said, Alan, but I think it's just us talking...

this is uncharted territory for Pep Guardiola. And so I suppose his first season at Manchester city a little bit, but you would expect that, you know, this is, this has been a bad run and they don't look anything like the Manchester city that we've seen in recent seasons at present. Pep said it himself that, um, they're probably going to have to suffer this season. Um, and it's, it is, it's more than a Rodri problem. Um,

it's not just one player you know they look very different what is wrong then what is wrong can you put your finger on it they're so open I mean I can't on the turnover I mean Shear did the game with us didn't he on Saturday that whenever when they lose the ball on the turnover because of what they've got in midfield I mean they had Bernardo Silva Kevin De Bruyne and

and Gundogan on Saturday. And they didn't have the legs. They struggled to have the protection that Man City have always had. And those three can't really do that. They've given away so many chances, which we've not seen them do for so long. And they're being punished. And that's why I said it's bigger than a Rodri problem, because they're not going to be able to solve that in the short term, I don't think. They'll turn it around, though, won't they, at some point?

not necessarily to finish top of the league this season but he's just signing a two year contract Alan you were wondering whether he might just

Go on, I don't know. I mean, he'll put a brave face on and he'll protect his players forever because that's what you have to do. But there's no doubt he's in, as we said, uncharted waters, isn't he? He's never been in this position and he'll be hurting like hell because for the vast majority of all his careers, he's always known as winning.

Yeah, but it's also, it's a test for him. Yeah. I mean, because you wonder, what's the fresh challenge for Pep Guardiola? He wins it, wins it, wins it, wins it, wins it, wins it. And suddenly he's losing a few games. Probably the worst spell he's ever had in his managerial career. So I think part of him will quite enjoy the fact that it's a challenge, isn't it? It's a challenge. And it was interesting you said he protects his players. He came out at the end of the game and he said, no, it was a brilliant performance, difficult conditions. We really...

You know he's saying something else in that because by contrast, by contrast, Bernardo Silva came out and he said, we're in trouble. We're not playing anything like we did. Bernardo Silva was being honest, but Pep was doing what managers should do, really. I think publicly you don't have a go at your players. You keep it internal, but you can bet your life in that dressing room. There's a slightly different attitude, I would imagine. What does the Manchester City ambassador know about the inside story there? LAUGHTER

They're not the same. Alan's right. I think all the points that you guys made are fair. I just think they're burnt out. I think to sustain it for this long has been marvellous. To win four leagues in a row. Incredible. Everyone wants to look at the negatives, and rightly so, because it's a story. Why am I sitting up right? I get it, but I just think...

Previously, there are players who have got them out of sticky situations. I think now it is a little bit of a rebuild going on. I think that the top players are getting older. Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, Grealish has been injured. Foden's not started the same. And I just think the new breed, Savino and Doku, are going to take a little bit of time. Mateus Nunes now starting to find his feet a little bit.

But yeah, I just think they've run out of energy and what they used to do with teams and strangle them and press them, it's no longer happening anymore.

So yes or no, they're winning the league? And the winning the league, I'm going to say, well, that's a different question, Alan. I don't know. I'm going to say no. I'm going to say no, but they're not out of the title hunt just yet. So they're not winning the league, but they're not out of the title hunt. How does that work? Well, I mean, well, I'm not writing them off. What was it?

what was the question you asked on Saturday? The question was, are they out of the league? You said, I said, are they winning the league? You said no, but they're not out of the title race. What the fuck does that mean? LAUGHTER

Give me a pint of what you've been drinking, will you? I'll tell you what, before we move on, a quick word on Palace because four games unbeaten. I'm digging you out of the mire here, Mike. I'm trying to rescue you. I'm trying to rescue you. You're not, you're not, you're not.

You're not dicking me out, mate. You're not. So Palace on beating him four, showing signs of how they ended last season under Glasner when he came in, which will encourage them. And it was a decent performance for

I think, from Palace. Yeah, I think they'll have enough. They've got too much ability, I think, in that team to be relegated. So I would be confident in seeing that they'll get out the trouble they're in. Can we go back to that question again before we... Micah, I'm trying to get you out of it and now you've brought it back. No, no, we need to address it head on. Okay, right. I will ask you the question, Micah. The question is, are...

Are Manchester City out of the title race? No, a race is different though, isn't it? Are they out of the title race? No, they're not out of the title race. Correct, that's the right answer. They might not win it. Yes, but they might not win it. They could be still in the race. All right, I'll ask you it a different way then. Can Manchester City still...

still win the title? Can, can. He said can. Yes, of course they can because they're still in the race. I'm going to lead on to my next question. Will Manchester City win the title? No! See, they

You said no. He said no. That was clear. No! At least we've cleared that up. All right. Let's go on to a club that is going along seamlessly without any issues whatsoever. Manchester United. Oh, my word. Oh, my word.

Goodness me. Since we were together on Saturday watching again, you said it on Match of the Day, Alan, that they've spent 600 odd million over the Ten Hag tenure. And you said Amrin must have come in and thought, is this what you've got for 600 million? However good Amrin is, he's got one hell of a job on his hands there. And before we say anything else,

Brilliant from Nottingham Forest. They were amazing. Three shots on target, scored from all of them. I thought they controlled the game really well. But United are in trouble again. And then yesterday the news broke. We were recording this early on Monday morning. We couldn't do it as we normally do. Hence the fact it's a little bit late to you today. So apologies for that. But yeah, Manchester United. Not only are they poor on the pitch, what on earth is going on off the pitch? I mean...

it's embarrassing to go out and get a guy and then him being on garden and leave you're talking about Dan Ashworth Dan Ashworth yeah for what was it six months or whatever it was he spent longer on garden and leave than he did in his time in the position at Manchester United they pay what three million compensation for him and then he leave I mean how does that it's a terrible look it really is it's like what on earth is going on at that football club

It's funny, isn't it? Because Ratcliffe came in, didn't he? And everyone thought that he'd bring in these, bring David Brailsford and Dan Ashworth and all's going to be well and everything.

but it's actually been more shambolic in many ways we saw the whole ten hog situation over the summer and when they're interviewing other managers ended up going back to ten hog and then giving him a contract and then a few months later they fire him and there's loads of compensation for that they brought dan ashworth in now he's out the door they've put the ticket prices up and

lots of fans are not happy about that. They've made big changes at the football club that moved out the women's football. It's been a shambles in many ways and it just shows you, doesn't it? You can be super successful in business life or whatever you do, but...

But football is a little bit different to business. It's been embarrassing. It really has been embarrassing for the start they've made at that football club and everything that's gone on. And then for that to happen yesterday. I mean, as you know, I'm not a manuminated fan, but the fans must think what on earth is going on? It's such a bad look to go out and chase someone as much as they did, pay the compensation for him like they did yesterday.

and then get rid of him. Announced yesterday that he's left his post. What happens, Alan, at that level? Obviously, you've dealt with the club. You've been a manager. You've had people you've had to deal with in them positions. What's going on? I mean, we said, didn't we, that

who's going to run that? Who's going to do this? Who's going to do that? Because they've got chief executive in, sporting director, I mean, Jason Wilcox. There's so many, Dave Brailsford. I mean, there's so many big hitters in there that...

I think it always looked a difficult situation, but I was really surprised when I saw that yesterday. To give Ten Hag the new deal, to give him so much money to spend on the players, to pay the compensation then to get rid of him, to bring the new man. I mean, oh my word. It's just so embarrassing for the club of that size. Well, for any club, let alone a club of that size. Word on Forrester. Brilliant.

Absolutely outstanding. Fifth in the table, Nottingham Forest. Nuno Espirito Santo, that's an extraordinary job, really. I mean, nobody could have... I'd bring them to go down, only because I didn't want to put Leicester in. But I suddenly just thought, and they're obviously our rivals, so it's a little bit of a joke, but how foolish of me. I'm an idiot. But well done, Forest. Let's finish this particular episode on that...

Another remarkable game at home at Brentford, at the GTEC Community Stadium, where this season they've scored 26 goals in the league, which is more than anyone else has scored. Yeah, away from home. If you had two tables, Brentford would be top of the home table and bottom but one of the away table. And I interviewed Thomas Frank after the game and

And I said to him, Thomas, how can you explain the difference in the way you play at home? And he went, I haven't

a clue but it's just mad isn't it because it's a rectangle of grass and it's mad how sometimes you get into those bits where you play well at home and not so well away as for Newcastle Alan was I mean you know he gets a bit emotional when Newcastle are playing but on Saturday he was so grumpy about what was going on I've got a little video of him actually I filmed him secretly when one of the goals went in against him but

I might put it out with Al's permission. There's a bit of bad language in there, as you might expect. LAUGHTER

I'll put that on later today. It was quite funny. I'm slightly worried what I'm seeing from Newcastle. I mean, I know they were brilliant against Liverpool and they were really competitive, really edgy, had energy and everything. But you can't just turn up in those big games and that's what Newcastle are doing. And I don't like the look of that. It doesn't sit easy with me with the results they're having at home.

Because you can't get away with not working at home in front of your own fans against the big teams, you know? So their results against Man City draw, beat Arsenal, Liverpool draw, they beat Chelsea in the Carabao, beat Tottenham. Big games at home, you have to turn up at St. James' Park, otherwise the fans won't accept it.

But then you can't do what they did at the weekend. You can't not work hard. You can't not, as if, and defensively, there were shambles at Brentford. I know they've got really good players up front, Brentford, and Bumo, Wisser, Thiago came in, Sharder came on, I should say. Yes, they're really good and really exciting, Brentford, but the way Newcastle defended and the lack of energy and the lack of press and

Didn't sit easy with me at the weekend. Didn't sit easy? You were going mad. You should have heard him, Mike. So where are Newcastle at then, Al? What are you thinking moving forward? Because early in the season, they weren't playing well at all, but they were getting results, weren't they? And like you said, they're putting some really good performances. Is it just one of those things where they're going to have an up and down season or...?

Because I did the game against Liverpool, the midweek, and I thought they were brilliant. Especially in the first half. You know against Liverpool, they're going to come at you, aren't they? But their energy and their application in that game was top-notch. Was it just an off day or is it just going to be an off day? It can't have been an off day. They're in the bottom half of the league, aren't they? So they haven't been great. I mean, they didn't last weekend play.

Palace it was I think they didn't have one effort on target the whole game they scored the goal that they got was their own goal they didn't have one effort on target so it's not great in Newcastle no their next three games I think they've got huge games because you know what happens the pressure comes on and they've got Leicester at home at the weekend and

They've got Brentford in the quarter-final at home. Then I think they've got Ipswich away. So the next three games are huge. They have to get back to what Newcastle were, what, 18 months, two years ago. Remember when we were talking about their energy and the high present and all of that? It hasn't happened enough this season. And it feels as if it's on the edge of being stale. And that has to improve. Mm-hmm.

Newcastle-Leicester coming up is it huh? Yeah Newcastle-Leicester this weekend yeah Can you wait to return to form until after that game? If you don't mind Let's call it a day for this episode Micah needs to get outside into the sunshine of Dubai what a lucky man you are So that's it from this week's episode Goodbye from me Goodbye from me Goodbye from me Have a great week