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Hi there and welcome along to the Sunday Supplement podcast with me, Vicky Gommersall, and the assistant editor of The Mirror, Darren Lewis. Joining us this week is Miguel Delaney, the Independence chief football writer. Welcome along to you both.

Let's start by heading straight over to Old Trafford and speak to our senior reporter, Melissa Reddy. Good to see you, I hope, Melissa. There she is. Hello, Melissa. Right, it has been quite the week. You were last in the studio with us on Sunday and there was such a turnaround through the week at Old Trafford, of course. So what's the mood at the club now? They've appointed Ruben Amarin, do you think?

Yeah, it's felt like a year's worth of developments packed into just one week for Manchester United. And there's been a celebratory feel to them. Securing the services of a head coach they believe can become one of the very best in the world. Now, Ruben Amorim is a rebuilder, a transformer. He's shown the capabilities.

to have an instant impact as he did at both Braga and Sporting. So there's lots of excitement in all quarters around this move. But speaking to players, staff and the fans here, there's also a lot of delight in the manner in which United concluded this deal with maximum efficiency. Eric Ten Hag was sacked on Monday

And later that very same day, Omar Barada, the CEO of United, was in Lisbon to open discussions with Sporting. By Tuesday, it became apparent that Amarim would be the new man in the dugout.

And for United to pay only a million euros over his 10 million euro release clause to getting him in early during the international break, allowing him to settle into the role is really good business, you have to say. Yeah, indeed. What about Ruud van Nistelrooy then? Because, of course, he is in interim charge, isn't he, for today's game. Do you expect Old Trafford to be rocking at all?

Absolutely. I was here in midweek for that 5-2 victory over Leicester and the electricity and just sheer happiness inside Old Trafford was something else. It felt like the collective release that everybody associated with Manchester United needed. And the supporters, they really enjoyed having a club legend in the dugout.

And Ruud van Nusselrooy, he very much looked and felt the part. Now, his explosion of joy, that Roy motion he showed when Casemiro scored, that went viral. His name was being sung to the tune of "Come A Chameleon". There were chants of "Rude, rude, rude" littered throughout the game. And I think because the supporters know he's only got three matches left,

in interim charge and his future is up in the air after that. They'll want to shower Van Nistelrooy with all the affection possible. Now, while there were plenty of positives for United against Leicester, they showed a lot of attacking aggression, resilience. They've got to be a lot more defensively switched on and compact

against a Chelsea side that boasts that very, very dangerous duo, Cole Palmer and Nicholas Jackson. Yeah, it's going to be a tough challenge for them indeed today. Thank you ever so much, Melissa.

So, Miguel, we want to talk about Amarim because he admitted on Friday that he actually wanted to stay with Sporting, didn't he? Until the end of the season, quite admirably, I guess. But United said no, now or never. So what did you make of how they eventually got their man? I think actually after a period where it looked like United were wracked by indecision, where there are almost too many chiefs, where it looked like they're having the same issues and they couldn't quite decide on what next.

it's pretty impressive assertiveness. And as someone said to me during the week, it's how a big club should be acting, which is probably a long time coming at United, given how the last few years have gone. But even exactly that, in terms of how they managed not quite to persuade Amram, because he clearly wanted the job. It was really the issue of timing. And I wrote during the week that they first approached him three weeks ago and they were initially...

they were tentative about whether they could get him because of precisely that. He wanted to stay for another season. Had he won the title at Sporting this year, it would have been the first time they retained it in 70 years, which is pretty remarkable for one of Portugal's big three, but also kind of speaks to his impact. But then once, obviously, they decided to press ahead. I mean, really, I think they've known that they had to change Ten Hag for some time, but it was more the question was over what next. But once they had decided it was Amarim,

even the manner that, you know, Barada went there on the Monday, that they just went to Lisbon with a sense of purpose and getting the deal over the line. It does finally speak to a new direction. It's interesting because every time there was a big job going, Amarim's name was linked with it. So, I mean, why do you think it's taken until now for actually him to sign on the dotted line for a big club? I do actually think the release clause was an issue. I mean, from the sporting and Amarim side...

I think they would say that that's one reason why he's not at Liverpool right now, why that kind of fell down quite relatively soon last season. Now, on the Liverpool side, they would say that actually, although Amarim was given strong consideration, they decided quite early on that slot better fit what they wanted and they went with that and they point to how they ultimately paid €12 million for a release clause to Feyenoord. But despite that, I mean, the very fact that he really came down to those two until Liverpool went with slot,

Barcelona had a look at him through the summer, ultimately they felt Flick better suited to what they wanted and Bayern as well have considered him and I suppose depending on how company goes he would have been someone that Bayern looked at in the future and I think that and obviously there's been this undercurrent that when Hugo Viana goes to Manchester City having worked with him at Sporting that he would have been a potential option although

I think people in the city were quick to point out he was under consideration right now. But I think from what I heard from the Amberham side, they considered the city situation quite fluid, which is one reason why they've pressed ahead with United. But he is someone a lot of big clubs had in mind. Yes, but it shouldn't worry Manchester United fans, the fact that you mentioned the other clubs

big clubs went for other names? I don't think it's quite a case of, I mean, put bluntly, it's not a case they passed him because they didn't think he was good enough. It's actually quite the opposite. They considered him because he is now one of those managers who is up there at that sort of level. Clubs are looking to, well, maybe he's our future. OK. We spoke about this, didn't we, Darren, last week in terms of media presence and we felt that perhaps

Eric Ten Hag had struggled with that aspect of it. From what you've seen, does he have a big media... He's got the charisma to manage a big team. And anyone who's seen him speak, he's multilingual, but he's got that assuredness about him that suggests he can step into a big role. There's a couple of pieces around today. We'll get to the papers in a sec, but one of them is Jonathan Northcroft, who talks about comms. And as I was saying last week, it does play such a big role

part in the way that a manager is able to get fans off onside. Jurgen Klopp, for example, in his first season or so, as soon as he opened his mouth, he had the Anfield fans giddy. If you think about Mikel Arteta in his second season at Anfield, his team were 15th and they were struggling. And yet...

Fans were always on side because they could see what he was trying to do. They could see the clarity of his message. We talked endlessly on this show, haven't we, about All or Nothing, the documentary, but there is a clarity about what Arsenal have tried to do. And even in these testing moments for the club right now, the direction of travel is obvious. His messages at press conferences on a Friday are obvious.

And the charisma that he has, the ability to manage that job, to sit in that chair, is obvious. It was never quite that way with Ten Hag. It definitely is with Amarim. Is it true there's a countdown to his press conferences? I think our producer Seb was telling us about that, you know, that people are genuinely intrigued.

and allured by his presence in a press conference. You can see it, yeah, that account does exist. And you can see it in Lisbon as well. Just the reaction this week, which has been all these sort of conflicting emotions of heartbreak, a sense of betrayal, but ultimately kind of, I suppose, great disappointment that this transformative figure has left the club, which speaks to his impact.

I do think that's why it's different to Ten Hag, something we'll discuss later. But I think Darren made an interesting point there as well, I mean about communications, in that that should really be a superficial part of the job. But there's no question, especially in the modern media ecosystem, the way everything's picked over, the way social media can make any sort of quote explode, it has actually become a part of the role that influences the job. Players obviously see it.

And I think it touches on something that... Why is that? Why is that? I mean, this is a journalist show. Just explain why that is for the people who... Well, I suppose it creates noise and that, by extension, creates pressure. And I think this is why the Manchester United job is one of those that's so distinctive. I mean, really, the job should come down to, are you a good enough coach? That should be it. But as we've seen with repeated managers at Manchester United now, including...

Ten Hag, that's only one side of it. You've got to have the personality to be able to carry that, because that noise is great around Manchester United and probably any other club bar Barcelona and Real Madrid. Barcelona used to call it the cauldron of the storm around it. And it can become similar at Old Trafford. And that's why you've got to be able to weather that and weather that sort of scrutiny. And Ten Hag, as we've seen over the past few weeks...

His relationship with the press was quite good. He could be, you know, he was easy enough to get on with. But undoubtedly, in the last year, he became increasingly prickly. It's a really good point because we talked last week about him being at the Northern Football Writers Awards and having a really good relationship with the journalists there. But when he was sat behind that desk...

he was never quite comfortable, it was always quite adversarial. And you can be adversarial, listen, the greatest exponent of adversarial press conferences was there for two and a half decades. So we know that you can be that way, but it's whether you have that comfort around it. And we are in a digital media era. A lot of people talk about you, press boy. We are all the media. This is the media. Social media.

is a real-time assessment of what a manager does. Press conferences very often are streamed directly to the fans. You are talking to your supporter base. And that message has to get them onside in the way that it did with Klopp, with Arteta, with Guardiola and so many of the exceptional communicators in the Premier League. I'm always kind of wary about talking about communicators when you're talking about people who are multilingual and multiskilled. So that's all...

sometimes can be a little bit of a dodgy ground, but it is important to understand that the media is not just this. It's all of us. We are in a completely different era to the one that people have been perhaps used to. In terms of these two, in fact, you know, looking at Amaran and Ten Hag, there are actually quite a lot of parallels between what they've already achieved, you know, in terms of their success abroad. But

Are there key differences, do you think, as well between these two? Yeah, I think so. I mean, again, superficially, yes. And I think people at other clubs, maybe outside United, have been keen to point out, well, you thought all this about Ten Hag. He was the same sort of situation in that he was a successful manager at one of the big three in a second-tier league and now has to make that leap. I do think there are differences. I think...

Even though Ten Hag took over an Ajax that hadn't won the league in three or four years, there was still an established structure in place. I mean, they'd been to the Europa League final against Manchester United the year before he took over. In terms of recruitment, Ajax worked so well. He slotted into that. He did amplify it, but I think it was a case of him being right for that structure.

Amarim hasn't had that in the same way. Sporting, in what should be unthinkable in Portugal, because they're one of the traditional big three, they finished fourth when he took over. They've also, Sporting have just never been as successful in the same stature or impact as Porto or Benfica, who both have two European Cups each.

And he lifted him up to this level. Also, I think the Portuguese league is seen as, because of that, a bit more demanding. Whereas if you speak to kind of people in recruitment these days, the Eredivisie is seen as a little bit more of a development league, particularly for young talents. Yeah, it's interesting. That's certainly the one at the bottom. One all-ten league games this season with a goal difference.

a plus 32, that'll be music to Manchester United fans' ears, won't it? Because, of course, their goal difference, that's something that they've really struggled with. So, really impressive CV he comes with. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he's taken... It's one of those situations where he's taken a club that should be winning most of their games to go to a level way beyond that. And yeah, I mean, for most of modern history, it's been unthinkable that sporting have been...

the biggest or the most successful Portuguese side, but he's changed that. He's changed their thinking. And this is from as well, a club that five years ago was a modern Basque case as well. All sorts of ructions about the presidency, huge change, which, I mean, it's OK. It's not Manchester United in that sense, but there are comparable issues and there are huge folks in Portugal and he dealt with it. Yeah, he's not taking over a club that's fourth in the table or pushing for the title. You know, if you sort of looked at it...

You might look at Arna Slotts and say that he's taken over a club that was in a really, really good position. So this will be a test for him. What are the papers saying today? Yeah, well, I'm going to give you two pieces, lots of good pieces across the papers today, but these are two of the best. Johnny Northcroft in the Times, Sunday Times, talks about the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson needed six and a half years to turn club.

united into the superpower that they were. But this is a guy who comes in and has, as you've been saying, taken the club out of the doldrums. He's also been nicknamed Amrim the Poet by Cristiano Ronaldo because of his ability to really get players onside.

took his coaching badges in Belfast. All the people who say, well, what do you know about the English game? Took his coaching badges five years ago on the same Irish F8 fast track course that produced Eddie Howe, Gary O'Neill and Sean Dyche.

And also, Johnny gives credit to United. As you've been saying, the slick way United had an interim and replacement lined up before pushing the button suggested Ineos, which runs the football operation, has finally learned about strategy, process and quietly getting business done. Just a couple of other pieces as well from this.

because he says recruitment has to improve. The amazing story of the former Scandinavia scout who had lined up Erling Haaland in 2018 only for the transfer to fail, only because United had agreed to call Haaland's agent at 9 a.m. in Oslo to finalize things, but forgot there was a time difference and didn't ring until 10 a.m.

Also that Declan Rice opened to an approach but went to West Ham because Ten Hag preferred Mason Mount. Lots and lots and lots of nuggets in this and the ways in which United have to learn from their mistakes in order to do the best for him. And the only other piece today, have we got time for it? Go on. Okay, Sam Wallace in the Telegraph because he too is good. And he says that...

The beauty of acquiring Amram is because he comes from a club where the sport, and we're quoting Sam Verbatim here, the full list of sporting trades is bullseye after bullseye. They get it right in the transfer market.

with players that United wouldn't necessarily look at, not least Victor Gjokeres, that everyone suddenly knows the name of, that many people would have batted an eyelid at previously. But he scored another four goals on Friday night for that 10th win out of 10. And what Sam says here, if you just go through...

Some of the transfer market successes, Ugati, €60 million, Pedro Porro, €40 million. These are the selling prices and the fees that they recouped for them. Nuno Mendes, €38 million, plus €7 million in add-ons. Jao Palinha, €25 million. Abdul Fatahou, rising star at Leicester.

17 million euros and Gyokuris only cost them 20 million pounds sterling in a summer when many Premier League clubs were looking for a new striker. Why didn't they look at him? OK, good stuff.

Well, stay with us because much more ahead of Manchester United against Chelsea is on the way for you later on in the show. We're going to be hearing from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Enzo Moretta as well. But next, we'll discuss a dramatic day in the Premier League title race as the champions are beaten for the first time in 32 games.

Right to the Premier League title race now. Liverpool are back on top after a dramatic day which saw Arnaud Slot's side come from behind to beat Brighton, capitalising on defeats for both their rivals Manchester City and Arsenal. So let's start with City then, Miguel. First league defeat in 32 games. Back to

back defeats now and that's obviously in all competitions. Are you seeing a bit of a jink in their armour or is this just a little blip? I mean, I wouldn't say Wednesday's result against Tottenham necessarily was too important because they played a different team. But this result has probably been in the post a little bit for the last while just because they've been winning games narrowly. Opposition sides have been getting at them.

Even the Wolves game, they just about got away with it recently. And to be fair, the one thing I would say in all this, there are some bigger issues, not least the injury list. But it has felt like in a lot of recent seasons, when it gets to October, November, there's always a point where everyone goes kind of, oh, City look more vulnerable this year. And they're a bit easier to get. I remember two seasons ago, Crystal Palace got an incredible result at City. Same sort of talk.

and then they just have this capacity to go on a run late in the season. So from that perspective, I think these are kind of short-term issues. But they do look easier to get at at the moment.

There are obviously, maybe there's some questions over the slight transition in terms of going to a next Guardiola team or the very fact that Kevin De Bruyne isn't saying his imperious best he was for most of Guardiola's time. It does feel like maybe it's kind of taking away a little bit of the team's edge and they've been increasingly looking to Haaland in that sense, who has dropped off a little bit of late.

But yeah, for the moment it's... - It's such a good point though, you know, you've got a chance to kill the monster, right? And you just run out of bullets at the wrong time and then it gets to January and suddenly he's back and just demolishes everything in its wake and that's what City can do, isn't it? - Yeah, absolutely, yeah, yeah. - They go on an amazing run, don't they? Usually sort of roundabout February time and then we all, I mean, it feels like they lure everyone into a false sense of security at roundabout now and just they do start to drop off at times.

Should Pep be at all concerned about the number of early goals that they're conceding? They don't seem to be on it from the beginning of games, but like yesterday, they had a brilliant second half, but they just couldn't catch ball much in the end. Yeah, football is such an unforgiving business, as we all know. We've grown up on so much football where...

really excuses don't really matter or how good or bad a side the record will show that Bournemouth have recorded their first ever win over Manchester City and yes City had their injuries City had their issues but

The early goals have been a feature of this early part of the season. Five goals scored early. The opening goals scored by the opposition in five of their ten games so far this season. And in all of those matches, the opposition has had the opportunity to go and win the game. But City's class has told, invariably. But now we're starting to see that

run out? I think that's a very specific Rodri issue. If you watch the way Rodri plays, essentially he sits at the base of that Guardiola team and it's almost like through his movement, his positioning, his intelligence, he absorbs so much space across the back of City's midfield. So it's so much more difficult for teams to get through. Whereas now, without him there, it's just easier to

punch holes and it's like they haven't quite managed to fully adapt yet which is creating these weaknesses and just on the point about the January February ramp up I mean that probably should be why teams have to think about or their rivals have to think about this is the time now to get ahead which is what Liverpool are doing yeah absolutely I was looking at the fixture list and

You know, Ruben Amaran's waiting to come in for Manchester United and of course, Silip Sporting. And who does City face when they're on this little bit of dip? They've got them next, haven't they? So that could be a really interesting encounter for them. Yeah, I mean, there was a few stories, say, during the week that by Friday...

Because some sporting players actually stayed this season because they wanted to win a second consecutive title under Amarim, where they might have left, that they'd begun to maybe switch off a little bit or kind of weren't as attentive to his message as they had been. Whereas now, I suppose, for this game, it's also relevant to Amarim's own future because if he can cause a few...

Yeah, it's a really good point. But do you know the interesting thing that strikes me about that game and Friday night's win as well? Culture. Because I think the culture is, when you look at the top clubs in English football, the culture is so strong that regardless of what configuration of players play...

the attitude is still the same. And yes, City lost yesterday, but they were battering at the door in a bid to try and... And just on that, I think we've got a special mention of Mark Travers as well. Yes, indeed. An incredible performance. Absolutely outstanding. And because Haaland should have scored late on, and he would have done but for a magnificent save,

But to your point about sporting, I expect them to go into the match shutting out the noise and really trying to take advantage of the problems that City have right now. It wouldn't surprise me if they made it 11 out of 11.

Okay, what about Arsenal? Seven points adrift of the leaders Liverpool at the moment. Are they too far behind? Dare we say that in what we are in November now? You know, behind the league leaders after that defeat to Newcastle? I think had it been City this far ahead, it would be much more of an issue for Arsenal. Because with Liverpool, we are still in a little bit of sense of the unknown. Obviously, they've been excellent defensively.

slot has handled this as well as he could have more could have been a very difficult transition but the very fact that it's not a clock team coming into the second half of the season we just don't really know can they sustain that and you know also how they might respond to a drop off so that's where i think there's potential optimism for arsenal that's not city because as we're saying we know city or that we know they can go in those runs

Also, I would say there are sufficient variables about this season because we still have the potential outcome of the Manchester City hearing. Also, the absence of Rodri, even if there's no outcome to that, or City are found innocent.

And the table stays as is. The very fact Rodri's out creates another uncertainty where, you know, it does feel like we have this conversation at every point in October, November, where, oh, this season, the points could be lower, it could be 80. And if the threshold for the title is 80 points, it does create a more open campaign. And yet then it usually creeps up towards 90 anyway. I think the bigger issue for Arsenal is just that if the season does go as normal, they have lost that ground now. But I mean...

I think because Arsenal are true to their spell, there's a natural tendency to, I suppose, talk about the team being derailed, where there's bigger issues. For me, I just put it down to it's the wrong spell of form at a point where they are missing. OK, it's not maybe the injury crisis other people are talking about or laughing about even because the number is missing, but it is still injuries to key players. Odegaard being the main one. And I think

I mean, you can weather that for two or three games. Once it goes on longer, that's when you start to see gaps. And it was that one moment yesterday where Trossard, who has been brilliant in his role for Arsenal, but there was one moment where he was in the Odegaard position to play that key pass and it wasn't an Odegaard ball. And that's where you see those sort of gaps. Like, I mean, again, Arsenal, as we saw last season, they do have that capacity to go and run themselves. They did face a similar spell to this.

around Christmas last year when they lost to West Ham and Fulham. So it wouldn't have any longer-term concerns. It's just about whether, if it comes down to it, this actually makes the difference. Yeah, so it's still in the mix, you'd have to say. What are the papers saying about Arsenal? Well, before I show you any of them...

I'm just going to go through. You asked that question. A little bit of a difference of opinion in the papers. OK. So I'll just run you very quickly through them. The Suns say Arsenal are looking more like title pretenders than contenders. The Express agree with them. The Males say they won't do it unless they, quote, toughen up. Champions, after all, usually are bullies, unquote. The Telegraph. Sam Wallace says Arteta has Andoni Arreola to thank for still being in it. Disappointment.

Despite that win for City yesterday, the times go with the numbers. Johnny Northcroft, Arteta refused to discuss the title, but Arsenal's first 10 games put them on course for 68 points in an era where you need a total in the 90s to be champions. So you can see what he's saying there. I'll give you two papers here. The first of them is the mirror. Jeremy Cross here saying that...

that another crushing result on Tyneside has left Arsenal now needing some divine intervention. Look at the sub-deck on the top right-hand side as well. A miracle, it says, if Arsenal are still to challenge City and Liverpool for the biggest domestic prize of all. I want to show you the observer as well because this is a terrific piece by...

Jonathan Wilson, who also goes with the numbers. I'm going to read you a bit of this as well very quickly because he says, if Arsenal are to win the league for the first time in 21 years, it's going to take a monumental improvement. And at the moment, they look aside who've lost their way and their self-belief.

In this era, it takes a minimum of 90 points to win the league. That means teams can only afford to drop 24. Arsenal have already dropped 12, which is to say half of what they can lose with a quarter of the season played. Yes, the fixture list hasn't been kind. They've already played their away games against City, Villa, Spurs and Newcastle. But still, the margin for error in the 28 games left is extremely limited. Arsenal have, he says, six points fewer...

after 10 games this season than they did last and nine points fewer than the season before. He says it's not just results, very finally, it's performances. And having taken only one point from their past three games, they next travel next Sunday to Chelsea. Goodness me. So it doesn't get any easier, does it? In terms of Liverpool and City, you know, they look like they might be

causing a little bit of a gap. It's actually Forrester in third place at the moment. Some might say that they're in the race for European places. They are at the moment. Do you feel it is starting to develop into a two-way title race between Liverpool and City then? I wouldn't go that far. I think Arsenal will get over this spell. And also, even the Older Guard situation... Fill up, fill up, fill up. It can't be ruled out. But even the Older Guard situation, say...

that could end up not serving Arsenal because they'd rather have him now, but if he's fresh for a run where they have a lot of winnable games, then suddenly he starts to transform and he develops momentum and he's also in a better physical condition towards the end of the season. With Arsenal, I think the one issue to point out with Arsenal though, I think that Jonathan raises in his piece a bit, is that

And he's been down on them for some time actually. I was sat in his house as we watched Arsenal beat Villa and what I thought was a very significant result, he was not convinced at that moment. I'm not giving too much away there. But...

I do wonder though whether this period has exposed whether Arteta's maybe, his transfer policy this year was a bit too geared towards improving the defensive physicality of the side and it's exposed. Maybe they could have done just a bit more creativity up front. That's maybe one of the issues. Just in the interest of debate here, I actually thought, and we talked about this last week, the fact that they were able, you asked me about whether they were there for the taking previously.

because Saliba wasn't available. And my response to that was that it was a triumph of their recruitment that they could call on Timber. They could move Ben White inside and have the personnel to be able to play at both full backs

and that he was right to focus as much as he did on their defence. You can always nick a game by a single goal, but I think defences win titles. It's been said so many times. Jonathan actually raised an interesting point in that piece. Basically,

basically without Odegaard, they've become more defensive minded. And that has almost counterintuitively actually made them worse than defence because they're not controlling games to the same degree. It was like that defence was so good in a team that was set up to impose themselves and the opposition more to kind of control more territory and possession. So, and the defence was able to react to that. Whereas now suddenly,

I suppose they're in games where they're a touch more back and forth, although they were excellent that first half against Liverpool. And that's sort of almost going to actually make the defence a little bit more vulnerable. Yes, interesting, because Jamie Carragher was saying whether they've got enough goals in the Arsenal. But in terms of Liverpool, Jamie's also been talking about them and saying that actually they might need signings in January, you know, in order to really push for this title. Would you agree with that?

I suppose, I mean, the Liverpool squad feels like it's almost 80 to 90% there. I mean, we've talked about kind of managerial transitions already a lot on this show.

slot went through something huge but it's also true that Liverpool had the advantage of a squad that Klopp had allowed work on over the previous few years so it's maybe only missing a few positions we know one of them given that slot wanted that number six who was Zuba Mendy from Real Sociedad but yeah I wonder Jamie getting it as well just a bit more kind of impact there's still

I mean, Gapko's come on. It feels there's maybe still a bit of a dependency on Salah in terms of just being that outright match winner. But they do have a lot of angles, Liverpool. Yeah, do you feel they've got actually a lot of strength in depth? Yeah, I think so. And this is one thing that Slot has done. I mean, OK, there's not the same bang to some of their games. I think this is actually what was interesting with the Arsenal game last week, in that even when Liverpool were chasing the game,

They did change the tone of it by just steadily maintaining control and waiting for their opportunity. And it did work out for them, even if, you know, you would have thought in spells of that game, you would have expected more pressure from Liverpool. Actually, this more kind of withdrawn approach played into their hands. It's a good point, actually, because yesterday I saw what I didn't see last weekend. I expected in the final third of the game for Liverpool's intensity to go up a level.

And I was surprised when it didn't. Whereas yesterday, there was a real ferocity about the way that they came back against Brighton, scored goals, could have scored more, ripped that defence apart. And...

I think they have it in them. You asked the question about Liverpool and their title challenge. Remember, Slott has become now the first manager at all to win eight of his first ten matches so far. Of his first ten matches, I should say. And they do have that strength in depth. Gak, by now, three goals in his last two matches. Jota, their best striker, isn't playing. Salah's ripping it up goal-wise, scored in each of his last three matches. Amazing goal.

And I would argue he probably is the best player in the Premier League. I know we're going to talk about Cole Palmer a bit later on. Do they need a number 10, as Jamie says? Well...

If you're going to buy a player at this level, the really good ones want to play. And, you know, any player would acknowledge that. So you can't buy someone of the calibre of the kind of player that would drive Liverpool on and then stick him on the bench in case you need him. You've got to change then the way you play. I mean, I'm sure Jamie will elaborate on all of that himself, but I just think...

Arsenal show that you can't have too many defenders, but the number 10 thing, that's an interesting one for me because I think they've got so much firepower in that final third. Yeah, I would agree with that. OK, stay with us. Liverpool top of the table. Nottingham Fars are just six points behind. Next, we'll discuss the pressure that their win over West Ham has put on Julian Lopetegui.

Right, let's get to the increasing pressure on Union Lopetegui now after West Ham were beaten 3-0 at Nottingham Forest, a result which, as we said, lifts Forest up to third and leaves West Ham 14th. So look, how much scrutiny should be on Lopetegui right now? And dare I say it, we do have an international break coming up as well. I mean, is he the man to turn things around, do you think?

Well, you know, as I always say on this show, we're not about making life difficult for managers. We just talk about what the landscape looks like. And so ahead of this show, what I did was, normally I just go through all the papers, but I also had a look at the fan sites as well. Took a few soundings also from people, sources who are normally very reliable. And there's concern about the run of form that the club are on. Five defeats in their 10 games so far. Two draws, only three wins.

The winds have come against a Manchester United side against whom they were very, very fortunate, courtesy of a referee and called as a terrific piece by Alison Rudd today, who was at the stadium, who says none of us thought it was a foul, let alone a penalty. We're all looking at our monitors, but you know, at West Ham, you have those small monitors in the press box and none of us could see what the problem was.

And yet the foul and the penalty was given and Ten Hag lost his job and West Ham were winners. The other win for them was against a struggling Ipswich side that cannot keep clean sheets. But every other organised, efficient side

that West Ham have come up against, they've either drawn against or invariably lost against and lost heavily as they did yesterday. So fans are concerned, they're worried. They look at the players that were brought in during the summer. Max Killman from Walsall, £40m. Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United, £15m. Crescencio Somerville from Wolves, he was taken off yesterday. Lots of fans couldn't understand why.

When they brought them in, we were talking about West Ham having a really good window and they looked really good. They were strengthening all the time. Lopetegui was attracting all these great players.

And it's not quite worked out so far. It's not. And you can lose by the odd goal in a hard-fought contest or you can be overwhelmed, as United have done, have been, invariably, this season. That's the basis of the concern from West Ham fans and one or two people around the club as well. Now, the club are very supportive of their managers. They don't like sacking managers. I know that from covering the club. I know they like to give managers time.

but West Ham are lacking cohesion, understanding, defensive stability. They can score the odd goal here or there, but Fulcrook, who was part of the Germany squad in the summer for the European Championship, he's played only four times despite the vast outlay on him when they could have gone for an Ivan Toni. There are so many problems around the West Ham side.

And the West Ham fans, they wanted to give him around about 10 games before they decided, you know, let's not be too harsh. But now there is genuine concern. You know West Ham really well, don't you? Is everything OK behind the scenes there? I think...

It's funny, I mean, as you say, in the summer we were praising recruitment. I think also recently West Ham have made some very promising signings and Kudus, who's obviously kind of, after what happened at Spurs, has had a few issues. He's seen as one of the kind of, one of the,

players in the league with most potential in that regard. But then what was striking about, I was at that game against Spurs that they lost and really fell apart in it. And it was almost this kind of difference between a certain pace and vitality in attack and then the kind of physicality, but also a bit of a slowness in midfield. And it's almost like that gap in itself speaks to something

behind the scenes at West Ham, which is basically a club that, I mean, if you speak to anyone who works in football recruitment or drawn up technical plans, which I suppose Manchester United are trying to do now and Dan Ashford has seen the best of it, they would often say a key to any club is basically to decide on an ideology you want and build everything from there. And West Ham almost seem a little bit trapped between a few different viewpoints.

That did inform some of last season, the end of Moyes, the way Tim Stuyton, director of football, was seen as having a different outlook to David Moyes. And while the immediate response to a situation like this, I suppose, well, be careful what you wish for, maybe they should have stuck with Moyes. I don't think that's necessarily the case. Moyes obviously did an excellent job at West Ham, but it felt like it had run its course. And obviously there was a lot of disenchantment about the football. Now, the flip side of that is,

straight away with Lopetegui that it doesn't feel like the fans have taken to him and it does just seem like it's one of those situations where right now it was a coach being brought in that doesn't fully fit the situation I mean Lopetegui's had a bit of a strange career in that sense and that there has been a real mix of results and it has felt like that is dependent on the type of club he goes into so while he obviously fit Sevilla where he won a Europa League you know Real Madrid was an

And that was after what happened to the Spanish national team, where he was sacked just before the World Cup for taking the Madrid job. That, I mean, went as everyone predicted. He just didn't fit it. And it does feel like there's something similar now. Interestingly, their last game before the international break is against Everton. That feels like a bit of a vital one. I think it's becoming a must-win game. They've had one clean sheet in their last nine matches. Will he stick with Paqueta, who has been completely out of sorts with all sorts of things off the field? Yes.

concerning him, there are worries. He's got to start winning. Otherwise, those worries and concerns will start to crystallise into something more serious. OK, we'll have plenty more coming your way. Coming up after the break there, we're going to hear from Ruth Lannister as he prepares his second game in interim charge of Manchester United.

Welcome back to Super Sunday Matchday. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of Manchester United for the second time this afternoon when they welcomed Chelsea to Old Trafford. Van Nistelrooy has confirmed he wants to stay on and work under Ruben Amarin. And this week he opened up to Juliet Farrington about his love for the club.

The fact you came back to Manchester to take on the assistant role at that time, now you're interim, and this probably would have been the only club you would have left your home for to come back and live that life again? I think so, yeah. I think so. There were opportunities to manage, but I think as an assistant this was a special opportunity for me.

and that's what I wanted to take it. Especially also that I feel a strong desire to help the club forward and to share experience of my playing days and into the new situation.

And I enjoy it. I don't regret it for one bit and I will keep doing so. And you want that to continue. I'm getting that impression from you. You will do anything you can to stay within this environment. Yeah, I want to help and that's what I'm here for.

That's for me the most important. It's not about me, in which role or what I do. It's about doing something where you can help the club forward. That's my target. Have you missed the club?

now that you're back here as much as maybe you didn't think you would I have to say that when I went from Manchester to Madrid I enjoyed the sun in Spain why wouldn't you I did welcome back to Manchester everyone and

And then I had to get used to the Manchester weather again. But I have to say I'm enjoying the city. I'm enjoying where I live. It's changed so much. It's changed in an unbelievable way. And I'm enjoying it in a different way than I did then.

But everything is nice and good and also important to bring that into the football club and get the successes back. And bring that positive vibe, that energy in and around. Yeah, it's going to take time. I think it's going to take time and a lot of work and effort for everyone involved. And of course, yesterday was a positive day.

But then again, you know, it's always the next game and the next game. And, you know, it will need some time. But I'm convinced that we'll get there in the end. Do you feel confident you will be here after the international break? You know how football contracts and everything else work. That's true. And it's football, it's life and it can take turns you can't expect. But as I say, I can only speak for myself and express my feelings and the way I would speak.

like to things to happen. And that's that. Yeah, it's interesting there from Ruud van Nistelrooy, isn't it? He wants to stay on. Already, Amarin said that he's going to bring in his own coaching staff. Do you see him staying there, Ruud van Nistelrooy? And do you think it would be wise for Amarin to keep somebody like him at the club? I mean, it does feel it's nice to have that kind of connection to the club. I think it actually helps...

insulate a new manager to have that kind of the cultural continuity. Also, it's not like that. Vanessa Roy has been a key part of the previous regime for years. So it doesn't bring that baggage. I think that that's where it's different.

And also let's not forget as well, since he was brought in the summer, there have been rave reviews about the impact of his coaching. So potentially it's something that Amarim can use. So it feels like from the outside, it does make sense. But obviously, I mean, especially with the way modern coaching works and managers, or in this case, head coaches, wanted to impose their own ways.

they can be very particular about who they've got around them. Yeah, he's very clear though, isn't he, that he wants to stay on. Do you think he will? What do you think? Well, there's two things to point out with Van der Stoor. You could see the standing he has at the club. He's a legend at the club. The affection that the fans have for him. You saw it when he came out of the Old Trafford Tunnel the other night.

He's been a manager in his own right before, before he chose to be part of Ten Hag's squad, as a backroom team, I should say. And I think he probably, there is a role for him to play again as his own man. But if you look at all of the big clubs and the big managers, they tend to have someone who's connected with the club just to give them a feel of, you know, the...

almost take the temperature. They're a barometer for what you're walking into. They're your warning sign, they're your connection between the coaching staff and the dressing room. There are all sorts of roles he can still play that don't necessarily have to be with the group of... I mean, there are four guys, aren't there, that have been with Amarim ever since his first club, Casa Pia. And he says they will definitely come with him because they've been everywhere that he has been.

But that's not to say that Van Nistelrooy can't be an important part of his team. He was brought in by Eric Ten Haag, so it was kind of ironic that there was a lot of talk that Ruud Van Nistelrooy may indeed then go on and get the job. Did he want it, do you think? From what I'm told, no. I mean, obviously it's something he would have an ambition for the future. I think he himself would have thought it wasn't right yet.

And I don't think it was ever really going to come down to that. I mean, I know there were some murmurs that because he'd come in in the summer that maybe INEOS could invest in him for the future. And if it went well, in a similar way to Solskjaer, they could bring him in. But the thinking was always towards something more senior. And I think Vinicius himself would have known that. OK.

Let's cross back to Old Trafford and rejoin our senior reporter, Melissa Reddy, who's still there for us. Good to see you again, Melissa. Look, how likely, we've just been chatting about it, how likely do you think it is for Van Nistelrooy to stay on under Amarim?

Ruud van der Saroy in the strongest possible terms has made it so clear that he does want to remain at Manchester United and help in whatever capacity he can. I mean, some of the words he used, it's his desire, it's his absolute goal to stay here and try and return the club to its former glories. I asked him directly if he wants to be part

off Ruben Amarim's coaching staff and he said yes, he does. That's what he came back for, to serve and that's to serve under whomever or however. He did stress that he's got an assistant contract with Manchester United but

I think there was the realism as well from him that it will be up to Amarim to dictate how that coaching setup looks like. Now we know Amarim wants to bring five staff from Sporting with him, including two of his long-serving assistants.

So it doesn't seem plausible that Van Nistelrooy would stay in the capacity of an assistant. So what would a new role look like for him? Now I'm told that a lot of the players have verbalized that they'd like him to stay, to be a connector, to keep that cultural tie going.

And he is really popular around the place, even with the leadership team. The way he carries himself, that calm authority that he has, an understanding not just of the club and the place, but what it feels like to be a player with that intense pressure, expectation, is all quite beneficial to the club. Now, the big question is, would Amarim be comfortable having somebody so beloved

and so powerful around. It will tell us a lot, I think, about how Amarim views Van Nistelrooy and what he could offer the club, whether he keeps him on board or whether he thinks he is a threat that would need to depart. That's a good point. Hey Mel, just on that point about authority actually, do you expect United to set up much differently under Van Nistelrooy than what they were under Ten Hag? Do you think he'll actually have his own impact in that sense?

By his own admission, he didn't change too much against Leicester. I spoke to him post-match, he said it was the same attacking combinations, the players just

finally enjoyed greater fortune. What I am told though is that some of the differences were they were going more direct a lot earlier to the wide players to change tempo. Remember as well, Van der Selroy was in charge of coaching those attacking patterns and stuff. So we won't see too much of a departure there. The other thing I was told is just simple messaging and

We've seen it so often in football that a fresh voice, even if they're basically talking about the same tactical principles, does make such a difference. He's also got the ability, I think, to exude confidence in the players again, especially those that have been struggling. Somebody like Casemiro, who's felt scapegoated. Van Nistelrooy's made him feel special again. And I was told

He speaks to players like somebody who understands them, not just somebody who demands of them. I think that sometimes can be really important and it would make sense then why the players do want him to stay on board at the club as that sort of connector. Now,

One difference between that Leicester game to this Chelsea game is Van Nistelrooy really just had one full training session to prepare ahead of midweek. He's got a lot more time on the training pitches now. So can we see more of his fingerprints against Chelsea today?

Right now, Melissa, game day today, this afternoon. Talk to us about it. United unbeaten in their last 11 against Chelsea. But obviously, this Chelsea, they know how to score goals and Cole Palmer ripping it up at the moment. How important is it not to fall nine points behind them?

Yeah, it wouldn't be ideal at all if they were to stray so far behind Chelsea, but I think it's still so early in the season. We know we've got a new era loading now here at Old Trafford. So it feels strange and counterintuitive to talk in absolutes. What we do know though is if Manchester United fail to win, they'll post their lowest total

since after 10 fixtures since 1986-87. Now for those who will remember that time very vividly that sparked a change in the dugout with Sir Alex Ferguson taking charge in November. So we know that fortunes can still turn around for United throughout the rest of the season. Importantly

Bar the performances or the results and looking at how far behind or where they are in the table, the key messaging has been to see some bravery, some fight, some passion, some belief

from these group of players. Show us that you're capable of so much more than we've seen. We know you're all top talents. This is the message Ruud van der Silroy has been stressing to them. We know how good you are. Just show the world that everything that they've been saying is so wide off the mark. And he's also been trying to get them to enjoy their football again, to remember why they got into it in the first place. And I think

on Wednesday against Leicester, you really saw the players unshackle themselves, enjoy themselves more, take more risks and believe. And I think if United fans see that, then they will have hope for the immediate future while Ruud van der Solroy is in interim charge, but also what Ruben Ammerum will be inheriting. Yeah, it's a fascinating encounter today. Thank you very much indeed, Melissa.

So that's the view from Old Trafford. Coming up after the break, we're going to turn our attention to Chelsea and discuss whether they have the best player in the Premier League right now. Welcome back to Super Sunday Matchday. Cole Palmer will be looking to continue his phenomenal form this afternoon when Chelsea visit Manchester United. And that form has led to this rather curious debate this week around whether he is the best player in the Premier League right now. Is he? I think it's a fair argument. I mean...

Obviously, we're now coming out of the De Bruyne-Assala era, where they were two players ahead of everyone, both in their 30s now. De Bruyne suffered a few physical issues. Assala is still decisive, but maybe not as dominant, as you say, as he was two years ago.

Haaland is obviously the box office star, but then as we've discussed in the show about Haaland before, he almost sometimes feels he's a finisher and a goalscorer, better than necessarily a great player in that sense. He's a great goalscorer. Whereas Palmer obviously has almost every single attribute to his game. Actually, we should mention Rodri as well, but he's unfortunately injured for the year. And in that absence, it feels like Palmer has kind of risen to this position of, I mean, like put bluntly,

Chelsea wouldn't be where they are without him. And it's difficult to think of a player who has that direct effect on the results of his team as Palmer. It's such a kind of immediate translation from his influence to where they are on the table. And not just influence, of course, but the way it happens. I mean, how great he is to watch. Yeah.

For me, I think it's his intelligence, what he does with the ball, and his instinct. He's kind of got both, which is sometimes quite rare to find that blend, isn't it, in terms of players to get the both. It's not natural instinct, you've got one or the other, but he seems to have it both. But we've also seen what he's like as an impact sub in terms of what he did for England as well. So as Miguel says, he's got that all-round ability in his game. What do you think? Is he the best in the Premier League right now for you? It's an interesting one because...

He's certainly one of the two best performing players statistically in the league in terms of goals and assists, along with Mohamed Salah. And if you were to go up to Merseyside, they might have a different opinion as to who the best player in the Premier League is. I think he's captured the imagination of so many people because of the way he plays his football. It's very...

The way he plays it is almost as if he is in the playground with a ball under his arm. He's walked onto the pitch and he just wants to kick around. Also the small things he does, like listening in to Manchester City when they're in the huddle with the players and he's having a listen in, sitting down on the pitch while everyone else is having a punch. He just wants to get started again. And then when he does get started, his vision is outstanding. His ability to strike a dead ball is magnificent.

His finishing, his composure in that box, in that final third is outstanding. The question I would always ask to people who say he's the best player in the Premier League is if he and Erling Haaland were stood and you had to choose one to build your team around, would you want a killer in the box or would you want someone whose build-up play is impressive but possibly doesn't have the same numbers? Because for me...

52 goals in his first season, a golden boot in his second, well, golden boots in each of the first two seasons there and leading the Premier League table at the moment by four or five goals. I almost think we are inured to the brilliance of Erling Haaland. We take it for granted because he set himself such an incredibly high standard.

So then we look at the next person. Sport is full of that. Federer, you know, Steve Interesting-Davies in this new... You know, there are so many examples of people who have been so metronomically brilliant. Yeah, we almost take it for granted. We take it for granted. And I wonder if there's a little bit of a danger of that because Palmer is magnificent, but

Erling Haaland we may never see a finisher as good as him again in the Premier League we should mention this obviously comes this discussion comes into context as well the Premier League has won its first Ballon d'Or since what 2008 in Ronaldo in Rodri and again if he was fit it would be a different discussion I would say just Palmer to be fair should be now as well as the level we're talking about he's going to be thinking about Ballon d'Or which one would you choose if you had to build a team you had no other players you have to start building your team with one of the two players which would you choose

- Well, I mean, the way I would put that, I suppose, there's a reason why most of the best players in history are playmakers rather than finishers, because a finisher is dependent on service, which is what Haaland is. Whereas, and Haaland's obviously so good to have in that sense, but he's still, he's dependent on what he gets. Whereas Palmer is someone who's coming to Chelsea and sort of done it himself.

But to be fair, again, there is another difference where Haaland has actually, I mean, his goals has directly translated into trophies for City, whereas Palmer, obviously the context of Chelsea is different, but that will be that kind of next evaluation of him. We also have to look at that assist last week. I mean, have we seen anything better that provided the goal in the end? I mean, this is just sublime from him. A great angle. It reminds me actually, there's a ball that Messi put in

for Gonzalo Higuain in the 2014 World Cup final against Belgium. But that's the kind of level we're talking about as well. But that's the intelligence as well that you're talking about as well. You know, that Messi on the ball, he's got that instinct to see if Messi can do something. But with that, you know what? I think he's done and you're right. He has carried Chelsea on his back

end of last season and into this season. But what he's also done is raise the level of the Chelsea players as well, because they've realised we have to get on his level. We can't be as inconsistent. He'll be wasting his talent, either. Well, absolutely. I mean, the assist is out of this world that we just saw. That should be preceded by a drum roll. But then the finish and the ability to hurdle the challenge, then get the ball inside for it to be finished off.

That ball inside the football almost demanded that. And that's what I mean about... And we see it all the time in football where players make other players around them better. Invariably, it's central defenders who are so good that everyone... They can organise the defence really well. But also you see in football

eras further forward where players have that ability to lift. Luis Suarez did it in that season where he played with Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling, where he took Liverpool to win within touching distance of the title. Palmer is exceptional, absolutely exceptional. But I think there is still a debate as to who is the best. I'm going to put the question to you then. Who would you...

Build your team around. Shouldn't we be moving on? Yeah. No, we're good. I just want to hear what you... I mean, because I think I'd be in Miguel's camp. I think, for me, I want the person that can do it all. See, I have to say, I just believe that Haaland is scandalously underrated for me. And I still think Haaland...

Again, we may never see a finisher as good as him again with the numbers that he's provided. I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I just think this guy has to get his flowers. I know he's won the awards and stuff, but I still think we need to be talking about him. Gary Neville said this, and...

We'd had the pleasure of having done it already in his first season when he said, "If you can, try and get to a stadium to see Haaland play." Because he's a sort of player where we used to see the social media footage of the likes of Messi and Ronaldo and the other superstars in other leagues and marvel at it. We have it in this league and we really should embrace it because he's exceptional. Palmer's outstanding. He will thrill us this afternoon. He's magnificent.

I think the two are on a par. I would just go with the finisher. OK, well, let's turn our attention to his boss then, because Palmer's former has drawn plenty of praise from his manager, Enzo Maresca, but that hasn't been the case for all Chelsea players, notably Rhys James, Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling. Now, this week, Maresca sat down with Natalie Gedra and explained his direct approach.

You come across as very direct and clear in the way you communicate. You communicate really well. So how was it to develop this balance between being clear, being upfront, being honest, but also engaging with the players? I don't know. It's my personal opinion, but I think people, most of the people, they like when you are honest and you tell what you think.

I like when people are honest with me, if it's good or bad. I try to do the same with the players. I think sometimes when we say something to the players, it's not because we want to be bad, it's just because we want to give them a message and they have to take that message.

There is no intention behind being a bad person. I always try to be an honest and good person. Sometimes I can understand that people don't like that, but I think being honest is much better than trying to say something in a different way. You played under great managers throughout your career. Did any of them have a special influence on you developing this way of communicating? As you said, I've been lucky.

Lippi, Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, they are all fantastic managers. In terms of relation with players, probably Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini, they are very similar. Probably Lippi was more in the way I am in terms of very direct, very straight. But at the end, I think players appreciate that because...

They are the first that they recognize when you speak if you are true or fake, false. I don't know how to say. So they recognize that. So it's much better to be direct and honest that they see that. That's it for this week's Sunday Supplement podcast. We'll be back next Sunday, Sky Sports News from 10 a.m. with the podcast dropping as soon as we come off air. And if you don't already, please give Sunday Supplement a like, follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening.