Reds sitting four clear for Christmas after hitting Spurs for six!
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70,000 people are here and Bob Dylan is the reason for it. Inspired by the true story. If anyone is going to hold your attention on a stage, it's going to be a freak. Are you a freak? Hope so. And starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. How does it feel?

He defied everyone. Turn it down! Hey, lad! To change everything. Make some noise, BD. Timothy Chalamet. Edward Norton. El Fene. Monica Barbaro. A complete unknown. Only in theaters Christmas Day. Rated R. Under 17. I admit it without parent. The Athletic FC Podcast Network. All right, Reds. Tony Evans here with Walk On, your Liverpool podcast from the Athletic. I'm here with James Pearce and Andy Jones. You know what?

That slacker, Simon Hughes, it's a classic example which you often get in the football world. It's someone like gets a red card or fakes an injury two weeks before Christmas so they don't have to play. But thankfully, we have class off the bench with Andy, so we don't need that Hughes. Big pressure that, Tony. And you know what? If he thinks he's coming back automatically, he doesn't. He doesn't. Yesterday's man. Yeah.

He's got Ayrna's place back. But anyway, it's been a good period. Liverpool are top for Christmas. Six goals at White Hart Lane and four points clear at the top. That was a good Sunday for the Reds. Well, coming up, we'll talk about the Goalfest at Tottenham, look at what it means for the title race, and we'll look back on what's made 2024 so memorable. But first of all, we'll start with those three words.

Andy? Well, I'll be honest, you've sort of nicked mine because you've already mentioned it, but I don't think it can be anything else but Topic Christmas. I just think it has to be that.

Because it's just the best, isn't it? It's perfect for me, that. James? Well, seeing as it's the season of goodwill, I'm going to go for thank you, Everton. Well, we love our blue brothers, don't we? They've been like Father Christmas in blue. And the thing is, they've taken points, obviously, of Arsenal and Chelsea.

And they haven't done themselves much good either. They have to do it just a single point each time. Could it be better? Could it be better? Thank you, our blue brethren. We love you for the Christmas. Where's blue this year?

And let's face it, they've given us some gifts and they haven't given themselves many. Anyway, here's what you're saying. Patrick Woods, not too shabby. Not too shabby? Oh, come on, Patrick. Chris Gordon, little mercy shown. And that's as in Billy Little. Graham Jones, daydream believers. And Sean Breslin, agent dice delivered. I like that.

To join our community of listeners on Facebook, just search WalkOn Podcast and join the group. Lewis Diaz breaks through. And there's Alexi McAllister. And it's 2-0 to Liverpool. It's Sommerslie. Salah's there. Liverpool. Lewis Diaz. Oh, that's it. What a goal. What a goal.

They've got a sixth goal now in a crazy old game in North London. James, I'll just sum up that. Nine goals. Should there be more, maybe? Should there be less? Don't like conceding three. Do not like conceding three. Oh, come on, Tony. You can't have him moan after that. I saw a few people moaning on my social media coming back last night. You cannot moan after that. Would Ronnie Moran moan? Yeah, of course he wouldn't. But like...

Honestly, if your biggest problem is getting a bit complacent when you're 5'1 up with half an hour to go...

Life's not too bad, is it? Yeah. If that's what's keeping you awake at night, the, oh, we need to manage games better at 5-1. Yeah, yeah. I thought it was massively impressive. I mean, the numbers are just absolutely off the scale. 24 shots, 12 on target, nine big chances as defined by Opta, an XG of like over four and a half. We spoke about it last week, didn't we? The Spurs are just so open. Yeah.

And it is genuinely bonkers. Al-Postakoglu, even with all his defenders missing, still tries to go toe-to-toe with teams. But you still have to go there and do your jobs, don't you? And Liverpool were, I thought, ruthlessly efficient for 60 to 70 minutes before. They nodded off a little bit. But yeah, I just thought that was a real statement and

What a contrast to our last visit there 15 months ago when you think of all the anger and the burning sense of injustice then with the red cards, the VAR shambles, the late Matip Ongol. To go there and put on a show like that was really sweet. Yeah, Andy, my problem is Tottenham actually offend me.

The way they play, it bothers me. It doesn't matter that I'm a Liverpool fan. It's just objectionable for a football team at that level to play like that. But, you know, I mean, as James said, Liverpool did the business and I thought there was good performances right across the team.

Yeah, I think there were so many standouts. I think Sabah's line Gomez for me were the two I would have picked out but I think he could have picked out loads particularly Diaz and Salah with the goals. But yeah, Tottenham baffled me given as James mentioned the

They're missing the keeper, they're missing the two centre-halves, they're missing the left-back, and yet you still want to play. They're missing basic common sense. Yeah, yeah. I think that sums it up perfectly. But I think what sort of amazed me is that how many people were still left in the stadium at 5-1.

Because it's Tottenham. Because I think if Liverpool knock off against any other team, it probably stays 5-1. If not, maybe go 6-1. Tottenham are the only team who make the game so mad and still think they can still do something at 5-1 down. I think that's sort of how that sort of period happens, that they go 5-3 because...

It's just like they still think they can win a game in the most impossible circumstances. But yeah, they didn't have anything to sort of shout about at all for the first 65, 70 minutes because Liverpool were just so brilliant so often, so ruthless, so dominant and...

And, you know, there was loads of individual performances, but the collective performance, I think, was just super impressive. Yeah, and Diaz and Salah, both of them very impressive. Diaz's first Premier League goal since the end of September, which it's been a long time. It's good to see. And Salah.

10 goals and 10 assists before Christmas. I mean, he's outrageous, isn't he, James? He is, yeah. Yeah, another historic day for Salah, wasn't it? It feels like it's like a weekly basis, isn't it? In terms of there's just another bit of history to be written by him.

He was just bang on it. I think he was licking his lips at that defensive line and the personnel on duty. And he had five shots in the first 20 minutes alone. At that point, Forster had only made the one save from him and obviously then he hit the bar. But yeah, took his two goals so well and two assists.

As well, I mean, 18 goals and 15 assists in 24 games in all comps so far this season. As you said, Tony, first player in Premier League history to get into double figures for both goals and assists before Christmas in a season. And of course, going past...

the great Billy Liddell as well. And when you think that Liddell's 228 goals came across 534 games spanning 14 years, Salah's got the 2-2-9 in about 160 games quicker, which just puts into perspective what he has done. And of course, now he's out in front as well, ahead of Haaland in terms of the race for the

for the golden boot. And yeah, I think Diaz deserves a lot of praise as well. I think he'd gone seven games in all comps without scoring since that hat-trick against Leverkusen in the Champions League. And that was probably the biggest decision Slot had to make pre-match, was who was he going to go with as his number nine? Whether he's got almost an embarrassment of riches now with the injury situation clearing and Jota back available. And, you know, of course, Nunes there as well. But he went with Diaz,

who you know it hadn't been done had it Diaz as that false nine previously before slot came along but it's another thing that he is kind of with a fresh pair of eyes has looked at the talent at his disposal and thought to himself yeah I can see that working with Diaz's intelligent movement and and he absolutely tormented Tottenham the Colombian with just the way in which he drops off into space and and links play so intelligently I think that the funny thing with Diaz was um

Slot got asked in his press conference about sort of about his goal scoring because he'd obviously been featured as a number nine and Slot referenced the fact that Nunes had been brought up the week earlier and got an assist and a goal after that press conference of questions about his contributions so it seems to be a bit of a theme so someone might have to ask him about Joe Gomez that might be the way to get Joe Gomez's goal Well Andy the question about Joe Gomez scoring well

It'll happen one day, I'm sure. But do you think Thierry is better through the middle? I think he shoots certain games because I think against Fulham, I thought Liverpool were a little bit toothless at times within leading the line and not maybe...

you know, pressure in the centre-backs in a certain way. But I think with the way Tottenham play, him and Sobozlai sort of both took on that sort of false nine-all because Sobozlai was really high at times in between the lines and Diaz pulled left a lot and got into a lot of space. So I think there are certain games where it works. His pressing off the ball definitely helps set a tone. Him and Sobozlai now a couple of times have been that point of pressure

of attack and that point of intensity really I think in certain games you do want your striker there pressuring defenders and getting them behind sometimes it needs a Nunes to stretch the pitch and things like that or Jota to be in and around poaching because sometimes Diaz maybe isn't in the number 9 role or in the box if you like but he certainly was at Tottenham he showed those abilities so

I think it's evidently a position he can play, but I think there are certain games which will suit it and certain games which you would probably prefer having a more natural, instinctual number nine there. Andy's got a good point there because there are certain games that suit players. Like when you play Tottenham, it suits everyone. It suits me and me bad knee. LAUGHTER

But saying that, you know, Shabazzlai produced an excellent performance, didn't he? He did, yeah. I thought that was right up there with Shabazzlai's best performances for the club. You know, the one complaint about him, which I think has been fair, is that he doesn't impact games enough in the final third. I think he's...

I think his athleticism and energy has been absolutely crucial to slot because in that kind of advanced midfield role, you know, quite often he sets the tone with his work ethic off the ball and,

as much as what he does on it. But I thought what was really refreshing on Sunday was just the way he impacted the game. You know, yes, he gets his goal and then returns the compliment for Salah in the second half. But he made so many really intelligent runs forward, finding pockets of space. I mean, there was obviously plenty of that to be taken advantage of behind that Spurs back line. And in front of the Spurs back line. Yeah.

and to the sides and he was heavily involved I think what in the second and the fourth goals as well so the talent is there with Zabozla there's no doubt about that you just want to see him kick on from here because I think his Liverpool career up to this point has been kind of

absolutely fine but when you spend 60 million pounds on someone you're probably entitled to expect a bit more and especially in that system now where he does have a license to get forward I

I mean, there's been times this season where it's almost felt like he's had to do that much running before he's got into a great position that then kind of, you know, his head's a little bit frazzled and his decision making lets him down. So I think that was a really pleasing thing for me on Sunday was seeing him actually showing that composure and calm in big situations to really punish teams.

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Remember, this season, if you want to go in touch, just email walkon at theathletic.com. Well, let's look at the state of the title race. And, we talked about it earlier, Brandy, the love we've been shown by our blue neighbours has just...

Everton have just been superb. I mean, you could say that they've more than given us a hand. The prison pole position. 100%. They are the definition of Christmas spirit. If you were looking it up in the dictionary, it would be big dice and his Everton boys would be there.

But yeah, it's both surprise results. I've obviously watched a lot of dice when I was covering Burnley and his sides do know how to dig in and pull out these results. Chelsea have had a bit of a nightmare at Goodison. It's not a grand delight. I went to the darts in midweek with a mate of mine who's a Chelsea fan and he said, I'm concerned about the weekend. And I was like, really? Really?

But, you know, he was right to. It was perfect Dice weather as well, wasn't it? The wind. That's why I was, you know, I was made up the derby was postponed because you just know a windy stadium is like Dice's heaven. But yeah, to pull off both of those results, you know, if they got one of them, the Arsenal one was a shock and felt great because of Liverpool, you know, gaining a point in the end with the results against Fulham. But then to do it again, that's...

Thank you very much. There's nothing more you can say, really. It's great stuff. James, four points clear at Christmas. But, like, the disturbing thing, the disturbing stat is it's the seventh time Liverpool have been top of Christmas in the Premier League era. And we all know they've only gone on to be champions once. Erm...

Feels a bit different this time though, doesn't it? Yeah, it does. It does. The dynamic is different. Of course, people will think back to what, 2018-19 and 2020-21 when Liverpool were top on Christmas Day and both times they got chased down. But of course, this time around, they don't have to worry about Manchester City. That's the biggest shift.

You know, you could also throw into the mix, of course, Liverpool will be much better for the experience of last season because although, yeah, for people like Van Dijk and Robertson and Trent and Salah, you know, they've been there and done it and got the t-shirt. But for others in that squad, it was new territory last season.

especially when the pressure was cranked up and you've already got 40, 50 games in your legs over the course of the season. And Liverpool did run out of gas, didn't they? They absolutely wilted during the run-in. And I think they were only a point adrift.

of Arsenal on Christmas Day last year and ended up trading home a pretty distant third in the title race. But the biggest thing for me this time around is perfection. And of course, yeah, we all want perfection. Liverpool aren't going to need to be perfect to hold on to that lead. You look at, you know, Chelsea and Arsenal are going to be, you know, clearly the two biggest threats to Liverpool winning the title.

And they've both got chinks in their armour. So I don't, as much as of how good Liverpool have been so far, and you also throw into the mix the injury situation clearing up. I mean, Canate and Bradley are only a couple of weeks away. You could have a situation early in the new year where slot doesn't have anyone in the treatment room, touch wood. So all of that bodes well. But also there's not that looming fear of,

you know bloody hell man city are on our shoulders and and we know that they're probably going to put together 15 16 straight wins you know the dynamic is so different because city currently are in absolute shambles well let's take a moment to think about manchester and send our best wishes down the m62 to them because you know the suffering city lost nine out of twelve andy

Manchester United could be 3-0 at home by Bournemouth. Again. Oh dear. Hang on. Wasn't this place supposed to be the capital of football? It was, but it certainly isn't at the moment. Just quickly on that stat that you pulled out there on Liverpool only winning once after being top of seventh. You think that's why Everton have got a few points off the other teams? Just to make sure they've seen that and think, if we make sure Liverpool are top of Christmas, it makes them less likely to win the league.

Do you think that's what they've seen? That's the sort of warped thinking that McGarrett could have seen, to be honest. Exactly, that's what I was going for. Maybe they've seen that and gone, that's the one. If we make sure they're top, they might not win it. Yeah.

But yeah, just back to Manchester and the sort of shambles. Yeah, it's incredible. It just gets worse and worse. You compared them to Liverpool 2022-23 and sort of that January period where it felt like Liverpool lost every game forever. City have taken it to a new level of bad and it just looks like no end to it. Whereas Liverpool eventually found a way and did it relatively well.

quickly but this is you know this is unbelievable levels and I have to say I saw Ruben interim was sort of going around Twitter because of Aberyn's struggles at the moment I did have to laugh at that and I thought I'll bring that one up when you mentioned it but yeah I mean for both of them it's just a really bad time at the minute but you know long may it continue

Now, for the final time in 2024, it's Contract Weekly. James.

Come on, they've got to be taking the mickey out of us, haven't they? They've got to. What they're going to do, Christmas morning, they're going to give us a brilliant present and they're going to unveil the new contracts. Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards are going to come like Santas with a sack, well, I was going to say a sack of money for the three players involved, but with a sack of contracts and say,

fan base, be happy, it's Christmas, a time of goodwill and cheer. If it's going to happen, it's a very closely guarded secret. I was thinking coming back on the long drive from London last night that that would be the only thing that would make Christmas even better, wouldn't it? When you think of what great shape Liverpool are in at the moment and you look ahead to what

What could be achieved in 2025? You just think, imagine how good it would be with a positive bulletin on those contracts. But yeah, at the minute, we're still waiting. There's been certainly no change to my knowledge over the last week or so. I mean, I think people will see the significance of January the 1st in terms of, oh my God, that is the day that they could potentially

potentially sign pre-contract agreements with clubs overseas. But I think when you speak to people involved in the process, they don't see January the 1st as some major cutoff point. I mean, for a start, the idea that foreign clubs would be very respectfully backing off until Big Ben chimes on New Year's Eve and then right now we can drop their agent a message and see if they fancy it.

We know that football doesn't work like that. So I don't think that is necessarily something to be alarmed about, that it potentially goes over January the 1st. But of course, we all know the...

The clock is ticking, but at the minute, it's still a waiting game. You know, I know there was obviously that there was a few stories knocking around, wasn't there, the other week that Salah on the brink and, you know, two-year deal agreed. And, you know, our information was that although he has had an offer, that those discussions hadn't reached a conclusion yet.

certainly at that stage. But I still think we're where we were previously, where I'm still pretty confident that Van Dijk and Salah stay on the basis that I think...

abundantly clear that that's what they both want it's just a case of agreeing the terms that uh that they believe recognize their their status in in the world game and enduring importance to Liverpool I think Trent is obviously the probably the one that people are more concerned about out the three and you know it's been very very quiet on that front for a while you know with Trent at

adamant that he didn't want it to be played out in public and neither party have really said anything about where that's heading. I mean, it's going to become a more vociferous debate, isn't it, Andy? I mean, you know, they were talking about something in the Sky Studio about Trent's future. Carragher, you know, said that if he leaves, he won't be

leaves on a free, won't be remembered as a Liverpool legend. You know, Jamie Redknapp, you know, had the players viewpoint that Liverpool shouldn't let it get to this. And they shouldn't let it get to this. I mean, this is a failure of, a failure of management as much as anything. But we could do without it. I mean, the contract issues, the Grinch who spoiled Christmas. Yeah.

Yeah, they are the unwanted and the sort of only distraction really, which is sort of plaguing this brilliant Liverpool season so far. It's every sort of discussion always seems to come back to the contracts and, oh yeah, but what if and what's going on? And it just does have that little bit of uncertainty and you can understand from, you know, Richard Hughes, for example, coming in, why it's taken this length of time because, you know, it basically was an untouched sort of...

subject until the new regime came in, I guess, in the summer. But yeah, I mean, I thought it was an interesting sort of debate on Sky. I think I understood both sides because I do get the category, you know, you're one of us. It's a portrayal to...

to betray your fellow Scousers. I do get it. And I do also get the idea of, you know, Real Madrid is that club. It's the club everyone wants to play for. It's the club everyone dreams of playing for. And very, very few players get the opportunity to do it. So, like, you can get it from both sides. And quite frankly, you know, Liverpool should, especially with, you can understand Liverpool maybe leaving it with Van Dijk and Salah

and we've had this discussion so many times, but you can understand them leaving it at this point, given their age, and you want to see where they are. They've been some of the other players who were younger than them, whose legs fell off, if you like, and had to be moved on. And you don't want that to happen on your watch, if you like. But with Trent, it was obvious that you should have just done it at the earliest possible chance. And Liverpool didn't do that, and now they've found themselves in that situation. But

you know, hopefully there's positive resolutions on it. That should be the New Year's resolution, I guess, for Liverpool is to get them sorted as quickly as possible. But yeah, I mean, importantly, it's not affecting the play on the pitch and you see that yesterday with all three of them and the performances that they all put in and have been putting in, you know, for the majority of the season. It's,

It's not something that's playing on their minds, which is the important thing. I think the problem is if the season goes on, there's more speculation and, you know, more, you know, for example, more reports and stuff like that. That's when, you know, you start to think, is that when it's going to be playing on minds and affecting things? But at the moment it hasn't. So hopefully that stays the same until, you know, hopefully there's pens on paper and contracts signed.

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Before we talk about what's coming over Christmas, it's worth a look back over 2024, which has been a rollercoaster of a year. I will leave the club at the end of the season. In for Jota, who doesn't miss this time.

Liverpool's first goal scored under the new head coach Arnaz Lot is caressed beyond the Ipswich keeper by Diogo Jota. Diaz! That is so sharp! And visiting clear! It's quite simply stunning for Liverpool. Are you not entertained? Yes.

I mean, who was that fella at the beginning? Jürgen who? No, no, no. We love Jürgen. We'll always love Jürgen. James, what was your highlight of the year? And I'm going to assume it was eating your way across America. Obviously, the Philly cheesesteaks were number one.

Yeah. Aren't they a baseball team? It was gruelling that trip. Absolutely gruelling. Yeah, you know, just listening to that kind of

That kind of montage of clips, it just, it makes you realise just what a crazy year it was, wasn't it? Right from kind of, you know, when you think that we, you know, 12 months ago, we had no idea, did we, that Jurgen Klopp had already decided and told the owners that he would be stepping down and, you know, to have that bombshell moment.

so early in the new year. And then, of course, then because of the momentum at the time, there was that feeling of, oh my God, Liverpool are going to send Jurgen Klopp off into the sunset with the quadruple. And we've got a European final in Dublin and does life get any better than this? And then it ends up obviously with just the League Cup, as good as that day out was. And that was a really special day at Wembley, especially more than anything, the manner in which Liverpool did it with such a young team.

But of course there was that little bit of, you know, that sense of, you know, it was a bit underwhelming, wasn't it? To not kick on having won the league cup and add bigger prizes. And then just that real feeling of stepping into the unknown, the uncertainty and thinking, how big is the void going to be? Because Klopp was just this all encompassing giant of a man whose charisma and force of personality like permeated through, you know, every kind of facet of the club. Yeah.

and it felt like Liverpool had taken a gamble on someone who had enjoyed success in Holland but he'd never done it outside of his homeland yet it's gone better than anyone could possibly have dreamt could they I mean just you know the one nagging fear is going back to what we just talked about previously is the fact that those contract situations haven't been sorted out but

Yeah, what a rollercoaster of a year. I mean, if someone had told you that Klopp would leave and that Liverpool basically wouldn't strengthen the squad, but would get better, someone would have told you to up your medication. Yeah. Andy, what was your highlight? I don't think you can look beyond the League Cup final. I just think it was such a special day. It was...

One of those, you know, sort of the typical Jurgen Klopp underdog story, if you like, in that Liverpool had no right really to win the final when you look at the 11 he finished with especially. You know, there was so many things going against them really and coming up against the Chelsea side who spent so much money and

To win it and the way they did it, the dramatic elements of it and all that, I just think it did encompass everything about Klopp's reign really and how he brought everything, all parts of the club together really. I just don't think you can beat that. I'd give a shout out as a close second to the Kostas Simakas attempted

diving headed block earlier this season which remains just hilarious to watch I think that was up there as well how about yours Tony? I've got to agree with you the League Cup final at Wembley unfortunately

I was hugged by so many people that picked up an infectious disease and it knocked me out for the best part of a month. Aside from that, it was worth it. The other thing is, the highlight really isn't one moment. It's the way life under slot has unfolded because I didn't expect it, to be honest. I thought there'd be a drop-off. I thought that he'd come in

Klopp squad the fact that they hadn't strengthened and I thought psychologically the players would struggle with a new manager instead he's harnessed the best of the group and got them playing to the strengths and

And it's a different set of strengths, really, than Klopp was highlighting. It's been fantastic watching them because as much as we love Jürgen, in many ways, he wasn't a tactician. And you lived on the edge with Klopp, where it's been really refreshing to go back to seeing a manager who has control over the game. And what I like is once they get in front, apart from a Tottenham, D.

They declare, they kill the game dead. And some people might say that's not very entertaining. And I say, you know nothing about football, people. I love to see games get killed. I love to see Liverpool in control. I love to see the three points in the bag, early doors, and then you can relax and ignore what's going on in the pitch, really. And that, for me, has been the highlight of the season.

Well, James, what are we going to expect over Christmas? Obviously, Leicester at home on Boxing Day. We've played them before on Boxing Day, haven't we? When we're top of the league. We have, yeah. Yeah, that was up there with kind of... I know there was quite a bit of competition, but that was up there with some of the best away performances I saw under...

under Jurgen Klopp because if you remember rightly it was off the back of the Club World Cup in Qatar wasn't it and there was all that talk of kind of how would Liverpool deal with you know all the travel and they absolutely put on a show that night I mean that was the Trent Alexander-Arnold show That was the year wasn't it that there's an asterisk attached to Liverpool in the league and the asterisk says by Boxing Day actually

With walks. That was some performance. And then, yeah, it was a strange time, wasn't it? Because I think because of all the recent history of missing out,

And having waited so long, it's one of those ones. But now when you look back, it always amazes me when I look back at that season, just how far Liverpool were clear and thinking, why was I still so nervous in like the middle of January? Because like, you know, they'd have had to have played me and Andy at the back to have possibly like relinquished that kind of leave. But yeah, it was, that was incredible. I mean, it does feel like in terms of the Christmas schedule has been pretty kind to Liverpool. You know, as I actually think, you know, Van Nistelrooy,

Bearing in mind what a basket case of a club Manchester United are, did a half decent job for the few weeks where he was holding the reins there. So I can understand why Leicester went for him. But, you know, they do, you know, they again, like a bit similar to Southampton, there's a dearth of quality in that squad. And under the lights at Anfield on Boxing Day night, you'd expect Liverpool to have far too much for them. And then, you know, West Ham again, you know, it's kind of,

the sacking season as well, isn't it? With, you think, you know, we've seen a couple of top flat managers lose their jobs recently and Lopetegui can't be too far away. I think at West Ham, I think, um,

They have really underperformed so far this season. I mean, we know that the London Stadium is that type of place where if you can go there and get on top of them, then, you know, things can go toxic pretty, pretty quickly in terms of the atmosphere around there. So, yeah. And then obviously no New Year's Day football for Liverpool this year, which will feel a little bit

and then the preparations will be geared towards trying to inflict some more misery on United in early January. Of course, we'll be back talking about that in the pod before then. Andy, I looked at that stat that Leicester have conceded 82 shots in four games under Van Nistelrooy. And, you know, I often exaggerate things for comic effect.

And, you know, say like, oh, you know, yeah, conceded 82 shots in four games. But this is a real stat. I know, it's crazy, isn't it? I heard it yesterday and couldn't believe it. But yeah, they're in serious. 82? That's 20, just over 20 a game, isn't it? And the opposition have played as well when you look at it, sort of.

West Ham, they beat West Ham and West Ham had about 28 shots and Leicester had about seven. And it was just one of them games you think, how's that? Like FIFA, you know, one of them games where you just think, how on earth has that team won it? And yeah, I mean, to lose in the way they did to Wolves as well, I think will be a massive hit on the confidence as well. So yeah, they look like they're in a bad place at the minute and you would like to think that Liverpool...

inflict more misery on them and probably increase that shot conceded count even more or make it look even worse as a stat it's just about doing the business isn't it especially in this Christmas period you know hopefully Liverpool do it whereas you talked about the control of games earlier you hope they do it in a way where they can sort of be looking to make changes on 65-70 and get a bit of rest into some of the players but it is a bit of a kind of one because they do have that break before United after West Ham but

That turnaround is pretty quick and can pull up the odd surprise results. Liverpool have just got to guard against caution to make sure they're not on the receiving end of the surprise in one of the two games. I think it's a pretty forgiven schedule before New Year. Well, actually, into the New Year, because let's face it, it's bottom-half teams all the way, isn't it? You know, it's United, but...

No, you would hope that there'd be six points there. And I'm not going to go to Andy for a prediction on how we're going to do. He said it was going to be nil-nil at White Hart Lane. I was crying it in. I was crying it in. That's what I was doing. But James, you'd expect a haul of six points from these two games. Anything short of that and something has gone badly wrong because...

from what we've seen so far this season, Liverpool are far superior to both of those opponents they've got coming up. So, yeah, I mean, they'll certainly be returning to West Ham in different shape to the last time. You think to that game back in April where it just epitomised really how Liverpool had kind of lost their way during the running and they just didn't have that spark or energy left. It was just, you know, you think back to,

you know, the flashpoint on the touchline between Salah and Klopp as Salah was waiting to come on. And it was just kind of symptomatic of a team that everything had just kind of caught up with them. And they'd realised that what they hoped was going to be this amazing crescendo to the Klopp era was actually fizzling out. And I think there was that sense of kind of frustration and anger across the board. But, yeah,

Yeah, what a contrast to this time where I think, what did Salah say? If I speak today, there will be fire. I don't think we need to worry about him losing his rag this time around. He's just a genius operating at the peak of his powers at the minute. Yeah, and let's hope that if there is fire, Andy, it'll be West Ham that burn. Yeah.

Yeah, definitely. I think, yeah, as you say, it's just a different mood, different atmosphere. I mean, Liverpool still won that game last year as well, which sort of sums it all up. They were comfortable at 2-1, should have gone 3-1 and then conceded a super goal, I think, if I remember correctly. So, yeah, it's...

Yeah, hopefully it's more miserable West Ham fans and I think they will leave the stadium early if Liverpool are on top and come through winning. I don't think they'll have the hope that the Tottenham fans still had at the weekend. No, no. Well, anyway, thanks to James and Andy for joining me and you two for listening. That's us done for 2024, so...

everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, unless, of course, you're from Manchester or North London, an Arsenal fan. In fact, you know what? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Reds. The rest of you can go have any sort of New Year you like. I don't care. Preferably miserable. You know, including our blue friends who've been so good to us lately.

We'll be back before the Manchester United game in the new year and we'll catch you then. Have a great holidays, people.