United Set The New Standard, Shocking Refereeing & Newcastle Flying High
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Hello and welcome to the Restless Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker. It's the first week of January and the first fixtures in the Premier League of 2025. Some interesting fixtures to talk about. But first, how was your new year apart from Micah's haircut? LAUGHTER

You've had a little trim, haven't you? You've trimmed it down. Just a little shape up, you know. Took about five years off me, hadn't it? Imagine if they took the rest off. Yeah.

Be like, you are. Did you pay double for that, Michael? No, I paid the same price as usual. I paid for his time, not the haircut, Gary. You know this. Did anyone have a big New Year's Eve? I was sleeping at 10 o'clock. I was sleeping at 11 o'clock, woken 12 o'clock by fireworks almost right outside my window, which was, yeah. You old fart, what's up with you?

so was I actually the rest is all thoughts the rest is all thoughts I was in bed at half ten as well and I was awoken by the fireworks at midnight as well so I went to the pub the next day anyone watch the darts?

The final. Oh, yeah. It was so good. Salute Littler. A little congratulations to Littler. Incredible, wasn't it? Unbelievable, yeah. For 17, it's remarkable. It's madness, isn't it? Generational talent. Absolutely superb. He'd probably have been happy with the game that he saw at Anfield because I think he's a Man United fan, isn't he? Littler. I mean, the second half was fantastic, wasn't it? It was. I mean, a real, obviously...

different kind of performance from Manchester United than we've seen in recent weeks and it was end to end wasn't it really entertaining I thought Man United were excellent what I would say is that I would imagine the manager and the fans are saying they're going to be saying the same thing is they've now set their standard without doubt that was their best performance they've been under the cosh they've been criticised left right and centre and

But when you're putting in a performance like that, and I mean, I thought they were the better team. I thought they were a tad unlucky, perhaps could have won it in the last minute with a Maguire chance. But I thought they looked up for it. They looked organised. I thought there were some really, really good performances. Bruno Fernandes, Kobi Meynou, Dalot down the left-hand side. Harry Maguire, I thought was excellent.

So, yeah, that's their standard now. I thought I was really, really impressed with Man United. To call in a phrase that I think it was Jimmy Greaves that first came out with it, football's a funny old game, isn't it? It really is. I think we have to give credit to Amarin, the manager, because remember the last pod you was talking, Al, maybe about should he change it, will he change it? And we had...

I said, it won't change it, rightly or wrongly, but imagine trying something different. So what we've learned today is that that formation can work as long as they've got the right personnel and people are prepared to run. So I totally agree with you, Alan. They've set the standard now. It's just, they're just so inconsistent. It's not a fact that we expect them to play a high level team

like that every single week because sometimes you know what it's like when you lose a little bit of confidence but you can start to see little patterns emerging I think the main difference for me watching it is how aggressive the centre-halves were so do you remember the game against Newcastle it was obviously a different two it was Eriksen and Casemiro but

At times, there wasn't helped by the three at the back. So at times, there was going really tight to Liverpool's midfield or strike when they needed to and having that confidence to go in there with aggression. And I think that was the difference watching it from a defensive point of view and then managed to sort of get the ball from back to front offensively.

on that transition with quality. And I think Fernandes made a massive difference with his team. I thought he was one of the players of the match as well. I thought the same. And Kobe Maynew back in the starting lineup, which begs the question, why hasn't he been playing more regularly recently? But I think Manchester United fans, and a few of my friends were saying the same thing, how can they get themselves up for a game like that and look incredibly committed and,

Yet again, in other games that we've seen, particularly in recent weeks, they're almost a lethargic approach that's totally different. I mean, football is strange that way. You can lift yourself for a certain performance. But, you know, when you're a club of Manchester United stature, you expect that sort of commitment week in, week out. And now I suppose they'll be saying, right, OK, that's a really good performance.

Now, what you're going to do, follow that up and let's have a run. And obviously that'll, you know, dependent on circumstances and stuff. And I think actually, and we saw the same thing when they won at City, I think it suits them a little bit playing against teams that are really good.

- Correct. - An attack. And because they're almost a counterattacking team in some ways, that's what we've seen in the last two or three seasons. Amarim's, that's not necessarily his chosen style of football, but I think on this occasion it certainly worked and it was very much sort of a basketball kind of game in the second half.

I think the United fans will be going, well, that's the commitment we want to see week in, week out. Fair? Yeah, without a doubt fair and correct. I know that's what I'm meant by. They have to produce that every week. They've shown they can do that now. They've shown they've got the aggression. Where it's been, I couldn't tell you. And all the other things that the question marks have been put against them.

Right. Let's see what you've got now, boys. You've shown us at once. We need it every single week now, not just now and again. Show us every single week. And if they do, then they'll be all right. If they don't, then the manager is obviously going to have a free pass to get rid of them. You've been a manager, Al, and you obviously have a way of playing.

Does he? How quick could you work that out? They're trying to be serious here. They're trying to be serious here. Sorry, sorry, forgive me. He's got serious on his new bonnet. And you have a philosophy. You have a style of play and your job as a manager is to get that message across to the players. He's come with a different formation now

Do we need to give the players and the manager a little bit more time in terms of being able to do what he wants? Because it is difficult from playing, say, a full-back to a wing-back. It is different from playing two at the back to three at the back with the spaces. And it's not like he's got the required player. Masraoui's played a number 10. He's played wing-back. He's played at the back.

Xerxe normally likes to play with someone up the top because he's more of a 10 than a number 9. So he's still figuring out exactly what he needs to do. Would that be a fair comment? No, without doubt, I think. And rightly so. He'll be given the time to suss out

his players out who he wants to keep and who he wants to bring in and who he wants to get rid of and he's what has he been in I don't know what just over two months now something like that which is nothing and I mean you're never going to get a free pass but

I think because of the issues that Man Utd have had for so long, he has to be given the time to say, to do what he wants to do, to play the way he wants to play and to bring in who he wants to bring in and also get rid of. It'll take time, but I think today he'll be feeling a damn sight better today and more confident in what he's trying to do

when these players put in that performance he'll sleep a lot easier tonight than he has done the last two or three months that's for sure i've had discussions with a close friend of mine who's a manchester united fan he keeps saying the players don't care the players don't care they're not they're not trying hard enough and from my experience of being a footballer i i don't think that's ever the case i think they do care i think confidence plays a big part it's a it's you know the

The mental side of the game is hugely important. They looked really committed, but then the argument he'll now come up with is, see, they can. They can make that effort, that extra effort when they want. They run the extra yards when they want because it's against Liverpool and it's a big game. And it's a reasonable point. Their next, what, next two or three games, I think they've got Arsenal away, next one.

Then they've got Southampton at home and Brighton maybe at home, I think it is, if I'm not mistaken. And those three games or those three performances have to be like they've given against Liverpool. They can't come out of those games with people chucking those accusations at them again because that will tell you everything. Yeah, I quite like that question actually, Gaz.

In terms of... Because we do train them on technique, on fitness. You don't really train your brain that much. I know some footballers see different sorts of people within the game to help them sort of focus better or get a better performance. But I don't know. I sort of throw the question back to you two. You two were elite, elite players. I mean...

I don't think anyone would ever question U2's ability in terms of working hard for the team.

a little bit different to me because I was never the same calibre of player of U2. And when you're in that place where you think you're not good enough, it is difficult. You are genuinely trying your best. And I can say that, you know, I talk about, you know, not eating the right foods and partying and all that, but that was only a minuscule. That was only a percentage. I did work hard as a footballer. It's just sometimes it just doesn't,

go that way. And sometimes you look at the players and say, maybe they're just not as good as we've given them praise for in the past. Maybe this is just their level. And sometimes their body language is not correct. So then we subconsciously think they don't want it or they're not working hard enough, you know? And the one thing we know for sure is that however fans feel, the players will feel worse.

You know, from my experiences. Most players, yeah. Most players. That's going to be the odd exception. But by and large, it's very hard to reach Premier League football level without having a really good attitude and wanting it to happen. But the lack of success and poor performances affects players in different ways. And...

I know it wasn't a victory, but it was a kind of victory mentally in some ways will give them the lift. But we've seen these, I'm not going to describe this one yet as a false dawn, but there have been false dawns before. But ultimately, I think you're right, Micah, it comes down to the overall quality of your squad. Now, there are not many players in that Manchester United team, and it was a much improved team than we saw against Newcastle.

that will get near to the starting lineup of Liverpool. So therefore, you know, you've got to praise them to say, well, they've punched above their weight in this game to get a 2-2 draw against a team that's been flying. But we should probably move on to Liverpool as well. They've been so good this season. We've expected so much and they, you know, they trailed in the game and they came back and then they let their lead slip. Yeah.

It wasn't their best performance, but it was still, I mean, the second half was fabulous. End-to-end football, wasn't it? No, it was great. For the neutral, it was an unbelievable game to watch. I mean, you're right. It was end-to-end, two teams going at each other. Either team could have won it.

But, yeah, Liverpool, because of their such high standards in the vast majority of games they've played this season, they didn't reach those at all today. Now, whether you say, OK, well, Man Utd stopped them or it was a bad day at the office for Liverpool, you can make your own mind up. But I suppose it'll give...

I don't know, Arsenal, I mean, Arsenal are poor this weekend, didn't get their result that they needed. They've missed out on an opportunity. So, the one thing I guess that other teams, I mean, Forest play tonight, isn't it, being Monday evening. It's their league to lose really, isn't it now? It's their league to lose, Forest. Yeah,

Liverpool are conceding goals. That's maybe what would give other teams hope. But I would say, yeah, an off day, but they've taken a point without playing well, so they move on and that'll be their attitude, I guess. I think as a neutral, you think to yourself...

If Liverpool had won, you know, it looks almost all over. And if there's a slight, you know, glitch in their performances and they drop a little bit, it keeps the league interesting. I mean, it's good for us on the podcast. It's good for us doing match of the day. You don't want the season to be over in April.

And it was beginning to look that way. But we know football. You get little spells where things perhaps don't go well for you. But I mean, it still wasn't an awful performance from Liverpool. It was just below the brilliance that they've shown this season.

Yeah, but they can't be brilliant every game, can they? I think if you actually watch a lot of Liverpool's games, they've sort of started slow in first halves and then second half come alive a little bit. I think there was disappointment. I thought their tempo was a little bit off. I thought their passing wasn't crisp. It might be because of the weather. Who knows? Obviously, there was, what, six inches of snow four hours before the game or whatever it was. But

But yeah, I don't know. They just wasn't at it. But they still managed to score two goals. You know, that man Salah, captain, El Capitan. I told you yesterday, Gaz, I needed him. I needed him. I've had a brilliant week. So I'm happy. We were talking watching the game when it was 1-0. We were going in down here. We said, this is the sort of game where Salah's been a bit quiet, but he'll probably end up getting a penalty.

Yes! And he does. I hope you had Isak in your team as well, did you? Oh, he's gone to Newcastle already. He's gone early. Yes, I do have Isak Allen. Well done, well done. Listen to your advice. There were two cracking finishes in that game, Martinez. They were quite similar, that's why we looked together. And the Gakpo one. Brilliant. Fantastic. Two great finishes, yeah.

And the way they responded, both teams actually, Liverpool going one down, coming back to 2-1 and Man United coming back 2-0. And so it was a cracking game. Yeah, there were similarities in the two games that were played today. So we'll move on to Fulham Ipswich in the sense that it was all happening really in the second half, wasn't it? Yeah.

Really good game of football. Fulham, Ipswich and Ipswich will be a little bit gutted that they didn't get the three points and gave away a silly penalty towards the end. Before we talk about this, the referee, and you know what? I was always on the referee's side. I think they've got hard enough

You know, it's hard for them. But he had an absolute shocker today. Some of the decisions in that game, some of the fouls he gave in the game, I was like scratching my head. He totally lost control of the game. He said, how you lost your hair? The one penalty that the VAR had to tell him, I mean, that is as clear a penalty as ever. And he was looking at it. I was the same thinking, oh my goodness me. Ooh!

Oh my God. De Lafton well again, didn't he? He thought he had a really good game. He's got something in it. He really has got something. I think he's, there'll be, you know, with all due respect to Ipswich, but, you know, I have the same thing with Leicester. Every time we get a really good player, they get poached by somebody. It wouldn't surprise me if,

because they're worth their weight in gold now, aren't they? I mean, you know, we were talking earlier actually about, you know, how do you judge central defenders now? And their role is slightly easier, you know, whether you compare Van Dijk with the likes of, say, John Terry or Rio Ferdinand. But you've got to remember that Terry and Ferdinand in their day would have come up against two strikers in the game. Whereas now they've got, you know, they deal with one between them and they've got the issue where wide players can come inside and stuff like that. But,

But overall, though, the comparison with the amount of great strikers that were around, number nines I'm talking about here, not the Salahs of this world, compared with now. So now you go, you know, Haaland, Watkins, you know, those sort of players. Whereas, you know, in your day, Alan, you could reel them off. You could reel them off. But the game has shifted in that sense. But it really does mean that

And I think part of that is due to the slight change in tactics and the three up top, because most players want to play in those wide roles because they get the ball and they can run at players, whereas centre-forwards, as we know, and we have to play with our back to goal for a lot of the game. And it's hard, you know, making the runs, you never get the ball and stuff. So there are very few around, but when one comes along...

they're even more valuable probably than they've even been before. Do you know what it is though? No, I'm seeing actually teams put more balls into the boxes. Not just one team, but most. I mean, Pedro Porro put an unbelievable cross in yesterday for Solanke to score his goal. I think it was Savinho put an unbelievable one because he was playing on the left-hand side so he could whip it in with his left foot. There's been like two or three great crosses this weekend and I'm thinking, yeah,

Yeah, okay. Maybe the crosses are coming back into the game. But I know I've slightly gone off piste a bit with that. But I think going back to the Ipswich and De Lappe, I think...

But for the Ipswich fans and players and Kieran McKenna, I think that performance today will give them great hope that they can actually get out of the relegation zone and give them hope of actually staying in the Premier League. I totally agree. I think we've mentioned Ipswich before with the players they have. And I think because they've done something so remarkable over the last couple of seasons, it's almost like a free hit. So when you look at it, the pressure's off.

which allows the players to just go enjoy it and say, we're in the Premier League and let's go play what we want to play and enjoy it. But then you get a little bit of Leaf. De Lapp's been good, we've mentioned. I thought Greaves was quite good today. Leaf Davis, who's normally quite good, give away a silly penalty, but they've still got players who...

are willing to give it a right go and believe in their own abilities. And it's good to see a manager who's sticked to his philosophy, who in a championship or League One and still play the same way in a Premier League. A little bit of tweaks, a little bit deeper at times than they used to be, granted because it's the Premier League, but still trying to play entertaining football. And we see that with Russell Martin.

where he tried to play the same way. It didn't work out for him. But McKenna's managed to play the same way with a few better quality players added to some of the players he had in the lower leagues. And just believing what they're trying to do, because we all wrote Ipswich off at the start of the season. We just didn't think they had the quality, but they've got a chance. And that's all, you know...

they can do. And it looks like they've gone in already. They've got Ben Godfrey, haven't they, on loan. And I think they've put a bid in for the Doak Middlesbrough. I know he's on loan from Liverpool. So it looks as if they're going to have a little bit of a go on the transfer window as well. So yeah, they've got a decent chance. I suppose the only slight criticism you could say in that game was perhaps the game management right at the end.

Still going a little bit gung-ho. They're just a little bit, I don't want to call them naive, because I don't think it's fair, but I mean, sometimes just see the game out, you know? You've done all the hard yards, but because they're so excited and confident sometimes, yeah. But it was a tough game. I mean, Fulham's a tough game anyway, with the quality they have as well. So Jimenez is back to his best form.

I mean, after that horrendous head injury, he's scoring goals for Fulham now. So, yeah, Fulham's always a tough place to play. It's really good to see Jimenez back because that was a brutal injury. And I think most of us thought...

It's going to be really difficult for him, but it shows you what a gutsy individual he must be. But two, two, two draws today. Because we're recording this on Sunday evening before Alan does match today. Just before we go to a break, Alan, your analysis on the two games tonight? My analysis is Diogo Dalot down the left-hand side for Man Utd and De Lappe for Ipswich. Good stuff.

Okay, let's take a breather. When we come back, we'll talk about Saturday's fixtures.

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Hi, everyone. It's Katty here from The Rest Is Politics US. Anthony Scaramucci and I want to tell you about our new series that looks at one of the darkest days in modern American history, the Capitol riots of January the 6th. You know, four years have passed since Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building and tried to overturn the 2020 election results. And Katty and I are going to explore the tensions and the

personalities at the heart of that storm. Yeah, we're going to look at the whole story, starting off with, of course, the 2020 election result itself, Joe Biden's victory, Donald Trump's attempts to undermine that result right up until January the 6th and those horrifying scenes that all of us watched on television back then. So don't miss it. Go and search The Rest Is Politics US wherever you get your podcasts to hear just how Donald Trump tried to defy

American democracy. And we've included a clip from the series for you to listen to at the end of this episode. Welcome back to The Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker. And we're going to move our attention now to Saturday's games. Probably start with Arsenal-Brighton, which obviously finished in a draw, which wouldn't have been entirely satisfactory from Arsenal's perspective, given the fact that quite a few points behind Liverpool. But I mean,

Let's talk about the penalty because it was an interesting one because I don't think in all the time that I've watched football, and that is an awfully long time, that I've ever seen a foul given, let alone a penalty given for what was clearly just a clash of heads.

One player got the ball just in front of the other one, but as it turns out, both players actually headed the ball anyway, which I think VAR missed. It could set a precedent because obviously every corner that comes in, players go up to head the ball and only one person can get there first. We've seen so many clash of heads, but they're never, ever given as a free kick or as a penalty.

but on this occasion it was so what did you I mean I was with Mike and we talked about it we did it on match of the day last night what's your view well we'll get on to the other one in the Newcastle game a little bit later when we talk about that because the Gordon and Kuliseski I think was a lot worse than the one that we're talking about here agreed no I've never seen that given either but

I wouldn't be as strong as what you guys were on Match of the Day last evening because what I would say to you is that, okay, it's accidental, but if someone...

deliberately goes for the ball and mistimes their tackle, but still may touch the ball, but takes the guy out, then that's a penalty. So tell me the difference. If you look at it in really slow motion, and let's pretend that Saliba didn't head the ball, but he clearly did. He headed it before he touched the player. Now, normally in a tackle in the box, if a player gets a toe in and gets it away, and then he flicks the fella's ankle, normally now the referees will go, no, he got the ball.

So that's to answer that question. But if you look at it in slow motion, it's very different to looking at it in normal speed. In normal speed, you would never have given. I think he's given the penalty. I don't think he could even see it properly. I think he gave the penalty because...

João Pedro went down screaming. And do we want to give penalties for that? Because that's what it is now. I mean, which is an aspect of the modern game that I really, really dislike. Now, players have always tried to take advantage of referees and go down, but it's become worse and worse. And I think the reason for that is because so many more penalties are given now. So it encourages players to do that sort of thing. Now, I think also the difference is that

You know with a clash of heads that it is always, always unintentional because no one, unless they're in a rage and go up to headbutt someone, which is different, but if two players are going to the ball, you know they're genuinely going to the ball because if you clash heads, it fucking hurts and you would never do that.

So I thought I can understand why it was given and I can understand why VR didn't overturn it if they missed the fact that Saliba headed it, which I genuinely believe they did because it was in the slow motion replays that we get at Match of the Day in the game after, whilst we're watching other stuff. I'm sitting in the room actually in the office and I went, Saliba touched it. He actually got his head on the ball. You know, that was a perfect time

for the referee to just go have another look, you know? But VAR have obviously gone to him. I think they've missed Saliba's flick. I think they've missed Saliba's flick. But they're not going to... They're talking about ref's call now, aren't they? And the ref is giving it. Unless it's an absolute howler like Alan likes to use, then they're not going to overturn it. It's a ref decision. But I just think on something like this...

He could have saved everyone. And if he would have seen it again and said, okay, he did get a little bit of a touch, but I'm giving the penalty because X, Y, Z. You hold your hands up. But it's like the fact that it was given and it was like, you see the replays and all that sort of stuff and whether it's slowed down or not.

Gary's point of Saliba touched the ball, I think that is the most important bit. So I would agree with you, Alan, if he didn't get a touch and he just headed out saying, well, yeah, he's running in. Whether someone kicks you, knees you or heads you, he stopped you from going to get the ball. But

But when I saw it again and I saw a little touch, I'm saying it's not a penalty. I really believe that that's the case. And it's obviously, it's a costly one for Arsenal, which cost them a couple of points. But beside all that, I think we've had to say that. And it comes back to my point as well about VAR. It's really difficult. When you go along the lines of, is it enough of a foul?

Is it a clear and obvious error? I know I'm like an old record on this, but that's why it has to go to an appeal system where the team can go, hang on a minute, we want to look at that particular thing. And then the referee or the VAR says,

looks at it and they decide whether it is a foul or it is not a foul. Because the problem is when you go down the road of it's not quite enough of a foul to turn over a decision, but it is a foul.

Then it becomes absurd. And I think it's inevitable that it will come at some point, the appeals side of it. And obviously you maybe have one and a half, two and a half, two in the game, who knows what. And you keep your appeal if you're right and you lose it if you don't. So the teams will have to be clever about when they appeal and when they don't appeal. And it also stops them looking at every single issue.

incident in the box. Every corner that comes in, they're doing this microscopic evaluation of whether he might have touched him and he might have touched him and it slows the game down. It will get rid of all that because the players got, you don't look at every decision. So you think yesterday Taylor gives the penalty, the referee,

You would then say, as an Arsenal manager or a captain, you would say, right, we want to appeal that decision. You would think he would go to the monitor and look at it and change his mind, do you? Yes, that's my absolute point. And I think they would have done that. Saliba knew. He said straight away, I touched it, I touched it.

He knew and they would have appealed. Then he'd have gone to the monitor. And I genuinely think that Anthony Taylor would have changed his mind. And the problem with VAR, they're looking at it and going, well, is it a howler? Is it a really bad one when we're not quite sure? And as we talked many times, they've got a high bar at the moment, but then it will drop when some things are overlooked.

And I feel sorry for the referees and VAR on this because I think it puts them in an invidious position. It's so difficult to determine. We all know when there's an absolute 100% mistake, but where you draw the line from what is a 100% mistake to a 90% mistake, it's impossible. Yeah, but Gaz, the thing is with this, we have got the technology and it's not just a fact of foul or not foul, whatever it may be, but every

Everyone now has got an iPad. If you look at the benches, everyone's got an iPad. So the referee, if he makes a decision and there's no technology, it's fine. He made a mistake. If he makes a mistake, he can argue about that on a different day. I didn't see the little nick from Saliba. We move on. But now we have got the technology where you can go and have a look

then of course it's going to cause problems, you know? So I totally agree. You appeal it and you say, is that a foul or not? It's as simple as that. Anyway, it was a fair result, wasn't it? It was a fair result because Brighton were terrific in the second half. They really turned it around tactically and they had a real go and thoroughly deserved their point. Let's make that absolutely clear. I absolutely agree with that, yeah. What?

What's missing? I mean, you said at the start of the season, Alan, that you would tip Arsenal for the league if they sign a strike and they didn't. Do you think that's what's perhaps the missing link? That's one of the reasons. I mean, I like Kai Havertz. I think I'm a fan of his, I know. But I do think that there could be perhaps not so much score and goals, but the

presence in there you know so yeah that's why I said it we were talking about Jesus yesterday weren't we I mean he's honest and he runs and he runs and he's got a one in three goal scoring record which he had a similar thing at Manchester City as well I think he's almost two game he runs everywhere he runs deep he goes back deep to try and get the ball I think with a bit of like centre forward style coaching and just say to him

Stay in the middle. Stay up the top. Don't come deep all the time. We need you in the box, but

he's probably one of those players that is not going to change now, but, um, but they're still in it because Liverpool, you know, didn't win. They've still got a chance. Um, Chelsea have got their first sticky spell of the season. I mean, they should have won yesterday. I mean, they were very dominant in the first half, Michael, weren't they? Um, against Crystal Palace. Yeah. I mean, uh, Cole Palmer in the, in the first half, I couldn't get anywhere near him. Uh, Danny Murphy did a nice little analysis piece. Um,

on Palace in the second half and how they were more brave. They pressed a lot higher. Stopped the supply into Cole Palmer by, you know, midfielders stepping out, then defenders stepping out. But we mentioned the word rooflessness, didn't we, on the show. I think...

Jackson's a good player. I really rate him, but he needs to be more clinical. He needs to finish off games and put games to bed earlier on. And that, that, that is a difference. I mean, there's going to be times where teams are going to score against you. They may be good play. You might make a mistake, but they had too many opportunities to put that game away and they just didn't. And unfortunately, the last four games, it's costing them. Yeah. I think with Jackson, I mean, there's a lot of good in this game. Um,

The way he spins, his movement's really good. If he could just, and it's not easy if you're not a natural finisher. And I don't think he's a natural finisher. But if you work at it and train and all those things, if he can improve that facet of his game, I mean, he could be top class. And he's still obviously very young. So that improvement can come.

But his movement's really good. He has a good relationship with Palmer. I think anyone that played up front would have a good relationship with him because he hit one ball in the first half. Did you see it, Alan? It was a half volley. Yeah, exactly. Beautiful. It really was. And I want a good game as well.

Sancho. Sancho's playing well, by the way. His bit of play for that goal, the Palmer goal, was superb. It was superb. He really got his confidence back. The manager believes in him. He's believing in himself again. And it's good to see that, okay, he's had a little bit of adversity in his life and he's come back. He's come back strong. I still think he needs to do it on a consistent basis. You know, we're talking 10, 15 games. But yesterday, I thought it was really good. Alan?

Six in a row. Do you want to talk about your mob? Here we go. I was wondering when we were going to get around to the big boys. Yeah, I was at Tottenham yesterday. I did PLP, so I was pitch side for the game. And it was a really good game, actually. And Spurs deserve a bit of credit because they came back into it in the second half. But Newcastle are flying. They've got great confidence. Isn't football amazing? Because like four or five weeks ago,

I think you asked me, is Eddie under pressure? It's like, but now all of a sudden. You were seriously grumpy. Yeah, absolutely, yeah. It's funny where they've found that energy again, isn't it? It just shows you, doesn't it? A little bit of success, a couple of wins and you do it. I mean, the midfield three, also I think Danny did a piece on them as well last night.

The ground they covered, up and down, up and down. That energy that those three have got, really impressive. I think they had to show a different side to what they've sort of shown in previous five or six games. In a lot of the games, they've been on the front foot and they've been scoring goals for fun. They had to dig a bit deeper yesterday, particularly second half, you know, defensively. I mean, Ange Postacoglu had a moan about the, I think it was about the referee. He had a rant, didn't he, after the...

after the game where he said the same answer five or six times. I'm presuming it was about the referee, but what he failed to mention was that Newcastle should have had an absolute certain penalty when Anthony Gordon had his nose broken with that challenge. But I guess he's moaning about the handball law, the one that hit Joe Linton's hand when Tottenham were again...

After two minutes of taking the lead, trying to play, stupidly trying to play out from the back and their fullback's 30 yards further up the pitch than he should have been. Do you think that was a handball, Alan? No, not under... I hate the handball law. Under the current guidelines, yeah. I hate the handball law, right? I hate it too. But under the current handball law, that is not handball. The one at Anfield today was...

You can't argue that when De Ligt's got his hand above his head, that under the law is handball. The one for Joe Linton is not handball at all. So if that's the one that Ange was on about, which I suspect it was, then he's wrong. Yeah, but we know that's not handball, don't we? We've been briefed on the rules.

I think if a person handballs it and scores it, that's different, isn't it? But if it's someone who handballs it before someone goes, it's not handball. We were told that at the start of the season. So, Ange, I love you, Ange, but I think you're wrong on that one. I was thinking Tottenham have scored really early in the game and for two minutes, just be patient. Instead of the goalkeeper getting the ball and chucking it out straight away into the midfield, trying to play out, and then your full-backs...

or higher up the pitch than he should be and you get caught out and then you get punished. That's what I would look at rather than the hand, what he thinks is a handball. But it's not a handball under the current laws, no. What I would see on the other hand is,

I thought Dan Byrne was lucky not to escape another yellow card because his hand was pretty high. He did lift his arms out and then put them down. So it was very questionable whether he should have had a second yellow. So I think Ange might have a point on that one. Having said that, the challenge in the box that you've mentioned earlier in the podcast, Alan, should have perhaps got Gordon. I mean, what other clue do you want than he's broken his nose? Yes.

It was...

It's far more of a penalty that one than the one we were talking about with Jao Pedro. Yeah. Gordon got his goal. Isak scored as well but perhaps under the radar I think I mentioned him on the podcast a couple of weeks ago. Jacob Murphy you know. He's a runner isn't he? You know real energy isn't he? Up and down up and down. Yeah he's I mean the pace that they've got up top Newcastle and with the guile and the aggression and everything they've got in midfield that's why it's working so well for them because

Murphy's got real great energy. He's really quick and he gets balls into the box, which is what

I like as a forward. Isak's got pace and he's on fire. He's having the time of his life and long may that continue and I'm pretty sure it will. And then you've got the energy of Gordon on the left-hand side. So it's working really, really well for Newcastle at the minute. Yeah, that's Al with Newcastle. Micah, are Manchester City back? Two wins on the bounce, 4-1.

Still question marks. Even Pep said it himself, we're not anywhere near back to our best. No, I don't think they are. I think Savinho played really well. I'll mention before that left-hand side, he just looked really...

comfortable and confident on that left-hand side. Had loads of space against Koufal and he put in early balls and talk about that early cross for, you know, sometimes with Haaland and his movement and people have sort of worked out what he's trying to do. He's looking for that ball in behind. He's got cute movement within the box, but

At times there's no space. You guys are strikers. When there's no space, it's very difficult. When the box is crowded, people are putting their midfielders in there, allowing him to run. But I just think when you cross the ball early like that and he's got that movement...

that's another weapon that Man City can use. You know, how many times has Alan said, cross the ball in early, early, and they come back and they go around, they circulate the ball and it comes to nothing. So on the ball, I thought they were very good, but off the ball, still the same old stories, to be honest, guys. I mean...

Big spaces in midfield. Big space. And it's obvious, but I think the next step is now, do Man City go with two, not holders, but midfielders who stay in there? Play with like a two and a one rather than a one and a two. Just to nullify that space and have the midfielders as the third man run instead of already being in there. Because Kovacic is not Rodri. We know that. I don't think they're in the same league.

But he's exposing there a lot. And what's happening with Rico Lewis? Rico Lewis is going in there to make the two-in midfield with Kovacic. But when the ball spreads to the wing, Rico Lewis is acting like a right-back. So he has to go towards the ball. Then Kovacic is left alone. And then you've got Foden, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva...

20 yards in front and he's there exposed. So yeah, there's still a lot of work to do, but I mean, it was just nice for them to get a good win. What I find fascinating is I've watched Pep Guardiola teams for a long time and the one area of the pitch that they've always dominated and always tried to get extra people is in midfield. And suddenly that's gone away. Now, obviously he's not got certain players available to him and

and their energy levels dip. But that is something of a surprise. They have tried in terms of their recruitment. I mean, don't forget they spent a combined of around about 100 million on Phillips and on Nunez.

to get to play in that position. And one of the reasons why they brought Gundogan back was to try and fill that position. And their recruitment hasn't worked in and around there. And that's one of the reasons why they're struggling in the midfield. It's fascinating, isn't it? That all of a sudden their recruitment, which has been always so...

on the mark has just dipped ever so slightly. Before we move on and just end the podcast, because I know you've got to go and do Match of the Day 2, Alan. Haaland, despite City's struggles, is still only two goals behind Mo Salah in terms of the Golden Boot race, which, you know, Salah has been amazing, amazing. And the assist that he's had as well is added to that, of course, not just the goal scoring, but...

it just shows you that, you know, Haaland will still sneak in a few goals here and there, wasn't it? Even when they're perhaps struggling. Whoever wins it, Haaland won't be far away from them if he doesn't win it himself. There's no doubt about that. A little word on friend of the pod, Thomas Frank's team, Brentford winning 5-0 at Southampton. It was an extraordinarily one-sided game. I mean, Saints, I mean, I felt for them actually. They looked in a complete mess. It was almost shambolic at times.

in the second half but you know Brentford who've it's weird isn't it that they couldn't win away games at all and couldn't lose at home they kept winning at home now they've lost a couple at home and won a couple away football's daft football's daft are they a better team without Tony or not that's the question to you Mikey you're the one that suggested it

Lee, I think you said it though, guys, didn't you? In forward positions, they've got some really talented players. They're good. Bumo and Visser and really, really good. Sade. Sade. Sade's been playing well. Yeah, absolutely. Davos Gard has been playing really well since he came into the team. Sade's a particularly smooth operator in there, I think. Whee! How?

Alan, I just want to ask you, you were at Ibrox, weren't you? I was, yeah. For the old film. Yeah, I got an invite through a director at Rangers, a friend of mine. And I went up with Steve Harper and a good friend of mine, Peter Davison. There wasn't any Celtic fans in there, but the atmosphere that the Rangers fans generated, because I think if everyone was honest, that not many people expected Rangers to win the game the way their season's going. So...

It was a great game and Rangers did unbelievably well to win the game. So, yeah, we just went up for the day. It was only, what, two and a half hours from Newcastle, so we just drove up in the morning, watched the game and then drove back. It was great. Have you ever been to one, Micah? Old firm game. Yeah, I've been to one. Salt Lake Park, it was ferocious. It really is. It's aggressive. Oh, my God. Okay, something else. You think the derby's down here? Up there.

It's just different, isn't it? I think the next one is at Celtic and they're allowing a small number, maybe 2,000 or 3,000 of the Rangers fans in and then Rangers have to...

do the same again when Celtic come to Ibrox so it's it's yeah it's just a brilliant atmosphere when both sets of fans are in whichever ground it certainly is okay well that's all for today's episode of the Restless Football we'll be back on Wednesday with a question and answer episode answering some of your excellent questions so we're looking forward to that one have a great week everyone and goodbye from me goodbye from me goodbye from me

As promised, here's a clip from the Rest Is Politics US miniseries. Trump is naturally a conspiracy theorist fueler. He will fuel the fire of any conspiracy theory because he's always seen himself as an outsider and he wants to foment the

the people from the outside to attack the people from the inside. So he's developing these ideas that he eventually uses in January on the 6th of January. And the ideas are there's misinformation out there. There's lies out there. Let's use these lies as fodder to attack the people on the inside. He's doing it with COVID. I think hydroxychloroquine works well.

You may remember this. I took hydroxychloroquine. Mr. President, you took hydroxychloroquine? Yeah. Yeah, I'm on it. I took it. And this is the beginnings. This is the kernels.

If you want to hear the rest of the show, go and search The Rest Is Politics US wherever you get your podcasts.