Football Daily - Arsenal go seven clear as Manchester City drop points, & Carrick suffers his first loss

Episode Date: March 4, 2026

Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson to reflect on Arsenal going 7 points clear at the top of the Premier League! Arteta's side beat Brighton 1-0, leaving Fabian Hurzeler complaining about Arsenal's "time wasting". We hear from Pep Guardiola after Manchester City drew 1-1 at home to Nottingham Forest, who picked up a vital point in the fight for survival! And finally, 5 Live commentator Chris Coles is alongside Paul at St James' Park, where Newcastle handed Michael Carrick his first loss as Manchester United manager.Timecodes: 1'17 - Pep Guardiola reflects on dropping points 2'42 - Is City's slip-up a surprise? And how might it impact the title race? 5'39 - Mikel Arteta speaks after a big win for Arsenal to send them 7 points clear 6'32 - Arsenal getting over the line 9'05 - Fabian Hurzeler accuses Arsenal of "wasting time" 10'45 - Can anything be done about goalkeepers going down injured? 15'00 - Elliot Anderson on scoring Forest's equaliser v Manchester City 15'40 - How might Forest's draw and West Ham's win impact Spurs in the relegation fight? 19'30 - William Osula speaks about scoring the winner for Newcastle 20'37 - Michael Carrick on his first loss for Manchester United5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Thu 2000 Tottenham v Crystal Palace, Fri 2000 Wolves v Liverpool in FA Cup.

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This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work and your politics, your everyday life. And all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Football Daily Podcast with Alistair Bruce Ball. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily podcast. Coming up, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was alongside Chris Coles at St James's Park for Newcastle against Manchester United. But we'll start with Manchester City dropping points at home to Nottingham Forest in the title race.

So Arsenal going seven points clear as they beat Brighton 1-0 at the Amex, plus a big win for West Ham at the bottom of the table too. How will that impact Tottenham in the fight for survival? And finally we'll discuss how Michael Carrick lost his first match as Manchester United manager. at St James's Park. So many stories in the Premier League to get into, but we've got to talk about Manchester City dropping points in the title race at home tonight, first of all,

drawing 2-2 against Nottingham Forest. And with Arsenal beating Brighton 1-0 here, Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven points. Manchester City have the game in hand. Arsenal have eight to play. Manchester City have nine to play.

So let's hear from the city boss, Pep Guardiola, who's been talking to Jonathan Pearce. A astonishing game, really. You had so much possession. You dominated the game. And yet you come away with Chester Point. Yeah, and the chances, yeah.

Have the two goals and one corner at the end. Yeah, we did everything. We could a little bit better, but yeah, the race. What could you have done better? Score goals. And defensively, it shows you this league, you can dominate for long periods of a game, but this league is unforgiving.

You may switch off twice and teams can punish it. Yes. I like when the aggregate seats field, of course you have to maybe do it better, but it's not about to analyze one specific action, you know, to another point fingers from my players. They did everything. We had the chances at the end,

even in the first half and the momentums and something that always happened and that at the end we couldn't win. If you can criticize your team today, what points would you criticize more? I would have to do with you, Jonathan, so that's for sure. And strong points of your display today, what would you look at and think that was really good?

In general, it was really good, many, many good things. You're very experienced in this title race. They've got to come here. You've got the game in hand. This doesn't mean it's... No, with New Gaza. And after Madrid, and after game by game. Game by game, plenty of games to come.

Pep Guardiola slightly taciturned there with Jonathan Pierce. Paul, no surprise, I guess, after a result like that. Has that surprised you tonight, Paul? I mean, again, I've watched Arsenal this evening. They've got over the line and haven't played that well. Manchester City since the late comeback win against Liverpool seem like they've been on a bit of a role. Harlem back in the team tonight, Semino's scoring again,

but they've not been able to beat Nottingham Forest at home. Yeah, I think that's upset a lot of people this evening with Aracus. I mean, I don't think you've just seen that one coming tonight at all for Nottingham Forest. No, you know, the Premier League win under Pereira. I mean, they progressed in Europe, but actually only won four away games all season, I think going to a Manchester City side. Who I think there's a lot been talked about Manchester City. We all expect them to go on this run and that home game that they've got coming up against Arsenal. Everyone talks about that has been the pivotal game. Whereas actually they're not the Manchester City of old. We've seen that.

We've seen that there are chinks in their armour. But they are, they were in a great run. Four straight Premier League wins and especially at home. I mean, their record at home is up there with Arsenal's a new world. and you would genuinely have expected them to pick up all the points tonight. And Paul, does it change the way you feel about the title race at all? Or have you been sort of in recent weeks, recent months, you know, thinking that Arcel are going to get there and this only confirms that? Three or four weeks ago, I was in the Manchester City camp thinking that they're, you know,

where PEP is, he thrives at this moment in the season, he enjoys this moment of the season, and his teams genuinely do seem to kick on. Both of them, let's not forget, are competing in four competitions between now and the end of the season, there's going to be a few twists and turns. But from an Arsenal point of view, there's always questions

because they haven't got it over the line. They've not done it for so long. So that finger will always be pointed and that question will always be asked until they do it. But actually the questions that they get asked when they say, you know, the North London Derby,

it's a big game against Spurs. Okay, spurs are poor, but it's a North London Derby. They go and put four past Tottenham. The home game against Chelsea, it's going to be a difficult game. They beat Chelsea. They go to Brighton tonight.

Okay, well, on paper, what looks a difficult game? Brighton coming off the back of two wins after two defeats, you would expect them to have a go at Arsenal. They've answered that question again. At the moment, every question that Arsenal are getting, they're answering. Manchester City are stumbling at times. Yeah, the next time these two are in Premier League action

is a week's Saturday. Arsenal will play first. So a seven-point lead, Manchester City have the game in hand. Arsenal at home to Everton win that, and they would go 10 points clear before that night, Manchester City are away at West Ham. As you say, Paul and as I witnessed, Arsenal, again, like Sunday against Chelsea, weren't at their best tonight, didn't have many efforts on target. The goal they scored came early in the first half from Baccio Saka.

And a little bit of fortune about that as well. Took a deflection off Carlos Belabor, fooled Bart Verbruggan, couldn't close his legs in time and zip through there into the back of the net. The second half got very stodgy indeed. But as we've been saying, they got the win. And here's the Arsenal boss, Mikhail Artetta, on what is a really big win for his team tonight. Very, very happy because it's a very difficult place to come. And when you're playing the amount of games that we're playing and a team demands you everything that brightened us.

Every time you have to come here, we knew that it was going to be a long and a tough night. And we may get a little bit tougher because probably our hurry is a little bit too high when we have the ball and we had not been as efficient and as composed as we need to do. And when you don't have that, you have to have many other qualities to win in this league. And certainly the team has that.

And just in terms of the Tata race, Obviously, Man City during tonight, where does this leave you with what's next? Because you're counting down the game. I know. We go another game, another victory, a really tough one. I want to say thank you for all our supporters because they were phenomenal throughout the night and very happy that we could offer them that victory again, which is a massive one. As we all know, as the games start to get less and less. So very happy.

Paul, how good must that feel? You've not played brilliantly. You've kept the clean sheet. You've won the game. And then you hear that Manchester City have dropped points as well. In terms of the title, that's going to have Arsenal a massive boost, isn't it? Of course it does. It gives you a huge boost. I mean, whether you're in a title race or a relegation battle,

you'll speak to players and you'll speak to managers and every interview that they do. We need to take care of our own business. We don't look at anybody else's results. Having been there, more so in a relegation battle, that's a complete lie. Players and managers lie. The first thing you do is look at the other team's results when you come in. Yes, you try and take care of your own business within the 90, 95 minutes, whatever you're doing, but the other results, of course, they have an impact in and around you,

and it does give you a boost. I mean, Tottenham going into their game against Crystal Palace tomorrow, for example, when you look at what's happened at the bottom of the table tonight, all of a sudden the pressure has just been ramped up on them. They're now one point above the bottom three. And I think the same with Arsenal and Manchester City. Arsenal have played, you know, Manchester City have played first more times than not against than Arsenal. But actually, the thing that Mikhail Artetta said there and what will please him, We talk about it all the time, the defensive record that they have. Yes, you go and win and you win when you're not playing particularly well,

but it's the lack of goals they concede. They're such a strong defensive unit. They've only conceded 22 goals this season. Do you think as well, Paul, when they get ahead, they don't mind it getting scrappy. You know, Brighton started the second half well here, and then, you know, there were a few changes made in terms of substitutions. They lost their rhythm a bit. And the game got really stodgy and scrappy and tense and a battle.

and all that sort of thing. But actually with Arsenal in front and with their defensive record and knowing how solid they are, they probably don't mind that rather than sort of going toe to toe with Brighton free flowing either and even though they've got the capability to do that.

We're at the point in the season now where it's three points, regardless of how you get them. Listen, there's no pictures on a league trophy, is there? There's no pictures on the Premier League trophy or on the table at the end of the season. And Arsenal are in a position now where you see that with their set plays.

You know, you talk about style and you talk about playing attractive, football, all of a sudden managers have realized that if you score a goal ugly, it still counts exactly the same as if you put 50 passes together before you do it. And Arsenal, if they are to go on and win the title, they're going to have to suffer at times.

And he said that in his post-match interviews, Mikhail Artetta. They're a team that are comfortable without the ball. Yes, they've got the attacking quality to hurt you, but they are comfortable without the ball, and we've seen them this season. Again, listening to what you said about the game tonight, maybe not necessarily at the best, and it's not been a pretty game, but they won't care, traveling back to London.

So we've heard from the Arsenal boss, Mikhail Arteeta, on their win at Brighton this evening. Let's get the view from the other side of things. Brighton boss Fabian Herzlah had a bit to say about Arsenal ahead of this game. What's he had to say afterwards? Good performance, good effort, create a lot of chances, don't give away chances to them. I think they had one shot on the goal. So therefore, performance is good. Result, very disappointing.

I was watching you on the touchline. You looked a little unhappy at some of the time. of decisions, is that fair to say? Possibly you should have thought Mosquera sent off or not? It's not about the decisions. I think there are three tried hard, but I think it's more the the way Arsenal plays. So I never saw a game where the gokeeper went down three times without having anything. So that's something. I made my point before the game. So I think we shouldn't use too many words for that tonight because my opinion stays the same. And therefore we should really focus on the positive things today and that was our performance.

In that case, do you think that affected the standard of football tonight that was possibly on show because some people were saying it probably wasn't one of the greatest game? We tried. I think we tried to play football and that's what we are standing for and of course it's not easy to always get into a rhythm but still we had a lot of chances so there was enough opportunity, there were enough opportunities to take away win and therefore it's not easy to get into rhythm with an opponent who tries to only waste time. And definitely we can do better in the final third,

but overall we try to play football and we try to find solutions. Paul, that is interesting from Fabian Herzlerts. Because obviously he said what he said ahead of the game. They've been beaten at home tonight. And basically, you know, having to go at the league leaders for the way they manage the game and go about things. And David Ryde did go down a couple of times.

He made one save and went down and heard his shoulder and received a bit of treatment. There was another moment he was about to go down. The fans sort of, you know, showed their anger at that, and he decided not to. I mean, you've obviously not seen the game tonight, but you have seen Arsenal play plenty this season. Is this justified?

Is this all teams that do this? Is he just annoyed because he's lost? Probably a bit of both. We had it here this evening with Aaron Ramsdale. He went down 15 minutes to go. Newcastle, obviously, down to 10 men. They'd put in a real shift in the second half. Manchester United were just starting to get a little bit of a foothold in the game.

Aaron Ramsdale went down away to our left-hand side and surprise, surprise, two or three minutes later. Absolutely fine and no problems, Eddie Howe used it as like a timeout. Michael Carrick used it exactly the same. Both managers got their sets of players in front of them and were able to get some instructions onto the field and it also gave the Newcastle players a break and I don't know how we address it.

It's a common theme with Arsenal at the moment but as you said, you said it wasn't a great game. He said it was a bit lumpy at times but Arsenal fined in a way and they honestly won't care. It's been that long that they've won this Premier League trophy they're so close to it now. They really won't care what other people think

or how they get over the line. And the goalkeeper going down, it's looking, it's been looked at by the powers that may be. And there'll be some kind of a rule change coming in, whether that's an outfield player that gets sacrificed for the 30 seconds or a minute if a goalkeeper goes down for treatment,

how they address it. I don't know. It's a very difficult one. It's a really difficult area because how do you approve whether somebody's injured or not? You can't. Yeah.

And it's not just Arsenal who do it. They're obviously in the spotlight because, you know, because of the game tonight. And against Chelsea, they win with a couple of set pieces. And Fabian Hursler was talking about how they go about set pieces. They are very much in the spotlight on this. But as you say, you've seen it in James's Park. So it's a problem the game's got to deal with. I mean, Fabian Hursler said tonight that the referee actually did his best.

He didn't blame the officials, did he? He actually felt they were powerless, couldn't do much. about it. Ali, I was at Sundun Leeds last night, and we had it last night with the Sunderland goalkeeper. 20 minutes into the game. Leeds was so far on top of Sunland, they were struggling. Regis Libri used it as an opportunity to get his team together and to give them some kind of an instruction. It's a common theme. Listen, it's not something that's new, but it's something that's becoming more apparent and more used. Sven Gore and Erickson told me to do it in 2006 in the World Cup because of the heat, because of different

stages in the game. You look back on some of the footage there. I did it once or twice, in the latter stages of that tournament when we were maybe under pressure or at times when the players needed a break, the manager, you just get a little signal from the side. It's not something new. It's been in the game for a long time because the goalkeeper is the only one,

obviously, that can't go off the field of play. Now it's just becoming overused. From a small village on the banks of the River Nile. Everybody call me Mohammed, but you know, short name or nickname, they call me more. To the biggest stages of world football. Sala is more than just a player. He's an icon, a symbol, a king.

Hamid Sala represents a dream for Egyptians, for Muslims, for Africans. More than just a football player, he gave us hope. I'm Kelly Kate. This is Sporting Giants, Mo Sala. Listen on BBC Sounds. You're listening to the Football Daily podcast with Alistair Bruce Ball. Big night at the bottom of the table as well. Not even Forrest, of course, got that valuable point.

away at the Etty had. And West Ham got a really important three points beating Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage. Elliot Anderson scored the equalizer for Nottingham Forest in their 2-2 draw at Man City. Let's hear from him. I'm sure a great character, you know, being from behind twice,

really tough place to come. And we knew it was going to be, but I thought everyone put a performance in and worked till the end. Talk us through your goal. What a fabulous finish that was. Yeah, it was nice. Just sort of found the opening

and thought I'd have a shot. obviously, wanting to shoot more. So I thought, oh, yeah, I'll just hit it. And then, yeah, hit the net. How much confidence can this result give you for the rest of the season, for this relegation battle to come here and really test Manchester City?

Yeah, it gives us a massive boost, you know. We've got some games coming up that we would like to take three points in. So it gives us that little bit more confidence, you know, going into these games. So that's Nottingham Forest midfield at Elliot Anderson, speaking to John Bennett after the 2-2 at Manchester City. So Chris Paul, let's give you the

the bottom of the table. I'll tell you what, let's let's go from Leeds in 15. They're on 31 points. They played 29. Spurs have played 28. Now they play tomorrow. Do not miss that on 5 live and BBC sounds tomorrow night. Massive game for Spurs at home to palace. They're on 29 points. So two points behind Leeds. They're one point now ahead of Nottingham forest and West Ham who are both on 28. Forest staying out of the bottom three. Their goal difference is four better than West Ham and then Burnley and Wolves a bit away from them on 19 and 16 points respectively. Just to give Paul a break from talking, Chris.

Talk me through how you see the bottom of the table there and who you feel is his most vulnerable. I mean, the pressure now on Spurs tomorrow for that game feels intolerable almost. Yeah, that always felt a big one for Spurs, didn't it? Because they were the last to play. And if they saw the teams below them pick up positive results as they have done with Forest Draw at City,

West Ham beating Fulham. It's going to be nervy tomorrow, isn't it, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A few weeks ago, I would have said, like many, I think, Nottingham Forest looked in real strife, given the difficulties with managers, given their performances. Vitor Pereira comes in,

and Forrest fans didn't seem overly enamored by that decision, a man who obviously didn't win a game for Wolves this season, but did save them last season. Yet they've looked solid, and obviously tonight's result is very impressive for them. West Ham always felt the in-form of the three at the bottom end of the table. But when you,

look at games to come it does it like the run that that Forest have they have a chance to pick up points and if they can keep dragging spurs further into play you put leads in that bracket as well they always felt that they would be okay because of their Ellen Road form I know last night didn't go to plan it's it's looking very tight isn't it from from a neutral perspective we've not I can't remember really the last really tight relegation battle that we had in the Premier League the last few seasons has felt it's been cut and dry quite early So if it goes down to the final couple of games, even the final day of the Premier League season, then I think we could be in for a real nerve shredder. Yeah, well, great drama for the neutrals. I mean, as Spurs, Paul, one of your former clubs, of course, are they the ones you worry about the most out of those teams I've read out, just given what is going on at the club

and the way they're playing and all the injuries they've got? I wasn't a while ago, but since the new manager's coming out, and since Igor Tudor's coming, he hasn't struck me as a manager who is fully understanding of his squad, understanding of the players that he's got. Yes, he's had a good record at going into other clubs initially in his first two or three games, but he has had no reaction whatsoever from his Tottenham side.

The first game against Arsenal, he played three at the back, which is alien to this first team. Played three at the back with Paulineo as one of the three centre halves. So that immediately strikes me as that he's looking for something. Then he goes to Fulham and plays four at the back with Archie Gray left back. Then he makes three substitutions,

half time against Fulham, which once again looks like he's searching for something. I mean, there's this strong talk already that if they don't get a result tomorrow against Crystal Palace that during the international break, they might rethink the decision on the manager, which I mean is incredible, but that shows the strife that Totmer in. They've got the joint second worst home record in the league with Burnley. They've won two games at that incredible stadium all season, losing eight of them. And by the way, Ali, they've got Athleticoe Madrid on Tuesday night. How does that work?

Yeah, that's right. Champions League next week, but the big, One, Palace, Thursday night, 8 o'clock kickoff. You can hear it on 5 live and BBC sounds. Chris and Paul have watched a fabulous game of football in the Premier League tonight. Newcastle have been Manchester United with 10 men by two goals to one. A late winner from William Asula. Let's hear from him. Well, obviously, I was already training that yesterday and finishing drill practicing that.

So, you know, when I saw the ball coming down on the channel, I only had one thing on mind. Just to try and be my man and get my shot off. So, yeah, thank God it went in. So as soon as you crossed the halfway line, you thought, right, I'm going to have a shot at the end of this. Yeah, straight away, because I know that I can take players on and have end product on games. So I know I have believed and I was practicing that a lot yesterday. And I knew that any opportunity, I'm just going to be direct and try and be the game changer.

I bet he wanted to stay out there forever tonight. What a noise when that ball hit the back of the net. What a win for Newcastle United. They're in 12th, one point behind Sunderland. Just a reminder of the scores tonight. Arsenal 1-0 winners at Brighton. 11 point lead over Manchester City you drew 2-2 at home against Nottingham Forest. Fulham-Nill, West Ham, still in the bottom three.

Level on points with Forrest, behind them on goal difference. Chelsea big winners at Villa by four goals to one, thanks to a Jowel Pedro Hattrick, Newcastle bidding Manchester United by two goals to one. A first defeat for Michael Carrick as Manchester United manager then. Let's hear from him. Literally, bitterly, bit disappointed. It hurts that one, I have to say, for different reasons. But we came here to win the game.

We came here to get something from the game. We put ourselves in a position, you know, the way the game panned out, going into the second half where the game was there for us and we just didn't make the most of it in the end. Is that the mission you'd feel they didn't really ask enough questions in the second half? Yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot that we can kind of delve into. But I think just ultimately in the end to come away with nothing,

you know, it's a lot. It's the first one that we've had together and there's been a lot of good work that we've kind of, done to put ourselves in a position where we find ourselves now and there's obviously a lot to play for and we've got to embrace that moving forward. It's a lesson that we've got to learn tonight and we've got to improve from it. It's obviously the first kind of major setback in some ways and so we've got to react in the right way. In terms of the dressing room is it a real sense that they haven't done themselves justice and is that what you want to see from your players?

Yeah we lost one game right so we've had a good run so we've We've got to keep that perspective. We've got to accept that there's things we need to be better at for sure. We're all disappointed with that. So we'll get to work and we'll keep making things better. Right, that's all we've got time for on this episode of the Football Daily podcast. Thanks very much to Paul Robinson and Chris Coles for joining me to reflect on all the Premier League action. Coming up next on the Football Daily, it'll be the Euroleagues with Steve Crosman.

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