Football Daily - MNC: Have City just blown their title chances?

Episode Date: May 4, 2026

Did City throw away the title in England on the day Hearts take a step closer to it in Scotland? Mark Chapman is joined by Charlie Adam, Shay Given and Rory Smith to discuss a dramatic day on both sides of the border. Plus, Arsenal performed like champions against Fulham and have Tottenham come good just in the nick of time?    TIME CODES:  0:12 City grab a late point, but is it enough? 04:57 Big win for Arsenal 08:40 Should Arteta have played Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfielder earlier in the season? 11:20 Has Victor Gyokeres been a success? 16:23 Bad weekend for West Ham 24:50 How has De Zerbi inspired Spurs? 39:47 Hearts take a step closer to the title

This is the Monday nightclub with Mark Chapman. On the Football Daily podcast. Shea given Charlie Adam Rory Smith with us, Everton 3, Manchester City 3, and somehow might mind it with the final whistle going, City of Rescued a point. Yeah, and who knows where that leaves Manchester City

or Everton come May the 24th and the final day of the season. Everton 3, Manchester City 3, 5 of the 6 goals coming in a crazy second half, Jeremy Dock who opening the scoring with a curling effort just before the break. And then all hell let loose when Manchester City became masses of their own downfall. Firstly, Mark Gai passing it back terribly, allowing Tieno Barre to steal in and steer it into the far left-hand corner. Moments later, Jake O'Brien's header from a corner had Everton 2-1 up.

Everton were too clear when Tieno Barry made it 3-1, assisted by Merlin Rule, cross low on the right-hand side and he just tapped it in with his left boot. Manchester City from that kickoff instantly got one back to make it three to. Erling Harland dinking over Jordan Pickford and then in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Jeremy Dock who added again this time with his right foot curling effort, edge of the D past the flying Jordan Pickford and made it three three. But Arsenal now had the advantage in terms of points in the title race because Manchester City could only get one here.

David Moyes still denied his first ever victory over Pep Guardi. in the Premier League and Manchester City's great record over Everton comes to a little stall tonight as the players of Everton certainly look a little bit perplexed how they've let that slip. They did face an onslaught towards the end. Manchester City fans in that corner in the northwest side are now pointing and waving their hands towards the players in support of their efforts to rescue a point tonight but it is absolutely the case of the word rescue because for that most of that second half the intensity that Everton played with the surge forward of their players, the rawness of their fans,

carried their team into a 3-1 lead. Manchester City claw it back in a great game of Premier League football on a Monday night. And somehow we end up with a fantastic scoreline of Everton 3, Manchester City 3. Both sets of players look crestfallen, don't they? Oh yeah, both are gutted, didn't they? They were that close, Everton. But again, you've got to play right to the last moment, and it's a lovely finish from Docu

but it's a big dent in the title race for Man City but you've got to pick yourself up now and go again. So five points the difference between Arsenal and City. City with the game in hand. They still have Palace at home, Brentford at home, villa at home and they have to go to Bournemouth.

Arsenal still have to go to West Ham and Crystal Palace and they have Burnley at home. It is surely now Arsenal's to lose, Rory. Yeah, absolutely. That late goal from Docu changes it a little bit, as I say, I think it means that Arsenal can't afford to lose a game. But yeah, that was the break they've been waiting for.

And I guess it proves that City's players are susceptible to nerves as well. We have been treating it as though the only team that can buckle in the title race is Arsenal. but that's not true because that's what City have Arsenal laid down the draw on Saturday they beat full and three nil they got the win and the gold difference

and said to City go on then and see if you can catch us and City couldn't ultimately they stumbled. I don't think anyone's thought they're going to drop two points tonight I really didn't think we thought it was going to go

to the last game of the season and then it's going to go to the goal difference we didn't think either team would drop now it's wide open Arsenal has to be Arsenal's now do you think a little bit of this show

there are several members of this city side who haven't been in this situation before. Yeah, possibly, but I think that brings a hunger as well. You know, other players like Bernardo Silva Halland and co should bring these players along and of course the likes of Gehie Semeni and all these other players who haven't done it before, there'll be a hunger from them to do it, you know,

and maybe, I mean, Gehie, a couple of mistakes he's made and I've not seen him make them in his whole career as kind of so unlike them and Gonzales and midfield is not Rodry and I don't know. I think if you look at the goal, The goals that they've considered Man City been poor goals.

Like, you know, they gave Everton... Could have been worse, Donner. We made a couple of big saves. Yeah, don't forget. Switch off from the throw in there. Gahy's short back pass and then all of a sudden, the set play they don't deal with at front post. And it does, annoyingly for

Everton, drop them back to 10th and below Chelsea. So they are four points off Bournemouth in six. Arsenal have a five-point lead at the top of the table. big win for them at the weekend 3-0 at home to Fulham

Shadegiven what stood out most for you about that performance I just felt like they were played with the freedom I think in the last I don't know many weeks six or seven weeks it felt like there's a real nervousness and a real sort of the pressure of getting over the line

and it felt like the pressure was getting to them and it felt like they weren't playing themselves and games were really tight and they were playing with a fear nearly and fear of failure or whatever it might be and I just felt that the weekend that for whatever a reason, whatever the message from Artetta was before the game

that was, they sort of played that first half, especially with just, with freedom. Obviously, Saka being back was a big plus, I think, and back to where we think he's been. Maybe he's took a dip and that's coincided with the team taking a dip, but Yoccher is as well, could have a hat-trick at the weekend. You know, he had a big chance, one be one in the second half

to get his hat-trick, but, you know, he's starting to score important goals as well. I don't know, just, again, it's, it's, maybe we're talking about the psychology of having that, you know, to get the six points clear just to put a marker down. I don't know. They seem to play with the freedom and a swagger again that we've seen early part of the season and maybe it's

flowing back at the right time for them. Well, Rory Nadja Ria Kouka said on the Football Daily Pod that Saka was playing with a smile on his face and actually when was the last time he said that we saw him smile like that on a football pitch. Yeah, and that's important because there have been various points of the season where it does look like the pressure has been getting to Arsenal that they have struggled to its. express themselves to have any kind of joy in the way they play.

And that can hold you back. And especially, as we said before, you know, doll difference is potentially going to be really important here. They needed to take that early doll that Yocchre has scored and expand on it. Because we saw the week before they went one and up against Newtattle in, what, nine minutes, as they stored in nine minutes. And then they still had this really stressful afternoon where it felt like the Emirates was on edge and everyone was really fraught and anxious.

But on Saturday, it didn't feel like that at all because they had the game tied up in the first half they could just kind of kind of see out the second half really perfect preparation for Atlatico you get to take Sackeroff at half time which means he's got a little bit more sharpness but he's not being rushed back

it kind of worked out perfectly for Arsenal the whole afternoon including a new midfield option in Miles Lewis Skelly who in the youth teams was a midfielder but came in a fallback yeah and again early days of work with Miguel was that he used to roll into midfield and he was very comfortable with the ball,

similar to like Nico Riley at Man City, they're very comfortable with the ball, but I just felt that Michael was sort of said something in terms of he's not how to go at Miles Lewis Skelly, but there's something not right in terms of where he's been at in terms of playing or maybe his training

has not been to the level he's expected. They're asking a lot for a young player that's come really on and done really well and then he's had a bit of a dip and then he's brought him back in. But for what I was saying is maybe the injury to Saka has given them a wee bit of fresh impetus for the rest of the season. You know, he plays a lot of football, picked up the injury, come back. And then maybe just trying to nurse them back in because they've got the game, you know,

fool them at home. And then they obviously got a big Champions League game. So don't want to take too many risks with Saka. So, yeah, it's obviously always good to see, you know, players coming back, fresh, ready to go. And let's say, they play with a smile on their face. It's just about being back on the pitch. let's say he can perform to a level that we know that Saki could play too.

Given your experience in that position, what do you make of what Mikhail Arteta said afterwards on Lewis Skelly? He was asked why he played him in that position to which he said, because probably I don't have a clue and maybe I should have done it earlier, I don't know, but I have to do things when I believe that the player is ready.

The team is ready or the opponent is the right one to play him in that position. It was a big risk because I knew what was going to happen. If he wasn't this great, we could have lost the game. So how do you play a kid at this age, in this scenario in a position that he hasn't played all season?

I knew that, but I'd just had the feeling that it was the right game for him. Well, I think again, playing against Fulham, who you'd expect Arsenal to be at home, to give him that confidence to play alongside Declan Rice, Asaka, Eze, Trossard,

where he's just surrounded with good players. But he's an intelligent footballer. He understands he's not like you say it's not like it's a rush of blood and Mikhail's stuff. He's seen stuff in training. He's like you say he was comfortable enough to roll them into midfield as a fullback because he can

receive the ball. He can play forward again what it is is just as he got the tactical knowledge to be able to sit or go forward if Declan's going forward or sitting. It's just getting that connection between the two of them because he's got quality. He's a good footballer

as well so it's yeah It's a risk that you take but ultimately it's paid off from. I'm surprised that it's taken this long because Lewis Skelly, as you say, Chappas was a midfielder in the youth teams. I'd take out to set this point that you've got to pick the right opponent,

got to pick the right time, and want to make sure the team's ready. Could he not have tried it a little bit earlier rather than... I mean, to be honest... Well, that's been... I suppose that's the...

Well, there's all sorts of criticism that fly around, aren't there? But one of the things is that that midfield has played, or in the main, Rice and Zubimendi have carried a lot of the load. Yeah, and it's difficult because Arteta's in a position where they finish second three years in a row. He desperately wants to win the title.

He knows there's not going to be a huge amount of margin for error. Okay, it's not like a 99-point season, but you can't be taking risks with games. And I guess, yeah, like you think back to, I mean, Lewis Kelly's not being fit the whole season, but you think back to say February or November or whatever, You think, well, why would Artetta look at a game there? I think, yes, you know, this one I can probably afford to drop a couple of points in.

He's not going to do that. It is always a risk playing a young player in a new position. But I think you probably do have to be a little bit bolder at times because that means that against Fulham at home in May, it doesn't feel like such a risk if you have done it previously. And then the other factor that went their way, well, not went their way, but they'd properly benefit from, was that Victor Yorkeray has got two of the goals.

His second one in particular was really impressive, wasn't it? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, he seems to have grown into the position. He's had a lot of stick personally as well, I suppose over the course of the season for his 21st goal of the season now at the weekend and he said he could have had a hat-trick later on. He won the penalty last week, of course,

in the Athletic Madrid, in the semi-final of the Champions League. So there's lots of plus. There's still some question-marsh people. Is he the answer to, because we all say experts talk about for the last three or four years, the missing piece of this jigsaw has been the centre forward,

has been the out-and-out. number nine. What more could he have done? As you said, that was his 20, so he's gone past 20 goals in this first season for Arsenal. What more more could he have done? I don't know. I mean, I think earlier part of the season, his hold-up play could be better linking up different things. It feels like even Saka's goal, he hadn't assisted the

weekend, you know, running the channel, holding it up and then just releasing it at the right time for Sacko to go into that space. I think early the part of the season, you know, things are bouncing off them and didn't have the awareness of runners and different things and it looked the real struggle, if I'm being honest. I think in recent times, and maybe it's just purely a

confidence thing because you know, centre forwards thrive on confidence, scoring goals. You know, he had a huge goal for his country as well to get to the World Cup. You know, everything in his world at the minute is not perfect but it's pretty good. He's scoring big goals and big

games for club and country and maybe it's purely a confidence thing and feels more at home with this team in this league. And again, coming into the Premier League is a lot of pressure and we've seen that with players and coming from different countries. I know he's played in England before but he's not played in the Premier

league, it's different to the championship. And being that number nine focal point for Arsenal, that everybody keeps saying this was the missing piece. You know, your rivals are going, they've got Harland, Liverpool going to spend 100 plus million on Isak. He's had a better season than Isak.

No, absolutely he has. And he's had the top season, he's a very good season. He's not, the top season will be going and scoring 20 league goals and, you know, winning titles and stuff like that. But what I'm saying is for me, I look at the Yokorese and I think this has been a good starting point for him to go. I think he's, like you say,

his link-up plays is improved as the season's gone on, but I think he likes to be on the shoulder. He likes to run the challenge. He wants to be a sort of number nine that likes to run in behind as well, and he's a handful for centrebacks. But like you say, you get judged on your goals when you're playing for it.

And the judge, again, you mention trophies. If Arsenal get one of these big trophies over the line, then people say it's justified. He brought in these important goals an important stage of the season and it's money well spent because they haven't done it, have they? I mean, he made the point. He did the press conference today

Rory and he said, you know, the biggest challenge I think I've had is to adapt. You come to a new thing, new country, change everything in your life, you have to adapt quickly and be ready for all the challenges that are coming. And it's not just him that has to adapt, it's the team has to adapt. As Charlie says, he's a

different type of forward to what they have had previous to their arsenal. He's the movement, his movement, the runs that he makes, the way he the play is different to Kai Havers or Gabby Jaisers or whoever it might be. I find Yoccher is really interesting because the allegation was always Arsenal needed a $20 season striker.

They've got one. So by that measure, he's been a success. I think there have been times where he's looked a little bit like he's struggled to impose himself against you're going to call him a flat track bully? Really high quality opposition. I'm not going to call him a flat track bully, chappas.

But I'm inclined to agree with Charlie that this feels like a good, sort of a solid debut campaign and you want to see him kick on in his second, I think. Well, again, you look at the big fella at City, he's the matter of touches he heads in the game. Pep's not really come and ask him to link the game and play. The most important thing for him is between the posts, and he scores goals and he scores goals every season,

and he scores a lot of goals. So that's the most important part for that number nine. You know, Mikhail might be asking Yocchreuse different little things, let's say come and link in the play and then ultimately when he comes to link the place further away from goals so I think he's been that he's had a good season and what would make it into a very good season would be if they can cap it off

and let's say win a tight I do wonder whether he suffers in comparison to Harlan though you know not because they're kind of Scandinavian or whatever but because Harland has redefined what the numbers that we think are good count as good for a striker so although Yoccher has had a solid season in terms

of 21 goals I think it's 14 in the lead now they're decent numbers because Harland scored 50 before Christmas or whatever it looks like Yotteros is a level below but I think the problem there is

that Harland is a total outlier statistically and you can't compare people to him but naturally we kind of looked at the top straw and the Leeds got 107 goals and this guy's only not 20 he must be rubbish and I think there's a lot of players we saw it with Messi and Ronaldo five 10 years ago there's a lot of players who suffer

from these constant comparisons with people who are doing things that are fundamentally very unusual. Let's talk relegation battle next on the Monday nightclub. A terrible weekend for West Ham. They lose. Spurs win. Forest win at Chelsea today. Leeds won.

Newcastle won as well, if you were still thinking that... Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. If you were still thinking mathematically... Come on you. You're better than nothing. I know, but mathematically they were still... I hear you. They were still under threat, weren't they?

So I'm just... I'm trying to highlight. just how bad a weekend it was for West Ham. So it leaves us with Newcastle on 45, Leeds on 43, Palace on 43, Forest on 42, Spurs on 37 and West Ham on 36. We'll talk about the bigger picture in a moment. Let's focus on Spurs first of all. You were there yesterday.

How different did it feel for them both on the pitch and from the away fans at Villaparte? They were top. I thought the performance. the DeZerby factor was there, how they played the game. I get it that Vila made the seven changes, but I just thought the way they applied ourselves in terms of the intensity

with and without the ball. Conagalliger was unbelievable. Sort of that midfield three of Benton Kour, Pallini and Cona Gallagher were, they sort of dominated the game and Villas midfield never got close to them. And yeah, they were very, very good. And you could see a little bit starting to appear now

in terms of how Deserby wants to play. Well, Micra and Alan were on with Kelly on match of the day last night. Micah said Spurs were exceptional how they set up. They have been playing lower, but against Villa, they were brave. Yeah, they went for it again. They had two really speed athletic players in the wide areas. Tell and Munier were really direct when they were running and driving. But for me, again, look you're thinking about how clever.

Pedro Porro is really good at in terms of just going to find the little spaces in the pocket or allowing, you know, getting his distances right between him and Rogers to allow other spaces to appear for Conagalli just to pop out. I just thought that that week's training of Tottenham with the Zerby, they just look a totally different team. They were looked coached. There was real clarity in how they wanted to play right from the off. You know, the goalkeeper really comfortable with the ball, wanted to build up from the back. And let's say, Villa just couldn't get near them. And the changes obviously were effective.

but again, they've got a good squadville and they shouldn't have to be able to rely on the other players for the whole season. I get it, they've got a big game coming up as well and they're behind, but Tottenham's performance from where they were and everybody felt where they were going to come into this game, it was really good to see.

Yeah, I mean, it's so tight now. It's between two really, realistically, isn't it? The rest are, in my opinion, home and dry, and maybe not mathematically, but they're done and dusted. It's just, as you say, it's a huge week for talking. Even just, you know, forget about tactics, forget about managers, forget about the boardroom. It's about that result, isn't it? There's three points.

The lift that'll give the lads. You know, imagine I'm going into training today and the whole club, the fan base as well. Because a few weeks back, you know, the Tottenham Stadium was nearly empty towards end of games. And, you know, you could see them in the way and yesterday they were, they were, they were, they were, they were, at place was rocking, wasn't it? So it's just, it's just that feeling, you know, the human being feeling of we've won a game of football. We've got out of the relegation zone, you know, they flipped with West Ham, of course. They've dropped in. psychologically we've popped out

so again the positivity of just of getting the free points getting out of the relegation zone and just that belief that comes flooding back into the team so then on the other side today not in force going to make eight changes and they're coming off a back of a brilliant result in Europe against Villa

and their squad players come in and by the way tough place to go Chelsea I know they're not in great form but still a tough place to go and may go and perform to that level so again the the the connection between their group of players, the manager, the supporters, to then put that performance on us is incredible.

That's, you let's say, probably kept them up. Now they can have a real good focus now on Thursday night. They'll be disappointed, really, that they've had to play Monday and Villa have played Sunday, so there's that less recovery, but, you know, it'll be an unbelievable game at Villa Park on Thursday night. I mean, there are so many different threads that run through this. I'll come back to Forreston and Villa to a certain extent in a moment.

And Chelsea. And Chelsea. But Spurs on last night look to me, Rory, like a team that realized they had to fight. Like a team that realized, a group of players that realized we are in a relegation battle here, which is what we've talked about before. You know, at times, Forrest have acted like that, Leeds have acted like that, West Ham have acted like that. Spurs have felt like a group of players who in the main have been feeling sorry for themselves a lot of the time. Whereas they had the fight yesterday.

Yeah, I kind of thought for a while that Spurs looked like they were so, there was sort of rabbit caught in the headlights element to Tottenham, that they looked so kind of overwhelmed by the idea that they might be part of the squad that got Spurs relegated, that they didn't really know what to do. It seemed to kind of really inhibit them. But then the win against Wolves, I think, made a massive difference. I remember Pellinia is the player who's sort of summed it up most. If you look at his reaction to that win against wolves,

to the goal that he stored in that game but then to win it there was a tackle that he won relatively late on yesterday. When the game looked, to be honest, he won a tackle and then he won a foul. There was actually three or four times in the game he did that even in the first half he actually read a real good pass

got fouled in the box and he was celebrating as if like they'd won the game. But that just shows the connection there. Pedro Pollard did the same but going back I think we're talking about Celtic Kerle. I think that Igor Tudor appointments similar to what Wilfred Donsey's it was a bit of a deflater

it wasn't what they expected and I think DeSerby's gone in right I'm the boss in here and if you don't want to be here you go if you want to be here you're on the train with us and we're together I think now he's just coached them and he's gave them real simple clear messages that

this is I want to play now he's being able to work with him week to week has given them an opportunity to get on the training ground and get his principles in the team and you've seen that last night so again now they're looking, I don't think it's done yet, but they have to just keep focusing on what they can do. They've got their sell in their position.

They're not chasing, they're ahead. Now they need to perform to now to end the season. And that's a massive psychological shift as well that's now in control of their own destiny. It was a big call to replace Tudor with a long-term manager. Potentially, you're appointing Roberto Deserby on Premier League wages and paying him in the championship

if it goes wrong. But to be honest, from the evidence of wolves last week or the week before and then yesterday it looks like it's worked just for the first time in a long time Spurs looked like a team with a clear identity

I think Robert said Deserpe he said postmatch I do like him postmatch because he tends to say the opposite of what everybody else he's thinking so Spurs players are crying and he's like I don't want to see people crying like that

they need to be positive now last night he went I don't want to hear positive voices we have to stay focused for the next game. My biggest job is to help the players show their qualities. The level is not to fight for relegation. We have to accept and be stronger than the people who speak

too much. It was the right spirit and behaviour on the pitch but I am pleased with the performance. Yeah that's all again come back to the three points you know forget tears and laughter or whatever it might be it's it's about three points in the belief because this Tottenham team have been I suppose criticised and

rightly so all season and they're human beings at the end of the day and they're feeling the heat mark there's no getting away from that they're feeling the heat big time from their own fans, from outside noises, from different managers. You know, they do want to be the club that, the players, sorry, that Relgate Tottenham, one of the biggest clubs in the league,

you know, that stadium, the training ground, all the different things that go along with. And they're very close to the trap door. There's no getting away from that. Yes, it's a big result, you know, of course, at the weekend, but they have to go again. They've got leads next Chelsea away. Could be anything, I suppose, in the last game, Everton at home. So

it's still, there's still tricky fixtures in their last three games there's no doubt about that and it could come all the way to talk about the title race could go to the wire it definitely much feels like this could go to the wire as well you know depending on what West Ham do of course

again from a coach's perspective Deserby Spurs have now won possession in the final third 5.3 times per game on average that is the highest average for any team under a manager this season it's a very small sample size but it's

worth paying attention to. Yeah, because at the end of the day, if you regain the ball higher up the pitch, it gives you more actions to go and score more goals, to give you the opportunity to there. But again, when you've got Rich Charleston, Conagalliger, tell yesterday, Munei, they're really aggressive in the press,

but the two in midfield of Benton Kerr and Paulina. Just really, I think Cona Gallagher was obviously manned the match, and he set the tone for the team. And like Deserbe said, he said that, you know, If I see Conner Gallagher like that, he's a top top player. It's the real Conagallagher we've seen at Chelsea, and we're starting to get that. But again, we don't know what happened inside the building with Tudor

and how he wanted to play, but what we're looking for is that if I'm deserving of going in there, he says that, by the way, we've got good players. Low and confidence, some injuries to key players, but if we go and be aggressive, we press the game, we'll give ourselves better opportunities to score goals with the quality we've got at the top end of the pitch. I think Ben Tancourt coming back has been

bigger than maybe people realised. That has been the theme throughout for Spurs. The performance have been poor. The managers have been bad until Deserby. They've made all these terrible decisions, but they have constantly had 11 players out injured, which I'm pretty sure doesn't help. Charlie, to you, does it look like a tactical shift from Deserby?

Or is a mentality shift? Or is it that they've got a clear tactical identity, which means they have the confidence in themselves? The clear principles in what it wants to do. And I get it, the injuries are coming. because when you change managers so quickly the different types of training, different types of philosophies,

the energy and the intensity of the training goes through the roof because new players are players that are not playing, want to come in and show the manager. Then all of a sudden they're at a risk of injuries. So that chopping and changing managers quite quickly has probably not helped the players either. But there's just a clear tactical emphasis

on what he wants to do in terms of how they build, how they get through the thirds, and then at the top end of the pitch with the two ones, wingers really high, stretching the pitch and people making their runs and ultimately the quality at the top end they've got.

Rich Alson scored 10 goals this year. Not everybody's cup of tea but what he does for the team is he works so hard for the team out of possession and that's key when you're in that position to have somebody like him like Conner Gallagher that can go and press the game and keep teams suffocated in their own half

the re-gains are so high and it gives you the chance to actually go and score some goals. Leeds, West Ham, Spurs and Forest, Rory, have now only lost two of their collective last 12. Yeah, someone's going down with a lot of points. That's the reality of it. The last two seasons, I think the bottom three didn't crack 30. And we talked a lot about kind of the idea

that the promoted teams were such a massive kind of financial disadvantage, they wouldn't be able to compete. And there was basically now 17 Premier League teams and three guest teams who would appear every season. Leeds and Sunderland have kind of disproven that. That might be a blip, it might be an anomaly, the same thing might happen next year,

whether it's Coventry, Ipswich and Millwall or Borough or Southampton or whoever, or Hull, could be any of them, we don't know. Don't want to offend anybody. But either way, you know, the barrier's always been 40 points. To be honest, I think all four of them will probably get to 40.

Leeds and Forest obviously they're already. Spurs need one more win. They get to 40, West Ham. Arsenal at home, it's tricky, but they've got Leeds at home on the final day and I think there are other games

Newcastle away now that they are safe from relegation chappas because I agree with you I think they were at risk until they beat Brighton they don't have anything

to play for so it might be that West Ham can lift themselves for that they have all to be honest responded when the pressure has got really high they've all found form

leads is form I think since that game at city their upper mid-table leads in terms of form they've really sort of switched it on forest have come good

a little bit later on and Spurs in West Ham although they're the too in danger, one of them will go down with a lot more points than any team for quite a long time. We went down with 39 Blackpool.

Yeah. Were there two teams that season that went down with 39? Birmingham did go down as well? Yeah, I think so, yeah. No, I think about laws. We went down with 39. And when you were in that situation, we were say three games to go,

are you, how much you're worrying about anybody else? Because it strikes me at the moment. that if you're West Ham, for example, right, you would have probably thought Spurs would lose at Villa Park. Yeah. You probably would. But you're wasting so much energy on that

because you're not knowing what Villa are going to set up. Villa are in a bit of a bumpy run anyhow. You would then probably think, well, Spurs might struggle at Chelsea, but cricky, the way Chelsea played today and the way Spurs played yesterday, you'd probably favour Spurs at the moment there. You can drive yourself mad worrying about other.

You can't afford to worry about anybody else. You've just got to focus on what's inside your building, what you're doing yourself, your performances. You know, Deserby would, we'll say, because it was a very good performance. Yeah, I like what we've seen in that. But if it wasn't great, and they nicked a 1-0 and they won, I think he would take that tendency

just to survive. But you've got to just find a way. And like you say, if I'm West Ham, I'm thinking, they're going to Villa, and then you realize that it makes seven changes, you're thinking, it's not what we want. Because they would have watched the game. They would have been looking at it,

come on Villa we need a little bit help here after performance result they had the day the day before against Brentford so they'll be looking at it and yeah Do you think that's fair in West Ham that Vela did make seven chances or do you think that's just obviously the one I am thirsty Yeah absolutely that's tough luck

I think that for me it's just that's what you're up against you know you've got a priority they had six point difference between themselves Champions League to other clubs they've got the right to drop as many players or rest as many players as possible they want He went with that they got beat because they knew he had that cushion. Maybe if they were on same points

as the other teams around the Champions League, then he might have not made that decision, but he's got a six point buffer to do it, and then ultimately it's not worth from it, but the big priority for them is to get to a European Cup final. Although, to be fair to Ian Aymery, he made the point in postmatch yesterday. Well, I picked

one team at Fullerman, we lost. I picked one team at Notting Forest in the Europa League and we lost, and I picked another team today and we've lost. Yeah. So, I mean, his point was, I've used my squad, I've used different players, we've lost all three of them. Yeah, well that's not good is. I mean, no, I know. You know, they all chat about the game

after Thursday's game and Nottingham. There was all, yeah, we'll do it at home on Thursday night, but if you think of the mindset of the Villa players now, they've just lost three in the bountainsters, you say, chappers, and the Nottingham forest players, the bounce that they're going to get. They made seven rate changes that he raised people for, the whole group's absolutely been bouncing, aren't

me? Yeah. I'll tell you, that's not an easy game for Ville on Thursday night. Would you make West Ham the most vulnerable then, Rory? And I'll say what Wayne Rooney said on match the day on Saturday. He said, they're defending was shocking. When you're trying to stay in the Premier League, you can't concede goals the way they did. It was an appalling

defensive display. If I was those West Ham fans, I'd be really concerned after seeing that performance. They did create some chances just to balance it out slightly. And they'd taken seven points from their previous three before that game at Brentford.

And they have two home games left. Yeah, one of them is Arsenal, which is a bit of a problem. Yeah, they had been sort of the form team of the bottom maybe the leads are a bit different but if you certainly out of Forest Spurs and West Ham

until that game you looked at them and thought well Nuno's got a real kind of tactical discipline there he's kind of shaped them into a proper team the last time I saw West Ham in the flesh I think was at Wolves on the 4th of January and that is one of the worst displays

I've ever seen from a Premier League team they were absolutely abysmal that day that was Wolves with two points or something and they smashed them and at that point it was unfathomable to me that West Ham might even be safe, you know, within striking distance of safety at the end of the season.

They looked totally doomed. But Noon took them from that and managed to try to craft an identity. And they did seem to have put a little bit of a run together. So Saturday came as a real shock against the team that hadn't won in eight games, somehow was still seventh. Brentford to get into Europe. You know, they're not scrapping for their lives, Brentford. They can get into Europe in the sense that literally every team in the Premier League,

apart from the bottom five, can still get into Europe. put that performance in having built a little bit of a head of steam that is worrying I think who would who would were they your favour

to go down now I don't know shappers I'm scratching my head here look a couple weeks ago I thought Tottenham were literally doomed I thought they were gone you know that that late equalizer

that was a Brighton score I remember and I was like that's them definitely down you see the players nearly in tears after the game and even the fans were thinking well we're definitely gone now. And it's amazing

what one weekend can do, one set of fixture results, because the mindset is, even as I've put it in Vertical as us experts, say that now it looks like West Hamer doing, but I don't know. I still think they've been in this position all season. They know exactly what they need to do.

They've been fighting for their lives all season. And again, you know, talking about a great result yesterday, but it doesn't mean they can just turn the tap on now. And, you know, Gallagher is a great performance. Charlie, who's at the game? He can tell me better. But where has he been since he in January. Do you know what I mean? You're still question marks over some of these players. It doesn't

just change after one result after you mentioned Billy making seven change. Maybe it was the perfect storm for Tottenham yesterday. I still think there's a few twists and turns and I genuinely believe that there's two early to call. Who's going to go down? The interesting thing as well,

next week, when you look at these things, because we do say this as well, Rory, don't we? Sometimes it's not the order that you play these games. It's also the time that you play these games. So Forest are at home to Newcastle next Sunday at 2 o'clock. West Ham Arsler is the 4.30

but Spurs Leeds is Monday night next week at 8 o'clock. That Charlie, if Spurs Leeds was 2 o'clock on the Sunday afternoon, that has a completely different atmosphere to Monday night. Yeah, absolutely. But what we all say is that Tottenham have got, West Ham are going there

and Tottenham, you're delighted whatever result. happens. Of course they probably want Arsenal to win, but if they drop points, it means man's set they've got a chance of winning the title and they'll no want their near the drivers win the title. And now, what I'm saying, if you're thinking about, like I say, Arsenal are still in the title race

so they know that they need to win the game. So it's still a big pressure game after the back of a Champions League game. So he knows that the players know that Michele needs to put a strong team out again to go for that, to win that, to stay in the title race. So, but for Tottenham, I just think, you have to focus on what you can do control the control balls everybody talks about it

control what's in there and I think if Tottenham could keep playing the way they did last night for a team that are down at the bottom of the league to show that person and that confidence and that bravery to play the way they did at Villa then they're starting to build yourself real good momentum at the back end of it

yeah I'd agree with that I think that that game on a Monday night will be I think Spurs have already asked for the fans to bring flags they obviously would I think they're doing someone mentioned to me the other day that they're there might be some sort of offer on the booze if you get there early. So that is one of those things that clubs do if they want to make sure the

atmosphere is nice and raucous to make sure everyone gets there plenty of time in a good mood. Leeds should be relatively safe now. They have been in decent form leads apart from the FA Cup semi-finals, so they are a threat. But the other thing is that you potentially have Spurs under pressure there because if West Ham have won

or have taken a point, then Spurs could be back in the relegation zone. If Forrest have won, then that's then fully gone. And it means that the Spurs players have to kind of react under that intense pressure when they will still be, I think, a little bit fragile. So it sets it up perfectly

the fact that that game is the last two of three. And again, I think as well, I think it's not, but these clubs that are now, like your leads in that, who we look at probably safe, Newcastle and that, every position in the Premier League's value is so big that it's, you know,

it's worth something. It could be, you know, a couple of million towards whatever it is. And people say, it's not the Premier League, but it's still big money. If you move three or four places, that's like, you know, six, seven, eight million pounds towards maybe the summer's budget and stuff like that. So there's still a lot to play for these clubs.

For the clubs, Charlie, how much of that money do the players see? Oh, absolutely, they'll see it. They'll see that in terms of bonuses, finishing the league higher up. Staff will maybe on bonuses for positions that they finish in the league as well. So it's all relevant to finishing positions in the Premier League in terms of like what the first team bonuses might be the difference of maybe a million pounds

in terms of finishing from 15th to 12 and up three places. So again, that's probably the added incentive as well. And like I said, that might be spreading amongst staff as well. And so everybody's in it together and that's what the end of the season brings to you. I think as well, you look, there's a big swing of the weekend just gone,

but you look at those two fixtures next week, Chapters, and you're right, obviously, Arsenal play earlier. You know, it's, and you think, sorry, West Ham of Arsenal at home, So you would think on paper, no, we don't play on paper, but you would fancy Arsenal to go there and win. And of course, then Monday night, Tottenham have leads at home. You imagine the dressing room beforehand.

We can go four points clear with two games to go. The mindset, you know, Roy talks about the fans getting in early, the flags, whatever it might be. To go four points clear with two games to go, not saying you're safe, of course you're not, but at the same time, that's a huge gap at this stage. So this weekend was massive. Next weekend could even be bigger.

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All the reaction now from that phenomenal game at Timecastle. Ian Dennis and Pat Nevin, they are, Pat, absolutely exhausted, aren't they? And I'm not talking about the hearts players, I'm talking about the hearts fans. I know, and you're going to say that. They're absolutely right. They are mentally and emotionally done. Absolutely gone. It's all released now.

the singing round here is going on. A scarcely a Maroon and white plaid fan that's left this place yet, they are laughing it up. They had to get rid of Rangers. They've got rid of Rangers now. Rangers are now seven points behind. You can't imagine they're going to catch them now, with only nine points to play for.

So all they've got to do now is sea off Celtic. Before we go any further, there's a game next week we're going to be covering, and Rangers have got to play against Celtic. I think Rangers have swire quite hard than that one. You'll make yourself who don't win it, don't you? Well, do you know, but that's the thing part, isn't it? That's where every...

I mean, this is why this is. If you're not involved in this, this title race is just joyous because there are twists and turns and narratives wherever you look. So the fact that it's the old firm next week with Rangers, you would imagine, crushed that they're out of their title race,

but still having so much to play for in denying... Celtic and Hart and Celtic still have to go to as you have said as Chris Sutton has said as a lot of people have said

both those two teams have to go to the best footballing team in the Scottish Premiership in the moment which is Motherland a joyous thing about that is yeah they're not they're not they want to get the fact a finish as high as they can

but there's a real belief about the people of doing it that's what's been lovely about this Yeah, Haverning, maybe not much to play for. Are they going to walk through the last one again? No, they're not going to do it either. It's been so honest between everyone. And that was Joyce about it.

And I don't know if everyone you've got in the studio there managed to watch the last wee while of that game. And many times in games, you see, it's desperate near the end, but it's not total desperation. Those last five, six, seven, eight minutes of mayhem there. With six seven packs, you're on for hearts.

Balls bobbling about, dumped in, chased, every bit of effort put in there. It's just what you want to see as a fan. Okay, it might not always be the most beautiful. But as a fan, don't you just want to see it? Do you want to live it? And the reaction it's had and the feeling it's had right now, as I speak to you, as you can probably hear in the background, but generally throughout Scottish football this season,

that's the reason why it's been special, because it's kind of been like that a lot of the time. The other thing in Mark is that I can see three different baseball, that just say keep believing, but also now on the advertising hoardings, the message everywhere around this stadium is three to go, believe. And the scenario is, in terms of the permutations for hearts, they've actually benefited now with their goal difference. They've five now goals superior to that of Celtic.

They've got Motherwell away and Falkirk at home. They win those two matches, and I know what you were saying about the test, what will come at Fir Park, but then they would go then into the final game against Celtic. knowing that they just have to avoid defeat because of their superior goal difference. Do you know what, Pat, and I'll bring Charlie and Cher and Rory in in a moment, but you've fulfilled all roles at football clubs. You've been the chief executive of football club. Those little touches, such as little digital, little digital boards,

as Ian has mentioned, at the top of each stairwell, that simply now, as Ian has said, just say three to go believe, that, that's, that, It's a stadium as it should be because they've just beaten rangers. But that's not a nervous stadium now. What brilliant point you make there. There needs to be a connection between the players and the fans, but there needs to be a connection. A little bit higher up the club to understand.

And it's not all just about numbers, about accounts and clever accounting and getting fans online, etc. You need to be able to get the people that are at your ground connect with you and feel that you believe. And fans can smell a fake amelow. Absolutely always can smell fakery. And, you know, there's no doubt that these hats fans are looking at into that boardroom, you know, into the people that are working behind the scenes at the club

and they believe in them. So people often talk about team spirits and football grounds. Yeah, football teams, yeah, team spirit. You know, background stuff, team spirit. See, if you're at team spirit, as you suggest, all the way through and all the way up to the top, that care that way that makes a difference and yeah you're right

that wee difference the fans have they've got that banner up there it's not a fool that they've got the banner up there because they've been listening to what they've been told but I'm sure the manager's told

the owners that is that as well so yeah this is the club that's everybody working together and it shows but when the Brighton owner Tony Bloom at the start of the season after investing in hearts made the prediction

that within the next decade because of the job James Stown analytics recruitment software that Hart's are obviously using now. He said that Hart within the next decade would win the title. Many people scoffed at that, yet they could win it in his first season since he invested. Can I quickly? Well done. The analytics are great.

Don't even know what this fan base is doing as well. And also, sorry, and you said it in commentary part, but Charlie Adams has been watching the whole game here as well. Don't underestimate the technical tweaks of Derek McKinnis as well. No, and I again, I think for, for, hearts. There's been a big issue around the football club for a long time, nearly going administration, Anne Budge saved it, brought the supporters in, has built the football club to the position. And I've been saying it, we've said it for years around Scottish football.

Derek McKinness is due one of the big jobs. Just because of the work he was doing, listen, he was in a big club at Aberdeen. He went, he's done the hard yards, went to Bristol City, never worked, Gundon United, done a brilliant job at Kilmarnet, getting them back from a relegation back up through the player, winning the championship to then consolidating and then getting a big job again at Hart's and he's brought the connection together. Underestimated as a manager and ultimately these results will definitely put them on a high up in the list for, you know, the other clubs but to get them to this moment with three games to go, top of the league, you know, no Hart's fans were adream to this or a friend.

thought this would have ever happened. Charlie, I'd love to say a line about that as well. I've noticed the difference between certain managers that are really, really clever, and some that are too clever by half. You know what I mean by that? You try to do things that are too smart and too smart, I mean, and just

to make themselves look good. Derek makes decisions. When we were talking at half time, I was talking to gotten smart before and I said, look, they've lost the midfield, they need somebody else in there, the two windlers, it's not right, and you're getting past about, right? he just seems immediately does it

he just changes it he just zips it he knows it he gets it but then the adaptations he made throughout the second half into the oldest one in the boot get a bunch of centrebacks on there and just get them back there so he's not proud enough

there's no pride there I will do whatever is needed and the right thing it's not about looking smart will there be stumbles or will it go down to Celtic Park on the final day with Celtic trying to score a hatful

I think there will be stumbles but you're right It still will do that. You know, there are twists and turns in it. It's so tight and with the quality of teams against each other this season that, you know, there was no expectation that all the teams at the top are going to win all the way to the end. So, you know, we're not surprised about it this season.

I kind of hope it all goes to the last day. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if... I know Rangers are a long way away, but they might even have the odd sniff in, you know, if something weird happens, you'd never, never know. but you know I do hope I dearly hope that even if it means Celtic after you win that bunch of by a number of goals I kind of hope it does go to that last day

because this season in Scotland's deserved that because of you know the qualities of the players the quality of the managers the fact that the fans have bought into it in such a brilliant way and what a great end to the season it would be for Scottish football well it's not really the end is it let's be fair we've got something else to look forward to you know I know you've got Scotland against

80 at 3 o'clock in the morning when we're underway. It won't be 3 o'clock in the morning where I am. Two, I think, no, it won't be. It'll be a very civilised time in the evening where you are watching that. Let me give you what lots of people have been saying here about this game. So at the end of the first half, Chris Boyd on Sky said, former Rangers striker, of course, Rangers have swaggered into town and shown they're a top team.

Hearts can't get near them. Hearts look like a man down and that's how good Rangers have been. What did he say after? know that I haven't heard much as I want to hear what he says after. I haven't heard what he said after. But the former Rangers midfielder, Kevin Thompson said at the end of the second or during the second half, I can't believe how Rangers have played in the second half after being brilliant in the first.

Derek McKinness made one change at halftime to try and nullify the Rangers three in midfield and Rangers haven't got the answers to deal with it. Mark Leonard then told BBC Scotland the Harts player. I thought Spittl coming on at half time was excellent. It got us back in the game. We managed to get a foothold in it. It's a true team performance. It's amazing.

What a feeling. What a club. I'm just honoured to be part of it at the moment. And then the final point, Pat, which I'll come to you on, which is Ryan Stevenson, former Hearts Forward on BBC Sports Sound, said the atmosphere at the end is just unbelievable. Honestly, unbelievable. McKinness at half time, he had to have the biggest team talk of his managerial career,

and he got it right. And actually, you were saying that towards his. the end of the first half that he had to get that message in the dressing room right in calming them down yeah and get it right and it was odd because it wasn't a up and at them and going play even faster and harder it was something to be more intelligent about the way you play he also had to adapt the tactics and you know sometimes you overdo the tactical chat but in actual fact it was pretty clear where the problem was and he made the right change and many managers you know you've you've got many options on your bench and got to make the right

when the first battle was the right one. Freed up absolutely everything else. So yeah, he said the right things. He's quite clearly massive respect in the game. You know, any players, we've got a number of people like Davy Moyes and Stevie Clark and Derek himself. You know, they've just got respect to players because they're straight and they're honest with them. And players react to that.

They always react to that. So he did the right things. And then he had to then adapt and change it two or three times again during the second half. It's very, very, very impressive. Thank you, Pat. Thank you, Ian. Final day of the season in the Scottish Premiership, the 16th of May, which is the same day as the FAA Cup final.

But the final games in Scotland kick off at 1230. So that will be some Saturday here on Five Live. And then the FAA Cup final kicks off at 3 o'clock. Thank you very much, all three of you, Rory, Shea, Charlie. What an evening. Five Live Sports BBC Women's Football Weekly The latest news, insights and analysis

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