Football Daily - MNC: Man City’s comeback & Howe under heat?

Episode Date: February 9, 2026

Mark Chapman talks Premier League with Chris Sutton, The Observer’s Rory Smith and Shay Given. Get their thoughts on how Manchester City’s win at Liverpool could be pivotal in the title race. Do Newcastle’s problems go beyond Eddie Howe? Burnley are in bother – hear from Scott Parker and fan Natalie from the No Nay Never podcast. Brighton’s transfers come under scrutiny, what next for Jack Grealish after his surgery, and Chris gets a complimentary email! Emails to [e-mail] 01:00 Man City’s dramatic comeback win at Anfield, 05:05 Does this fix Man City’s vulnerability? 10:05 Has Haaland’s role changed? 13:40 How good is Donnarumma? 22:30 The disallowed goal – right decision? 29:40 Howe do you solve Newcastle’s problems? 43:40 Burnley in bother, 54:10 Baffling decisions at Brighton & Hove, 59:30 Complimentary email about Chris! 01:01:00 What happens next with Grealish?5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Fri 1945 Hull v Chelsea, Sat 1215 Burton v West Ham, Sat 1745 Villa v Newcastle, Sat 2000 Liverpool v Brighton, Sun 1200 Birmingham v Leeds, Sun 1330 Grimsby v Wolves, Sun 1630 Rangers v Hearts, Mon 1930 Macclesfield v Brentford.

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You can get in touch with us. MNC at BBC.co.uk. If you're watching on the eye player on the BBC Sport YouTube channel, you will see immediately that Chris's experiment with his brand new shiny camera has lasted precisely one week. And now we're back to seeing you full face on rather than down your. here. Yeah, but there is a plan to get both things right eventually. Whether I'm still working at the BBC when that plan may come into fruition, who knows?

There is a plan. Just to do well. In my experience of getting things fixed at the BBC, that will be probably about seven years and two months. You're right. Let's start with Manchester City's dramatic comeback win at Amfield, as a former Manchester City player Shea, which are very keen to point out now

that Newcastle are out of the Carabar Cup final and you're desperate for work around that weekend. So how big a win was that? Yeah, massive. Forget my Manchester City ties for a second. I think for all neutrals up and down the country, not Arsenal fans, of course, won't thank me, but I think for the title race and for the nervousness, the excitement, the journey,

the pressure obviously that's put back onto my arsenal. but I know there's still six points clear. They're still in a comfortable position, but the psychology of Man City turning that round from a deficit and coming back and actually won in the game. And I just think it was great for the league, if I'm being brutally honest,

that there's going to be real jeopardy and pressure and, you know, obviously, Fergie Femus, he calls it squeaky bum time, there's going to be a bit of a... It feels like a real title race, you know, Arsenal have on their hands in because if they had to drop, you know, a couple of points or even three points yesterday,

then, you know, Arsenal, I think, would be very, very difficult to catch and Arsenal's still got to go to the Etihad as well which is a huge game as well so I think it's let's just say great for the Premier League chapters Having been in title races then Chris

having chased having been chased psychologically which is the most important winning at Anfield or winning in the manner that they won or both I think both I mean just because winning at Anfield clearly hasn't been easy for

Manchester City you know over the last, however many years. They won in COVID season. I don't know whether we're allowed to count COVID season, are we? Well, I suppose we can. Some people don't want to, but it is still valid

and the league title was given out. I never massively understand why people asterisk that. But anyhow, there we are. I don't know, people like Rory, I suspect. But I don't know where you're looking like that, Rory. Was it 2003 the last time? So that record was sort of, you know, hanging, hanging around sort of Pep's neck.

And then in the way that they did it late on, and I didn't think Sidney were brilliant. I thought they had the better of the first half. I thought Liverpool was so dominant in the second half when they scored. I couldn't see, you know, Sidney getting anything out of the game. But it's about finding a way. And you can just imagine being an Arsenal player, you know, sat at home watching the game thinking, Blimey, you know, this is working out brilliantly. It's a little bit like Shea said, and then all of a sudden you think, well, okay,

Sydney have equalised, that's all right. You know, we'll take that. It's not too bad. And then Sydney, you know, find a way to win it. And it's one of those. And everything, I think it's been said before, so there's nothing new. But in many respects, the way Sydney have played this season and they had the three draws at the start of January dropping points, you think, how are Arsenal not out of sight,

but they're not? And I think Arsenal have got some tricky away games coming. City have got a couple of home games coming up where you think, if Arsenal drop anything else, then psychologically, you know, these things can and do start to take their toll.

Yeah, I think what She said is really important. It's the fact that they still have to go to the Etihad. I think it's really significant. It does feel as though it's been Arsenal's title to kind of claim for quite a long time. And Chris is right, they haven't quite done that.

Not really had any bad results, but they haven't quite been able to punish City when they've dropped points. and because it's a six-point lead which is Arsenal losing a single game and then they have to go to the Etihad, that does make it kind of a genuine title race which is, as She said, it's good for the lead.

You know, if it was nine points at this stage, it would be a little bit of getting towards a procession. I'm sure Arsenal fans would still be nervous. But the fact you still have that jeopardy is encouraging. And City, as much as they haven't been that impressive for vast stretches of the season, as much as they're clearly not quite as all-contrined as they were in their pomp under Guadiola.

They do have big individuals who can produce big performances. They just keep following a pattern though at the moment, Shea, don't they? And I appreciate they came back and won in the second half here. But having strong first halves and then really struggling in the second.

And they were the first goals they've scored in the second half of a game in 2026. So it's not a problem that has immediately being fixed by them scoring too late on yesterday? No, but I think getting Gehi through the door was a huge thing. Diaz backed maybe yesterday as well from injury.

I think they could be key players. I mean, Don Aruma, the save as well was phenomenal at the end. I think that was obviously we spoke on here numerous times about Trafford and his situation, but if you're looking at the save, you know, is that the save that could possibly tilt the title Man City's way? It's an unbelievable save in the last minute from Donoruma. It really is. But yeah, that's a worry, obviously. defensive still conceding too many goals

but I'd like to think the day it's showed up I mean Rodry as well we don't think it's up to full speed yet but it feels like as every week goes by he's getting a wee bit better a bit fitter about you know reading the game better and things like that so there is a lot of things coming together for Manchester

but I think Gehie is a really you know obviously got him really cheap in the grand scheme of current climate as well but I just think the calmness he brings at the back you know as an ex-gokeeper like to have him in front of he is just is a real so you don't think there's a vulnerability about

them still? I suppose there is a little bit I mean the points after January was a terrible month for Manchester City you know conceding goals not getting too many draws losing de manion edded

and all that kind of stuff so there's still fragilities that maybe we haven't seen off a Man City team in the past perhaps but I think Rory's right they've still got the armoury I think to go in a crazy run now

to the end of season and be unbeaten and all that so I still think they can pull that together and I also think the belief you think they can go on beat until the end of the season well in the Premier League. They've got that strength

and it's not that big of a shock statement to say that, Chapparge, you've looked at me as if I've said that, Wills are going to get out of trouble here. This is a team that's been there before and done it. And again, I think the manner you mentioned yourself, the manner in which they won the game yesterday, you know, the

psychological sort of, even the players coming off that pitch yesterday they had they've lost at Anfield, it's human nature to go, we've lost the leagues, the league's gone. But it's actually the absolute opposite that has happened. They've gone, this is this is ours for the take and Hallen steps up in injury time

slots that penalty away and a belief runs through the whole football club and the fans and runs through everyone goes do you know what we've still got a great chance and again that'll give them a huge lift with this running

I suppose sticking up for Mark sort of you know that's a first his shock at you saying that Manchester City can go on one of these runs it was a question it was a question

but people listening in the car can see the facials he's pulling when I said that do you know what I mean? The can on the island player and in the YouTube channel and it was a very unemotional. They should not be doing that while they're driving a car, Chapman. No, they should have.

No, that's very true. They're getting me into trouble. It was just a very unemotional. If you're watching while you're driving a car, please stop. We could say that very clearly. It was a very unemotional, blank face, which I specialize in. Yeah. Chapas, I agree with you.

I don't think City. I take Shea's point. You just butt in. You just, just, you just put it in head of me. I was going to carry on. I'll come back. I'll come back. You go.

I don't think, Chris, that City can put a run together like they did in the years when it was them in Liverpool. I don't think they can win 10 in a row. What do you think, Chris? I don't think Sydney can put a run together as well just for the reason. Just from what we've seen this season, you know, the optics, the inconsistency of performance.

I suppose, you know, there may be something in there of many players in that team who have been there and done it, but because we don't feel that City have that same control and power as they have done in previous seasons, it doesn't feel likely, which is why I would still make Arsenal very, very strong favourites. I think according to Mark's beloved opt-a-supercomputer,

they have a 90% chance of winning the title, Arsenal. But I think the question is, would City need to go on that sort of run? Because Arsenal, as we've said, in the last few weeks, Arsenal have also dropped points. They've not done it by having kind of spectacular implosion, but there's been a couple of draws here and there.

And as long as City are sort of... And they bounce back from that. Winning incredibly well at Ellen Road, which has been a tricky ground for most teams to go to. And then at the weekend, you know, comfortable again. Yeah, it's something really, really impressive. But if City aren't capable of putting that sort of run together, I would question whether Arsenal are likely to win eight, nine games in a row

either. City may not need that sort of run. I think that it's a lead where points will be dropped. Not many. Arsenal might, you know, if they draw a job. game and then they still have the spectra of the Etter had. It just gives City a little glimmer of hope and it gives a little bit of psychological pressure to Arsenal and at this stage in the season that that's

significant I think. Do you think Rory from what you've seen recently that how City have been setting up has changed Harlan's role slightly? Wayne Rooney did this on match of the day last night and looked at his overall performance. and it did seem that he was involved in the buildup a little bit more. Yeah, it looks like they've tweaked something. Well, it looks like something slightly different. Whether they've tweaked it deliberately and Guadiola said,

right, you need to try to take up different positions, or whether it's just that Harland, because he's not been as involved, there haven't been the chances coming to him in the same way as, in the same volume as you maybe expect. Maybe he naturally goes searching for the ball a little bit more. But he does seem to have, I mean, I think the idea that his old round game wasn't very good was always probably based on a wrong assumption. But he does seem to be more involved in buildup.

He seems to be kind of acting less just as the spearhead and more as a kind of part of the collective, I think. But whether it's through design by Guadiola, we tend to assume everything's by design through Guadiola. But it could be that, or it could just be that because he's being more detached from the play, he naturally wants to go and look for the ball of it. As I say, Wayne Rini did the analysis on him last night

and talked about, whether it was a little bit kind of positionally, but also whether some of the runs he wasn't making were down to a lack of confidence because he's, you know, been going through a bad spell. Wayne didn't have many bad spells, so he couldn't then offer much insight in that. So I'll come to you.

When you watch it then, is it a lack? Yeah. Oh, that whole of that was just to do that one joke. It's just awful. Did you plan that earlier today? No, it just came into my head. Anyhow, is it a mixture of both, do you think? Is it a bit of confidence and a bit of slightly different positions?

Maybe it's a bit like Rory said that Erling Harland is a better footballer than what people give him credit for. He is just not all about goals. It's not just a goal machine. And maybe the fact, I don't know, there may be something like, you know, Mamush playing is a different type of playing. to, you know, a lot of the other Manchester City players and that he's a natural centre forward

so he knows he's going to run him behind. So there's that understanding when he does come short. Then, you know, he can slide balls through. So maybe it's, you know, all those, all those things. I think, you know, people talk about the early chance when Bernardo Silver slipped him in. I actually think Kerk has got back and did enough to put him off. I didn't think that was necessarily a bad miss.

There's no doubt that, you know, maybe he's had a little dip in terms of confidence. when I think back to the chance he missed at Tottenham when he went through and should have had that lob opportunity and should have scored he normally would have done. But, you know, did anybody feel that he was going to miss that penalty when it came along? You know, normally you watch players, you look at players and you think, blind me, he has to wait a long time to take this penalty

and Zobber's lie was trying to get into his head. And I know his missed penalties in the past, but you just, you know, it's a bit like, you know, sherry. You just back him. you know he's going to do it. So I don't think there's an awful lot of things wrong with Erling Harland and his game. I just think that at this moment in time, because he's maybe had a slight dip, we are looking for things which have never really been there.

At the other end, is Dona Romma the best goalkeeper in the Premier League? Is he the best goalkeeper in Europe? How far would you go, Shea? Oh, he's up there. I mean, we spoke about this before to me, the topic about, when he came on the market that it was too good of an opportunity I think from Manchester City

he turned down because you think of Donnarum of what he's done obviously won the Euros for his country won Champions League obviously leagues in Paris San Jamano have you all these trophies and you think I must be getting on a bit but he's 26 years of age

you know he could be there for another 10 years he's in his absolute prime he's in his pomp and again the save I come back to it already mentioned the save at the end I mean that's a lot of goalkeepers would have struggled to keep that out took a bit of a deflection on the way through and everything

and he's full length body if even even Pep Cordillo had done a demo save I think on the touch lane. So what is it about him saving that? I think he's got a real... Impresses you. Joe Hart, Lasat was talking about footwork. That's what you all your goalkeepers talk about

footwork and what. Well, he has to have that, but the size of the man as well, I think the presence that some goalkeepers don't have, he's got that. I just don't mean that by size. I mean personality on the pitch, a calmness. maybe some things people would argue he's not that calm when it comes to high balls into the box

because he gets involved and stuff he shouldn't perhaps sometimes but I just think you see the reaction of his teammates they didn't think he was saving that there was no sort of one of them saves chappers you'd make and you think I don't even know how I've saved it myself and I think that was the reaction even not from himself

he was celebrating they go I can't believe it kept that out but the importance of it as much as anything you know he's I'm looking thinking up and down the league you know the lads have probably straightened you out here but who's a better goalkeeper in the Premier League at the minute David Raya, obviously they're sitting top of the league, perhaps. But we've not seen enough of, we've not seen enough for Donoruma, really,

week and week out in this league, I would say so. Raya's the only one who'd come close, I think, but who would you rather have in Dole, Donaruma or Raya? In a really high-pressure game, you'd go for Donoruma. I think in Europe, the only one who, who is actually weirdly overlooked in these conversations is Corsua. He's the only other one that you'd say. He doesn't overlook himself, does he, but.

No, I don't think he'll court to be short on self-confidence, but not should he be shea. He's a very good goalkeeper. You know, Alison's not in great football. to Stadeon, the injuries are trying to done for him. I think it's probably those two now. It's Cautoir and Dona Ruma

as the best in the world. Why would you have Dona Ruma over Raya based on this season? Just sheer size. I just think that your team should have as many big people in it as possible and he is amongst the biggest. And he has an ability,

Ryan is a fantastic goalkeeper. I think Dona Ruma feels more secure to me as someone who is not a goalkeeper and can't go into it. What about with his feet? Is he as good as rye with his feet, which is important in the modern game, isn't it? No, he's less important now.

No, he's not as good as right with his feet, but he's less important than it was. Can I just ask a question on that? Again, with a completely blank face, not suggesting one way or the other. Has he made a mistake with his feet this season, Chris? Because I constantly hear about him not being good with his feet. And then I'm thinking, has he cost them anything with his? not got, Shea should know stuff like this as a goalkeeper, all the stats. He looks a little bit clunky, doesn't he?

It's fair to say, slightly ungainly. And, you know, he came with the reputation. But that's a fair point, but he came with the reputation that he wasn't great. Can I just say, was that not why Louis Enrique got rid of it? He's improved a lot. And I think probably the first couple of weeks, I think his first game actually was at the Manchester Arby, just watching. And he clip one out to the fullback and Pep jumped off off the bench and started clapping it

if it was like Prime Edison putting someone through in a 1v1. It was a simple pass over the right forward to the fullback. But I think it was a message from Peptigo. He can play with his feet. And I would say a huge improvement of him with the ball of his feet in the last month or two. I really would because I think the players are shown for it more. But don't get me wrong.

He's not David Ryan. He's not Edison with the ball of his feet. But he makes some big, big saves. But we're all culpable here, aren't we? We hear something or the theory gets out there. And then we all say it, All of us, I'm including myself, Chris, as you snarl. We all say it, but where's the evidence?

I would regard myself as being absolutely beyond reproach chappers in every way. But no, I think that is absolutely right, that he came with a reputation of not being good with his feet. Because, like Chris says, he does look clunky. He's not got that sort of smooth, graceful movement that Edison had or that David Raya had. But I think the bigger thing is that Edison was a special weapon, effectively. there's no goalkeeper who I've ever seen who can play those balls that accurately in that flat.

Edison's the only player I've ever seen capable of that. And you do have certain goalkeepers whose distribution becomes an attacking weapon. And that is, you know, Alison's had a moment like that. Tashadum was like that for a little while. Manuel Noyer. They could all play those passes, not as well as Edison.

But most goalkeepers can't and most goalkeepers don't have to because the job of being a goalkeeper is not just about can you distribute it with your fee. It was a really interesting piece in the Sunday time. or the times about kind of the emphasis on set pieces is now encouraging teams to look for larger goalkeepers,

which sounds reductive, but is true. Because it's much more important to have someone who can compete in that kind of melee in the box than have a player who's a bit neater with the ball at their feet unless they've got something like Edison. If there are a difference maker like Edison, it's fine. If it's just someone who's good in possession,

PSG are a great example. They got rid of Donna Rummer, who was clunky with the ball at his feet and replaced him with Lucas Chevalier, who's a much worse goalkeeper and they don't look as secure because... And he was on the bench

in the last Champions League game. Yeah, they've dropped him for the Russian goalkeeper. Yeah, Saffinov. The... Shevalier's great with his feet. He's not as good as Edison's. He's not a difference maker. But he's just not as good

as goalkeeper as Donna Rummer. But it's interesting Roy that Pep's gone full circle it feels in that department in a sense we speak about Joe Hart, brilliant goalkeeper, but never really give him an opportunity to show how good with the ball his feet.

And now he's gone well I'm sort of giving up a bit of that. I'm actually, I want a goalkeeper that keeps the ball of the net. And I think people shouldn't forget that's your job, first and foremost, is stop the ball going into the net. What would you sign? What would you sign if you were a sporting director of a Premier League club now looking for a goalkeeper?

Me? You'd sign yourself? What? Well, I wouldn't mind, yeah. How very modest, do you? Might not pass a fitness test, but... As in, as in, what would be... What would be the top of your priority list?

Well, we talk about going back to Pepe. We talk about Pepi. He's transformed the Premier League. He's transformed teams up and down in the country, not just in the Premier League, of how they play out from the back and play through the thirds. And, you know, he's put this stamp on football in general.

And he's actually took a step back and gone, do you know what? Well, I'm going to go with Don Romo. Who would I pick? I would pick someone ideally who's good, we both personally. But at the same time, if it was in the choice between brilliant,

brilliant and keeping the ball in it, brilliant and crossing and stuff, and not so good with the ball of his feet. then I would go with him all day because he's the difference and I think if you're winning the league you want someone who makes big difference big saves and key moments.

Can I just ask Roy? Did you say that people are actively looking for bigger goalkeepers now, Rory? That was the thesis in the time. When was, well when was the switch and where has this come from? So with regards to Shea, who wasn't the biggest, I mean nowadays, would that be Shea given push to one side?

Jordan Pickford? One breath he said that he just mentioned David, Raya was better than Dona Ruma, who's not the biggest goalkeeper either, so do you know what I mean? I didn't say that. I didn't say David Rai was better than Donneruma. I said it better with his feet than Dona Ruma. So if you had to pick one, would you pick Doneruma or Raya if you had a choice? Dona Rummer.

Because I think, I think for two reasons. Did you bet the times? The way you can interpret, the way you can interpret. Did he write this article? Pep going for Don't, I'm just going to ignore you both. The way you can interpret Pep going for Donna Ruma is either that Pepp has decided and the way the city of a plane has changed, that he's decided to go a little bit more direct. He doesn't want to have quite as much possession.

He's happier to be a little bit longer in his approach play, which is fine. That's the style of the lead. Or you look at it, he's Robin Van Percy. He is the, I want to win a lead title in my last one or two years in English football. Who is the best player I can get, who will add as many points as possible to my tally. It's Gigi Donnaruma. I think the idea in the times, I think it was Jonathan Northcroft who wrote the piece, but I might be wrong, was that because there are so many more aerial balls going in,

now need height in a goalkeeper in a way that wasn't as relevant a few years ago when most teams played on the floor with inverted winners and all that stuff. And I think that does make sense that it feels to me like the league as a whole is getting taller because there's much more aerial play at the moment. Final thing on Liverpool, Manchester City, the goal that was disallowed at the end? Do a full show on this? What for you is the right, not the right decision by the law, or with VAR, but the right decision for football, Chris?

It was the right decision and the right decision for football because I was listening on the radio. Okay, so obviously on the radio, you can't see it. I think it was really important to see it after, okay, because Zobazly would have got back and cleared the ball. So, but he, of course, made the pull on Harland, who would have scored. But it's the knock-on effect.

in terms of goal difference, which, I mean, I've lost a league on goal difference. And teams coming up to play, you know, Liverpool. Sunderland next. I mean, you'd rather not have Zobber's lie playing against you. So, you know, listening to it, it was, you know, it was chaotic and, you know, it was a really good listen. But watching it back, I think they came to the right call.

And seeing everybody get that angry, about it. When you actually sort of see it in the logical process which you know the decision was made I sort of yeah. So it was okay. You're happy you're more than comfortable that football in 2026 see someone

sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity when a goal has been scored. Well denying a goal scoring opportunity. That's what he was sent off for, yeah. Yeah, that's what he was. But yeah, but that

after the ball ended up in the back of the out like that. You're just, you know, you're sort of using that phrase to try and bury me, but that's not the way. It's but harsh. It's not. It's, it was, it was to the, and it doesn't have to be to the letter of the law. It, uh, it, uh, it was, you know, it was the right call because of, the impact. Imagine. Imagine, you know, had the goal been given and, uh, imagine, uh, and then further down the line. Imagine the goals, the goals given. And, uh, uh, as, uh, uh, as, uh, uh, uh, uh, and, uh, and you know, and Manchester City win the league by a goal at the end of the season. They could lose the league by a goal.

They could lose the league by a goal. It's right. So Chris is behind the decision, Shea. Well, there's a couple of arguments here because Sobisly, in my opinion, would not have been able to clear the ball. Had he had not pulled Hallen back on the age of the box because Hallen had a head, he was ahead of him and he wouldn't have got back in. So Sabaslai's only option was to pull him back at that point. And then Halle nearly gave it up at that stage because he's pulled back. he's lost momentum with his sprint.

And the only reason Sabaslai, in my opinion, would have go back to the line he cleared is because he's pulled him back and held them back. So by the letter, all Chris is right. We're all saying that, like, you know what I mean? But at the same time, has common sense left the Premier League in a sense.

Liverpool don't want Sabaslai missing for the next game. Nobody does. And common sense, the referee on-field decision was goal. The on-field decision was goal. So we're all, we're honey every week going, let the referee, ref, let the referee do this. Only if it's clear and obvious, get involved, blah, blah, blah.

We can't come on this week and go, well, you know, the referee got it wrong on pitch, so VR had to get involved. They send the player off in the last minute. I don't know. I know the letter of the law, and I know he's done it by the book, but it just feels like there's no common sense

ever allowed in the game of football anymore. And sometimes, you know, the fans are angry about VR and not city fans, whatever, but even Liverpool fans now. I don't think there's any winner, is there, in that situation? Can you imagine if that had happened at 1-0? I mean, that goodness happened at 2-1 in some ways.

If that had happened at 1-all. I would quibble with that, because I think if it was 1-all, Alison wouldn't have gone up for the corner. I think it has to be at 2-1. There's always something. It's true. All right.

It's a really weird circumstance. To be honest, it's a perfect example of what football's done to itself, of a self-inflicted crime to allow this technocratic nonsense. No one's disputing it by the letter of the law that that was the correct decision. decision, but there has to be some understanding that the thing we are watching, which is an entertainment product, which is a thing that we all have to, we kind of decide what rules

make sense to us as fans, as consumers, as people who watch and love football, there's always been this debate about you, we want consistency and common sense. That is why you can't have both. You have to choose. And football has chosen this technocratic, quite pedantic consistency that makes no sense for what the game is meant to be. It was an act of anti-football to disallow that goal. You said it wasn't entertaining.

It was entertaining. It was more than entertaining. No, it was brilliant entertainment, Chris. I'm not disputing that. I'm not saying it's not entertaining. I'm saying that as fans, we all have to buy into what's happening. No, no, I've said it's an entertainment product. It is a thing that we...

And that was entertaining? Yes, but it didn't make sense to anybody watching it, Chris. Because the vast majority of people are taking the same view as us, which is, yes, by the letter of the law, that is what had to happen. The law is stupid. That is the way that people have interpreted that. So we just say, now, bend the rules.

Ben the rules. No, no, no. Football has to think. It suits, yeah. These laws were written in 1888. Chapas, was I listening on the radio on the way to Old Trafford when you said about the handball rule? Was that you? Or did I dream?

Are you talking to me in my dreams again? It could be either. I don't, what was it in relation to? The handball rule or law, I really think that you change the name from laws. I think it makes them far more potent. and ominous and pretentious than they need to be. The handball guideline, it used to be seven sentences, and it's now 200 or something.

Oh, that's probably right, yeah, yeah. They've had to change it so much, just of the technology that's available. The rules were not written to be administered in this much scrutiny, and football has to confront that, because what they're doing, and we saw it at Anfield, is they are walking themselves in circles to a point where what you see on the pitch

does not make sense to the people who matter the most, who are the fans. Just in all the pedantry, Rory, that we were talking about, a Liverpool fan in my ear said that Alison did go up for a corner at West Brom when the scores were level. Oh, that's a fair point, yeah. Okay. Just to clear report, every bit of pedant. Yeah, just so.

It's still, I think it's a relatively unusual certain. Hello, this is Matt Chawley's urgent questions, your daily dose of political mayhem from the heart of Westminster. Order, order, I call Matt Chawley. I'm a supporter of flags. It turns out time is finite. Government doesn't want to be involved in this. I do not think the candidates are frivolous.

Match or lease. Urgent questions. Subscribe to the podcast and you'll get the best bits every day from around 5 o'clock. Listen on BBC Sounds. This is the Monday nightclub with Mark Chapman. On the Football Daily podcast. Three Premier League managers really feeling the pressure at the moment. Scott Parker and Fabian Hertzler,

to come but we'll start with Eddie Howe, booed off the pitch after losing 3-2 at home to Brentford on Saturday tea time. Newcastle fan peak got in touch with us and you can as well, MNC at BBC.co.com.uk or 85058 and he said

this feels like the beginning of the end. There is staleness and dreadful body language. Bruno Gimaresh was right to call this a mess a few months ago before being called out by his manager. A tactical approach that has outlived its welcome and loyalty to some that has been many a coach as Achilles heel

it feels a change is just around the corner what do you make of that Shay? Strong yeah surprises me I know there's a bit unrest of course because of the results

have been so inconsistent and Eddie's not shied away from the fact that the results have been up and down and they can't seem to string a run of you know form together at all I mean the Champions League's been relatively successful successful and you would imagine Carabag in the knockout stage they would go

through over two legs but again the Premier League I think you know the ownership was brought in to challenge at the very top every season and I mean by that is at least qualifying for Champions League every season so if you look at their league position at the minute then it's

it's 12, 33 points whatever it is so it's a long way from fourth or fifth whatever the top four or five is at the end of the season to try and make up that ground and sitting here tonight you would think that's going to be a major struggle to get back in the Champions League football this season. So again, you know, to attract the players

and the PSR and all the different financial sort of restraints on the club, you know, they have to be really getting into the Champions League every season. But I'm surprised, you know, after, you know, 70 years of sort of domestic hurt last season, he brought a trophy out of the North East, which at one stage when I played there for 12 years

thought the club was jinx because we just could never get over the line and he's brought that trophy. And again, he's got Champions League football this season, obviously, for the second time. in three years. There's lots of pluses in the first time in the history that the club's ever been to a knockout stage of a Champions League as well. So there's lots of positives

and if you took a step back from the example Brentford at the weekend. And it's frustrating that, you know, that I think Alan got a spot on actually on, and I've thrown him under the bus on Saturday night and match today. He said that the recruitment in the summer, you know, they spent a lot of money and you have to

say the owners have backed Eddie in the summer, but especially in forward areas they've really, really struggled with the recruitment in the summer and neither. Not a lot of them players have brought a lot to the party at the minute. Pete says staleness. Luke Edwards in the telegraph said it will be catastrophic if militant

Newcastle fans force out a great manager. Like how Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson left us for supporters agitated for change the result was a precipitous decline. It cannot happen again. Rory. I mean I don't think it will be the case that the

supporters force Eddie Howe. I'm not sure that Eddie Howe is the, is the cause of all of the issues at Newcastle. I think from the outside, you know, fans are the people who watch their team most religiously. So I wouldn't hope to have seen every minute of Newcastle this season. But my sense is that the way Newcastle, Eddie Howe's Newcastle play when they're at their best, is not a thing you can do when you are also in the Champions League. There's this really obvious rhythm to Newcastle's problems that when they're in the Champions League, they eventually, run out of that intensity that makes them so special when they're not in the Champions League, if you see what I mean? When they are just playing once a week in the

domestic cups, they can sustain that. When they throw in those extra 8, 10, 12, 14 games in the season, plus a decent run to the semi-fathers of the Carabelle. It's really hard. And they seem to have hit that same wall again that they did two years ago. I think it's probably a failing of Eddie Howes, a shortcoming of Eddie Howes that he's not being able to find like a way around that to make them a bit more sustainable. But I think the sense of stagnation, the frustration that the fans are starting to direct towards Howell is partly results.

It's partly the recruitment wasn't great in the summer. And it's partly the general stagnation around the club, which is not to do with him. It's to do with the ownership. Because if Rory says you can't play like Newcastle can play with Champions League football as well, Chris, there will be plenty of will say, well, you can't play how.

Newcastle play with the players that they brought in in the summer? Yeah, and I get all those things. The one thing which really, I mean, I think football's gone crazy now, I do, because this is the first sort of really indifferent spell Eddie Howe's had as manager. And when you go, I mean, I don't really use the phrase, be careful what you wish for to Newcastle fans, when you go back and look what he came into and what he took, took over. And I know subsequently, you know, Newcastle, you know, supposed to be the richest club in the world, but, you know, the PSR thing has, has no doubt affected them. But, you know,

he took over a side who could have got relegated, gets him 11th place, gets them to a fourth place finish, seventh place finish, fifth place finish. I mean, that's, that's amazing in itself. You add the league cup onto that. Then this season, all right, hasn't gone as well as they would have like Newcastle aren't going to go down this season, but a league cup semi-final, you know, Champions League progress. He's had a lot of injuries to contend with. So the way that Newcastle have had to try and stay on the right side of the PSR

hasn't helped Eddie Howe. And then you go to the east. They spent over 200 million in the summer. Yeah, they did. But then when you think what they lost in terms of Alexander, ESAC and all the shenanigans at the start of the season, that had an impact. And a large part of that 200 million was Voltemada and Visser and Wissus taken a hell of a long time. He came injured, didn't he?

And he's still not up to speed yet. And Walter Mada was never a direct replacement for ESAC. They don't play the same way. That has had a massive impact on the team in the way Eddie Howard. And that Chris, and that Chris was sort of the point of the question was to say, I know PSR gets thrown around and I know it meant that's why they sell Deli Anderson a couple of years ago and so on and so forth

and I do understand that the rules can restrict clubs with newer richer owners okay so I take all of that into account but it's their recruitment at the moment that has done for them isn't it? Yeah yeah probably and that's where he needed a bit of you know a bit of luck

and maybe a bit of help but I can't I can't stand what football is becoming when you actually, I'm repeating myself now, when you look at the job which he has done, where Newcastle were before them, I think when they got up to the Premier League, three seasons, 13th, 12th and 12th, in a relegation battle when Eddie Howe took over, right? So Eddie Howe, Newcastle where? They're 12th now, and it's a disaster, Newcastle fans, or some Newcastle fans are seemingly saying.

And this is his first. What about having a bit of faith in a manager who sort of built the club back up and he needs a bit of support and a bit of help now? I just think there's football has got so short term now. And it's not just Eddie Howe as a manager, but it's all about instant success. And if you can't maintain that, then we'll change. But I think, you know, Eddie Howe Newcastle fans need to have patience.

They need to understand that the squad is stretched this season. and cut him a bit of slack. I mean, Chase said, you know, was it 56 years, whatever it was, you know,

for Newka, was it, 56 years, their first time, they won a cup or something like that. It was 70 domestic years, yeah.

I mean, that's, that's amazing in itself. So I just, I don't know what the world is coming to with regards to the way that managers are sort of viewed now.

And if, you know, the first sign of, first sign of trouble, oh, get him out, get someone else in. What's a new voice going to do at this stage of the season to Newcast? If they want him out now, you know, January's gone.

Well, you know, what's a new manager going to come in and change? I don't get it. Tomorrow's games, horrible, isn't it, Shay? Spurs Newcastle. Yeah, it's a tough one. I mean, I think Newcastle have had two wins away from home all season out of 12. I think it is. It's not very good for Newcastle.

I point of view, you'd bounce back after a, you know, a big day. defeated the weekend at Brentford at home. The next four games actually is away for Newcastle, which doesn't bode well here for building it back up again. But I suppose you look at Tottenham in the position they're in the league. They're not pulling up trees in it. And I just look at the table, and maybe Tottenham fans won't appreciate this.

But, you know, there are only six points, was it above the relegation zone? So they're not flying either. So it's interesting to see how tomorrow night it's hard to even call. You're asking me how it's going to go tomorrow. I don't really know. If Newcastle turn up like they did in the first half at Anfield, then they've got a great chance.

if they turn up like they did maybe in the first half of against Brentford, then they'll probably struggle. Doesn't the, everything with Newcastle Rory, does it not come back to the summer and maybe the ownership here, really, which was they operated this summer without a sporting director, that's right, isn't it? Without a CEO, I think, if memory serves me right. All of that was on Eddie Howe,

and they were trying to deal with the Alexander Isak situation. And also, I've read a comprehensive. of articles on this week as well. There's a sort of, all of a sudden there's a slight question mark on the direction that sports or clubs linked with Saudi investment are going in. And that may be live. It might be Ronaldo and the Saudi Premier League. You can throw Newcastle in there.

You can throw an esports Olympics that I think is not going to take place in Saudi. Now, they're in a perfect, or they were in the summer in a perfect storm. Yeah, so I think there's two separate things and one is maybe more important than the other. The EZAC thing, this is not going to make me popular in lots of port cities. I don't think anybody involved with the EZAC thing played that well, and I don't think anyone has come out of it well.

I think it's terrible for EZAC's reputation and even before the injury, which obviously is really unfortunate, has cost him a season and it will probably cost him a World Cup. I think Liverpool, you can make a very strong case, shouldn't have spent 125 million pounds on a striker, not when they had FKK. I think they could have used that money elsewhere much more sensibly

and not be in the position they're in. And I think Newcastle were hamstrung by a quite pig-headed refusal to confront reality and accept that there was a point at which you maybe had to do a deal. Hang on a minute. Just on that, right. I understand what you're saying to some extent, but what did Newcastle actually do wrong

in that situation? I think you should absolutely in that situation delay as long as you can to try and drive the price up. That is the sensible thing to do. But I think there is a call you have to make at a certain point where you think either we're going to see this through and keep this player or we're going to, it actually works for us to say, all right, we've kind of held, we've held Liverpool's feet to the fire for as long as we can. The price is sky high now. Let's let's start talking. I think the way it's played out, it cost Newcastle a lot. of time to get the most use out of that money last summer, because Chappas is totally right,

that their squad has not had the kind of depth and breadth that it needs, but 125 million pounds under PSR, which is not longer a thing, they've abolished it, it's going to be SCR, everyone can invest what they like, isn't it wonderful? Let's see how we all enjoy that, but they had 125 million times by five, effectively, to invest in the squad. And because they held on and held on and held on, they ended up kind of emergency shopping. And that wasn't ideal. I think Volta Mard is a really good player.

I think he will come good. I think Wissar was quite a smart signing. I'm a bit surprised that a land has not really done that well at Newcastle. Does that look like a kind of dead sir almost? It just hasn't quite clicked. I think looking back, everyone involved in that deal would probably play it differently. I don't think anyone's come out of it well. The bigger issue is that there is a lack of direction from the ownership.

And I read the same pieces that you will have done chappas, Johnny Lood did a great one in The Guardian. If you look at the Saudi sports investments, in fact, if you look at Saudi investments more broadly, neon, which was meant to be the great kind of shining light, the city in the desert, it looked like a kind of dystopian horror show, but for some reason it was meant to be attractive.

They're pulling out of loads of actors of the cost. They're starting to kind of remove themselves from certain sporting commitments. It looks like they are changing tech a little bit, and that's always the risk when you are owned by the software. of a government wealth fund of a nation state, that at some point they think, well, actually, our investment priorities are changing. It's really hard to look at what they've done in Newcastle and think that the promise that they arrived with has been lived up to, to be perfectly

honest. There's the plan for the stadium, still a plan. There's no new training round. The investment in the squad has come. They spent a lot of money, but have they, as, you know, Chappas said, like they didn't, they went into last summer without sporting director. That's not brilliant work. I think they were between CEOs for reasons that were outside their control. but there is a little bit of a lack of direction. It looks like there's an uncertainty, a kind of absence of vision at Newcastle. And I think Eddie Howe is suffering from that,

and that's not to say he's not made mistakes, he has. But until you solve that, I'm not sure there's any point changing the manager. On to Burnley then, Scott Parker, emotional after the Turfmore crowd turned against him and the team during their two-noe loss to West Ham on Saturday. This is what he had to say to Five Live after the game. It wasn't at the end of the game.

It was after we conceded one goal. And whether that was the players getting clearly told that they're not good to wear the shirt or whether that was me that I'm getting sacked in the morning. That was at 1-0. I think I referenced it on Friday in my press conference. Before a ball was kicked this year, there was a challenge. There was no person, no fan, no player, me included, that didn't realize what the challenge was ahead of us.

And that challenge at this present moment time is here. And like always in these moments, It's easy to understand the challenge when it doesn't hit you in the face. It's easy to say the right things, behave the right way, do the right things when it isn't there. When the challenge hits you in the face

and you're in the midst of it, that takes something special to actually get through it and face up to it. I feel my players are doing that, but no doubt that today, at times, I was testing from. And that makes me sad.

That's the way it is. Burnley fan, Natalie, Bromley from the No No, Never podcast joins us, been on the Monday Night Club before. Even in Natalie. Good evening. Before we delve into everything Burnley related, just when you hear him talk like that, how does it make you feel?

It's really uncomfortable as a human being to hear somebody be that upset. And I think football is in a really challenging position constantly with narratives such as this. because it's a very, I think you can't be committed to a football team and be a supporter, not just a fan, without it being incredibly emotional for you and without you really caring. And that brings out the best and the worst of our fellow human beings. And it's particularly difficult with Scott Parker because he's clearly an incredible human being.

I mean, his presence around the club, his moral compass, his commitment to the community. to the way he is as an individual, you don't want to see him in that level of pain. But there's a reality that comes here. And if you are an elite sporting manager, if you want to compete at the highest level, then there are higher expectations of you, and there comes from that a need to have a slightly thicker skin. And if you listen to Scott Parker's press conference there in isolation for people who haven't been following, in Berlin's journey this season. It feels harsh and saying,

oh, after 10 minutes they were booing already. Now, a quick pause there, I don't like it, and it's not something that I do, but I'm also conflicted because I can understand why it happens. This isn't a need-yet reaction to just a team going 1-0 down from home.

This is an accumulation of a really deep-rooted problem that's happening at the club and a point where fans have just said, enough is enough. How vitriolic has it been? Because I would say, my experiences of watching or listening to Burnley games,

around Christmas time and into January, it wasn't a sort of booing players for making mistakes. It wasn't even at that stage that you're not fit to wear the shirt. It was a general, it felt like to me, a general exasperation of basically not getting the ball forward, not showing some kind of urgency of it, all being very deliberate. You know, even if you were a goal down or two,

one down. Like that, a kind of frustration from fans of like for crying out loud, go for it. It didn't feel... That's exactly right. But has it become more vitriolic in the last two or three weeks, would you say? It's been a build-up and you've got to bear in mind that we haven't seen us win since October and it's, I think there's an accumulation of problems here. I think the fans are frustrated about the way that the entire season has gone. It's not just about Scott Parker. It's not just about his team. It's about decisions of the border making. It's about the direction that the club is going in.

It's about the lack of communication and addressing concerns that the fans have had. We are told constantly when ALK took over that they consider themselves to be a Premier League club. We were an establishedish Premier League club under the Sean Dysheera, and we had back-to-back seasons in there. And then since ALK have taken over, we've gone down up, down up, and we're going to be going back down again. And we're being told that they consider them. to be a Premier League club. The chairman wants to be challenging for Champions League, which

you know, we kind of have a little bit of a funny eye roll at him. But, you know, it shows some ambition, it shows some passion for them, which is great. And then you look at that. So you think, okay, well, that's what the ambition of the club is. And then you look at what's happening on the pitch. We've just been a nothingness this season. And it's just been, it's a really confusing things for fans to get their heads around. We think, well, show me a manager. As much as we don't want anybody to lose their job. Show me a manager who's had the results that Scott Parker's had this season and an inflexibility with his approach to games, the repetition that he tries every single game, which clearly doesn't work, and has been allowed to keep their job.

It just feels like he's not got the ruthless and the competitive edge that you need to succeed in elite level football. It's an unforgiving league. He's very defensive. I'll give you a quick example before we move this forward. Manchester United at home this season. It was a really poor week for United. They just got rid of Amarim. We managed to get a point. With seven minutes to go, we were taking the ball into the corner.

At home against a side, we were not chasing a win. We got a corner in two minutes into stoppage time. And our centre-harves, Estab was saying to the boss, can I go forward? And Scott Park was on the touchline and say, no, no, no, no. Stay there, stay back. And he came out after the game and said, you've got to recognise how important it is

to keep hold of a point against United. And the fans are going, we're seven points clear of safety. What are we clinging on to here? You're not seven points ahead of the game here. And that's when it turned for me. And also, Chris, you had a caller on 606 on Saturday night who, a Burnley fan,

who was so good at describing his emotions as someone who has, he said, he probably thinks he's, spent five grand this season following Burnley home and away. Going to the Sundland, a Sunday game was a Monday night, wasn't it? Natalie? Yeah, yeah. And he said, you know, getting, oh, that's awful.

Yeah, but finishing work, going up to Sunderland, watching that, coming back, two or three hours sleep or whatever, and then in work at 6.30 on the Tuesday morning. And therefore, for all Scott Parker sounds emotional and doesn't want to, you. If you are spending that amount of money and invest in that time and not getting any thrill back, people accept defeats if there's a bit of thrill and excitement, then you can understand the frustration, can't you, Chris? Yeah, totally.

I mean, but is not the problem Sunderland and Leeds have made a fist of it this season and in previous seasons, you know, the promoter clubs from the championship, they've all been in the same boat where they've all been, scratching around at the bottom and the Premier League has been too bigger sort of gap to breach. So Burnley fans are looking at what Leeds have done

and they're still competitive. By the way, Leeds have still got work to do to stay in the Premier League. And they've been absolutely flying and you see what Sunderland are doing. And you're thinking, well, why can't that be us? But, you know, just from afar and, you know, the criticism of, you know,

of the ownership and what have you, on the face of things, is it just because you haven't got on the right side of the recruitment, has that been the thing where that gap has been too big? For example, last season in the championship, I think you're a 13-goaless draw, something like that. Leeds scored 26 more goals than you.

So you thought that's an area where you, you know, everybody's looking for a top centre forward. Broia hasn't really happened for Broia, has it in a Burnley jersey. So all these things and, you know, it's, you know, it sort of amounts to a tough season. And then Scott Parker, I think, fair enough, is saying, well, we need, you know, you've actually been in games, but you needed to turn those draws into wins,

a bit like you're getting at the Manchester United game. But can you not see Scott Parker's side as well, sort of, you know, in the United game and thinking, well, if we can't, if we can't win it, then, you know, don't lose it. I've got sympathy for a moment. I've got to say, but. Yeah, I do too, but I think, I think probably the best way that I could summarize this is that it's not one person's fault.

It's not Scott Parker's fault. It's not the player's fault. It's not the fan's fault. It's not the boss's sole fault. It's a massive melting pot at the moment of lots of problems all across the club. And it feels like we are at a crossroads at the moment where I'm not 100% sure what Burnley Football Club's identity is anymore.

You know, we got criticised heavily in the dash years for being dinosaur football and not being attractive and fans hated us, whatever. But at least you knew what you had. We had a defence back then of Nick Port. James Talkoff would put his face on the line. You had Ashley Barnes up front trying to get goals. We were known for something

even if it wasn't pretty. I don't know what Burley Football Club are known as. We are nothing in every single element of the park. There have been recruitment problems. I'm sorry, as lovely as a guy he is, Scott Parker, I think, has a ceiling as a championship manager. He's now proved consistently that he doesn't quite have whatever it is, whether it's the tactical application, whether it's the desire is maybe not the right word,

whether it's the ruthlessness and the decision-making ability to succeed in the Premier League. So maybe his ceiling is just as a championship manager. And it's weird because he insists on playing five at the back but then invites more shots than any other side. And I don't understand tactically why you would do that. Natalie, I'm going to move it on from Burnley, but thank you very much for joining us.

No problem. From the No, Nay, Never podcast. And it kind of comes on to a similar thing now with Brighton and sort of what their identity is next. If I asked you, Rory, what their identity is, would you know? Not immediately at the moment. I think what Natalie said about Burnley is interesting. That is important at that end of the table

because if you think about what they had under, not Deich necessarily, but company, it was a similar season in terms of results. They were obviously going down from November, December, January. But there was that sense of attacking football, young players. it felt like they were standing for something, which I think is important to fans. Yeah, but they moan then.

They did moan then. I would have wanted to ask Natalie if she, which relegation kind of felt better, although that sounds a bit glib. But I think it's interesting to get that perspective. For Brighton, I think the issue is that there is still a style of how Brighton play, but it's not garnering results.

And you combine that with the sense that the Brighton fans I know, have, which is it's quite hard to to kind of bond to the players because you kind of know they're going to leave. And it's interesting that the story of Brighton's season, the kind of standout figure

of Brighton's season, is Danny Wellbeck. And Danny Wellbeck isn't going anywhere. And so for a fan, that's really important to think, well, that player will probably be here next season, where of pretty much anybody else, you can't be 100% certain of that. Well, and actually

on that, this is this has come in from Ryan. I'm a Brighton season ticket holder emailed us MNC at BBC.com.com. We've got a very good squad, but we play without intensity. It's incredibly frustrating to watch. Most teams this season are mediocre

and games are tight, but there are baffling decisions. Mint are not fit but then grew dissent on loan. 17-year-old Howell then starts. Cadioglu, our best player, shifted to right back. Coppola and Watson are then loaned out, and then you have the Milner sub in the game against Everton, which

directly led to added time and their goal were usually a patient fan base, but yesterday was awful. There's a general malaise and lack of urgency across the team, and ultimately the buck stops with Hurtzler, but I wonder, Shea, whether it also stops with recruitment as well. And the Gruda sent out on loan. Pascal Gross came back, that was a transfer, but then also Mateo Riley coming back on loan as well. 17-year-old started against Crystal Palace, but no, Minta. it just seems very uncertain and unplanned, which feels a bit unlight. I was going to say, yeah.

It's very unbrighton. Well, I think Brighton was one of the shining lights, wasn't, over the last four or five years of how to recruit players and, you know, get them market value and get huge sums for some of the best players who look at Casado, at Chelsea, for example, believe it could be the next one.

But I suppose Rory's got a really good point is in the fans, they get attached to a player and the kids put the name on the back of the shirt, and then the next window comes along. and they're gone to the hill. So that's not ideal. But with the ownership and the model he has, that's the sort of model that Brighton have.

And he has it, I think, maybe with hearts as well. In an Orr Club in Europe, I think we're maybe all straight. Yeah, Sanchez-Owas in Belgium. I was really surprised by Grudor. I thought Grudor has always looked excellent. I mean, he's young and he's exciting, and he's the sort of player that looks very much like a kind of Brighton project player.

I think the wrist with that model, and Brighton have been amazing at it, with being a kind of trampoline club, is that sometimes the signings won't be quite as good. So they had a run of real hits, obviously Ticada McAllister, Mitoma, who obviously is still there, but at various points they could have sold for a lot of money.

It's really hard to get players of that standard every single summer, no matter how clever you are and how much of Jamestown's data you have access to, or like the advice that they give you. They're really good at it, but there's no such thing as a sure thing. and I wonder if that is part of it

that it's kind of dropped off slightly. I think what the email said about every game being tight, that's the other thing that within the Premier League, there are so many games that are decided by one goal, but it is a weird season, and I think it is affecting the amount of pressure managers are coming under. Brighton are eight points off West Ham in 18th. They're also eight points off Liverpool.

Teams are not putting runs together. I don't know what it is at the moment. There was a point a couple of weeks ago where the longest winning run in the Premier League was one team had won games back to back and that was it. Everyone is coming in and out of form so fast. And it's not to delegitimize Brighton fans' concerns. So how has that affected fans' behaviour, do you think?

I think everyone, to be honest, is a bit dissatisfied. Everyone's just a bit like, oh, this isn't very good, because you remember that you lost last week. I'm grateful. Not ungrateful, but I just think it's making everyone feel like their team is out of form, basically. That seems to me to be the uniform sense around. the Premier Lead is my team, unless you're Arsenal or like West Ham at the moment, you tend to think your team's not playing very well.

And that means because you're expecting so much as so many teams are so ambitious, that leads to quite a lot of dissatisfaction. The biggest problem, Mark, in recent times, is they're underperforming their XG. Oh, leave it, I do. We've had an email in MNC at BBC.com.uk. Hi, Mark and crew. I wanted to express my utter shock after meeting Chris at Stansted Airport

last Tuesday morning, photo below. As a ranger season ticket holder, I thought the conversation could be slightly awkward. Anything but, what a lovely guy. Mistaken identity there. Can I see that picture? Can I see that picture? Which Chris? There's long as Chris is. Such an enjoyable chat.

He even said. seem to know stuff about football. So lay off him, Rory. Chris is a good guy and was even nice about you. Genuinely, thanks for taking the time Chris to chat. And by the way, he's wrong about thinking hearts will win the league from Adam. That's genuine.

And I'm just to show that we do the praise and everything as well for you. That's nice. Yeah, that is nice. I really wish I'd have put the boot into Rory. It's also nice that you had the photo there because I still remember that time two Rangers fans asked you to take a photo of them and you turned the camera around to take a picture of yourself

as a selfie, didn't tell them and handed the phone back to them. Yeah, I enjoyed that. She would do the same. I've got photo evidence there, Chris. You didn't even show your teeth. It was a grimacing smile. MNC at BBC.co.com.

At the last few minutes, Jack, Grealish has posted a photo of himself in hospital on Instagram, having had the operation for his broken leg. He posts a video of him scoring a goal for Everton as well with a blue love heart. His words, I didn't want this season to end like this, but that's football, gutted, surgery done, and now all focus on getting back fit. I know for sure I'll come back fitter, stronger and better than before. The support I've had since coming to this unbelievable club has meant the world to me. The staff, teammates and the fans have been incredible.

the ball. I absolutely love representing this club. I'll be backing the lads all the way and doing everything I can to get back as soon as possible. Thank you again for all the love. You would have thought though, Shay, the ball isn't necessarily in his court, is it? It's in Everton's.

Well, I don't know what's going to happen in that situation. Obviously, he's just thanking the fans for his contracts. Up in the summer, is that right, champ, or do we know when his contracts are? Well, yeah, he'll get, well, he's done at Everton at the end of the season because it was alone. No, but his contract at City, I mean. At City, yeah, I think so, yeah.

Yeah, so it'll be interesting to see what happens next. Will he stay at Everton or will he have aspirations of going somewhere else? I don't know. As you said, I don't know. What's court the ball in? But it'll be what's the space, I'm sure. Yeah, well, I think he was a great addition to Everton. And it's good to, you know, see him this season back, smiling, playing, contributing,

and just wish him a speedy recovery. The Premier League's a better place with him in it. Let's end it there. Always good to end with Chris praising someone for smiling. Thank you. to all of you. See you soon. Chris and Shea and Rory,

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