Football Daily - Monday Night Club: ‘Selfish’ Salah, Villa join title race & Leeds revival

Episode Date: December 8, 2025

Is Mo Salah ‘selfish’ for claiming he’s been ‘thrown under the bus’ at Liverpool, or justified? Are Aston Villa now part of the Premier League title race?Mark Chapman is joined by Conor Coady, Chris Sutton, Steph Houghton for the Monday Night Club to debate the big questions of the week.They’re joined by Liverpool fan John Gibbons to talk Salah as well as hearing from Arne Slot. Macclesfield Town manager John Rooney comes on the show as his side are drawn against holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, while Hearts fan Liam Corbett explains the significance behind their win over Celtic.Conor Coady gives valuable insight into how to get the most out of his ex-teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been instrumental in helping Daniel Farke turn the fortunes of Leeds United around. What chance do Leeds now have of staying up?Timecodes: 00:10 Salah’s comments 03:30 Slot on Salah 06:00 Reaction to Slot’s comments 11:00 Whose side are Liverpool fans on? 20:30 Could this end positively for Slot and galvanize the Liverpool squad? 24:45 Macclesfield manager John Rooney joins the show 30:00 The rest of the FA Cup third-round draw 32:00 Has Daniel Farke turned it around at Leeds? 40:25 What now for Leeds 43:45 ‘Humble’ Aston Villa now in the title race? 52:50 Hearts beat Celtic – with Liam CorbettCommentaries coming up this week: Tue 2000 Inter v Liverpool, Tue 2000 Tottenham v Slavia Prague on Sports Extra, Wed 2000 Real Madrid v Man City, Thu 1745 Ferencváros v Rangers on Sports Extra, Thu 2000 Celtic v Roma on Sports Extra.

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On the Football Daily Podcast. Welcome to the Monday Night Club, Chris Sutton, Connor Cody and Steph Horton are with us. Plenty to get through, but Liverpool and Mo Sala does feel like the only story in town at the moment, Chris. And we know why. I mean, he's been such a big part of Liverpool's success since he's been at the club.

It's a very public falling out and very unnecessary and Mo Sala, unfortunately, for Liverpool and their support has made it all about him. his form hasn't been good this season and the one thing which I don't know what Stefan and Connor think you have to think from Arna Slott's point of view Arna Slott wants to win football matches

that's what he wants to do there's no personal agenda against Mo Salah Mo Salah's form hasn't been good what makes him different from other players in the dressing room has had a phenomenal career this season he hasn't played so well his numbers are down he's not the same player and all of a sudden he's been left out for a few games

and he wants to live by different rules to other players within the dressing room and now it's Liverpool is carnage because of Mosella I mean the old what, no iron team dear me I find the whole situation just absolutely ridiculous and I wonder what his teammates really feel

that would be the most interesting thing I think you see pictures of today's train session and looks all normal nicey nicey but I think Salah's not the only one that's not been informed this season and I think in terms of timing it probably couldn't have come at a worse time for Liverpool

that interview and I think that's what makes us think that this is something that's been pre-planned in terms of the time and playing against Leeds he probably knew he wasn't going to play, he probably expected to come on at some point but he didn't and for most Salah that probably hurts his ego that he's not coming on against Leeds

United and Liverpool had drawn that game 3-3 but I think it's poor from him from a self- point of view, I think it does put other people in jeopardy and also kind of it's got us talking about it, which he probably wants. But is this something that there's a bigger picture in terms of what you want to do from an individual point of view? I think the biggest thing for myself, thinking about it and being in a dress room now that I'm in. And I've been trying to think all day about like, why would you go to them? And I don't know most I don't think

none of us know most hours. We don't know the sort of character he is, but we know he's got this in him because he's done it last season when it comes to getting a new contract and it come to these things. So we know he's got that in him. And I've been trying to to put myself kind of in the shoes they're trying to think because I knew it was coming on here thinking from a player's point of view why would it go to them lengths

I can only think of something's gone on behind the scenes that we don't know about now he should never ever for me anyway go to the press and do what he's done because you put your teammates at jeopardy and that's the most important thing because Chris mentioned it there

about being a team so we probably see tonight the press conference that's going to go on tonight and all the questions will be about most salary and where he is and why is he not there and all these certain things so he's put his teammates in jeopardy and that's the biggest wrongdoing

that you can do in my eyes really well let's hear from him then you mentioned the media conference that's going on and when I say him I mean on the slot so doing this pre-match press conference ahead of their Champions League tie against Inter Milan tomorrow he was asked first whether he thought Salah was referring to him a slot when he said that he'd been thrown under the bus the only one who can answer that question is more himself so I can guess but I don't think that's the right thing to do in this moment of time so it's it's hard for me to tell who he means in that situation to be honest we've let him

know that he's not traveling with us so that was the only communication has been there of course before saturday the two of us have spoken a lot sometimes longer sometimes shorter he has the right to feel how he feels things when i didn't play him anymore usually players don't like the manager than that much but he was very respectful to my staff members to his teammates and he trained really hard so to an extent it was a surprise for me that when I when I heard after the game that he gave for the commands he gave but as I said it's not the first and not the last time that when a player doesn't play he's he I'm not sure if he was emotional or not but that he says something that something similar to what he did but I think our my reaction

to that is also clear and that's that he's not here with us tonight I'm a firm believer that there's always a possibility to return for a player. So I can leave with that, I think. Hi, Honour. You say that you've spoken to Moe quite a few times in recent weeks. I just wonder, he was a substitute twice in his first 18 games this season. What or why has he then only been on the bench for the last three games? What prompted that change? We as a team struggled this season and already last season more and more with the game plans other teams had against us. So I'm not only talking about. about the long ball style, which is something

team mainly do against us now. So I've tried to come up with solutions because there's my job, and we've tried many things. We looked very vulnerable in my opinion after all the things I've tried against Forest and against PSV. And then I decided to play with an extra midfielder in the game against West Ham, where we won the game.

So I decided to do it one more time against Sunderland. We're at halftime. I brought him in. And against Leeds, we faced a five 3-2 where I've decided to play a 4-4-2 diamond if you want to look at it like this with Hugo Eki-Kittiki a bit off the right side and Cody Kakpo a bit of the left with Florian Wirtz in between and I could have played Moe as well off the right instead of Hugo but I decided to play Hugo. Hand on heart do you think he's played his last game for

Liverpool? I have no clue I cannot answer that question at this moment of time Ian Dennis putting some of those questions to Arna Slott John Gibbons from the Anfield Regular on the Monday night club joins us now. Evening John? Good evening. Before we come on to Salah,

what did you make of Slott's answers there? I thought he was good. He always speaks well. Honour Slot, to be fair, he's very calm, isn't he? And it helps in situations like this. And I thought last year when he was getting asked about the contracts,

it felt like every week. One of them was Mose, but it wasn't just him. There was Virgil and Trent. I always thought he felt very calm and felt in control of the situation and that was a tough press conference for him. I don't think there was anything he could have said

that would have made everyone something everything right because there's only so much you can do. Like he points out, it's only been a couple of days and he played tomorrow. So the situation wasn't ever going to be sorted. So I think he always feels in these situations in control. I think he's fair. You know, he's not throwing anyone under the bus

in that situation. to quote Mo and yeah you just listen to him and you just feel like even if he's you know he might be a swam for all we know absolutely flapping under the water but you seem very calm to me and that reassures you a bit as a fan

the other thing that is quite I would have thought if you're a fan Connor is quite reassuring there and actually is fairly unusual with a lot of managers who will try and bat something away is he actually tried to explain tactically why

he left Salah out there. It wasn't just he hasn't been playing well, he hasn't scored, I don't think he tripped, all, any of that. He actually tried to explain the tweaks that he had done, certainly for West Ham and Sunderland, and then said, you know, he could have played him against Leeds.

But he gave, he gave reasons. And I'll be honest, that's coming from a manager under serious, serious pressure, isn't it? To answer the questions like he did, I thought he answered them fantastically well. And if he's said all that to Mohammed Salah behind closed doors in an office and that That's the reasons he brought him out.

There's no answer to that. That's how it is. You get on with it as a player. I think you've got to take it on the chin. Listen, we all know how good and John will know more than most about how good Mohammed Salah's been for Liverpool and you don't want to see it end in this way.

Deno asked him there, didn't he about, is this the last game? And he wasn't going to answer that question, of course, he wasn't because he doesn't know. But you don't want to see Mohammed Salah finish like this at Liverpool. You just don't want to see it. The legend is being for the club, for the Premier League. Because let's be honest,

he's been a legend for the Premier League as well. He's an incredible footballer. but I just think he answered it like he's always answered it and as John just mentioned there the way you've done it last year about the contract situation really, really calm

but from a player's point of view I don't about you Steph when a manager tell you might not like it Mohammed Salah might not like he's been brought out of the team he certainly won't like he's been brought out of the team but if a manager is telling you tactically why he's doing it whether he's playing sub-boys lie there who's a midfielder or not

then you've got to take it on the chin as a player and just move on and that's how it is when there's tactics involved in a conversation like that then there is probably no argument because then it rests on the manager and how the team performs and for Liverpool this season and it's not at the standard that we expected

in terms of what they set last season and win the Premier League and obviously new players coming in but I think there's been a lot of players that have not been on the former and not been performing and slots had to change something to try and kind of obviously

the West Ham away win was a big moment in the sense of right, okay this could be the start of a run and then you draw against Sunland you draw against lead so they're not quite at that level yet but he's trying different things and I think if that was say Sunland

and the Sunland managers explain them explanations then like, right, okay, well, we're trying to kind of stop the rotten away, but I think you're right in terms of more Salah, in terms of what he's done for the Premier League in Liverpool. I'm sure we know Liverpool fan wants to kind of end it like this, and it's so interesting to see what Liverpool fans think. Is the big question, though, the if bit,

if he's explained that to him in the office behind closed doors, and if he's, and you've got no reason to think that he wouldn't, But there are enough former players you tell me, you know, this manager said one thing to me and then did something else, you know, that they never said they were going to do. But if he said that and then said, and by the way, you know, I'm not leaving him out because I haven't got any other options at the moment. And he's got to play because I need him to do this. But it's, and you would hope that those are the conversations as a player. 100% chappers. And this is why I said before, I've been kind of sat here today, knowing we were coming on the show tonight and thinking from a player's point of view, being a player, current player within a dressing room.

why would it get to this point where he's got to come out and do an interview and he feels like he's got to do an interview and what has gone on behind closed doors and you hope them conversations are being had. You hope he's sat him down and gone, listen, this is where we're at. I don't feel like you're playing well enough because not one player in the will is undropable, but at the same time have enough respect for Mo Salah for what he's done.

Because you have got to have respect for what he's done. He's been an incredible football of Liverpool over the years and you've got to remember Chappas as you get older, I'm feeling it now as you get a bit older. You want answers, you do. It's just what you want. It's just how you feel. And Mo Salah more than anybody will be wanting answers.

and it's just interesting. It'll be interesting to ask John kind of what side of the fence he's sitting on because I've seen a lot of Liverpool fans today met a lot of my friends or that sort of thing. Are you Mo Salah or are you on slot because I'm seeing a load of different things with it at the minute. Well, I've got me on a slot t-shirts on.

I've worn it perfectly for it because you've got to back the manager in these situations and you've got to do that and think no matter what, Mo Salah's done for the club, which as you said is a huge amount over the years. you know, he's not bigger than the club

and he's not bigger than, you know, what needs to be done. And it's been such a difficult season already for so many different reasons. And, you know, Saturday was hard to take. You know, it was another set piece goal. It was another late call. It was another one where you felt like they were in a good position and threw it away.

And he's just sort of made it worse. And a lot of people who I know were really angry with Moe on Saturday night because it felt like how has this? helping. How is this helping anyone? You're focusing on yourself here, but how is it helping us get out of the situation? And on the arm field, we've been talking about togetherness and listen, you can all lose your head after, after, you know, games lost and stuff like that. I've done that this season myself. But, you know, you've got to keep it together in, in certain situations if you, if you want, the, the, the leaders of, of this team. And if he does feel like

he's, he's lost himself in the moment, then it's him who needs to sort that out. And I'm sure that the manager and his teammates have given him opportunities to do that. It's one of the worst things, John. Actually, that question that Connor asked is that you as a group have been asked to take a side, which is the kind of last thing

you really want as a fan base. You know, it's not the final of X factor or something to be team this or team that, is it? You don't want, as a fan base, you don't want to be divided. Every club is stronger when it's together. At Liverpool, you know, we grew up being talked about the Holy Trinity, which is the players and the fans and the manager,

and those are the three. And if you could get them together, then we feel like we're unstoppable really. And, you know, Mo's gone against that, really. He's gone against the manager, but also his teammates. He's basically saying I'm better than them. Why aren't you picking me? Do you know what I mean?

Because that's what it is. You can't pick 12. So if you're saying that he needs to start me, as I start me he's saying that the lads who he's playing up front aren't as good and you can't really say that as a football and then go into the dressing room and pretend everything's all right I wouldn't have thought anyway and so he's going to go down as a greater Liverpool whatever happens you know this isn't going to take his legacy but but right now it's not helpful and right now you know he's made a difficult situation even more difficult by you know focusing on you know

himself and why aren't I am playing it like and it sounds like it has been a explained to him and he's not played well this season that's another thing it can't be a huge mystery how much of that is his fault how much of it is tactically what we're being asked to do you know that's that's up for you know debates and things like that but he can't argue that his season or Liverpool season's going well so of course the manager is going to look for different solutions and he needs to be big enough really even though you know he obviously is desperate to play and listen I'd rather have that I've I've watched Liverpool well watch Liverpool players who've blacked injuries to get moves of

abroad and things like that so I'd much rather a player who was desperate to play and getting angry than one who was refusing and so we need to remember that it's coming from a place where he wants to help but you still don't do that as a player if you are unhappy Chris and want to move on and I'm not saying he said that he wants to move on

but if you are unhappy and want to move on is there a right way to do it because all I'm saying is look he's come out and said it and I suppose he's being honest and open, if you're going to be, if you're going to look at it from his point of view, rather than trying to manoeuvre things behind the scenes where rumour and counter rumour then come out? Well, he's been honest and open, but he has made it all about him and not the team. And he's, he's been extremely selfish. That's what he's done. Because now

there's a bit of a civil war at Liverpool. And, you know, it didn't need to be like this. I think, you know, watching match of the day at the weekend. I think Danny Murphy and Dionne Dublin summed it up pretty well. There's ways to do things. And Connor and Steph will know if you, you know, go and have a private conversation with the manager and you can have it out and you can tell the manager what you think of him and the manager can tell, you know, what he thinks of you back. And that's fine.

But it stays within the manager's room in that respect. But for him to, what, I mean, John's described. what good could come out of what he did. And this is what drives me, without being overly cynical, this is what drives me mad about. What did you say 15 minutes ago about being the positive force on this show?

What does sicken me a bit about, you know, like when Liverpool have been doing well and, you know, players come out and speak, it's this sort of, oh, it's a team spirit. We all get on so great and everybody's marvellous. And now we're seeing Mo Salah for what he really is.

You know, it's all about him. You know, it's him being selfish. I hate that sort of stuff. I think he's really let himself down here. He is no different. When you start, you know, when I was starting as a youth team player at Norwich City, you understand, you understand the dressing room dynamic. You understand the game that you have to win your place on merit.

You have to continue performing well to stay in the team. And he's been brilliant for Liverpool. But this season, you know, John watches them week in and week out. He hasn't been very good. And then the argument, I get what Steph is saying, the argument about, well, Kinati's not playing well, but they don't really have a replacement for him. So that's a sort of separate argument,

and other players haven't been playing well. But you still can't get away from the fact. Mo Salah has been poor this season. Arna Slott is desperate to win games. His job is under pressure. He doesn't, it's nothing personal. Mo, you're just the same as everybody else. but now you're seeing him come out

and I think it's such a terrible look and everybody is talking about well who's going to go first is it slot or is it Salah how has that been helpful for someone who loves the club so much Chris that's what I was trying to say in terms of when Salah comes out and speaks

it's obviously powerful because of who he is the experience he has and the status of where he is in the club and especially in the dressing room and last season was whether he was going to stay or he was going to go and I think that argument he had last season was where Liverpool were playing well he was in a position where he was hitting

unbelievable numbers from an assist in goals point of view and I think that's what would become disappointing when the club is in need of someone to stand up and go actually we need to get together, we know we're not playing well, we're trying our best to just kind of fix this form for the Liverpool fans whereas now like you said Chris

it does become a little bit selfish and that's why I'm like thinking what is good of going to come out of this conversation now because really that manager and player relationships kind of tarnish now because he's had to come out and explain reasons for why he's left him out but at the same time what does more want from this situation?

Let me flip it just slightly the other way and this is James Pearce in The Athletic. Senior club figures knew that every game Salah was out of the team the chances of him speaking out increased his ego and his mindset are part of what makes him an elite force and he was never going to keep quiet about what he perceived to be an injustice. And John, that's the flip, isn't it?

That's kind of the other side in that a lot of, not every team, but great teams and teams that win titles tend to have the one player who's the X factor. And they tend to be allowed to get away maybe with a little bit more because of what they bring. And I'm sure we can all think of examples, you know, throughout the years. That was, and that is what Mosauer is to Liverpool, isn't it? it? Yeah, he's like Rory Smith

on the Monday night club could just turn up where he wants you know and people people still love to see him

now it's he got away with quite a bit last year in terms of his defensive work because his numbers

was so good and I think under Yeager I think there would a bit of greater expectation for him to

to press and to go further whereas under Arna they felt like a little bit of an understanding

really and but when the numbers drop off you know people are going to start looking, well, how much you're putting in the other way? And I think that feels like that's happened a little bit this season. People are like, well, he's not helping his fall back out.

You know, there's not, there's not situations where he's pressing from the front light, maybe he used to. But, you know, if he scores the winner, then, you know, you're going away from the ground talking about that, not necessarily the work rates. And so I think he's got himself into a situation or, you know, with his form, really that the managers had to make some difficult decisions and they would have known and everyone would have known that at some points you know most salary is going to say something because he has in the past but maybe they're looking at it and thinking well we knew we have to start thinking about post-mosella life is that going to be a little bit sooner than what we may be taught

these these players who've come in who haven't hit the ground running as well as maybe we'd like that we need to start building the team on them two things before we let you go John, is could this bizarrely turn out to be a big positive for Arna Slot? In terms of with what's going on at the moment Alison has said the rest of the squad are fully behind him

we believe in his knowledge and his style of playing and he's capable of turning things around given how this season has gone but the fact that he's a title winning manager is this the kind of thing that galvanises unity for you? It could be, yeah. What I would say is

listen I don't think he did have sacked him anyway, but they definitely won't do it now. Like, because you can't, as a football club, I have a player come, you know, come out, and then suddenly the manager's gone, and then Mo Salas back in the team. Like, you can't have that. And so I don't think he would have lost this job

any time soon anyway, because I don't think that's really FSG style and Liverpool style, but it's certainly what happened now, because, you know, the optics of it, it'd be awful, and next time a player's not happy, you'll just go, well, I'll just go do this and get the manager's act.

But I think I'd love to see them galvanized. I'd love to see the best performance of the season so far, because at the end of the day, that's what we should all want. We should all want the team winning. And that's what, you know, makes you kind of frustrated even more about the seller quotes. Is he waiting for the late goal to go in so he can then put the boot in? You start to sort of doubt his commitment, really. What does he want?

Would he have been disappointed if the team had won because then he didn't get to, you know, be vocal about it and doesn't get to be proven, right? What's your gut telling you about whether you see him play again for Liverpool? I think he might go in January I do because I think I think the club will back the manager I'm not sure he'll necessarily back down from it and I think the club they've got some work to do with the squad as well and he might he's on a lot of money that's huge like he's on he's on certain money you know and it's like it's it's huge so um so they might see that open that opens it up and for the possibility to get some of these more players in

It looks like they need, which is crazy to say. Given you put Rory Ann Sutton away, I feel a bit guilty about saying this, but I was going to end it by saying, I'm glad you stood up to reveal the Arnold Slot T-shirt because the track suit top has a bit of a retro Manchester United feel about it, John, doesn't it? No comment. See you soon.

Thank you for coming on. Cheers, thank you. I'll give us for the Amfield rap. Do you think that's the last time he'll play for Liverpool? I agree with John I don't think he backs down I'd be shocked to be back down

I actually think what you were saying there chap is about galvanising the team I think it really galvanises the team this I look at myself in a dressing room

as something like that and I think it galvanises the team I think this is something that can bring the team together so will we see him again I don't know

I can't see you do you not think he'll have he'll have sort of mates in there though who he's been there such a long time

hasn't he he'll have he'll have his guys in there as well who will be backing him Connor no You'll have friends

Of course he'll have friends within the change room He'll be with him He'll be listening to him He'll be saying, yeah, you're in the right here, Mo or whatever that may be But I just think Again, I don't know about you, Steph being in a dressing room Or you, Chris, when you was playing When you see something like, especially when you're not playing well

And results aren't going your way You want anything to get you through it as a team Now, it's all right saying, oh yeah, we'll back Mo here But the biggest thing for you still playing in the game is to win games to make yourself look better. So I think the leaders within that group, your Van Dykes, your people within that group, the leaders within that group

have got a huge role to play now. I really do. 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 did not think the candidates are fruit books. Match release, urgent questions. Subscribe to the podcast and you'll get the best bits every day from around 5 o'clock. Listen on BBC Sounds. Football Daily is sponsored by Spring Hill Suites, part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of US soccer.

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and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. This is the Monday night club with Mark Chapman. On the Football Daily podcast. The F.A. Cup third round draw was made a little earlier. Macclesfield beat ten-man Slough Town in extra time to go through to the third round of the FA Cup for the first time since the club was reformed and they have drawn this evening holders Crystal Palace at home and a Crystal Palace, who are fourth in the Premier League this evening.

John Rooney, Macclesfield manager joins us live. Doesn't get much better than the holders at home, does it, John? No, you know, it's a great draw for us. We got to the last couple there, we thought, man, you were still in there, ideally. I was looking at Everton at the Hill Dickinson, but no, any Premier League team, you know,

it's massive for the club, but it'd be a great day for the club and obviously the fans as well. Did you actually want to be away then? I mean, that's the obvious question, isn't it, because of that financial... I mean, if you've gone to Hill Dickinson or Old Trafford, that's a ridiculous amount of money coming in.

Yeah, I think it's massive for the club if you're going to get an away draw and with the stadiums and the Premier League obviously get a lot more fans so financially it would have been great to be away but listen you get a Premier League team

at all with an excellent draw and one we're all looking forward to we had all the lads down for the draw so there's a real good buzz about the place as well you're the lowest ranked team left in 14th in the National League North what has the Cup run done so far to help you league-wise

because you're back at this stage obviously as well, you know, because the club fell all the way down, you know, you're on the rise up here. Yeah, we're on the rise up, but I think the cut run as well. It's some, we've had a lot of games called off because of the cup run as well. So we're sitting 14 with a couple of points outside the playoffs, but we've got three, four games in hand on some teams as well. So we're in a real good place, and obviously you want to have your points on the board.

But, you know, the cup run, you know, you want to stay in the cup as long as you can and to get to the third round for the first time since the club's reformed as, you know, with the excellent achievement. but now that game's over back to our blood and butter which is the league until the centre of January so it's not concentrating on that

which is I know Connor wants to come in but your next game such as I mean honestly the National League North baffles me at times you've got Kingslin away yeah Kingsland away on Wednesday and we went there last week and they got called off on the day

so a bit of a nightmare well here's our East Anglia expert did you travel we got all the way down we literally got off to we got up to We got out to warm up, warmed up for 10 minutes, and then it got called off,

so absolute nightmare. You actually got off and warmed up? We were warming up, yeah. We were on the pitch. Oh, blind me. Even though it was never going to be on, added in the game, isn't it? John, great to see you, mate.

Just a quick one. Do you fancy yourself? Because we've seen stranger things happening in the FA Cup, haven't we? As you know, I spoke all week about it at the FA Cup, and it could happen. Listen, we have massive, massive underdogs, but it's football.

It's a crazy game at times. You know, we've seen a lot of results last year if you look at, it was a Tottenham time where goes to the extra time, this is on the day. You're a massive underdogs for on the day, as you know, to the FA Cup and it could happen. And, you know, it's when we're looking forward to. It'll be a great day for the club and for myself as well,

my first year in management. It's a great experience for me as well. Are you enjoying it? Yeah, I've loved every minute of it, to be fair. I think you miss playing it, especially the weekends. That was the first time where I thought, oh, I'll love to be playing today. But I've loved doing this side of it, to be fair,

and they've got good lads around me as well, so that's massive health for me as well. Taking over from such an iconic manager in his opinion, Robby Savage. I mean, he took half your squad as well, didn't? He took loads of your best players with him, didn't? I mean, has it been sort of difficult taking over with what you had left? Yeah, obviously he took four or five of our players and then myself not playing.

So there's five of your, probably a start in 11 gone from last year. but the lads who are here who I've took over it's incredible sometimes it could be hard to go from player to manager but the group of lads the players have been outstanding with me

it's been a good transition for me especially with these lads because I get on really well with them and I thought I'd find it tough to transfer over to the management side with the same group of lads but they've backed everything I've done and you know

even last year I've done bits with them on the training and pitching so it's been a good transition to be fair with the group of lads that have regrouped and know it's being good. Do they have to call you something different than they did when you were their teammate?

Or do you insist on Gaffer or boss or anything? Or can they still call you by a nickname? No, I'd rather them just do it anyway. They call you Gaff or whatever. I've never told them to call me. I mean, you do it all that, but some of them still call me other stuff as well. Listen, John, thank you very much for coming on.

Wish you well in the Cup tie. I also wish you well in good. going to Kingsland again this week and that not being cut. That's the most important thing that it's not called off. Thank you very much John. Enjoy the cup time. Thanks for having me. Cheers. Thank you. Thank you. John Rune with us on the Monday Night Club.

An iconic manager in his own mind, did you say? Yeah, yeah. But it's true. Some of the other FAA Cup draws. Honestly, Spurs and Asterville must have come out and thought you and Everton and Sunderland and Newcast and Ballam and thought you are. I'm at United and Brighton.

Just like, you are. But for all of those clubs, they could have a real good go at trying to win the FA Cup, couldn't they? All of those eight, and they must have thought, you are kidding me. Yeah, and that's probably the mindset of some of them clubs is to try and win a trophy. And when you get drawn against Premier League rivals, you're probably thinking, I'm sick of playing these. And you want something a bit different. But, yeah, I mean, the FA Cup's an unbelievable trophy to win, and it's really special.

And it's so good to see so many non-league teams in the draw for the third round. and Macclesfield especially. Western Super Mayor, another non-league side, get a trip to Grimsby. Conners, Wrexham are at home to Forrest. I would imagine TV will pick that. So that'll be unusual, won't it? TV cameras at Wrexham again?

Yeah, brilliant. Brilliant, brilliant tie for us. I think a good Nottingham Forest side comes to the race course and we'll try and make it a tough night for them, won't we? Yeah. Any other ties stand out for you, Chris? No, not really.

Is that because you haven't got the drawer in front of you? He wasn't ready for that, was he? Thank you very much. Who have Norwich City got? Walsall at home. Yeah, good draw that, yeah. Might get through my winner game. Walsall going well, though, Chris.

Oh, really? Yeah. Oh, well, they might not, though. Good, excellent. Are you doing plenty of F.A. Cup analysis for us this season, or? Maybe in time. Excellent. Not as an issue on.

Sorry, I've not got the whole draw. Yeah, sorry. Do you remember last year when we had, I think he was the Whitehall manager on, do you remember? And you asked him, and you asked him what he knew about the opposition, how had he had them scouted?

And he had to point out that the drawed only up in five minutes ago. And they didn't have a big scouted team anyhow. So no, he hadn't quite got round to that. No, yeah, he buried me, didn't he? He did, absolutely. You have had, moving on to our next subject, Do you have had a few discussions about Daniel Farker

with some of our other pundits over recent weeks? Has the last week changed things for Daniel Farker? I think it has. I mean, the speculation surrounding him because of the run of games which I had after they lost against Aston Villa, I mean, I don't know how true it was, but it seemed like he was fighting for his job,

which I felt was deeply unfair because I thought that leads have been competitive enough this season they've been really good at home I'm really pleased for Daniel Farker because I think

things which have been leveled at him in terms of not being proactive enough with his substitutions I covered the game against Manchester City

Manchester City were so dominant in the first half all of a sudden he made changes half time played a different way went with two

up top brought Dominic Calvert Lewin on went with a back three they were more direct and Dominic Calvert Lewin, since his comeback into the team, has been sensational and he's given them someone to hit a focal point,

a way to get up the pitch. And if you play someone off him, he's a real handful. And then they beat Chelsea, played with great intensity. The Villa game, which I lost, they played brilliantly in the first half and Villa came back and won in the second half, but they were still really competitive. To show the courage to come back against Liverpool as they did to get a point,

I think Leeds fans are seeing a good bit of fight in the team, resilience, but also a team with organisation and a manager who does have a game plan. And I don't want to keep repeating myself what I've said about Daniel Farker in the past, but to sort of throw stats at him for how badly he did with Norwich when they're in the Premier League, I think it's really unfair on him because the Norwich squad wasn't good enough. You know, they were miles off it. So I thought that was unfair. This season, I think they have been really competitive

and it would have been harsh to sack him after a pretty competitive start. I'm pleased because the last few games, I think, that they have shown that they are going to be competitive under him. But the game changes Dominic Calvert-Luitt. And here's another one. I think everybody talks about the World Cup

in the summer and England strikers. I tell you what, if he goes on a run, there's no reason why he can't make the World Cup. I'll come on to Dominic Calvert-Lews shortly because obviously Conner, you know him very well. But the tactical side of things here is the big thing stuff as well, isn't it? And Farka, post-Liverpool, said, if you play against PEP Guardiola, Enzo Moreska,

and stay against Arna Slot, and we know in terms of quality we can't compete with them, so we have to be spot on in tactical terms and try and surprise them sometimes. It's joyful after the game to get a good result. But to be honest, I'm just happy that I can spend the weekend with coffee and cake on the sofa. And as a Leeds fan, Texer does,

Gary, we've had the same mentality for such a long time, and that is don't give up, which I think is probably true. We were unlucky against City and Villa, but what a difference the formation has made. Well done to Farker for seeing the bigger picture. I think we've always spoke about when promoted teams come into the Premier League. I think you obviously have a wave play, and I think everybody reverts back to Burnley and Vincent Company

and him having this expansive style. And I think teams have learned from that now. Like, you look at Sunland, I don't want to go about Sunland, because they have just adapted to the Premier League. They've respected opponents. They play against Mansitin, even though they got beat at the weekend, they went into a 5-4-1 and we're just like, we're going to just try and make it difficult

and we're going to catch on the counter. And that's what's been impressive with Leeds in the last few games is that they've thought, right, okay, who we're playing against and what are our strengths? And obviously, Dominic Calvert-Lewan comes into that because he's so mobile as a forward, he's a handful, he can jump, he can kind of harass when he's defending, and also he can score goals

so how do we get the best out of him and I think that's what's been the most impressive thing is that they've found that strength that in that 5-3-2 formation that they've been able to get someone around him to help him to produce goals and I think for leads in terms of the fans

all they want is a team that never gives up that works hard but also I think when it comes to performances they're able to perform and they're going they keep going and I think as soon as Dominic Calvert Lewin's scored that penalty against Liverpool on Saturday, you knew that they were going to come back.

And I think that's the belief that Fark has gone into the system. I don't know what you think, Connor, in terms of, I think it's been a real clever move, trying to change formation, but also get the best out of his players. I think it's been a fantastic move. And I think also I'm absolutely over the moon for Daniel Fark. He gets this, I never understood it the last few weeks where he's getting a bit of stick

and people are mentioning his job and he's under pressure and he's this and he's that. I think he's done a brilliant job. He had leads firing in the championship. and going to the Premier League is a different beast for anybody. It always is. It's the most competitive league in the world. It's full of quality, the tactical side of the game, the mental side of the game, every part of that game. Now, their goal will be to finish 17th.

I don't care what people say to me. If they stay in the division, it's a success and that's that. And he's been within the mix of staying the division going into Christmas for me. And I really like him. I like how he holds himself. I love how he talks. I like how he speaks about his team. And the guys have mentioned it here about the formation change and going to something that suits them.

I think it's being a little bit of a masterstroke, to be honest with it. to go up against their manners that he mentioned there in his interview is absolutely brilliant to get the results he's got and I think they're really good to watch. We watched the game the other night when we was on the show and I thought they were outstanding when they played Chelsea and they've obviously backed the look with Liverpool as well. How do you get the best out of Dominic Calvert Lewin?

As a former teammate of his, is it about giving him the right support on the pitch, i.e. having someone there alongside him. I think that benefits him, but I think he can play both ways. I've never been part of when I was at Everton and I played with him. I was lucky enough to play with him. and for England as well. He's an outstanding footballer and people just think he's a big lad who you can go

long to and he can win headers and things like. Technically he's very, very good as well. You play the ball into his feet, he can set, he can spin, he can hold a ball, he can get you up the pitch, you can do all his side of the game as well. And when I was at Everton Chappers, I never felt a team need a player as much as what we needed, Dominic

Calvert Lewin when he didn't play. Honestly, we were built for him. The team was built for him. We got the ball wire, we crossed it into the box. And I said there about that wasn't his only part of his game, but it's a real strong part of his game as well where he can attack balls and he can be strong in the air his leap is unbelievable

and the amount we missed him when I play with him was unbelievable honestly you felt it week after week after week because he had quite a lot of injuries but if they keep him fit and firing they have got a right chance this season of staying in the division

Connor I think we obviously just say about tactics and formation and like we do say quite flippantly in terms of yeah he changed formation but I think for me as a coach that's a big compliment to Daniel Farker in the sense of you can change formation

but it's like the messages that you get to your players and I think over the last few games he's been able to get their messages whether that's been on the training pitch or it's half time at the 80-yard stadium and that just shows that the players are buying into what he's wanting

to do for this league and to try and keep leads in the Premier League as much as possible and whether that's revolved around Dominic Alvertlu and strengths but I think for me I think to be able to get all your players on the same page

in a different formation so quickly is so impressive football hasn't changed Mark. I mean, I don't want to go back to my area. But the issue with Manchester City, you know, he went with in the first half, he went with James wide and non-to-wide Metscher down the middle. The problem leads

have when Metscher plays as a central striker, is he's a striker who will run him behind. But he doesn't offer up. He's not good enough with his hold-up play and his link-up play. But when I say you've got to get up the pitch, they couldn't play through Manchester City. Manchester City smothered them. They couldn't get out.

You've got to get up the pitch. So what did Daniel Farker do, as I mentioned earlier, something which he's been accused of at Leeds fans for not doing, being proactive, making subs early. He got Dominic Calvert Lewin on, put him on, and he bullied the Manchester City backline. They have that option of going direct. And if you get players running off him,

and Metscher has that pace, then, you know, he's a threat. But Conner's right. He's got different strengths to his game, Dominic Calvert Lewin. But he has to be the main lead striker, I think, because Metscher doesn't give them that option. So then they become predictable. They'll play through midfield. They lost long staff is out, I think, for a fair while for them.

But they've coped brilliantly well. Their fixture list coming up, I think it makes a really interesting reading. So around Christmas and the New Year, they're away at Sunderland, they're away at Liverpool, they're at home to Manchester United, and they're away at Newcastle. And on the one hand, do you think, Blimey, that's four tough games.

But then on the other hand, Chris, you think, do you know what? The way they have roused themselves for the big games in the last three is kind of suits them. It suits the atmosphere at Ellen Road. It suited them away at Manchester City. Before those four games,

they've got Brentford away this Sunday and Palace at home. And you sort of think those two may give a better indication before you get to the four kind of, The four games where the atmosphere is going to be tasty, it's no disrespect to Palace or Brentford, but those other four where the atmosphere is going to be tasty

and everybody rouses themselves. I mean, their issue has been their way form, and that's something which Daniel Farker will be aware of. But if you're a Leeds player and you've just pushed Manchester City, they deserve something from that game. You've beaten a Chelsea team who we were all getting excited about possibly challenging Arsenal. And then they've come back against Liverpool.

they were two down and then three two down. So to get results against the likes of those, why wouldn't there be confidence within the dressing room that they can perform? It's just maintaining that level of consistency. But if I'm a Leeds player and I've played in all the games this season, I'm thinking we're competitive. Steph's touched on it.

You know, teams who have come up in recent seasons, they've fallen away and many of them have fallen away early. But Leeds are in that they're scrapping, They're confident And, you know, why would they fear anybody? You know, Liverpool away. Liverpool, you know, they've been terrible. Anybody bothered by the fact that the opt-to-supercomputer still has leads going down, anybody? The opt-a-what? Supercomputer.

Yeah. Don't tell you. Have you never heard of the opt-s? I've heard of the supercomputers. Yeah. Yeah. So the Opt-to-supercomputer has percentage chance of being relegated. It has wolves at night. I wouldn't put this in a dressing room if you're wolves. 98% chance of being relegated. Burnley, 80%. Leeds 42%

West Ham 39% and Forest 21% What's that based off Jappers? Yeah, it's a great question It is a good question And I think they They try and predict Every result over the course of the season

Whenever they do the calculation So they'll have done it this weekend And then they've come out with that It'll be interesting They've done this over the years haven't he? Well it seems to have become more of a thing over the last couple of years I think they partly introduced it

just to annoy John Murray I am still beating AI in the BBC predictions this season. Excellent. Good. Are you wiping the floor with that, are you? Well, yeah, I had a little dodgy spell, but it just shows it. I mean, Connor's question is tell a supercomputer, how do you do it? They just make it up.

Somebody is just making that up. Legally speaking, Chris, they don't. Legally speaking, they don't make it up. Legally speaking, they don't make it up and they crunch the numbers with expertise. You are right. Good. Now we have this email from Simon Kirkland.

I was amazed at the start of this evening's programme that you said that some disgruntled, overpaid Liverpool player was the only story in town. I am a villa fan. We are humble, but the performance on Saturday surely deserves recognition, plenty of mentions and an analysis of how they did it. Disappointed yet again that Astonville have minimal recognition or coverage.

Well, Simon, thank you for email. What you may or may not know if you're a regular listener is that one of the regular members of the production team is an Aston Villa fan and rarely wants us to talk about them in case we curse them. However, he's off ill. So let's talk about the fact that Aster Villa are third in the table.

They beat Arsenal, five consecutive wins, nine wins in their last 10. They're three points off. Are they in a title race, Steph? Oh, wow. You come to me first. I think they've gotten, huge impact on the title race. Do I think they'll win it? Potentially not just based on

squad depth and the players that they have in comparison to other squads, but an unbelievable performance against Arsenal Saturday. I think that was a villa that we've seen last season when they were competing in the Champions League. What Unae Emery has done with that team is not only the players that he's brought in, but in terms of coaching players to be better and you're seeing the likes of Morgan Rogers having bigger impacts on bigger games. Ollie Watkins is back into form and I think when teams go to Villa Park as well it's not a great place to go and that's been shown this season

so I think they have a chance of competing in the Champions League next year if they keep up the form but in terms of title race I think they've got a big impact on it but potentially not win it. Una Emery putting his program notes on Saturday have been asked about the title race but you know how I think

keep humble words of a title race are empty until April or May were starting December these are headlines I dislike and this last point is probably a fair reflection of where it's at, Chris. Many people who put us there now, i.e. in the title race, were thinking

in August that we were a finished team. Yeah, that's probably true. I don't know who he's talking about there. No, in general, but you go back to the start of the season. Four or five games they hadn't scored. Yeah, no, it's right. They had a dreadful start. And then everybody was

thinking, you know, was that the maybe the effects of last season and I don't think they did a great deal of work in the transfer market but they are in a title race I mean and they're in a title race because all right then if you start to the season they've beaten Manchester City they've beaten Arsenal they're thereby right you do I do agree with Steph that do they have a deep enough squad but the other thing is

is Ollie Watkins hasn't really gotten going for them you know you think actually if he starts to really hit the heights which he is capable of you know they could they could go up you know even another level. So I think you can't be anything other than impressed by Unai Emory's team and they're very principled in the way that they play. While football has changed

this year in terms of being more of a set piece game and, you know, Arsenal are more direct. I mean, Uni Emory just carries on playing the way which they've always played and, you know, he provokes the press and they'll, you know, they'll play out from the back through the thirds. They're a great watch and I think

Steph touched on Morgan and Rogers, he struggled at the start of the season. He did, but now he's finding his form. McGins a huge player for them. So, yeah, fair play to Aston Villa. They are in a title race. We also have to remember, we were doing the game a couple of weeks ago. They beat Wolves 1-0.

Walls had a couple of chances in that first half. The winner came from outside the box. It's only two weeks ago that we were talking about how the majority of their goals were being scored from outside the box, and they couldn't keep doing that. And their XG differential wasn't great and put them in the bottom half. and actually you then go on to the Wednesday game which we were doing this week

and they went 2-0 down at Brighton so they have even up until Saturday lunchtime there has still been question marks every time they've played virtually even though they're on this incredible run still question marks chappas but still I think they've got more gears to go through I still think they can go through more gear

they're an outstanding football team I love him as a manager I think he's absolutely brilliant I really do I think his words there that you just mentioned the way he spoke about being in a title race. I agree with Chris. I think they're in a title race. I think they're in it. Will they win it? It's going to be really, really tough. But I think they're in a title race. And I love, I think the midfield three for them is right up there in the league.

I think the midfield three is outstanding. Your Anarnia, your Kamara and your Tealman's as the midfield three. And then he had Morgan Rogers out on the left and McGee out on the right and Watkins through the middle. That's up there with one of the best because of the way they play and the way they're doing things, the way they're doing, the way they sticks to principles. They know what they're doing. There's a structure about them. And as a reason, the third in the division,

because they're a fantastic football team with a brilliant manager. But do they need more options? You'd say yeah, but we've seen teams go a long way, not win the league, but we've seen teams go a long way and have one of them incredible seasons. Now, let's be honest,

Aston Villa don't need to win the league to have an incredible season. Aston Villa can finish third and have an incredible season that much of a good side. And if they go and finish third in the league, it's an unbelievable season for them. So would do Nye Emery say

he wants more options, of course you will because you'll want a bigger squad. He'll sit there and I'll go within the league. Can we just can we go a little bit further? for that you need a bigger squad but I just think they're doing brilliant as they go along at the minute he has a fair few options though

I mean Bundia coming off the bench Marlon has a he always makes a difference when he comes on and you know he's I think you score more goals than Ollie Watkins this season so they have a few it's just if they get injuries to to big players it's whether they have

enough depth Buendia's renaissance is one of the more heartwarming football stories isn't it that was amazing on Saturday I think you can tell is celebration how much that meant to him and I think players like that and what you need are football clubs like

Ashton Villa because they realise how much it is and how grateful they are to play and I think when you mentioned about the midfield I think I love Tealemans I think him coming back from injury is such a crucial part of how Villa player and how they take he can do the dirty side of the game but also he's got a good attack and forward thinking

and I think that's why Morgan Rogers and the likes of Ollie Watkins are benefiting because there's getting more forward power earlier and yeah Villa are so good to watch and I'm really pleased for them because I think the start of the season I think we were all thinking

did they not sign enough players in the summer did they maybe need a few changes they just didn't hit the ground running but look I think in this league now it's so competitive and when you kind of pick up wins and they've picked up five in a row now it means that you can go from say 12 to in them Champions League places

does it not feel a little bit you know the division this year feels a little bit like the championship doesn't it in terms of how it is how quickly you can move stuff just mention it there So the league is absolutely crazy this year but it's full credit to Aston Villene I and me the players that they've got there that they're really doing what they're doing

when you're talking about Tealeman's there Steph when I first went to Leicester the lad's raved off him honestly the lad said he was one of them He just left when I got there but the lad's absolutely raved off Connor when you have someone like that in a team though you know that it just brings

extra confidence within the team when he's back isn't it really yeah fantastic did he leave because he knew you were coming in he left on a free Chris I liked him to stay but he left on a free You are a horrible man at times.

There's no team in Europe, Chris, that's put together more home wins across the previous three years than Villa. So I understand you and I'm going to be so ridiculous to talk about a title race in December. But if you are strong at home and only Crystal Palace have beaten them at Villa Park since Arsenal last visited in August of 2024,

if you are strong at home, that's your platform. Totally agree. I just, I don't know why we have. I know they had a dodgy start of the season, but it is odd that, you know, we're only talking about Villa now being in a title race because, you know, in recent seasons, they haven't really pushed as they have this season.

But, you know, why can't they push this season? Manchester City seemed to have a vulnerability about them. Arsenal, who I thought wouldn't show any real weakness this season, have done in recent weeks. They're having a wobble. So, you know, why not, Villa? Do you want to know some in Conner? I'd love to know something in the future.

The Opta supercomputer rates their title chances at 5.9%. Does it? It does, which it may not sound that high, but it's five times more than what they rate Chelsea's title chances at 1.2%. And nine times higher than Liverpool's title chances at 0.7%. Brilliant. Thanks. This is the Monday nightclub with Mark Chapman.

On the Football Daily Podcast. Let's talk Hart, who beat Celtic yesterday at Celtic Park Wilfrey announced his first game in charge they go three points clear at the

top of the table they won 2 1 Liam Corbett Hart's fan from This is My Story podcast

did you go there believing that you would win could win no I think that we probably still pre-program to fear

going to Glasgow to be honest with you but yeah what a result utterly I was actually I won't lie

I was a wee bit more confident when I'd seen that Celtic had just decided to Chuck Everett and Martin or Neil had done out the window.

I felt that was a good opportunity for us in, you know, we weathered the first 15 minutes and then I think we done a number on Celtic. I think that Derek McKinness scored it spot on. And as the game went on, I know they scored in the 93rd minute, but I actually

felt that we were pretty controlled and if anybody was, I felt like we could score every time we went forward because they were just, it was crazy. It was, they were wide open all over in the place. I know that the memes are going around with with a magnet board out but it was comical

at points just how crazy they were set up. The sort of bigger picture of it given the run that you've been on is as important as the three points isn't it for a title race? Yeah and the thing was that we've actually played okay

the Motherwell game aside we were pretty rank rotten against Motherwell but we played pretty well against Aberdeen just didn't take our chances we play okay against Coman Lake at home but you get the sucker punch at the end So I was never worried that we weren't still hitting the heights. We were still seeing the patterns of play that we like.

We were still doing what we've made us where we are for the league. So I wasn't too worried, but it was good to see us back to our sort of aggressive best yesterday, which is getting wide and high and getting balls into the box. And Shankland is just, you know, Shankland and the team and leads the line is phenomenal. It's no surprise that the only game we have lost this season is a game in which Shankland never played. So, yeah, it was a massive three points in the context of the title race. Derek McKinness's quote is interesting, isn't it? We had to change the narrative a wee bit.

Our fight is with ourselves, not with Celtic. Yeah, he's been doing that all season. He's been doing that all season. He's been trying to keep the noise. He also tried to drum up this narrative that everybody's against us and, you know, he likes to shut people up when to be fair. I mean, that bit is nonsense, isn't it? I mean, apart from Hibbs and probably Celtic now,

I can't imagine anybody else is against you, are they? Yeah. and you I was going to say and maybe Chris Celtic are in that weird situation where anybody but Rangers

but then anybody but us so they're in this weird situation where it is like but yeah everybody else has been right behind and it's good it's good for Scottish football I think Aberdeen had a stretch

last season where they looked like they could potentially do something but Celtic were winning week and week out and Aberdeen never really got in front of them this season both Rangers in Celtic look nowhere near

their best and we look like we've come through a little wobble there if we win on Saturday we've got Rangers at home next it could be massive for hearts the next three weeks if we can continue to be there or thereabouts do you think there was too much made of the run you went on with seven points from 18 I thought so from the outside

drawing away at Motherwell not the worst result it was the Kilmarnet game wasn't it the one before the Celtic game where they equalised late on. But I always felt with Derek McKinness teams. I mean, he's a hugely experienced manager. And, you know, I do take your point that the way that Celtic set up yesterday had done his homework on Wilfred Nancy and the way that his Columbus crew team played.

You know, and you said as a Hartz fan, you actually thought, right, do you know what, we've got a better chance now. But do you think January is the key month for all the clubs, Hart, Celtic and Rangers, and who gets the better of the January? transfer window. Yeah, I think so. I think it'll be big. We've already done some early business.

We've got Islam Chesnikov. He's the Kazakhstan International that's been highly spoke of. We've got the Brazilian Azure that we signed in the summer that we just can't get fit. But I still think we'll do some business. And that's where I'm most excited because I think that's where this title race feels different

to the Aberdeen one is that Tony Bloom and the Jamestown Analytics is what drives it. And we've only had it. There's our first shot of it in the summer transfer window. and it's transformed our team, you know, Claudio O'Bragga playing in the second tier in Norway. I think he might be the joint top goal scorer in the league with his goal yesterday. He looks phenomenal.

Kizaridis, he'll be chapping on the door to be getting a Greece call-up. He's been phenomenal, the return for me Shanklin. Stuart Finley as well, like you said, Derek McKinness, in his knowledge of Scottish football, he's went over to Comarnik and took Stuart Finley, and if he can do the same with Watson in the midfield, had Pee absolutely delighted.

So, yeah, it's a huge window. Liam, thank you very much for coming on. That's it for Monday Night Club this week. Connor, Steph, Chris, thank you all. This winter, cricket's oldest rivalry is reignited. England and Australia do battle to compete for the ashes. That is extraordinary. Hear live ball-by-ball commentary on Five Sports Extra.

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