Football Daily - Premier League Review

Episode Date: January 25, 2026

Football Daily reviews this weekend's Premier League action.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimeters and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at Landrover.ca. The Football Daily podcast, Premier League Review with Rick Edwards. Hello, and welcome to The Football Daily. It's the Premier League Review with me, Rick Edwards.

with us on this episode, former Liverpool and England goalkeeper David James and BBC Sports Senior Football Correspondent, Sammy Mockbell. Evening both. All good? How you doing? What does a David James January weekend look like? This weekend I was down in Bournemouth to watch my two old teams play in what I thought was a fantastic game of football. Today has been spent watching football and painting.

Oh, what you painted at the moment? I can't really say because it's a little bit political. What do you mean you can't really? I mean, my God. Okay. All right, well, that's enough painting chat probably. Let's talk about the football. I think we've all just finished watching.

Arsenal beaten at the Emirates for the first time this season. And I've got to say, Sammy, it was a really, really good game. So first half an hour, Arsenal was kind of dominating. You thought, oh, they'll probably just go on and win this quite comfortably. And then basically, once they scored, United really came into it, and then the second half was cracking. it's a shock result and that sounds ridiculous to say

man you know man united be in arsenal but Arsenal have been in decent form very good form they're a very good side so for man united to go there and win the game um is is seismic really certainly in the

uh the title race 24 hours after manchester city of have cut the gap which is now obviously which is now four points um Arsenal appear to have a serious problem scoring goals from open play and you

look as good as they are you just wonder if that will be a problem moving forward because look and it's only one result and I know you know it's only one weekend but Manchester City winning against wolves yesterday and this

result today seems to me as a pretty big a pretty big weekend in the title race but if you look at the the attacking options that Arsenal have, David. So, I mean, we don't really need to talk about Yockeh, particularly. But Jesus, Havertz when he's back fit,

Madweke, Martinelli, Saka, obviously, Ezra, Trossard. They should not be struggling for open play goals. Yeah, I think what was interesting about today's game, and I agree with the thing, obviously, before the first goal, I was thinking this is going to be nil-0. It will be bored, bored senseless,

but some teams will be quite happy with the nil-0 draw. Once they went one-nil up, you're thinking, okay, here we go, this typical Arsenal was going to be 1-0, that will do.

I wasn't expecting him to go and romp the game. But it is a terrible mistake to allow on Burma to score the Equalizer. And that completely changed. The Arsenal methodology this season has been pretty faultless.

They haven't needed someone to be there with 20 goals a season. They don't need all their strikers to be scoring. masses of goals because they've been romping the title. They've been, you know, or rumping the league, top of the Champions League, you know, sort of arguably on for a quadruple.

So there was no problem beforehand. It was a problem today because in a game with five goals, four of them were scored by Man United. And actually, I think I heard a stat on the TV commentary about the last time that Arsenal conceded three goals. It was a long time ago. They'd been so defensively strong for a long time, actually, under Mikhail Artata.

Yeah, well, that central defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is probably the best in European football. And those two are the foundations of their title bid, really. So then, you know, that just sort of emphasises the job that Manchester United have done today, to go there and score three times against one of the meanest, if not the meanest defence in European football, is no mean fee. And what I start, you know, Michael Katrick has had to, and I will probably talk about it later but what a start he's had to

his interim tenure at Manchester United to face Manchester City and then Arsenal and following weekends and picking up two victories is yeah, it's fairy tale stuff really. Let's hear from Michael Carrick. It was a good day. I think we had to put a lot into that game in awful lot in so many ways

and credit to the boy, so proud of them you know, we had to sustain some attack especially earlier on. We grew into the game had a setback, come back strong. Had a setback towards the end, come back strong. So many elements of the game that were good. We're so fresh with it. It's 10 days into games,

and it's never going to be perfect at this stage, especially coming against a team like Arsenal. But there was so many positives to take and hope we can keep adding to it in the days and weeks to come. Does this start two wins into you against big, big opponents, change your views on the job more permanently? No, no. that often has changed.

I've been here less than two weeks, and I'm just desperate to do well and improve the team and finish as high as we can and having days like this, and last week is something you get greedy for and you want a little bit more and we need to keep building on this in the weeks that come. And you've seen the effect it had on the fans,

especially at the end. Yeah, my kids were in there, so they were enjoying it. I think it's important. We have moments like that in games like that, you know, the support us unbelievably well for so long and to give them

something to shout about with them this is what it's all about Michael Carrot with kids I remember commentating on you when he started out of West Sam you're a kid yourself

and they're not even kids they're 60, nearly 60 18 actually he can enjoy it like the rest of them and he's done kind of the things that looked from the outside

to just a casual observer like the obvious things to do stop playing three at the back I know he switched to it right at the end but that's different but switching to a assistant

them that the players are obviously comfortable playing and then putting players basically in positions that suit them. So having Bruno as a 10. And I know it isn't that simple, but it sort of is as well. Yeah, not to belittle Ruben Amarim's

sort of tactical outlook or or Michael Carrick's. I think his kind of results belittle. You can say that, yeah. But I guess it's not rocket science, as you say. it is put in square pegs in square holes and it's and that's what it and you know

it's playing a system that the players are comfortable with throughout Ruben Amarim's term you never really got the sense that the players were ever comfortable playing in that system and you know the first thing that Michael Carrick has done is to go in there is to play this 4-2-3-1 system that he played at Middlesbrough is also the first thing.

real, I guess the heart and the philosophy of what a man united side should be traditionally and look they've had a brilliant start and I've taken to it like a duck to water and you know fair play to him. And the other kind of bigger decision I suppose

David that he's taken is not starting Cusco and Coonier but playing Dorga a bit further forward and that that's played dividends. It's scored two in two now Dorgia. Yeah I mean, I think the Man City one sat nicely for him

because he didn't really have too much time to get too serious about stuff. And if you can't play in a local derby like that and a big local derby to the best of your capabilities, and Man United have done this under Amory, they've done it under pretty much everyone, gone into these massive games, either been really terrible and drawn or being able to get a result,

which Norman saw me in Amarin won at Amfield, didn't he, this season? So that was a good start for him. What he's done in this second game, I think, has taken the positivity from that first game. But we have to look at Dog who's goal today. I mean, it wasn't a handball. That's fine. It was a wonder strike. Then you look at Cunea's goal.

It's a wonder strike. Another thing, I mean, Arsenal might not conceded three goals for a wrong time. I can't think when they conceded two in one game from outside the box. That's the quality of the strikes they've got. So, yes, enjoy the win. It was a fantastic win. And obviously, for Manchester City and Aston Villa, a very, important win for their chances of trying to win the title.

As far as reliability from that kind of goal to win games of football, I don't think that would last long. So therefore the tactical side. Because David Ray, I don't think made a save, did he in the game? If he did, it was one. Not that I remember, no. No. Which is typical

Arsenal, but if you've got the quality of the goals to win the game, you take those 90 minutes as what you need to do. But I think, on a long-term strategy, if you're relying on the likes of Cunia and Dorg who score wonder goals, then it's not going to be the formula for long-term success. There was a lovely moment where Gary Neville,

who was on co-coms, you could hear the sort of the excitement, and this I think was at two all, actually. Or maybe it was no, maybe it was when United were two-one up, and he's saying, almost like a note to himself, you don't want to get too excited here, you don't want to speak too soon.

Literally ten seconds later, he said, McGuire's turning into Beckenbaum, and Dallow's like Caffoo. Really hate it laugh. And the thing is, you know, the serious point is you can't get too excited by this, but if I was a United fan,

those two wins would get me excited, Sammy. Why can't they get excited? Yeah. Why can't they get excited? That is the beauty of football. You've got to let yourself get excited when things are going well. I totally understand,

I understand the outlook of keep your foot on the ball. You know, it's only two games. But the two games against your, sort of deadliest rivals, your local rivals, and the champions elect. You've just come out with six points. If you can't,

if you can't get elated about that, then you might as well just, you know, call it a day. It's been a brilliant, it's been a brilliant, so say seven days for Manchester United and Michael Carrick.

And yeah, we do have to err on the side of course. And I absolutely agree with, with David there. They're not going to, you know, they're not going to score worldies, are they every week in week out?

but, you know, they've got a foundation to build off now, and I don't know what their next pictures I haven't checked, but they will go into those... They're full of at home, Tottenham at home. Fulham, Tottenham, Westam, Everton, away. All winnable games. They will go into those games. They're full of my flying, that, but yeah, yeah.

But they should go into those games. They will go into those games with a bouncing nestip. Yeah, I mean, Sammy, I totally agree. I'm not saying the Man United Fanship. be excited. If I was a man United fan at the moment, I'd be shouting. I'll be on the phone to every Arsenal fan I know and just giving it to him. I'm just saying, and I have to caveat that with Michael Carrick as an English manager, even if he's an interim manager and seeing that coaching staff, I think for anyone who wants English managers to do well, and I know having qualified all the badges

for management, there's this sort of skepticism towards English managers in the world of football. So see him doing well with this group of players, I think is another. sort of feather in his cap. But I'm just saying long term, if that's what you're going to rely on, then it's not going to, it's not going to divider. But with the quality of that coaching staff, you would like to think that they will find the way to get shots on target more often and win games with rubbish goals. Here's Michael Artetta. Well, first of all, you have to get great to Manchester United. Obviously, we give them a goal, which is unusual and un-painful,

and then they have two brilliant moments when they have incredible, from the edge and we were in our best today. I mean, we gave so many times the ball away and necessarily in really dangerous areas and against this team you are in the edge because you know the quality they have. We talked before the game how they can activate the open spaces and we start to lose control and dominance

and became more chaotic game. Really uncharacteristic, wasn't it, some of the things we saw? Yeah, but it's the moment to stay with the players. Those players deserve a lot of credit for what they've done. The consistency that they show where we are because they are so good and they've been performing. So when we lose a game, I take the responsibility and we have to protect the players.

At 2-2, do you think you've got something out of the game? 100%. And after that, none is one against one. In the six-year-box, for a goal kick, they kick it long, one pass, and they scored a goal. And they lost all the momentum because that was the moment that we had him. It's still, I don't know, maybe 12, 30 minutes to play.

We were on top of it, and we just gave it away. It's going to be tops the intervie, isn't it, week in, week out between now and the end? Yes, but if you want to win, you have to go through those moments. You expect to win every single game. We have 30, 31 games to play. It's totally unrealistic. The margins are very small.

We made them even smaller today in the manner that we did certain things against Man United. And now it's time to react. Now we have to see what we are made of and react, and the first game is in the Champions League. Martin O'Degarde, after the game, said it wasn't good enough from us, but now it's starting to stick together even more. I was slightly surprised that he came off.

I mean, Mikhail Artetta made four subs, didn't he? And Oedegard just has that, he has that garl. He might just conjure up a little bit of magic when you need a goal, Sammy. Yeah, but they've got so many options, haven't they? And the one thing I do wonder about Arsenal, are they going to run out of legs? And I know they've got a big squad,

but they've had a whole load of injuries over the course of the season which perhaps hasn't allowed Michel Artetta to rotate maybe as much as he would like giving the workload I've got another European game this week now this week

but they can rest everyone for that they can because they're through and it's basically a dead rubber right and it's the bottom of the there's a Chira yeah Chirot but my point being you just wonder if those injuries at the start of the season

and sort of the pressure going into the business end of the season you just wonder if it if it affects Arsenal because they you know

they haven't got over the line yet and until they do yeah so they've got pretty much a full strength squad for the first time in a while no you are right David they have now they have now they have now but for the first time that's for the first time in a

in a while that they've their season has been sort of crippled really by by key injuries and you know fair play to them for for being where they are in the table but yeah you know they've got the players back now so there should be opportunities moving forward for Michael Artetta to to rotate and they have got incredible depth it's incredible when everyone is when everyone is fit

I mean they've effectively got a second sort of full strength in my mind that in my mind the squad is the strongest without doubt in the Premier League So there can be no excuses But this is kind of Yeah go on David There's still two games clear of everyone else Yes

Because there's their goal difference Well actually no not really Because City's goal difference is Slightly better than theirs isn't it Well they effectively have to not win two games For someone to go I know they've got City coming up quite soon Well it's April I think isn't it

But I mean, there's still two games. And if Michel Artecette is the manager that we think he is or has been up until today's game, then he'll get in that change room and say, come on, guys, just get back on track. And someone's got to make up that four-point gap. It's still a big gap for a team that doesn't lose many games. Yes, yes, but I think Arsenal fans have been worrying. And you could feel it, listen to the commentary and then watching it on TV. You could feel the stress in the Arsenal fans.

Ian Roy didn't look stressed. Well, he has head in his hands. I think you could definitely hear on the commentary and see on the TV pictures that the Arsenal fans are getting a bit stressed because they're worried about having a bit of a wobble and then crumbling under pressure. So they've dropped some points away to Forest,

now drop these points against Manchester United. At the same time, City winning, I know it's against wolves, but still Villa beating Newcastle Tunis and Jameses Park is a really big result for them. And four points with two teams will be... It's just... It's a momentum thing, isn't it?

And up until this point, the momentum has always pretty much been with Arsenal or if it hasn't been with them, it also hasn't been with anyone else. That's kind of my point. This feels like a bit... Like, it potentially could be a bit of an inflection point. You think I'm overstating that, David?

Well, I'm not a momentum fan because if you win 10 games in a row, then your momentum will mean you'll win 11. And it doesn't happen that way. Otherwise, Arsenal would have won today. I just think the confidence is an issue when it comes to maintaining that form. And yes, of course,

where we're saying about Michael Carrick and Manorite fans not being happy, I think Arsenal fans would have to have a concern because it is fair to say that Arsenal have had a career under Nicolatteta of being in positions where you'd think they're going to go and do everything and then something goes slightly wrong

and it all falls apart. and if it falls apart this early, I mean, we've still got a lot of games to play. If it falls apart this early, then... What we've got, 15 left? Yeah. Most... Yeah, the catastrophic fall of grace, I think.

Mm-hmm. At Una Emery, after that excellent result against Newcastle, still can't quite make his mind up about whether Villa are tight of contenders. And, I mean, they are, aren't they? Well, they're or they're about, aren't they? If you're looking at the table, if you were to come down from Mars

and you looked at the Premier League table and you see where I'm closer, the closer I are. And you say, yeah, of course. They are Premier League contenders. But I look at their squad. I've got some fantastic players. But I also think they're one or two injuries,

always one or two injuries away from a bit of a selection crisis. They just don't have the depth that Manchester City and Arsenal have. If they can keep their team, their starting 11 fit, and available for the rest of the season and then they can be there or thereabouts. But I just don't see a scenario where they can seriously and genuinely challenge

either of those two sides. But listen, they're a brilliant side with some excellent attacking players. But I think if they finish third, they would have had a brilliant, brilliant season. Yeah, yeah, yeah, agree with that. But you can see a scenario where Arsenal plays city, it's a draw

that weekend who they're a player and fill a win and suddenly they are right in there it would be a belief it would be a belief with that set of players do they truly believe

that they belong and that they have a genuine chance of winning the title as good as some of those players are I'm not sure they've experienced

that level of almost like psychological warfare at the end of the season they've not been prepped for that really. So, yeah, I'd be surprised if they do mount a serious title challenge. But listen, I've been wrong millions of times before, and it'd be great if you did it did because, you know,

he would just add to the title race. Yeah. I think the good thing here is that given what happened last season, last game of last season, which stopped Villa from getting at the Champions League, there's a part where they only need to get in the Champions League to improve on last season. And if it means that they don't win the Premier League by three points,

it's not that they were trying to win the Premier League it was just to make sure they got in the Champions League so there's a part where their confidence going back to that as opposed to momentum will keep them in that position it's really Citi who are the ones who want to win the league or expected to win the league

and it's whether or not they can keep their sort of pressure on so I agree with you Sammy in that sense but I can't help but think of Lester and how many people said Lester won't win the league up until the point. Yeah but the league was playing out quite differently, wasn't it? It was more that Lester were in the lead and everyone

thought, well, they're never going to do it, whereas this is, you know, can a team who you don't think are going to be title contenders chase down, not one, but two, who definitely are. Yeah, and while those two are fighting with each other to win the league, Astinville just

want to stay in the Champions League positions and end up winning. I mean, you know, it could be, it would be a miracle. I don't think that Una Emery ever sits there and thinks, I'll tell you what, if we do this, we're going to win the league. he'll just keep himself in a position that if things fall apart for two teams and Man City, you haven't had the season

which we normally see from them so, you know, anything could happen. I know you are a fan of stats, David, so I pulled this out for you on the Newcastle game. Since Bruno Gimerice joined Newcastle, they haven't won any of the nine league matches in which he hasn't played.

They've drawn five and lost four. he is a very, very important player for Eddie Howe, isn't he? Absolutely. And I feel Freddie a little bit because as we're talking about Astinville, the one thing that Astinville don't have to worry about is Champions League, obviously they've got Europa League, which could be a contender for their sort of focus. For Eddie, it is, again, you know, in the Champions League, where does he keep his focus? And as we saw midweek, done really well, and then the,

the counter to that is not a good performance today. He's got to rest the likes of Gimeres because otherwise he'll be crook and therefore he'll be no good for the Premier League or the Champions League. And I think that's where Eddie's challenged amongst other clubs at the moment. But yeah, he's a vital player.

Yeah, I think he said, I think Bruno said he might be back for their trip to PSG, which is on Wednesday. We've got live commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds. Let's, um, Let's talk about Liverpool then. 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth, dropped out the top four, down in sixth now.

Let's hear from both of the managers. So, Arnesty, in a moment, after Andoni, Iriola first. Yes, for me, it's a massive, no, to get the first win against Liverpool, but especially for the team. I think we are finding ways to get points in a very delicate situation that we are. And last three games against Spares, Brighton, Liverpool, we've got seven points. And probably playing a little bit deeper. different and that we are used to play because now the needs and the players we have are different.

But I think it was a bigger award for us. As I have reflected so many times this season, very, very disappointing. The way we conceded the second goal was of course, I would almost say part of our season because it's always something that you cannot predict that's going to happen, does happen to us. Going down to 10 men and then conceding the second goal after maybe when we could see the first goal was probably the first time that they were close to our goal. And then you're 2-0 down, but the players showed incredible mentality again. The same players have to play so many minutes,

and we play a very intense bomb of team after two days ago playing away game in Europe. The only team that played Champions League that had two days rest, all the others had more, had more. But again, my players showed mentality, came back to 2-2, but I think it's fair to say in the last 10 minutes you could see a few of them were tired. It's a lot of times that I have to play the same player. because of the long-term injuries we are having. Well, before we go to town on Liverpool,

and I am in terms of to go to town in Liverpool, let's give a lot credit to Bournemouth. Obviously, I've lost their best player. I don't know that's sort of controversial in Semenio. Clivert's out injured, Brooks is out injured, Tavenir's out. And so given all that and the fact they've been on a bad run, it's a terrific result.

and I don't know if you would say on balance they deserved it but you definitely wouldn't say that they didn't deserve it, Sammy. Absolutely. Their prized asset is their manager. What a brilliant job he has done. Precariously though, obviously for them, his contract runs out at the end of the season and as you can imagine there are a lot of, should we say,

suitors who would be intent on taking him from the South Coast at the end of the season. Just a little bit of Bournemouth news, I've got it as we speak tonight on Sunday. Ryan the Vasco da Gama winger, who's effectively Antoine Semenio's replacement is traveling. He's arrived in London and he's traveling down to Bournemouth now. So that deal pending a medical should be done over the next 24, 48 hours,

which is a boost for them. But, well, yeah, listen, they are a really well-oiled outfit. and they are the spit of their manager, you know, and what a brilliant job he's done. And I have to say, as good as they were yesterday, I do fear slightly for Bournemouth next season if the manager goes. Yeah, I mean, he himself has said he wants to sort of get to 38 points as quickly as, as quickly as possible.

And I don't, you know, hard to see them getting dragged in. I just think they are significantly better. quite a few of the teams below them. But yeah, that result very helpful. On Liverpool, David, I didn't honestly think that Liverpool were bad yesterday. And as Slott said, I think they did well to get back into the game and get back to parity.

But, you know, when you keep conceding very, very late goals to lose games, you know, that is a problem. Yeah, but being in the game, I mean, the conditions were tough. You know, players look tired. I mean, Fring-pong, when he came off, he looked absolutely shattered.

And I think Arna mentioned in his post-match press conference or interviews. You're playing up against the side who, if my stats are right, six out of the last eight games, the goals have been scored in the 90th minute. It's almost like a reverse of the first game of season when Liverpool played Bournemouth. Liverpool winning 2-0. Bournemouth came back in and Liverpool went on and won it late on.

This side just don't know how to give up. There's a style of play where it's almost Kevin Kegan-esque if I can use another Liverpool link. But they know they're going to concede goals, so they know they have to score more weirdly. the nature of that winning goal as well was very, very strange in a sense that Liverpool were on attack

they lose a ball, it sort of bounces through and the pitch of it, he throws a ball, he'd done it five minutes earlier and he threw it out of touch. But you saw the one-on-one, he froze a ball and it was kind of like, we're still going to go for this. Rather than thinking on it, it's a great point where we could have lost perhaps, they went for it.

And if you look at what Bournemouth are doing, they've conceded so many goals this season, but recently the only goals they've been conceding is from set plays and the quality of the goals they'd be conceded I mean Virgil's was off his shoulder effectively but Don's three kick was superb They're conceding 403 goals, Bournemouth Wow

Yeah but they're not conceding In an open point They're conceding more than that Yeah but they're not conceding in open play So Liverpool found it very hard to score in open play They only scored from set plays And that's the thing If Bournemouth third highest goal scorers

in Premier League I think second or third highest goal scorers. So there's a bit where if you could, arguably, if you sort the defense out, then that team's going to be going high. So for Arna to be on the losing side in a game of football against a team who play that way,

given that they, and all that stuff about being in Europe, and the game in Marseille was superb, there's a bit where you've just got to say, do you know what, this is going to happen from time for time. I can't, can't batter anyone in the team because it wasn't like we've got beat 3-0

and didn't turn up. This thing about, oh you know my players are tired winds me up I'm not saying that they aren't playing a lot I am saying that there are other options that he is on the slot is choosing not to take so there are lots of players

in that first team squad who do not get a look in and I don't understand it then it makes it feel like you've got you know a really thin squad name three well I'm just going to give you one who I think is an obvious one

which is Ramsey who, if Frimpong is absolutely knackered, like the fact that we keep playing, like knocking Chobber's who has been, Liverpool's best player this season back to right back, drives me up the wall.

Okay. And they play Ramsey, and let's just say we lose, Liverpool lose the game three, two, then it's like, well, you know, why didn't we play Frinkpong? That's the problem he's got, and I think he had two gold-kees on the bench again.

You sort of have to, like, why doesn't, what is the problem when you, when you don't have faith in those players lower down in the squad numbers. Why doesn't he like him? Why doesn't he play Angamoa more? Yeah, I don't. I mean, Rick, we've had these conversations many a time. When a team loses a game, there's always a legitimate excuse

for doing things differently and getting a positive result. I think the way they set up, I mean, the two goals that they conceded at start with, they weren't good. and that would have been any part of any plan. So therefore there's a bit where you go, okay, we're chasing it here. Eka-C-K coming on. He always makes a difference when he comes on,

but he had to come on because he'd played 70-80 minutes in Marseille, and they couldn't afford for him to get injured in the game against. That, I understand. Yeah, if he'd played Rams in in 1-3-0, you'd have been perfectly right, but they didn't. Yeah, okay.

What about... And that was only one. I did say name three. Yeah, well, I guess, well, Engamoa doesn't play him very much. And I think basically the reason that Liverpool didn't sign a left-sided attacker to replace Louis Diaz was because the sort of the hierarchy felt that Engamo was good enough that he could step up and that just hasn't happened. I think he's good enough.

I mean, there was... Yeah, I do you know what, in Rick and Rick too honest. In that guy, you know, he went, I can't remember which defender he went past. got a full-on collision and he just tried to stay on his feet. TK is similar, try to stay on his feet. There's a bit where you applaud them for their honesty, but there's another bit of you who says, just fall over and get the pen.

Yeah. Sammy, on Andy Robertson, obviously this talk of him may be going to Spurs. Any update on that? Yeah, those talks are ongoing. We're looking at a fee of between, obviously, he's out of contract the end of the season, free of between three and five million pounds.

they're working on that deal. I think the final decision will be made by Arnold Slot and Andy Robertson. I think the deal has definitely got legs, but as a part of me, just wonders after yesterday whether Arniz Slot says, I need all the experience heads to stick around to get us through this situation.

Well, it's interesting, he brought him on. And that is what, well. Because if I'm on a slot and, you know, okay, you had a good result in midweek. It was a very good performance against Marseilles. But the Premier League form stuttering and, you know, we can make no bones about that. Now, if we're, if, if I'm on a slot, I want all of my, my experience heads to stay until the end of the season.

And for the sake of three to five million pounds, I think it's probably more valuable. in the building for on a slot than the money, than the money would be. That's just my personal opinion. Yeah, Liverpool now winless in five Premier League games that's their longest run in five years. Okay, half-time teaser as we head into a break. One goal scorer this weekend has scored all eight

of his Premier League goals at home. It's the most by any player in Premier League history with 100% of their goals at the same ground. I wouldn't you to name that player. Answer coming next. From a small village on the banks of the River Nile. Everybody called me Muhammad, but you know, short name or nickname, they call me more. To the biggest stages of world football.

Sala is more than just a player. He's an icon, a symbol, a king. Mohammed Sala represents a dream for Egyptians, for Muslims, for Africans. More than just a football player, he gave us hope. I'm Kelly Kate. This is Sporting Giants Mo Sala. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge.

Perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance Defender Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D Dynamics Air Suspension. Learn more at Landrover.ca. On the Football Daily podcast, Premier League Review with Rick Edwards. Hello, welcome back to the Premier League Review. before the break I asked which goal scorer this weekend has scored all eight of their Premier League goals

at home, which is the most by any player in Premier League history, with 100% of their goals at the same ground. David, any ideas? Mammu. Well, he's got it in one actually. Didn't even give you a chance, Sammy. No one ever gets the halftime teaser. Congratulations, David.

Thank you very much. Excellent. I mean, I was all ready with a clue. I don't even need to give it. Okay, let's talk about Thomas Frank then. sort of musing over how long Thomas Frank has got in charge at Tottenham, Romero might have kind of offered him a stay of execution with that 90th minute equaliser for Spurs at Burnley.

The Spurs fans were, chances and you getting sacked in the morning. Again, they were singing sideways and backwards everywhere we go. They, certainly that travelling support, I'm not having it. Let's hear from the Tottenham boss. I definitely feel this should have been all three points. with the performance overall the 90 minutes, and I think especially first half, I felt we were really good there.

I think we took some of the confidence from a good performance and I won against Dortmund into the game, being on top of this game, going one nil up, could have gone 2 nil up, and been, if not out of sight, then more than halfway there. And then we concede a goal just before halftime that we can never, never, ever concede. And then there's bits we need to improve,

and then the way we entered the game, I think we did more than enough to win the game here. Unfortunately, we are just in that spell there, it was very tough to win football matches in the Premier League and that we need to keep working on and do better. So what I'd been hearing is that there has been some sort of internal scrutiny at Spurs over Thomas Frank's position.

We've got any updates on that, Sammy? Yeah, I think it's safe to say that the support for Thomas Frank is not universal behind the scenes at Tottenham. There are certainly figures at the club, pretty high ranking figures who believe that a change should be made and probably should have been made weighing advance of where we are today. Crucially though, I think the very top of the club, the ownership, the Lewis family, the chief executive in Ivan Cretaceham and the sporting director called co-sporting director. Johann Lang want to give him as much opportunity, Thomas Frank as much opportunity to turn things around. I think there's an understanding behind the scenes that they are in an element of change. They are transitioning on the field and off the field. And they understand that Thomas Frank

has been dealt a bit of a rough hand in terms of that. But with all the All of that said, I think that they are coming round to the idea that a change may be necessary if he can't halt this form. And I think the game against soundtrack Frankfurt on Wednesday night will be pretty important towards his future. My theory on this is I thought he might go after the West Ham defeat. He was very close. It was very, my understanding is, and obviously, you know, I...

sort of like they can't, you know, I can't absolutely verify, but the sort of the information I was getting was that that was a, that was a strong consideration going into the Dortmund game. The Dortmund game was big. It was big for him and it was a big result.

So what I'm now thinking is I'm just looking at Spurs' upcoming fixtures in the league. They've got City, then they've got United, Manchester United, then they've got Newcastle, then they've got Arsenal. then they got Fulham. And that, as a run of games, is really, really tough.

And I don't know. If I'm at the top of the Spurs hierarchy, I want to bring in someone new and say, good luck with those first five games in the league. Maybe, I'm just sort of spitboarding here, but maybe you think, well, just have this guy in there. He loses a bunch of those games,

sort of bolsters the case for getting rid of him, then get rid of him, and then bring someone in when they've got a bit more of a chance, because that's a horrible, horrible rap, isn't it? It's horrific. That stretch of games is horrific. But I think one of the key elements and the key, one of the key aspects of this whole thing,

and you've really touched on it, Rick, is the fan, the protests. Yeah. That place when they lose matches is toxic. And they lose quite a lot. Yeah, and their home form is atrocious. You're absolutely right. and it will just be a case of how many toxic afternoons or nights can the board and the ownership tolerate they've got to be pretty close and they are pretty close to I think to reaching their limits

as well you know he's got as I said earlier he's got plenty of goodwill and I think there is an understanding that he's been dealt a rough hand but there will be a point in time where enough is enough and I think the fans' voices. There were loads of empty seats at the Dortmund game, weren't there as well. And I think, obviously, if that continues, if people start voting with their feet, as it were, that's when it starts hitting them in a pocket

and that's when it becomes a bigger problem. We're sort of untenable, yeah. I suppose, David, I was going to say, is there a possibility that, weirdly, we're in another kind of ang posta coglu situation where spurs i mean suppose we're awful in the league last season but obviously went on and won the one the europa league that that Dortmund result as sami said massive if they beat untrack frankfort that puts them straight through to the last six of the championship and then and then you know pretty hard to see them going

particularly deep in the champions league but i suppose you just you you never know it is it is possible that they go on a run in Europe whilst being terrible in the league. And that's kind of enough for the hierarchy, and maybe enough for the fans, David. Okay, well, I love Dan. I love Dan. And there's a bit where you think, okay, once, maybe it can happen twice.

The one thing I'd say is Ange and Totman going into the Europa League would have been favourites at the beginning. And their Europa League form kept them favourites for the Europa League. even if their league form was terrible. So it was a bit where it's kind of like, all we have to do is beat the Manchester United side are not particularly good either, and we can win Europa League and get the Champions League.

So they did that. To think that Thomas Frank is going to turn this Tottenham side into a Champions League winning side, I think, is a far stretch of the imagination. The other thing which... Shouldn't laugh, but yeah. But, I mean, this morning, Rick, I'm thinking, you know,

keep Thomas Frank in there, because I think you'll turn it around. They're creating loads of chances. DeBradka was superb yesterday, which stopped them from, winning a game, arguably. However, we've just come off the back of watching Michael Carrick going his first game against Man City and his second game at the Emirates and

take six points. And if I'm in the Topham hierarchy, I'm thinking, do you know what? Maybe if we do get an interim manager, he can get this bunch of players to turn around and get us some results in the most trickiest games because they've got nothing to lose. Yeah, yeah, I can see it. let's talk bottom of the table then Burnley were eight points from safety before that draw with Spurs

now 10 points from safety because of Forest win at Brentford big big win for Forest Scott Parker yes it's a tough job we know that for newly promoted teams with 15 games to go Parker felt that they did enough

to win the game so he's pleased with his team says he can see improvement. We are just at that point in the season, aren't we? Where if you are going to make a change to try and rescue a team, it's sort of now, Sammy.

Yeah, I think if they are going to make the change, you're right. But otherwise, you get to a point where it's pointless and you're not going to have enough time to turn things around. I think that would be harsh on Scott Parker, having obviously got them up into the, to the Premier League last season.

But, you know, I think if we look at the Premier League table, they're too far adrift, I think, to mount any kind of serious attempt at staying up. And I think that's just the lay of the land and of the landscape of the Premier League. You know, it's always going to be difficult for those sides coming up to stay up. History tells us that.

and you look at the table now and you know leads have been on a brilliant run but I still look at it and think if they you know if they drop you know if they lose a game will you know will will will that have play a sort of have a psychological effect on their form can they get dragged

backed into it I think they probably could and I think it'll be incredibly back to burn it would be incredibly harsh if they were to get rid of him but you know strange things have happened they've got a couple of really big games coming up so they got West at home. I mean, I guess at this point

sort of every game feels a bit must win, but that's bus win. And then they got Palace away, and Palace, as we were chatting about on our WhatsApp group before we did the show, are in free for at the moment. If they could magic

six points out of those two games and just build it, and I know you don't like momentum, David, but, but I can sort of, I can I can convince myself that I can see a way, a way back for them. I'm not being mad? Yes, you are.

Okay. I mean, with regards to Scott Parker just touching what Samu was saying there, I mean, the evidence was a couple of seasons ago when Vince and Company took him down, all the way to see in the season and got to buy a Munich job. So, I mean, I think Scotty should be safe in the fact that the club trust him as a manager, even if they're not going to stay up. with regards to them mounting, I mean, I feel for West Ham at the moment, Struth.

Every time we win, Forest win. I mean, what's going on? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think that's going to be Burnley's biggest problem. And I touched on DeBradke again, he's part of the team and he has to save shots. That's his role in the game. But he's been playing really well.

Ariol has been playing really well for West Ham. When your goal is playing well at the bottom of league, it means something's going terribly wrong in front of you. And it's how long DeBradke can keep playing well for Scotty Parker to mount this, this challenge to get up. But West Ham and Burnley, both in the same boat. I mean, if Forest keep winning,

then you're going to hope that Crystal Palace keep playing badly and losing games of football or Leeds or whoever else is down there. And that can be your only chance out. But, you know, not in the forest. They're just annoyingly at the moment because it was a massive win yesterday. Yeah. Massive.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, West Ham, first... Oh, I need to check this. think it's their first two wins on the bounce this season. I checked this. Yeah? Earlier. So they've won three games on the bounce now with the FA Cup win.

Yeah. It's the first time they've won three games on the bounce since late 2023. There we go. There we go. And Noon, just hearing him talk, he sounds like he thinks he's kind of getting, he's just getting to know his players and all of the sort of the connections of the combinations in his eyes are starting to work and the things that he's doing in training

he's starting to see out on match day and now it is just who can keep getting results between them and them and forest and if they both do whether that then as you say sort of drags could drag leads in a good result and maybe

I can't see it with Palace I just can't quite see it I think they're too far out and I think Glastra is too good. But they do need to start picking up points soon. Yeah, they do. But they are on an alarming slider. Their form is terrible. As we know, their issues there behind the scenes.

They've just lost their captain. Their Starstriker wants to leave. That won't help morale one iota, I would have thought, and today certainly won't. Three-one defeat, obviously. to Chelsea. I tend to agree with what you're saying

in that I think they will probably have too much to get dragged into it. But listen, it only takes another couple of poor results and a victory for West Ham and Forest and Lees. And then, yeah, they, you know, they could find themselves in a relegation fight for sure.

But, you know, if you look at the team, even without Mark Gehie, I think and if they've got if they make another couple of additions until between now and the end of the window they should have enough and keep Klazna there very weird penalty

and I don't think in the end it probably made that much difference to the result but I can't see how the handball that was given is a handball particularly when it's a yellow card not a

not a red card because they're saying it's accidental Like, okay, so it's accidental and his arm is where it is, how is it? I cannot. Doesn't make sense. Or make, give any kind of explanation. I was probably as shocked and I lost to provide an explanation as everyone else who that was watching. That just seems to be these decisions.

Well, we'll get an apology from PGO. Every single weekend. And as much as we, you know, as an, you know, we talk about the football and we, we, we, we, we love to dissect the game and dissect the games and everything that encompasses those 90 minutes. But, yeah, every weekend we are, we are here discussing about weird, refereeing decisions. And, yeah, I could not provide you an explanation of how they came to that decision today. Yeah, I think there's a write-up on the BBC website actually that Dale Johnson has done our football issues correspondent, where he basically says the calling to the IFAB laws, that is not a penalty. Yeah, so.

Yeah, I mean, like I say, probably didn't make that much difference to the result, but still very frustrating. As I mentioned, Fulham up from 11th to 7th now after their 2-1 win over Brighton. before I let you all go, goal of the weekend, and I'll give you a short-ish list. I've got seven that I think are in contention. Harry Wilson for Fulham. Ayari for Brighton, so both from that game.

Two from the game that we just watched, the United win against Arsenal, Dorgu and Cunia. Fernandez for West Ham. Shobazli and Buendiz. and Buendia for Villa against Newcastle. That's my 7. I'm going to go for Harry Wilson's free kick

because it was last gasp and it won them the game and what a run that lad is having. What a season he's having. He's a great player. He's a great player. David? I'm going for Buendier

because I think Rawlsson's free kick should have been saved. Classic goalkeeper. Yeah, but Wendia's one is a placement. It is beautiful. It's a lovely goal. Absolutely lovely. Sina Kebber just off his line

and he's just whip and dipped it. Nick Pope's 6'12 and he's left him reaching. I think I would probably go for doggoos just because I'm a real sucker for the old... Crossbar. Off the crossbar.

As it got over, just bowed it's so hard. That's a lovely strike. And also of all of them, as it's kind of sitting up for him, I am definitely not thinking he's rifling that in. It's a really, really good goal. All right, thanks very much, fellas. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

Everton leads on Monday night. We'll have updates to that into Five Lives Monday Night Club with Mark Chapman. He'll be joined by Chris Sutton, Roy Smith and Steph Horton. And there'll be a cut-down version of the Monday Night Club as the next Football Daily podcast. Thanks for listening. I think I might have had it with slot, you know. I think I might finally have turned.

It's not about the league anymore. It's about winning the champions league. Five live sports. Go to the end zone. Touchdown. Philadelphia. Great play design. I think you just have to go out there and be the best that you can be.

We're going to go out there and lay it all in the line. A 12-yard touchdown run. A speed, power and skill collide. And the Eagles have beaten the cheese convincingly. in Super Bowl 59. Five lives for NFL. Listen on BBC Sounds.