Football Daily - The Debrief: Man Utd edge Ipswich, Arsenal stutter & Liverpool go 13 clear

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

Mark Chapman presents reaction to the midweek Premier League fixtures. Dion Dublin and Aaron Lennon join Mark as Man Utd edge Ipswich, and Liverpool go 13 points clear at the top.10-man Manchester United secured a dramatic three points after conceding first against Ipswich, turning the game around and edging a 3-2 thriller. Hear from the Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim.Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw away at Nottingham Forest, meaning a Liverpool win would send Arne Slot's side 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League. Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in a 2-0 win over Newcastle ensured the title is now firmly in Liverpool's hands. Hear from Mikel Arteta and goalscorer Szoboszlai.Also hear from Erling Haaland after his goal earned Manchester City three points on the road at Spurs, and Thomas Frank gives his thoughts after Everton held Brentford to a 1-1 draw.Timecodes: 00:30 Man Utd 3-2 Ipswich 02:50 Ruben Amorim post-match 07:10 Spurs 0-1 Man City 08:50 Erling Haaland post-match 11:20 Nott'm Forest 0-0 Arsenal 12:50 Mikel Arteta post-match 16:40 Brentford 0-0 Everton 19:15 Thomas Frank post-match 20:50 Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle 23:25 Dominik Szoboszlai post-matchBBC Sounds / 5 Live Commentaries this week: Fri 28 Feb 2000 Aston Villa v Cardiff in FA Cup Sat 1 Mar 1215 Crystal Palace v Millwall in FA Cup Sat 1 Mar 1215 Preston v Burnley in FA Cup on BBC Sport website Sat 1 Mar 1500 Bournemouth v Wolves in FA Cup Sat 1 Mar 1745 Man City v Plymouth in FA Cup Sun 2 Mar 1345 Newcastle v Brighton in FA Cup Mon 3 Mar 1930 Nottingham Forest v Ipswich in FA Cup

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. real time. Whether it's a big game or the match of the season, stay connected to the excitement and make every game count. Looking for a thrilling sports experience? Tap into Batano now and bring the action to life. Ontario residents only, must be 19 or older, please play responsibly. BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. On the Football Daily podcast, the debrief with Mark Chapman. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily on a huge night of Premier League football. Five of the top six in action plus sides towards the bottom of the table. Former Tottenham and England winger Aaron Lennon with us as is Dion Dublin who is at Anfield for Liverpool's win. We'll start with Manchester United, did they answer any questions this evening John Bennett?

There have been plenty of questions Mark about Manchester United's character in this Ruben Amorim era and long before that but they showed real fight and personality to get just his fifth Premier League win. First bouncing back from an awful Patrick Dorgue error which gifted Ipswich an opener to go 2-1 up with two quick goals, then recovering from going down to 10 men and conceding an equaliser just before half time. Dorgue sent off for an ugly challenge just before Jadon Filigene scored his second of the game from an attempted cross. So it was all set up for Ipswich to go on and force a massive win But then a twist Harry Maguire headed in just after the break and United went all out defense and in truth Ipswich

Failed really to test Andre Anana in the next 43 minutes Very little emotion from Amarin at the full-time whistle, but he really needed this 3-2 win And it does feel though Amarin Lenn Leonard like a missed opportunity for Ipswich really. It really does like I said coming off of the Wolves defeat and like I said when they go down to 10 men United you fancy Ipswich they get the goal, they get it to 2-2 just before half time and like I said to concede so early with Harry Maguire with a three header, it's a poor one to concede and like I I said, this is a massive missed opportunity. And like I said, you really feel for Ipswich now,

like I said, because you can't throw these opportunities. In some ways you feel a bit for Amerem, don't you? Because, I mean, he just must look on sometimes and think, what are you lot doing? And just to give an example of that, Ares leading to goals against Manchester United, David De Gea, 17 in 12 years, Andre Inana, 12 in two years.

Yeah, and like I said, if you look at the goals today, I know doggoos, I'm still questioning Inana's position coming in out there, the communication, is he any? And like I said, and even for the second goal, it's a cross, come short, for the second goal, it's a cross come shot. I don't know. It's a cross. It's a poor. There's no real power on the ball. And for me, the keeper's got to do better. And yeah, like I said, there's too many errors.

And like I said, the manager must come in and go, like I said, you can't give away these goals. It's really poor. And I said, there's nothing the man can do about this. It's just really, really bad play from some of the United players We can hear from Ruben Amorim now with Stephen Wyeth. Performance like this is not perfect. It's not like a pretty but we suffered a goal with one mistake in this context I felt that the team were more calm than certain games So it was a good thing we turned things around we scored twice So we were clearly in control of the game,

the possession of the ball. We had the sent off and then we fight for the three points. And then today was a good performance in all the aspects of my team. And also our fans, they were amazing. All three of your goals tonight from set pieces, was that something that you thought that would be effective for you this evening or was it just the circumstances? We have to give credit to

to Carlos, to Emmanuel, to Adelio, to Andreas because they changed the game with our players so I remember in the beginning they talk a lot about Carlos and Andreas and the position of them today the credit is from them they win the game for us. You know what, Bazzali is something that he can probably feed off that, Amriem, rather than being constantly disappointed or wondering what's going on, the fight. No, 100% and like you said, you've seen it in games, they've lacked it a lot this season and like you said, they went down to 10 and you saw a great response. Like you said, going down to 10, then conceded a goal, got in at half time and you'd have

think, oh my God, we're going to have a tough half here. But like you said, they've come out, they've got the early goal and they've dug in and that's what you've got to do. You've got to, if you go down to 10, man, that's all right. You can see these games out and that's what you've got to do. And I think he'll be really impressed then because sometimes when you go into these games and you are down to 10, man, you start to really see what your players are about. And I think he would have seen a lot from this United team what he'd have been really impressed with tonight.

Dion, I know you're at Anfield and obviously haven't seen what's happened at your former club tonight but you will have seen enough of Manchester United and the errors that their players are making, I mean it's hard not to feel for him isn't it? I do feel for him, Chappas, I've got to say I just feel that you know he's trying to do the right things, he's trying to say the right things, trying to play in the right way. Obviously I think managers have to bend a little bit if you want to get over the line with results rather than performances which he's not obviously wanting to do but the players have to stand

up and do more. You have to be held accountable for your individual performance and if your teammates not doing it, you've got to tell him as well. But nobody does it. When things go wrong for United, there's not one player that's pointing the finger. I'm not sure if you can do it anymore. I'm probably talking like a dinosaur but... No, but Dion, but Dion, but you can can't you? Because, because you, it was you at the start I think, who talked about Van Dijk. Yes, absolutely. And Van Dijk in that, in the dressing room after the win over Manchester City, not pointing the finger at his teammates but saying you don't get carried away here. Yeah, and then... So you can do it. Yeah. Yeah, you can. You can, Chappers. I just feel that I don't think there's anybody that has the confidence in the Man United dressing room to take that lead. They're kind of leaving

it to everybody else and I don't know exactly what I'm talking about. They haven't got that oh, I don't want to say anything in case I say something wrong. Yeah, no, like you said, Dion, we've all been there and like you said, you need that. If you can't call out your team mate, then there's something wrong. Yeah, no, like you said Dion, we've all been there. And like you said, you need that. If you can't call out your teammate, then there's something wrong. Like you said, you can't always expect the manager to give out this and call people out. You have to do it inside the dressing room.

There has to be players who literally call the teammates out and say, look, this is not good enough, mate. Pull your finger out. We need more from you. This is the Football Daily Podcast with Mark Chapman. Football kicks off now. daily podcast with Mark Chapman. and enjoy all your favorite sports. Hockey, baseball, soccer and more. Want to experience the thrill of betting on every play? Tap into Botano now and make every game day exciting.

Ontario residents only, must be 19 or older, please play responsibly. Vincent Company is a Premier League legend. Goal from the Manchester City captain! They'll remember that for years and years and years. And now is an up and coming head coach who's had a meteoric rise. From under-elect, promotion and relegation with Burnley to being appointed at one of the biggest clubs in world football. Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of Vincent Kompany.

It feels like Kompany is the golden boy in football management right now. And I want to find out why. He's been a trailblazer quite a lot of his life, quite a lot of his career. This is Football Daily. Vincent Kompany, the golden boy. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily podcast, the debrief. With Mark Chapman. Listen on BBC Sounds. Go to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next. Spurs 0, Manchester City 1, John Tafel. Yes, you can probably hear the moans in the background just on the pitch here at the Tottenham

Hotspur Stadium and after a disappointing seven days for Manchester City with that Champions League exit and the Liverpool defeat, finally some joy in north London. What would probably please Pep Guardiola more than anything is the resilience they showed, especially in the second half, to hold on to a 1-0 lead which hasn't always been the case this season. The decisive goal from the returning Erling Haaland, good finish as well after 12 minutes of the game but some questionable defending. City should have been 3-0 up at half-time that could have cost them because it was a different Tottenham in the second half they had some chances, Odebeer, Dansehotel,

Johnson, Son all went close then in the 98th minute Papsar headed over that was their moment and it wasn't taken so Spurs now have a really important week to prepare for AZ Altmar away their season now rests on the Europa League City they're back up to fourth. They did have chances in the second half though didn't they John the home side? Yeah they did I mean they made, we spoke before the game didn't we about the rotation and three key players were left out, Son, Kulasevski and Jed Spence who's been really impressive of late, I think Jed Spence was was probably missed because Doku in that first half in particular was so good down that left-hand side, all three came on they made a quadruple

change actually in the second half and it made a difference as I said they did have chances and then in the 98th minute Papsar went to watch it again when he headed over but yeah they did have their chances tonight but you've got to take them and City have hung on, they hung on to the lead. And the man who got the goal, Erling Haaland, is with Jonathan Pearce. Of course it's never nice to be injured and don't play, but it's about looking forward, it's a bustling positive and we can only do things about the future and the present moment. So today was all about winning and that's what we did, so we have to be happy. Was that an instinctive finish from you today?

Yes. You wait for those moments to come along, don't you? Yes, of course. I try't you? Yeah of course I try to be in the box and I try to be there if people want to pass me the ball I try to finish off in the back of the net. What about the one right at the end where the two of you were together, the ball squeezed between the two of you, the referee says handball, the VAR said he didn't see enough to overturn it. Yeah it's because he made the decision on the pitch, it was a free kick, I don't think it is, I think it's because he made a decision on the pitch. It was a free-kick, I don't think it is.

I think it's clearly a big mistake, but we're humans, we do mistakes. I think it was a great goal and I don't think it's a handball at all for me. I think it's more of a handball from the defender, but what can we do? We won, I'm happy. I think that was exactly our view as well. Yeah, we looked at it a good few times, didn't we? And we said, look, that's a harsh decision. To be given against you as a forward player there,

I'd be really, really disappointed. But like you said, they've got the three points and that's the main thing. He's got another goal to add to his tally. And I think sometimes they just needed that win today, see. I wonder whether that will be the way forward for them with Marmouch just playing off him in a sort of, as Guardiola tries to sort of manage this squad through a transition and whatever the next version of Manchester City is, whether it is Marmouch off Harland.

Yeah, and I think it will be. I think Marmouch and Harland will be the future of this city. Like you said, it is going to be a transition. Yeah, and I think it will be. I think Mamouch and Haaland will be the future of this city team. Like you said, it is gonna be a transition. I do think they will sign players again in the summer, but I think them too will be a couple of the first names on the team sheet. He sort of takes over a sort of De Bruyne role,

but a little bit different. Yeah, a little bit different. I think they'll be looking for him to add more goals. Like I said, De Bruyne was a lot more of the assist, whereas I think Mamouch has a lot of goals in him. I've been really impressed with him, really. The way he's come in, I think he's a top, top player and I do feel he'll get a lot of goals for City. No, he is. I think he's intelligent. I think Aaron's absolutely spot on. I think he's intelligent

enough to, or they're intelligent enough to sort of stay out of each other's way because they are very different. They're completely different forward, so they'll find different positions on the pitch, inevitably scoring positions, and they can finish very well. So, yeah, I think that'll work. OK, so Manchester City taking all three points at Spurs. Let's go to the city ground next. Nottingham Forest, nil. Arsenal, nil. Chris Coles, as far as the visitors are concerned, same old, same old.

Same old, same old, old mark their struggles without a striker so prevalent tonight at times Ricardo Canafiuri was playing as the furthest forward and actually had Arsenal's best chance in the first half sharp turn in the box shot cannon off the post but this felt a game Arsenal had to win to maintain whatever their title challenge has become, and you think it's a futile one after tonight's event. They were the better side, they had all of the ball, a set-piece goal looked like it was coming, as it so often has for Michal Artheta, Marino and Tierney, with two headers from Odegaard corners. One was brilliantly saved by Matsells and the other just wide.

Forrest had glimpses, Chris Wood with two half chances, but it was their defensive effort so impressive, especially after conceding four at Newcastle. They're still two points clear of Chelsea in fifth. And as for Arsenal, 13 points behind Liverpool. And even though Michel Arteta won't say it, as you wouldn't expect him to, that is surely Arsenal's race run.

Well, let's hear what he said after the match. Unquestionable the character, how much we wanted, how much we tried, the way we dominated the game throughout most of the periods I think they only had one direct ball, second ball situation and a few situations we give the ball away inside and they have some threat without really creating much. And we tried in many very different ways and insisted and insisted and insisted but we lacked that spark, that final pass to unlock that team that is really well organised and with all the dominance and situation that we have to generate especially more shots on target as well. I think that you said after the West Ham game you didn't want to hide behind the fact that you don't

have any fit forwards at the moment but today did we see that being the reason why you couldn't get the win you needed? Same as before. It's what we have and we look forward to work with what we have. That's it. The rest, we don't have it. There's nothing to do with that. You said before the game that over your dead body, you'd give up on the title race. Having dropped more points today, you still stand by that? Oh, certainly, yeah. So until it's mathematically impossible, you still think you're in this title race?

When I tried to win our football games before it was the same a week ago, two weeks ago, three months ago, the only thing we can do is win our football matches and see how many points we get. Just finally, normally coming to a team that's third in the table, a point would be a good result but at the moment it doesn't feel good enough? No, it doesn't feel good. We're here to win. So as we approach the closing stages of that here in the studio, I asked you Aaron, just look on your app and see on the stats.

Arsel, how many shots on target? One shot on target. One shot. And if you look at all the possession they had, I think they had... 63, 65%? 63, 65% possession and you have one shot and target, it's just not good enough. And like they said, we talk about should have signed a striker, is there enough coming from midfield, Odegaard, Rice have got to step up. Like I said, it's so mad to see Arsenal, they're

most dangerous from set pieces. And that's been a lot of this season, even when they've had the players feet. Well, and as Chris said in his match report, their most dangerous attacking threat, or certainly when it came to chances, was Calafiore. Yeah, and that's the thing, and that's what we're talking about. And it's, look, it's not good enough from the front players. It's not, like you said, you're going to have injuries in a season. I know it's tough when you've got your first choice front three out, but look, the lads

have got to do more. You've got to get more from midfield the players who are stepping in have to do more but look it's like I said when you have all that possession you've got to make the keeper work. One shot on target Dion out of 13 that they had. And I was just looking as you as the guys you started to talk about goals and stuff here I wrote some stuff down here I mean we know that Salah's on fire but there's 39 goals away from Salah's goals that have come from the likes of Sabaozlai and Gapo and Núñez and Díaz. And that's the point tonight isn't it? Sabaozlai and McAllister have scored the goals.

That's it, you know, Zsota's got, the two centre halves of Nick one each, it's just everybody else is mucking in. They haven't got that out and out centre forward, I don't think Liverpool, but everybody mucks in with goals. And you've got to do it if you don't have that player. You need to have fives and eights and tens and twelves mixed all around the front six and the front seven. Do you both buy into this theory that has been floated around that

they've become so focused on set pieces that they've lost some of their vim and vigor? Yeah, I think they actually have if you watch Arsenal now. Like you see them sometimes, you watch them, they get more excited for a corner than they do from stuff in open play. And that is so unusual for Arsenal. When you used to watch Arsenal, you'd play through the lines,

get into Odegaard, like sulky football. And now you see them going up for a corner and you can see them buzzing. Like, this is a real chance. This is a real chance. And we've never seen that from Arsenal. And that's, like I said, it's a big worry for me, that is. As there's more activity when they get a corner on the bench. Everybody dives off the bench and starts rubbing their hands and pointing, don't go there, don't go there.

When you've got a chance of scoring goals in open play. Yeah. Brentford 1, Everton 1 next, James Gregg. Yes, Mark, it was a very open game actually in the end this one. Brentford were brilliant in the first half, lots of possession. Schadrond andbomo were so good down the flanks, feeding Vissa and Dammesguard, such an underrated player as Mikael Dammesguard actually for Brentford. But you know they've not won here in six since the start of December, so they were pretty relieved I think when Joanne Wissner nodded in from Mbomo's headed effort that came back off the crossbar just before halftime.

But then, evident, they made some changes. That Moy's magic, working wonders in the second half, they created plenty themselves. In fact, they did force Mark Flecken, who is the outstanding man of the match for me, for Brentford into some, just a string of saves from Beto. Beto must have been thinking, how unlucky could I possibly be tonight? Three one-on-one point blank saves kept Brentford right in it and then themselves they did get that goal late on from Jake O'Brien the Irish right back who is developing nicely came ghosting at the back post and headed into the bottom right hand corner. So Everton playing really good they're unbeaten in seven now under David Moyes and I think he was pretty happy post-match. Yeah they're unbeaten in seven in the Premier

League right. I don't know whether you've seen this stat or not. Their longest unbeaten run in the Premier League since when? Who'd like to have a guess? Aaron do you want to have a guess? You just give me a year you don't have to give me a year. I'm gonna say yeah I don't have a clue. Okay. James do you want to have a guess? Since? You just give me a year, you don't have to give me a year. I'm going to, yeah I don't have a clue. Okay. James, do you want to have a guess? Or do you know? I've not seen this stat now, so we'll have a guess.

We'll say under David Moyes last time out. What? Well, you've got a long way back there. They have had a better upbeat run there. Do you want to guess, Dion? No. No? Okay, brilliant. God. Remind, remind. a long way back there they have they have had a better upbeat and run there do you want to guess Dion no no okay remind me if I become a quiz show host not to get any of you on December 2017 was the last time they went seven unbeaten in the Premier League yeah

that's like said that's eight years ago for them to go seven unbeaten in the Premier League. Yeah, that's like I said that's eight years ago for them to go seven unbeaten like I said and that's what makes it a little bit more impressive for what David Moyes has done for this team since he's coming. He's been absolutely magnificent because I remember watching the first game here against Villa and I remember thinking I think David Moyes will be looking at it saying I've got a tough task but he's changed it around and like I said he's been magnificent since he's coming he's absolutely lifted the whole football club Let's get the Brentford perspective on things Thomas Frank now with Tom Gale Thomas does that feel as though two points dropped?

Yeah, it does in a way because we were leading 1-0 and I'll come back to this but I felt we were actually in control and we you know I don't think they were they were they were dangerous and then we so close to get the second goal with the keen chance where That's a big moment if you score there, then it would be Yeah, there will be two little game over

On the flip side after they score, which I think we should avoid it, but anyway that happens then they have a big chance in the end and I think overall that we need to also take into consideration they have three one-on-ones with Mark. Two of them big big mistakes from us, one a slip and the two yeah just mistake between the two centre backs. So with that in mind it's probably fair with a draw. Defends are there to prevent goals, goalkeepers are there to create saves and stop them. Mark Flecken, no surprise budget on tonight's performance that he makes the most saves in the Premier League

and he came up big with those key one-on-one opportunities. Yeah, three big, big saves. So that gave us, the first two saves gave us the opportunity to win the game. And the last save gave us the opportunity to win the game. And the last save gave us the opportunity to get a point. So, yeah, big, big influence. Thomas Frank with Tom Gass. Sensational roar at the start of that. Nobody roars like Thomas Frank in an interview.

Let's just tidy everything up at Anfield. Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle-NL. And just when we were talking, Maz, about Arsenal's woes in front of goal and Dion talking about all the different scorers, Sir Bosley's opener was actually Liverpool's 100th goal in all competitions this season, which gives you some perspective. And it has echoes as well of his finish at City on Sunday. Very nicely taken by Dominic Sir Bosley,

Liverpool's first in the first half. Then Alexis McAllister with their second in the second half after a 1-2 with Mo Salah, who was brilliant again tonight, even without the influence of Arna Slaughter on the touchline this evening, it was very much the same professional composed performance from Liverpool today, just like we saw in the win over Manchester City on Sunday. Newcastle though, looked tired, looked out of ideas for long periods without the injured Alexander Isak. But there was that moment, wasn't there, for Callum Wilson at one nil,

when he beat the offside trap, but he couldn't find the target, and he just wondered if that had gone in, maybe Liverpool would have had to have got out of third gear, but as it is, another victory for them in the Premier League, 13 points clear now at the top of the table. And now Arna slot's got a week as well, hasn't he? To prepare for PSG away in the Champions League. Yeah, and that's the thing, isn't it, Dion, really?

From now on, well, not from now on, but he's given himself so much leeway in the Premier League that the Champions League can become the focus. Yeah, it can, or part of his focus is because he knows I know he wants he wants everything and why wouldn't he and I'm looking at these players now and you know what Chappers there's silly things I point out and watching the Liverpool Liverpool players they do their little runs and I don't know what I'm talking about the players that didn't play for 90 minutes and

Nunes is at the front every single time. Yeah, he's got him on here. You know that? It's just that mindset, Chappers, that sets champions apart. If he's happy to run and run and run, Endo's running, Kwanzaa's running, they're doing the runs properly. And you know what? People won't realise this, but things like that can create champions, just a work ethic to really want to win.

100%. And now you say that's a massive point that is. When you've seen the lads after the game doing the runs at the tempo they're doing it at, it shows you what squad they have there, it shows you that what they believe in. They're buying into everything the manager says, the fitness guys say, look lads you've not played, you've played 20 minutes today, come on do the runs. This is vital for the spirit of the team, it's great to see and this is the champions here. This is a sign of champions. Let's hear from the man who got the only goal then.

Here's Dominic Subozlai. Well Dominic, how's the feeling in the dressing room after yet another win? We just had a meeting with the girlfriend. He said, yeah, well done guys, but on to the next one. So there's 10 more games in the Premier League. But before that, we have a Champions League game in Paris so we have to be ready. Now we're going to have a little rest because we don't play on the weekend unfortunately so yeah we have to get ready for Tuesday or Wednesday. Tell us about

your goal tonight, tell us about your overall game tonight. About my goal, yeah Lucho saw me in the edge of the box, made two steps back and then shot it how I can with my mid-buckle. I laughed, I would think about it, which one is better fit. As a team we were compact, did what we had to and fought it until the end. Not conceded any goals and less chances than we thought. That's it for this episode of the Football Daily. If you want to hear how England got on against Spain in their second Nations League game, there's another pod out on this feed right now.

On the next episode of the Football Daily it'll be 72 plus and also a Euroleague.