09/12/2017 Football Focus

Oh, it's absolutely brilliant!

Oh,

this is getting better and better!

Chance for Cristiano Ronaldo!

History boys, indeed!

No team has

won it more than Arsenal.

A

hat-trick!

The biggest Chelsea celebration of

the season.

A match that can turn players into

heroes, can spark a season into

life. This is a derby watched the

whole world over.

Michael Owen to

win it for Manchester United!

Balotelli! Brilliant finish. That is

a message for everyone.

Oh,

McAllister has scored a fantastic

goal!

Delight amongst the blue half

of Merseyside.

Aguero goes, still

going, Aguero scores!

Ferguson, can

he turn?

Steven Gerrard, it's in!

It's brilliant!

Rashford, a goal!

Oh, that's amazing!

At the very end,

Van Persie.

Kompany with a Captain's

goal!

That is absolutely fantastic!

Yes, derby day is always special.

Plenty to look forward to tomorrow.

We have a north London clash

in the studio

as Martin Keown

and Jermaine Jenas go head to head.

Keown has already put

in a reducer in the green room.

We have all this on the way

between now and 1pm.

Everton's Iceman cometh,

but it's Fireman Sam bringing

the heat.

It does tend to happen when you get

someone in, something happens, a bit

of a spark.

Dion explores shades of Gray.

Definitely think I would have been

in jail by now, it is only when

people mention it to me that I

actually reflect and look back and

realise the road I've been on.

Roy and Palace want some climbing

boots for Christmas.

We have dug quite a big hole for

ourselves and found ourselves at the

bottom of it.

The Magpies' Merino on dark

days with Dortmund.

The bus started moving a little bit

from the explosion. Everyone was

screaming.

And we have some

Aussie Rules football

as Schwarzer visits

Crawley's Kewell.

On match days, there will be no

phones. If I see you on your phone,

you know, you might as well just be

on the bench straightaway, even if

you are starting.

You have been

warned! No need to look at the

fixtures on your phone.

The weekend actually kicks

off with another derby

as Chelsea head to West Ham.

Team news on that one shortly,

and we'll be live at Huddersfield

and high-flying Burnley as well.

Two big games at the bottom at 3

o'clock,

as Palace take on Bournemouth

and Swansea face West Brom.

It's a special day for

Newcastle who celebrate

It's a special day for

Newcastle who celebrate

their 125th anniversary ahead

of the match with Leicester.

Tomorrow sees a high noon showdown

for Arsenal at Southampton,

before those two whoppers

in the North West.

And that's where we begin.

Boosted by back-to-back wins

and the arrival of a new manager,

Everton face their arch rivals

in the 229th Merseyside derby.

The rejuvenated Icelandic star

Gylfi Sigurdsson has been

talking to Steve Crossman.

Scored by Gylfi Sigurdsson! Coolly

finished.

It is an absolutely

sensational goal from Gylfi

Sigurdsson!

Back-to-back home wins,

scoring plenty of goals, is this the

best place you have felt you were

--. Inevitably season but I think

so, yeah, we were off to a slow

start but hopefully things are

turning now and after a couple of

wins, there is more confidence in

the team and more positivity around

the place.

Yeah, I think we are on

the right track.

Do you think it was

removing the managerial situation?

It is difficult to say exactly what

it is but it tends to happen when

you get someone in, something

happens, a bit of a spark. For us as

players, it is quite simple. We know

when our next game is and we are

doing our best to prepare for it. I

think it would be an easy excuse for

us to try to use that but it is nice

that it is sorted now. We know where

the club is going.

Sam Allardyce got

an incredibly good reception when he

walked out just before kick-off.

What has it been like with him so

far?

Yeah, it's good, we know what

he wants and as a manager, he looks

after the players really well. He's

experienced, he's been a manager for

a long time, and I think it will

benefit us.

He said the other day

that he thought things had been

difficult for you at the start of

your Abdoun career. Can you put your

finger on what was going wrong?

I

think it always comes in these kind

of waves, where you get a few games

were you score lots of goals and

then you get games when you don't

score. We were in a run of form

where we were losing lots of games

and probably not performing well.

Did the price tag bother you?

Not at

all, it is out of my hands, nothing

I can control. But I always put

pressure on myself to perform for

the team. It is very important for

players to do that.

Sigurdsson's

corner. And the header from Williams

is in!

I've got a photograph to show

you.

I've seen that.

Your brother

posted that on social media and

store your thunder a bit.

He beat me

to it. I asked him if he still had

the picture. He sent it to me but on

the day when I was signing and doing

the medical, he had more time on

social media than me and posted it.

They offered me to be a ball boy for

a game against West Ham, I think it

was.

Were you any good as a ball

boy?

I was actually quite good,

yeah, I remember throwing the ball

to Di Canio, and as a little kid,

that made my day.

Do you think you

and Wayne Rooney can operate in the

same team? People would say you are

both natural number tens.

I think

so. I don't see why not. He is

playing in a bit of a deeper role,

it has worked in the last couple of

games so hopefully it'll continue.

Let's finish with the Merseyside

derby, you've got some Anfield

pedigree, the 2010 FA Cup, Reading

at Anfield, 1-0 down, 94th minute

penalty.

You know, I did not feel

nervous at all. We went on to win it

in extra time to- one. That was

probably one of my favourite moments

in my career. -- 2-1.

18 years since

Everton one at Anfield, that is far

too long.

You are speaking to

someone from Iceland, where you are

probably the underdog in all of the

games when you play for the national

team. Personally, I know anything is

possible in football. If you can

carry on -- we can carry on what we

have been doing in the last couple

of games, we have a very good chance

of getting a good result.

Good to hear from him. A goal and an

assist in each of the last four

Premier League games and before

that, nothing in the first ten games

for Everton. As he found his mojo or

is it the classic of a change, a

little tinker and he has come back

to where we expect him to be?

He has

got real quality. I think when you

are in a struggling side, it does

not matter how good you are, a lot

of the time you have to sacrifice a

lot of your game. The more they can

get him into these kind of

situations, I have played with Gylfi

and he is one of the most gifted

finish as I have come across, right

foot, left foot, that was one of

those snapshots. He can produce all

of that. The problem is, I feel like

he is having to and going to have to

sacrifice that side of his game

until Everton start to keep more

clean sheets and then Sam Allardyce

will start to, I think, exploit the

attacking prowess they have.

I think

Sam has done that already will stop

how has he died in another the back?

It was the game is in midfield,

Rooney and babies either side and

then Rooney is -- Gylfi Sigurdsson

is higher up the pitch, his honesty

was being taken advantage of, he

covers lots of distance and is a

hard worker, outstanding talent but

now Sam is there, it is a better

place for him to work and he will be

a good talent.

Are you convinced he

has tightened it up?

Almost

overnight, the first match he was in

charge, sitting in the stands for

West Ham, he changed the personal,

changed how Rooney was asked to

play.

You think he did it?

The

starting XI did not change the

following week which is the

indication and now they are playing

more direct under some already.

Big

test of the organisation will be

Liverpool's Fab four. Mo Salah,

Mane, Vitinho and Firmino. Lots of

goals mid week in the Champions

League and they tore Brighton to

bits last week. They are formidable.

They really are, and brighter

defensively are very organised and

have been all season and they would

have been taught a lesson -- would

not have been taught a lesson as bad

as this all season. They were

emphatic on the counterattack. They

pressed higher up the pitch.

Liverpool had one defender.

It was

Dejan Lovren.

Yes, the only

centre-half, nice to see from Jurgen

Klopp, but they were clinical,

Coutinho with one of his best

performances of the season. I don't

see evidence tapping them.

18 years

since Everton won at Anfield, seven

years since they have won derby, can

use it?

No, it's damage limitation

for Everton. I've seen Williams and

Keane on one-on-one situations,

they've not covered themselves in

glory and if these four are let

loose on the evident events, they

are in all kinds of trouble.

They

don't have a chance, in my eyes.

Sorry, Everton fans! That kicks off

at 2:15pm. At the other end of the

East Lancs Road, it is the 175th

staging of the Manchester version

and despite all that history, they

don't come much bigger than this

one.

Manchester United have beaten

Arsenal 3-1, an extraordinary

display.

Manchester City are the

kings of late goals! This really is

becoming quite remarkable.

Same

city, different colours, even under

the same roof in some families, they

disagree on the passion for the

colours. If taken in the right way,

the derbies are beautiful things.

I

have said many times in Barcelona,

Bayern Munich and now here, I am a

manager to play with champions so I

love to be there, to be part of

them.

After eight or nine games,

everyone was saying we are going to

win the league and now we have to

keep going with the pressure. It is

only us who can lose it. It is going

to be a big game.

We have a better

team than last year, no doubt, I

think City is also a better team

than last season.

They defend well,

they create chances, so when they

arrive with Martial, Rashford,

Lukaku and Lingard, they are

dangerous players. When you face the

big teams, it is demanding a little

more.

They defend well, they react

well, they have a good dynamic in

attack, they have creative

movements. If you ask me one thing

that I don't like a lot is that they

lose the balance very easily. A

little bit of wind, and they fall.

It is a juicy one. He can't resist a

little day, saying they will lose

their balance easily, a bit of

winter they will fall over.

He does

that before all the big games, put

something into the referee's mind

and he may have a point but it is

not necessarily about the managers.

This is about two really good teams

in good form and it's going to be a

cracker.

Let's talk about Paul

Pogba, Manchester United with and

without him, how big a mess will he

be?

It is the one Jose Mourinho will

be looking at when he has gone to

the tactical side of the game and

feel sick to his stomach that he

can't get out there this weekend

because that energy that he brings

and the link between midfield and

the attacking side of Manchester

United's game is phenomenal. I think

also, people think they are going to

sit off in this game against City

and I feel the best way for them to

win it is getting airbases, like

against Arsenal.

Let's have a look

at the Arsenal game.

They went to

the Emirates and everyone thought

they would set off but look at them

in the early stages of the game. If

it works...

Is it refusing to

respond?

A bit temperament but

Valencia, Lukaku and Martial high up

the pitch and Paul Pogba are there

as well. When you run it on, I felt

like Arsenal were not ready for

this. I felt they were ready to go

into a game where they could pass it

around and have a bit of time but

wave after wave of attack happened

-- without wave after wave of attack

happening. It did happen at times.

Lingard, even from Granit Xhaka to

Mustafi, he releases himself from

Mustafi as well, puts pressure on

him, wins the ball back. I just

think that against City, if you sit

off, they will eventually pick you

apart. Their worries are

defensively, without John Stones, is

mangler, if he's available, going to

be good enough already? -- is

Mangala. And this is the poor Bob a

situation we are talking about, have

United got any other player in

midfield with the energy to break

forward and create the link, like he

does, breaking his neck here to

support Jesse Lingard, within their

ranks? I look at the Majher Matic, I

have seen him do it in the past but

what do you lose them from a

defensive point of view? Can Ander

Herrera do it? I'm not so sure and

that is where Jose Mourinho will be

looking at it and wishing that Paul

Pogba was there.

Manchester City

have been playing Berlin stuff, they

are on a fantastic run and everyone

is wondering if they can go the

season unbeaten and as one of the

invincible is, you are not happy

with us talking about that but if

you are looking for a slight flaw,

in the last three games they have

conceded from set pieces and balls

into the box, is there something

United can work on here?

May be some

imagination, it did not come in

straightaway and it looked like they

switched West Ham. West Ham did very

well on the night, another one, good

movement in the near post and they

are like statues which is where they

can be exploited. I think Kompany

has to play otherwise Lukaku will

pinpoint him and the weakness in

there. Recently it has started to

slip a bit and the confidence can be

brittle. Guardiola won't want to

lose this match, for sure because it

will start to change the picture in

the players' minds.

You were talking

on the radio last night, an

interesting statistic about shots

saved and Ederson is only 20 in 15

games, where David de Gea has had 21

in the last four games, is that

because he is being protected so

well by those in front of him?

When

you say in front of them, do you

think the defence? I don't think it

is those, it is in front of that,

the front three, Leroy Sane, Jesus

and Raheem Sterling, or maybe Aguero

in the mix and with David Silva and

Kevin De Bruyne, they are as close

as we have seen in the Premier

League to that Barcelona side that

obviously saw Manchester United

apart at Wembley in that magnificent

European Cup final so it is, they

press from the front, they make it

difficult for you to get on the ball

but I would not put it in the

defensive line.

I think that worked well.

If he does

that against Guardiola, he will get

punished. There will be some

different plan in mind. Jese

Lingard, you shouldn't address

McCourty depressing that ball. They

will press high when they can and

drop off deep.

Here is the league

table, the Manchester two at the

top, Chelsea third.

City's latest victims,

West Ham, are back in London

today for a capital clash

with third-placed Chelsea.

Let's get the team news

from Jonathan Pearce.

West Ham have been improving under

David Moyes but without a league win

in eight, they need points and to

get anything from this tough ask,

UNIX three changes after a decent

performance at Manchester City. Joe

Hart officially dropped, a

greenback, and Mark Noble after five

weeks out that it problem is back.

Marko Arnautovic is pervading the

attacking option alongside Lanzini

and Antonia. Chelsea make three

changes from the last league game,

Zappacosta, Tim Kaine Hell and back

if you go coming in. Ten of this I

played against Atletico Madrid on

Tuesday, Marcos Alonso is the

exception. Looking for the ninth win

in 12 games in all competitions.

Confirmation of the starting

line-ups for that game at the London

Stadium. The goalkeeping situation

is interesting. We can see the

issues that Joe Hart has had

recently. What do you think of the

decision to put Adrien in a place of

Joe Hart from David Moyes?

I've seen

a lot of West Ham this year. I

wouldn't put their performances down

the Joe Hart, for starters. He has

made some mistakes along with some

centre halves. This weakness people

talk about on the left side, I

suppose when you look at lots of

these goals, especially this one, it

does start to become highlighted. Is

that change going to completely

change their season, make them

defensively stronger? I don't know.

There are things may be happening in

training that we don't see with form

and so on that David Moyes has

picked on and said, now is the time

to make a change.

Just keeping it

simple, Adrian did well when West

Ham beat Spurs in the League Cup. If

you're not playing well and Joe Hart

is not having a great season it is

an easy change for the manager to

make and it is about Adrian staying

in, and can you do well?

They've had

some interesting results, are you

seeing signs of improvement under

David Moyes?

They were very poor at

Everton, better against Manchester

City, but Chelsea, going really

well, eight games now unbeaten,

winning against Manchester United

amongst that, slowly putting points

on the board, the big games will

help them because they expect

everyone to drop points somewhere

along the line, and they are moving

along nicely, Chelsea.

There is a

bit of a swagger and a flow about

the way they are playing,

particularly this fellow.

He's

getting to full fitness and that is

what it is down to. He was a slow

starter with his ankle injury. The

combination between him and Morata

is becoming very special. He has

adapted his formation by going with

two up top and three in midfield,

Antonio Conte. Chelsea fans should

be happy with what they are seeing.

They are slowly going about their

business in the right way.

Antonio

Conte is asking, can they make it to

the next step? The likes of Ronaldo

and Lionel Messi have by in the

belly.

If Manchester United managed

to beat Manchester City it will

change the complexion at the top of

the table, as well.

Burnley play Watford this

afternoon in a battle

of this season's surprise packages.

It means a return to Turf Moor

for Watford's record

signing Andre Gray.

Dion Dublin has been talking

to a man who had a long road

to the bright lights of the Premier

League.

Nice to meet you, Andre.

As far as

the days when I was young, I went to

the Wolves academy and then I was at

my mums, and stuff, still. I'm

getting caught up on things I should

not have been caught up in.

What

made you different to everyone else?

I'd imagine you would have people

around you saying, come on, let's do

this.

I was never encouraged to do

things, I had my own choice and I

made my own choice.

Did you get

sucked into all of that gangland

rubbish and you decided, I am not

having it, I want out?

Definitely.

You have choices to make in life.

And maybe if I retaliated at the

time as it happened, I wouldn't be

sitting here today.

Do you believe

you would have been in the same

situation as your pals?

I definitely

think I would have been in jail by

now. I've had people mention it to

me that I reflect and look back and

realise the world, the road I've

been on. I think I always wanted to

go to the top. But the steps I had

to take and do that, and the first

one was to get promoted into the

Football League with Luton. Then

give myself a chance that I didn't

give myself when I was at Shrewsbury

in League 2. Just went from there,

really.

What about your time at

Burnley with Sean Dyche and the

lads?

Probably the best times of my

career. Went there as their record

fee and it was a big burden on me,

apparently!

COMMENTATOR: Here is Andre Gray,

looking to turn inside!

What

attracted you to this club with so

much history?

A great opportunity,

you know that it is the best feeling

as a striker, to feel wanted. That

is what I felt from the club and

from the manager. I built like

giving my utmost best, but at the

end of the day, Watford, I feel like

since coming here, I've had more

better games than I've had worse,

and as a striker, you'd rather score

ten goals in ten games than not

score in nine and play well in ten.

COMMENTATOR: Great finish by Andre

Gray, and that should finish this as

a contest.

And that this is your

kind of music...

I'm used to it now.

It is growing on me!

Mass of bands

for the lads.

Luckily there is not

much TV, here, but when I was

Burnley I would have it popping up

and I would have to put my head

down.

Pass this your lovely partner.

A set of Shakers! All right? Please

pass them on.

Year, I will.

Good

luck

thank you. Let's keep an eye

out for Leanne from Little Mix with

those on stage! What do you think

you would like to see more from

Andre Gray, that is lacking from his

game at the moment?

He says he needs

to improve and that there is more to

come. I see that in his game. The

physical attributes are there,

strength, pace and power, he strikes

fear into defenders. When you're

right up top, the hold-up play,

bringing people into the game, and

that clinical nature, that he needs

to get more into his game. He's had

a decent start to his Watford

career, but he's missing too many

chances, for me.

In that game he had

a glaring miss as well. He's got to

get in there and score the goals. A

massive move, £80 million. In there

to replace Troy Deeney, they see him

in that mould. Great pace, he's just

got to improve his finishing, simple

as that.

We been talking about Sam

Allardyce, comparing, he's 63, I'm

40.

I don't understand where he's

coming from. He wants to be looked

at what he has achieved so far. He's

a young manager and they are all

looking at him in England and

looking him as the next Pochettino,

to an extent. Probably, he has a day

turbulence couple of months, getting

linked with other jobs.

Last season

at Hull, we took notice of what he

achieved. People now want him and he

is in demand. He has got to

concentrate on getting Watford up

the table again.

Watford fans will

be happy to keep hold of him.

So a return to Turf Moor

for Gray with Watford this

afternoon to face Burnley.

Look at these two, with their brolly

up, in the snow. Those are the

delights of Turf Moor.

Steve Wilson is there

for us and has a guest.

Burnley and Watford have been doing

well, but bad news about the injury

to Robbie Brady and bad news that we

have also lost Steve Wilson!

There

is keen golfing, and there is

ridiculous. It is snowing!

They are

hardy perennials! With this injury

to Robbie Brady, that is a big blow.

He's a very key player for Burnley.

Without doubt. We know the quality

he has got. Steve Wilson has

probably been out doing a 10k run

this morning, knowing Steve. He will

be out of running somewhere, never

mind golf. Burnley this season have

been absolutely fantastic. Unlucky

to lose against Arsenal recently.

That story just gets better and

better.

Well, it was at Watford last

Saturday that Tottenham's

winless run continued.

It's been a bad month for Spurs that

has left Pochettino perplexed.

Sanchez! Salomon Rondon, and West

Brom have scored and Spurs receiver

shot.

At Wembley they have not got

the results they would have had at

White Hart Lane.

Morrissey

Pochettino's team are in big trouble

now. My word!

Howdy Christian

Eriksen miss from their? We must

compete, we must fight. Today,

Leicester showed more than us.

The

Spurs defenders just looking at each

other. This is a very difficult time

for Tottenham.

You can't just turn

up for the big game, and that's why

Tottenham won't win the league.

Zero

wins in four, concerns over the

fitness of Harry Kane, they are

missing Kyle Walker and Danny Rose

of last season. As a combination of

those problems, do you think?

The

manager said that the title was

gone. And I think this group had

been harbouring a belief that they

could be champions and when things

do not happen for them things go

radically wrong. Two seasons ago

they were brilliant but they managed

to let Arsenal leapfrog them. This

year when their manager has

announced that they cannot be

champions, they have imploded, from

the standards they set themselves at

the start of the season.

I watched

you talking about the increased

passing they are doing in the game

on Match of the Day 2 also they have

still got really good full-backs,

but they lack the pace that Walker

had with them and Danny Rose playing

so well.

I think Kieran Trippier is

brilliant, but it is more about the

dynamic of the way they play. They

have technically gifted footballers

who can pass and move the ball very

well, but the impact that Danny Rose

and Kyle Walker had on the

opposition by facing them up and

saying, I'm going to go past you,

that then has an impact on the back

three. If it was like West Brom last

week. They just camped in. One of

the three centre halves has to come

out and have an impact on that. They

are almost passing it too much, just

for the sake of passing it. Not

having enough of an impact on

defenders. And they are lacking a

huge amount of pace in that side. I

just feel that they are struggling

to break teams down.

They are doing

so well in Europe, one of five teams

have gone through.

Think about that

Real Madrid result, magnificent.

Pochettino has spoken about the new

summer signings not coming in early

enough. If they are going to do

business in future they want them in

the door early so that he can work

with the players. It tells you about

him as a coach. He wants to get hold

of players and make the changes.

On

Europe, Real Madrid come to town,

they come to play. There are spaces.

If you look at the goals against

Real Madrid and Dortmund, they are

breaking, on the run, there is

space, against Burnley, West Brom,

you name it, that space is not

there.

It is a problem for them

playing at home at Wembley.

You

don't need to rub it in. You see

Ronaldo winning his tenth Ballon

D'Or. We are blessed to live in an

age with Ronaldo and with Lionel

Messi. It is amazing to get to watch

football that quality week in, week

out.

We asked about the burning desire on

Antonio Conte asking if Eden Hazard

can get it, this guy epitomises

that, the need to improve every

single year and be the best, it is

scary.

Is it ten hour, five each,

they are dominating world football

for the last ten years, quite

remarkable, there will probably do

it for another five.

Seven meals a

day, apparently, I've been trying

that for a while but slightly

differently!

You can keep tabs on Spurs' game

with Stoke on Final Score.

Martin and Kevin Kilbane will be

back there that with Jason. Jermaine

is also working a double shift

today. With the highlights on Match

of the Day with Phil Neville and

Gary Bull. Match of the Day to

extra, Mark Chapman joined by Alan

Shearer and Danny Murphy for all of

the Derby Day action a little later

tomorrow.

Still to come today...

Newcastle's Mikel Merino

on his dark day with Dortmund.

Mark Schwarzer pulls back the

curtain on Crawley's Wizard of Oz.

It takes time. You know, you can't

expect just one manager to come in

and go, wave his little ones and

say, "It is fixed Rosberg.

And Pointless co-host Richard Osman

tackles predictions.

We now know that England

will start their World Cup campaign

against Tunisia next summer,

a match you can see live on the BBC.

That is our first plug for the World

Cup!

Their last tournament ended

against Iceland

and led

to the departure of Roy Hodgson.

He's been talking to Mark Clemmit

about that, and his new seat

on the Palace throne.

And it is helped across goal and

Iceland are level! It has come to

Sigthorsson! Iceland have turned it

around to lead! England are out of

the European Championship. This is

surely as bad as it has ever been

for England. He looks a lonely man

down there.

Roy, did you need a year

out and was there any danger that we

might have lost you?

I don't think I

really needed a year out, I needed

some time out, it was an intensive

period. Working for England is very

intensive even though people might

not imagine it to be so but it is

because of the weight of the

response of the U bear on your

shoulders but I would say since just

before Christmas, I have really been

ready to return. -- of the weight

you bear on your shoulders.

To put a

lid on England, do you process the

things quickly, put them in a box or

do you ruminate over the details?

There's not much to do moreover, I

thought the four years were actually

quite good apart from the fact we

had unfortunate results,

particularly in the Euros in the

last one, it was not really a

culmination of poor performances or

not doing the right type of work

bringing the right kind of players

through. It was the fact we did not

play as well as we should have done

in the game. I have certainly done

the grieving that everyone would do.

The England time was a time I am

proud of and when I was really

honoured to be doing the job and

then it was time to concentrate with

the same degree of intensity and the

same degree of energy on a club job.

He's back in management and Roy

Hodgson has set his sights on

keeping Crystal Palace in the

Premier League.

So come on, share

with us what you found because those

players have been passed from pillar

to post.

What I found was a group of

players who were very attentive,

very receptive to the ideas and the

work that we have tried to suggest

to them is the right work to bring

us forward. A very professional

group of players. A good balance in

the squad between some experienced

ones and some very talented young

ones.

I've got to mention the name

Ruben Loftus-Cheek. What a season!

Absolutely, for him, it was a

question of one-day coming to a club

where he had a good chance of

breaking into first 11 and making

the first 11 spot his own. When he

has been available, of course, I

have selected him and with every

passing game, I think he has got

stronger, more assured. I don't

think he has ever doubted his own

ability. I don't think that the

people who worked with him have

doubted his ability either but it

was a question of when will he get

the chance to be one of the main men

and play every week?

I've got to ask

about your overall career because we

are into 40 plus years, now. How

have you had to adapt over that

time? Or do you feel you haven't,

that the game is essentially the

same?

Know, the game changes, you've

got to run with it, no question of

that. People change, we were working

with players who were essentially

part-time in the Swedish division in

1976, to working with the players I

work with today. I can't adapt

necessarily and change my music

taste to soothe theirs and I can't

wear the same clothes as they do. I

can't be anywhere near as good as

they are with their mobile phones

but I can move with it and I can

understand it. All the players here,

they want to win matches, too. They

want to climb up the table. So there

is no dichotomy between what we are

wanting and expecting from them and

what they actually want themselves.

Is one of your big challenges now to

keep reiterating to the players that

yes, movement has started, yes, you

are starting to get points but I

mean, look at the next four games

alone, absolutely crucial, aren't

they?

We are not there yet, we have

done quite a big hole for ourselves

and found ourselves at the bottom of

it and it's going to take a while to

get out of it and the climb will

never be easy I want the things that

could get in our way might be

starting to believe that with a win

or two, or a good draw or two,

suddenly we are not in trouble any

more. We are in trouble and we shall

be in trouble until the relegation

battle for us is over and the threat

of relegation is nothing but a

distant memory and we are a long,

long way from that.

Well, I'm

enjoying the twinkle in your eyes.

Thanks, Mark!

Very interesting stuff, talking

about climbing out of a hole, maybe

this will help, they announce plans

about the redevelopment Selhurst

Park this week to take the capacity

beyond 30 4000. For those of you who

have been to Selhurst Park, you

might be wondering where it would

fit! But it looks rather impressive.

We will get to the club side in a

moment. Martin, he spoke about the

grieving process from an England

boss perspective. It seems strange

to say that a man who is in his 70s

and has been in football for such a

long time felt he had to prove

himself again a bit.

Well, his pride

was hurt, wasn't it? We were all at

the Iceland match, England were

totally devoid of any real

confidence. It was a nightmare for

him. He seemed like he could not

make a decision, Rashford went on

very late and it was kind of obvious

he should have gone on way before

but I think he's done a brilliant

job at Palace. When you think of the

trouble they were in.

Lost their

first seven games of the season.

The

win against Chelsea and this is a

great game today against Bournemouth

and if they can win it, they go

within a couple of points of

Bournemouth who have not had a

brilliant season themselves. He has

steadied the ship and now it's time

to stop winning games.

He talked

about adapting his style for the

various generations of players he's

got coming through and he's got some

interesting quality. He talked a bit

about Loftus-Cheek, and we have seen

for club and country this season,

what a player he could develop into.

He is a real talent. I suppose it

was just time for him to get out and

show us all, even at youth level and

any time he showed a glimpse at

Chelsea, you could see he had the

quality and now he is starting to

deliver for Roy and starting to

become one of the go to men. He will

really enjoy that. One of the

biggest compliments you can give Roy

Hodgson is that you look at gritter

Palace and even though they are in

the bottom two as it stands I don't

see them going down, I think they

have got enough to stay up. Other

teams are starting to slip and they

are going the other way.

You say

that but you

are going the other way.

You say

that but you look at their pictures,

the next four are quite good this

time of year, Bournemouth, Watford,

Leicester, Swansea, which adds a bit

more weight to the point you are

making, if they can get some points,

they put themselves in a great

they put themselves in a great

position going into the New Year.

They have got goals and at the back

he has started to shore things up,

they got dangerous players, Zaha and

Townsend, I look at them and think

they will be all right and I suppose

that is testament to the job he has

done.

Was the 2-0 down at one stage

back in the day at Fulham and he

managed to wriggle out of trouble.

If anyone can do it, he will.

So a crunch home game for Palace

today with Bournemouth.

Simon Brotherton is at

Selhurst Park for us.

He can tell us more about the

wayside, Bournemouth, because after

produced sticky start to the season,

they have found more consistency. --

a bit of a sticky start.

They have,

a very sticky start, losing each of

their opening four matches of the

seasons are not quite as bad as

Palace but not far off. That was a

bit of a surprise, I think, at the

start because when you look at the

signings made in the summer, they

did quite well last year, Begovic

coming in at goalkeeper, solid,

Nathan Ake's deal becoming

permanent, a good young player and

also Jermain Defoe, if there is one

thing Jermain Defoe has done

everywhere he has gone, it is score

goals but that has not happened for

Bournemouth this season, he has not

scored lots of goals, I think he's

only got one so far. That has been

one of the key areas where they have

needed to improve. It is important

for them that Callum Wilson have

come back recently from his ACL, he

had been out since every, got a

hat-trick against Huddersfield

recently. He can play a key role

going forward and another positive

thing, going on from what you are

talking about a couple of minutes

ago with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, one of

the players doing very well for

Palace, getting an opportunity for

first team Premier League football,

for Bournemouth, the same can be

said of Lewis Gregory midfield this

season. I think he's really

developing and establishing himself.

-- Lewis Cook in midfield. They have

improved, winning two of the last

three away games but it does not get

any easier after today, they have

got a difficult spell in December up

until the New Year. The next six

Premier League matches include trips

to both Manchester clubs and a home

game with Liverpool. They, like

Palace, will be desperate to get

something today.

Simon, thank you.

More from Simon on Final Score And

Match Of The Day Later.

Newcastle will mark their 125th

anniversary this evening

when they take on Leicester

at St James' Park.

Juliette Ferrington spent some time

this week with Mikel Merino

who is particularly thankful

to be there.

Year, It Was Difficult For Us To

Leave That. It Was A Tough Day

Because Of All That Happened.

The

bombing was potentially deadly,

shattering windows of the coach. It

was only a matter of luck that no

one was killed.

This was, police

believe, a targeted attack on the

Dortmund team.

I was on the bus with

my headphones turned on, with the

volume up. Then I heard an

incredible noise that was

petrifying. The bus started moving a

little bit from the explosion and

everybody was screaming and

frightened.

Incredible to think that

all you were thinking about was the

Monaco game in the immediate

aftermath of that explosion and then

the shock did not kick in until a

couple of days later.

In the moment,

it was shocking for us and we had to

play there the next day so it was so

hard for us, imagining that, for

example, someone went to hospital

and the next day, everyone had to go

to the stadium and play the

quarterfinal game. We were not

prepared mentally to do that game.

It was hard. But the worst part for

me was the next day, the next two or

three days, because we did not know

exact you what happened, who did it

and why. It was a little bit

scarring.

What was it about Newcastle, what is

it about Newcastle? Why did you want

to come here?

Well, the main thing

was the good atmosphere I heard that

this club had. And the way the

coach, Rafa, is working with the

team. That was the main reason, of

course, playing in a Premier League,

one of the best leagues in the world

and against all of these huge teams.

For me, it was a huge step and I

think it was the right decision.

You

didn't think England would be as

friendly as it has been to you?

Year.

We are nice people!

Yes, you

are nice people and it surprised me

because the thoughts I had at the

beginning wasn't that and when I

came to Newcastle, I saw that all

the people were really kind, really

familiar with us and I am really

happy because here, the people treat

me with all their love and I

appreciate it too much.

Merino has

put them in front! Mikel Merino with

the header.

What kind of things do

you do outside of football, away

from St James' Park?

I love to play

basketball, it is my second love

after football. I love to watch

films, go to the cinema, even here

in England, when I don't really

understand the films well, but the

only type of films I don't like

scary movies because I'm a little

bit of a coward. These kind of

movies are kind of horrid. But

superhero movies or action movies,

does not matter, any type of movie

for me.

With the dip in form the

team are in right now, how would you

sum up the dressing room spirit?

Well, the spirit of the team is

great. We are a dressing room of

young players. We know we have a lot

of things to improve and we are

capable of improving it. This is the

main thing for us, to improve

ourselves and each game and in

training and I think we are doing

it.

Still incredible to think that

Dortmund game was actually played

the day after, in the Champions

League. A really fascinating take on

that and what the players went

through as well. Newcastle

themselves this time around, one

point from a team and actually, the

start of that run coincided with him

being out injured. What do you like

about Mikel Merino?

He's a very good

footballer, lovely left foot. He

plays in midfield and likes to

control the tempo of the game, nice

touch, can find good passes. They

have missed him and Jamar Loza else

usually. Joe Marler scale has been

an even bigger mess -- Jamaal

Lascelles has been an even bigger

mess. He's a big addition. Newcastle

are struggling with a balance

between defending and being very

difficult to beat and then opening

up and scoring goals. They are a

young team, a very young side and I

personally think they are almost

overachieving in the position they

are in. That is the message Rafa

Benitez is trying to put to a band.

-- to the fans.

Off the pitch there is all this

stuff about ownership going on and

Rafa Benitez had said something

about investment in January.

The

asset has to be protected. They have

got to start and stay in the Premier

League. There is no real Premier

League experience in the team, said

that will be interesting, but I do

not think Mike Ashley will enjoy

hearing his managers say we need to

spend more money.

West Ham is 1-0 up

against Chelsea. Continue to follow

that on five live and you can get

the news on Final Score later on.

the news on Final Score later on.

So Newcastle readjusting

to life in the top flight,

and what of the two teams promoted

with them last May?

Premier League new boys Huddersfield

and Brighton meet today.

And Guy Mowbray is already

at the John Smith's Stadium.

What delights do we have before us

today?

I think we could have a

really good game. It might not

register away from the good folk of

West Yorkshire and Sussex, but we

have a game that is a bit like a cup

tie. Both teams have got to go for

it. Mid-term report I would give

Huddersfield C+, they are five

points off the bottom three,

although they could do better. They

are in danger of getting sucked into

it after four defeats in a row.

Brighton I would give B minus. They

have 14 of eight played an

Huddersfield have won three of seven

plate. They have both done OK in the

games they have had to win. But it

is this sort of game that they have

to win. They had Chelsea at home

here in midweek. I hope they really

go for it today. At Everton last

week they were disappointing in the

final third. They offered nothing in

attack. They have to go for it

against Brighton. Brighton similarly

have to score more goals to be

comfortable. I agree with what

Jermaine was saying earlier. I fancy

Crystal Palace to get out of the

hole they are in. The onus is on

Huddersfield to have a real go at

Brighton. If they win, that would

put the Terriers amongst the sequel.

A lovely metaphor. I enjoyed that

midfield mid-term report.

I enjoyed that midfield

mid-term report.

Another big game today at the wrong

end of the table

sees Swansea host West Brom.

A run of just one point from seven

games has left the Swans bottom

and head coach Paul Clement

under increasing pressure.

Internally everyone is working in

the same direction. If there is any

pressure and talk of, know I am not

going to be here, it is from

external forces, it is not from

within. I had a positive

conversation last night with Steve

and was on the phone for about an

hour and a half and we were talking

about previous games, upcoming

games, the window. The communication

lines are open. We know we are in a

difficult position but we are

working together to make it work.

working together to make it work.

He is doing his best to plan long

time and has played down divisions

in the dressing room saying it was a

healthy dressing room discussion. At

what point does that turn into

losing the dressing room? What is

the fine line?

The voice everyone

listens to at the end of that is the

manager's and there has to be a

clear direction where they are

heading. It is alarming they have

only had 27 shots. Is this a coach

that is not really a manager?

Is

that the tactical issue or is it

personnel?

We all do these training

sessions every week that every

football club.

We get the chance to

shoot and do something relative to

the match at the weekend. If you are

not taking any shots at goal, what

is going on? It is simple. I know

they have lost big players like

Sigurdsson and Llorente. But how

about shooting? Four in four games

they have not even registered a shot

on target. You are not going to win

many matches if that is the style of

play?

They were only go down, it is

as simple as that. One of the

biggest reason I say teams are going

down is because they do not score

goals. 27 shots in all the games

tells you everything you know. I am

stuck, I do not know what they are

any more. They are possession -based

team? They are too easy to play

against and when they are not

scoring goals on top of that it all

adds up to one horrible thing for

the Swansea fans unfortunately.

the Swansea fans unfortunately.

Now, the last of the FA

Cup second round ties

was played on Monday night.

And Rochdale made light

of a potential banana skin

at seventh-tier Slough.

Calvin Andrew gave

the visitors an early lead.

Both sides hit the woodwork before

Callum Camps' free kick

doubled the advantage.

Skipper Ian Henderson put the game

beyond doubt in the 89th minute,

and it was truly job done in added

time as Matt Done made it four.

Keith Hill's men now head over

the Pennines

to fellow League 1 side

Doncaster in January.

That is if the snow has gone!

That is if the snow has gone!

And our bumper third round coverage

will kick off on Friday 5th January

with that mouth-watering

Merseyside derby.

The satnav will be taking us either

back to Fleetwood or to non-league

Hereford on the Saturday lunchtime

as Leicester try to avoid an upset.

And on the Sunday, we'll be live

at the New Meadow

as David Moyes

returns to Shrewsbury with West Ham.

As for this Sunday...

The best music in sport.

The best music in sport.

MUSIC: Ski Sunday theme.

It is back, the theme tune, the

mountain vistas, the action and

adrenaline head of the Winter

Olympics. This Sunday on BBC Two.

This Sunday on BBC Two.

When former Leeds and Liverpool

forward Harry Kewell was appointed

Crawley Town boss last May,

he became the first Australian

to manage in England's

professional leagues.

We sent fellow Socceroo, Mark

Schwarzer, for a bit of a yabber.

Harry Kewell. What a goal! When you

became a manager, was it a surprise?

As a player you were so focused on

being a player. Was it something you

always thought about doing or is it

something you came along and fell in

love with afterwards?

100% right. I

would never have seen myself as a

coach because I loved playing

football and for me I could never do

two things at once. I only

concentrated on one job and once I

finished I thought about going into

coaching and I did my badges and I

absolutely loved it. You know when

you played and that little flame

clicks. That is what it was, it

clicked. One player pulled me aside

and said, I should play for you.

That just sparked it.

Why was it

crawly you decided on?

First and

foremost they offered me a job!

Again it is about getting your foot

in the door. I did my homework on

all the players and I knew exactly

what I was dealt with, I watched all

the games from last season, so I

knew what they were capable of

doing. A lot of people confuse this

game and say it is hard, it is not.

It is very simple if you keep it

simple. If you pass, move, top and

communicate, not with your phones,

but with your voice, you can make a

difference.

A few band phones in the

dressing room?

I have learnt a bit

of leeway. I cannot be strict on

everything because you end up

getting them against you, so you

have to give them that

responsibility as well. On match

days there will be no phones. If I

see you on your phone, you might as

well just be on the bench

straightaway even if you are

starting.

Before the game they will

not play?

Yes, I will not stand for

it.

How far can you take Rory?

It is

the million-dollar question and $1

million can go a long way. The last

season was difficult. They have been

hovering around that relegation

zone. It takes time. You cannot

expect a manager to come in and wave

his little wand and go, it is fixed.

We have had a few injuries, we had

missed opportunities. I sound like

every other manager. It has not gone

our way, but we are trying to

change. You have to be patient.

That

is the biggest challenge, pacifying

the crowd.

I am not worried about

that. I am worried about my players

performing. We can go out there and

play the way I want them to play and

we can lose. I will say, we gave it

our all. But if we do not go out

there and do not play the way we

want to, we will hit the raft.

Do

you kick and scream and throw things

around?

It is very truthful. The

other day we played the game and we

were not at it and I asked them, who

gave their all? One person put their

hand up. I said, how are we supposed

to win again? There is no excuse.

You can run, you can cause other

teams problems by having a good

attitude. If you have that attitude,

then that can build something in a

game and change momentum in the

game.

Dan Walker is a massive

Crawley Town fan.

What message would

you give him? How many games has he

come to see?

That is a good

question.

You say you are a massive

fan, but how many games have you

come to this year? Excuse me?

Sorry.

I have got a Saturday job, Harry.

You two are a disgrace.

You agree

with him, phones on match day.

In

any workplace. If you cannot come

into a building and leave your phone

in the car and focus on the players

and what is on store. He did not use

the chance to promote his players.

It is about the players and what you

get from them.

You were ranting

during that piece. What was the

story about Leicester?

When I first

went to Leicester nine players were

on the telephone. How did I react to

that?

We saw a very good goal for

Harry Kewell. I know you want to

have a look at this.

I think I was slowing up, I was 36,

30 seven.

He was a great player, no

doubt.

Not consistent. Crawley are

17th and they take on Mansfield

today. A big game at the top of the

league where Luton take on Notts

County. And one result in the

Championship. Bristol City go up to

third. Back on Harry Kewell, the way

he talks about his players. I know

he said he wanted to shine light on

his players. He is so candid and

honest and that can get reaction

sometimes.

It can go both ways. He

is new to it. It is great he has got

his foot in the door.

I want to see

good former players doing well in

management, so we wish him well.

management, so we wish him well.

That's all for this week.

Thanks to Martin and Jermaine.

Remember, if you missed anything,

then Focus is on the iPlayer.

See you next Saturday at midday.

We shall leave you with

the predictions of Richard Osman,

the world's tallest Fulham fan,

author of The World Cup

of Everything and TV's Mr Pointless.

Goodbye.

I'm a Fulham fan, for my sins.

We had a lovely season last season.

Got through to the play-offs.

It's a bit of a lottery.

Hoping we were going to do

the same this year.

I suspect we're not.

We're not having a brilliant season.

But Tom Cairney, our captain,

seems to be back to full fitness,

so hopefully something good

is going to happen in the New Year.

I was watching the World Cup

draw very carefully.

I think it's not a bad

draw for England.

Certainly, Panama is

a very nice draw for us.

But Belgium are one of those teams,

they don't signed like they're very

good, but of course they are one

of the best teams in the world.

I would rather have had Argentina,

who are not playing great.

Belgium, I think,

is a big issue for us.

The best player?

The player who made the most

impact at the World Cup?

I love it when someone comes along

that you didn't know before.

So, someone like Toto Schillaci.

The Italian striker.

When someone comes out of nowhere,

that's always my favourite

thing in the World Cup.

Chelsea are hitting

a rich vein of form.

I think this is going to be

a tough one for West Ham.

West Ham nil, Chelsea three.

Manchester City look unstoppable. If

anyone can stop them it is Jose

Mourinho.