23/12/2017 Football Focus

Oh, it's absolutely brilliant!

Oh, this is getting better and

better!

Cristiano Ronaldo!

History boys, indeed! Nobody has won

it more than Arsenal.

A hat-trick!

The biggest Chelsea celebration of

the season!

Welcome to Football Focus, good

afternoon, a bumper day ahead,

perfect repeat of the fixtures from

week to lead for some reason and the

perfect excuse for a rewind.

And he goes round the goalkeeper,

and Swansea have a second goal!

Chris Wood equalises for Burnley!

Onside! 3-0, Newcastle!

Trying to

make up the ground and jumps into

the tackle, and the red card is out.

They go into the break top of the

tree.

Cesar Azpilicueta in and

Morata into the net! Rodriguez!

Ahmed Hegazi has made a mistake for

the goalkeeper.

Manchester City have

done it in the last ten of the game.

You are watching right here,

Football Focus.

Thank you, Craig,

and more from Mr David on

Southampton later and more in the

next hour. We hit the road with Sean

Dyche is the Burnley bandwagon rolls

on.

It is a good club. It is a good

club.

A well-run, good club.

It was a

cracker at the Emirates, Friday

night football provided a bit of

wham-bam.

. The Swans are clapping and they

badly need Tammy Abraham to find his

win.

Just have to keep trying to get the

points for Swansea.

And a festive Ashley Young on

Manchester United and getting better

with age.

It heats me on, that is

about it!

At Christmas jumper and a

best in the same interview. We have

Martin Keown and Matthew Upson,

roommates in the old Arsenal days,

getting the band back together. We

will look at our side's game in a

minute. Nine games today. The early

game between Everton and Arsenal

later. Sorry, third-place Chelsea.

And we are in the Midlands, Stoke

against red -- West Bromwich, big

game, like their later. Newcastle

desperate for a win as well. They

take on West Ham today. One of the

later games, they are all late these

days, only against Tottenham. Any

sign may be things to come,

Leicester against Manchester United

at 735 on a Saturday night. Starting

at the Emirates, Liverpool were in

town and so was your commentator.

Thrills and spills usually

guaranteed when these sites,

face-to-face, fourth spot in the

table up for grabs and quite

probably, that is the prize they

will fight for until the end of the

season. Milner looking to release

sell-off. Philippe Coutinho. They

are at it again. His 11th of the

season. Arsenal zero, Liverpool one.

Oh, a slip from Laurent Koscielny,

Salah is then, what a chance, what a

save, Sadio Mane! Over the bar! One

turn and one pass, and Salah is a

long goal again, can he get the shot

away! He can. The deflection just

enough to take it away from pad to

check and that might be back --

that, as far as Arsenal is

concerned. Granit Xhaka. Lacazette

could not find a way through.

Sanchez is there and Arsenal are on

the scoresheet. Well, a goal at

nothing, no response from the bench.

Still a long way to go. Sanchez

gambled, Gomes hesitated, Arsenal

are back in it. 1-2, Liverpool.

Xhaka. What a strike! What a goal!

Granite Jacko, when he scores, they

tend to be rockets! And this

certainly falls into that category.

Granit Xhaka. Mignolet. Two goals in

two minutes from Arsenal and the

game is turned on its head. Mesut

Ozil, Lacazette. Mesut Ozil is in,

3-2, Arsenal. What an incredible

turnaround! Liverpool look

shell-shocked, Jurgen Klopp enraged,

floppy from Liverpool. And how

Arsenal have punished them. Booing

around the Emirates seven minutes

ago when Salah made it 2-0

Liverpool, and now it is 3-2

Arsenal. Salah, for Liverpool. And

now Firmino. That was hit with too

much power. And Liverpool level. And

Roberto Firmino, who went close so

often in the first half, finds the

net this time, it is the pace of the

drive, and it is 3-3. Arsenal versus

Liverpool remains one of the most

exciting fixtures in the Premier

League.

The goal should be enough for a

game, even two. When you watch it

again, Arsenal was not in the game

and to have ten minutes, I don't

know how long it was... And now we

come back to the good things.

Usually, 2-0 up, two down, out of

the game. And then we reacted well,

then we were back in the game, then

we created and we will organise the

game. Then we were secure again,

felt secure against. But I don't

know how long it was.

Four minutes,

45 seconds. I felt in the first

half, we felt a bit frozen, with

beer, not at our level, and we could

see the impact of the Manchester

United start here. It was there,

ready to get it out of the system.

It was not a thrilling game, with --

it was a thrilling game come boasts

teams going for it. Even if I am

getting frustrated that we did not

win the game, and the other hand,

that is the kind of games you want

in the Premier League.

The kind of

games you want in the Premier

League, but from a defensive point

of view, Martin, a bit of a

nightmare for both teams.

I would

not say it was a thriller. Both

teams were very good

counterattacking. If Arsenal could

learn a way to defend, when the ball

is at the end, when you are in

possession, it's too late if you

react and try and get into position

once you lose possession. And if we

look at the footage here, it is very

clear Arsenal need to improve on

this element.

Just an awareness, in mentality.

This is the point at which Liverpool

got 2-0 ahead through Mohamed Salah.

Yes, it is interesting. Arsenal in a

good position, the ball in the far

corner. But look at their setup off

the ball. You look at where Xhaka

is, quite advanced. Hector Bellerin.

Quite deep again over the forehand

side, Mesut Ozil. It leaves Laurent

Koscielny in this area with two

Liverpool players and you are not

comfortable here.

Koscielny should

be talking to Granit Xhaka. Xhaka

has gone out of position and he will

get the blame for doing that.

Organise. With Arsene Wenger, if you

made mistakes coming you did not

play. Players are now allowed to

make these defensive areas and it is

getting that barricade up in

possession of the ball.

It is the

turnover in so many times, they are

exposed. This is one of the best

counterattacking teams in the

Premier League. Salah does a great

job, but as the ball gets played

down to Firmino, the starting

position being wrong, you can see

how Koscielny is drawn to Firmino.

It leaves a huge space for anybody

to exploit. As we move on... You can

see it is a great pass from Firmino

but the stuffy is never able to get

back to come back. Mustafi. Lovely

finish, but in a great position to

score.

As a defender, the front

players get all the credit, they

played this wonderful football we

talk about, the front players, the

fabulous four with Liverpool and the

same with Arsenal, but as a

defender, you get the blame. Get

into position early, organise, that

is all. You should be seen and not

heard. Defenders are being exploited

because they are not putting up that

barricade when they are in

possession of the ball.

Jurgen Klopp

was throwing his hat back when he

was told about the four minutes and

45 seconds.

Let's look at those

goals. Liverpool in total control

and interesting to see Gomes, a

young player. He has a look, a final

look at Sanchez, just here. And a

glance. For me, they are in a great

position, Liverpool. The back four

looking tidy, Dejan Lovren entitled

Lacazette. The only thing Gomes can

do, it is sometimes want to feel the

attacker. Maybe be a little bit

closer. It can expose you to having

Sanchez getting across, but

sometimes, it is nice to have that

contact.

It creates nervousness.

There is a lack of anticipation for

Gomes, who is a wonderful player and

should be playing central defence,

by the way, and he gets caught out.

He has got the head the ball when he

is leading with his wrong foot, the

clear that ball. He had a really

good game and he's such a bright

prospect.

What about theirs, 2-2,

terrible goalkeeping error?

Why not

go with two hands?

It looks awful.

There is a catalogue of these issues

with Mignolet over five seasons and

it has been highlighted before and

is something Klopp will be looking

at.

We will see what happens in

January. And this is the completion

of the 3-2, Martin.

Look at the

distance between the two central

defenders. They have people in front

of them, but they have the move.

This is a give and go. It is

wonderful from Ozil, good movement.

But the goalkeeper has to stay on

his feet for longer.

Gomes, again,

his experience as a pull-back, as he

plays that ball, come inside a bit

and try and help Lovren out and

leave Sanchez on the outside is the

only thing he could do.

By goals at

that point, but at the other end,

Roberto Firmino makes it 3-3 -- five

goals.

You can pick it to pieces in

terms of defensively. It is the

turnover again of the ball. Sanchez

all of a sudden. Look at how Arsenal

has come out, nobody is organising

the back four, nobody is taking

control and getting midfield players

out, getting people organised. The

ball comes into Can. One touch, I

don't do what you can say. You have

got Koscielny and Mustafi.

Koscielny

gets drawn to the ball and these are

the basics, against quality, you and

on. Who is with this fella?

It

should be Koscielny. You could even

say he has to come in here when he

sees that.

I go to was magnificent

on the night, the young defender,

but when Slaven Bilic has to do

better. -- I thought he was

magnificent. But Koscielny has to do

better.

To allow a centre forward a

shot in opposition cannot happen

with that amount of bodies around

the 18-yard box.

And more rumours

again this week about Alexis Sanchez

possibly going to mind as the City

and also about Virgil van Dijk. It

looks like badgers the City might be

doing that and they'll already

incredibly strong this season.

--

Manchester City.

They are already

working that the value they would

get.

Psychologically, they will +

Chester what is already a fantastic

team, probably the best team we have

seen playing in the Premier League,

Manchester City. And fatigue every

week, and they want Sanchez as well,

it is almost rude.

And that coming

from one of the invisibles! This is

the top of the table. We will

concentrate at the team in sixth

place --

when Sean Dyche took over five years

ago, they were 14. Things have

changed a bit but he still living in

the Southampton and we caught up

with the Burnley boss on his weekly

dawn drive.

Thank you very much for letting me

tag along. Pleasure. When you do

this journey, do you spend the time

thinking and working out tactics,

are you just literally sticking on a

bit Magic Christmas and having a

singsong?

Yes, I do have a singsong.

Not now, with this quiz, are you

kidding? I listen to the radio

generally. Kasabian. I know about

them a little bit. Get your! Name

drops. Yes, it is good, isn't it?

Unbelievable! Sanchez puts them in

Dreamland and the champions are

beaten.

It started off really well

with a game nobody expected anything

from and we have built from there.

Let's not run away with it. We know

how unforgiving the Premier League

is and it can affect you very

quickly. That is a fine, by the way,

the phone.

Sorry. It is all right.

What you look for in a player?

It is

this idea of Sean Dyche signs good

characters in the press. What

manager does not want good

characters? I did sign it Joey

Barton, I do remind them! No, no,

let me finish... Possibly from the

outside, he would be thought not to

be a good character. The depth of

people is important. Underneath some

of the ups and downs of his career

and his life may be, he is a winner

come he said fighter, he is a

professional. So I thought, you are

the right person and the right

animal, if you like, with the

instinct of what I think the team

needs.

From years of being in the game you

meet people from lots of walks of

life. He sends these trades people.

That can be as important as

anything. By the way, there are not

always good stories, I've

last-minute said, that's not for us.

Just go to an important thing, which

is the singing.

Of course. I love a

lot of the old school stuff, like

the Smiths.

Sean Dyche and

celebrate. -- Sean Dyche can

celebrate.

One of the biggest things

I've learned about the Premier

League is, actually, that is just a

minor moment of inner arrogance when

you say, I'm fine, I can handle

this. Home and away, I can deal with

what need to deal with. Keep a level

view and do a performance. I am more

assured.

What is the biggest

misconception about you?

I'm very

good-looking. As a player I was very

skilful and talented. What are you

going to do? It is a media driven

game. There are endless views about

what you are and what you are not. I

tried to do what I do. I try to be

myself all the time. My friends have

known me since I was about five,

they would let me know.

Do your

friends call you that at home?

Yes,

they have taken the nickname on,

they don't like Sean. Ginger Sean

would do.

I'm sensing a theme with

your genre.

I don't know, I kind of

like rock music, but I recently saw

Metallica. It was too much. Too

power.

You found your level.

Yeah,

yeah.

power.

You found your level.

Yeah,

yeah.

They are right in touch with the big

boys at the top.

They are right in touch with the big

boys at the top.

It feels like you're building an

empire. You've done all of those

things.

When I got here, we laid

down, what I thought, was a future

blueprint for the club. The key

season everybody talks about is when

we came out of the Premier League

and back into the championship. Now,

there was a reality to that

situation. The board knew it would

be a demanding season for the team.

We spent about nine, £10 million

that summer. That allowed the club

to organise a training ground and

build for a longer term future. When

we went down, there wasn't panic

stations, there was not a long, I

didn't feel it myself, so going back

into the Premier League was payback.

We stayed up last season. Big

challenge. But all of these things

have been put in place, of course.

Now I have my chance because of the

finance involved in the Premier

League. Let's see where we go this

season, and so far so good.

What

about Christmas songs, do you love

them, do you hate them?

I love them.

Are you kidding me! I've got kids

and all of that. I love it. Driving

Home For Christmas, obviously.

Ashley Barnes! Burnley are up to

fourth!

It just made me laugh. He said you

must be really proud, I said yes, he

said, you must be really, really

proud, and I said yes. I'm proud,

super proud, prouder than the proud

man of proud town.

CHUCKLES

I thought the most obvious thing,

when they had been in the Premier

League before, nothing had changed

because they had put everything on

the pitch. I said you cannot do that

every season. You need to have

something that can be there for

years and years. You look at this

now and it's amazing, really. So I

am really pleased.

Do you feel

proud?

Proud, prouder than proud,

prouder than Peter proud from proud

town.

Nice interview. She got some

really nice stuff out of Sean Dyche.

When you look at Burnley, they've

had a successful season. But the key

has been that incredibly settled

side, which he does not touch if he

does not need to.

That is super

important. The star quality he has

come he has a clear identity. There

is no grey area. He knows what he

wants from the team and I think the

players know exactly what he

demands. I think that's a powerful

thing. But with the fitness, the

fact he hasn't had a lot of injuries

and suspensions, and they've kept

the same unit, especially as the

back four and the goalkeeper, the

defensive record is outstanding.

The

remit for him would have been to

stay up. 32 points now and he is

aiming for 40. They are in dreamland

at the moment, enjoying every

moment, they play Tottenham today.

They could go into the top four. It

will is remarkable.

As you say,

desperately any difference. They

have a player out because of this

incident, which we are going to see,

against Brighton's Glenn Murray.

Involved in that kind of thing

before. But bad for Burnley because

they've been in such a successful

unit.

The thing is, people can come

in and fill that role. They lost

Keane in the summer. He had been on

the bench this season before, most

of the season. He stepped straight

into the team and hit the ground

running because he knows the

structure.

He came in for the away

win, the only one that got last

year, at Worcester Palace. That

looked good. Keane, at Everton,

where he is exposed, he doesn't get

the protection upfront and he

doesn't look as good. -- at Crystal

Palace.

I don't expect you to name

names, but there must have been

times when a manager has brought in

a player and they have negatively

affected the dressing room. And you

can see where they haven't checked

the character of the player before

they have brought them in.

Without

doubt. 100%. Some players, if it is

a problem for them it has to be

everybody's problem. You don't want

that. Conversely, if you get

somebody who is a team player, he

was infectious, Ian Wright, for

instance, he came out of the Arsenal

dressing room and after he left I

wondered if we would cope. It was

like having Eddie Murphy in the

dressing room, a laugh a minute.

Have you experienced that?

It works

both ways. You notice somebody who

comes in who might have a poisonous

impact, but also when you lose those

characters that have been so big in

the team, they are a big miss.

Players are perceptive. They can

pick up on it quickly. They know who

will help. Is he here for himself,

or to make the team better?

Back to

the early part of the season when

Burnley got a late equaliser at

Spurs against Wembley. At the time

it felt like a shock but that was a

sign of what was going to come for

Burnley.

The revised nation for the

finish. He cannot stop scoring

goals, Chris Wood. Grey was allowed

to these everybody question that,

but Chris Wood has come in and on a

really good job.

At Leicester he

could not quite get into the team.

He went away to Leeds, scored a lot

in the championship. Sean Dyche saw

something in him. The physicality

and the reliability. He is a good

fit for Burnley.

Morrissey

Pochettino is well aware of how

dangerous Burnley could be today. --

Mauricio Pochettino.

I was so

frustrated with that situation. We

dropped two points in the end. It

was terrible for us. Yes, but now we

move on. We want to win. Saturday

will be very tough. They believe a

lot in the way that they play. And I

think at home they are very, very

tough. We need to be ready. And we

are ready to fight because it will

be a battle.

We have picked quite a

few holes in Tottenham in the

season, why they haven't been

performing so well. Victor Wanyama

might be one of the biggest things.

He is back in training. But he has

missed a lot. Has he been a big

factor for you?

Hugely. When you

miss him and Alderweireld you have a

double layer of big physical

presence. Especially defensively. He

does something nobody else does,

Victor Wanyama breaks up played like

a wrecking ball. Him and Mousa

Dembele are a great pair.

Great

signing. Pochettino would have

worked with him. You cannot devalue

those players. They are really

important, these players who occupy

parts of the pitch. That is what

they have been missing, a bit of

experience in the central area.

You

look at Dele Alli, he hasn't scored

a league goal in two months. I don't

know if that is Victor Wanyama's

influence. But that is a big thing.

As, goals from that area.

Yes, and

apart from doing well against Real

Madrid, you wonder where they will

go. It is about character. They are

young team. They haven't won

anything. You wonder how long they

can keep this group together if they

are not going to win a trophy. It

doesn't look like they will this

season.

They did win against Real

Madrid, let's not forget. Plenty

more to come: Including Ashley Young

in an outfit which I am sure will

annoy the team currently top of the

table. Lovely. Let's have a look at

the teams at the wrong end of the

table. On Monday night Swansea

travelled to Everton in desperate

need of point and it did not go

well.

We created some good chances.

We created some good chances.

He

buried it on his left foot at the

far post. Huge goal for Swansea.

I

don't think we defended it very

well. It ended up being a clumsy

challenge...

A little stutter step. Saved by the

goalkeeper onto the post. The

follow-up goes in.

You know, they were quick on the

follow-up.

Everton draw level.

I'm

also disappointed with the second

goal. We were far too open.

Sensational goal. That is why

Everton paid 45 million for Gylfi

Sigurdsson.

A wonderful finish, but

we should have done better with the

transition.

Everton two, Swansea

one.

And the third one... The

challenge was outside the box. That

is a free kick. Not a penalty.

Wayne Rooney steps up again. He

missed the first one, he scores the

second one, Wayne Rooney! 3-1 to

Everton.

The mood in the dressing room was

very flat. We've got to focus

getting to 15 at the halfway point.

We know what we must do in the

second half of the season.

He was

sacked two days later. Swansea

rooted at the bottom of the table.

Everton are back in action this

lunchtime, against Chelsea. And we

get the team news...

On the back of four wins in their

last five games. Changes seemed

unlikely for Everton today, yet they

make three to the side that overcame

Swansea. Wanting absentee is Wayne

Rooney who is ill. Both centre

halves are rested as Phil Jagielka

and Keane replaced Williams and

Holgate. Chelsea make just one

alteration to their last league

outing against Southampton as

Antonio Rudiger is preferred to Gary

Cahill. With no Alvaro Morata, who

is suspended, the visitors go with

Eden Hazard. Michy Batshuayi will

have to watch from the bench.

Everton unbeaten under big Sam.

Chelsea have lost one of their last

ten. This promises to be a pulsating

duel which will hopefully see off

the foggy conditions, which are

hovering menacingly above Goodison

Park.

I hope that for get blown away. Here

is confirmation of the team for you.

Wayne Rooney missing because of the

flu. Talking about having Wanyama

back before, but Rooney is a big

miss considering how influential he

has been since Sam Allardyce came

in.

Last season, outstanding talent.

Comment on as well. Berkeley,

another one. They are doing OK. Is

it really Sam who has done the work?

The team, turned around, quite

remarkable, he was in the stand for

the first one, but they are much

more direct, much more positive.

It's a completely different mood.

There is some magic in Sam's

management. Eden Hazard is going to

do the business for Chelsea up

front. That's been a good

relationship, Eden Hazard and Morata

of late.

Eden Hazard can pick up

those little pockets of space. With

Michy Batshuayi, he isn't getting a

look in. He must be thinking Morata

is out of that position, he should

be in that role, instead he has gone

for perjurer and Eden Hazard in

different positions. It'll be

interesting to see how things go. --

for Pedro and Eden Hazard.

Gylfi

Sigurdsson was out Swansea and

wasn't really replaced. That ended

Paul Clement's time at the club. It

is difficult of this question

without being unkind, but do you

think somebody else could have done

a better job? Does he not have the

tools at his disposal?

Think about

how long he was an assistant

manager. You have a go at

management. The question will now

become a he cut out for it? 36 shots

at goal without...

No money to

spend...

True. You have to buy and

spend if you are in credit. You

could doom -- he could have done

more with his players.

But they

didn't really invest.

The star signing of Sanchez from

Bayern Munich, fantastic talent, it

did not work for him. They did not

spend a week lot of money, they got

a loan deal, but he could not hit

the ground running. How would you

replace a £50 million player? They

took somebody on loan and it was a

gamble and they are really

struggling.

The art of the next

manager, a couple of those familiar.

Frank de Boer, Slaven Bilic, Ronald

Koeman. Leon Britton. Giving Ryan

Giggs until the end of the season, I

am sure! Swansea always had a

succession plan.

Well, not now. Do

they go to Ryan Giggs? He is one of

the Welsh all-time greats. Is there

going to be a managerial career for

him, would that be a great platform

for him?

Very different direction

and Tony Pulis, so established and

renowned for keeping teams in the

Premier League and keeping teams up,

they are in a position where Premier

League survival is really important.

I think if Leon Britton does well,

Jenkins wants to promote from

within, he did it with Garry Monk

and maybe if Iheanacho wins games.

He does not want to keep the job and

he says, but if he wins matches, he

could be there for a long time.

Swansea sacked Swansea manager

Clement and media day after he had

even interviews and we spoke to

Tammy Abraham. Whoever is appointed,

they need to get the best out of the

Chelsea loan knee, who sat down with

us this week.

Where does Swansea's wink from? It

is grim. Nice to see you.

Good to

see you. I cannot get over the

contras between the last year's

since we met you hear and the

situation you are now in with your

club. There is no way of dressing it

up, you are in a tricky situation.

Yes, definitely. It is tough, but a

big learning curve. This is a

different experience for me, I am

used to coming from the Chelsea

Academy where you are used to

winning a lot of things. And to be

in this situation now is top.

That's

slumping feeling of defeat once

again from Swansea.

We know we are a

good side, does not showing our

complete potential and what we

capable of doing and that is

something we need to do.

Abraham to

finish it off, and it goes wide.

You

have not started the last six and

you have not scored in nine, how is

that affecting a guy used to scoring

a shared load of goals?

For me, I

know personally I am capable of

scoring a lot of goals. And the

chances are not coming. We're not

creating anything. The best strikers

in the world go through this. You do

not always keep scoring, there are

times you do not score and you have

to do other aspects of your game.

For me, I know chances will come and

hopefully soon.

And just make you

have a little bit of shot conversion

rate, four goals this season from 25

shots, conversion rate to 60%.

Jermaine Defoe, 15%, Harry Kane 12%,

Marcus Rashford 11%. So you are

proving that if you get your chance.

Definitely. Like I said, chances

will come again and I know I will

take my chances. Just have to stay

focused and relaxed.

He have an

interesting period with Crystal

Palace coming up, so up against

Ruben Loftus-Cheek. And on Boxing

Day, you have Liverpool, so you face

Dominic Solanke you. A strange

dynamic, because you are used to

coming through with those guys.

Yes,

it is nice to see people you grew up

with pushing on to be first-team

players. Something you dream of as a

young kid. Now we are doing it and

trying to do the best we can to get

into our clubs. The best we see is

to go out and learn and try and do

our best. It is not Chelsea, if it

is a Chelsea -- if it is somewhere

else, so be it.

Have you lead the

quotes from Antonio Conte that you

and Ruben Loftus-Cheek the future of

Chelsea?

I was there with him

pre-season and he spoke to me a lot.

I did not quite understandably was

saying! He just always wanted to

push me as hard as I can. When I

went online to Swansea, he said,

keep improving yourself and do

whatever it takes.

The England

call-up, where were you when you got

the call and found out?

I was in the

physio with Swansea and I saw it

coming up and breaking news. And I

couldn't believe it really. As soon

as I saw my name, Tammy Abraham? And

I could not help but smile and

everybody was coming to congratulate

me and I did not know how to react.

There is that lovely footage where

Ian presents you with your match

shirt for the day in the changing

room beforehand?

Yes, for me, it did not feel real

even when he was giving me my shirt.

I cannot help but smile. Even though

I try to stay serious, I could not

help but smile, fantastic feeling.

What is it going to take for Tammy

Abraham to make us are against gay

to's squad for Russia. -- to make

Gareth Southgate's squad for Russia.

A couple of chances, try to do well

and get the points for Swansea.

Just not creating chances. That is

the assessment for Swansea. We spoke

about his shot conversion rate, but

if you do not get opportunities

comedian not score goals which has

been Swansea's problem this season.

He has had 25 out of 38 shots

Swansea have had on target and

scored four goals and for your lead

scorer at this stage of the season,

that is not enough. He has had a

great season personally, he has been

involved with England and made his

first and then start which is a

great achievement, but it is nowhere

near enough goals so far this

season.

We will see the goal he

scored against Crystal Palace.

I was pleased Gareth Southgate gave

him the confidence to get these

players into the England team from a

young age. He's strong and physical.

And I think he has got mentality.

You have to have any go. -- macro

one. It is not perfect for him, but

it is a platform to start his career

and that is what these Chelsea loan

you seem to be doing.

That was

against Palace who they play today.

Swansea bottom. The difference with

powers, I know they started the

season by losing the first seven

games, but they are unbeaten in

seven and flying and full of

confidence in comparison to a Said,

-- A-side, change manager,

interesting to see how Swansea react

today.

A classic example of a team

that has reacted well to a change in

management and hats off to Roy

Hodgson. He has had key players

coming back and Zaha is one of the

most influential in the Premier

League. Creating and scoring goals.

Palace are a force at the moment so

that is a tough fixture for Swansea.

We will check another team in 17

position, that is Stoke City. Poor

performances from them in recent

weeks. And their manager is under a

little pressure, Mark Hughes. We are

going to go to the Stadium where

they take on West Ham this

afternoon, sorry, West Bromwich.

Mike is there. Played with Stoke and

England in the 1970s.

We will talk about your tae kwon do

career which is going down a storm

on the BBC website. How worried are

you buy what you have seen this

season, especially defensively?

Yes,

very worried. It has gone on since

debris last season. They have not

had a good month in terms of

results. Only winning one game in

August, September, October this

season. They did not win a game in

November. And they won won the

beginning of this month and they

have lost the last three, is

difficult time.

There is always talk

about managers being under pressure.

And there were suggestions this week

that if Stoke were to lose the West

Bromwich, Mark Hughes may lose his

job, what is your take on the future

of Mark Hughes at Stoke?

I'd think

the club have given him until the

Newcastle game, the New Year, the

next four games are important and I

cannot see him getting much a

Chelsea the way they are playing at

the moment. Mark Hughes came to the

club and he changed the style of

Tony Pulis. That is the main factor

why he got the job. The fans had had

enough of the one ball game Tony

used to play and they wanted a

change of this boring background,

building up from the back and

bringing the Spanish contingent in.

Playing through the midfield. And

playing through the third. What we

are seeing now is desperation stuff,

for me. It is just a long punt

upfield. Crouch, 37 years of age, as

in him to do his best at the end of

it. We're not seeing any structured,

controlled football like West Ham

last week with David Moyes. And it

is really disappointing at the

moment.

Talking about structure and

control, I want to talk about

migratory. People might not know you

at a national champion in your age

group -- three. From being a no

estate -- defendable Stoke and Aston

Villa, when did taekwondo come into

your life?

I was coaching in Kuwait

with a former manager for Chelsea.

That was in 94. Train six days a

week in 30, 40 degrees heat and I

competed the fighting side in 1995.

When I came back to England, I do

and a club and I carried on from

there and I took my gradings and now

I am teaching and I have my own

Academy. And the last five, six

years, I have competed at national

level and international level. I was

fortunate last year in Peru to get a

Silva medal. But I find it really

hard this year. Mentally, it is

tough. But I should have got the

goal medal. But I should have been

World Champion. It has been hard

this year to get back on track.

Good

to see you still have that winning

mentality, Mike! It is great at talk

to, all the best for the taekwondo

and enjoy the match. That is Mike

Pejic, joining us from Stoke.

You did a coaching course with Mike

pushed my guess, colourful

character, great guy.

I thought you

were going to ask if we did Martial

arts. I did boxing and judo, all on

a Saturday afternoon, by the way!

Yes, I have seen the taekwondo

coming out.

Yes, he looks a bit

tasty, I would not want to upset

him!

West Bromwich have yet to win

and Alan Pardew. How'd you see the

situation West Bromwich find

themselves in, another team

desperate for points?

Well, they

are. If Jonny Evans is allowed to

leave, that is really bad news. He

could be at a top six club. This

January. And both clubs really have

fallen into very difficult times.

You look at it and I think Mark

Hughes, this game, they have to win.

You look at the spine of the team

and you see Shawcross and Fletcher

and Crouch and yet you are pinning a

lot on three players past their best

within their careers.

Another team

in desperate need of a win is

Newcastle United, who have lost four

in a row. They travel to West Ham

this afternoon and we can go to the

London Stadium. Simon, good

afternoon. I would imagine Mr

Benitez would love to find a striker

under the Christmas tree.

I bet he

would, let's hope that is not the

only thing he finds, he needs

Mitrovic -- three or four decent

presents for Newcastle to prefer --

preserve their Premier League

status. He definitely needs a

striker and somebody probably to

play behind him. I have seen names

like Islam so many, Danny Ings. And

he needs somebody on the West Ham

side -- on the left-hand side. We

have seen a name of Kennedy went.

And he has been looking for a senior

goalkeeper for a long time. Three or

four areas Newcastle need to invest

in. Any test has had a Conference

call with Mike Ashley, that is how

serious is. Generally the 20th is

the day he wants it sorted by and he

does not want to go to the last day

of the window. Newcastle know they

are going to make an investment and

the thing for the manager is, how

that investment is going to amount

to. Mike Ashley is selling club, but

he is a he knows he needs to invest

the game in the future. The gamble

of the money they spend in January,

there were more than get that back

in the value of the club to stay up.

He will get so much more for a club

with a secure Premier League future.

The biggest asset Newcastle have is

the manager itself, Rafa Benitez.

The crowd still very much with him

and whatever happens, the crowd

realised they will not get a better

manager than him this season.

Simon,

it is great to talk to.

You spend a lot of time at West Ham,

are you impressed with how much more

organised they are with David Moyes

# definitely, really impressed with

the impact he has had.

The

personality and how he operates is

exactly what that group of players

needed at this moment in time. He

has good players, beating the best

out of Arnautovic was key, he was a

top signing and is not the easiest

play in the world to manage and he

is getting more energy and more

efforts on goal, more creativity.

They just looked a better and a

bitter team all round and they are

heading in a really good direction.

Celtic's unbeaten record came

unstuck three hours after we were

praising them last Saturday...

What a moment. So sweet for the

16-year-old. Malinga

Kyle Lafferty! The invincible is are

in big trouble at Tynecastle.

That was surely a challenge the

goalkeeper did not need to be

making. He strikes again!

Milinkovic! It is invincibles no

more.

At the end of the

At the end of the long run, Celtic

still clear at the top of the

Scottish Premiership at the moment.

I know

Scottish Premiership at the moment.

I know your son was watching Partick

Thistle this week and, as well. They

are on an incredible run, aren't

they?

Amazing. It had to come to an

end. Craig Levein, new stadium,

pretty much, fantastic result for

them. That lead is really difficult

to call, let me tell you, I'm

watching it every weekend. Everybody

can be anyone in that league.

Graham

Murthy has been named as the Rangers

manager for the rest of the season.

In the championship last night,

Brentford beat Norwich by 2-1. In

the championship, we can talk to you

about the fact Wolverhampton are top

at the moment. They have a good

squad. Very high profile. Especially

for broody turner. He knows

everybody. He has been well schooled

by his dad, Luke, take a look at

this. -- Brodie turner.

Matt?

Dougherty.

Leo? Then?

Marshall.

Well done.

I love that. He

will be announcing the Wolverhampton

team at Molly looks. Nick McCarthy

took Wolverhampton up in 2009. We

featured Bristol City in the

championship last week who then

promptly upset Manchester United

with a 2-1 win in the League Cup on

Wednesday night. Fantastic effort.

Congratulations to Leon Johnson's

side. Ashley Young has been talking

this week to us.

Bristol City have pulled off the

probable result. What a win.

Disappointing midweek. You've got to

dust yourself down. You've always

got another game coming up. We are

looking to bounce back.

Is it because of the expectation,

that it is expected from a team like

Manchester United?

There is always

expectation around Manchester

United. Biggest club in the world.

You don't play for them if you don't

know the expectations. As soon as he

walked through the door

know the expectations. As soon as he

walked through the door you can see

the expectations.

Ashley Young goes

for it! Top corner!

! It is as if it has gone full

circle for you.

! It is as if it has gone full

circle for you.

Yes, I enjoy playing

football. I want to play games. They

have even been times where I have

rested...

You don't like that, do

you?

I just want to be playing. As

long as I am playing well, helping

the team, we are picking up points

and winning games, that is all that

matters.

Between Louis van Gaal and

Jose Mourinho, they have reinvented

you, haven't they?

They've given me

the chance to play. Louis van Gaal

gave me the opportunity. The manager

now has. I am playing further back

than I would like.

It works.

It

does. I think I've got quite a good

footballing brain. As you get older

you read the game more. You are more

aware of where you need to be on the

pitch when you go forward because

then you need to come back.

You have

the seniority with the younger

players coming through.

I am getting

old?

Welcome you know, old age.

It

is what you are saying. I had people

older than me when I first came.

They were giving the advice. If I

can give that back to some of the

younger players in the squad, that

is an achievement.

Does it keep keep

you young?

I think my name Young

keeps me young.

CHUCKLES

You are very good!

Turkey.

Rojo.

Candy cane.

A doze of the sofa.

Chris Smalling.

Jose Mourinho.

CHUCKLES

You want to be a DJ, don't you, you

want to be a DJ in Vegas?

Yeah,

music is a big passion of mine.

Is

Jose Mourinho happy with the music?

I think so.

And you have the decks?

Yes.

Are you any good?

By myself I

am brilliant.

CHUCKLES

To an audience?

I've never played to

an audience. I have had friends

round. They said I'm OK. I will

stick to football.

This title

challenge, is it still on?

Of

course. It's December. It isn't the

end of the season yet. Nobody at the

club is saying it is over. We are

looking to keep picking up points,

see what happens come the end of the

season.

Talking about Manchester

City, there is such a huge gap.

Of

course. I do really want to talk

about them, to be honest. The gap is

what it is.

But it is real, isn't

it, it is happening?

Of course. But

it is one of those things, we are a

team, we need to keep picking up

points. Whatever the gap, two

points, 11 points, we just need to

keep going out, winning games, try

and close the gap.

Is a childhood

dream of yours being here?

Of

course. I still have the hunger, the

hunger, the passion, the desire to

achieve. Lots is being said about

younger players that it is just

about the cars, houses, look at auto

Drive, look at what I've got, I've

come through it and I have seen

people in football like that. --

look at what I drive. I look out for

them. But coming from the old

school, it is about what you have

achieved in the game. I can look

back so far and say, yes, I have

achieved some things I have wanted

to, but there is more I want to

achieve and I will show what I have

got from what I've done so far.

He is very honest. He manages to

change perceptions. Not only of him,

but the managers he is playing

under.

He has personality,

character, a bit of banter, eight

starts last year, 13 already this

season. But he's a good player. Good

athlete. You watch him, he's a

character within the dressing room.

He has had to be because the manager

did not like him at the start. But

he is there. He is keeping Luke Shaw

out of the team. That will be

another test for him. Jose Mourinho

will stick with him because I think

he has done well for him. What a

good player to have in the squad.

He

has matured. Almost grown-up. He

knows the mistakes he has made. He

knows what he wants to achieve. He

knows more about himself and what

he's capable of, and that says a lot

about a player.

Talking about the

defeated Bristol City. Is that

difficult on occasions like that?

That's relatively to Bristol City.

Given the small task, if you do that

well, you given a bigger job to do

later in the season?

I think Jose

Mourinho is asking for more from his

players. You've got to watch a bit

of that game against Bristol City,

Bristol City were amazing.

They were

magnificent.

You were wondering,

should they be playing in that

division? Good atmosphere. They've

developed the ground a lot.

You

question the manager's approach,

rather than picking on the players?

Absolutely. Let's get back on track,

work harder.

Those games are the

biggest test. As a manager you might

learn more about your players than

you would in a Premier League

fixture.

Sure. Leicester went out on

penalties to Manchester City in the

same competition. They have a

ridiculous schedule. I know

everybody plays a lot over

Christmas, but they have four games

in nine days. Somebody will be

crying out for another winter break.

This time of year is relentless,

isn't it?

Yes, almost as if you are

penalised for the success of the

team. It's a difficult period.

As a

player commits an adventure. You

need to impress Christmas. -- as a

player, it is an adventure. I always

look forward to it. You cannot take

part at home when Christmas comes,

but now I don't have that in my

life, something is missing, I mean,

it is nice to be around the family,

but the Boxing Day fixture was a

great occasion for me to do

something over the Christmas period.

Merry Christmas to your family at

home, by the way! We

12:15pm. That is the 6th of January.

-- we will have all of the build-up

from 12:15pm for that Leicester

game.

We promised you a little Craig

David. He areas. He is in the

charts, alongside Bastille, with the

single I Know You. And he certainly

has some Southampton knowledge.

I

have supported Southampton since I

was a kid. I went with my mum to

watch. They had some amazing players

that got sold to big clubs. My

all-time favourite? That is

difficult. Tim Flowers was a great

goalkeeper, we had Alan Shearer at

one stage... But I would say Matt Le

Tissier. His goals, I think they are

the same level as Messi. One of my

key moments will Southampton against

Newcastle. The ball was played over

to Matt Le Tissier, he flipped it

over one guy's head, another guy's

head, and rather than blasting it he

placed it like a G. He represented.

Cool, classy goals. I think

Pellegrini is doing a good job. He

understands the philosophy of the

club. The players are respecting the

coach, as well. Managers come and go

but we always hold our own. There is

a great spirit in the city of

Southampton. It makes the club

great. Because we have been in

League 1 and we worked all the way

back up to the Premier League. So

once you get it it is great. Virgil

van Dijk, maybe... Again, when the

money talks, sometimes people have

to walk. Southampton Huddersfield, I

would like to think Southampton will

cruise this one. I would like to say

it would be a 3-1 confident when. We

will let the last goal in quite late

in the game.

Sometimes we get some stars on

Premier League predictions and you

could accuse them, maybe people like

Robert De Niro, John Cena, perhaps

not knowing the Premier League, but

he really knows it and he is a

proper Southampton fan.

It's nice to

see. We saw with Noel Gallagher. He

is the main Manchester City pundit

now.

Not quite, but I know what you

mean. Huddersfield is giving a

voucher -- Huddersfield's Zanka is

putting out an offer. That is a

message to the fans, isn't it?

A

great touch. And I imagine he will

be a popular man.

You've got to look

after the supporters.

Have you got

anything for the Arsenal fans?

Sadly

no, no particular gift. -- did you

have anything for the Arsenal fans?

Three points was the gift you always

tried to give.

Exactly.

Thanks,

guys, we will see you next year.

That is it from us. Have a terrific

Christmas. We will see you on the

other side. We leave you with the

team currently breaking all of the

record in the Premier League. They

are, as you can see, top of the tree

and dreaming of a blue Christmas.

Have a lovely time this Christmas.

We will see you again soon. Goodbye.

The moon is not just rising, it has

been top