02/04/2017 MOTD2 Extra

Good afternoon, welcome to Match of the Day 2 Extra on BBC Two,

Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website.

Joining me today, former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann,

ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton and Jonathan Northcroft

Chris Sutton also played for Chelsea on Blackburn hit man for Germany.

Get in touch using the hashtag #bbcfootball on social media,

After 13 successive home wins, the leaders Chelsea are beaten

by Crystal Palace, who have now won four in a row.

Has Chelsea's defeat opened the door to Spurs,

with the gap now seven points following their comfortable

You'll hear a remarkable interview from Jose Mourinho

Phillipe Coutinho shines as Liverpool beat Everton

And we'll look ahead to a big game at four o'clock, where Arsenal

As far as the papers are concerned, the Mail on Sunday says it's not

over, Mauricio Pochettino has warned that Chelsea -- one Chelsea but

Spurs are coming to them. The Sunday Times leads with Coutinho and the

headline Kop Star. The Telegraph has quotes from Jose Mourinho warning

his wasteful strikers. We will come onto him and Man United later and

the Merseyside derby, but we have to start with the Crystal Palace 2-1

win at Stamford Bridge, four straight wins since Mamadou Sakho's

debut, conceding just one goal. There is lots of interest in Zapata

and Benteke, but how much difference has Sakho made? He has started four,

they lost that game at Sunderland and everybody thought that was it

for Crystal Palace but they came back strong. I don't think there has

ever been a doubt that he is a great defender, he has his deficiencies,

but Crystal Palace, the way Sam Allardyce wants to play, I think he

fits in perfectly. From his defensive qualities, Liverpool could

do with a player like him. No coincidence that results have

improved since he came in. Lots of people might have expected

that would Sam Allardyce, and Sammy Lee, who I understand deserves

credit for what he is doing in training, and Kevin Keane? They have

it working. I think we all expected a reaction quicker. Sakho has been

outstanding. They had some luck yesterday. But you have to. Three

clean sheets in the last four, conceded one yesterday, that is what

Sam Allardyce is about. Then they have the threat going forward, a big

goal yesterday from Zaha, also Benteke. They have tough fixtures

coming up that yesterday bodes well for them. It is similar to what

sounded at Sunderland, bringing in players in the transfer window. He

has brought in Sakho and another player. He has the spine of the team

but he lets attacking players play, he always did that at Bolton and now

you can see people like Zaha expressing themselves. We know

samples mac formula. Chris said we all expected him to get it right but

a couple of months ago when Crystal Palace were not doing particularly

well he said we will not pull away in February or March, you might have

to wait until April, similar to what happened at Sunderland. But they

still have Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, both Manchester clubs to

come. Yes, but they gave themselves a fighting chance. Four or five

weeks ago you would have said they were up against it, but it was three

months of points yesterday, probably nobody expected. But he has been to

so many places where you think, really, can he get them out, they

worked their socks off in 90 minutes, I think that is half the

battle. You need to be in defence, but if you want to win games you

have to score goals. They missed -- they missed Zaha when he was in the

African Cup of Nations. He is a game changer. You wonder if a 4-0 defeat

plates and part. That shocked Crystal Palace and make them realise

exactly where they are. When Sam took over he had the England thing

hanging over him, it seemed to be a rallying point and snapped everybody

out of it. The chairman, Steve Parish, the dressing room. Since

then, they have been fantastic. When you describe somebody as a game

changer, how many games do you expect them to change? Enough. I get

you... In terms of creativity, it has always been the end product

which has been missing. A big game yesterday at Chelsea. Nobody

expected them to get anything from it. Jonathan is quite right, Sakho

has come in, you need the threat going forward. Zaha can get you up

the pitch, I thought he took his goal to rhythmically a quick shot,

cellar Thibaut Courtois out. And Benteke's finish was really special.

You had to be able to score goals. The teams at the bottom,

Middlesbrough do not score enough, I think they are and Sunderland are

down and it is one other. The reason I asked how many games

you would expect him to change, it feels like a Palace to not win a

game then more often than not the criticism will come the way of

Wilfried Zaha, but it Chelsea do not win it does not always go to Eden

Hazard art as the man who is criticised. The reason I like a man

is that Allardyce said that he wants Zaha to emulate Hazard. There is a

lot of pressure on Zaha. -- the reason I likened to them is that.

Even on an average day, Zaha has to create three, four or five

goal-scoring opportunities for his team-mates and draw the attention of

other players. When Chris talks about an outlet, you want players

who draw the attention of two or three players, it gives you 12-macro

spy on the rest of the field. This is what Hazard does. Looking at the

teams at the bottom, you need to be able to keep a clean sheet. Looking

at some land, they have Defoe, I don't think Middlesbrough have a

game changer. I think Palace have two, potentially three or four with

Puncheon and some others. I think it bodes well for the rest of their

games. Sometimes we have to give them all the way because sometimes

we can be too critical when they don't assist or score on a regular

basis. It looks like he has grown up in

bed. Bolasie was Alan Pardew's go to guy, and Bolasie going, it was a big

onus on him to do what he is doing. Zaha has just seized his moment to

become the main outlet in that team. Just look at January, no Sakho, no

Zaha, poor January. Here's changing games now.

We will go back in two game changers when we talk about Ross Barkley and

Manchester United's attack. We could have the same conversation three

times during the course of the show. Rich says Sakho is immense for

Palace, would Klopp still pay Clucas ahead of him on this form? Sam says

that Sakho has been a godsend to Palace. Chelsea Warrior, who I

assume is a Chelsea fan, says all credit must go to Allardyce for

organising them. We can lump this in with Spurs winning at Burnley, you

watched that game. Is the title race back on in this reactionary world?

At midday yesterday it was over, all they said and it is back on? Is it?

I still think Chelsea are strong favourites. Tottenham were terrible

in the first top yesterday, but once they scored in the second half, in

total control, make changes. Touch Tottenham were terrible in the first

half yesterday. I think they only have Man United and Arsenal at home

out of the top six, they will fancy it. I didn't ask you how Spurs were,

I said is the title race back on? Yes. Pochettino talking about them

losing focus last season, he believes they will be OK this

season. Do you see a different Spurs this season to last? They would have

learned a lot from the Chelsea game last year when they completely lost

the plot, the manager being on the pitch and they were kicking people.

Something you have not seen at Spurs, when you associate them with

one thing, it is being organised, disciplined, doing what they do want

probably better than everybody else. I do not think the race is over, I

have expected a slip-up from Chelsea for a few weeks but they have been

too strong, scoring lots of goals. The mindset will change with

Chelsea, you can begins backwards and you say we need so many more

points. Psychologically, it can make a difference. If Spurs win those

games I can see it getting tighter. The nature of doing football shows

at this time of year is that you read a lot of fiction lists for

people to compere -- fixture lists. Spurs have Watford, Bournemouth,

Leicester and Palace, Arsenal and Man United at home, West Ham on a

Friday night, Hull on the final day of the season. Chelsea in the next

couple of weeks have Man City at home, this Wednesday, then they had

to go to Manchester United the weekend at the 15th and 16th. That

as much as yesterday means there is still a chance. Those Spurs fixtures

look quite easy but it is different trying to win them under pressure.

In the West Brom game last year, they drew when they should have won,

they were 1-0 but the pressure came on them, that was part of their

problem, winning under pressure. They have less pressure than Chelsea

because nobody expects them... Chelsea were really unfortunate

yesterday not to win the game. Palace defended resolutely deep. If

there is one worrying thing, Chelsea have started to concede goals.

Sometimes a game like this can put doubt in your mind, to lose a game

or a home game has not happened for a long time. Ten points, if you win

the next tenure probably have ten or 11, 56 games to go, near enough

there. Seven points, the fixtures, within a week you could be down to

one or two. It might put a bit of doubt into the mind. If one team can

do it the way they have performed without Kane, the job Pochettino is

doing is second to none. Is it Man City next for Chelsea? Thanks for

listening! I often don't listen. Particularly today! I don't mean

that. They had to bounce back. It is nothing to how they played

yesterday, it is just that for all the times of the element of doubt to

come in is before having Man City at home and Man United away. If they

lose to Man City it will be to four points.

Depending on what City do this afternoon. So we are basically none

the great stuff, everybody! You can use the hashtag #bbcfootball, or

phone on that macro text on 85058. Given Burnley's home form, you

thought some of the changes might have been risky. You probably could

have played in goal for Spurs, probably couldn't, to be honest! But

it was all about chances. They lost Wanyama through injury, Winks got a

nasty injury, Yan Sun got the chance up top. They just need to get Harry

Kane back. Dele Alli and Eriksen have been fantastic in the absence

of Harry Kane. I think it is a myth that they cannot deal with that

Harry Kane, how many other players have three or four players in double

figures for goals? They have other game changers!

Let's focus on the early game, you can listen to this on 5 live, full

commentary from 1:30pm, Swansea versus Middlesbrough at the liberty.

Juliette Ferrington is with a legend from the home side.

As far as the results are concerned, for Swansea and Middlesbrough, a

pretty grim afternoon yesterday. How much, Lee Trundle, writes on this

afternoon? I think it is massive, when you talk about a must win game,

it goes for both sides. The way Middlesbrough are in the table and

where we are, we need that cushion so we will be going out for the win,

definitely. Is there more pressure on Middlesbrough because of

yesterday? I think both of us are feeling the same pressure. We are a

few points ahead, but with a game like this, it's one series today, it

drags us right into it. Not only the three points but the confidence, if

you are losing to a team lower down in the division, where will your

points come from? The lads are focused and hope they can get three

points. Is there an element of calm going into this one? The past three

home games, we have done really well, we have won. We have not been

so good on the road. It will be nice to get back up to two hard games

away, get the home fans behind us and bring the points home. In his

programme notes, the manager said it is an opportunity to build on the

recent good form? Performance wise, we have been good since the gaffer

has come in. We seem to be more comfortable at home, a perfect day

for a game and a perfect day for a win. I am a little bit nervous, we

have looked at it this season and thought this is the biggest game of

the season. That keeps happening again and again. Today is now the

biggest game of the season. I am sure we will be involved in another

one, the way football is. You can hear full commentary on 5 live

sport, the kick-off is at 1:30pm. Ian Brown can give us the team news

from the Liberty Stadium. Today's results gave few favours to these

two clubs. That cranks up the pressure. Swansea today without

Fernando Llorente, their leading goal scorer, who is out with an

ankle injury. He misses today, so Jordan Ayew is upfront. Olsson makes

a timely return, and Leroy Fer returns to midfield. Middlesbrough

make one change from their defeat against Man United a couple of weeks

ago. Traore starts ahead of Leadbetter. Negredo stays up front,

and Gestede is on the bench. Traore starts the Middlesbrough. At least

that gives them some kind of attacking pace. Often they blacked

that this season. I think they are better suited to counter attack.

They don't score enough goals. This is a must win for Middlesbrough

today. Swansea strong at home. They will be looking over their shoulders

now with the results yesterday. But Middlesbrough have started to leak

goals, so they could be down. I think they would take a draw. If

they lose, the gap is eight points, which might be a bit too much with

eight or nine games to go. Traore, last week against Man United, he

merely change the game. Had a huge impact. Middlesbrough can score

goals. It is the biggest problem they have. Defensively they are OK,

but they simply cannot score. Today Traore is getting a chance, which

gives them more purpose going forward. In Negredo, they have

someone who can score goals. Fingers crossed they get a result, because

if they lose today, that could be it. If you take a more Cerebral

Assassin perspective, given the chairman that they've got, given the

way that the club has been won. -- has been run, could they do what

Burnley did and build on that and come back a second time with more

Premier League experience and a bit more stable? I know exactly what you

are saying. You look at it in those terms, they came up, just, and they

didn't spend that much money. It's probably not a surprise they are

where they are. They haven't overcommitted themselves, so they

could do exactly what you say. It could be important getting the next

manager. Burnley had Sean Dyche, and it looks like Karanka may be led

them down a bit of a blind alley. He was maybe a bit too negative and

didn't filled a team that they wanted. Do you think they are taking

their time, partly to see what Agnew does, but if they do go down, they

have the right man to bring them back. I think Craig Shakespeare does

well at Leicester, Middlesbrough tried the same thing, and it didn't

work quite as well. You have done your first scowl in my direction.

That is for people watching on -- people listening on the radio! They

don't score enough goals. A great chairman. Will that put them in good

stead if they go down to bounce straight back? I'm not sure. I don't

think they have a strong enough squad. I don't think it has ever

helped a team to go down. I don't think it's a positive. Getting out

the Championship is a huge effort. There will be teams down their...

Would you say it hasn't helped Newcastle? We will find out next

year. Burnley could still go down. There is another example. If you

look at the Championship, there's hardly a team that's been in the

Premier League. They've brought Jonathan Woodgate in, which I think

is a big thing. He's an icon in the north-east. He just has to get the

fans behind him, or keep them. One result can change an awful lot. If

you win at Swansea today, you are only a few points of safety.

Personally, I cannot see it, but I think they will not get beat. I

think they will get at least a draw today. How far up the table would

you go for who is still in this relegation battle. Hole-macro are in

the final relegation spot with 27 points from 30 games. I'm not saying

this, Southampton fans, before you have a pop! If you go onto ten, you

have Southampton, who will be 34 from 28. I think you do go up to

Southampton. It is unlikely that Southampton and even Bournemouth

will get dragged into it, but you've seen it before. Lose your last seven

or eight games and you can sync. Realistically, it will start with

West Ham. They are in 14th. We Mac I worry about Burnley, because they're

away form is hopeless. Hahn's win yesterday has really opened things

up at the bottom. It is impossible to predict that last spot. I would

go further than Burnley. West Ham on 33 probably only need two more wins.

West Ham have a tough few games. If they do need a result, they always

dig a result out somewhere. I wouldn't go further than Burnley. If

Middlesbrough lose, it is between Hahn, Swansea, Palace and Burnley.

-- between Hull City, Swansea. It is so tight. How can we not say that

Southampton and Bournemouth are in it? They have got a couple of games

in hand. I think anyone from Bournemouth could go. It is unusual

to have Palace on a winning run, Hull City on the winning run... You

don't see teams in the bottom going on those kinds of winning runs too

often. That shows you that nobody is entirely safe. Their manager hasn't

lost a home game for three years. They have got some really good...

Don't make me read out another fixture list! They have some very

winnable home games. And this goes under the radar as far as the home

team is concerned. Watford's three points against Sunderland yesterday,

taking them to 34, was a vital three points. It does. Sunderland are

tenth and they don't seem to have played well the entire season. They

are out of it now. I think they are a strong team anyway. They are on 34

with Southampton and Bournemouth. Let's turn to the Scottish

Premiership title, which will be sealed today by Celtic if they win

at Hearts. This was a 12:30pm kick off. We are under way here. The

first time Celtic can seal that victory. It will give them a sixth

successive Championship here in Scotland, and their first under

Brendan Rodgers, who was connected with the Arsenal job this week. No

Dembele, no Griffiths, because of a fractured vertebra sustained in last

week's Scotland World Cup qualifier against Slovenia. At the moment,

they have had the bulk of the play. At the moment, 0-0. Jonathan

Northcroft, how do I interpret the look you gave me when he said that

Brendan Rodgers had been connected with Arsenal? Scepticism. He is

still in that rebuilding phase of his career. I am a fan of his, but

this will be his first league title, he will have just won his first

trophy in November, so he's quite a long way from being the man who to

succeed Arsene Wenger. You talked about being in the rebuilding stage

of his career. What is he rebuilding from? His morale. Liverpool

shattered him. My concern if he went to Arsenal would be how he would be

able to handle it. If he wants a big job, he will have to handle it.

Nobody is getting the Arsenal job, are they? Whatever people say about

Brendan at Liverpool, there was criticism at the end, he's gone into

Celtic, and people cannot the Scottish league as much as they

like, but everybody in Scotland to knows about football... Rangers

thought they could beat Celtic, but Brendan has done nothing wrong. The

last manager was really poor and they had no right to get into the

Champions League. He has worked wonders this season, and should get

credit for it. Chris is right. Aberdeen, my team, will get 80 odd

points, and we will lose by 20 points to Celtic. So he has done a

remarkable job. The other thing is, coming off the back of an

international break, the England player that was praised most by the

media and fans was Adam Lallana, and Stuart Armstrong was praised by

Gordon Strachan is having the most impressive international debut he

had seen for Scotland. Both players developed by Brendan Rodgers. You

can make a case that Lallana's form has improved, and he's a lot more

consistent now than he was. My question to Jonathan Wood be, if you

say he is rebuilding his career, I think he's more prepared, or he has

more chance or justification to get a big job now, than he did at the

time he went to Liverpool. In the end what cost him his job at

Liverpool was some of the things he came out in the press... Scheuer

football stats, I don't think the current manager is better than he

was. I don't think he did too much wrong. Celtic, when they are in

town, it is always the game of the season. To go a whole season

unbeaten, which he can still do, and of course the heavy defeat against

Barcelona happened to others. I think Brendan Rodgers should be one

of the key managers on the list. It is simple to look at Celtic this

season. The transformation from last season. Totally performed the

personnel, good signings, and the team has been a million times

better. The signings I think were a problem in the end at Liverpool. The

accusation at Liverpool was that he didn't make all of those signings.

There is a point there, but I would just come back to the pressure

thing. I don't think he's been under that much pressure at Celtic,

because it has gone so well. I have to disagree. I saw him after one of

the away games, and I have never seen Brendan looked rough. He was

shaking. They were fortunate to get through in the away leg, and that

was enormous. The pressure for Brendan Rodgers is going to come in

the early part of the season, because Celtic fans expect. Last

season they didn't, but now, expectation is high. When you go to

Celtic, everybody expects you to win the league. Even the Champions

League, people don't see that as an achievement. Let's move on to the

Merseyside derby. Get in touch with us on #bbcfootball. Thomas sent us a

text on 85058. Jonathan Northcroft, you are the media on this panel.

Answer this one. Can you or one of your panel explain why the media

focus so obsessively with highlighting Ross Barkley? Is that

another player in the Premier League that is subjected to this kind of

scrutiny? Loads of players, Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal, Costa at

Chelsea... He is a focal player, and he wants to be. Who is he being

built by as the next answer to Steven Gerrard? By Evertonians. Not

all of them, because I think opinion is a bit divided. Some of it is not

his fault. We have hyped him up as the media. But yesterday, you could

not focus on Ross Barkley when you looked at Everton's performance. He

had such responsibility, and he singularly failed to cope with it.

It was a very bad game from him. Ryan Giggs in the Telegraph said the

following, as a young player, you have to and the trust of managers

and perform consistently. There were times in my early career when Steve

Bruce would call me over and say, come on, we need a bit of magic to

win this. I was no longer the kid of whom any meaningful contribution was

to be applauded. There were expectations. My team-mates had seen

me win games and wanted to see me do so again. Barkley is 23. Is he at

that stage of his career? No longer a kid, and his team-mates asking for

a bit of magic. Yes. Costa and Sanchez are seasoned

internationals, he does not come into the same bracket so there is

more scrutiny on him should be. I am huge fan of Ross Barkley, the way

Everton set up at the moment it does not help him, you might compare him

to Dele Alli, even though he is a few years younger, he has Wanyama,

Dele Alli, who has thrived, Dembele. He has international committees and

players next him. Looking at Everton, Jagielka is coming to the

end of his career, others are passed 80. -- past 30. The same with

Schneiderlin. I don't think he has the support that other players have.

For him to progress I think the team has to bring two or three players

in. For his personal development, I am not too sure if a change of clubs

would be the best for him, because the fans get very nasty with him at

times. Whenever things go wrong, Ross Barkley is the first one

singled out by the fans, I think he does not deserve the treatment. He

may not have performed to the level that he can but I don't think he

deserves the criticism. Sometimes as a fan you are more harsh on your own

because you want them to do so well, because they are one of you. Yes?

Yes. He did not help himself in the Derby yesterday. He did the

ridiculous tackle on Henderson in the first half. He lost the plot. He

is of an age now, you're getting at this with Ryan Giggs, he is at a

crossroads. Nobody doubts his potential but in the end he has to

realise that potential. For England, should he or shouldn't he be? That

is -- he is behind cellar Dele Alli, Dele Alli is streets ahead of him

now. He needs to perform consistently well. Is it fair he was

compared with Coutinho after yesterday? What are the differences?

He is a different type of player for a start. That is why I asked if it

was fair. I don't think it is. He is seen as a creator. My question would

be is he in the comfort zone, has he been there for too long, does he

need another manager to get the best out of him? He does not fulfil his

potential, as it is now. We all agree he is better than what he

shows at the moment. Everything has been built for him by a committee

has played in the position he wants, earlier in his career he played

wide. The manager has less to do what he wants, he does not have

responsibilities, he plays number ten, he has been given the stage. He

is 23, the comparison with Coutinho comes in, they are different players

but similar ages. At some point, which is what Ryan Giggs is getting

at, you will be judged as a senior player and Ross Barkley did not

perform like one yesterday. It was a big game, big stage comic huge

Derby, he should have been sent off twice.

If people are watching, we have a picture of remember Lukaku behind

you, he was criticised. People are saying he went missing yesterday,

did not have a shot on target. Similar against Man United and

Chelsea. It is very easy to go, well, Romelu Lukaku went missing, he

did not do anything, but then you criticise some of the players behind

him, so which is it? Maybe you excuse a striker who is not getting

supply. When I was doing ratings I tried to bear in mind that he had

hardly any supply, but he almost had as bad a game as Barkley. We have

seen this from Lukaku before in big games, he has just not been the

bully, as it were, that we have seen. Were Liverpool comfortable

yesterday? Very comfortable, apart from the ten or 15 minutes when

Everton equalised. Looking at the Everton team, looking at world-class

players, even when they have average games or they are a bit off-colour,

you want them to affect the game three, four or five times. Barkley

did not do it yesterday, Lukaku did not do it. They looked a lot more

solid defensively yesterday with Lovren coming back, it was a pretty

comfortable afternoon the Liverpool. Pat Cronin said that Everton were

shocking, did not want to compete, just wanted to kick Liverpool off

the pitch. Mixmaster Du said that Berkeley... Barkley cannot be relied

on. One person said if he is no good for Liverpool, how could he be going

to Arsenal? He was out of his depth at Liverpool, sold out by going to

Scotland with Celtic. Don't say anything, Chris! He has already

failed at Liverpool, a similar underachieving club to Arsenal.

Don't go that extra measure Mark let's go to the Emirates, Arsenal

against man city, the 4pm game, highlights are on much of the day to

later. Steve Wilson is at the Ritz, this could be an interesting

atmosphere? -- Steve Wilson is at the Emirates. I heard what Bob

Wilson said about this stasis which Arsenal find themselves because

everybody is trying to answer will he or won't he stay. Arsene Wenger

says he is not in a position to deal what that macro reveal what he is

going to do. As Morrissey said all those years ago, How Soon Is Now? I

agree with Bob Wilson that it is not helping anybody at this football

club whilst this type of uncertainty and paralysis is going on, it will

be difficult for Arsenal to achieve their goal, which can be no more

than two finish in the top four of the Premier League. They could still

win the FA Cup. For what it is worth, I would not state my

reputation on it but I get a feeling that Wenger will be around next

season. As far as Manchester City, we have

already done the permutations of the title race, what happened yesterday

will give them an extra spring in their step? Absolutely, looking at

the title race through the kaleidoscope of how it looks on

Saturday morning, it looks rather different now. Man City 12 points

behind, a game in hand, they go to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and the

lead could potentially be cut to six points is Man City win both these

games. There is a big difference between cutting the lead on Chelsea

to six points and overhauling the 6-point gap, overhauling Tottenham

Hotspur. You would say that it's City win today and can win at

Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as Palace did yesterday, all bets are

off. Unexpectedly, there has been life thrown back into Manchester

City's Premier League season. Steve Wilson, This Charming Man at the

Emirates, thank you. I am told the banner is being

carried down the Holloway Road saying in Arsene we rust, which

makes more sense than the Wexit banner held at the couple of weeks

ago. Some Arsenal fans have mixed feelings? I think it has gone past

blaming Arsene Wenger. The fact that he is in charge of his destiny is

wrong, it is the owners. He is not an ambitious man, from what I see,

with his American franchises. He has to take the decision away from

Arsene Wenger, Arsene Wenger is stubborn, he does not want to go.

That whole situation will only be cleared up when the owner is strong

enough and takes the decision away from Wenger. Long-term, I think

there is a big question as to whether Wenger should stay,

short-term situation is really damaging Arsenal. That dressing

room, Chris and Didier will know better than me, when teams are

whingeing about a manager's future, it does not help them. Arsenal are

waiting for their manager to reveal all. It looks like it has become

centred around Wenger, his ego trip, they need to move forward as a club.

Why can't he just say, I am staying or I am going. He has reportedly

said, I will not stop, for old people, retirement is death. If he

will not continue at Arsenal, that seems he will continue elsewhere.

There has been a goal at Tynecastle. When Celtic were under the cosh they

responded in the fashion that wins you championships. Scott Sinclair

not picked up properly on the right-hand side of the Hearts

defence, they got a bit of luck with a deflection with a final shot, it

rose into the roof of the net and that is why you can hear the Celtic

fans booming out of their anthems. Do you think your old club will go

to Arsenal and win? I think they have every chance, they

look more solid since the keeper has changed. It is a sorry state of

affairs, what happens at Arsenal at the moment. Uncertainty does not

help. You give players excuses. The spotlight has been on him when you

get beat on aggregate ten goals against Bayern Munich, some of the

player should have been called out but they were not because the talk

is about the manager. If he stays, fair enough, I think it would

probably be time for change, but if he wants to stay, fine. At least

make it clear, at the moment I don't think the situation helps anyone.

Didier Hemant, Chris Sutton and Jonathan Northcroft join me. Here is

the Jose Mourinho interview from yesterday.

We saw you smiling with Tony Pulis at the end, did you cancel each

other out? I don't know what you mean. Two team is very evenly

balanced? Do you think so? I am asking you. You think so, really?

You think that is a question. You were smiling with him at the end,

was that an acknowledgement? I was smiling because he is my friend, I

was not speaking about the game. Do you think the game was like that? I

can smile if I lose, win or draw, it has nothing to do. Do you think the

game was like you were saying? I was asking what you thought, that is

just what I am asking. I am sorry to say, that is a silly question. When

a team crosses the midfield line once in 90 minutes and the other

team for 90 minutes is with the ball in the opponents half, trying and

trying and trying and trying, you tell me one team cancelled the

other? Chris Sutton has been given how was a Macromedia training, it

seems to have worked. What is wrong with back if you disagree with the

question? I don't what he said. Touch what is wrong with firing

back? I don't think it was a great question, it was one-sided in terms

of territory, but Mourinho should concentrate more on his team in an

attacking sense. They have not scored enough, West Brom cancelled

out the attacking threat of Man Utd. They are the lowest scorers in the

top six, West Ham have had a great season. Rather than focus on getting

back at a reporter, concentrate on the job in hand and sorting out your

team. We only have 20 seconds but it is

the same old story, simple, simple, simple football put across and

nobody gets on the end of it? It was like that and a Van Gaal, and with

Van Gaal that was also more action in the press room than on the pitch.

Celtic have just gone 2-0 up at Tynecastle, the title will be

theirs. Thank you to Chris, Didi and Jonathan. Swansea against

Middlesbrough then Arsenal against man city today, highlights later and

both commentaries on 5 live this afternoon. Goodbye.