03/01/2016 MOTD2 Extra

Good afternoon and welcome to magazine-macro on BBC Two, five live

and the BBC Sport website this lunchtime, with the former Arsenal

striker John Hartson, Burnley's Matt Taylor and from the Independent, Ian

Herbert. Get involved with the #football on social media. 855 88 to

text us. Arsenal go into the New Year top of the table after a win

over Newcastle. Manchester City three points behind after Aguero's

late winner at Watford. Wayne Rooney has gone past Denis Law and ended

Manchester United's winless run, Sunderland won the Battle at the

bottom, leaving Villa 11 from safety. The Telegraph has the

headline Healing United with Wayne Rooney. Arsenal are interested in

signing Emmerich Obama yang according to the Sun. The People

have gone with Jurgen Klopp blowing his top after defeat to West Ham. --

PM Eric Aubameyang. Transfer speculation in full swing. It will

be until the window closes. Do you think this could be an important

window for a lot of clubs given the fact that the title race and the

battle at the bottom, without Villa, is so close? I do, if you can bring

in the players to make an immediate impact. It is common knowledge that

Arsene Wenger doesn't like to do much in the January window. But with

it being so open, you have the likes of West Ham chasing fourth-place.

Spurs, outsiders to win the title, for me, going along really nicely.

Manchester City have done their business. I don't think we will see

anything from them, I would be surprised. Arsenal linked with

players. Arsene might think, another one or two could push us on. Sanchez

to come back, Francis Coquelin to come back into the fold. It could be

important if you get the right players. It is always a time of

speculation. For me, it is more a time when the players seem to have a

bit more power. Clubs struggling at the bottom of the Premier League

will want to strengthen. It's going to be difficult, teams at the

bottom, I don't think you will see a huge of transfers between Premier

League teams, from one to another, because teams trying to stay in the

league, they are not going to sell to a team at the top of the league.

But you might see a team at the bottom taking someone on loan from

the bigger teams, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, maybe.

It would be an interesting transfer window, especially with the money

involved in staying in the Premier League. I want to come back to the

players having more power within this month. You can already see it

on the back pages. Without giving any trade secrets away, Ian Herbert,

if the players are unsettled, do you get more calls from agents this

month about stories? There is a greater willingness to engage. If

there is a sensitivity about the player and they don't want any noise

around the player, you don't get a call back. You can call until

kingdom come and you won't have the conversation. Fair enough, that is a

professional relationship. Sadio Mane in the papers today, quite

interesting, what came out yesterday about not turning up for a team

meeting. He wasn't perceived to be right in training in the week. That

feels very much like the signs of a player who knows there are

negotiations and informal discussions going on between

Southampton and Manchester United. That would be a conceivable

prospect. Perhaps not going quite the way he wants. There are ways and

Means. United are clearly desperate for a striker and that is how it can

work. Does that do anyone any favours? A combination of players,

agents and journalists, controlling the window, not the manager's? You

are only seeing one element. The best deals, we don't hear anything

about and suddenly bang. Anthony Martial at the end of the summer, we

didn't know anything about that. Nothing was written and, bang, he

signed and look what has happened since. We are only seeing the

elements that we can extract a bit of life out of. Marty we have known

for some time was interesting United in the summer. -- Marty we have

known. -- Sadio Mane. It is a willingness, a lack of willingness

to engage. Who on earth is going to sell a player that might be of some

use to them, even if they are...? That is the way football is. The

world we live in now is some media -based, with social media and with

the technology we have, it is one text, one phone call. There is

always someone who wants to put a story out there. There will always

be an avenue you can go down, as an agent. It wouldn't even surprise me,

sometimes players drop hints here there and everywhere. With the Sadio

Mane story, it is convenient that it has happened the day before the

transfer window gets into full swing. That is the world we live in.

It is a business now that will command a huge amount of audience

with the TV. The way it is going in terms of strikers, the money they

are talking about in the papers today. ?62 million. It's massive.

Starting with you, John, Joseph has tweeted us to do with Southampton, I

assume he is a fan. Love football, hate footballers. What does that

mean? It means he loves football, he hates footballers! The power they

have and the way they can destabilise his club. We can all

think that way, but the bottom line is that is where we are, that is the

modern game. There is so much financial power in it, so much

money. Next season, the money that is going to come into the Premier

League... But you are right, Matt, ?62 million for Sadio Mane. It

wouldn't surprise me if they paid it, that is how ludicrous it is. The

article says ?30 million and a five-year deal at ?125,000 per week.

If you are in the dressing room, does it unsettled you, this month? I

am not saying you are angling for a move, but within the Championship,

at Birtley, there will be rumours that might swirl around the club.

Does it unsettled players or do you get on with it? -- at Burnley. The

modern game, you have to accept there are periods of the season, the

start of the season and January me where the transfer window will cause

a few stories. That is what it is designed to do. The main business

doesn't ever seem to get done until the last two or three days of the

window, which always surprises me. As a footballer, you have to accept

this is part of your job. Some players within dressing rooms, there

will be some up and down the country, will be unsettled. But it

is how you deal with that. You have to be professional, train everyday.

But yourself there... For me, without wishing to speak out of

turn, you have to make sure you are professional, you have to do it.

Nothing else you can do in that situation. This will help a lot of

clubs. At the moment there will be decent players not in the team, not

even on the bench, not involved at the weekend... It will suit the club

and the player to off-load them anyway. A couple at Swansea, for

instance. Jonjo Shelvey, for instance. A good player, in the

England fold, left out of the Swansea side altogether yesterday.

It might suit Jonjo to move on. If Swansea gets the right money, it

suits all parties. But would they sell him to a direct rival? Probably

he would go to a top ten side. Isn't there an argument to say that it

gives an opportunity to knuckle down and work hard and get into the

Swansea side rather than a multimillion-pound move to another

club? That is the game we are in. Unfortunately, agents are running

the game, they have done for many years. A sensational morning for

England in the cricket. The innings has come to an end. England have

declared on 629-6. Jonny Bairstow finished 150 not out. Ben Stokes was

out for a remarkable 258, run out by AB de Villiers after he had dropped

a steepling chance. The partnership between Stokes and Bairstow ended on

399. England had just declared. Five live sports extra if you want to

listen to that. Gary Neville said when he took over at Valencia that

there were good players there and it was down to him to coach them to get

better and to get out of the rut that they were in rather than

looking at the window. Does it give managers an excuse, the window? It

can do. The interesting clubs in this window will be the bottom six

or seven or eight. The TV deal, potentially the most interesting

winter market for years. John alluded to it, this incredible ?5.1

billion TV deal for next season. Clubs are going to be desperate,

Norwich, Bournemouth... Sunderland, looking for defenders. Steven

Caulker is mentioned, Sandro. They will pay anything to get players

that will keep them up. More than will pay anything to get players

ever, that means what chance is there for

ever, that means what chance is trying to make their way at that

club? Sorry, but there is almost no chance because of the economics of

the marketplace. It is always a bit of a gamble. As I said earlier, you

have to try and find the right players to make an immediate impact.

If you sign a player, ?40 million, you put them on a three-year

contract and if he doesn't you put them on a three-year

and fit into the dressing room and immediately take off, which was the

reason immediately take off, which was the

too much money for him in January because you are desperate, if it

doesn't come off, you are stuck because you are desperate, if it

that player for the next three seasons. And he is not really a

player you wanted, but you have gone in desperation to see if he can make

that difference. Especially at this time of the season, with January

being the market that it is... I have moved in January and been in a

situation where I joined Bolton from Portsmouth. We were near the bottom

of the Premier League with Bolton. I joined first of all to get some

football because I wanted to play, but secondly you had slightly more

power as a player. I joined the club and fortunately hit the ground

running and we stayed up that season. Literally, my signing,

arguably they paid too much money for me! But it was a situation where

I knew what I was going into. I knew the situation. I had to provide

crosses, assists, produced performances every week. You have to

do that, but it was easier for me because I was in the Premier League

and I knew what it took to stay in the Premier League. Can I be crude?

When you said you knew you had the power, does that mean you could ask

for what you wanted? No. So when you say...? If Aston Villa fans are

listening to this, they are being linked with players, who would go to

Aston Villa in the situation they are in? The reason I talk about the

power, in January I had a choice of a few different clubs. I don't mean

financial power, I have never gone into a negotiation and said I want

X, Y, Z... Some players might, but I haven't. When I say I had the power,

I had the choice, not just one club to choose from. And I would imagine

that if Aston Villa are looking at a player this January, Sunderland will

be looking at him, Norwich might be, Bournemouth might be. That is why

the player has the power of picking their destination. So why would

someone choose Villa? Aston Villa is a fantastic Football Club. But in

the situation they are in... Would you expect them, given your

experiences, that they would have to offer more than Norwich or

Bournemouth or Sunderland? Maybe, but that is football. The media and

journalists don't know about moves that have fallen down because a

player wants more... The player has to be realistic. They are staring

the Championship in the face. Villa also have to be realistic in terms

of contracts. There is no way they can sign a player on Premier League

wages for four years. That would be ludicrous. That is why teams go out

of the league... Leeds, Portsmouth have done things like that and then

sliding, sinking into the lower leagues. Whoever Villa want to sign,

you want the agent and the player to be realistic, which is not always

easy. Fred says Villa have to start running for the Championship

otherwise the slide will continue. Richard says, we are going down with

a whimper. #Embarrass increased Andy, not surprised we are in dire

trouble. Not doing the basics. I was at Aston Villa's first game in the

old third division and never thought I would have to do it again.

Let's look at the top of the table. Do you get the impression that

yesterday could be significant in the title race in that Arsenal were

not very good and one, and Manchester City fought back late on

to keep up with them? I think that is right, it will twist and turn and

we will be uncertain, and we will think something and then journalists

will look very stupid, as they have, I have, perhaps all my career.

Certainly this season. In our Sunday paper this morning, the fans of each

of the clubs were asked who they thought would win the title. City

featured prominently, City and Arsenal were the only ones that

featured. The significance of this weekend it is the last sort of

Premier League weekend of this long, congested Christmas season. It has

not been spectacular for goals, it has been turgid ins -- in terms of

the game. Arsenal and City both groundout results. When I watched

that last section last night, you could just imagine coming to the end

of the season and looking back and seeing, City at Watford, both in

terms of the points, which is subsidiary, but also in terms of the

psychological impact that they can do something like that, at a place

like that, could be significant. I do feel that City do generally go

right to the end. They got a late goal against onesie City a couple of

weeks ago. It was the Yaya Toure deflected goal to beat Swansea. That

was at the weekend again. They scored two fantastic goals. Yaya

Toure's volley and Sergio Aguero, he judged the flight of the ball. Lewis

says, I do not care who your team is, you can only admire that header

by Sergio Aguero. Man City are a team that come on in the second

half. They will keep going until the last minute and get Dureau awards

for it. I felt that yesterday, for them to win the game in the way that

they did, they looked like a great Championship team of the past. It

was like, that was our skier, let's kick on. Especially with Watford

doing so well at home this season. We are halfway through the season.

Their position in the league does not lie, but the way that Manchester

City ground out a result yesterday, for me as a football fan, to watch

it, going back into the dressing room today or tomorrow, whenever

they are back, that will give them great relief. It will boost their

chances, especially psychologically. Football is as much about playing as

it is psychology. You know that as well, John. It will give them a

boost going into the second half of the season. Sergio Aguero is the

type of player that can do that. The uncertainty lies with him and

Vincent Kompany. It was a bad goal to concede yesterday, Kolarov was

part of that. That is where the uncertainty lies. City have spent

all this money, but the defence is reliant on someone who was signed by

Mike Hughes. To flip that and give the defence praise, Bakary Sagna has

gone under the radar this season. He is keeping Zavaleta out of the team.

His cross for Sergio Aguero was sensational. When you go back to

when he was at Arsenal, the way they played under Arsene Wenger at that

time, they were not encouraged to cross the ball as much as what he

would do now, with Arsenal. They would pass the ball into the box

instead of crossing it. Yesterday he did not look, he put it straight in,

I did bit of movement by Sergio Aguero. There was not a lot of pace

on the ball either. Manchester City and at the top level and they

crossed the ball. For me, that has gone out of the game slightly. West

Ham yesterday, two crosses into the box, the second one for Andy

Carroll, get the ball into the box. Yesterday, Ashley Young did it more.

It cause it's problems. It is not all about playing around the corner,

like David Silva Lakes do. Because his problems, the ball in the box.

Would you struggle as a centre forward in this year, it given me

the number of crosses that coming? No, because I would demand it. I

would be pulling the little here out of my head that I had. I can

remember playing with Aiden McGeady at Celtic. He was a fantastic

player, but he would cut back. You would think, I have an advantage, if

it comes in now, I have a fantastic chance. On the opposite side was

Steve Guppy. Maybe not as much talent as Steve Guppy, but you knew

that the ball was coming in. Alan Thomson was the same. As a striker,

it is brilliant when you know that the ball is coming into the box. You

can make your run early and get the advantage on the centre half.

Crossing is important. Alan Shearer was quite emphatic with his

Newcastle winger is that they had to get the ball in. He let them know in

no uncertain terms. Paul says, massive win for Manchester City,

they must be favourites for the title. Another poll says, if that

does not kick-start their season, I do not know what will. I have been

waiting seven games for that result. There are two game this afternoon,

Crystal Palace against Chelsea is the first. Alistair Bruce-Ball has

beauty news. Crystal Palace are just four points of the top. There is a

change upfront today. Fraizer Campbell stacks of -- starts in

place of Marouane Chamakh. Yohan Cabaye is suspended today. Lee

Chung-yong makes a Premier League start. Two changes for Chelsea.

Diego Costa will be upfront. The formation they are using works so

well last year. We are talking about Crystal Palace

and maybe the transfer window. They have lost Patrick Bamford. He has

gone back to Chelsea. They could do with a striker to put the ball in

the back of the net. Lots of their goals come from midfielders or

winners. They could do. But we're not the strikers? Strikers, John,

you know this, they always will be the most valuable players to go for

in a team, especially in transfer windows. With them losing Patrick

Bamford, it was in strange circumstances that he left. I would

not like to see where they go. I am sure that their scouts and the

recruitment team at Palace will be working hard. We might see some

shocks. I am not sure if Jurgen Klopp fancies Benteke. Devo light

reedy was playing regularly. I did the game on Boxing Day, and Divock

Origi got injured. -- Origi. In his absence, Benteke has been playing.

You might see someone picking up the phone and sing, what about Benteke?

We will give you 25 million for him. They might take a ?7 million loss.

Look at Southampton and Graziano Pelle. Someone like that could help

the team likes Southampton. Because of the way that they play, with the

weights, they need a big target man. -- with the width. It is a year this

week that Alan Pardew took over at Crystal Palace. They have amassed

something like 63 points. It would be a top six finish if it was across

the season. Should they be targeting a top six finish this season? I

think they should. They have a clear system, they have got Cabaye in

there. They have counter attacking plays with Wilfried Zaha and Yannick

Bolasie. They know what they are doing. With it will get really

interesting with those calls, is if there is someone who is worrying

about whether they might drop into the bottom four. United tell a story

about how in the summer, they and five other clubs all went for a

player who was in last season's bottom six. They wanted to buy that

player, and that bottom six, I am not talking about the relegated

teams, the last six teams left, they all said no, the cause they can

afford to, because they have the hundred and 80 million quid from

next season. This will be even more interesting for the likes of

palates. Matt Taylor, if you were Chelsea, in this transfer window,

would you sit tight? This season your highly unlikely to get top

four, but you're not likely to go down, really. Do you start planning

and look at the summer? First and foremost, it will be difficult for

the manager to plan for the summer, because we do not think he will be

there beyond the summer. For me, Chelsea need to sign a striker in

this window. I find it strange that they could go to Old Trafford

without a recognised striker, a club of Chelsea's stature. Diego Costa is

backing the team today. That will help them out. They need to another

one. They have got Patrick Bamford bag. It would be nice as an English

fantasy an English player being given a chance that one of the top

clubs in the country. Getting into the top four will be difficult but

they are still in the Champions League. If they are going to

strengthen and Senna superstar striker, what can they offer him

next season if they do not win the Champions League make the four? Are

there more positives than negatives in giving Patrick Bamford a chance

over the next few weeks? Yes, Mourinho let him go so it is a

different manager all together. He gets a clean slate. I am sure that

Guus Hiddink will have a look at him in training. Chelsea are in a

position where they can throw him in. They are not clearly out of it,

but I do not think they will go down. They have too much to go down.

If they finish sixth or seventh from the bottom, there is no pressure,

throwing Patrick Bamford. Can he do it at this level? You do not know

with strikers until the Earth on it. Agreed. Young English footballers

need to have a chance at one of the top clubs in the country. It is

fantastic. I would love to see and get an opportunity, three or four

game, not one game in, one game out. It is playing without real pressure,

it would be great for him. They are short of strikers. Foul Kelly's

injured, I do not know what has happened to Loic Remy. Diego Costa

is playing every single week. -- Radamel Falcao is injured.

Manchester United's winless run came to an end at Old Trafford yesterday,

they beat Swansea City 2-1. Here is the United manager. We created lots

of chances in the first half but we did not score. That is our problem.

When we scored, in the second half, it is not a problem any more. That

was the difference today, two beautiful goals. I was here for the

Chelsea game as well and I thought you played well in the first half,

and eased off in the second. Today I thought it was the reverse, much

more like the United of old after half-time? Maybe. But I do not have

the same opinion, on me that we scored. That is the big difference.

Scoring goals is the most important thing. Maybe you're right in your

analysis. I'm probably wrong. A manager or a trainer, coach, is

concerned about how we perform. I think that in the first half we

performed better. But we did not score. A lot of the newspapers have

been very positive about this, Ian Herbert. It was not quite a new

dawn? It was not. It was not even close to a new dawn. Maybe that is

the question I should have asked. It was incredible to hear van Gaal

saying that he thought the first half of that game for United was

better than the second. The first half was turgid, and despite playing

a three-man defence, they did not seem to get, they got players

forward. They did not create the chances despite having players in

the box. In the second half, they got onto it more. The manager says

he preferred the first half, which reflects his innate conservatism. He

likes it when no one has a chance of penetrating the backline. Therein

lies the mystery and the problem for United. He is a very conservative

manager at the very liberal minded, attacking club. We will hear from

John and Matt in a moment. There has been a wicket for England in South

Africa. The pressure of a mighty school from

England has led to an early wicket. A ludicrous run out for Stiaan van

Zyl. Gone for four, well short of his ground. South Africa 7-1.

Ian Herbert talked about the United manager being conservative.

Yesterday, switching from a back three to a back four. Full-backs

switching. When you are in a back four like that, how confusing...?

Some of it was because of injury, but how confusing can it be? It can

be confusing. Should you be able to deal with it? We are speculating

because we don't know what he has been working on, on the training

ground. The manager might be looking at different things, changing from

three to four in different sessions. The players at Manchester United, I

believe, should be able to deal with that, the change of formation. Their

positions on the pitch might alter slightly in a three or a four. But I

believe they are adequate enough to deal with it. They Manchester United

players, arguably the best in the world, the best in the league. I

know they won yesterday. It was great to see Rooney getting back on

the scoresheet. A fantastic goal. Nice to see him on the back pages in

a positive light. I thought they were a bit better in the last two

games. Let's not get carried away, their first win in nine yesterday.

They had been shocking the previous six or seven, losing four on the

bounce. But I thought yesterday they took the shackles off a bit, they

played with a bit more freedom. I thought Anthony Martial was more

positive, running at the full-back, using his place. He was excellent

for the winning goal, cutting it back for Wayne Rooney. Brilliant

finish. Even the first goal, I thought Anthony Martial in the first

half, interesting that Van Harle said they were better in the first

half... I couldn't see that personally. -- van Gaal. Two minutes

into the second half, he got a goal because he was in there on the

penalty spot. In the first, when the ball was coming in from Young, he

was there. You tell the opposite winger, when the ball comes from the

right, you have to be on the shoulder of the full-back, putting

him under pressure. I thought in the second half they were a lot better.

Swansea gave everything, a bit unfortunate maybe, with Andreae you

hitting the post. They could have got something, but yesterday United

edged it. -- Andreev you. How proud Manchester United must be

to beat a force such as Swansea! Although Swansea had won the last

three between the clubs. Both clubs have managerial issues. Jonathan has

written in the Sunday Times, van Gaal assured of his future until

Ryan Giggs is ready to take over. I totally believe that from all of

the... How do they judge when he is ready to take over? Simply an

contractual length? What that really means is they don't want him to go

at the end of this season, they want him to carry on. Despite all the

talk of getting sacked if he loses the next game, which we have been

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van Gaal 's future

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van being so embarrassed by continual

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van defeat that he walks

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van have had to say to him, tough it

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van out, don't walk away. Six

hearing for a few weeks. I think Van eight jobs in management, he has

walked away from. We all know what a proud bloke he is, quite

vainglorious bloke. He doesn't like things going against him. They have

been saying, tough it out. Do you think the Man United owners will

listen to the supporters? I don't think the supporters will be happy

with this news. When you have got Viola and Mourinho out of work and

you are going to stick with Louis van Gaal... -- Pep Guardiola and

Mourinho. He will do exceptionally well to finish in the top four, out

of the Capital One Cup and his recruitment has not been the

best...? There comes a time with clubs when the pressure from the

fans forces... Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, it was untenable and it

was in part because... There was something behind his eyes which told

you that he knew he had lost the fans, and I am sure it will be the

same with Louis van Gaal. Edward Woodward will realise if it gets to

that stage. It didn't seem to be like open warfare against him at any

stage over Christmas. It was very grim at Stoke but I didn't feel it

had quite got to that stage. This is Manchester United we are talking

about... The problem, John, if they were to sack him tomorrow, they

would be confronted by a problem. Do they hire Mourinho? The he is

against everything United represent in terms of developing young

players. -- philosophically, Mourinho is against everything

United represent in terms of developing young players. If Louis

van Gaal goes, they have a naked choice between signing Mourinho as a

long-term thing or waiting. That is why they have to put this out. Do

you think Swansea will stick with Alan Curtis until the end of the

season? Should be? I think he is relaxed about it. He will not be

putting any pressure on Hugh Jenkins and the club in terms of giving him

a contract. He has been there for a length of time. He will still be

there as long as they need him. From the players' point of view, they

would quite like to see somebody come in. Just so that they know who

the manager is. They will have a new system to work with. When a new

manager comes in, it seems to give everyone a lift, a fresh start,

wanting to impress the new guy. From watching Swansea, has Alan Curtis

changed much from the Garry Monk era? Not really. Have they made a

mess of this, Swansea? We have to trust in Hugh Jenkins, Chappers. In

the last 12 years, he has got every decision spot on. There is no doubt

they there will be very, very good candidates putting in their CV for

the job. He will have spoken to several of them. But it has to be

right, you can't just appoint a new manager, give him a three-year

contract... If Swansea go down, all of a sudden you are stuck with a

manager... Is it true what we are reading about a foreign manager,

from your contacts? I know Jenkins has been over to South America to

speak to a manager, from what I have read. David Moyes turned down the

job. I think he spoke to Brendan Rodgers, he did not want to go back

there. There has been work in process but he hasn't quite found

the right one. What impressed me about Curtis yesterday, he did not

look like a guy leading the grass grow under his feet. He didn't like

the way Jonjo Shelvey played on Monday against Palace, so they left

him out of the squad. He changed the system from a diamond to 4-2-3-1.

The false number nine, at Manchester City. He looked to me like he was

not just a caretaker, he was being proactive in the game. We have

spoken about Aston Villa. Micah Richards has tweeted just now, I

want to say to you, the fans, me, and everyone at the club will be

giving everything from now until the end of the season. By the way, it

was two tweets! 18 games to go and we will give everything for the

badge. From a Sunderland point of view, Sam Allardyce has been open

and says everyone has been given a chance and he knows what he needs to

do and what he needs to bring in. From working with Sam, what he has

done in the past and what he will do there, he knows what it takes to win

football matches at Premier League level. He has given everyone an

opportunity. Let's not forget, they have some exceptional players.

Exceptional talent. He has come out publicly and said he wants to sign a

centre-half. He is doing that as we speak. They have a good chance of

staying up. They have goal-scorers. I love watching Defoe, he gets a

yard am a brilliant finish. The third goal was slightly calamitous

from Villa. You saw the smile on his face in the interview. Fantastic.

Sunderland have definitely got a chance in my opinion. A fantastic

manager who knows what it takes to stay up in the Premier League. He is

fierce and he will get the team organised and he will work and work

on the training ground. A good win yesterday but still in the bottom

three. They go to Swansea at the Liberty next, a big game for both

teams. No easy games in Liberty next, a big game for both

League. As I often go on about, in a battle like this, sometimes it is

better to be the away team in that situation. Swansea fans will be

doing with all the expectation, Sunderland coming to us... Given the

situation, it is a game we should be winning. Swansea fans, being at

home, will expect a better performance if they back the team.

Sometimes the pressure is off, but this is a huge game. It wouldn't

surprise me if it was cagey. You have the ball, we will have the

ball... The pressure is so huge at this stage of the season, even with

18 games to go. It is huge. These are must win games but these teams

and that is another one where a draw probably doesn't suit Sunderland

match. Four o'clock this afternoon, Everton against Spurs. Glenn Hoddle

said this morning that Spurs should aim to win the title this season.

Have to agree. They are propping up more and more in that conversation.

I don't see it. I just don't see that they have got the players City

have got, the players Arsenal have got. I don't see that bit of extra

class to make it. But what I think is great about Spurs compared with

the team I have written about over the years, they have a very good

defence. That has always let them down. They have conceded the fewest

of any Premier League club. The relationship between Pochettino and

Hugo Lloris seems to be really quite special, dare I say it, like a Keane

Ferguson relationship, where they seem to have an understanding behind

the scenes. Do you think their defence is better than Manchester

City's? I do. Even with company surname in it? That is a big if. --

even with Vincent Kompany in it? The problem with that defence, they are

never quite sure... They have a reliable power, Spurs. Jan

Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. As a former Arsenal striker, do you

think Spurs should be aiming to win the title? Definitely. Why not? If

they win today, they four points behind Arsenal. Arsenal 43, Surrey,

42, Spurs would go to 38. I watched Spurs against Arsenal at the

Emirates and they dominated. They have a striker in Harry Kane who is

a consistent threat, can do a bit of everything. He gets goals, healings

play really well. Defensively, Dele Alli in the middle of the park... --

the links play really well. I think they are dark horses. If they don't

finish in the top four, it would be a major disappointment. Arsenal went

to Southampton the other week and got beat by four. Manchester City

losing a few games, not consistent. There is no reason Spurs can't creep

up on the outside and cause a bit of an upset. They will certainly be in

the mix, Chappers. I would love to see them in the mix, linking back to

the Chelsea thing, they are giving young English players a chance to

play regularly in the Premier League, and they are doing well.

Jake says, if Spurs beat Everton, I reckon it is a three-horse race with

them, Arsenal and Manchester City for the title. Thank you, John, Matt

and Ian. Much of the Day two, tonight with John and Kevin Kilbane.

Everton against Spurs is on five live from for clock. Goodbye. The

Mac four o'clock.