09/02/2014

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:00:30. > :00:35.Welcome to Match of the Day two Extra. We're discussing the

:00:36. > :00:41.weekend's football on BBC One, Radio Five Live and the BBC Sport website.

:00:42. > :00:44.Coming up, we'll analyse how Liverpool so dominated Arsenal at

:00:45. > :00:47.Anfield yesterday. We'll ask what it means for the title race, with

:00:48. > :00:50.Chelsea impressing again, and Manchester City losing more points.

:00:51. > :00:56.And there's a preview of today's matches, including Spurs against

:00:57. > :00:59.Everton at White Hart lane. With us for the next 45 minutes are former

:01:00. > :01:03.Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown, Match of the Day commentator

:01:04. > :01:06.Guy Mowbray and The Sun's Chief Football Writer Shaun Custis You can

:01:07. > :01:17.get in touch in all the usual ways: we want you to get involved as ever.

:01:18. > :01:30.We are going to start with Liverpool's mauling of Arsenal. 5-1.

:01:31. > :01:33.Let's hear from both managers. Obviously it is a high-profile game

:01:34. > :01:39.and everybody is looking at it. The players have been brilliant. We were

:01:40. > :01:42.trying to make this a real difficult place to come and that is what the

:01:43. > :01:49.players are doing. It is a massive credit to them. We had a very poor

:01:50. > :01:53.day defensively. From the top to the defence, everywhere we were beaten

:01:54. > :02:00.defensively. Liverpool took advantage of it. They played well.

:02:01. > :02:06.We were very poor. Only our fans were at the races today for 90

:02:07. > :02:09.minutes. Unfortunately, we were not. We get asked about being title

:02:10. > :02:13.contenders and when you beat the leaders everybody will ask that

:02:14. > :02:18.question. For me it has always been about finishing the best that you,

:02:19. > :02:25.in the highest position. We have got your -- a lot of young players. And

:02:26. > :02:34.we have have young players. 18, 19, 20. We are a team that has a lot of

:02:35. > :02:37.growth left in it. But they are now finding consistency and confidence.

:02:38. > :02:46.If they work hard, they can get the rewards. We will see where it takes

:02:47. > :02:50.us. What kind of horse RU? We are just a fall!

:02:51. > :02:59.Can we stop the horrors references? ! The express said it was COPPS

:03:00. > :03:04.against flops yesterday. Brendan Rodgers talked about how hard they

:03:05. > :03:10.are working. Did that stand out? It did and in spells. Very similar to

:03:11. > :03:15.the last home game against Everton. I came out of the traps and flung

:03:16. > :03:21.everything they had at Arsenal. They stepped off the gas a bit and

:03:22. > :03:28.started the second half in the same pattern. They have got so much youth

:03:29. > :03:32.and energy in the side, Brendan Rodgers is using it to go hell for

:03:33. > :03:37.leather. It is working for Liverpool. They were superb. They

:03:38. > :03:42.were last night he was pleased as punch, you could tell. He was

:03:43. > :03:46.bubbling underneath. And Arsene Wenger was very honest in his

:03:47. > :03:58.appraisal. I was expecting a prickly interview with the Arsenal boss. But

:03:59. > :04:05.this time he held his hands up. Raheem Sterling took on some

:04:06. > :04:12.responsibility. Make it happen yourself, do think yourself. He is a

:04:13. > :04:15.good player. And Brendan says he is only young. But he is actually no

:04:16. > :04:21.taking on responsibility and believing in himself. We will return

:04:22. > :04:25.to Raheem Sterling in a moment. Martin, from an Arsenal point of

:04:26. > :04:31.view, what are the answers that -- one of the answers Arsene Wenger did

:04:32. > :04:35.yesterday was to talk about the 20 minutes, the dreadful opening 20

:04:36. > :04:41.minutes, conceding goals from set pieces. Does that isolate that 20

:04:42. > :04:46.minutes from the rest of the game? Yes, to a certain extent. Arsenal

:04:47. > :04:52.were caught in another storm at the start of this matter. You look at

:04:53. > :04:55.the emotion and energy at Anfield. Brendan has captured that. There are

:04:56. > :05:01.front players are of the highest order. From an Arsenal point of

:05:02. > :05:07.view, I know we want to talk about the game, but the real concern for

:05:08. > :05:14.me is Mesut Ozil. I know he is criticising the defence. But there

:05:15. > :05:19.is not enough energy. He said from the top all the way to the back.

:05:20. > :05:23.Arsenal fans are looking for more energy from the team. They are

:05:24. > :05:27.starting to look tired. The Crystal Palace game recently was very

:05:28. > :05:31.difficult. Not the best performances. Psychological damage

:05:32. > :05:35.to the team. They have to bounce back from this. Manchester United

:05:36. > :05:40.coming up in mid is an opportunity to get some respect back, first of

:05:41. > :05:45.all, and show the desire and arrogance you want to be champions.

:05:46. > :05:49.Do you really believe Arsenal players believe in themselves? Not

:05:50. > :05:56.enough players in that team have won big trophies. And there is only one

:05:57. > :06:02.left to won under Arsene Wenger. It does not seem they have that

:06:03. > :06:06.ultimate belief. There is an arrogance and a swagger about your

:06:07. > :06:10.play. Some of the games this season, at Old Trafford they did not

:06:11. > :06:14.play with that confidence. You have to believe in yourself. The manager

:06:15. > :06:18.can have confidence but you have to have it yourself. You feel Arsenal

:06:19. > :06:23.are building that. Yesterday a lot of people feeling Arsenal were not

:06:24. > :06:27.the real deal. They have got to fight back and your personality and

:06:28. > :06:33.character, do it out of adversity. People need to grow and develop as

:06:34. > :06:38.individuals. Mesut Ozil was mentioned. He is a world-class

:06:39. > :06:42.player. He has done a lot in the game. But again yesterday, as he has

:06:43. > :06:47.been in several big games, he was not there. The third goal, Jordan

:06:48. > :06:51.Henderson bullied him off the ball. He said on the floor pleading for a

:06:52. > :06:59.free kick. They missed Flamini yesterday. He is coming from real

:07:00. > :07:04.Madrid. There are fewer class players at Arsenal. He is the star

:07:05. > :07:10.player. Certainly not playing like a star player. In a big game for

:07:11. > :07:15.Arsenal, they have Manchester United at home, Spurs away, Bayern Munich

:07:16. > :07:19.at the Champions League, for those big games, when you need to play a

:07:20. > :07:26.certain way, if everybody was fit and free from suspension, would you

:07:27. > :07:32.have Mesut Ozil in your starting 11? What are you to laughing at? ! It is

:07:33. > :07:36.a worthy question. When you look at Aaron Ramsey at the start of the

:07:37. > :07:39.season, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, I don't think you can leave

:07:40. > :07:44.a player out of that quality without being criticised as the manager.

:07:45. > :07:48.Maybe it is right to rest him but I don't think you can afford to when

:07:49. > :07:53.you look at the fixtures. You have to believe in him even more now.

:07:54. > :07:57.Trust in him and get him to produce. The talk is about possible

:07:58. > :08:10.implosion. There is always a crisis at Arsenal. That is why he focused

:08:11. > :08:16.on those 20 minutes, isn't it? The game became completely different. To

:08:17. > :08:21.temper what you said. After they lost 6-3 at Manchester City, they

:08:22. > :08:26.had not been beaten again until yesterday. They know how to recover.

:08:27. > :08:34.When they get beat, they are getting beat. You have to give Arsenal

:08:35. > :08:38.credit the way they have bounced back. There was a crisis at the

:08:39. > :08:44.start of the season. The media seem to want to pick a little bit. They

:08:45. > :08:49.didn't buy anybody in the transfer window. They pushed Arsene Wenger

:08:50. > :08:53.into signing somebody at the start of the season. It is about keeping

:08:54. > :08:59.balance. They will be hurting today. They have to prepare properly for

:09:00. > :09:03.Wednesday. If you are going to have a bad day, have a bad day. Arsene

:09:04. > :09:09.Wenger seems more irritated when they get narrowly beaten. Yesterday

:09:10. > :09:14.they had to take it on the chin. He had no option. Here is Brendan

:09:15. > :09:19.Rodgers on Raheem Sterling. For a kid to come into the club at

:09:20. > :09:23.Liverpool at 17, in that opening six months of his time here, he was

:09:24. > :09:27.outstanding. He had a difficult period in the second half of last

:09:28. > :09:30.season. He has come back to the fore. I'm not sure there is a better

:09:31. > :09:37.winger in England at this moment in time. He is so fast, direct,

:09:38. > :09:42.dynamic. He also works very hard for the team. He presses the game well.

:09:43. > :09:46.He has obviously got a couple. He is probably disappointed he did not

:09:47. > :09:49.have a hat-trick. How impressed are you with how

:09:50. > :09:56.Brendan Rodgers has handled Raheem Sterling? He was not in the side at

:09:57. > :10:01.the start of the season. Very well. Raheem Sterling got into the England

:10:02. > :10:05.squad when he was young. I think he has dealt with him superbly.

:10:06. > :10:12.Sterling is showing a lot of maturity. He has taken on more

:10:13. > :10:16.responsibility. Brendan Rodgers has seen that. He is putting a lot of

:10:17. > :10:23.trust in a player who is very young. But it is justified. What is

:10:24. > :10:33.everybody say that genocide is the next star when sterling has played

:10:34. > :10:39.better? Has he played better? ! Sterling is having an excellent

:10:40. > :10:45.period. It has taken in time. The two players who stood out from me in

:10:46. > :10:46.their attitude, both during the match and afterwards, Raheem

:10:47. > :10:51.Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He had a rotten

:10:52. > :10:55.first-half but he rolled his sleeves up and got into the game in the

:10:56. > :11:00.second half. He was very sporting, mature and eloquent afterwards as

:11:01. > :11:05.well. What about Flanagan? He has been pulling his weight and has had

:11:06. > :11:09.great games. Tom in Blackpool says Liverpool have to be contenders for

:11:10. > :11:12.the title. Six points off the top and they have to play Chelsea and

:11:13. > :11:19.Manchester City at Anfield. I think so. Why say they are not contenders?

:11:20. > :11:27.It is like saying you don't have faith in your team. Flannigan does

:11:28. > :11:30.not produce unless the manager believes in him. I like the fact

:11:31. > :11:38.they want to play these young English players. Henderson is

:11:39. > :11:47.another one who has profited. When Henderson joined under Kenny

:11:48. > :11:50.Dalglish, nobody believed in him. It has taken two years probably for him

:11:51. > :11:55.to come through. We didn't know what the fuss was about. He is also

:11:56. > :12:00.feeling stronger belief in himself. He is taking on responsibility

:12:01. > :12:03.again. I saw a lot of Jordan Henderson as a young player at

:12:04. > :12:07.Sunderland. He is a quality player. The attributes are there. I think

:12:08. > :12:13.the move to Liverpool happen this too soon. It is his timing, his

:12:14. > :12:19.runs, his energy is outstanding. Now he has got the quality. To finish

:12:20. > :12:24.those chances, to find those passes. That comes from the environment

:12:25. > :12:28.created by the manager. Brendan Rodgers is nurturing these players.

:12:29. > :12:36.Sterling goes out, he comes back in again. It is about development. Do

:12:37. > :12:42.you think Luis Suarez thinks it they cannot win the title? Do you think

:12:43. > :12:49.he is not thinking they can have a go? That is why he has stayed. Are

:12:50. > :12:55.we not in a season where everybody is playing it down? Yes, they seem

:12:56. > :13:00.scared to think they could be title contenders. Manual Pellegrini has

:13:01. > :13:07.probably accepted that Manchester City should be winning the title.

:13:08. > :13:19.Some of the Arsenal texts. ASOS Eden -- need to buy some muscle. --

:13:20. > :13:24.Arsenal. They need Adams and Keown. It is written there! Arsenal have

:13:25. > :13:29.ridden their local season. The majority of the team have no drive.

:13:30. > :13:33.Arsenal made Liverpool look like Bayern Munich. Wenger has paid the

:13:34. > :13:42.price for not buying in January. Mike Tyson sends one here, not that

:13:43. > :13:49.Mike Tyson, do you think Arsenal can bounce back against Manchester

:13:50. > :13:53.United? Yes. Manchester United playing today. Arsenal get 24 hours

:13:54. > :13:59.rest. Arsenal have done exceptionally well at home this

:14:00. > :14:06.season. It has just started to dip for Arsenal a little bit. It is

:14:07. > :14:10.about finding form. I don't think it was about Arsenal yesterday. It was

:14:11. > :14:14.about how good Liverpool were. Against Palace, they were not that

:14:15. > :14:22.great. The first target was a struggle. The same with Manchester

:14:23. > :14:27.City at home to Crystal Palace. Maybe so but I was expecting more

:14:28. > :14:35.from Arsenal. Keep the text coming in. -- texts. Let's focus on the

:14:36. > :14:40.first of today's games. Spurs against Everton at White Hart lane.

:14:41. > :14:44.We will go to White Hart lane in a moment. First, Tim Sherwood.

:14:45. > :14:48.The team that finishes fourth will be the ones that takes the most

:14:49. > :14:53.points in and around them, and that includes Everton. It is very

:14:54. > :14:58.important. I'm glad that the players think it is as important as I do.

:14:59. > :15:07.They will be reminded it is a crucial game. It could be a

:15:08. > :15:13.springboard. It is open for any team to put a run together. There are

:15:14. > :15:17.teams around that spot who can put a nice run together and elevate

:15:18. > 1:27:55themselves. The top three are away, I think, too far for anyone to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55catch. Steve Wilson Zat White Lane for Match Of The Day. Do you agree

1:27:56 > 1:27:55with Tim Sherwood? Yes, he's probably right. If that is the case,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55you would have to Liverpool favourites. Liverpool are in pole

1:27:56 > 1:27:55position. They are five points better off than Everton, and six

1:27:56 > 1:27:55points better off than Spurs. Given Liverpool's victory yesterday, you

1:27:56 > 1:27:55would not want to lose today if you are Spurs or Everton. If it ends up

1:27:56 > 1:27:55being a drop, that is not great for them either. The onus is on both

1:27:56 > 1:27:55teams to try and win today. That will hopefully bode well for a good

1:27:56 > 1:27:55attacking game. Will Roberto Martinez be concerned about

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Everton's recent away form? Everton do draw a few games, but you have to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55look at their away form in the bigger picture. Where have they been

1:27:56 > 1:27:55beaten this season? The only places they have been beaten are at

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Manchester City and Anfield. That is not a bad record. They are missing

1:27:56 > 1:27:55some through injury. I think that situation will improve today. Gerard

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Deulofeu and Lacina Traore have travelled. I think Kevin Mirallas

1:27:56 > 1:27:55has stepped up brilliantly over the last couple of weeks. He has become

1:27:56 > 1:27:55a real force for Everton, particularly against Aston Villa the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55other week. At -- Everton have a lot of character about them. It is a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55mouthwatering one today. If there is a winner, they are hard done

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Liverpool's yields. -- they are hard on Liverpool's heels. Thank you.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55There is an interview in the Observer today. Some of the players

1:27:56 > 1:27:55are talking about how training has changed under Tim Sherwood. He says

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that now the training sessions are shorter and sharper. What is the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55difference for the players? My preference would be for short-term

1:27:56 > 1:27:55and sharper sessions. Why? There is more of a period when you're

1:27:56 > 1:27:55focused. You are trying to managed your energy levels. -- manage.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Sometimes it is a game during the week. You do not want to release too

1:27:56 > 1:27:55much energy on the training pitch. I think he has simplified the sessions

1:27:56 > 1:27:55and made them more enjoyable, by the sound of it. Andre Villas-Boas was

1:27:56 > 1:27:55working to a set way of doing things. That is what we will find

1:27:56 > 1:27:55out about Tim Sherwood on the tactical side. We know he is playing

1:27:56 > 1:27:55two strikers. But the game is often won and lost in the midfield area.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55How were your sessions at Arsenal, Martin? I am wondering if this was a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55modern thing. I know that Gus Poyet when he took over, he made it 90

1:27:56 > 1:27:55minute training sessions? Sometimes every session finishes with a small

1:27:56 > 1:27:55game. If you are out there for half an hour, you sometimes leave your

1:27:56 > 1:27:55best stuff on the training pitch. It has all got to be done

1:27:56 > 1:27:55scientifically. They manage the players now, they track the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55distances they covered in training. The manager needs to know who is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55tired, who is not, and get the right energy into the sessions. Our Spurs

1:27:56 > 1:27:55a better team under Tim Sherwood, better than they were under Andre

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Villas-Boas? No. Some people say that the ADB was unfairly dismissed.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55He was unlikely to leave his job. -- to lose his job. Tim Sherwood will

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have to go into the job tactically. Bringing in a manual Adebayor, that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55was a good move. AVB was not using him. He has been a big fine for

1:27:56 > 1:27:55them. Do you think a lot has changed? I am not saying that, I am

1:27:56 > 1:27:55asking if they are better team. They are pushing hired up the pitch. It

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is not that anything has changed massively, but the players seem to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55relate to Tim Sherwood more. They clearly wanted him. Sometimes that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is a problem, you like the manager. Is that always a bad thing -- a good

1:27:56 > 1:27:55thing? It will be interesting to see how he manages it. He will not have

1:27:56 > 1:27:55managed to much. He was the head of youth development. He will not have

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Dundee today management as such. This is a step up for him. I do not

1:27:56 > 1:27:55want to see him lose that light touch. The first few games in

1:27:56 > 1:27:55charge, he always had equipped. The next few games, more serious. -- a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55quip. He may only be there for the summer. They may bring someone else

1:27:56 > 1:27:55in. He may have to enjoy it well he can. I think you're right about the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55freshness, and the players sensed that. The manager is a mirror image

1:27:56 > 1:27:55of the team. He created the change, and he has got to keep doing that.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55The final thing about that article in the Observer, he says that Spurs

1:27:56 > 1:27:55got to be considered favourites for fourth, because they have

1:27:56 > 1:27:55experience, their experiences and fighting for fourth place. I am not

1:27:56 > 1:27:55sure that I follow that one. They have the Europa League as well, to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55get in the way. I will Tim Sherwood handle that? I think Liverpool title

1:27:56 > 1:27:55contenders. They have to be favourites to drop down into fourth

1:27:56 > 1:27:55place, if not. Let's talk about Chelsea. Jose Mourinho spoke to Gary

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Lineker on match of the game last night. His targets have remarkably

1:27:56 > 1:27:55low. I know that today we are top of the league, but I look to the next

1:27:56 > 1:27:55game. I want to be far from fifth place. When we are far from there

1:27:56 > 1:27:55and we have a Champions League position under control, it will be

1:27:56 > 1:27:55time to look to Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, to see where

1:27:56 > 1:27:55they are, to see the distances, and from that point we can start

1:27:56 > 1:27:55thinking about other things. But that this moment, it is too far for

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that. In the Premier League, it is very difficult to achieve every

1:27:56 > 1:27:55objective. The Champions League spot is clear -- is our objective.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Step-by-step. We want to win the next match against West Brom. We

1:27:56 > 1:27:55want your thoughts. Get in touch. Why is he playing it down so much,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Shaun Custis? He did this at the start of the season. He said, in his

1:27:56 > 1:27:55first press conference at Chelsea, I do not think we are title

1:27:56 > 1:27:55contenders. When he brought in players during the transfer window,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is the said, -- he said, this is for next season. Suddenly you're

1:27:56 > 1:27:55thinking, Chelsea are really contenders. He is box office, but he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is conning us. The Sunday mail today has Eden Hazard on the front cover.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Jose Mourinho said that he is the best player in the world of his age

1:27:56 > 1:27:55group, to qualify. Of the 23 olds around in world football, he is at

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the top at the moment? It is hard to argue with that at the moment. He is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55certainly the best Premier League player in that bracket at the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55moment. It is the way that he drifts. He is a joy to watch. He

1:27:56 > 1:27:55dictates the play. Jose Mourinho is talking a lot of sense when he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55speaks about Hazard. He is talking rubbish when he says they are not

1:27:56 > 1:27:55title contenders. You almost start to lose respect for him. I get the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55impression that they face that the players see, it is totally different

1:27:56 > 1:27:55to what we see. I think he says to the players, this is ours to lose.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Think how he treated Hazard. Jose Mourinho basically gave him a one

1:27:56 > 1:27:55match ban. He said, he is a good kid, but he has got to learn. He has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55always been known as a bad trainer. But he has seen the Jose Mourinho

1:27:56 > 1:27:55way, and fitted in. Jose Mourinho has identified the players in his

1:27:56 > 1:27:55squad that can win him the league. He is one of them. He is making sure

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that he can do the job, and he is now polishing him up. He is saying

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that he is not getting the credit he deserves, he is trying to get awards

1:27:56 > 1:27:55for him. It is a different message that we're getting on the outside. I

1:27:56 > 1:27:55had him down as the first Portuguese James Bond. But to be honest, he has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55not got a chance, because his acting is rotten. Lots of fans and people

1:27:56 > 1:27:55in the media are saying, here he goes again, we do not believe what

1:27:56 > 1:27:55he is saying. Do you think anything he has said over the last couple of

1:27:56 > 1:27:55weeks has rattled Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City? There is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55history there. There is history from Spain. It is all to do with what he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55said when he took over from Pellegrini at Real Madrid. That is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55when it comes from. I think he has got under his skin a little bit.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Manuel Pellegrini has been nothing but a gentleman since he came to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55this country. He is like a wise old owl. He did not let Alan Pardew get

1:27:56 > 1:27:55under his skin when they had a touchline row. But on Monday night,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55he appeared to be agitated after the match. I have actually felt that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Manuel Pellegrini is pretty boring. We went to his opening press

1:27:56 > 1:27:55conference, and we thought, this will be difficult, getting

1:27:56 > 1:27:55interesting lines from him. But his team are doing their talking on the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55pitch. Manuel Pellegrini is probably thinking, I have got to get back to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55what I am doing. Managers are not there to entertain us. No, but it is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55good when they do. The thing about Jose Mourinho, and the line about

1:27:56 > 1:27:55horses, it was very funny, very witty. It was someone speaking about

1:27:56 > 1:27:55three horse race. That is he gives you. When Manuel Pellegrini came in,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55you felt that Roberto Mancini was almost suffocating the team. This

1:27:56 > 1:27:55guy is allowing them to play. I know they are without key players, but

1:27:56 > 1:27:55everyone else's as well. You cannot moan about it. It is two key players

1:27:56 > 1:27:55for Manchester City for the first time this season. Three players, in

1:27:56 > 1:27:55fact. The stat we had last night was that they have had 39 shots in their

1:27:56 > 1:27:55last three games, but only five of those have been on target. With the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55players they have got, you would think that they have enough

1:27:56 > 1:27:55firepower took. But they are missing Sergio Aguero. You feel that Chelsea

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have the feeling that this is ours. They are starting to grow. If you

1:27:56 > 1:27:55had your manager giving a different message to the outside world, what

1:27:56 > 1:27:55would you think, if it was a different message to what he was

1:27:56 > 1:27:55saying to you? I think he would have a bit of a chuckle. You do not like

1:27:56 > 1:27:55it when someone gets something over on your manager. Ferguson was

1:27:56 > 1:27:55fantastic at the mind games. You felt that you were playing against

1:27:56 > 1:27:55him as much as Manchester United. Jose Mourinho makes Chelsea sound

1:27:56 > 1:27:55like a non-league club. They are the big teams, we are not up to it yet.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55This may be one of the best Chelsea teams that I can remember watching.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55They have got rid of Juan Mata, so that players like Oscar can play

1:27:56 > 1:27:55regularly. One viewer has got in touch. Eden Hazard is the best

1:27:56 > 1:27:55played in the Premier League at the moment. Robin Liverpool says, I

1:27:56 > 1:27:55think it is Chelsea's title to lose. They have got the better defence

1:27:56 > 1:27:55than Manchester City. Chelsea have better defenders. They will win the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55league. They are vulnerable and at the back, Manchester City. Bit of

1:27:56 > 1:27:55coverage today about Yaya Toure and his kick at Wolves sprinkle. If they

1:27:56 > 1:27:55look at that, they may have to look at what went on in the Cardiff game?

1:27:56 > 1:27:55It is Manchester City at the top of the league and it is Yaya Toure. But

1:27:56 > 1:27:55it is the same sort of thing. I don't think it is conclusive. It

1:27:56 > 1:27:55looked bad but it has happened so quickly. That must happen 19 or 20

1:27:56 > 1:27:55times in a game. If it is going to be trialled by TV, let's roll them

1:27:56 > 1:27:55all out. You cannot single one out. If you kick somebody a little bit,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is that OK? I think West Ham fans would be saying that Yaya Toure

1:27:56 > 1:27:55should be done. I think it was a petulant kick out. No more than

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that. Your point is, if you are going to kick out, do it as part of

1:27:56 > 1:27:55a tackle? I think you should probably wait a bit and make a hard

1:27:56 > 1:27:55tackle later. David Beckham got harangued by everybody from making a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55petulant kick out at the World Cup. I don't see there was much

1:27:56 > 1:27:55difference. Let's get back to White Hart lane for the team news.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55One change for Tottenham this afternoon. Dembele is fit again and

1:27:56 > 1:27:55comes into the side for Roberto Soldado. Andros Townsend is on the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55bench after eight weeks out with a hamstring injury. Someone he can

1:27:56 > 1:27:55bring on in the second half if you need to. Everton's defence has been

1:27:56 > 1:27:55stretched in recent weeks. Seamus Coleman comes in for John stones.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55One of three changes from their win against Aston Villa. Ross Barkley as

1:27:56 > 1:27:55dropped to the bench. Steven Pienaar and Steven Naismith, in Fredericton.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55If you are listening to us from Five Live, there will be updates on that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55game throughout the afternoon. It may be worth watching this back on

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the iPlayer, just to see the ridiculous headwear being worn by

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the Spurs players. Let's go to the Welsh derby. Swansea against

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Cardiff. Before we get the thoughts of our guests, let's hear from both

1:27:56 > 1:27:55managers, head coaches, whatever their titles are.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55They could not have got much better. I was so focused on making sure the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55players were all right, I hadn't bought their head. Get the players

1:27:56 > 1:27:55prepared and ready. Get the Swansea way. I understand all that stuff.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55That is what I tried to put across to the players and thankfully we get

1:27:56 > 1:27:55a great performance. We going to these games with heart and head. The

1:27:56 > 1:27:55passion will always be there in a game like this. They got off to a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55great start. We have got to respond on Tuesday. Obviously is not an

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Oscar, but I thank my family, the chairman, the Board of Directors,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the fans. It has been magnificent. I can't thank them enough. I guess we

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have to carry on the work now and make sure the boys take the belief

1:27:56 > 1:27:55of this game into the next games. The Kate Winslet of football

1:27:56 > 1:27:55management! Richard has been in touch to ask how significant the win

1:27:56 > 1:27:55over Cardiff will be in terms of steadying the ship at the Liberty

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Stadium? Very much so. It looked like getting rid of Michael Laudrup

1:27:56 > 1:27:55was a big mistake, a few days before the biggest game ever, possibly,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55against your local rivals. He has handled the situation beautifully.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55He looks as though he is really up for the job. He is only a young man

1:27:56 > 1:27:55and there is big pressure. He has enjoyed the day. He knows it Inside

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Out, let's be fair. I think probably Hugh Jenkins will be looking to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55bring somebody in with a lot more experience than he has. It is a big

1:27:56 > 1:27:55job to manage Swansea City. Having said that, Gary Monk made a big

1:27:56 > 1:27:55point of saying that he knows the Swansea City way. Hugh Jenkins has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55always been very careful to make sure that every manager employed

1:27:56 > 1:27:55knows the Swansea way. It may not necessarily be a high-profile name.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Yes. We cannot tell anything on one game. It is a local derby. It is a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55different breed of game. The players like him they with him. If you think

1:27:56 > 1:27:55about it, and in Rogers, Roberto Martinez, Michael Laudrup, blend of

1:27:56 > 1:27:55those three together and you have got a heck of a head coach. Is he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55ready for it? They were surprised when Brendan Rodgers got the job

1:27:56 > 1:27:55because he had not done well at Reading. But actually his philosophy

1:27:56 > 1:27:55fitted the Swansea philosophy? Absolutely. Gary Monk is another one

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that the players like. Do you only have a short period of time where

1:27:56 > 1:27:55that works before he has to go into the transfer market? It is most like

1:27:56 > 1:27:55a young player, if you are good enough, you are old enough. Nothing

1:27:56 > 1:27:55can go wrong for him to end up with this job. I think he would be very

1:27:56 > 1:27:55surprised if he ended up with it properly. There is a suggestion if

1:27:56 > 1:27:55he does not get the main job he will be part of the coaching staff. You

1:27:56 > 1:27:55do want that it succession plan in management. White Alan Curtis has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55been there throughout all of it. Do not like players to become managers?

1:27:56 > 1:27:55They are going with their mate, Gary Monk. We want to do it for him etc.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55I don't know how long you get a feel good factor out of that before you

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have to prove yourself much more. What does it say about Cardiff? They

1:27:56 > 1:27:55are not very good! I saw them playing Manchester United earlier in

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the season and they were excellent. Really strong, the crowd were Fred,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55fantastic. There was a feel-good factor. And Vincent Tan seems to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have killed it. I'm not saying that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not going to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55be a good manager, I think he probably will prove to be. But he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55has come in at a difficult time. All of the teams in the bottom three

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have new managers. They were not in the bottom three when they appointed

1:27:56 > 1:27:55those managers. He has not had the effect. Let's hear from another of

1:27:56 > 1:27:55those new managers, Rene Meulensteen of Fulham. Fulham go to Manchester

1:27:56 > 1:27:55United this afternoon. He says he has been taking advice from his

1:27:56 > 1:27:55former boss at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson knows what I am

1:27:56 > 1:27:55capable of and he is the first man to reassure me, to say, stick to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55your beliefs, you know what you are capable of doing. That's what I am

1:27:56 > 1:27:55doing. He said I need to stay optimistic, make sure the work we

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have done is good. I cannot fault the players for one minute. Every

1:27:56 > 1:27:55effort they have put into the training pitch. Day in, day out.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Does the managerial structure and Fulham surprise you? I'm not sure

1:27:56 > 1:27:55surprises me. I wonder how long it can't continue like that. Rene

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Meulensteen was brought in to help Martin Jol. A few days later he was

1:27:56 > 1:27:55in charge. Alan Curbishley brought in to help Rene Meulensteen. He is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55no technical director. The idea is that he's helps to sort out the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55defence. It has got litre. That's Magid has got more leaky. I just

1:27:56 > 1:27:55wonder if Fulham have got too many players of too much quantity and not

1:27:56 > 1:27:55enough quality. They have had a problem shifting the older players.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55They are an ageing squad. They brought in a player who may not be

1:27:56 > 1:27:55totally fit. The thing that worries me is we have not got -- we have a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55group of cultures and nobody knows who is the manager. If I am a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55player, I need direct management. A lot of good cultures but there has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55to be a leader among those men to give them direction. I think it is a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55big Ascot for Fulham. I can understand, the Sheffield United cup

1:27:56 > 1:27:55replay in the week, AIDS changes made, it is almost giving people a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55game for the sake of the game. -- eight changes. It is another hammer

1:27:56 > 1:27:55blow. What is Fulham's best team? See borrowing ideas from Alex

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Ferguson? -- is he borrowing. You surely cannot manage a team at the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55bottom the way you manage a team at the top? You pass the ball out from

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the back, if you have a philosophy, yes. He made a mistake in the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55midweek. As far as Manchester United are concerned, is it a big mistake

1:27:56 > 1:27:55to let a village leaves? Either any current players are good enough to

1:27:56 > 1:27:55replace him? -- are there any current players. Did you described

1:27:56 > 1:27:55him as a quitter yesterday? I have a great deal of respect for him, by

1:27:56 > 1:27:55the way. He is one of the best centre halves. It doesn't sit with

1:27:56 > 1:27:55me very well that he is willing to quit the club in this manner. I was

1:27:56 > 1:27:55entrenched in the Arsenal theme. You had to push me out of the club

1:27:56 > 1:27:55kicking and screaming. Somebody would have to push me out before I

1:27:56 > 1:27:55was told to go. There was not a contract on the table for him. Why

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is he insecure about that? If he wants to make that position his

1:27:56 > 1:27:55own, he dictates that by his performance from now until the end

1:27:56 > 1:27:55of the season. If David Moyes had wanted him... Maybe that is it. He

1:27:56 > 1:27:55has picked up the vibe from the manager. There must be something

1:27:56 > 1:27:55wrong in that dressing room. Manchester United have had that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55changing hands with players. You want that experience in the dressing

1:27:56 > 1:27:55room. He is one of those. There are several subjects there. On who it

1:27:56 > 1:27:55gets passed down to in the dressing room, you could argue that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Ferdinand, village are over 30. Evans is 26, Rooney, Darren

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Fletcher... The next generation are ready to take that mantle. If you

1:27:56 > 1:27:55keep him, how are you going to help Chris Smalling, Jones etc? Is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55partnerships. David Moyes has said he would sooner play a young

1:27:56 > 1:27:55goalkeeper than a young central defender. If that applies, keep him

1:27:56 > 1:27:55at the club. He has never been the most mobile. It is nothing new that

1:27:56 > 1:27:55he has lost his mobility. He is losing the support of his manager. I

1:27:56 > 1:27:55think you should stay there and fight for his club. It is a massive

1:27:56 > 1:27:55club. You only go downhill when you leave Manchester United. I feel he

1:27:56 > 1:27:55has the necessary skills to play that position for a number of years.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Jonny Evans has become virtually the senior defensive player. Vidic Has

1:27:56 > 1:27:55played 54 games in the last three seasons combined. That is why a new

1:27:56 > 1:27:55contract is not there. He is missing too many games. Smalling and Evans

1:27:56 > 1:27:55have played the majority of games. Jones not so much. I don't think it

1:27:56 > 1:27:55is a big deal for David Moyes now. What David Moyes needs to do now is

1:27:56 > 1:27:55work out who is playing there. Is it going to be Chris Smalling or is it

1:27:56 > 1:27:55going to be Phil Jones? If you are a young player, look at Skrtel. Jamie

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Carrigan has gone and Skrtel has been given the role to play. He is a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55different player. Chris Smalling is slowly starting to build a

1:27:56 > 1:27:55reputation. He has been a utility player. He has not had the

1:27:56 > 1:27:55opportunities. Jones is a utility player as well, it seems to me. With

1:27:56 > 1:27:55then you feel like you are a jack of all trades, master of nothing,

1:27:56 > 1:27:55really. I personally would like to have seen Vidic with Smalling. I am

1:27:56 > 1:27:55not convinced by Phil Jones. I am not sure where he is going to play.

1:27:56 > 1:27:55We still do not know now. I feel that if Ferdinand is not going to be

1:27:56 > 1:27:55there, you keep Vidic. You need to get to Old Trafford! Thank you to my

1:27:56 > 1:27:55guests. Five Live for Manchester United against Fulham. Updates from

1:27:56 > 1:27:55Tottenham. Bye-bye. The Six Nations

1:27:56 > 1:27:55continues on Saturday with Ireland's massive

1:27:56 > 1:27:55clash with holders Wales, followed by Scotland against

1:27:56 > 1:27:55England in the Calcutta Cup. On Sunday, France

1:27:56 > 1:27:55play host to Italy. The Six Nations - our fiercest

1:27:56 > 1:27:56rivals are those who are closest.