16/03/2014 MOTD2 Extra

Welcome to Match of the Day two Extra. We're discussing the

weekend's football on BBC One, Radio 5 live and the BBC Sport website.

The title race gets more intriguing with Jose Mourinho sent to the

stands as Chelsea lost yesterday. Manchester City got they three

points. Man Utd have to do the same this afternoon. With me in the

studio, former Ireland, Everton and Sunderland midfielder Kevin Kilbane,

MOTD commentator Guy Mowbray and the Telegraph's Henry Winter. We want

your thoughts. There are so many stories. You were at Villa Park

where Aston Villa's win got lost in all the other shenanigans. It is

such a shame because Aston Villa played really well. There is a

really good Aston Villa team that does not get out often enough. I

think it is hurting too. What a lively finish. We are changing our

minds every week as to who is going to win the title. Manchester City

laid down a marker yesterday lunchtime. Great performance, going

down to ten men so early. I thought they were brilliant. They can be

very pleased. We will talk more about that later. If we change our

mind about who might win the title, we have to change our mind about who

is going to go down. With ROM and Fulham winning yesterday. -- West

Brom. Running up and down hills has got them fit. For West Brom, Pepe

Mel has had to take a lot of stick. You have to admire him. I cannot

remember a season like this. Those other subjects we are going to touch

on over the next 45 minutes. Let us know your thoughts. The first game

this afternoon is at Old Trafford. One of the biggest if not the

biggest game in English football no matter where the sides are in the

league. Manchester United at home to Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.

Liverpool going for the title. Manchester United still hoping they

can get into fourth. Let us hear from Daniel Sturridge.

How do you approach it mentally? Try to enjoy it as much as I can. I am

playing my natural game. The game I have always been doing. I have been

given the opportunity by the manager to go out and do what I do best. It

is good to score goals and to be part of such a great thing that is

happening at Liverpool. Heavy Liverpool fan wants to know if their

team can win the title. -- every Liverpool fan. Of course. It is

every player 's's dream. We are second. Man City have games in hand.

Chelsea are seven points clear. We are doing everything in our power to

get as high as we can in the Premier League. First place, is it

realistic? At the moment, it is not, but we do want to when. I would be

lying if I said I did not want to win. Let us go to Old Trafford. Does

this feel like going back to the 80s in that Manchester United have to

stop Liverpool going for the title? Maybe. You will probably remember in

those days when Liverpool were winning lots of trophies and

Manchester United were struggling, Man Utd often got good results. If

you look at the points difference, it is the 40 point swing since this

stage last season. United were 29 points better off than Liverpool

last even and go into this 11 points worse off. That is huge over the

course of 12 months. United with love to try to throw a spanner into

Liverpool's title hopes and the Chelsea game yesterday has upped the

ante for Liverpool because if they can win, and they have lost ten of

their last 11 year, they are right in for a four weight title race. It

would be fascinating if they through a spaniel into the title race! You

would have the RSPCA. This United were to win, they close the gap

ahead of the Derby to eight points which would give them a little bit

of belief about getting warmer. And 8-point gap, Arsenal would be

difficult, because they do not play before the end of the season, but if

they can get it down to eight points against Liverpool, Liverpool have

difficult games against Man City and Chelsea and Tottenham, all at

Anfield, if Liverpool were to suddenly do a Devon Loch, could they

make up the eight points? They would feel it is possible. There are other

teams between Manchester United and the Champions League, Tottenham and

Everton, but it would not necessarily be impossible. It would

be a big win. The big news is that Luis Suarez will be the first

footballer to wear knitted boots. You have seen them. I have. They

feel a little bit like the nylon you might get on a deck chair. The

overall effect is that they are grown, close-up nylon fibre, quite

rough to the touch. We did not know for certain Luis Suarez was going to

wear them, but they are here. It looks a little bit like he has put a

sack over the boots. Going to the website to see a picture if you are

listening on BBC Radio 5 live. Luis Suarez, whatever he is waiting, is a

danger. The defence has not a particularly assertive, confident,

organised. They have a very good goalkeeper but he has not had the

protection, so they have to stop the ball going to Luis Suarez. It is not

just about Luis Suarez. He is playing Sturridge which is a message

to Roy Hodgson about how effective he can be. We know the sort of

passes that Gerard can play. -- Steven Gerrard. It will be

interesting to see who the Player of the Year as. Henderson has been

outstanding. Jordan Henderson, there is nothing wrong with his runnings

while. -- running while. All over the field. United have not been

great midfield. Sterling is having a fantastic run. United are the

favourites for the bookies. I think it is still one of those games.

Where form goes out of the window. It is like a Cup tie. Barry says, I

am a Liverpool fan but I know that Manchester United will be fired up

and give Liverpool a tough game. Elliott says, more proof that he

does not have the mental characteristics for the job because

he is downplaying it. Is he playing it down? Is it embarrassing? He is

trying to deflect any pressure. That is all. We have seen it from various

managers, Jose Mourinho does that every week. We recognise the

position that Chelsea are in in relation to winning the Premier

League. I think the key to the game is the United defence. Liverpool in

the transition from defence to attack, it is devastating at times

and United push on too match, the way Liverpool counter could cause

problems. The Vidic is going in the summer. Do you stick with the newer

players and get them to bed in? Perhaps, but you cannot

underestimate the experience that Vidic and Ferdinand can bring. That

could be key but that looks as if he is going to look to Jones going

forward. It is quite a big call because if he does not give them a

call he is saying they are not ready but he says he is not in the market

to buy a central defender. Does he go with them? Interesting. The other

thing in the papers, David Moyes plea to Rooney, talking about them

needing to develop a part partnership. A lot of times last

season it did not look like a partnership. If he is in his best

position, that is fantastic for Rooney. There are little passes for

him to run onto. The question is where Juan Mata fits in. Is that

selfless attitude a problem? Some people say because he is running

everywhere he is not close enough. We recognise that when Rooney has

been at his best he has been allowed the freedom of the pitch and I think

that is when he is at his restful top -- at his best. David Moyes

wants them to change position because Rooney can go on the left

and right. This is the sort of position you would want for Rooney,

not being restricted, having the freedom to express himself. There is

a fluidity and the fluency about Sturridge and Suarez and others.

When you think about Juan Mata and away Valencia plays, it is like for

like. Rooney and than Percy should be just as effective. How does it

change your opinion on the title? Who is in many new is the best

manager in the country. -- Jose Mourinho. Liverpool have got the

distraction of midweek football. Gerard is driven to win the league

with Liverpool. Moving on to yesterday's games, Jose Mourinho was

sent to the stands as Chelsea were beaten by Aston Villa. I asked if I

could speak five seconds, can I say something five seconds? Was that for

walking onto the pitch? I was on the pitch, everybody was on the pitch,

Paul Lambert. I was the calm. I think he knew perfectly what he was

doing. I do not comment. If I comment, I bring the game into

disrepute, and I will be accused. I am not going to give any chance to

be charged with bringing the game into disrepute. So no words. Not a

single word. The camera is always on the manager, never on the

interviewer. RU smiling when you're doing an interview like that or are

you trying to keep a straight face? It depends on who it is. Yesterday I

was trying to keep a straight face. Yesterday, I was completely baffled.

For someone who's not comment -- for someone who not commenting, he was

saying and off a lot. He made his point without getting charged. He

will not get a phone call from the FA. It is very clever. I still do

not know why he was the one to get sent off. It was academic, there

were seconds to go. It did not make any difference. He did say that Paul

Lambert was on the pitch as well. I am fairly sure, having watched it on

MOTD2 Extra, -- MOTD, Paul Lambert went on to the back to pull-back

Gabriel Agbonlahor. Do you have any sympathy with Jose Mourinho? The

first one, slightly. On Willian's second yellow card? Yes. The second

one, Ramires, it is a clear sending off. I think Paul Lambert was

seeing, Jose Mourinho is taking it away from Aston Villa, he is

deflecting away from our performance. Aston Villa played

really well against a top Chelsea team. On the Willian one, it was a

game changer. It was a soft booking. But we'd Chris Foy have booked

Willian had he not been on a yellow card, and I think that he might have

done. It is all about the game and how it is progressing. The game was

getting feisty. So often we castigate referees for not producing

a yellow card when maybe they should. Is this going to fire the

other way? I think we have got to be careful. Jose Mourinho is a baby,

says one viewer. Every time Chelsea get beaten, he throws his dummy out

of his pram. At least have some dignity and defeat. Fabian Delph was

superb yesterday. I felt a bit sorry for Jose Mourinho. He did not

deserve to be sent to the stands. From an Aston Villa point of view,

it is about doing that more often at Villa Park? Yes, and they have very

demanding fans. Paul Lambert understands the European cup. He

achieved great things as a player. He is having to manage under latest

-- under pretty stringent conditions. That is coming from the

chairman. He is shocked that the levels of extravagance in English

fruit bowl. -- English football. I have some sympathy for Paul Lambert.

But when the attack really gets going, it is fantastic. Fabian Delph

was fabulous. I agree with you completely. They were deserved

winners. You are touching on Fabian Delph. He seems to get better and

better. He had a serious injury when he signed from Leeds United. But he

looks like he has real potential. He has never got Neil England. That is

another one we can bring into the mix. I am willing to concede now, he

definitely did meet that. -- did mean that. It is great to see him

blossom. He was well liked at Leeds United. When he left, there were

staff in tears. He could have a golden period, for five, six years.

I had messages last night from people at Leeds United. They wanted

to know how he was playing. They hold them in such high regard. I was

at Villa Park when Aston Villa won a lead in the season. It was bouncing,

but at other times in the season, it has been very flat. At the risk of

encouraging the anger of Villa fans, do they have a responsibility to

their team? No, because they are Aston Villa fans. Until yesterday,

Paul Lambert had won as many games away from home as he had at home.

With the young team that he has got, I wondered if the crowd brings

its own pressures. I think you can go to lots of fruit bowl grounds

throughout the Premier League and you will get the same reaction if

Chelsea come to play. -- football grounds. It takes something special

to lift the crowd. It is probably the same for Aston Villa. Does the

defeat for Chelsea proved Jose Mourinho rate, when he said that the

gap against Manchester City was not large enough? I think it proves what

he has been saying since the start of the season. They need a centre

forward. Yesterday, it looked like Chelsea had upped their game. But

when it did not happen, that was it. Now let's move on to Manchester

City. They are the title favourites. Here is Manuel Pellegrini on their

victory at home yesterday. It was a very difficult week for our team.

Especially today, after two defeats. We were playing 80 minutes with one

player less. It was a very difficult game. We had a great response. We

started playing in the same way that we were with 11 players. We scored a

goal that was very important. We had the clear chances to score another

one. I do not remember any clear chances for Hull City. You covered

this game yesterday. At the final whistle, we discussed, this was so

much more for Manchester City than a routine 2-0 victory. Yes. There was

very little time for the players to recover from their midweek game.

That result will be so satisfying for Manuel Pellegrini. The manner in

which they went about it. Demichelis was brilliant. He organised his

defence. They were playing a high line, a dangerous game. Certainly

when the ball was being moved forwards by Hull City, they moved up

in a line. They had really good shape and it was good to watch.

After Vincent Kompany got sent off, Garcia went into the back four.

Fernandinho was outstanding. Was it an ideal blueprint of how to play

with ten men? Yes. Edin Dzeko was isolated upfront. What he did a good

job. But the three behind them, the way that the interchange, -- the way

that they interchange, it was brilliant. Pellegrini is right in

saying that they had the better chances. Hull City did not create a

lot. One of the good elements of this job is parking your car before

Manchester City match and healing that David Silva is going to start.

-- and hearing. When he came off the pitch the other night, all the

Barcelona fans applauded him. They could see what a special players

years. I agree with you about Fernandinho. Everyone thought he was

a holding midfielder when he came from Spain. But he was going from

box to box. Yes, I think we are seeing a player, apple -- at player

for your getting more interchange. He is very disciplined. He can

interchange with Yaya Toure. The papers this morning are

concentrating on the argument between George Boyd and Joe Hart.

Joe Hart said in the mirror this morning, George Boyd did not spit at

me. It certainly looked that way, and Joe Hart put his head into

George Boyd after George Boyd had died. -- had dived. High-definition

and slow motion can make things look worse than they are. It did look

intentional, but maybe it was something that came out when they

were having a go at each other. We have to be very careful in terms of

throwing the book at George Boyd. Is it easier to throw the book at him

for the way that he went down? Definitely. You can see the anger

from Joe Hart. He has had to reconsider his career over the last

few months. The mistake against Fernando Torres at Chelsea. He was

dropped. But Joe Hart has been fantastic since he has come back.

The goalkeeping coach has worked with him. He is such a focused

individual that when he saw player cheating against him, as George Boyd

did, he reacted like that. Does he have to worry. If he reacted to

something like that in Brazil, at the World Cup, he would have to go?

I think he has to go to the World Cup now he is playing so well. I

think it was infuriating that the referee did not bid George Boyd. His

manager has tried to defend him. He said he was anticipating the

contact. Sometimes it is done quickly. You can never tell from

your position if there has been contact. But it did look like he was

looking for a penalty. He did not make much of it, and that is what

infuriated Joe Hart. Last week in the Bundesliga, a Werder Bremen

player went down anticipating contact. And the referee give a

penalty. He got up and said, that was not a penalty. They were 2-0 up

at the time. I think we often see that quite often. We see players get

up and make out they were not appealing for anything. Is this the

ones that go down and appeal. -- it is the ones. He probably had a good

penalty claim from Fernandinho later, when he was barged in the

back, and he did not get that one. I hope that referees clamp down on

this, and managers as well. John Terry had a word with Didier Drogba

once, when he did that. Managers need to say, if you're going to

dive, I am not going to play you. Tony Pulis has done that in recent

weeks. It is happening more. Let's get back to Old Trafford. Alistair

Bruce-Ball is doing this game for radio. He can give us the team news.

There is one change for each side. Nemanja Vidic returns for Manchester

United. He comes in for Chris Smalling. Raheem Sterling starts for

Liverpool. Philippe Coutinho drops to the bench. The teams are on the

screen. Two attacking line-ups.

You build a rather odd face their? No. I am not surprised that he has

picked the man you Vidic. -- that he has picked Vidic. It is for his

experience. I think David Moyes is saying that he is going to be a key

player for us until the end of the season. We need to get ourselves

back in the frame for the Champions League. Chris Smalling may be

injured. Perhaps that is why he is not on the bench. Liverpool are

going to play Raheem Sterling against Patrice Evra. You could

imagine that Raheem Sterling will enjoy running at him. The commentary

from four o'clock on five live is the North London derby. Let's hear

from the managers. It has always been difficult at White Hart Lane,

but we are in a position where we want to win the game. After Stoke

City, it is very important that we had the good result against Everton.

We had a good result against Bayern Munich, but we need to continue and

have no weak moments until the end of the season. I always thought it

was a good time to play Arsenal. It is the nature of the game. It is ups

and downs. You have to soldier on. We are in a difficult period at the

moment. After two defeats, we need to go out there and be counted, and

I am sure that we will. Tim Sherwood has had a tough week. The Benfica

game they were quite poor. I think they played quite well against

Chelsea, certainly for 55-60 minutes. I think they were holding

their own, playing quite well, and that was compounded by the result

against Benfica. Slate realism. -- it is like. It was a massive

change. He is having a tough time. That is management. He has been a

breath of fresh air because he has freshened up the squad. He went on a

good run. I have one or two tactical issues. A lot of better teams would

have lost to Benfica the other night. I love his honesty. It may be

upsetting a few players. I preferred it when a manager comes out and

criticises you. That sort of thing does not bother me. He would have

said it to their faithfuls top -- to their face. It is a different

mentality because of the way players are brought to through. The

professionals have a responsibility to help Sherwood out. Dawson has

been injured. If you look around the team, you think, where are the

natural leaders? They have brought in some good young players but they

do not have the leaders. As far as Arsenal are concerned, Neal says,

four usual certainties missing in the most important month, we have

been talking about strikers but as the move looking like a

masterstroke? If he is fit. He is never going to play, is he? It looks

as if his back problem is going to keep him out for good. That leads us

on to the article in the Telegraph this morning, with him saying he is

going to a new level. How did you find him? I do not mean what route

did you take! He is intelligent, eloquent, there is a high contact,

he debates tactical issues with eloquence. Watching him against AC

Milan two years ago, he was then passed it playing centrally --

fantastic. I really like him. Everyone hopes that he will come

back to full fitness, but he gives England that option because he can

win the ball. That runs he had after half an hour against Bayern Munich,

look at the players he was going past. This was not a Championship

side. They have one European cups, World Cup winners -- players who

have won the World Cup. This is a player who likes the big stages but

he has to be played centrally. I think he showed his best form when

he played centrally. He can run with the ball. He can also pick out a

pass and tackle will stop he knows to put his foot in and tackle and

have the responsibility to cover his defence. His all-round game is

coming on. That is where I see him, playing centrally. He has had a

football education from an early age. They would have watched matches

together and he would have educated him. He has had a head start

anyway. -- in a way. Could you see him at the World Cup? Yes. Thinking

of Gerrard and Henderson together, it goes so well. We do not know how

fit he will be by the summer. Is he next? He might be. I do not see a

problem with that if he is playing that well for Arsenal and playing

against players he would be playing against in the World Cup. He said, I

am not fond of riders and snakes. -- spiders. Who could miss out?

Lampard? Possibly. Whether or not it is in Roy Hodgson's maned to take

him because of his experience, there is a debate. I think the experience

holds. You know the game. It is what the likes of Chamberlain, Henderson,

give you, energy wise, like -- legs. Two intelligent players who do not

give the ball away. I do not think there is a debate about them. I am a

huge Berkeley fun. I am not sure if he makes the cut. You are throwing

names in. They did it with strikers last night. You start to think about

which good players are not going to make the England squad. We know we

are not going to win the World Cup, but used art to think, this is not

half bad. I am getting excited. You are right. Try to pick 23. It is

hard. It is more exciting than we thought it would be. We are playing

Italy. England are playing against Uruguay and Suarez is useful. That

has brought the mood down. Phil on and with from getting the first --

film Fulham and West Brom getting their first wins for their

managers. The players worked very hard. The fans were very kind with

me. Congratulations. How does it feel? Very glad. Very proud of my

team because it was hard work today. I think we have realised that we are

able to stay in the league. Pepe Mel and Felix Magath. We can talk to the

wingback. What are you laughing at? I spoke with Robbie earlier and it

probably was not my finest first half I have ever played. I was

rolling back the years a little bit going wingback, may be right back

would be more me. We will come back to your personal performance and

what Robbie Savage did you last night, but was the overriding

feeling in the dressing room late relief? Yes. It was a massive win.

We find ourselves in a difficult position, but the overriding feeling

was relief. It has been difficult to see where our next win is coming

from, but hopefully that will kick-start the next run of games.

What goes on at half-time? Second half performances are very different

from first-half since Pepe Mel took over. That has been the difference.

I do not know if it has been a better realisation at half-time that

we are in it. Sometimes it takes us to go a goal down to get going. We

could not have got off to a worst possible start yesterday. I put

myself at fault for the goal. Half-time came at every good time

for us yesterday to give us a chance to regroup and the coaches came into

their own at half-time. We went out with the lots more aggression,

desire to get up to the ball at the second half was a completely

different side. Did he apologise? We had a bit of banter. Friendships go

out the window and you have to be honest! You have to get on with it.

It has been the story of our season. We have had a lot of adversity. We

have had a lot of criticism individually and as a team, as

players and other club. You have to get on with these things. From the

second half performance that showed that we can dig in when it counts.

Leave Robbie to us. Sort him out! That will give them massive belief.

I am surprised because I thought he could play up front on his own, with

another striker, have they got the cutting edge? They have experienced

defenders, very good goalkeeper. You would think they will pull out of it

but I am pleased for Pepe Mel because he has taken a lot of

criticism. No surprise Fulham win, says Andrew. Fulham will have come

back in and seen a lot of other results probably not go the way they

wanted. Probably looking at Newcastle, Newcastle are safe, a lot

of people will target those games. It is a massive win. You have to get

that out of the way. There is so much talk about it. So much talk

about Felix Magath and his training and his hill runs. I think he has a

lot of experience and he has brought success to Bayern Munich and other

club. He is a top class manager with little experience in the Premier

League but it might take time to adjust. He has made big calls early.

He dropped the World Cup keeper or four years ago, not surprisingly,

because he has been making mistakes. He is not afraid to make the big

calls. You cannot take your eye off it. It was only a month and a bit

ago that people wanted some alibis out -- Sam Allardyce. Cardiff

probably had the most damaging defeat. Probably saying, we are hurt

by this because we played well, but Everton are a good side. Andy, I

predict Norwich for relegation, woeful despite being gifted two

goals. Patrick, the relegation battle will go to the latter three

games, for the bottom eight or nine it is going to go to the wire. Thank

you for your company. Manchester United against Liverpool, updates on

Radio 5 live and you will be able to watch both of today's games later.