18/12/2016 MOTD2 Extra

Good afternoon, welcome to Match Of The Day 2 Extra

on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website.

Joining me today are Former England, Manchester City and Middlesbrough

defender Danny Mills, England and Chelsea Ladies striker

Eni Aluko and Henry Winter, who's Chief Football Writer

Use the hashtag #bbcfootball on social media, or text 85058

11th Heaven for Chelsea who win at Crystal Palace

Hull will be bottom at Christmas after losing at West Ham.

We'll be live at the Etihad where Manchester City play

And - ahead of Monday night's Merseyside derby -

The headlines on the back pages this morning...

It claims Pep Guardiola will make a ?25 million

move for Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in January.

In The Mirror - Bigger Than El Classico.

ahead of tomorrow night's Merseyside derby,

Ronald Koeman has claimed this

In The Sunday Times - Top of the Tree, with Chelsea nine

points clear at the top of the Premier League.

That's where we'll start - with Chelsea, who have

The record in the Premier League is 14.

The next three games they don't have to leave London. That is fortunate.

They will also be without Diego Costa for the suspension. But, the

way that Antonio Conte has transformed that team, ten minutes

into the game at the Emirates, I was there, they were trailing 3-0 to

Arsenal, the way that he has Hazard playing at his best again.

Costa was booked yesterday, but he has got him restrained and focused

on bullying the defence with his ability. He has called for at

Sunderland midweek, a fabulous save from van Aanholt.

The wingbacks out wide, Moses has played fantastically. That

celebration at the end, on some of the football pull-outs, that

emotional engagement that he has with the fans, the fans respond to

it. It's been incredible, three at the back.

They have conceded twice, once to mentor and another time to Spurs,

quite a record. -- wants to Manchester

City. When you look at the great teams over the years, the great

Barcelona side, the same back Webb Whee Kim, week out. Manchester

United never really changed it -- week in, week out.

All of these teams are built on a solid defence. I agree with Henry

committee has adjusted the formation. The wingbacks are key,

Hazard and Costa are special. N'Golo Kante and Matic are good up front.

Moses has been out on loan to every Premier League club in the last few

seasons. Alonso has come from nowhere, not ripping up any trees

previously in the Premier League. A good set of players. He has given

them confidence, they now have belief and they are buying into him

and his velocity and are doing extremely well. They are full of

confidence. Eni Aluko can you are around the Chelsea training Centre,

do you notice a difference around the place? Gary Cahill said

yesterday that the team have an invincibility about them. When they

go onto the pitch, they know they will win. Gary Cahill himself had a

shaky start, in that Arsenal game he made a mistake. He's come back in

stature. The back three, Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill and David

Luiz, they look solid and like they will not concede. Of 11 games, nine

clean sheets. 11 games unbeaten. You could see

with Hal Costa went over to Antonio Conte, there is a bond between the

players. What made it special in terms of this achievement, it is

pretty much the same set of players lasted that did so bad and Jose

Mourinho. Clearly, there is an investment in Antonio Conte and what

he is doing -- did so badly under Jose Mourinho.

The best thing was losing against Arsenal that day. I cannot see them

being beaten after they have changed so much. How do you get that mental

strength and trust your players so quickly? Antonio Conte has two sides

to him, he is quite a hard bike and really wants to suffer with his

players on the sideline. He talks about it a lot, every ball is being

kicked. It builds a bond and relationship.

There was pressure on the players to improve on the last season. With new

ideas and new formations, and a new manager. Obviously, it has worked in

their favour. Winning helps hugely. When they first changed their

system, if they lost the first game, they would have gone, I'm not

sure... Winning one, winning two, the players go, we like this! And it

builds from there. Yes, you got the formation right and worked on it but

you need that bit of luck initially. When the manager comes in in

January, if you have that honeymoon period.

He changed it slightly, it worked. Henry will remind us, the game where

Costa wanted to come off, he thought he was going to be booked or

suspended, Antonio Conte went, no. It was a massive turning point in

respect from only Costa, but the other players went, actually, I will

not back down. I'm in charge and it is working. It could have gone one

of two ways. Costa could have done what he did to Jose Mourinho.

Downing tools, I would do this, I won't like it... But it went the

other way. There are enough, you are right, and you can see this

relationship he has is fantastic. That is what it is all about.

Jose Mourinho had it two years ago. The relationship between the manager

and player nowadays is not so much the coaching, it is key. Do you see

a difference in Chelsea? The bench, they are strong there as well. He

bought the most important footballer in 2016 in N'Golo Kante. He was

Footballer of the Year last season. If anything he has improved him.

He's let him off the lead a little bit.

He says, go and attack. You saw those attempts yesterday on goal.

And he is playing with better players. That will improve a bit. He

did that with the French national side. I think that players respond

to Conte, like Liverpool players with Jurgen Klopp. There is

something about Conte, when he comes into the Press Conference, he is

measured and it is a different contrast to the jack in the box

getting the fans and the players going.

He is very calm. If you have a manager who can go through the

gears, who can trial these different things, who can be emotional and

very intelligent and measured, a good man manager as well, you have

one of the best around. He is not suddenly bursting onto the scene.

This reputation with Italy and the national team at club level... And

in the Euros, we forgot that this year Italy were one of the

favourites in the tournament to win it. He had a fantastic Euros with

Italy. Obviously, he has the confidence in that formation that we

have not seen a lot in the Premier League. That the players are buying

into. In terms of weaknesses, perhaps the back three, there could

be a team who figures out how to get them with pace. Gary Cahill, I

mentioned, he has made some mistakes this season but at the moment they

are keeping those clean sheets, and winning 1-0. John Terry cannot even

get into the team. That is testimony... It is consistency.

Leicester made many changes to their starting line-up through the season.

At Chelsea, 13 or 14... Manchester City at the back have made over 50

changes. All good teams are built on consistency, especially defensively.

You need that relationship and understanding. Forward players, you

can say to them, express yourself and go and play. You cannot do that

with defence. Players like to have that kind of consistency every week.

They know their job and what they are doing. They know who they are

playing alongside and it helps massively. We talk about consistency

and in January that becomes the question, in the Daily Mirror this

morning, they were talking about upsetting the balance.

He will have to bring in a couple? You can always bring in a couple. It

is not a huge problem. Willian did very well and had tragic

circumstances. Pedro came in and did very well. Fabregas has played in

the last few games, dipping in and out. You can change one or two, that

is not a problem. But you cannot make wholesale changes every week.

At Manchester City, that does not work. Look at players like

Rodriguez, and they have other players who can do it. I would like

to see him bring in a couple from the Academy.

It is a gamble and it is difficult at Chelsea, it is about results and

managers come and go quickly but look at the young players. You

probably see them daily, it is probably one of the best academies

in Europe. Let's give them a chance and not

ship them away, give them a chance at Chelsea.

Like Tammy Abrahams scoring goals in the lower leagues, you think, what

point will they be given a chance that? If John Terry cannot get into

the team... I think that Chelsea need another striker. For someone

like Costa, suspended against Bournemouth, who else is really

going to bear the burden of scoring goals? Hazard is scoring as well.

Batshuayi? Does he have a lot of goals in him? That is the problem

committee has great potential but we do not know. He is not going to get

a start while Diego Costa is playing -- that is the problem, he has great

attention. He will get a game, but the moment Costa is

in... We have had some tweets, the

reliance on Costa is a weakness. Weaknesses of Chelsea are the

ballplaying skills of Alonso, Matic... It's interesting. They are

better than you think. They have to do a certain job. N'Golo Kante and

Matic can play, he does not give the ball away often. Moses has been

exceptional. Alonzo, as we talked about, he is very steady and does a

great job for the team -- Alonso. Conte does the best for the team,

not just putting in the stars. Swansea's 3-0 defeat

at Middlesbrough leaves them level on points with Hull,

who are bottom. Here is Bob Bradley... It's the same

story. We began OK, but we conceded before we know it, we are down two.

In the second half you have to push a little bit. The final product is

not good enough. REPORTER: It is clear that you are

about building resilience, how do you do that if you do not see it at

the moment? It comes from making plays at important moments and the

group mentality. You can talk about it but it has too happen on the

field. We are disappointed now. We came in

with a good idea that this was a match where we could take on points.

We didn't, but we turn our attention to two really important home matches

at the beginning of the Christmas period.

I was at the game yesterday, it's another example of Swansea's

terrible away form. They must address it, Danny? Even that game

where they won 5-4, he cannot concede four goals and expect a win

every single one. He has won one game.

Normally you have the honeymoon period when a new manager comes in,

it is a massive gamble. I thought he does not know the Premier League at

all. An American owner, an American coach

or manager, that has not worked. The worry now is, what do they do in

January? Give him money to spend? Bring in players into a league that

he does not really know? Or, change the manager? It must be on their

minds at the moment. But this is more than Bob Bradley, it's a

culture of almost Tikay at the club over the last two years in terms

of... -- decay. When they lost players like Ashley Williams, he was

a leader and an outstanding defender. You must replace quality

with quality and they happened. When Wilfried Bony left, and Ashley

Williams, you could argue certain places in central midfield. We could

blame Bob Bradley and he probably won't last that long. Do you think

that they have lost their way, Swansea? Definitely. Once upon a

time, and Rogers, Martinez... They brought through players and had a

certain style. Even under Garry Monk. They lost players every year,

but they manage... They will bring managers through who understood the

philosophy. They have gone down the opposite route. New owners, new

manager. He does not know the philosophy of the club. Suddenly, it

is falling apart. We have got some tweets. Ian reckons

Leeds will be changing leagues next season! This one says, I am

surprised Bradley has not been sacked already. Allardyce is what we

need, he says. It is crazy to think that he has only been in for seven

or eight games, ten games, and he's already having to fight for his

credibility as a manager? This is the think what is the solution?

Solution cannot be to sack Bob Bradley. Because they've already

changed managers to war three times. And Barry Davies asked the identity

from when Brendan Rodgers was there, Martinez they have a of play. I

think it is the players, I think it is a lack of quality. And what have

they got to lose in January by bringing better players in? That has

to be the solution, because otherwise I think they will find

themselves whether gated. They have got immense quality in Gylfi

Sigurdsson, and I suppose it will be a question whether they can hang

onto him? Gylfi Sigurdsson has been superb for them, he has been one of

their few shining lights. The other issue Bob Bradley has at the moment

is, there are some good managers out there, waiting by the phone, whether

it's Sam Allardyce, Gary Rowett, who ridiculously lost his job. If you

went for him, maybe you would we going back to the old Swansea

philosophy, just giving someone a chance. Maybe they will revisit Ryan

Giggs, I don't know. He has been touted for that position in the

past. Let's move on to a team who currently sit bottom. You know Hull

reasonably well from when your brother was playing for them. They

lost at West Ham yesterday but there were a bit unlucky, I think West Ham

gave Man of the Match to the posts after the game! Yes, I have never

seen anything like it. Hull started really strong, and they've lost

their way bit. They just don't have quality, they don't have a

goal-scorer in the team. When you look at someone like Middlesbrough,

with Negredo confident, Gaston Ramirez playing well. They have got

goals in their team. Hull just don't have enough goals in the team I

think to stay up, unfortunately. I don't know what's happened since the

start of the season for them to lose their way, but it just seems they're

not winning games, not even drawing games at the moment. I think you

have got to look at the owners as well. There is a bad atmosphere at

the club, your brother probably experienced it, you have got owners

who are completely unloved, there's tension with the fans, they're

falling out over the direction of the club, and they even tried to

change the name of the club. When you've got that negative atmosphere

in the background, it must impact. Yes, I think it has been unsteady

for years. Steve Bruce was the mainstay, to a certain extent,

brought a lot of players in, and at least the players knew his voice,

knew what he wanted. Do you think Steve Bruce saw it coming? I think

so. You're right, the pure lack of quality, if you're relying on

Mbokani to keep you in the Premier League, Norwich found out, you're

going to struggle. And that's a problem for them. Steve Bruce left,

new manager came in, another transfer window, no players of any

quality were brought in. And ultimately, teams with worse players

generally finish down at the bottom. I think Hull have had a good enough

crack over the last five or six years to actually figure out how to

stay in the Premier League. They have been a yo-yo team. So for me, I

think they have an opportunity this year when they were promoted to

actually build a squad that was going to really compete, like how

Bournemouth did last season. And maybe it's because of the owner,

they just do not seem to get the squad Chilton in order to stay in

the Premier League rather than always being in a relegation battle.

And then, how do you attract players without that harmony behind the

scenes? And it is difficult to bring players to Hull. I think even people

up there will say. Hull has got a lot of attractions but it is not

like a London club for players in the transfer window. I was going to

ask you to name some of the attractions. They've got some fairly

well-known museums, they got some nice countryside nearby. You live

nearby, don't you?! They've got The Deep! It was a must-win for them -

do you see signs of life with Sunderland? If you have got Jermain

Defoe, you've got a chance because he's just extraordinary, his

understanding of the art of finishing. And I think, they have

got Jordan Pickford, one of the best young goalkeepers around, who is

remarkably mature for a young goalkeeper. But wealthy clubs

looking for goalkeepers, and we may come onto Liverpool at some point,

they're going to look at Jordan Pickford. And Sunderland will have

to really fight to keep a talent like him. What I like about him, for

a young goalkeeper, he's pretty commanding. He shouts at far more

senior players, but they've got to hold onto him. You say that, and

showed he is vitally important, but have not been able to make much

revenue in recent years from selling players on. And the chairman has

said there will not be much in the kitty from January. So they will

have to do this all with the players they have? When I look at their

side, they've got a lot more quality than Hull and a lot more experience.

I find it a bit strange that there is no money to bring in, with the TV

deal last year, whatever it was. I think he said limited funds,

whatever that means. Surely you've got to gamble, even if that means

bringing in loan players. People who would go there for the end of the

season, take a bonus if they stay up, that kind of thing. You've got

to freshen it up somehow in January. But you're right come as long as

they've got Jermain Defoe, they've got a great chance. They've got a

goal-scorer. Hull haven't, Swansea haven't. I think Victor Anichebe has

done well since he has come in as well. Big target striker, complete

opposite to Jermain Defoe, but has scored some important goals. Played

under David Moyes at Everton. He has been a big positive as well. I think

Sunderland are looking good, but obviously, behind-the-scenes, it

sounds like quite a strained situation with the owners. Yes, it's

really only that defeat to Swansea which has been a lot in the last

couple of months. You see the resilience under David Moyes at

Sunderland? I think recently we have seen the David Moyes of Everton and

Preston, rather than the slightly defeatist, coward figure at

Manchester United, and at encouraging. Because he's a battler,

he's a tough individual. If they get the Everton Meuse, then they have

got a chance. They definitely need to invest, however, in January. We

will move on to me today's games now. At four o'clock, Tottenham play

Burnley. Natalie Pirks spoke earlier in the week to Dele Alli about the

influence of his manager, Mauricio Pochettino.

Yes, he's been massive for me. When I left Milton Keynes I was looking

for a manager with the same kind of philosophy, the same way he puts

trust in kids. And I can see that in him. He has been a massive part of

my Premier League career so far. He's a decent player as well, isn't

he? Does he get involved in training with you guys? We have this thing

called boxes, I think a lot of teams to it, and he gets involved in that,

but I don't know why he does not get involved in any of the ones that

need some running! Tell us about the song Spurs fans sing about you. You

know the one I'm talking about. I know, but I'm not going to sing it.

I think it's like, we've got Alli... Dele Alli... I just don't think you

understand... He only cost five mill, he's better than Ozil... So

obviously you only cost five mill, but are you better than Mesut Ozil?

That's not for me to decide. He said he wasn't going to sing! Elliot Lee,

I think you know him quite well, Henry - how important has Pochettino

been in his development? It has been great seeing his developer and under

Karl Robinson at MK Dons. I was in the office one day and this kid just

walked in, and he said a few words, and he was very polite and confident

and wandered off. Karl Robinson just said, this kid is going straight to

the top. He's obviously doing well under Pochettino. This comparison

with Mesut Ozil, I mean, come on, let's have a bit of feet on the

ground. Mahsoob Ozil is a special player. Dele Alli obviously is

reaching for the stars, but it will take time for him. He is a special

player but don't get involved in, I am better than Ozil. But he is a

special talent. It has not been quite so serene for him this season.

There's been accusations of diving, a dip in form - how do you view how

he has handled the situation? I think with only four goals this

season, obviously, we are expecting more from him in terms of goals. But

I think we forget that he's very young, and it's his second season

after a lot of noise about him. Lot of talk. This is something which

happens to young players. I think it is the same for Ross Barkley, he had

a great season and then a quiet season. I think we need to

understand that this is a young player, and he's got his feet on the

ground, but he's not going to be amazing every single season. But I

think he has got a good head on his shoulders, comes across really well

and understands his responsible at ease as Tottenham player. There

seems to be a maturity. And last season was his breakthrough season,

and he was exceptional. Nobody expected him to be as good as he

was. Even if he gets ten goals this season, for a midfielder, that's

pretty outstanding. That is not a bad return, and we are not even at

Christmas, he's got four over-egged. Every chance he will get ten. He's

just got to keep working hard. That's what I like about him, he

does work hard. He has an influence on the game even if he's not scoring

goals. You see the amount of running he gets through, closing down,

putting tackles in, see that sort of thing. There is more to his game

than just the goals. Of course they're a huge bonus. But I mean,

Ozil has won World Cups! That is not for him to say! Is he better? Not

yes,. Of course not. Potential? Potentially. He's a completely

different player. Dele Alli is almost the old-fashioned English

midfielder - box to box, happy to put his foot in, can score goals.

And that's what I like about him. There's not one part of his game you

look at and think I'm a that's a real weakness. Of course, there are

things which he can work on. With Ozil, maybe it would be tracking

back. Dele Alli has all of those facets. As he gets better and

better, I think he will eventually become a complete midfielder. That's

later on this afternoon. The early kick-off today is Bournemouth

against Southampton, and we can now get the team news from Alistair

Mann. Bournemouth only make one change, with Callum Wilson coming in

up front in place of Benik Afobe. Southampton played on Wednesday, and

they make six changes. Ishida is in, Cedric is back, Harry Reid makes his

first start of the season. Rodriguez also comes in. Goal of the

That was of course Simon Madden and not Alistair Mann.

On 5 Live tomorrow night - commentary on the Merseyside derby.

I love derbies. I have a lot in my life. Of course, when you are in

Germany, and you have the big derby with Dortmund, against Bayern. So I

know how it feels and I am really looking forward to it. If you win,

everything is good, but of causes you a lot of problems when you lose

it. Its pressure, of course, but we all love it, we want the loud

stadium, we want the emotional crowd, all that stuff. Most of them

will probably be on the Everton side, but that is no problem. It's

still loud, but our job is to make Goodison Park as quiet as possible.

Dealing with pressure, it is not so different to the normal life. It was

being as good prepared as possible. It is not about ignoring the

circumstances, it is about using them. We have spoken a little bit in

the last few weeks about this kind of being angry, but in a sports way

angry. We do not have to talk too much about motivation for something

like this, but it's clear they are full of motivation. So it is really

more about doing the right thing in the right moment. In a very

emotional atmosphere. Jurgen Klopp loves a derby. Everybody does! Let's

start with Ronald Koeman's claimed that this is bigger than El Clasico.

Can he say that? No! On Merseyside, maybe! The Merseyside derby is huge

but it does not always define the title race. Whereas El Clasico,

Ronald Koeman scored some great goals in El Clasico, and back often

decides the Spanish league. I think what is great about the Merseyside

derby is, if very rarely lets us down. We get derbies in London,

whatever, or Manchester, and sometimes they are a bit dull. The

Merseyside derby is always cut and thrust, there will be cards, there

will be plenty of passion, the atmosphere is always unbelievable.

And it generally it is a fantastic game to watch.

It has the same importance to the Liverpool and Everton fans, that

anticipation and how he never lets us down with that game. It is

probably an important game for both of the teams at this stage in the

season, especially Liverpool. Chasing Chelsea at the top... And El

Clasico has a political and historical element. The derbies in

this country do not. But El Clasico is not a derby. The whole city is

focused on this one game at Goodison Park. And Jurgen Klopp would like to

make it quiet but he may have to use youngsters? There are some injury

problems? Yes, but I was at Goodison Park the other night for the Arsenal

game. It was just one of those great, great and noisy occasions.

But we are tinged with some sadness because at some point they had to

move on from there. The clock is counting down as to how many derbies

will be left there. I guarantee that it would be raucous. There are a few

youngsters who Jurgen Klopp would have to put his faith in. How

difficult is it for the younger players? We will talk about this

goalkeeper situation but they take a lot of criticism? Those young

players. We spoke about Ross Barkley and Dele Alli. Is it a difficult

time to be a young player? No, it is what you are used to. When I broke

into this senior football, 15, 16, and played on the reserve teams,

players and coaches DQ world and you are getting ready for that

preparation. -- date you out. People ask, what is it like playing in

front of 40,000 fans -- dig you out. It is that growing process and the

mental challenges for young footballers. There are a lot of

players with a lot of skill and potential out there, but it is how

tough can they be mentally? Can they handle the occasion, the criticism,

reading the papers and reading bad stuff or not. However they choose to

do it, it is handling the mental side of the game. They all have

ability. It is how they deal with the big occasions. Players these

days, it should not be a problem for them. The best young players do not

think about it but see it as an opportunity to show what they can

do. You look at Wayne Rooney when he made his debut at age 16. He did not

care that he was in front of 50,000 plus people. That's natural

ability... It is a buzz, not a fear. Senior players, as we say with

England, Henry, often it becomes a fear. It's about what young players

do. It is that adrenaline rush that you get from being in that

environment. It is massive. But you are right, in one of Steven

Gerrard's first games for Liverpool, he was sent off twice, I think, in

the Merseyside derby. They have to have some ice in their veins as

well. We touched on carriers. How do you view the situation? Mignolet

will start, how is it reviewed by the player himself -- Karius. It is

unlike us to wrap things up in the media! Actually, I have an element

of sympathy for Karius. He came out and he could have pulled that

interview in the Daily Mail and said, I do not want to do this at

the moment. He answered questions. That is all we can ask for as

journalists. They come up with honest answers. Gary Neville reacted

to it, but Gary Neville, throughout his career, you knew him well,

whenever you spoke to him, you got an honest answer. I think we can be

oversensitive in this country, as a media. If a player wants to talk and

say particular things, fantastic. The person who comes out best is

Jurgen Klopp. He has made a decision, away from all of the

noise, not reacting to the media or Gary Neville, he's made a decision

he thinks is best. We moan so often about players after games, their

interviews are planned... The same thing time and time again. We wonder

why. Gary has come out and said his piece... I do not think it was

particularly sensationalised. I do not think the Daily Mail did. It was

a thoughtful interview. With Gary Neville getting it

Involved... Then Phil Neville jumped in, more was made bit than people...

Social media is not the most sane of debating chambers! But, it is the

biggest. I think that the goalkeeper position is always tricky. Only one

player can play. Usually, that player plays throughout the season.

I remember at Chelsea, Cortois came in. It's a difficult situation, at

the time he had two top keepers. It is sensitive, when goalkeepers are

dropped, the second comes in... It is a sensitive situation. It is such

a specialist position. In the past, there was always a definite number

one, a number two, and now it is close. We don't know who number one

is. Who is it? We don't know. Cortois is very even. There is not

this distinction, but we never number two.

Cortois and Petr Cech. The moment that someone is left out, it becomes

headline news. It happened with Joe Hart. There is a certain number one

at Manchester United. Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has been on

sensational form. He scored twice yesterday when

Manchester United won. Let's

hear from, his manager. I am so pleased for him. He is the kind of

player who does not have to prove anything to anyone. When he comes to

England in that period of his career, to come to the most

difficult championship in the world. To come in the later period... I

think it is proof that he a super man in his mentality. He is doing

fantastic work. At age 35, it is a dream for any one of 25, a striker

at the age of 25, to the Premier League and impress how he is doing.

How impressed have you been as a fellow striker, at the ripe young

age of 35 with Zlatan Ibrahimovic? I was very impressed, there was a lot

of doubt with him coming into the Premier League. People said

that he was too static and a big personality in the dressing room.

But it is proof that class is permanent and age is just a number

for him. With 16 goals in all competitions, he is the Talisman,

and as Jose Mourinho said, he is unstoppable. Other players for

Manchester United need to chip in. In the event that Ibrahimovic does

not score, they have a problem. Wayne Rooney has two chip in,

Martial, Marcus Rashford... I have been very impressed. He is a good

player around the dressing room as well. Players appear to like him. I

think people did not expect that. They expected this godlike figure to

come in and ruled the roost. That is key that you make that point,

anybody expecting slattern Ibrahimovic to be, I'm the best, you

are not worthy... But Jose Mourinho before, they have had a good

relationship. Ancelotti loves him. Everyone says he works so hard in

training, one of the hardest workers. He would like to win

everything, no matter what. Win at all costs. Running is not

everybody's game. It does not matter if he loses a yard of pace. He is an

droppable at the moment. Jose Mourinho has always had a

Talisman striker. At any club he has been at. He has a go to guide.

Whether it is drop, Costa. Now it is Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- -- he has a go

to guy, whether it is Drogba. At the 21st, there was this Ryan Shawcross

Memorial game, outstanding at Stockholm you got those four goals

with the overhead kick. It is brilliant to see him here.

With the lack of stardust on the pitch, it is in the dugout, the real

stars in Bayern Munich and Barcelona and Real Madrid...

To have him, one of the true icons of the game, that is great. Ask any

defender, many would say, I would rather play against him than a

Cuero, he is static. -- Sergio Aguero.

But that goal yesterday, it was a typical Manchester United goal,

straight over to Jesse Lingard, straight in.

Head goal. He scores a variety of goals. He has

surprised people with his righty in the way that he campaign and how he

has adapted to English football -- variety.

At Manchester City, they host Arsenal today... An interesting

piece has been written by Glenn Hoddle in the mail on Sunday.

He is talking about Pep Guardiola. When he came to England, I said that

this would be his biggest test and he would have too adapt to our game.

At the moment I am watching football subside. That is a strong word --

football suicide. It is interesting coming from Glenn Hoddle, I would

have thought he would have echoed Pep Guardiola's philosophy with

playing football from the back. He did it at Chelsea himself.

Football suicide is a bit strong. And slightly underestimate the fact

that this is one of the most intelligent coaches, and one of the

most successful. He will adapt, you know their pitfalls and ambushes.

He will respond. I do not like this that Pep Guardiola is struggling a

bit. He is one of the greatest coaches. We need him at Saint

Georges Park, speaking to our younger coaches and educating as. He

has had some problems but will get it right. Some of that couple I saw

from Manchester City was some of the best at the Premier League since the

invincible is. He is having issues defensively. He does not know his

best team. It is not squad rotation at Manchester City, but I am going

to change it for the sake of change. Over 50 to the starting line-up

already. That causes a lot of problems. Kolarov at centre-half,

left-back, left of the three... Wingback... Players all over the

place. Defensive players like consistency. Pep will get it right,

but it is the first time he's been in a very competitive league. He's

not at Sporting Gijon, or in Germany, where Lewandowski scored,

it is easy... You take your foot off the gas... Every single game is

competitive until the end. Physical demands are so much different in the

Premier League. But he has played in teams where if he beats two others,

he has won the league. He can concentrate on Champions

League games. This is completely different and maybe it is taking

him... He had a fantastic start and

everybody said that he was a genius and would walk it.

Now, maybe not? This is the thing. If he was winning football matches,

we would still say that he's a genius

but because he is losing. We are saying that he is a prisoner...

Well, Glenn Hoddle, he is a prisoner of his own ideology. But this guy

has won 21 trophies in seven years. That's three every year. He won't

change, why should he? He has won a lot of them. The differences, the

other teams he had, coming through Barcelona, world-class players in

every position. He did not change that team a lot. Bayern Munich,

world-class players in every single position. Did not have to change

that team weekend, week out. -- week in.

With Manchester City, the goalkeeper out immediately, Stones has

magnificent potential, who plays with him?

Midfield... Sergio Aguero is brilliant. He needs to change

defenders in the transfer window. Three decent defenders is what he

needs. A big transfer window in January.

You can hear Manchester City v Arsenal on 5 Live at four o'clock.

Don't forget Match of the Day 2 is on BBC One tomorrow night,

with highlights of all of today's games, as well as