0:00:28 > 0:00:31Hello and welcome to Match of the Day 2 Extra -
0:00:31 > 0:00:34we're on BBC Two, 5 live, the BBC Sport website and app,
0:00:34 > 0:00:35as well as the iPlayer.
0:00:35 > 0:00:43Joining me today -
0:00:43 > 0:00:45The Leicester Assistant Manager Michael Appleton, Joleon Lescott,
0:00:45 > 0:00:51who won two Premier League titles with Man City. And Miguel Delaney,
0:00:51 > 0:00:57the chief football writer at Be Independent.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59As ever, we want to hear from you, using the hashtag
0:00:59 > 0:01:02#bbcfootball on social media - or you can text us on 85058.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Here's what's coming up.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Out of the blue this morning, Watford have sacked manager
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Marco Silva and blamed an "unwanted approach from a Premier
0:01:08 > 0:01:09League rival."
0:01:09 > 0:01:12It's on - only the medicals to wait for now for Alexis Sanchez
0:01:12 > 0:01:14and Henrikh Mhkitaryan ahead of their swap.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Normal service resumed for Manchester City thanks
0:01:16 > 0:01:17to Sergio's hat-trick.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19And the perfect start for Paul Lambert as Stoke
0:01:19 > 0:01:26get their first win since Christmas to move out of the bottom three.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28In terms of the papers...
0:01:28 > 0:01:29The Sunday Times -
0:01:29 > 0:01:31"Who needs Sanchez when you've got Sergio?"
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Also Spurs fight Real over world record bid for Kane -
0:01:33 > 0:01:36the Spanish side apparently ready to offer £200 million.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37The Sunday Mirror -
0:01:37 > 0:01:39"Heir of the Pog" - saying Paul Pogba could demand
0:01:39 > 0:01:41to double his wages to match Alexis Sanchez.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42And the Sunday Express -
0:01:42 > 0:01:45"Pierre we go" - Arsenal can sign Borussia Dortmund striker
0:01:45 > 0:01:53Pierre Emerick Aubameyang if they pay £55 million.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59Big surprise this morning from Watford.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01They've sacked manager Marco Silva.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03A club statement this morning said:
0:02:03 > 0:02:05"This has been a difficult decision and one not taken lightly.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07The Ccub is convinced the appointment of Silva
0:02:07 > 0:02:11was the right one and had it not been for the unwarranted approach
0:02:11 > 0:02:13by a Premier League rival for his services we would have
0:02:13 > 0:02:15continued to prosper under his leadership.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration
0:02:19 > 0:02:22in both focus and results to the point where the long-term
0:02:22 > 0:02:25future of Watford FC has been jeopardised.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27For the security and success of the football club,
0:02:27 > 0:02:32the board believes it has to make a change."
0:02:32 > 0:02:36The BBC's senior football reporter Ian Dennis joins us now.
0:02:36 > 0:02:42What has been going on behind the scenes at Watford?
0:02:42 > 0:02:48For it to get to this point?That approach from Everton, I think was
0:02:48 > 0:02:52mid-November, I do not think it has been right since Watford turned
0:02:52 > 0:02:55enter the £8.5 million. I don't think it went unnoticed with the
0:02:55 > 0:02:59hierarchy that he never killed it. You compare his stance to that of
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Sean Dyche when he has been linked with jobs and Sean Dyche... Would
0:03:03 > 0:03:07say he is fully focused on concentrating on the job, Silva
0:03:07 > 0:03:20never did that. I think the owners believe he lost focus,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23they have seen the spirit ebb away from the club. Admittedly a
0:03:23 > 0:03:26crippling injury list has not helped Silva, but I believe he has been
0:03:26 > 0:03:28quite stubborn from a tactical point of view. He said he wanted one
0:03:28 > 0:03:31player upfront and the wide players providing the pace. Those who watch
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Watford regularly say those tactics were fine when players were fresh
0:03:33 > 0:03:36but now they are not so fresh and perhaps they need to go two upfront,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39which has not happened. I have said for a while that Watford
0:03:39 > 0:03:42are sliding, perception is everything because last year people
0:03:42 > 0:03:46would say they were struggling, and Marco Silva, who made a good start,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51everything is fine. But the hard facts are that Watford form points
0:03:51 > 0:03:56worse off than at this stage last season.
0:03:56 > 0:04:04Who next, or is it too early?They are looking for a temporary manager
0:04:04 > 0:04:09that McGregor have been working under eight MP manager to work under
0:04:09 > 0:04:13the Pozzo family for years. But there is no instability in the
0:04:13 > 0:04:16boardroom. There is a clear focus, Watford have a track record of
0:04:16 > 0:04:21acting swiftly. I believe they have a manager lined up, I expect them to
0:04:21 > 0:04:27make an appointment in a matter of days. The bookies' favourite is the
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Malaga coach, Jose Manuel Pozo the slope is, I understand Watford are
0:04:30 > 0:04:35looking elsewhere but I am trying to find to that is. I think it will
0:04:35 > 0:04:38happen in days and I would expect him to be in charge for Southampton
0:04:38 > 0:04:43FA Cup try next weekend. Thank you, Ian Dennis. Michael
0:04:43 > 0:04:49Appleton has stuck the final sword into Marco Silva's site?Don't do
0:04:49 > 0:04:54that to me! I am a little surprised, if I am honest. Yesterday the result
0:04:54 > 0:05:00was good from our point of view. I think the game was much tougher than
0:05:00 > 0:05:07you would probably suggest if you felt someone or add team was under
0:05:07 > 0:05:11pressure. Yesterday they did not play like a team that was not
0:05:11 > 0:05:14playing for the manager, I assure you.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17I remember hearing earlier this season that Manchester United were
0:05:17 > 0:05:21looking at him in the long-term, they are impressed at what he has
0:05:21 > 0:05:25done. Chelsea had an eye on him. He has gone from everyone talking about
0:05:25 > 0:05:30how good his coaching was, to within seven months a relegation and a
0:05:30 > 0:05:36sacking, incredible. Some of this, I do wonder, is that almost a
0:05:36 > 0:05:40consequence of what would are as a club. They are transitory club now
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and which so many players come through and leave within a year,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46they have had so much chain chain over with managers. One of the
0:05:46 > 0:06:01reasons they appointed Silva was to improve profile, the issue of
0:06:01 > 0:06:06perception that you brought up. And, to a degree, when someone like
0:06:06 > 0:06:12Everton comes in for your manager, it will Foster the situation that
0:06:12 > 0:06:16you are seen as a stepping stone. I wonder if that led to the spell
0:06:16 > 0:06:20being broken between him and the players, given how good results were
0:06:20 > 0:06:25before. I wonder how you feel about that?There were lots applauded some
0:06:25 > 0:06:32praise for him at the start of the season, but as it has gone on, the
0:06:32 > 0:06:37link to Everton came, the results have not got any better. It is funny
0:06:37 > 0:06:42their reason for sacking him, and see what they do now. Will they
0:06:42 > 0:06:44potentially trailer another team and poach their manager? It is all right
0:06:44 > 0:06:51for them to say that there was the press for Silva from Everton, but
0:06:51 > 0:06:55there is another manager at another team.He was sacked that Olympiakos
0:06:55 > 0:07:00are not wearing the club suit, he was not wearing his seat yesterday.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04We're used to seeing him so well polished, so it was a bit
0:07:04 > 0:07:10surprising. But going back to the way they have come to the decision,
0:07:10 > 0:07:15you do not know what messages he has been Bremain back to the players
0:07:15 > 0:07:19within the group. He did not come out at the time and deny that there
0:07:19 > 0:07:25was not an interest from Everton in this approach, but we do not know
0:07:25 > 0:07:30the type of conversations taking place between him and his players.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33If he was dismissing it there and then, I cannot see it having that
0:07:33 > 0:07:39much of an effect on the group. It can go both ways. I have been in the
0:07:39 > 0:07:42position when I have managed a certain club band that has been
0:07:42 > 0:07:47interest from other clubs, it can help you. -- managed a certain club
0:07:47 > 0:07:51and there has been interest. Sometimes it can bring the best out
0:07:51 > 0:07:53in you. It is interesting to see who they
0:07:53 > 0:07:59will replace him with, but in terms of the approach and going back to
0:07:59 > 0:08:03when the approach happened, I am not too convinced.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Let's listen to Marco Silva, this was his last interview as Watford
0:08:07 > 0:08:10coach after defeat against Michael Appleton's Leicester yesterday.
0:08:10 > 0:08:21Of course you want to win, you want it taken of points for us.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28it taken of points for us. This is the attitude and the commitment that
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I saw against Southampton as well. If you achieve the results, the team
0:08:31 > 0:08:36confidence and belief will be better. We need to keep going and
0:08:36 > 0:08:41keep working hard. The Premier League is like this. All the games
0:08:41 > 0:08:45are really hard to win and we need to keep going and to work, everybody
0:08:45 > 0:08:48fights to take points and they need to do the same.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52You have been getting in touch, keep your messages coming. You can get in
0:08:52 > 0:08:57touch on social media using the hashtag #bbcfootball. One person
0:08:57 > 0:09:01until Twitter says farewell, you had the potential to be one of our
0:09:01 > 0:09:04greatest bosses and Graham Taylor after a terrific start to the
0:09:04 > 0:09:08season. Sadly you try to jump ship as soon as a better offer came along
0:09:08 > 0:09:14and things have never been the same. Matt Smith says go and get Marco
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Silva now, hashtag Saints. Damian says Marco Silva deserve the sack,
0:09:17 > 0:09:21what the's drop has been mad, they were five points behind Man Utd in
0:09:21 > 0:09:28November and now it is 27 points. That is insane, man, says Damian.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Miguel Cummins tens of Marco Silva, is there an argument that this has
0:09:31 > 0:09:38damaged his stop? -- Miguel, in terms of Marco Silva? Has he thrown
0:09:38 > 0:09:43his toys out of the pram after not getting the Everton job?It is hard
0:09:43 > 0:09:47not to get the feeling that he tried to make too many gems too quickly.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52Having just come to England, he improved their performances, the
0:09:52 > 0:09:57relegation was inevitable, he could not stop that. That was already
0:09:57 > 0:10:01January, and already he is looking at a club with a lot of money and
0:10:01 > 0:10:05lots of history, they have won more titles than almost any club in
0:10:05 > 0:10:11England, Everton. To make that jump so quickly and to be so ready. I
0:10:11 > 0:10:13heard in October and November that some people around him advised him
0:10:13 > 0:10:18to give it a full season at a club to show you can build, if you jump
0:10:18 > 0:10:24ship too readily, who will want to invest in you?After that, if you do
0:10:24 > 0:10:27well at Everton, potential speculation of going to a bigger
0:10:27 > 0:10:32club and they are like, can we trust him?Gary Ward on Twitter says clubs
0:10:32 > 0:10:36will never progress if you keep sacking manager when times get a
0:10:36 > 0:10:46little bit challenging. James says Marco Silva was not good enough.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Shocking decision. Michael, do players think I could not get my
0:10:51 > 0:10:57move, I will sell can not put in as much?Absolutely not, it is crazy to
0:10:57 > 0:11:02suggest.-- Michael, do managers think?Premier League is a difficult
0:11:02 > 0:11:07place, it is difficult to manage. As an assistant now I see the pressures
0:11:07 > 0:11:12put on managers these days, the expectations of results. You look at
0:11:12 > 0:11:15the Premier League as it is at the moment and could argue there are
0:11:15 > 0:11:20three leagues but there are two, there is the top six on the other 14
0:11:20 > 0:11:25teams fighting it out to make sure they keep their Premiership status.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29I do not think you have time to soul can't feel sorry for yourself in the
0:11:29 > 0:11:36Premier League. It is cut-throat. -- time to sulk and to feel sorry for
0:11:36 > 0:11:41yourself. He has paid the cost for not winning enough games over a
0:11:41 > 0:11:46period of time, rather than a short period. The those who mentioned
0:11:46 > 0:11:53Watford could get sucked into this, it is so tight from around 20th,but
0:11:53 > 0:11:57if you are thinking would I go there as a manager, why would I go there
0:11:57 > 0:12:02was so much change?As a manager you will back yourself, there you have
0:12:02 > 0:12:06the ability to get them out. Roy Hodgson saw and felt that with
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Crystal Palace and has done that so far this season. I am sure there are
0:12:11 > 0:12:15managers confident enough to get a Watford out of trouble.We will talk
0:12:15 > 0:12:16about Alexis Sanchez now.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18As first reported last night by the BBC's David Ornstein,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Henrikh Mkhitaryan has agreed to join Arsenal, with Alexis Sanchez
0:12:21 > 0:12:22going to Manchester United.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24It's a straight swap - no additional transfer fee for Arsenal.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26The medicals are happening today and tomorrow.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Who's getting the best of this deal?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I would say United, they are bringing in a player that everyone
0:12:33 > 0:12:39seems to want. And they are getting rid of a player that just was not
0:12:39 > 0:12:42working with Mourinho. I do not think Arsenal got a bad deal in the
0:12:42 > 0:12:46circumstances, they had a difficult situation with Sanchez. He is a
0:12:46 > 0:12:49brilliant player but clearly they were not getting the best out of him
0:12:49 > 0:12:52this season with everything happening and he was going to go for
0:12:52 > 0:12:57free. They have a player that I think be quite suited to Wenger, he
0:12:57 > 0:13:02has lots of talent. He has something to prove. Because did not work at
0:13:02 > 0:13:06United does not mean he will not add Arsenal.Played at the highest the
0:13:06 > 0:13:11majority of his career, technically very good. Libertarian is very good,
0:13:11 > 0:13:16hopefully he will do well.Most of Arsenal's best work is done in and
0:13:16 > 0:13:20around the opposition box. I think the best work we have probably seen
0:13:20 > 0:13:24from libertarian at United was in those areas. Wenger has probably
0:13:24 > 0:13:29thought if we can get the best out of him and what he does best, in the
0:13:29 > 0:13:32team they have with the amount of talent they have, it could be a good
0:13:32 > 0:13:36fit for both. You always hear that Mourinho puts
0:13:36 > 0:13:39defensive demands on players like that and Wenger does not, would you
0:13:39 > 0:13:45think that?Wenger is probably known for putting his arm around players
0:13:45 > 0:13:49too much, making them feel loved. Mourinho is a bit harsh. But I'm
0:13:49 > 0:13:56sure he will benefit from this. Miguel, the stall in this deal, it
0:13:56 > 0:14:01has moved quickly but it stalled over the last few years. I read your
0:14:01 > 0:14:04piece for the Independent online about Mino Raiola, the agent, who
0:14:04 > 0:14:09has a huge say in this both the Sanchez and Mickey Terry on?In the
0:14:09 > 0:14:14last two years he was quite well-known but now he is one of the
0:14:14 > 0:14:19board's biggest movers. He was involved in Paul Pogba's transfer,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and now Mickey Terry and's. The United and Sanchez deal were agreed
0:14:24 > 0:14:30on Wednesday night, but the idea was how it would be constructed. The
0:14:30 > 0:14:36issue is whether Arsenal could meet Henrikh Mkhitaryan's wages. And
0:14:36 > 0:14:40because he had not settled at United, he preferred to return to
0:14:40 > 0:14:46Dortmund, where he had done so well. A client has that position, an agent
0:14:46 > 0:14:51like real's view is that they are not compromising. -- and agent like
0:14:51 > 0:15:01Ray Ola's view. A lot of this is stalling, I heard on Wednesday could
0:15:01 > 0:15:05be organised by Thursday apart from the facts about Mino Raiola is
0:15:05 > 0:15:09involved. To be fair, he is getting a deal for his clients.Do agents
0:15:09 > 0:15:16have that much say? In your life and your career? If Pep was saying we
0:15:16 > 0:15:21will not pay the money, there must be times when you think what is
0:15:21 > 0:15:27major doing?Obviously he has made the decision, his agent has made the
0:15:27 > 0:15:30decision to go to Arsenal or Man United, in terms of Mike Cherry and
0:15:30 > 0:15:34his agent works for him, he doesn't work for Manchester United or
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Arsenal so he needs to get the best for his player and his client. As I
0:15:38 > 0:15:42said, both players were negotiating on free contracts so there will be
0:15:42 > 0:15:46some details in there that need to be ironed out.Where does he fit
0:15:46 > 0:15:52into this Manchester United side? Still a big fan to be fair and it
0:15:52 > 0:15:56will be interesting to see who makes way for him. I suppose as a British
0:15:56 > 0:16:06coach, an English player, the amount of time that Lingard is having in
0:16:06 > 0:16:10the team at the minute, and obviously it's exciting that Marcus
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Rashford is just behind him. Worrying from an England point of
0:16:13 > 0:16:17view.That does worry me, these players have come through in the
0:16:17 > 0:16:23last 12-18 months that have excited everyone and Marcus going into the
0:16:23 > 0:16:25England setup and setting the international scene alight, that
0:16:25 > 0:16:29would be a worry from the Englishman, but if you were a
0:16:29 > 0:16:36Manchester United fan it's very exciting.No-brainer?Absolute
0:16:36 > 0:16:39no-brainer, one of the most exciting players in the Premier League and to
0:16:39 > 0:16:42go with that the workrate you have talked about, fantastic work rate
0:16:42 > 0:16:46and he is a team player.Yesterday I was at Burnley for the united win
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and Mourinho said after the game with Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has been
0:16:50 > 0:16:54injured and may not be fully fit before what happened to him last
0:16:54 > 0:16:59season, he argued he only has four players in three positions upfront
0:16:59 > 0:17:02and he wanted to sign a winger and a striker as well. With all the games
0:17:02 > 0:17:06they have got it might not be too damaging for Rashford in that way
0:17:06 > 0:17:09because of rotation but ultimately he might not be the main starter as
0:17:09 > 0:17:13he was.You have been getting in touch, David says not was Alexis
0:17:13 > 0:17:17running down his contract but his attitude has been stinking at the
0:17:17 > 0:17:20club since the Bayern Munich games. Imagine if he had been forced to
0:17:20 > 0:17:24stay, so it could have been worse for Arsenal fans. Stevens says,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27terrible deal for both clubs and both players who end up at clubs
0:17:27 > 0:17:30they didn't want to join in the first place, sums up what is wrong
0:17:30 > 0:17:35with the modern game. David says it a player easily worth £100 million,
0:17:35 > 0:17:40if Coutinho was worth £140 million, just because of age Sanchez is
0:17:40 > 0:17:43better and swapping him for a player they struggle to get four to £40
0:17:43 > 0:17:47million from a great deal for Manchester United. In terms of
0:17:47 > 0:17:53Arsenal, they didn't struck without Alexis Sanchez yesterday. Four goals
0:17:53 > 0:17:56in 22 minutes against Crystal Palace and there is lots of chat about
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Where is that one sitting at the moment, with
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Arsene Wenger last night being asked about him and he said he didn't want
0:18:03 > 0:18:08to talk about it and commented on Mkhitaryan more than Aubameyang.He
0:18:08 > 0:18:12was a bit coy on it, from what I've heard, basically because of the
0:18:12 > 0:18:16disciplinary issues Aubameyang has had at Dortmund, to be fair it is
0:18:16 > 0:18:19worse than the Sanchez situation at Arsenal in that regard but they
0:18:19 > 0:18:22eventually want to do business, so I can see that happening before the
0:18:22 > 0:18:27end of the window. Although I'm not sure it's as far along as maybe some
0:18:27 > 0:18:34of the impressions given. I thought yesterday it was very Arsenal that
0:18:34 > 0:18:37win, in the sense that you always get the sense over the last five or
0:18:37 > 0:18:42six years with them that every time they are about to... When it looks
0:18:42 > 0:18:46like things are going well and there are about to make a jump to get to
0:18:46 > 0:18:49the next level they lose a big game and have some sort of calamity but
0:18:49 > 0:18:53every time it is about to get really bad they get a win like that.That
0:18:53 > 0:18:58result didn't surprise me yesterday. The result surprise me but the
0:18:58 > 0:19:02manner of the result did. Looking at the two goals from the corners, I
0:19:02 > 0:19:08was quite shocked, and Roy will be disappointed. I worked with Roy in
0:19:08 > 0:19:12my days at West Brom his attention to detail is as good as anybody's in
0:19:12 > 0:19:17the game, no doubt about that. For them to score two goals from
0:19:17 > 0:19:22corners, as they did yesterday, is probably the only surprise, two
0:19:22 > 0:19:28goals coming from set plays.You were nodding along in agreement.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Yeah, you are surprise, but going back to the Pierre-Emerick
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Aubameyang situation there must be issues off the field because a
0:19:35 > 0:19:38player of that quality in today's market is worth more than 55
0:19:38 > 0:19:43million. Those numbers being talked about, it is a lot of money, but the
0:19:43 > 0:19:49market is outrageous at the moment so you would accept, expect him to
0:19:49 > 0:19:51get close to 200 million.Mkhitaryan played in that team with him at
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Dortmund and we have seen how great Aubameyang on his day is at
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Dortmund, here's some player.I remember watching him against Spurs
0:19:58 > 0:20:03in the Europa League in 2015-16 and the build-up to the game was about
0:20:03 > 0:20:07two rising teams, especially just before Spurs' first title challenge
0:20:07 > 0:20:12under Pochettino and Dortmund were brilliant, they linked up superbly.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Mkhitaryan is a player we have not seen at your did enough, apart from
0:20:16 > 0:20:21against Spurs last season. If Arsene Wenger can bring that out. You
0:20:21 > 0:20:24touched on it earlier, Mourinho has a harder edge, whereas one of the
0:20:24 > 0:20:28issues at Arsenal that Wenger indulges players too much but maybe
0:20:28 > 0:20:33these are two plays that need that. Suk-Man Joleon Lescott, that's the
0:20:33 > 0:20:37voice of Miguel Delaney if you're listening on 5 live, Michael
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Appleton, Leicester Assistant Manager with us in the studio.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Joleon Lescott, if Arsenal end up getting Aubameyang, and it's a big
0:20:43 > 0:20:45if, but if they end up with Nick Terry and Aubameyang and they have
0:20:45 > 0:20:50got rid of Sanchez, and ended that saga, they have come out of it
0:20:50 > 0:20:53pretty well, haven't they?Good business from Arsenal's point of
0:20:53 > 0:20:57view, if you look at it and say they have spent 55 million and got two
0:20:57 > 0:21:01players who have played at the highest level, for me that's a good
0:21:01 > 0:21:05business.Absolutely, yeah. If you look at the league he is coming from
0:21:05 > 0:21:09as well, it's quite important. The German league is probably the
0:21:09 > 0:21:13closest out of the European leagues to the Premier League in terms of it
0:21:13 > 0:21:17all stop so he is used to that robust style we see sometimes in the
0:21:17 > 0:21:24Premier League. The defenders. I agree with Joleon that I think it's
0:21:24 > 0:21:27good business all round and I think it is one where Mourinho and Wenger,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31the sooner it is done and dusted and out of the way everyone can get on
0:21:31 > 0:21:40with their lives and we can move on journalists can move on.In terms of
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Arsenal, looking at the squad they put out against Bournemouth last
0:21:42 > 0:21:47week, is this the most mediocre Arsenal squad in Wenger's time at
0:21:47 > 0:21:51the club? To get these two players, even if they've had a few
0:21:51 > 0:21:56difficulties, it immediately adds that extra gloss.One player
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Manchester City wanted was Alexis Sanchez, but it didn't work out and
0:21:58 > 0:22:01the Samantha haven't got him in January. They seemed to cope all
0:22:01 > 0:22:04right with him yesterday, they have man called Sergio Aguero who'd
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Joleon Lescott knows well, his 11 Patrick for Manchester City beating
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Newcastle 3-1.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16I remember last time you were on match of the dude Dominic Day two
0:22:16 > 0:22:20extra, can you believe there is some sort of chap that he might go at the
0:22:20 > 0:22:25end of the season -- Match of the Day 2 Extra? He is one of the best
0:22:25 > 0:22:28strikers in the Premier League and as a city fan and affiliated with
0:22:28 > 0:22:32the club I'd like to see a player of Sanchez's quality, but if it's at
0:22:32 > 0:22:36the expense of Sergio Aguero I'm glad he hasn't come. So, it must be
0:22:36 > 0:22:41a personality clash between Guardiola and him.Possibly.It can
0:22:41 > 0:22:46be a question of the player, can it? Not in his performances because he
0:22:46 > 0:22:51scores goals regularly and in terms of his personality it might be that
0:22:51 > 0:22:55but knowing Sergio Aguero like that I doubt it is the case. Obviously
0:22:55 > 0:22:58managers have ideas of the way they want to play on who they see in
0:22:58 > 0:23:01those positions and maybe Sergio doesn't fit the criteria he has for
0:23:01 > 0:23:07his team.Yeah, I'd agree, I have to say, Pepo obviously once these
0:23:07 > 0:23:12forwards to lead the line, in terms of defending from the front and
0:23:12 > 0:23:15pressing from the front -- Pep Guardiola. Were touched on it a bit
0:23:15 > 0:23:19off air, but with Aguero it sometimes feels like he's one of the
0:23:19 > 0:23:22strikers who conserves his energy to be absolutely deadly when an
0:23:22 > 0:23:26opportunity arises. The other side of it is that since Guardiola has
0:23:26 > 0:23:29been at the club that has was been this kind of moments where it looks
0:23:29 > 0:23:33like... All of the rumours and speculation come out about Aguero's
0:23:33 > 0:23:37future and they put in such an effort to try and kill it but it
0:23:37 > 0:23:41never quite goes away and it always off-the-peg. Fosters this
0:23:41 > 0:23:48impression.Yesterday seen reports about Pep Guardiola saying there was
0:23:48 > 0:23:52no words to describe Sergio. Just say he is brilliant, or say
0:23:52 > 0:23:55something more Sylhet convinces everyone. It's like you don't want
0:23:55 > 0:23:59to say what we Olmo and feel about Sergio.What is it? No one else is
0:23:59 > 0:24:03listening, it's just you and me, what is he like? Is he a good lad,
0:24:03 > 0:24:09easy to get on with?Of course he is, he is great.Does he have any
0:24:09 > 0:24:14issues?I don't know anyone who has issues with Sergio. Even the
0:24:14 > 0:24:20incident when he was in Holland and involved in a car accident, it
0:24:20 > 0:24:23wasn't a negative story, there was nothing negative about Sergio
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Aguero, he is professional, loves his craft and loves to score goals
0:24:26 > 0:24:30and he does that pretty much every week.Looking at Manchester City and
0:24:30 > 0:24:36the goals they scored most weeks against most teams, they almost like
0:24:36 > 0:24:40the perfect goal, 5-a-side goals, getting to the byline, six yard box,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45penalty spot, pull it back, bang, goal. What he has got her mind what
0:24:45 > 0:24:48you've got with Aguero, is if the game is tight and they can't get
0:24:48 > 0:24:52those goals and they can't get in behind teams he scores any type of
0:24:52 > 0:24:57goal and scores goals from areas and parts of the pitch.You have said
0:24:57 > 0:25:01all that, Michael, educate me as someone watching football, when I
0:25:01 > 0:25:04see Sergio Aguero doing all that, what more does Pep Guardiola want
0:25:04 > 0:25:08from him if he's already transitioned him into everything?
0:25:08 > 0:25:14Maybe he wants to motivate him, there are different ways of
0:25:14 > 0:25:18motivating players and it's clearly working.Aguero is around 30 and he
0:25:18 > 0:25:23plays with that instinct in terms of scoring. Can you be educated player
0:25:23 > 0:25:28that late in their career, do you reckon, as a coach?I think you can.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32I think you can, there is no doubt that younger players probably learn
0:25:32 > 0:25:35quicker in terms of whether its technical work you are doing. But in
0:25:35 > 0:25:42terms of educating older players in terms of styles and areas you want
0:25:42 > 0:25:46them to get into, their own experience will pick up on that very
0:25:46 > 0:25:50quickly with a group of intelligent players. So I don't think you can
0:25:50 > 0:25:52never stop learning, it's the same with coaches and managers, and
0:25:52 > 0:25:58certainly with players. We see it year in year out and week in and
0:25:58 > 0:26:02week out in the Premier League anyway, lots of the time when you
0:26:02 > 0:26:05get to 28, 20 ninth that is where you come into your own anyway so he
0:26:05 > 0:26:11is in the prime of his career really. -- 20 eight, 29. For me some
0:26:11 > 0:26:14things happen for a region and sometimes you get a bit of luck down
0:26:14 > 0:26:17the line -- happen for a reason. Him staying at the possibility of
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Sanchez not going to the club could work out well for him.City fans
0:26:21 > 0:26:24getting in touch, Jon on Facebook says Aguero is one of the best in
0:26:24 > 0:26:28the Premier League, one of the best the Premier League has seen. Jon
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Wilde says he's in the top five worldwide. Wonderful to watch for
0:26:32 > 0:26:35stubborn if you are a Newcastle fan watching this morning, this
0:26:35 > 0:26:38afternoon, more frustration for Newcastle fans. That Amanda Staveley
0:26:38 > 0:26:43deal looks dead in the water, or does it? We hear different things
0:26:43 > 0:26:46everyday. This is Alan Shearer talking on Match of the Day last
0:26:46 > 0:26:49night. The reason I think Newcastle fans
0:26:49 > 0:26:52want change, and most of them want change, is that they are not getting
0:26:52 > 0:26:56value for money and this is the reason why. Every club in the
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Premier League over the last two or three years has broken their
0:27:00 > 0:27:06transfer record. Newcastle's transfer record 2005 was Michael
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Owen £60 million. Another reason, nine of the players who played today
0:27:10 > 0:27:14were in the Championship last season. The other two, Manquillo
0:27:14 > 0:27:17were at Sunderland and possibly at Stoke, that's the reason Newcastle
0:27:17 > 0:27:22fans want a change of owner. You were nodding along to some of
0:27:22 > 0:27:25that. You can understand the Newcastle fans' frustration that
0:27:25 > 0:27:28this has gone on again, and at the end of another window when they will
0:27:28 > 0:27:32not get the quality they need to get in and potentially be down in the
0:27:32 > 0:27:37Championship again.First and foremost the size of the club and
0:27:37 > 0:27:40the amount of interest that we all have with that football club, even
0:27:40 > 0:27:44if you are not associated with it, it is a hotbed part of the country.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49It is probably a little bit different to most clubs in terms of,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53you know, how compact it is and you walk into the city and that's the
0:27:53 > 0:27:57only thing that people talk about, the football. I was shocked last
0:27:57 > 0:28:01night when I was watching Match of the Day and I saw those figures Alan
0:28:01 > 0:28:07was talking about, their record signing £16 million. I was honestly
0:28:07 > 0:28:12astonished. For a club that big. I can understand certain frustrations.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Even before that Alan Shearer was 15 million and that was nine years
0:28:15 > 0:28:21before that, so it wasn't like it was 4 million up to 15, it was still
0:28:21 > 0:28:24moderate figures considering the way the market has gone over the last
0:28:24 > 0:28:28ten years.The way they spend money actually puts a real figure on this
0:28:28 > 0:28:33feeling that they are kind of just treading water. That is the great
0:28:33 > 0:28:35frustration with Newcastle. I suppose for any supporter and anyone
0:28:35 > 0:28:38involved with the club, the great thing about football is the hope,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42the idea that you can do more and something else will happen. But with
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Newcastle it feels there is always this sealing there.Maybe because
0:28:46 > 0:28:49it's a businessman running the club, he doesn't have that much
0:28:49 > 0:28:53affiliation with Newcastle in his heart. That's probably the reason
0:28:53 > 0:28:57why he's running at more so as a business.As a devil's advocate,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00it's his business and he does what he likes with it, Newcastle fans
0:29:00 > 0:29:07will not like that. We have breaking news, Miguel, Tommy what you mean,
0:29:07 > 0:29:12think of this. Javi Gracia, is affected to be the next Watford
0:29:12 > 0:29:20manager, formerly of Rubin Kazan. One thing about Spain, I remember
0:29:20 > 0:29:24talking to an executive of a Premier League club recently, the reason
0:29:24 > 0:29:29they still like young players from Spain and Germany in England is
0:29:29 > 0:29:32because of how good the coaching is and Javi Gracia is the latest in
0:29:32 > 0:29:38that. Malaga have had their own issues in the last few years. He's
0:29:38 > 0:29:46kind of helped stabilise the club. I'm not too familiar with him but it
0:29:46 > 0:29:52fits the profile for Watford. Michael Appleton is set to be his...
0:29:52 > 0:29:58I wouldn't do that you live on BBC Two! Let's move on and talk about
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Stoke and maybe Huddersfield. Paul Lambert's first game in charge. Huge
0:30:02 > 0:30:06the new manager effect, isn't it? Interesting to see on Match of the
0:30:06 > 0:30:09Day that they mentioned last night, the sprint stats were higher than
0:30:09 > 0:30:13they have been all season under Mark Hughes from the Stoke players. That
0:30:13 > 0:30:17must infuriate Mark Hughes but delight Lambert who's off to a great
0:30:17 > 0:30:24start.I watched the show last night, even though the sprint stats
0:30:24 > 0:30:32to hire it was just marginally. It is very marginal.Sensationalising?
0:30:32 > 0:30:37I would not read too much into it. There will always be an effect when
0:30:37 > 0:30:42a new manager comes in, and they have good footballers. Yesterday
0:30:42 > 0:30:45they had three or four micro top performers, they performed on the
0:30:45 > 0:30:50day and it from the highlights that there would only be one winner. --
0:30:50 > 0:30:55and it looked from the highlights. The fact that Paul came in, only had
0:30:55 > 0:31:00three or four days, he will take the plaudits, rightly so. It will be
0:31:00 > 0:31:04interesting to see how it develops over the coming weeks.
0:31:04 > 0:31:09I think anyone can do with the one game, that is the criticism of
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Stoke, their top performers give it maybe once a month. It is keeping
0:31:13 > 0:31:21them motivated for long periods. No disrespect, the fixture help them.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26So you think that Stoke could be dragged into it?I do not think
0:31:26 > 0:31:30anybody outside the top six feels they are not vulnerable.It is
0:31:30 > 0:31:35amazing what has happened, mid-table obscurity has essentially been
0:31:35 > 0:31:40obliterated, it does not exist any more. With Stoke in 2008 or clubs
0:31:40 > 0:31:44like Swansea, they got into the Premier League, consolidated, had a
0:31:44 > 0:31:49few years where they sat around eight to around 30 for 14th, trite
0:31:49 > 0:31:56things, got used to the league, it does not happen now. -- eighth to
0:31:56 > 0:32:00around 13th or 14th, trite things. Paul Lambert was with me in the 5
0:32:00 > 0:32:05live studio about ten days ago when Mark used that all his eggs in the
0:32:05 > 0:32:09Newcastle basket, lost the game and I was like, you are in! You said I
0:32:09 > 0:32:13will never manage in the Premier League again, he did not expect the
0:32:13 > 0:32:18Premier League job, then years.And he will look to take his
0:32:18 > 0:32:22opportunity. He will be thankful that the opportunity. There was a
0:32:22 > 0:32:28lot said that he was 15th choice or whatever, he says he did not care if
0:32:28 > 0:32:32he was 50th, he was given an opportunity, he has Premier League
0:32:32 > 0:32:37managerial experience. On the point the lads were making about how tight
0:32:37 > 0:32:42he is, the Premier League has almost become like a two Elite League. --
0:32:42 > 0:32:49on the point the lads were making about how tight it is. It was Claude
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Puel's side, Southampton, finished seventh or eighth on 46 points,
0:32:53 > 0:33:00Watford were 17th on 40. There were six points between ten or 11 teams.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03On that subject...
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Leicester City moved up to seventh - or top of the "other table",
0:33:06 > 0:33:10as Gary Lineker put it on Match of The Day last night - with a 2-0
0:33:10 > 0:33:13win over Watford yesterday.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15What exactly has Claude Puel done to turn things
0:33:15 > 0:33:16around at Leicester?
0:33:16 > 0:33:22Along with you.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27There is no doubt, we have three or four Micro lads in the side at the
0:33:27 > 0:33:32moment who are on top form. They are at the top of the game. It was
0:33:32 > 0:33:37highlighted over the last couple of weeks of how well Riyadh Mahrez has
0:33:37 > 0:33:43played, and obviously Vardy has come into his own. There has been
0:33:43 > 0:33:47speculation around Harry and Man City. They are positive things for
0:33:47 > 0:33:58Leicester City. We have players in goods spirits. Over the last three
0:33:58 > 0:34:04we have gone into Jamie a lot quicker and sometimes too quick at
0:34:04 > 0:34:11times.Too predictable?Possibly, but as a club it has been very
0:34:11 > 0:34:18effective.Won the Premier League. But what he has try to instil into
0:34:18 > 0:34:22the players is on the transition, on the turnover, if you cannot do it in
0:34:22 > 0:34:30one it might bethree or four Micro passes.What is Puel like as a guy?
0:34:30 > 0:34:36He seems like a thinker to me? Is he different to your style?The fact he
0:34:36 > 0:34:44is French and I am English, we had to communicate...You meet in the
0:34:44 > 0:34:49middle?He is very calm and calculated. But he is a winner, you
0:34:49 > 0:34:54can tell that on a Saturday or a Tuesday on the side of the pitch, he
0:34:54 > 0:34:57is very passionate and knows what he wants, if he does not get it he
0:34:57 > 0:35:03makes them aware of it. From an media perspective he seems
0:35:03 > 0:35:09quite quiet and relaxed? It is hard to imagine him suddenly going
0:35:09 > 0:35:16furious?I think you find that with lots of managers. There is an image
0:35:16 > 0:35:20certain managers have because they are in front of the cameras, in
0:35:20 > 0:35:25front of 40 or 50,000, trying to keep themselves in check. If you are
0:35:25 > 0:35:30losing your emotions too much you are not watching what is going on on
0:35:30 > 0:35:32the field, not watching of the opposition has changed formation,
0:35:32 > 0:35:41certain players are affecting the game more than others. Also behind
0:35:41 > 0:35:46that I think most managers and most people who go into the game as a
0:35:46 > 0:35:50manager have that bite, and when they needed they bring it out.There
0:35:50 > 0:35:54were lots of Leicester fans, I don't know if you listen to the likes of
0:35:54 > 0:35:59606 when you're driving home, saying Claude Puel, why we ended up...?
0:35:59 > 0:36:03Because of what happened at Southampton. He did an incredible
0:36:03 > 0:36:08job at Nice, look what he has done with you guys in a short space. He
0:36:08 > 0:36:13deserves more credit?He would be the first to say... We spoke about
0:36:13 > 0:36:22it after the game yesterday, there were people talking, you have got up
0:36:22 > 0:36:27to seventh, that is OK now, as long as the seventh after 38 games, he
0:36:27 > 0:36:32said. He is very good at keeping things under wraps a little bit. The
0:36:32 > 0:36:37reason I say that is the Marco Silva stuff, you can do well over a short
0:36:37 > 0:36:47period but ultimately the season is judged and 38 games.His personal
0:36:47 > 0:36:51experience must have played a bit, he finished seventh for Southampton,
0:36:51 > 0:36:56got to the cup final, should have won, he ended up leaving the club.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59I'm sure he is aware not to be carried away and just to be
0:36:59 > 0:37:03understated. It is almost like they punished him
0:37:03 > 0:37:06for what happens to lots of mid-table clubs, the season starts
0:37:06 > 0:37:14with nothing you can go fall under peters out a little.Riyad Mahrez,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17lots of speculation. If Michael Appleton is putting his mortgage on
0:37:17 > 0:37:22the line, will he be there in February?I would not gamble my
0:37:22 > 0:37:27mortgage on anything! I expect him to be.You can see why everyone
0:37:27 > 0:37:32wants him.The boss has said he will be here on the 1st of February, that
0:37:32 > 0:37:36is good enough for me. He is in a really good place, fantastic form.
0:37:36 > 0:37:43He is in a dressing room, a fantastic dressing room with really
0:37:43 > 0:37:45good lads, he is a big part of it.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Emotional scenes across the Premier League but particularly
0:37:48 > 0:37:50at Goodison Park where Cyrille Regis' former club West Brom
0:37:50 > 0:37:56played Everton, less than a week after he passed away.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02Joleon, a Midlands lad, a black Midlands lad growing up, poignant?
0:38:02 > 0:38:08Absolutely, I think Cyrille was my kind of footballer. Being from
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Birmingham, everyone was aware of how important he was to the city, it
0:38:10 > 0:38:16was a shame to see him go. I know him personally. I worked for Jason,
0:38:16 > 0:38:23his nephew. He could not talk any more highly Cyrille.He was a
0:38:23 > 0:38:27pioneer for black players in the Premier League, not particularly of
0:38:27 > 0:38:33your era but more like Jason's era? He broke barriers, made lots of
0:38:33 > 0:38:39differences for black players coming through after him. Not only that, he
0:38:39 > 0:38:42was a top player, he did not just play in an era where black players
0:38:42 > 0:38:47were not allowed to play, he played at the highest level under severe
0:38:47 > 0:38:55circumstances. Let's remember his impact on the pitch. Double out --
0:38:55 > 0:39:00he was slightly before my era when I started watching football, but even
0:39:00 > 0:39:04watching Match of the Day last night, some of the footage shown, he
0:39:04 > 0:39:10was ahead of his time in the force of his play and the movement, the
0:39:10 > 0:39:15range of it as well. James McCarthy has been struggling
0:39:15 > 0:39:22with injuries and has come back, a double fracture, it was horrible.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Freak but horrible?I feel for James, he has been injured for so
0:39:25 > 0:39:31long already this season. For something like that to happen, you
0:39:31 > 0:39:35do not wish that on any player. I have been injured myself, it cost me
0:39:35 > 0:39:42my career back in the day. Rondon, I felt Rondon. He was in bits, it was
0:39:42 > 0:39:48completely accidental. -- I felt for Rondon. The little bit I know about
0:39:48 > 0:39:53James, he is mentally strong and he will need to be. It is a fantastic
0:39:53 > 0:39:56football club with good people and I am sure they will get him back and
0:39:56 > 0:40:03playing very soon. Such a pity, it is the first time he
0:40:03 > 0:40:08has played five consecutive games for Everton in two or three years.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13It has been such a struggling time for him. But as well as that, one of
0:40:13 > 0:40:19the big criticisms of his career is that maybe given his talent he does
0:40:19 > 0:40:23not impose himself on games, but he seemed to be doing that through
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Allardyce.He came on and Allardyce picked him out, said that is what we
0:40:27 > 0:40:31want people to do.We have four Micro or five minutes left. I want
0:40:31 > 0:40:36to talk about the 4pm kick-off, Southampton against Tottenham. We
0:40:36 > 0:40:44will keep you updated on 5 live.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48Spurs fight Real over world-record bid for Harry Kane. We have heard a
0:40:48 > 0:40:53lot of this over last few months. The Spanish club ready to offer £200
0:40:53 > 0:40:59million, a new Kane deal key, Pochettino could be a target for
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Euro giants, what is your take on the Kane story?Spurs have been
0:41:04 > 0:41:08quick to deny they have received interest. I think there is no doubt
0:41:08 > 0:41:14by Real Madrid have looked at him. Real Madrid have an issue, their
0:41:14 > 0:41:18main stars are getting... We have seen the Ronaldo speculation, they
0:41:18 > 0:41:24are getting to the tail end of their careers. Peres, they have had a bad
0:41:24 > 0:41:27season in terms of results, even though they won the Champions League
0:41:27 > 0:41:35last year. That has brought Zidane under pressure, which has brought
0:41:35 > 0:41:39the president under pressure. They had another issue, because of all
0:41:39 > 0:41:44these players like Reynaldo and Benzema on such high wages, this is
0:41:44 > 0:41:50the case of both of the Spanish clubs, Real and Barcelona, their
0:41:50 > 0:41:54cash flow is not as strong as England or PSG. I wonder if they
0:41:54 > 0:41:59would be able to raise the fees to extract a player like Kane from
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Spurs, to make the sort of fee that would be considered.I do not
0:42:03 > 0:42:08believe it is due to the figure, Dan Leavy is not selling Harry Kane 200
0:42:08 > 0:42:12million, it will be a lot more than anyone has ever been sold for in the
0:42:12 > 0:42:17past. I feel Real Madrid potentially need to reinvest in younger players.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21To get Harry Kane will cost a lot more.
0:42:21 > 0:42:21With Real
0:42:21 > 0:42:24more. With Real, they have changed
0:42:24 > 0:42:29strategy. The whole Galacticos thing for a few years, but because of that
0:42:29 > 0:42:32and be influx of money from broadcasting in England and what has
0:42:32 > 0:42:38happened PSG, this changed strategy to sign a next generation of
0:42:38 > 0:42:42players, the best at 20 to 24-year-olds, like Asensio. Kane is
0:42:42 > 0:42:49coming out of that age bracket. John Smith onto it says why would
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Harry Kane stay if a big club called? Mike Dean says buying his
0:42:52 > 0:42:58boots only for that price. Ten games without a win for Southampton -- ten
0:42:58 > 0:43:03games without a win. They are in the bottom three, worrying for them and
0:43:03 > 0:43:09Pellegrino?It is a tough time, no doubt. Last week at Watford, two up
0:43:09 > 0:43:13at half-time, you would probably expect them to win the game. It did
0:43:13 > 0:43:22not happen for them. A big game today, I would imagine that
0:43:23 > 0:43:25certainly team they will have to get after Tottenham. There is no point
0:43:25 > 0:43:27sitting back and trying to let them dictate the game.
0:43:27 > 0:43:33Given what happened over Christmas, you would expect Southampton to set
0:43:33 > 0:43:38back a bit, but if Spurs win today...That says it all.
0:43:38 > 0:43:43Thanks to Joleon, Michael and Miguel.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45That is it for now.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Highlights of Southampton v Spurs on Match of the Day 2 tonight -
0:43:48 > 0:43:54Mark Chapman's at St Mary's.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Whatever you are doing on the rest of this Sunday afternoon, thank you
0:43:57 > 0:44:04for joining us and have a good one. See you soon.