21/01/2018 MOTD2 Extra

Hello and welcome to Match

of the Day 2 Extra -

we're on BBC Two, 5 live,

the BBC Sport website and app,

as well as the iPlayer.

Joining me today -

The Leicester Assistant Manager

Michael Appleton, Joleon Lescott,

who won two Premier League titles

with Man City. And Miguel Delaney,

the chief football writer at Be

Independent.

As ever, we want to hear

from you, using the hashtag

#bbcfootball on social media -

or you can text us on 85058.

Here's what's coming up.

Out of the blue this morning,

Watford have sacked manager

Marco Silva and blamed an "unwanted

approach from a Premier

League rival."

It's on - only the medicals to wait

for now for Alexis Sanchez

and Henrikh Mhkitaryan ahead

of their swap.

Normal service resumed

for Manchester City thanks

to Sergio's hat-trick.

And the perfect start

for Paul Lambert as Stoke

get their first win since Christmas

to move out of the bottom three.

In terms of the papers...

The Sunday Times -

"Who needs Sanchez

when you've got Sergio?"

Also Spurs fight Real over world

record bid for Kane -

the Spanish side apparently ready

to offer £200 million.

The Sunday Mirror -

"Heir of the Pog" -

saying Paul Pogba could demand

to double his wages to match Alexis

Sanchez.

And the Sunday Express -

"Pierre we go" - Arsenal can sign

Borussia Dortmund striker

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang

if they pay £55 million.

Big surprise this

morning from Watford.

They've sacked manager Marco Silva.

A club statement this morning said:

"This has been a difficult decision

and one not taken lightly.

The Ccub is convinced

the appointment of Silva

was the right one and had it not

been for the unwarranted approach

by a Premier League rival

for his services we would have

continued to prosper

under his leadership.

The catalyst for this decision

is that unwarranted approach,

something which the board believes

has seen a significant deterioration

in both focus and results

to the point where the long-term

future of Watford FC

has been jeopardised.

For the security and success

of the football club,

the board believes it has

to make a change."

The BBC's senior football reporter

Ian Dennis joins us now.

What has been going on behind

the scenes at Watford?

For it to get to this point?

That

approach from Everton, I think was

mid-November, I do not think it has

been right since Watford turned

enter the £8.5 million. I don't

think it went unnoticed with the

hierarchy that he never killed it.

You compare his stance to that of

Sean Dyche when he has been linked

with jobs and Sean Dyche... Would

say he is fully focused on

concentrating on the job, Silva

never did that. I think the owners

believe he lost focus,

they have seen the spirit ebb away

from the club. Admittedly a

crippling injury list has not helped

Silva, but I believe he has been

quite stubborn from a tactical point

of view. He said he wanted one

player upfront and the wide players

providing the pace. Those who watch

Watford regularly say those tactics

were fine when players were fresh

but now they are not so fresh and

perhaps they need to go two upfront,

which has not happened.

I have said for a while that Watford

are sliding, perception is

everything because last year people

would say they were struggling, and

Marco Silva, who made a good start,

everything is fine. But the hard

facts are that Watford form points

worse off than at this stage last

season.

Who next, or is it too early?

They

are looking for a temporary manager

that McGregor have been working

under eight MP manager to work under

the Pozzo family for years. But

there is no instability in the

boardroom. There is a clear focus,

Watford have a track record of

acting swiftly. I believe they have

a manager lined up, I expect them to

make an appointment in a matter of

days. The bookies' favourite is the

Malaga coach, Jose Manuel Pozo the

slope is, I understand Watford are

looking elsewhere but I am trying to

find to that is. I think it will

happen in days and I would expect

him to be in charge for Southampton

FA Cup try next weekend.

Thank you, Ian Dennis. Michael

Appleton has stuck the final sword

into Marco Silva's site?

Don't do

that to me! I am a little surprised,

if I am honest. Yesterday the result

was good from our point of view. I

think the game was much tougher than

you would probably suggest if you

felt someone or add team was under

pressure. Yesterday they did not

play like a team that was not

playing for the manager, I assure

you.

I remember hearing earlier this

season that Manchester United were

looking at him in the long-term,

they are impressed at what he has

done. Chelsea had an eye on him. He

has gone from everyone talking about

how good his coaching was, to within

seven months a relegation and a

sacking, incredible. Some of this, I

do wonder, is that almost a

consequence of what would are as a

club. They are transitory club now

and which so many players come

through and leave within a year,

they have had so much chain chain

over with managers. One of the

reasons they appointed Silva was to

improve profile, the issue of

perception that you brought up. And,

to a degree, when someone like

Everton comes in for your manager,

it will Foster the situation that

you are seen as a stepping stone. I

wonder if that led to the spell

being broken between him and the

players, given how good results were

before. I wonder how you feel about

that?

There were lots applauded some

praise for him at the start of the

season, but as it has gone on, the

link to Everton came, the results

have not got any better. It is funny

their reason for sacking him, and

see what they do now. Will they

potentially trailer another team and

poach their manager? It is all right

for them to say that there was the

press for Silva from Everton, but

there is another manager at another

team.

He was sacked that Olympiakos

are not wearing the club suit, he

was not wearing his seat yesterday.

We're used to seeing him so well

polished, so it was a bit

surprising. But going back to the

way they have come to the decision,

you do not know what messages he has

been Bremain back to the players

within the group. He did not come

out at the time and deny that there

was not an interest from Everton in

this approach, but we do not know

the type of conversations taking

place between him and his players.

If he was dismissing it there and

then, I cannot see it having that

much of an effect on the group. It

can go both ways. I have been in the

position when I have managed a

certain club band that has been

interest from other clubs, it can

help you. -- managed a certain club

and there has been interest.

Sometimes it can bring the best out

in you.

It is interesting to see who they

will replace him with, but in terms

of the approach and going back to

when the approach happened, I am not

too convinced.

Let's listen to Marco Silva, this

was his last interview as Watford

coach after defeat against Michael

Appleton's Leicester yesterday.

Of course you want to win, you want

it taken of points for us.

it taken of points for us. This is

the attitude and the commitment that

I saw against Southampton as well.

If you achieve the results, the team

confidence and belief will be

better. We need to keep going and

keep working hard. The Premier

League is like this. All the games

are really hard to win and we need

to keep going and to work, everybody

fights to take points and they need

to do the same.

You have been getting in touch, keep

your messages coming. You can get in

touch on social media using the

hashtag #bbcfootball. One person

until Twitter says farewell, you had

the potential to be one of our

greatest bosses and Graham Taylor

after a terrific start to the

season. Sadly you try to jump ship

as soon as a better offer came along

and things have never been the same.

Matt Smith says go and get Marco

Silva now, hashtag Saints. Damian

says Marco Silva deserve the sack,

what the's drop has been mad, they

were five points behind Man Utd in

November and now it is 27 points.

That is insane, man, says Damian.

Miguel Cummins tens of Marco Silva,

is there an argument that this has

damaged his stop? -- Miguel, in

terms of Marco Silva? Has he thrown

his toys out of the pram after not

getting the Everton job?

It is hard

not to get the feeling that he tried

to make too many gems too quickly.

Having just come to England, he

improved their performances, the

relegation was inevitable, he could

not stop that. That was already

January, and already he is looking

at a club with a lot of money and

lots of history, they have won more

titles than almost any club in

England, Everton. To make that jump

so quickly and to be so ready. I

heard in October and November that

some people around him advised him

to give it a full season at a club

to show you can build, if you jump

ship too readily, who will want to

invest in you?

After that, if you do

well at Everton, potential

speculation of going to a bigger

club and they are like, can we trust

him?

Gary Ward on Twitter says clubs

will never progress if you keep

sacking manager when times get a

little bit challenging. James says

Marco Silva was not good enough.

Shocking decision. Michael, do

players think I could not get my

move, I will sell can not put in as

much?

Absolutely not, it is crazy to

suggest.

-- Michael, do managers

think?

Premier League is a difficult

place, it is difficult to manage. As

an assistant now I see the pressures

put on managers these days, the

expectations of results. You look at

the Premier League as it is at the

moment and could argue there are

three leagues but there are two,

there is the top six on the other 14

teams fighting it out to make sure

they keep their Premiership status.

I do not think you have time to soul

can't feel sorry for yourself in the

Premier League. It is cut-throat. --

time to sulk and to feel sorry for

yourself. He has paid the cost for

not winning enough games over a

period of time, rather than a short

period. The those who mentioned

Watford could get sucked into this,

it is so tight from around 20th,

but

if you are thinking would I go there

as a manager, why would I go there

was so much change?

As a manager you

will back yourself, there you have

the ability to get them out. Roy

Hodgson saw and felt that with

Crystal Palace and has done that so

far this season. I am sure there are

managers confident enough to get a

Watford out of trouble.

We will talk

about Alexis Sanchez now.

As first reported last night

by the BBC's David Ornstein,

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has agreed

to join Arsenal, with Alexis Sanchez

going to Manchester United.

It's a straight swap - no additional

transfer fee for Arsenal.

The medicals are happening

today and tomorrow.

Who's getting the best of this deal?

I would say United, they are

bringing in a player that everyone

seems to want. And they are getting

rid of a player that just was not

working with Mourinho. I do not

think Arsenal got a bad deal in the

circumstances, they had a difficult

situation with Sanchez. He is a

brilliant player but clearly they

were not getting the best out of him

this season with everything

happening and he was going to go for

free. They have a player that I

think be quite suited to Wenger, he

has lots of talent. He has something

to prove. Because did not work at

United does not mean he will not add

Arsenal.

Played at the highest the

majority of his career, technically

very good. Libertarian is very good,

hopefully he will do well.

Most of

Arsenal's best work is done in and

around the opposition box. I think

the best work we have probably seen

from libertarian at United was in

those areas. Wenger has probably

thought if we can get the best out

of him and what he does best, in the

team they have with the amount of

talent they have, it could be a good

fit for both.

You always hear that Mourinho puts

defensive demands on players like

that and Wenger does not, would you

think that?

Wenger is probably known

for putting his arm around players

too much, making them feel loved.

Mourinho is a bit harsh. But I'm

sure he will benefit from this.

Miguel, the stall in this deal, it

has moved quickly but it stalled

over the last few years. I read your

piece for the Independent online

about Mino Raiola, the agent, who

has a huge say in this both the

Sanchez and Mickey Terry on?

In the

last two years he was quite

well-known but now he is one of the

board's biggest movers. He was

involved in Paul Pogba's transfer,

and now Mickey Terry and's. The

United and Sanchez deal were agreed

on Wednesday night, but the idea was

how it would be constructed. The

issue is whether Arsenal could meet

Henrikh Mkhitaryan's wages. And

because he had not settled at

United, he preferred to return to

Dortmund, where he had done so well.

A client has that position, an agent

like real's view is that they are

not compromising. -- and agent like

Ray Ola's view. A lot of this is

stalling, I heard on Wednesday could

be organised by Thursday apart from

the facts about Mino Raiola is

involved. To be fair, he is getting

a deal for his clients.

Do agents

have that much say? In your life and

your career? If Pep was saying we

will not pay the money, there must

be times when you think what is

major doing?

Obviously he has made

the decision, his agent has made the

decision to go to Arsenal or Man

United, in terms of Mike Cherry and

his agent works for him, he doesn't

work for Manchester United or

Arsenal so he needs to get the best

for his player and his client. As I

said, both players were negotiating

on free contracts so there will be

some details in there that need to

be ironed out.

Where does he fit

into this Manchester United side?

Still a big fan to be fair and it

will be interesting to see who makes

way for him. I suppose as a British

coach, an English player, the amount

of time that Lingard is having in

the team at the minute, and

obviously it's exciting that Marcus

Rashford is just behind him.

Worrying from an England point of

view.

That does worry me, these

players have come through in the

last 12-18 months that have excited

everyone and Marcus going into the

England setup and setting the

international scene alight, that

would be a worry from the

Englishman, but if you were a

Manchester United fan it's very

exciting.

No-brainer?

Absolute

no-brainer, one of the most exciting

players in the Premier League and to

go with that the workrate you have

talked about, fantastic work rate

and he is a team player.

Yesterday I

was at Burnley for the united win

and Mourinho said after the game

with Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has been

injured and may not be fully fit

before what happened to him last

season, he argued he only has four

players in three positions upfront

and he wanted to sign a winger and a

striker as well. With all the games

they have got it might not be too

damaging for Rashford in that way

because of rotation but ultimately

he might not be the main starter as

he was.

You have been getting in

touch, David says not was Alexis

running down his contract but his

attitude has been stinking at the

club since the Bayern Munich games.

Imagine if he had been forced to

stay, so it could have been worse

for Arsenal fans. Stevens says,

terrible deal for both clubs and

both players who end up at clubs

they didn't want to join in the

first place, sums up what is wrong

with the modern game. David says it

a player easily worth £100 million,

if Coutinho was worth £140 million,

just because of age Sanchez is

better and swapping him for a player

they struggle to get four to £40

million from a great deal for

Manchester United. In terms of

Arsenal, they didn't struck without

Alexis Sanchez yesterday. Four goals

in 22 minutes against Crystal Palace

and there is lots of chat about

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Where is

that one sitting at the moment, with

Arsene Wenger last night being asked

about him and he said he didn't want

to talk about it and commented on

Mkhitaryan more than Aubameyang.

He

was a bit coy on it, from what I've

heard, basically because of the

disciplinary issues Aubameyang has

had at Dortmund, to be fair it is

worse than the Sanchez situation at

Arsenal in that regard but they

eventually want to do business, so I

can see that happening before the

end of the window. Although I'm not

sure it's as far along as maybe some

of the impressions given. I thought

yesterday it was very Arsenal that

win, in the sense that you always

get the sense over the last five or

six years with them that every time

they are about to... When it looks

like things are going well and there

are about to make a jump to get to

the next level they lose a big game

and have some sort of calamity but

every time it is about to get really

bad they get a win like that.

That

result didn't surprise me yesterday.

The result surprise me but the

manner of the result did. Looking at

the two goals from the corners, I

was quite shocked, and Roy will be

disappointed. I worked with Roy in

my days at West Brom his attention

to detail is as good as anybody's in

the game, no doubt about that. For

them to score two goals from

corners, as they did yesterday, is

probably the only surprise, two

goals coming from set plays.

You

were nodding along in agreement.

Yeah, you are surprise, but going

back to the Pierre-Emerick

Aubameyang situation there must be

issues off the field because a

player of that quality in today's

market is worth more than 55

million. Those numbers being talked

about, it is a lot of money, but the

market is outrageous at the moment

so you would accept, expect him to

get close to 200 million.

Mkhitaryan

played in that team with him at

Dortmund and we have seen how great

Aubameyang on his day is at

Dortmund, here's some player.

I

remember watching him against Spurs

in the Europa League in 2015-16 and

the build-up to the game was about

two rising teams, especially just

before Spurs' first title challenge

under Pochettino and Dortmund were

brilliant, they linked up superbly.

Mkhitaryan is a player we have not

seen at your did enough, apart from

against Spurs last season. If Arsene

Wenger can bring that out. You

touched on it earlier, Mourinho has

a harder edge, whereas one of the

issues at Arsenal that Wenger

indulges players too much but maybe

these are two plays that need that.

Suk-Man Joleon Lescott, that's the

voice of Miguel Delaney if you're

listening on 5 live, Michael

Appleton, Leicester Assistant

Manager with us in the studio.

Joleon Lescott, if Arsenal end up

getting Aubameyang, and it's a big

if, but if they end up with Nick

Terry and Aubameyang and they have

got rid of Sanchez, and ended that

saga, they have come out of it

pretty well, haven't they?

Good

business from Arsenal's point of

view, if you look at it and say they

have spent 55 million and got two

players who have played at the

highest level, for me that's a good

business.

Absolutely, yeah. If you

look at the league he is coming from

as well, it's quite important. The

German league is probably the

closest out of the European leagues

to the Premier League in terms of it

all stop so he is used to that

robust style we see sometimes in the

Premier League. The defenders. I

agree with Joleon that I think it's

good business all round and I think

it is one where Mourinho and Wenger,

the sooner it is done and dusted and

out of the way everyone can get on

with their lives and we can move on

journalists can move on.

In terms of

Arsenal, looking at the squad they

put out against Bournemouth last

week, is this the most mediocre

Arsenal squad in Wenger's time at

the club? To get these two players,

even if they've had a few

difficulties, it immediately adds

that extra gloss.

One player

Manchester City wanted was Alexis

Sanchez, but it didn't work out and

the Samantha haven't got him in

January. They seemed to cope all

right with him yesterday, they have

man called Sergio Aguero who'd

Joleon Lescott knows well, his 11

Patrick for Manchester City beating

Newcastle 3-1.

I remember last time you were on

match of the dude Dominic Day two

extra, can you believe there is some

sort of chap that he might go at the

end of the season -- Match of the

Day 2 Extra? He is one of the best

strikers in the Premier League and

as a city fan and affiliated with

the club I'd like to see a player of

Sanchez's quality, but if it's at

the expense of Sergio Aguero I'm

glad he hasn't come. So, it must be

a personality clash between

Guardiola and him.

Possibly.

It can

be a question of the player, can it?

Not in his performances because he

scores goals regularly and in terms

of his personality it might be that

but knowing Sergio Aguero like that

I doubt it is the case. Obviously

managers have ideas of the way they

want to play on who they see in

those positions and maybe Sergio

doesn't fit the criteria he has for

his team.

Yeah, I'd agree, I have to

say, Pepo obviously once these

forwards to lead the line, in terms

of defending from the front and

pressing from the front -- Pep

Guardiola. Were touched on it a bit

off air, but with Aguero it

sometimes feels like he's one of the

strikers who conserves his energy to

be absolutely deadly when an

opportunity arises. The other side

of it is that since Guardiola has

been at the club that has was been

this kind of moments where it looks

like... All of the rumours and

speculation come out about Aguero's

future and they put in such an

effort to try and kill it but it

never quite goes away and it always

off-the-peg. Fosters this

impression.

Yesterday seen reports

about Pep Guardiola saying there was

no words to describe Sergio. Just

say he is brilliant, or say

something more Sylhet convinces

everyone. It's like you don't want

to say what we Olmo and feel about

Sergio.

What is it? No one else is

listening, it's just you and me,

what is he like? Is he a good lad,

easy to get on with?

Of course he

is, he is great.

Does he have any

issues?

I don't know anyone who has

issues with Sergio. Even the

incident when he was in Holland and

involved in a car accident, it

wasn't a negative story, there was

nothing negative about Sergio

Aguero, he is professional, loves

his craft and loves to score goals

and he does that pretty much every

week.

Looking at Manchester City and

the goals they scored most weeks

against most teams, they almost like

the perfect goal, 5-a-side goals,

getting to the byline, six yard box,

penalty spot, pull it back, bang,

goal. What he has got her mind what

you've got with Aguero, is if the

game is tight and they can't get

those goals and they can't get in

behind teams he scores any type of

goal and scores goals from areas and

parts of the pitch.

You have said

all that, Michael, educate me as

someone watching football, when I

see Sergio Aguero doing all that,

what more does Pep Guardiola want

from him if he's already

transitioned him into everything?

Maybe he wants to motivate him,

there are different ways of

motivating players and it's clearly

working.

Aguero is around 30 and he

plays with that instinct in terms of

scoring. Can you be educated player

that late in their career, do you

reckon, as a coach?

I think you can.

I think you can, there is no doubt

that younger players probably learn

quicker in terms of whether its

technical work you are doing. But in

terms of educating older players in

terms of styles and areas you want

them to get into, their own

experience will pick up on that very

quickly with a group of intelligent

players. So I don't think you can

never stop learning, it's the same

with coaches and managers, and

certainly with players. We see it

year in year out and week in and

week out in the Premier League

anyway, lots of the time when you

get to 28, 20 ninth that is where

you come into your own anyway so he

is in the prime of his career

really. -- 20 eight, 29. For me some

things happen for a region and

sometimes you get a bit of luck down

the line -- happen for a reason. Him

staying at the possibility of

Sanchez not going to the club could

work out well for him.

City fans

getting in touch, Jon on Facebook

says Aguero is one of the best in

the Premier League, one of the best

the Premier League has seen. Jon

Wilde says he's in the top five

worldwide. Wonderful to watch for

stubborn if you are a Newcastle fan

watching this morning, this

afternoon, more frustration for

Newcastle fans. That Amanda Staveley

deal looks dead in the water, or

does it? We hear different things

everyday. This is Alan Shearer

talking on Match of the Day last

night.

The reason I think Newcastle fans

want change, and most of them want

change, is that they are not getting

value for money and this is the

reason why. Every club in the

Premier League over the last two or

three years has broken their

transfer record. Newcastle's

transfer record 2005 was Michael

Owen £60 million. Another reason,

nine of the players who played today

were in the Championship last

season. The other two, Manquillo

were at Sunderland and possibly at

Stoke, that's the reason Newcastle

fans want a change of owner.

You were nodding along to some of

that. You can understand the

Newcastle fans' frustration that

this has gone on again, and at the

end of another window when they will

not get the quality they need to get

in and potentially be down in the

Championship again.

First and

foremost the size of the club and

the amount of interest that we all

have with that football club, even

if you are not associated with it,

it is a hotbed part of the country.

It is probably a little bit

different to most clubs in terms of,

you know, how compact it is and you

walk into the city and that's the

only thing that people talk about,

the football. I was shocked last

night when I was watching Match of

the Day and I saw those figures Alan

was talking about, their record

signing £16 million. I was honestly

astonished. For a club that big. I

can understand certain frustrations.

Even before that Alan Shearer was 15

million and that was nine years

before that, so it wasn't like it

was 4 million up to 15, it was still

moderate figures considering the way

the market has gone over the last

ten years.

The way they spend money

actually puts a real figure on this

feeling that they are kind of just

treading water. That is the great

frustration with Newcastle. I

suppose for any supporter and anyone

involved with the club, the great

thing about football is the hope,

the idea that you can do more and

something else will happen. But with

Newcastle it feels there is always

this sealing there.

Maybe because

it's a businessman running the club,

he doesn't have that much

affiliation with Newcastle in his

heart. That's probably the reason

why he's running at more so as a

business.

As a devil's advocate,

it's his business and he does what

he likes with it, Newcastle fans

will not like that. We have breaking

news, Miguel, Tommy what you mean,

think of this. Javi Gracia, is

affected to be the next Watford

manager, formerly of Rubin Kazan.

One thing about Spain, I remember

talking to an executive of a Premier

League club recently, the reason

they still like young players from

Spain and Germany in England is

because of how good the coaching is

and Javi Gracia is the latest in

that. Malaga have had their own

issues in the last few years. He's

kind of helped stabilise the club.

I'm not too familiar with him but it

fits the profile for Watford.

Michael Appleton is set to be his...

I wouldn't do that you live on BBC

Two! Let's move on and talk about

Stoke and maybe Huddersfield. Paul

Lambert's first game in charge. Huge

the new manager effect, isn't it?

Interesting to see on Match of the

Day that they mentioned last night,

the sprint stats were higher than

they have been all season under Mark

Hughes from the Stoke players. That

must infuriate Mark Hughes but

delight Lambert who's off to a great

start.

I watched the show last

night, even though the sprint stats

to hire it was just marginally. It

is very marginal.

Sensationalising?

I would not read too much into it.

There will always be an effect when

a new manager comes in, and they

have good footballers. Yesterday

they had three or four micro top

performers, they performed on the

day and it from the highlights that

there would only be one winner. --

and it looked from the highlights.

The fact that Paul came in, only had

three or four days, he will take the

plaudits, rightly so. It will be

interesting to see how it develops

over the coming weeks.

I think anyone can do with the one

game, that is the criticism of

Stoke, their top performers give it

maybe once a month. It is keeping

them motivated for long periods. No

disrespect, the fixture help them.

So you think that Stoke could be

dragged into it?

I do not think

anybody outside the top six feels

they are not vulnerable.

It is

amazing what has happened, mid-table

obscurity has essentially been

obliterated, it does not exist any

more. With Stoke in 2008 or clubs

like Swansea, they got into the

Premier League, consolidated, had a

few years where they sat around

eight to around 30 for 14th, trite

things, got used to the league, it

does not happen now. -- eighth to

around 13th or 14th, trite things.

Paul Lambert was with me in the 5

live studio about ten days ago when

Mark used that all his eggs in the

Newcastle basket, lost the game and

I was like, you are in! You said I

will never manage in the Premier

League again, he did not expect the

Premier League job, then years.

And

he will look to take his

opportunity. He will be thankful

that the opportunity. There was a

lot said that he was 15th choice or

whatever, he says he did not care if

he was 50th, he was given an

opportunity, he has Premier League

managerial experience. On the point

the lads were making about how tight

he is, the Premier League has almost

become like a two Elite League. --

on the point the lads were making

about how tight it is. It was Claude

Puel's side, Southampton, finished

seventh or eighth on 46 points,

Watford were 17th on 40. There were

six points between ten or 11 teams.

On that subject...

Leicester City moved up to seventh -

or top of the "other table",

as Gary Lineker put it on Match

of The Day last night - with a 2-0

win over Watford yesterday.

What exactly has

Claude Puel done to turn things

around at Leicester?

Along with you.

There is no doubt, we have three or

four Micro lads in the side at the

moment who are on top form. They are

at the top of the game. It was

highlighted over the last couple of

weeks of how well Riyadh Mahrez has

played, and obviously Vardy has come

into his own. There has been

speculation around Harry and Man

City. They are positive things for

Leicester City. We have players in

goods spirits. Over the last three

we have gone into Jamie a lot

quicker and sometimes too quick at

times.

Too predictable?

Possibly,

but as a club it has been very

effective.

Won the Premier League.

But what he has try to instil into

the players is on the transition, on

the turnover, if you cannot do it in

one it might be

three or four Micro

passes.

What is Puel like as a guy?

He seems like a thinker to me? Is he

different to your style?

The fact he

is French and I am English, we had

to communicate...

You meet in the

middle?

He is very calm and

calculated. But he is a winner, you

can tell that on a Saturday or a

Tuesday on the side of the pitch, he

is very passionate and knows what he

wants, if he does not get it he

makes them aware of it.

From an media perspective he seems

quite quiet and relaxed? It is hard

to imagine him suddenly going

furious?

I think you find that with

lots of managers. There is an image

certain managers have because they

are in front of the cameras, in

front of 40 or 50,000, trying to

keep themselves in check. If you are

losing your emotions too much you

are not watching what is going on on

the field, not watching of the

opposition has changed formation,

certain players are affecting the

game more than others. Also behind

that I think most managers and most

people who go into the game as a

manager have that bite, and when

they needed they bring it out.

There

were lots of Leicester fans, I don't

know if you listen to the likes of

606 when you're driving home, saying

Claude Puel, why we ended up...?

Because of what happened at

Southampton. He did an incredible

job at Nice, look what he has done

with you guys in a short space. He

deserves more credit?

He would be

the first to say... We spoke about

it after the game yesterday, there

were people talking, you have got up

to seventh, that is OK now, as long

as the seventh after 38 games, he

said. He is very good at keeping

things under wraps a little bit. The

reason I say that is the Marco Silva

stuff, you can do well over a short

period but ultimately the season is

judged and 38 games.

His personal

experience must have played a bit,

he finished seventh for Southampton,

got to the cup final, should have

won, he ended up leaving the club.

I'm sure he is aware not to be

carried away and just to be

understated.

It is almost like they punished him

for what happens to lots of

mid-table clubs, the season starts

with nothing you can go fall under

peters out a little.

Riyad Mahrez,

lots of speculation. If Michael

Appleton is putting his mortgage on

the line, will he be there in

February?

I would not gamble my

mortgage on anything! I expect him

to be.

You can see why everyone

wants him.

The boss has said he will

be here on the 1st of February, that

is good enough for me. He is in a

really good place, fantastic form.

He is in a dressing room, a

fantastic dressing room with really

good lads, he is a big part of it.

Emotional scenes across

the Premier League but particularly

at Goodison Park where

Cyrille Regis' former club West Brom

played Everton, less than a week

after he passed away.

Joleon, a Midlands lad, a black

Midlands lad growing up, poignant?

Absolutely, I think Cyrille was my

kind of footballer. Being from

Birmingham, everyone was aware of

how important he was to the city, it

was a shame to see him go. I know

him personally. I worked for Jason,

his nephew. He could not talk any

more highly Cyrille.

He was a

pioneer for black players in the

Premier League, not particularly of

your era but more like Jason's era?

He broke barriers, made lots of

differences for black players coming

through after him. Not only that, he

was a top player, he did not just

play in an era where black players

were not allowed to play, he played

at the highest level under severe

circumstances. Let's remember his

impact on the pitch. Double out --

he was slightly before my era when I

started watching football, but even

watching Match of the Day last

night, some of the footage shown, he

was ahead of his time in the force

of his play and the movement, the

range of it as well.

James McCarthy has been struggling

with injuries and has come back, a

double fracture, it was horrible.

Freak but horrible?

I feel for

James, he has been injured for so

long already this season. For

something like that to happen, you

do not wish that on any player. I

have been injured myself, it cost me

my career back in the day. Rondon, I

felt Rondon. He was in bits, it was

completely accidental. -- I felt for

Rondon. The little bit I know about

James, he is mentally strong and he

will need to be. It is a fantastic

football club with good people and I

am sure they will get him back and

playing very soon.

Such a pity, it is the first time he

has played five consecutive games

for Everton in two or three years.

It has been such a struggling time

for him. But as well as that, one of

the big criticisms of his career is

that maybe given his talent he does

not impose himself on games, but he

seemed to be doing that through

Allardyce.

He came on and Allardyce

picked him out, said that is what we

want people to do.

We have four

Micro or five minutes left. I want

to talk about the 4pm kick-off,

Southampton against Tottenham. We

will keep you updated on 5 live.

Spurs fight Real over world-record

bid for Harry Kane. We have heard a

lot of this over last few months.

The Spanish club ready to offer £200

million, a new Kane deal key,

Pochettino could be a target for

Euro giants, what is your take on

the Kane story?

Spurs have been

quick to deny they have received

interest. I think there is no doubt

by Real Madrid have looked at him.

Real Madrid have an issue, their

main stars are getting... We have

seen the Ronaldo speculation, they

are getting to the tail end of their

careers. Peres, they have had a bad

season in terms of results, even

though they won the Champions League

last year. That has brought Zidane

under pressure, which has brought

the president under pressure. They

had another issue, because of all

these players like Reynaldo and

Benzema on such high wages, this is

the case of both of the Spanish

clubs, Real and Barcelona, their

cash flow is not as strong as

England or PSG. I wonder if they

would be able to raise the fees to

extract a player like Kane from

Spurs, to make the sort of fee that

would be considered.

I do not

believe it is due to the figure, Dan

Leavy is not selling Harry Kane 200

million, it will be a lot more than

anyone has ever been sold for in the

past. I feel Real Madrid potentially

need to reinvest in younger players.

To get Harry Kane will cost a lot

more.

With Real

more.

With Real, they have changed

strategy. The whole Galacticos thing

for a few years, but because of that

and be influx of money from

broadcasting in England and what has

happened PSG, this changed strategy

to sign a next generation of

players, the best at 20 to

24-year-olds, like Asensio. Kane is

coming out of that age bracket.

John Smith onto it says why would

Harry Kane stay if a big club

called? Mike Dean says buying his

boots only for that price. Ten games

without a win for Southampton -- ten

games without a win. They are in the

bottom three, worrying for them and

Pellegrino?

It is a tough time, no

doubt. Last week at Watford, two up

at half-time, you would probably

expect them to win the game. It did

not happen for them. A big game

today, I would imagine that

certainly team they will have to get

after Tottenham. There is no point

sitting back and trying to let them

dictate the game.

Given what happened over Christmas,

you would expect Southampton to set

back a bit, but if Spurs win

today...

That says it all.

Thanks to Joleon,

Michael and Miguel.

That is it for now.

Highlights of Southampton v Spurs

on Match of the Day 2 tonight -

Mark Chapman's at St Mary's.

Whatever you are doing on the rest

of this Sunday afternoon, thank you

for joining us and have a good one.

See you soon.