:00:35. > :00:45.Hello and welcome to MOTD2 Extra. We are analysing the weekend's
:00:46. > :00:51.football. Coming up, another huge Sunday in the Premier League, with
:00:52. > :00:54.seven of the top nine in action, culminating in the four o'clock
:00:55. > :00:59.kick-off between Chelsea and Liverpool. We will also look back on
:01:00. > :01:08.yesterday's action and speak to Tom Huddlestone. In the studio with me
:01:09. > :01:16.today is Alan Shearer, Conor McNamara and Jonathan North craft.
:01:17. > :01:22.We want you involved as well. And as this is the last MOTD2 Extra of
:01:23. > :01:28.2013, we want to know your match of the season. Does it have to be -- it
:01:29. > :01:35.does not have to be Premier League, as long as it was special to you.
:01:36. > :01:39.And we are halfway through the Premier League season and it
:01:40. > :01:45.couldn't be better for the neutral, could it? It has been an incredible
:01:46. > :01:50.season. Last season was pretty dull. This season is anything but.
:01:51. > :01:53.Everybody beating each other. You go into games thinking you can predict
:01:54. > :01:59.the result but it is totally opposite. For everyone, and
:02:00. > :02:05.particularly the neutral, it has been an exciting season. I hope
:02:06. > :02:10.there is more to come. Allen is not in our gang at lunchtime. The three
:02:11. > :02:19.of us were at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. Manchester City would be
:02:20. > :02:23.one of the main two title favourites for me. It was a big game yesterday.
:02:24. > :02:28.One of those games you have to get through if you want to be champions.
:02:29. > :02:33.They were not at their best. They came up with enough to win the
:02:34. > :02:38.match. Pellegrini said yesterday that you have to know how to win 1-0
:02:39. > :02:43.if you want to win titles. He got away with it. He was able to rest
:02:44. > :02:51.several players. Their squad is what makes them potent. What can Crystal
:02:52. > :02:57.Palace take out of that game? What can Tony Poole is clean from it?
:02:58. > :03:04.They leave with their heads high. There is no shame in losing to
:03:05. > :03:09.Manchester City. When Tony Pulis took that job, I thought he was
:03:10. > :03:16.sacrificing his record of never having been relegated. I did not see
:03:17. > :03:19.how we could keep Palace up. Since the international break, Manchester
:03:20. > :03:24.-- Crystal Palace have more points than Manchester United. A lot of new
:03:25. > :03:27.players came in in the summer. They have taken time to gel. They are
:03:28. > :03:33.coming together. I think they will stay up. Let's talk about
:03:34. > :03:41.yesterday's -- this afternoon's games. One of the games of today is
:03:42. > :03:48.at Saint James 's Park. Newcastle against Arsenal. Guy Mowbray doing
:03:49. > :03:53.this one. It is a year exactly since Arsenal beat Newcastle 7-3. This is
:03:54. > :04:07.a very different Newcastle team, isn't it? Days. That's 7-3 was
:04:08. > :04:12.exactly a year ago. Before that we had the 4-4 thriller. I am not
:04:13. > :04:20.surprised that Newcastle are as high as they are. If you look at their
:04:21. > :04:25.first class -- first choice line-up... We may find out more
:04:26. > :04:37.about Newcastle in the second half of the season, perhaps as injuries
:04:38. > :04:42.and suspension kicked in. I expect them to be more solid in midfield
:04:43. > :04:45.against Arsenal. I know Alan Pardew won manager of the month in
:04:46. > :04:49.November. I would go so far as to say halfway through this season he
:04:50. > :04:53.has been my manager of the first half of the season. With all he is
:04:54. > :04:59.up against. With the expectations being low, he has done pretty well.
:05:00. > :05:07.They don't like him here. He is a Southerner. Simple as that. But he
:05:08. > :05:10.keeps getting results. As far as Arsenal are concerned,
:05:11. > :05:17.they came from behind at Upton Park. They won that game. The goals
:05:18. > :05:25.came from Theo Walcott and Lucas Podolski, which is important given
:05:26. > :05:30.Giroud's lack of form? It is. It has worked out nicely for arson thing.
:05:31. > :05:34.When you go back to the start of the season, it is not something that
:05:35. > :05:40.will have worried Arsene Wenger as much as Aust. Giroud was in fine
:05:41. > :05:46.form at the start of the season. He started really well. He has gone
:05:47. > :05:50.seven games of the goal. Perhaps he is due a rest. Perhaps you get one
:05:51. > :05:55.today. Podolsky has been getting fit. He will return to the team and
:05:56. > :05:59.presumably score his fair share. Walcott can play through the middle.
:06:00. > :06:03.All of this talk about Arsenal not having striking talent in depth,
:06:04. > :06:10.Niklas Bendtner, much derided in this country, but 56 caps, 34 goals
:06:11. > :06:15.for Denmark tells its own story. If you had him as a third strike --
:06:16. > :06:22.third class striker, which he is at Arsenal, most would be happy with
:06:23. > :06:26.that. Is Niklas Bendtner the best third class -- third choice striker
:06:27. > :06:33.around? You can comment on that. For all that Olivier Giroud is going
:06:34. > :06:36.without goals, he puts in a shift? Which is what you have to do when
:06:37. > :06:42.you are not scoring goals. Another question Arsenal may have to answer
:06:43. > :06:46.is Aaron Ramsey being out. He has been the success story of the
:06:47. > :06:50.season. Nobody expected him to come into that role and play as well as
:06:51. > :06:56.he has done. To score as many goals as he has. He is now out injured.
:06:57. > :07:00.Can they replace him? That is another question. I think Giroud has
:07:01. > :07:04.had an excellent season. There will be times in a season when you go on
:07:05. > :07:11.a barren spell. It is what you do. He is putting in some good
:07:12. > :07:17.performances without scoring. By the way, the best third Trice -- third
:07:18. > :07:23.choice striker is Dzeko! You could probably say Berahino as well you
:07:24. > :07:28.would take before Niklas Bendtner. Giroud has done a job this season.
:07:29. > :07:32.The goals have dried up. He has been a battering ram. It is the battering
:07:33. > :07:37.upfront that has created the space for the midfielders. If anything, it
:07:38. > :07:41.is a weariness. He has played pretty much every game. No striker is going
:07:42. > :07:44.to play every game in the modern Premier League. Lucas Podolski has
:07:45. > :07:52.probably come back at the right time. To yes, it is the transfer
:07:53. > :08:01.season as -- yes, it is the transfer window as well. Giroud always
:08:02. > :08:07.putting a shift. There was the game at Crystal Palace when he scored the
:08:08. > :08:12.winning goal. He is all about following Ramsey into the box. What
:08:13. > :08:16.is wrong with this game when no striker can go through the season
:08:17. > :08:23.without playing every game? What is different between now and ten years
:08:24. > :08:27.ago? ! That leads us nicely into Newcastle, doesn't it? These
:08:28. > :08:31.Newcastle players are playing every game. There's only one change Alan
:08:32. > :08:37.Pardew seems to make from every starting 11. It is not always same
:08:38. > :08:43.change. Without doubt, that is helping them. They are playing with
:08:44. > :08:50.a settled side. Their first 11 is a very good side. They have had no
:08:51. > :08:56.injuries. Not a lot of suspensions. That is well -- that is helping them
:08:57. > :09:01.without doubt. A lot of the French guys actually struggled. They need
:09:02. > :09:04.time to settle. The players have had time to settle. They understand the
:09:05. > :09:10.Premier League and how physical it is. They are dealing with it and
:09:11. > :09:13.playing very well. Newcastle's model is to bring players in, make
:09:14. > :09:21.investment and wait for them to get better. Alan Pardew has managed a
:09:22. > :09:26.lot of players coming in and managed to build a team. What is interesting
:09:27. > :09:34.to me is he is playing the same team but he can play them in different
:09:35. > :09:40.ways. He can play possession, he can play more straightforward. When
:09:41. > :09:44.Newcastle went to Cardiff and they desperately needed a result. They
:09:45. > :09:48.have been on a great run ever since. He got manager of the month last
:09:49. > :09:53.month and is doing a brilliant job. The French clique in the dressing
:09:54. > :09:56.room has been posited as well. Arsene Wenger do that. They may
:09:57. > :09:59.speak a different language but at least they are speaking the same
:10:00. > :10:04.language with each other. They do seem to have this brotherhood
:10:05. > :10:08.amongst them. As well as players taking time to settle in, sometimes
:10:09. > :10:13.in manager needs time to work at his players and how best to fit them in.
:10:14. > :10:17.Anita is a great example. Sometimes he has been in midfield, sometimes
:10:18. > :10:21.at right back. I remember seeing him play at Goodison Park. Alan Pardew
:10:22. > :10:30.has had to work out where these players best fit in for him. That
:10:31. > :10:34.has meant leaving Ben after out? He deserves credit for that. He has
:10:35. > :10:47.changed the system at times. We know with the ball that Ben Arfa is
:10:48. > :10:52.brilliant. But without the ball... Don't be surprised if he goes for
:10:53. > :10:57.the same system today and leaves Ben Arfa on the bench. Be key for me has
:10:58. > :11:00.been cut by. At the start of the season Newcastle weren't firing
:11:01. > :11:05.well. He didn't score in the first three league games. Dubai coming
:11:06. > :11:09.back into the team has coincided with Newcastle going up the table.
:11:10. > :11:16.The big fear is, the transfer window is about to open again. The big fear
:11:17. > :11:24.is that we don't want to finish fifth, because we don't want to be
:11:25. > :11:28.in the Europa League! Tom Hicks says, can Newcastle, Everton
:11:29. > :11:33.Southampton retain their challenge for European football? A month ago
:11:34. > :11:37.you said Southampton more challenges. I still think they will.
:11:38. > :11:42.They will have a good second half of the season. Martin Keown said
:11:43. > :11:47.Everton were up there and they got beaten. What about Newcastle? I do
:11:48. > :11:55.not think they will finish in the top four. Hopefully sixth or
:11:56. > :12:02.seventh. I've seen what goes to the teams in the Europa League. Mother
:12:03. > :12:07.of today's games, Kent 's -- is Chelsea against Liverpool at
:12:08. > :12:12.Stamford Bridge. Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers know each other
:12:13. > :12:21.well. I think Manchester City is the big, big, big favourite. Liverpool
:12:22. > :12:27.is on holidays one season, you know? One week to prepare a match, played
:12:28. > :12:33.the match. One more week to prepare the next match. This is an
:12:34. > :12:39.unbelievable advantage. The emotion when I speak here about Jose
:12:40. > :12:45.Mourinho is first and foremost as a friend. From the first day it in
:12:46. > :12:49.2007. He had obviously common to the club earlier that summer. I was
:12:50. > :12:54.invited to go there and speak to him and a few others about the role. We
:12:55. > :13:04.had a lot of straightaway. From that moment in time he gave me the
:13:05. > :13:09.self-esteem and the confidence that has prepared me greatly for the role
:13:10. > :13:13.that I am in today. They may be friends, but it did not stop that
:13:14. > :13:19.little dig from Mourinho. Have Liverpool had it easy because they
:13:20. > :13:23.have not had European football? It is certainly fair comment that not
:13:24. > :13:26.being in Europe, it is great for the league. I don't think it means they
:13:27. > :13:32.have been on holidays. It has been difficult for it the squad. It is
:13:33. > :13:37.typical Mourinho maybe just to pick at that little thing to deflate a
:13:38. > :13:43.team. Do you think the Liverpool team -- squatters Prime Minister's
:13:44. > :13:51.Questions In certain areas, I do. Maybe in midfield, maybe other
:13:52. > :13:59.areas. Like Arsenal, they have got through to January with the squad. I
:14:00. > :14:02.don't think many people at Liverpool would have said at this stage they
:14:03. > :14:07.would think they will be challenging for the title. They're in for this
:14:08. > :14:13.year was to get into the top four without seriously challenging for
:14:14. > :14:18.the title. Guy Mowbray said manager of the half year has been Alan
:14:19. > :14:22.Pardew. I think Brendan Rodgers has to be considered. It is an
:14:23. > :14:25.incredible job. That little dig from Mourinho was classic Mourinho.
:14:26. > :14:30.Brendan Rodgers has learned so much about him -- from him. His comments
:14:31. > :14:36.about the referee and his postcode being a factor, that is the kind of
:14:37. > :14:44.thing Mourinho would've done. They are creating this them against us
:14:45. > :14:48.scenario. Guys like Mourinho makes a guy like Brendan Rodgers believe he
:14:49. > :14:52.can compete as a manager. He did not have a great playing career. Not
:14:53. > :15:00.Alan Shearer, playing first country, scoring goals. You don't have too be
:15:01. > :15:09.a great player to become a great manager. He wants to be invited
:15:10. > :15:18.again! I was hopeless as a manager! You watch them play Manchester City,
:15:19. > :15:20.where they were unlucky. In the same way Palace could take a lot out of
:15:21. > :15:25.yesterday, Liverpool could take a lot out of boxing day and they can
:15:26. > :15:29.go to Chelsea with confidence. They are two very tough games for
:15:30. > :15:32.Liverpool to play but at City, they certainly deserved at least a point.
:15:33. > :15:37.Their forward play was brilliant and M Suarez, they have a world-class
:15:38. > :15:41.player, and when you have someone of his ilk in the team, you always
:15:42. > :15:45.stand a chance, because these guys can produce a moment of brilliance
:15:46. > :15:51.that will win you a game. I think Suarez has got to the point where it
:15:52. > :15:55.is not Will he make an impact, it is when. You cannot stop a player like
:15:56. > :15:59.him in a team when you have a player like that. He deserves a lot of
:16:00. > :16:03.credit, because the way he has been ridiculed and the way he went about
:16:04. > :16:07.things was wrong, the way he tried to get away. His diving has improved
:16:08. > :16:12.so much this season. He has, without doubt, I think being the player of
:16:13. > :16:16.the season so far. The Sunday Telegraph has a little article on
:16:17. > :16:20.Suarez saying he is a better man now, according to Brendan Rodgers,
:16:21. > :16:25.but next to that article, there is a fascinating thing, for those of us
:16:26. > :16:29.who like our statistics, about goals scored by strikers in the Premier
:16:30. > :16:33.League. Mourinho is desperate for a hit man. Manchester United's goals,
:16:34. > :16:38.71% have come from their strikers and Chelsea are the lowest of all of
:16:39. > :16:44.the Premier League teams, only 15%. The irony being that the striker
:16:45. > :16:47.Mourinho wanted was Wayne Rooney. It is unfathomable that they have
:16:48. > :16:54.scored so many few goals from strikers. It is pathetic, isn't it?
:16:55. > :16:58.If you have Demba Ba and Eto'o and Fernando Torres. Five goals between
:16:59. > :17:02.them, it is embarrassing. I think Mourinho knew that at the start of
:17:03. > :17:07.the season, Rooney was the one he wanted to bring in. If they had him,
:17:08. > :17:11.Chelsea would be top of the league. Let's move onto one of yesterday's
:17:12. > :17:18.games and the man of yesterday, , Hull City beating Fulham by six
:17:19. > :17:22.goals to zero and we have had a tweet asking whether Tom Huddlestone
:17:23. > :17:25.is the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League? We will ask him
:17:26. > :17:29.when he joins us in a moment, but let's hear from his manager. I have
:17:30. > :17:32.seen a lot of good performances from individuals over the year but I
:17:33. > :17:36.don't think I have witnessed something as outstanding as he did
:17:37. > :17:39.today. Goals, free kicks, delivery, his passing, he was an absolute
:17:40. > :17:44.delight and I think everybody else that offer that. People are saying
:17:45. > :17:49.that Roy Hodgson's squad for Brazil is settled, bar one or two places.
:17:50. > :17:55.Could Tom force his way in? I can't see why not. It is not the meter
:17:56. > :18:01.Delroy, but it is obviously going to be helped by the conditions that it
:18:02. > :18:06.is not for me to tell Roy. We need people who can look after the ball
:18:07. > :18:09.and if there is anybody who can do that better than him, I'm yet to see
:18:10. > :18:14.them this season. He is such a naturally gifted footballer, we all
:18:15. > :18:18.know that and had he recovered from his ankle when we brought him in,
:18:19. > :18:22.playing week in, week out, it has done him the world of good, and he
:18:23. > :18:25.has enjoyed himself immensely. And when you see performances like that
:18:26. > :18:29.today, I have not seen many better than what he produced. Steve Bruce
:18:30. > :18:33.talking about Tom Huddlestone and it is not the first time he has said
:18:34. > :18:41.it, a couple of weeks ago on 5 Live, said he something similar to me. Tom
:18:42. > :18:45.joins us live now, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Is the big thing, as
:18:46. > :18:49.your manager said, playing week in week out and being able to enjoy
:18:50. > :18:53.your football? I think so. Every player will tell you if they are
:18:54. > :18:58.playing with confidence. It adds ten or 15% to your game and that is how
:18:59. > :19:02.I feel at the moment, going into games knowing that the manager has
:19:03. > :19:07.100% faith and confidence in me and just trying to repay him.
:19:08. > :19:16.Tom, it is Allen. Did you ever feel a regular, or part of it and at home
:19:17. > :19:24.at Spurs? You are now playing regularly at Agro one, did you feel
:19:25. > :19:29.that way at Spurs? -- at Hull. I did, but there was a
:19:30. > :19:34.change of coaching staff and AVB came in and had his own ideas. Last
:19:35. > :19:40.season, although I did play a fair number of games, although I didn't
:19:41. > :19:44.start that many, I didn't feel that much a part of it, although I was in
:19:45. > :19:49.and around the squad more often than not. So when Steve Bruce and Hull
:19:50. > :19:54.came in for you this summer, was it an easy decision to make or did it
:19:55. > :20:00.take a while for you decide -- to decide what you are going to do?
:20:01. > :20:03.Once I spoke to Steve, it was fairly straightforward. I knew Tottenham
:20:04. > :20:09.had had a couple of bits, and they had accepted the one from Hull. I
:20:10. > :20:12.spoke to Steve Bruce and obviously I liked what he had to tell me, the
:20:13. > :20:17.role that he wanted for me in the team and the way he wanted the team
:20:18. > :20:20.to play. All of the lads seem to be buying into his ideas and we have
:20:21. > :20:27.had a decent first half of the season. So what is happening with
:20:28. > :20:30.their hair at the moment? Jonathan Northcroft and Alan Shearer don't
:20:31. > :20:36.have any to talk about, what is happening to yours at the moment? I
:20:37. > :20:41.am still undecided on the style, but once I get something decided, I will
:20:42. > :20:46.speak to a couple of barbers who I have not spoken to for a few years
:20:47. > :20:50.and get something sorted. We have asked for that little bit to be sent
:20:51. > :20:55.up for me and Jonathan! Jonathan, you have a question. I
:20:56. > :20:59.just wondered about your free kick yesterday, incredible technique to
:21:00. > :21:04.strike it like that from 35 yards. Have you been practising that or did
:21:05. > :21:08.it just occurred to you in the game? It was something I was practising
:21:09. > :21:15.last year, myself and Gylfi Sigurdsson and Gareth Bale, we all
:21:16. > :21:19.used to mess about in practice, but only really Gareth had the
:21:20. > :21:30.confidence to try it in games and master it, really. It is just a case
:21:31. > :21:33.of, I don't know, we were 4-0 or 5-0 up, so I thought I would try
:21:34. > :21:39.something different. My manager gets on my case usually but luckily, we
:21:40. > :21:42.got a goal from it. When your manager is saying things in post
:21:43. > :21:47.match interview is like he said yesterday, you would be ideal for
:21:48. > :21:53.England in Brazil, how do you feel about that? Again, it is a massive
:21:54. > :21:59.confidence booster. You go into each game, and you think, I don't really
:22:00. > :22:03.want to let him down or make his comments be in vain, really, so just
:22:04. > :22:07.keeps you on your toes, I guess, each and every game when they come.
:22:08. > :22:13.Do you believe you can make Roy Hodgson's squad? I don't know.
:22:14. > :22:16.Hopefully, but having seen a few interviews where he has said he has
:22:17. > :22:21.sort of got his squad in mind already and he has seen everybody
:22:22. > :22:27.that he wants to see, then I know it will be difficult, but fingers
:22:28. > :22:32.crossed, if we stay up and I have a good season, hopefully I can sneak
:22:33. > :22:35.onto the plane. And the most important thing at the end of all of
:22:36. > :22:39.this is when you did your post match interview yesterday, I think the
:22:40. > :22:44.donations for Cancer research UK for your hair was around 13,000, wasn't
:22:45. > :22:49.it? If you look at it this lunchtime, it has doubled overnight
:22:50. > :22:55.to around ?25,000. Yes, I would like to thank everybody who has donated.
:22:56. > :23:00.It has been a long time coming, the goal, but obviously it was for a
:23:01. > :23:03.good cause and I am glad I have made a bit of awareness of the charity
:23:04. > :23:07.and equally raised a few pounds at the same time. Farm, we appreciate
:23:08. > :23:13.you joining us and well done yesterday and congratulations on the
:23:14. > :23:17.season so far -- Tom. Tom Huddlestone live on MOTD2 EXTRA.
:23:18. > :23:24.Ryan says he thinks he deserves to be on the plane to Brazil, Gerrard
:23:25. > :23:30.like passing, two footed, but only regulars can force their way in. Tom
:23:31. > :23:34.alluded to it, has Roy Hodgson got a set squad? If he keeps performing
:23:35. > :23:37.like he has done for the first part of the season, he has to be a
:23:38. > :23:41.serious contender, because technically, he is excellent. He
:23:42. > :23:47.left and the right foot, he can keep the ball, pass the ball, short and
:23:48. > :23:51.long, and he has demonstrated that. Not only yesterday, but all season.
:23:52. > :23:56.It was just over ?5 million, that has to be one of the bargains of the
:23:57. > :24:00.season. And isn't it one of the problems in our game that he has to
:24:01. > :24:06.leave Spurs to go and show his true ability, really? A lot of people had
:24:07. > :24:11.faith in him at Spurs, if you speak to some of the fans there they will
:24:12. > :24:15.tell you that he is far, far better than some of the guys, a lot of the
:24:16. > :24:19.guys, they have brought in. He must have a wry smile, looking at his
:24:20. > :24:23.performances this year and the performances of the midfielders at
:24:24. > :24:31.Spurs. If England was a different country, Tom Huddlestone would have
:24:32. > :24:35.30 or 40 caps. Maybe that is not the way Premier League football is
:24:36. > :24:40.played and England play. Jake Livermore is having a good season as
:24:41. > :24:44.well, it bodes well. That is the key, this season we have had players
:24:45. > :24:49.spiking, hitting this purple patch. Between the likes of Ross Barkley,
:24:50. > :24:54.Tom Huddlestone and Adam Maulana, it is who can keep the consistency,
:24:55. > :25:01.they get on the plane. -- Adam Lala na. Their hair goes, I am worried
:25:02. > :25:09.about Samson and Delilah, if the hair goes, the ability may go. That
:25:10. > :25:14.would have made Don Goodman proud. People used to talk about his
:25:15. > :25:22.mobility and how he gets around the pitch, but if you look at Pearl oh,
:25:23. > :25:28.he dictates the play for Italy -- Pirlo. His running stats stand up to
:25:29. > :25:34.anybody, so that is not an issue. One of the issues, Matt in Hull says
:25:35. > :25:37.Steve Bruce is the manager of the season, limited funds and everybody
:25:38. > :25:42.wrote them off, including all of you, I am achieving that is the
:25:43. > :25:46.media in general or maybe all four of us, but Steve Bruce, Tony Pulis
:25:47. > :25:49.as well, if you want, is this an experienced English manager knowing
:25:50. > :25:53.the right players they need to play the right way to stay in the Premier
:25:54. > :25:59.League? The other thing he has done is he has known the players that can
:26:00. > :26:02.play in the Premier League. They didn't spend much money compared to
:26:03. > :26:06.other clubs at the bottom and I think what he has achieved is
:26:07. > :26:12.because it has put pressure on the clubs like Norwich and Cardiff, who
:26:13. > :26:18.have spent money. And Sunderland got rid of him, they sacked him. Steve
:26:19. > :26:21.Bruce, proud Englishman that he is, he wants them to do well at the
:26:22. > :26:25.World Cup but saying that Huddlestone should be in the squad
:26:26. > :26:29.is because he wants him to perform for Hull until the end of the season
:26:30. > :26:34.and it obviously infuses him to get that sort of recognition. He is
:26:35. > :26:38.doing a magnificent job. He would have settled for fourth bottom
:26:39. > :26:43.before the start of the season, but I have the points they have achieved
:26:44. > :26:48.already, doing a magnificent job. He said bad thing about Sunderland were
:26:49. > :26:52.too much of a smile on your face. -- bad thing. We have had a few tweets
:26:53. > :26:57.about the match of the season. I am going to go. Against Chelsea, 3-2. I
:26:58. > :27:08.was on the steps when assayed the's goal went in, talk about raising the
:27:09. > :27:15.roof. -- Assaidi. And in the Scottish premiership today, Celtic
:27:16. > :27:18.beating Inverness 1-0, Kris Commons. My match of the year is Manchester
:27:19. > :27:23.United zero, Newcastle one. Keith in Wiggins says the FA Cup final, no
:27:24. > :27:29.doubt. As Wigan fan for 40 years, the best match ever, not just 2013.
:27:30. > :27:35.As far as yesterday is concerned, when a side win 6-0, so one has to
:27:36. > :27:41.be on the end of that. Do you fear for Fulham? Yes, I was alongside you
:27:42. > :27:45.at Selhurst Park back in October and the Kasami goal, Steve Sidwell
:27:46. > :27:49.scored a great goal, and it looked like Fulham were going to be OK,
:27:50. > :27:53.they had enough talent, guile, they have been around the block, Martin
:27:54. > :27:57.Jol will dig them out of it, but it has been in freefall since. You see
:27:58. > :28:05.at certain clubs, you change the manager and I guess Crystal Palace
:28:06. > :28:08.on the obvious example, and it changes the balance. Where do Fulham
:28:09. > :28:11.go now? They cannot change the manager again. Is the January
:28:12. > :28:16.transfer window going to produce for them? Fulham and West Ham are the
:28:17. > :28:21.two teams that have been dubbed right into it. West Ham, the only
:28:22. > :28:27.manager in the bottom 62 have not changed their manager this season
:28:28. > :28:31.but people say if anyone can get out of it, it is Big Sam. The pressure
:28:32. > :28:35.on him is huge and also the pressure on Andy Carroll, everyone is hoping
:28:36. > :28:38.he will come back and be the huge saviour. They scored three
:28:39. > :28:41.yesterday, but they also shipped three at the back because their
:28:42. > :28:47.injuries at the back are decimating them. It is all right saying with
:28:48. > :28:54.Fulham, they have pervert toff and Hangeland, but give me 11 players
:28:55. > :28:59.who are going to scrap for use -- Dimitar Berbatov. Ability wise, they
:29:00. > :29:03.might not have enough but if you go out and give you 100%, give me that
:29:04. > :29:09.group of guys any weekend you will have a better chance. It was a
:29:10. > :29:14.collapse yesterday, it was nil-nel at 49 minutes and then it was a
:29:15. > :29:16.collapse -- it was 0-0. They don't have a lot of energy in that team at
:29:17. > :29:20.Fulham, a lot of older have a lot of energy in that team at
:29:21. > :29:25.Fulham, players who can get on the ball and play with it, but maybe not
:29:26. > :29:29.do the work. As far as West Ham go, we can see they are not scoring,
:29:30. > :29:33.apart from yesterday, and not defending well. There are so many
:29:34. > :29:37.teams at the bottom you can make a case for going. Do you think the
:29:38. > :29:41.lack of Andy Carroll is affecting Kevin Nolan? The West Ham fans have
:29:42. > :29:44.been on his back quite a lot this season and when he scored yesterday
:29:45. > :29:48.and he was sat on the ground, albeit with a West Brom player on top of
:29:49. > :29:54.him, he kind of stared at the West Ham fans, saying, now what are you
:29:55. > :29:58.going to say? I wonder if he has been affected by not having Andy
:29:59. > :30:02.Carroll. I think without a doubt because his relationship with Andy
:30:03. > :30:05.Carroll on and off the pitch is a good one. He understands Andy
:30:06. > :30:10.Carroll's game more than anyone, having played with him at Newcastle.
:30:11. > :30:15.He is a good friend of the pitch as well, some with those balls going up
:30:16. > :30:18.there, he's great at picking up the pieces and knowing where the ball is
:30:19. > :30:21.going to fall, particularly if the big man has gone up to head it and I
:30:22. > :30:27.think he has suffered more than most. You need players who can roll
:30:28. > :30:34.up their sleeves. Kevin Nolan is one of those players, and with Fulham's
:30:35. > :30:37.problem, Dimitar Berbatov being captain so often, you want Scott
:30:38. > :30:41.Parker to do it, and Kevin Nolan will fight till the last game. If
:30:42. > :30:46.you look at the back pages, the thing from the game is not the
:30:47. > :30:56.scoreline, not West Ham or West Brom's situation, it is about
:30:57. > :30:59.Nicolas Anelka. Anelka under fire for disgusting gold gesture, says
:31:00. > :31:06.the Observer. A lot written about this. The photograph is in the
:31:07. > :31:10.papers as well. The FA are looking at this to see if it is
:31:11. > :31:13.anti-Semitic, which is the allegation coming from France.
:31:14. > :31:21.Nobody in this country was aware of it. It is Nicolas Anelka expressing
:31:22. > :31:26.support for a comedian friend causing a lot of controversy in
:31:27. > :31:33.France which he says is an antiestablishment thing, not an
:31:34. > :31:37.anti-Israeli thing. Anelka, it doesn't surprise me, he is a very
:31:38. > :31:44.private bloke who is loyal to the people around him, he is supporting
:31:45. > :31:47.a friend. However, it comes as a backdrop to the kind of incidents we
:31:48. > :31:51.have had in recent years. I would expect the FA to be pretty hard on
:31:52. > :31:58.this. They have gone down the zero tolerance route. Jack Wilshere got
:31:59. > :32:05.suspended for an obscene gesture at Manchester City fans recently. I
:32:06. > :32:11.naturally will take Anelka's fans -- explanation into account. Lets get
:32:12. > :32:21.the team news from St James' Park. Newcastle against Arsenal.
:32:22. > :32:31.Newcastle United made one change. Kyoto returns. -- Kyoto returns.
:32:32. > :32:37.Arsene Wenger makes for changes. Aaron Ramsey is injured. Mesut Ozil
:32:38. > :32:39.has not travelled. Thomas Cromwell and drops out and Michalak Tessa is
:32:40. > :32:56.on the bench. -- Thomas Mallon. Thank you very much, Alistair. That
:32:57. > :33:03.was the chains that Alan Shearer suggested. You could do this
:33:04. > :33:09.manager! Five changes for Everton today after
:33:10. > :33:17.their surprise defeat of Everton. Brian Oviedo is in the side. He will
:33:18. > :33:24.start at midfield. Tim Howard is suspended. As is Gareth Barry. There
:33:25. > :33:28.is no Phil Jagielka today. Ross Barkley and Steven Naismith both
:33:29. > :33:33.started today. Three changes for Southampton. They change their
:33:34. > :33:42.goalkeeper. Kelvin Davis makers -- mixes first appearance of the
:33:43. > :33:45.season. James Ward-Prowse comes in. We are really looking forward to
:33:46. > :33:51.this game at Goodison Park. You can hear it in full on BBC Five Live. We
:33:52. > :33:59.can speak to Kevin Rudd cliff, former Everton captain. -- Kevin
:34:00. > :34:01.Rudd Cliff. What I thought was particularly impressive about
:34:02. > :34:07.Roberto Martinez after the defeat against Sunderland, was he just
:34:08. > :34:13.played everything down, and they were a bit unlucky? I think that he
:34:14. > :34:16.-- that is what he has done at the club. He has relaxed everybody in
:34:17. > :34:22.giving them the freedom to go out there. He just seems very relaxed.
:34:23. > :34:28.That obviously transfers onto the pitch. He has done very well. By all
:34:29. > :34:31.accounts, I was not hear the other day, but they should have got
:34:32. > :34:39.something out of the game in the second half. They seem less cautious
:34:40. > :34:48.this season, would that be fair? He has given the freedom to the
:34:49. > :34:52.players. The manager is not shouting and bawling Ross Barkley forgiving
:34:53. > :34:58.the ball away. He is telling in to get ball again. You will make
:34:59. > :35:03.mistakes. Go out there and get the ball and show willingness. How
:35:04. > :35:08.important is it, away from what is going on on the field, that he has
:35:09. > :35:12.properly bought into the culture at Everton? I know he has had Howard
:35:13. > :35:16.Kendall in, talking about the history of the club. Every new
:35:17. > :35:24.photographs at the training ground. How important is it? Some managers
:35:25. > :35:28.go with it, some do not. I think Roberto has bought into it. It is
:35:29. > :35:34.working in his favour. For make it is about your players. The three
:35:35. > :35:40.signings deadline day have been inspirational. Gareth Barry has been
:35:41. > :35:45.an absolute fantastic signing. He makes all the players play. Before
:35:46. > :35:49.that, it was not looking too good. Those three players have made a
:35:50. > :35:53.massive difference. The pace they have in the site is something they
:35:54. > :36:00.have not had in recent years. Thank you for talking to us. Enjoy the
:36:01. > :36:04.day. Let us talk about Ross Barkley. You
:36:05. > :36:11.interviewed him a couple of weeks ago? A lovely kid. Very unaffected.
:36:12. > :36:15.He reminded me in a way of Wayne Rooney. Somebody must still playing
:36:16. > :36:19.on the street. He says when he goes out and plays he does not notice the
:36:20. > :36:25.crowd. It is like he is playing with mates. He has got so much ability.
:36:26. > :36:30.He told me that when he was a kid he played a whole game left footed to
:36:31. > :36:40.see how he would do. Did you ever do that? ! He played centre half as a
:36:41. > :36:45.kid. He was top scorer. What Roberto Martinez has done with its focus on
:36:46. > :36:51.his ability. He has freed him. Don't worry about the mistakes. We're just
:36:52. > :36:56.seeing the start of what he can do. Did he feel that he benefited by
:36:57. > :37:04.going out on loan? He did not often play when he went to Sheffield
:37:05. > :37:07.Wednesday and Leeds. Did benefiting? I think he was frustrated because he
:37:08. > :37:18.felt it was time for you to play at Everton. He felt David Moyes was not
:37:19. > :37:22.giving him enough opportunities. He has developed his tactical side. To
:37:23. > :37:29.go and give him some responsibility on loan for a championship team was
:37:30. > :37:32.maybe part of his education. I was at Swansea last week when Ross
:37:33. > :37:37.Barkley scored a fantastic free kick. We spoke to him afterwards. He
:37:38. > :37:43.said he does not even practice free kicks. Natural talent. We probably
:37:44. > :37:48.live in an era where many people do overthink the game. It has probably
:37:49. > :37:51.been a real boost for him that Roberto Martinez has come in. I
:37:52. > :37:56.don't think you would be given that freedom under a more regimented
:37:57. > :38:00.David Moyes. Do you think Ross Barkley would have a chance of
:38:01. > :38:04.making the World Cup squad? I think he would have more than a chance. If
:38:05. > :38:08.there's one guy who could come on and produce a piece of magic,
:38:09. > :38:12.whether from a dead ball situation... His ability to run with
:38:13. > :38:17.the ball and go past people is brilliant. I did the World Cup draw
:38:18. > :38:22.with Roberto Martinez on the BBC. I asked him about Ross and he said
:38:23. > :38:29.with the ball he is as good as he has seen at that particular age. He
:38:30. > :38:34.said he is slight -- is slight concern was without the ball. But
:38:35. > :38:39.that goes to his natural ability. Go and play. Have the freedom to play.
:38:40. > :38:42.Roberto has given him that. He will learn with experience what to do
:38:43. > :38:48.when he has not got the ball. That will come to him. The two players we
:38:49. > :38:54.have talked about this afternoon, Tom Huddlestone and Ross Barkley,
:38:55. > :38:58.both do things that we want to see English footballers do. Keep the
:38:59. > :39:03.ball, cherish the ball, never give it away. And Ross Barkley, run at
:39:04. > :39:10.people, cause them problems. In some ways that is what we are crying out
:39:11. > :39:16.for. Obviously, you are Scottish! Ross Barkley for Scotland would be
:39:17. > :39:21.amazing! Ross Barkley wants to go to the World Cup. He is not overawed.
:39:22. > :39:26.He feels he can go to Brazil. He can hold his own in that company. Not in
:39:27. > :39:34.an arrogant way. It is just how he sees the game. More players like him
:39:35. > :39:38.would reduce the fear factor. Fear factor is the thing. By the way, we
:39:39. > :39:41.will take him for Ireland if you don't want him! If he loses the
:39:42. > :39:46.ball, it is not the end of the world. I think it is significant
:39:47. > :39:52.that Leighton Baines comes back in today and the aid keeps his place.
:39:53. > :39:55.He has been brilliant. Leighton Baines on paper is probably
:39:56. > :40:04.Everton's best player. His absence is hardly be noticed. Adam Lallana
:40:05. > :40:07.as well, it is a bit of respect for him that they are doubling up on
:40:08. > :40:14.him. Let's have a look at some of the tweets you have been sending in.
:40:15. > :40:18.Favourite games. Doncaster against Brentford epitomised the drama in
:40:19. > :40:23.the English game. There were a lot of games towards the end of that
:40:24. > :40:28.season you would highlight. Remember the last day of the championship
:40:29. > :40:35.being at Watford. Watford against Leeds. The other game was held back
:40:36. > :40:40.row against Cardiff. -- Hull. They were down to the third goalkeeper at
:40:41. > :40:45.Watford. Ian Dennis was in Hull and I was at Watford. We were like a tag
:40:46. > :40:51.team. It was the most dramatic day I have witnessed. It was quite a drab
:40:52. > :40:55.end to the Premier League last season. The Championship really
:40:56. > :40:59.provided the excitement. It's great this year that the Premier League,
:41:00. > :41:05.nobody has any clue who is going to win it or who is gone to be
:41:06. > :41:11.relegated. Karlin Telford says Brentford against Doncaster. 5-5
:41:12. > :41:28.thriller between Manchester United and West Brom. Dylan Nelson,
:41:29. > :41:35.Newcastle zero, solid and three. -- Newcastle nil. Brilliant! I thought
:41:36. > :41:40.last season was pretty dull. But Wigan winning the FA Cup, it was an
:41:41. > :41:46.incredible story, an incredible achievement. I thought two weeks
:41:47. > :41:49.ago, not so long ago, the Manchester City against Liverpool game. The
:41:50. > :41:54.attacking play from both sets of teams that day, I felt, was just
:41:55. > :42:00.incredible. Suarez and Negredo were absolutely outstanding. Two top
:42:01. > :42:04.players at the top of their game. You are going for a recent
:42:05. > :42:10.Manchester City one as well? Manchester City six, Arsenal three.
:42:11. > :42:14.That was the top of the table game that was all about attack. The other
:42:15. > :42:20.one I would pick would be Manchester United one, Real Madrid two. You
:42:21. > :42:30.could not get much more drama than that. Rinaldo scoring against his
:42:31. > :42:36.old club. Sir Alex Ferguson's final stop at Europe. Did Mourinho
:42:37. > :42:39.outthink Ferguson? There was a ten minute spell where Ferguson was so
:42:40. > :42:47.angry he did not do anything. Mourinho brought on Lou, Judge.
:42:48. > :42:52.Newcastle beat Arsenal today, that would be a great game! You're being
:42:53. > :42:57.very biased this afternoon. You going for the last day of the
:42:58. > :43:01.championship? Definitely. I could not even drive out of the car park
:43:02. > :43:12.after that game. I felt I played in the match, the adrenaline. Oldham
:43:13. > :43:20.against Liverpool, 2-3. The FA Cup. Tim, Swansea beating Bradford City
:43:21. > :43:27.at Wembley. Two sides to the day really mattered. And Steve just goes
:43:28. > :43:34.for the first game of this season, Liverpool against Stoke purely for
:43:35. > :43:40.Mignolet's saving the last minute. Thank you for all your thoughts and
:43:41. > :43:44.memories. Every game is special to a fan somewhere up or down the
:43:45. > :43:49.country. Thank you to the guys. Match of the Day two on BBC One this
:43:50. > :43:53.evening. Two commentaries on BBC Five Live. Everton against
:43:54. > :43:56.Southampton, followed by Chelsea against Liverpool. We will see you
:43:57. > :44:01.in two weeks. Have a good New Year. Goodbye.