PL Review: Spurs in free fall, goals galore as Arsenal hold firm

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1:28Daily Podcast, Premier League Review with Rick Edwards. Hello and welcome to the Premier League Review. Arsenal break records with their set-piece brilliance to go five points clear while North London neighbours top the wedge further into a relegation scrap. Are Manchester United and Liverpools settling into the Champions League spots now? Have Burnley been robbed of a chance at staying up? And what is going on at Newcastle? Lots to get into. Joining me to dissect it all, former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison and the Telegraph's Northern Football writer, Luke Edwards. Evening, fellas.

1:59You all good? Evening. Very well, thank you, Rick. We're delighted to hear that. Let's start by saying the one thing that reminds us why we love the Premier League this weekend. Who wants to start? Jordan Pickford. Brilliant save to deny Sandro Tonali probably a goal. The save is all well-being. The save's a brilliant save, but I assume it's the celebration you like. Yes. You may be surprised to learn that I am certainly somebody who enjoys goading people. Yeah, you love a bit of snide. And that, doing the muscle flex in front of the Gallagher end as a Sunderland boy. It was brilliant. And, you know, I think even Newcastle supporters begrudgingly just went, you know what?

2:41All right. Fair enough. Fair enough. You deserve that. It is a brilliant save. I mean, it is a brilliant save. Yeah, the celebration made it for me. If you can't give it out at the home of your bitterest rivals who chant rude songs about you every time you play them and have inflatable dinosaurs in the stands mocking your short arms. If you pull off a world-class save like that, ram it down their throats, Rick. Flex those tiny little arms. Clinton, how about you? Mine's not a moment. Mine's a game. You know what? The Burnley-Brentford game sums it all up for me this weekend where I thought half-time the game was over.

3:15The boos were all over the place. I know in the end they lose the game, but they didn't deserve to lose the game. but we'll probably get onto that but that just typifies the Premier League for me so unpredictable and you just never know what's going to happen and that is why it's the best league in the world in my opinion a lot of goals yesterday in particular very enjoyable for me it's actually it's just well it's two things one sort of serious and one less serious I'll let you decide which is which Chris Richards Crystal Palace defender that headband and hair combo was electric I just thought it was so good.

3:51Is that the serious one? No, no. That's the serious one. And then the less serious one is Iwobi's finish with just side foot from outside the box. Just sort of a solid pass directly in off the post. That's a, I mean, I just, it's a cracking goal, isn't it? Definition of crisp precision and the fact it goes in off the post. I always love the sound of a ball going in off the post. But side foot from there. Yeah. It's much harder to do that than you realise as well. I've just seen it. I think it's exactly as hard as I think it is. I've never seen anyone do it. I've just seen it. You're absolutely spot on.

4:29It is a young Clinton Morrison finish, but yeah, it's spectacular. Oh, right. Absolutely zero chance could I get it in from there. No way. I was a six-yard book, so it wasn't Clinton Morrison. I was going to say, you're not ever outside the area. Exactly that. You know me too well. It was a great finish, though. So that is a great shout. Let's get into it then. And we'll start with the final game of what was a very dramatic Premier League weekend. Leeds Arsenal remain five points clear after that 2-1 win over their London rivals, Chelsea. Manchester City coped with Haaland's absence to win at Leeds on Saturday evening.

4:59They had to dig in for that. I mean, really big celebrations from particularly Gabriela at full time. And there was a point in this game when it looked like that they might drop points. Yeah, absolutely. I thought Chelsea looked like the better team at the start of the second half, the more threatening team. They obviously got the goal back, the equaliser, just before half-time. I think that knocked Arsenal a little bit, and you could tell. But I'm getting slightly taller. I mean, I've stuck up for Arsenal, and you can't be bad champions, and you can't play ugly football. But it was a game of set pieces, wasn't it?

5:37And there is a bit of a worry that are we getting into a situation where football's now turning into hockey? You know, we like the penalty corners thing. That's like the most obvious source of goals. And I've got no idea how you referee corners anymore either because there was just chaos. Every game now, it's just chaos. It's just bodies. It's like holding, grappling, people falling to the floor, goalkeepers complaining about being fouled. It is all very messy, but Arsenal came through it. Their set pieces were once again brilliant, particularly the first one. I love the first one with the deep ball in and it's Gabriel's header, isn't it, at the far post.

6:11That's brilliant. But yeah, it wasn't a great advert for the beautiful game, but nobody will care about that at the moment. Arsenal have just got to get the job done. They were obviously under pressure with Man City getting their three points against Leeds on Saturday. So a tough fixture on paper, a tough game for them, but they came through it. And yeah, they'll be absolutely delighted about that. Yeah, I mean, something I think you have to give a lot of credit for, for both teams actually, is that the delivery for those set pieces is so good, Clinton. They're absolutely whipping it into an area that is so hard to defend.

6:46Rhys James and Declan Rice between them. And yeah, I get what Luke's saying about it's slightly dull. But I think you have to say it is not easy to do what they are doing. No, that's why all these, they've got so much set-piece coaches at the moment as well. This is why they're so vital. They're so vital to everything. But they still have to go and do the delivery. and I think the two players you've just said Rhys James and Declan Rice are probably two of the best deliverers in the Premier League they always pull it on the money I think Saka does it on the other side as well yeah they're just great great deliveries into the box and that's just the way it is at the moment and I get what Luke's saying I'm with Luke I like the perfect goal where it's a beautiful football but do you think Arsenal fans will care on these players if they win the title by scoring the lows in set pieces but I do agree with Luke I am one of those and it is a thing that's coming to the game because I'm not going to be I'm going to be honest with you when I was playing wasn't a lot of goals from set pieces but what I say now which is a bit different is the balls in are good but no one does man to man marking anymore it's always zonal and I always think that's the hardest thing to do zonal because if I'm going to if I'm attacking it with Luke and Luke's standing still and I've got the run on him I'm going to have the advantage over him because he's jumping from his Clinton Clinton yeah I was going to say Clinton even if I had the run on you I'm just trying to be nice to you because you're a nice guy you're a lovely man you know what You know what I'm trying to say, though?

8:09I just think that's why set pieces are so crucial at the moment. And they're so detailed. I heard on the training ground nowadays, you could work for like half an hour, 45 minutes on just doing set pieces. Like, it's so big in the game at the moment. So, and that is why Arsenal could win it. Yeah. 16 goals Arsenal have scored from set pieces. And I think Liverpool are on a run of seven consecutive goals from set pieces. So, it is a huge, huge part of the game. Huge part of the game. It's not going to be for the purists. and people are going to take pot shots and take swipes to Arsenal if they do emerge as champions.

8:42But as we've said before, Clinton, who cares? You've got to be effective. They haven't won the title for God knows how many years. So they're getting it done. They're getting the job done. And if that is a weapon they've got and they score a lot of goals from it, then they're going to manipulate games to suit them and that's how they're winning games. That's fine. I would say, though, not for the first time, Chelsea lost the game themselves, really. really, just five minutes of pure sort of clown show. So firstly, Sanchez. No, it's true though. I don't know what Sanchez is. What's he moaning about for the goal?

9:18What is he moaning about? Sanchez is nowhere near it, just doesn't know where the ball is and is sort of like floundering around and then desperately tries to make out that he's been fouled. And when you watch it back, you're like, mate, the last thing you want to do is get people to scrutinise what you were doing before that went in the back. You don't want to replay. You don't want to replay. No, just say, yeah, good goal, good goal, let's carry on. Do you know why he does that? It's because he knows he's made a mistake. No, I know, but then everyone's going to watch you being useless. But then you highlight it, don't you?

9:44Yeah, exactly, mate. I agree with you. You highlight a big mistake, you make. You're hoping there's a foul in it. I think we've said it a lot of times now. For Chelsea to be serious contenders, is he good enough? And I just don't think he is. Obviously, he's a very, very good goalkeeper, but you need absolute top goalkeepers. I mean, look at that. David Raya today made a couple of unbelievable saves. That one that would have been an own goal off whoever it was, he clawed out when he's being manhandled from a corner. I mean, he's sensational. Yeah, title-winning teams need elite goalkeepers. Yeah, and Arsenal have one.

10:24And Arsenal have one, and Chelsea don't. City have one. City have one. Liverpool have one. Liverpool have one. although he's not quite at the peak of his powers, I would say. Manchester United think they've got one. They think they've discovered one. I think they might have. He is good, isn't he? He's Ben and Sanchez, for sure. Yeah, I think I might be. So you've got Sanchez doing that and then you've got Neto getting sent off. Granted, if I'm being kind, which I'm not massively inclined to be, I can't quite see what's gone on for the first yellow card. It's dissent. It's dissent. Yeah, but you've still got it, Rick.

11:02You've still got the yellow card. No, I know, I know. But then that tackle on Martinelli was nuts. And then to berate the referee afterwards, what are you possibly saying? It's a scissor foul. It's horrible. It's a scissor foul three minutes after he's been booked. And he's running down the touchline. And he's leapt in. And that's ninth red card this season for Chelsea. Unacceptable. It is. and I don't know what I just do not know we've spoken about it a number of times because it's insane how many people are getting sent off but I don't know what you do about it but it sort of has to He's not an experienced player well yes it's a head loss and it's a type of head loss but there's nothing the manager can do No I mean there's been a number of different managers who haven't been able to solve this No you can't solve it because it's so difficult to solve It's players they've got experienced players it's ill discipline he's an international net oh he should know better than that not to leave your team down to 10 men and you're playing against one of the best teams in Arsenal and you're right at one stage I thought Chelsea would go on and win it when they made it 1-1 because it was nervous at the Emirates yeah there were nerves and it's not an isolated incident so there's a problem in that dressing room and it's a serious problem and I need to get to grips well it's costing them yeah it's costing them because you don't have to be a genius to work out that you're not likely to win many games for 10 men on the pitch and they keep doing it and I just it's the fact it's three minutes it's like you've got a stupid booking for dissent okay but you know you've got that breathe calm down Don't breathe, calm down, and don't scissor kick somebody on the touchline.

12:33And then the audacity, the cheek to be complaining about it. Yeah, you can't complain. Go and take your medicine and get off the pitch. Just shut up. Get off the pitch. You know what? I'm watching the TV now, and they're showing the replay of Timber's goal. Oh, my gosh. It looks even worse in slow motion. What Sanchez is trying to do for the goal? I don't know what he's doing. I've never played in goal and I can guarantee I would come and punch everything in front of me and done much better than that or move my feet it's embarrassing goalkeeper if you had been flapping about like that just keep quiet exactly looks like a fish on a riverbank so yeah and the thing about fish on a riverbank is they don't then afterwards say hold on

13:19yeah it is embarrassing but also I mean Chelsea still Still, even with 10 men, they did have that late flourish, didn't they? Yeah. I think you saw the tension and felt it in Arsenal's performance at the end. And there must have been hearts and mouths when Dalat puts the ball in and Pedro's just... I mean, he was well offside. It's not a controversial decision. No, no, not at all. But, I mean, still, even so, for those few split seconds when you think they've thrown it away again. Well, also, that Garnaccio ball that could... But again, another great save from David Ryan. Really hard. I mean, if Gio Pedro gets anything on that, it's probably a goal.

13:58It's a goal. And he also had the mistake against Walsre as well, which makes it even, you know, the absolute calamity there. But then he's got them the three points today. Definitely got them the three points. So now, yeah, Arsenal five ahead. City have won four on the bounce. This is the first weekend in a while, isn't it, that we've had both Arsenal and City winning. Semenya and Gueye, clearly very good signings. and City will just feel they're still there. They know Arsenal are feeling the pressure. They're doing what they need to do and they'll just keep doing it. I think Gahey and Semenya are the two best signings in the window.

14:32They feel like they've been at Man City for years. Semenya's adding assists and goals to his game. Gahey's just fitted in at the back like he's been there his whole career. And this is why I feel at the moment, I know even though Arsenal are still five points clear, I don't know. I can see something like City doing it because defensively now... You wavering Clinton? Are you wavering now? I am starting to waver. Do you know why? Because defensively, they look strong. Even though Leeds had some good chances in the first half, they were a bit more clinical. But then City just looked nice and solid.

15:01And you look at Arsenal. This was a big game for Arsenal, which they overcome. It doesn't matter how they scored goals or how they won it. They managed to get the three points. But I actually still think it does come down to when the two play each other. It's a massive game. And then I'm starting to waver towards City at the moment. The emotional pressure is more on Arsenal, isn't it? the emotional pressure it is Arsenal have led the league all season they haven't won the title for so long they're the best team as well they've got the best squad certainly got the best squad best squad yeah and then City have just done what City do and it doesn't you know it's really nice when you can just go out and buy Gehi and Semenyo in January isn't it of course I mean that's that's a nice that's a nice boost to your squad when you're trying to chase down the leaders to the other side of North London then Tottenham situation it is really serious and I know we already knew this but they lost 2-1 at Fulham on Sunday could have been more frankly Fulham were really good Tottenham were awful they're four points off the relegation zone and they're in and I think this is fair to say absolute freefall they've equaled their longest winless streak in the Premier League so it's ten games now without winning and when you listen to Igor Duda he said we were not good we lacked everything attacking and defending Fulham were much better.

16:19There are problems here, big problems. Well, yeah. I don't know what my managers are coming out and saying it quite so stridently, Luke. Yeah, he's done a variation of the can't attack, can't defend, can't score goals, can't play football. I mean, if you look at what he's actually said, he's basically saying his team's rubbish. Yeah. And he's doing that after two games. And he did it after the first game. Now, this guy has come in to replace Thomas Frank, who... It's a different sort of energy, isn't it? Yeah, we try to defend Thomas Frank, but with the benefit of just take a step back, do we think Tottenham would have been more likely to stay up under Thomas Frank or Iger Tudor, who they've brought in, who just seems to be scorched-earth policy?

17:03I'm going to slag off absolutely everybody, all the players. I mean, they look vulnerable, they look fragile, they look like a team that's forgotten how to win games. I think their confidence must be low. And I do have to query, Clinton, whether a new manager coming in and being that volatile, that sort of aggressively critical, what sort of impact is that going to be happening on a team and a group that are all probably pretty shell-shocked from what's happened already this season? Unusually, that's quite a good question, Clinton. Yeah, he's done well there, hasn't he? But I think it needed to be shaken up because that's the discipline.

17:42I'm talking about players like Romero, who's letting their team down. He's still suspended when they play Tottenham on Thursday. I feel there's a lot of ill discipline at Tottenham as well. And they're getting involved a lot with the fans. We know the fans are entitled to their opinions and players are never happy getting criticised. But if you're not delivering, you've got to expect that. I do think he's changed it today. I think he's gone to a four and Igor Tudor never likes to go to a four. He always likes to play a three. So I think he has gone to a four today, which at the end of the day, he's listening to outside noises because everyone's saying Tottenham don't have the players to play a free at this moment with Romero out suspended.

18:16So I think they're banging trouble. I thought this was a game this weekend where I thought to myself, Tottenham need to go there and get points. But then Fulham are in good form at the moment. I think the job, Marco Silva, and we're talking about managers. That's who Tottenham could have gone for. I know he's still under contract with Fulham, but someone like a Marco Silva. I just think it's a gamble going for a manager who's not had the experience in the Premier League to get you out of trouble. and they've got a huge, huge football match on Thursday night against Crystal Palace. And if they don't take points for them, West Ham and Forrest might not pick up points, but West Ham have got a good game, even though they go to Fulham, which is a tough game, but it's all to play for at the moment.

18:55I mean, the best thing that's happened to Tottenham this weekend is that West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds have all lost. So they haven't actually made their situation any worse in the league. They've still got that slight cushion. But you would have to say, on recent evidence, West Ham are playing better than Tottenham Leeds are playing better than Tottenham and actually Nottingham Forest haven't been great probably still better than Tottenham though but you still think they're better than Tottenham so if they're not alarm bells ringing now and the players they've got to get to grips with it they are in a relegation fight are they equipped to do the things that need to be done in a relegation fight are they equipped to win by any means necessary because at the moment you have to well not for the last 10 they are you have to question the manager and you have to question the players and you have to question the people above them who are making these decisions.

19:43It is a mess. So here's my question and I think you probably apply this just as equally to Forrest, maybe even Newcastle, not quite as much, but do they have to start prioritising the league? Because I'm just thinking about what Beto Pereira said. He was like, we cannot play 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes because we can't play at that level. It's three days after three days. It's not easy when we play Europa League and travel every time. The tiredness is not only physical, it's mental too. Now, clearly the fans are loving being in Europe, whether they're Forest fans or Spurs fans. The Spurs have done much better in Europe.

20:21But if they just cannot deliver, if the schedule is too much, when do you say, OK, we need to stay up here? I think Tottenham are there. I think Tottenham are there now. The thing is, Tottenham are not going to go and win the Champions League, are they? No. Although it would be the most Tottenham thing ever if they won the Champions League and got renegade. No one thought they were going to win the Europa League last year. And that's what Ange did, didn't he? No, but they thought they had a chance. They thought they had a chance. Yeah, they did. But he put all these eggs into the Europa League.

20:51Now, I think... I wonder if you whack all the eggs in the league. Whack all the eggs into the league. Because you've got Atletico Madrid next and your next three games are tough. You've got... Who have they got? They've got... I'll tell you, Tottenham have got Palace, Liverpool and Forest. Yeah. Wow. The South Forest game. The Forest game is the one. games are huge aren't they of course they have to take points they have to it's always difficult to say prioritise this competition or that competition I think they are at that point where because they haven't got relegation clauses in the players contracts so they don't get a drop in money the financial hit for a club with Spurs' outgoings would be massive and that stadium that wonderful new stadium they've got playing in front of 45 ,000 there is not going to be great so they've got to stay up but they are you know there are so many red flags for that if they get relegated that is bigger than Leicester winning the Premier League no yes I do think that absolute no I do I love you Clitor but that is nonsense no I do I do I think that look how big Tottenham is of a football club them going to the championship in that they got the best that would be the best stadium in the championship by a country mile they got the best stadium in the Premier League it's huge I don't know Leicester come on Leicester Leicester are almost relegated and then the following season won the Premier League.

22:08I don't know. I don't know. I'm here for your debate. You two can get me on that. I'm here for the debate but let's do it. Let's throw it out there. Other big clubs have gone down. We can ask. Yeah, no, exactly. Big clubs have gone down. Like, you know, look at where Sheffield Wednesday are now. Look at where they were in the 90s. Aston Villa went down. Villa. This is Tottenham with that stadium. I get it though. Tottenham bigger than Aston Villa in Newcastle. Leeds are probably having a word about it. Let's leave it because I'm not getting into that debate. I agree with you two. Yeah, don't put this in.

22:39Forget about it. Clinton, you've had a bit of a Sanchez moment there, I'm afraid. Flapping. Flapping around and then drawing attention to it.

22:49Yeah, let's not put that in. Let's forget about it. No, please keep that in. It's all in. It's all in. I am quite enjoying Igor Tudor's sort of post-match stuff. So let's have a listen. I didn't like the referee. It was like too much home referee. I didn't feel well with his... All the game, all the decisions were on this side, but especially the goal, this is for me madness. That means that he doesn't understand the football, he doesn't have a feeling what is wrong and what is right. well I think he's going to find out quite quickly you can't really do post-match interviews where you talk about home referees I think they'll take quite a dim view of that I basically don't think he has a point about the goal there's a bit of a push before the ball drops to Harry Wilson he finishes it very nicely but he's right to be upset because it was much more of a push than the push that was given on Gabriel in the Arsenal game but that's why he's thinking it isn't it yeah he don't like that that's the way he's thinking it he's like well hold on well the lack of consistency yes granted yes and we're going to get onto the Cunha penalty later when we talk about Manchester United and we have a slight disagreement about that as well it is subjective it is inconsistent it is infuriating but does he really have a point for me no no I think his point is about consistency I don't think anyone's looking at it thinking he's going to get a foul let's moan about the referee because we've just lost a game yeah And Fulham were really good, I thought.

24:29Created loads of chances. Emile Smith-Rowe could have had a couple. I thought they were terrific. I mean, granted, against a team that looks so easy to play through, but nevertheless. Your Telegraph colleague, Luke, and this week's winner of Fighting Talk, Tom Gibbs, wrote this about Spurs at full time, which I enjoyed. A broken mess of a team, slumped on the turf, bent double, breathing hard, or staring blankly into the middle distance with hands on their hips. Yeah. Yeah, it's a nice picture. Unless you're a Spurs fan or a Spurs player. Harry Wilson, just quickly, he has now the most goal involvements in the Premier League since the start of December.

25:06Only Haaland has had more. So Haaland's had 14 since then and Harry Wilson has had 11. Six goals and five assists. Just about to go into the World Cup qualification playoffs as well with Wales. And he's just banging form. He's always been a lovely player. Can we say he's underrated? I don't think so. This is the season I think you can probably get rid of that tag. Yeah. Because those numbers that you've just talked about are phenomenal. Yeah. And stunning. And it's the type of goals he's scoring. That's the thing, isn't it? How the table he's become to Fulham. Yeah, he's really blossomed. Fine footballer.

25:41And I think he will... God, I hate saying this, but I'm going to say it anyway. I think he'll be on the radar of a lot of clubs in the summer. No, but you know where he will be, Luke? He's out of contract. And I don't think he's signing a contract. so there'll be a lot of clubs I'm looking at him the same with his manager I think they'll both be gone in the summer and I know it's hard for Fulham fans to take but he's a top player Harry Wilson only scores goal of the season goals usually he's fantastic he's got great technical ability and there'll be a lot of big clubs looking at him Let's talk about Newcastle then got their first ever Champions League knockout place secured but domestically third consecutive home league defeat they're sort of imploding a bit aren't they?

26:19Well that's the words Eddie Howe used we're imploding so yes I think it's perfectly fine for us to describe it as that they keep finding new ways to do it as well I mean I still don't actually think they're playing terribly they're not playing well but they're not playing terribly but then just the last six league games only Tottenham have got fewer points yeah it's a terror it's a really bad run yeah it is and but it's like the Brentford game they get back to two all and then concede a third late on The manner in which they lost to Everton, I think it's got to be one of the most painful for any supporter and certainly manager as well.

26:55The fact that they fell a goal behind Everton's first corner, terrible defending of a corner. But okay, you accept that that can happen with the season of set pieces. We know all that. They then get a goal. St. James' Park kind of erupts and there's this feel-good factor. And obviously anyone who watched Newcastle play at St. James' Park knows that getting the fans behind the team is integral to everything they do. And then Nick Pope. I mean, not for the first time this season. I don't know what he's doing. He just tries to gather a pretty tame shot from McNeil and then sort of drops it back into the middle of his goal and Beto has a tap-in.