Rio Ngumoha shines for Liverpool to boost Champions League qualification chances

19:05Pien Meulensteen:I don't know about that Well for a change I think what it was Izzy, I think the first touch here what's so important from when Gakpo receives that ball and he gets it into a good area, it's a great first touch Now, what has to happen is if he plays that ball, as an example, to him here, that would then suggest you've got a one-on-one. But what he does is he plays it more at this angle. So that is inviting Mohamed Salah then to come onto it with his left foot, knowing that the goalkeeper's having a little peek already, Leno. And it's not the cleanest of sets, I must admit. It bobbles into him, which makes the finish actually more remarkable.

19:51Pien Meulensteen:But the set is actually ideal because he's saying to him, there you go, you can shoot with this. It just gets it across to him and opens up that angle nicely for him because this is Mohamed Salah's food and drink. They're best at it. And he obviously uses the defender there and just bends it into that corner. Now you can say the keeper maybe can do better, but I think you have to really acknowledge how good that pass and the set and the finish is as well. and it was lovely to see this at full time as well wasn't it Izzy Mo Salah applauding the fans and the fans applauding him back as well after the news that he's going to be leaving the club at the end of the season well former Evertonian and Manchester City player I didn't really enjoy it but no I mean it's fantastic and I think that Jamie just said it there around feeling those moments and a goal at Anfield in a game where there was pressure coming into the game just to get the job done himself on the score sheet he'll be well up for it against PSG in the midweek And Andy Robertson there.

20:47Pien Meulensteen:I just see Andy behind him. Now, if you talk about value for money in this current climate, £8.5 million, unbelievable. And he's going to obviously finish as well. But Mohamed Salah today I thought was fantastic. Izzy, you spotted this from minute one. You said he looks up for it today. He looks really sharp, created a lot of things for the team. Worked extremely hard as well. Won a lot of balls back, jumped onto second balls like that, looked quick. So they'll be hoping for that midweek against PSG because he still has that fear factor. You give him an opportunity like he gets today, anything is still possible with him.

21:19Yeah, and they're going to need that big players to step up and the creative, we're going to come on to it, but the creativity that Liverpool look like they employed today a little bit more and a lot of it came from him and that's what the Liverpool fans want to see. They want to see him at his best to finish the season as strong as possible. Jamie, how much of a boost can this give Mo Salah as well now for the final couple of games?

21:38Pien Meulensteen:Yeah, absolutely. Look at the stat at the bottom, really jumps to me. They said most tackles this season for Liverpool with four. and it's not his game, but what it does is that everyone has to give a little bit more right now. They're struggling. It hasn't been fluent. It hasn't been the Liverpool that we expected it to be. So that's where you've got to actually become a bit of a different player. And if you haven't got it, go and chase it, win it back. It's not rocket science. And when someone like that's doing it, everyone else buys into it. Now, Saba Slai must have won the ball back seven or eight times today by just going to chase it, getting after people.

22:07Pien Meulensteen:It becomes contagious. And that's what you need. Then Salah starts to do it. So they're going to have to do that midweek. It's going to be extremely hard against the brilliant PSG side, but you never know. Stranger things have happened at Anfield. We've seen it for many years. There is something very magical about that place, certainly a night game in the Champions League. So, of course, PSG are massive favourites, but you never know. Yeah, a really big week for Liverpool coming up. But Izzy, where did you see the improvements for Liverpool tonight? Well, we saw some moments in the game that you thought a little bit more like Liverpool.

22:38And I think that this is a game where it was a fairly routine fixture for them in terms of the pressure they came into the game under in the middle of the PSG quarterfinal tie. And I think that the way Fulham played, played into Liverpool's hands a lot. But you've still got to find that bite and that energy and that creativity about them. And there were moments in this game where you thought Liverpool look a little bit more like themselves. You know, feeding the ball out wide, like we've spoken about where the goals came from. I thought Verts, like I said, feeding the fullbacks, getting the fullbacks high.

23:07this was early on in the game and I don't know about you Jamie but fullback to fullback is a very Liverpool move and getting your fullbacks high and aggressive and I just thought they looked like a bit more connected look Fringpong running off Salah and that's where Liverpool fans are probably starting to see that relationship evolve and you know it's going to be short that relationship between Fringpong and Salah different ends of their Liverpool careers but they're finding a connection at an important time in the season and again now runs off Fringpong again using the space Salah feeds him, beautiful weight of pass.

23:38And this could have been a different story with Gatpo. I think he thinks that Anderson's maybe going to make contact with the ball. Again, Fringpong getting high, Salah being the widest player. I just think that, and then look at that from Wirtz. Beautiful. Beautiful weight of pass creates that moment inside the box. Could have been different on a different day. But it just looked to be so much more energy about them, didn't it, Jamie?

23:59Pien Meulensteen:Yeah, absolutely. Everything you said there, you know, McAllister coming on as well. we need to see a little bit more from him but there were good moments but there was a bit of intent there the other side of it was obviously that Fulham also had moments and that's the one thing with Liverpool you always feel they give up chances you know they look like they're susceptible from any set piece that comes into the box that's something they have to be really aware of because they are so open you know in that first half they had Soberslay and Curtis Jones in there in midfield now if you put an idea they are both attacking players so they are naturally going to always think if the ball drops there, I might be allowed to land on it and shoot.

24:37Pien Meulensteen:They don't think if the ball lands there, I'm going to get myself in a position defensively to make sure that I'm just going to protect that back four. So they have a different mindset. But when Gravenberch comes into that area, he does think slightly more defensively, although still he has very attacking aspects to his game. But no, I think it was a really positive one. They had to bounce back. There was nowhere they could have gone into that PSG game on the back of a loss today. The crowd, the connection, you've got to get that back together. So yeah, it was a huge result for them. I think Fulham's perspective, they'll probably think there was a chance missed today because Liverpool were there to be taken, but they didn't take up enough opportunities.

25:11We'll get on to Fulham shortly. But Izzy, what does this say about the mentality of the players to put in a performance like this after recent results? I think sometimes you have no other choice. You know, the games come thick and fast. You spend all season, a club like Liverpool, striving to be in Europe for the following season. And then you can't complain then about the games coming 70 hours after your midweek fixture. You want to play these games, right? Absolutely. and that's why you use your depth. There was five changes made into that Liverpool starting XI for today that were rested from the midweek Champions League fixture and I thought it worked and it's finding the balance and that's why you have a squad that competes.

25:45You look at the depth of Arsenal's squad and you look at the changes they made today and they're still, obviously they didn't get the result, but they're still, you look to that XI that Arsenal put out and you go, wow. Same with Liverpool, obviously, and Gamow are the young player that we've spoken about getting the opportunity, but for me, there's no choice. No, that's right. You have to step up, show your teeth, show what you're made of and do your job. And that's what the Liverpool players did today.

26:08Pien Meulensteen:And having Isak back as well. He came on for 20 minutes and he actually looked sharp. It's obviously going to take a little bit of time. Had a horrendous injury. The season has not gone his way. But there's no reason why he can't have a big impact for these last few games. If it's for half an hour in midweek, obviously league games, he's going to want to finish on a high and then make sure he has a great pre-season and comes back flying for next year. So to have him back and then you've got Ekotike and players like that that can make a difference. They have got a lot of options going forward. OK, we're going to take a quick break now.

26:37But when we come back, we'll be hearing the thoughts of the Liverpool manager Arna Slott. I'm sure he will be very, very happy with his side's performance today. We'll be back after this.

26:59Pien Meulensteen:Did you know you can stream live Premier League football through Now TV? It's an instant streaming service offering access to all 12 Sky Sports channels, every Sky Sports Plus stream and much more. There are day or month membership options available and you don't need to be a Sky customer to use it. Just head to nowtv.com to check out the latest packages.

27:30Arne, better, happier? That was a big win. Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course you're happier then after losing 4-0 and losing 2-0. So, yeah, I think good first half, we were already close a few times. Couldn't convert one of the chances and then Rio had a great moment. Just before that, I felt that Fulham got a bit more into the game, So it was really helpful that Rio had a great 1v1 moment, scored a great goal. And afterwards, Mo finished off really well. Then you're quite comfortable, quite, not completely, but quite comfortable at halftime. Rio's goal, it was the step over the check back. It was an incredible goal, wasn't it?

28:14Yeah. Yeah, one of his strengths, of course, dominating the 1v1. and I think we've seen this season that he gets more and more and more and more playing time and that's also what he deserves because every time when he plays he does really well and he's influencing the game like he did today, like he did against Wolves and today he even scored a goal which is vital in football because goals matter a lot. And as you say, Mo is still showing what he can do as well. It's the lift you needed, though. I imagine that dressing room is a good place to be right now. It's a better place than it was two or three days ago or a week ago.

28:55But it's also not that after we win, then all of a sudden everything is good again. So we know there's still a lot to play for for us. It's the lift it gives the team, though. No, no, that's for sure. Of course, everybody can understand after two of these losses, once with 4-0 and the 2-0 felt more than 2-0. I think we all know why. And then to come out today and beat Fulham after only two days of rest, that shows the mentality of the team. I think the same mentality they showed two days ago in Paris, although we had a very tough time, but we did show mentality and we showed that again today. And this time we resulted in a win.

29:35And that's the test you were looking for. You talked about it being a test this game to see how you respond, how everybody responds. That performance just reminded what Liverpool can do. Yeah, definitely. But I think we've played many games like this this season, but unfortunately that not always led to a win. Or a clean sheet. I think we deserved to win, but it wasn't that it was by big margins. It wasn't as if we completely dominated the game and overplayed them as it happened against us two days ago. But we deserve to win, but we've played many of these games where then a deflected shot or a set-piece led to us conceding and it ended up in a draw or a loss.

30:19So this game I saw today, I saw us playing a lot. But now maybe, I wouldn't say luck, but at least at last doing justice to how the game went. So what do you do now? What do you say? What's the message now going into the game on Tuesday night? First of all, I was really happy with the clean sheet. That's what you actually need almost in every game, but definitely we need that on Tuesday. I think it was a good first step going into a massive week, because it's not only PSG, it's also Everton in the weekend. So this is a good start of the week. But unfortunately, we were so lucky that we played Wednesday and Tuesday.

31:04So that means three games in six days. So there are only two days of rest. So I also told them how important recovery is because they've experienced even more than I did. Because I was looking at it, how intense the game was in Paris. And the game will not be less intense in two days. Because the fans will be behind us and the players will give everything they have to turn things around. And therefore you need to be top fit. Which is not easy if you play three games in six days. but I can tell you we are up for it, we're ready for it. And Anfield will be ready for it, as I noticed today as well.

31:41A very quick word on Curtis. Do you know what the injury was that forced him off in the game? Yeah, he felt a little bit. I think it's groin, you say it, over here. So it wasn't the moment. He felt it already for a few minutes. So let's hope for the best. But I would be surprised if a player comes off that he's available for Tuesday. but yeah I would almost say welcome to our season so every time after a win or after something good happens there's always an injury following it up but it's a win and that's where we should be really happy about You go again on Tuesday good luck in that thank you We do, we do thank you Yeah it doesn't get any easier for Liverpool does it but do you feel like this may be a bit of a relief for Arnestad this performance today or do you think he's got his mind straight onto Tuesday's game already

32:30Pien Meulensteen:A bit of both. I think he'll enjoy the moment. You know, like you said there, every time you win, it just takes that little bit of pressure. If you're lost today, it ends up being one of those, like, where do we go from here? You know, you're in a really difficult predicament. You're getting punched on the nose every single week. I think he'd be delighted with the reaction from his players. He'd be looking at, OK, what's the best team that's going to give us a great chance in midweek? Get the crowd behind you because you know they're going to be a 12th man for you. So I think he'd be delighted and I think he'd be proud of his team.

32:56Pien Meulensteen:A couple of players have told him that they really want to play in midweek on Tuesday, the likes of Mohamed Salah so they've given himself a chance as well because I said before the show before the game if he doesn't finish in Champions League places I think it makes it really difficult in terms of his position next season if he does it gives Liverpool a problem and they go well you have got money in the bank you won the league for us last year we won it once in 30 odd years you've done it in one year so they might go let's keep him here so but if they don't finish in Champions League I think he makes their if they're I'm an R in on it I think it will make it go the other way and obviously with Jabby Alonso being the elephant in the room.

33:30Pien Meulensteen:But they're giving themselves a chance. You can see this race here. Teams are stumbling. Manchester United have got some tough games to come. Aston Villa, Liverpool. So who knows? But that was a big, big win for them because what you didn't want as well, we can't see them there. Fulham would have gone two points behind them if they'd have beaten them. So it gives them a chance, that's for sure. What do you think about that, Izzy? Do you think Liverpool stay in the top five at the end of the season? He keeps his job? It's a good question, Pien. It's a difficult one. I think there's a zoom out assessment that needs to be made of where they're at.

34:00You know, the turnover of the players, you're losing, Liverpool are losing Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. So the squad's going to look different. New leaders need to emerge. Recruitment again. You can't shy away from the fact that the recruitment in this season, you know,£450 million was spent on the players they brought in. Of course, unfortunate injury to Alexander Izak. Hasn't been able to find his rhythm yet. But I'd look at Virts, I'd look at Eketike, I'd look at Fring Palme. They're players that are starting to feel it. So I think it'll be a really interesting one. If they do finish in the Champions League places for next season and a good account of themselves in Europe, I think the assessment needs to be they need to back him.

34:39I do. But I think there needs to be significant improvement in performances, also alongside getting results until the end of the season to make sure they're looking up, not down, in terms of the teams they're playing against. Because Everton, for example, team that point today against Brentford, chasing Europe and the Merseyside derby comes at a good time for Everton he'll have a week to prepare for that and Liverpool have got a potentially horrible tie against PSG on Tuesday night where it could be really intense you know they go into that game in a Merseyside derby we know anything can happen hungry Everton side you know they're going to come hunting for them so I think it's an interesting context but I'd be you know safe to say in terms of my opinion on that I think you need to be really patient in how it gets assessed because I don't think Liverpool are the type of club to be rash about anything they do.

35:25Pien Meulensteen:Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, they're not the type of club to make hasty decisions. And you said at the start of the show, you don't really like talking about the fact that Isalus not under pressure at all. I hate it. If they do go into the top five, that's just how we are now. That's just how the game is. The managers can, you know, no matter where the club, and you always feel with Liverpool, they have given managers, they always give them time. but as I said I keep reiterating it that you know Jabby Alonso is a manager that a lot of fans would probably like to see but I feel that Ferran he hasn't perhaps had like Izzy just said the opportunity to work with all of the players that he's brought in and what if they if they were to make a change somebody's going to get really lucky with this group now yes they need a bit more energy brought into the team and how they're going to play going forward is going to be interesting but there are a lot of quality players and I think if you look at that 52 point mark, if Alexander Isak would have been fit, you could have guaranteed there'd be a lot more points on the table because he would have given you a lot more goals.

36:26Pien Meulensteen:Eka Tike got injured as well. He's been in and out of the team. So there are problems with the team, but there are also things to look at. And if you were a manager or an opportunity looking from the outside in going, tell you what, then there's still some really good players. The players haven't hit the heights. Virgil van Dijk, big fan, been unbelievable. This year hasn't hit the heights. Mohamed Salah hasn't hit the heights. that hit the heights this season. So a lot of players haven't gone and played to the level that they can do. So that's been the difficulty for Arnazslot. And at times he's took a little bit of stick and his honesty has obviously provoked a lot of conversation with people.

36:58Pien Meulensteen:But I still think he's a very, very good manager and also deserves a lot of respect. I think there's a question on style of play as well. How do they want to look moving forwards? Because last season, the Premier League win, they were still playing fluid, almost heavy metal football. that was ingrained in these players from the Jurgen Klopp years. And I speak like that was ages ago, but it wasn't. It was soon. And I think that we've seen now this season, the stats back it up. They're not pressing as hard. And I think a lot of confidence in football teams comes from how they press. If they choose to be a pressing team, how intense are they in those actions?

37:34And that sets a precedent throughout the team. And granted, the amount of fixtures that Liverpool play, you can't be that high intensity all the time. You have to find ways to manage the game in-game. You have to manage week on week. But I think there's a question about how do Liverpool want to be moving forward? What style of team do they want to be? Because we've seen a transition in style this season. They've dropped off a little bit. They've been a little bit more passive, a little bit slower. And that's why we picked out those clips today where they looked a little bit quicker in the attacking third, which looked a little bit more like the Liverpool we're used to seeing.

38:04But if Slott wants to play a more reserved style, he has to sell that vision and he has to show it in the remaining games this season.

38:10Pien Meulensteen:You're right, because you can't have a situation... Sorry, Pink, go on. I was going to say, let's have a look at those remaining games as well, because this is probably quite an important thing for Liverpool to have a look at, because it looks like they've got a really, really difficult run, especially when you're looking at Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa all to come still, Jamie. Yeah, well, they are games that you need momentum. That's the most important thing in football. We all talk about confidence, momentum, belief. You know, if you go to Everton and get a result, all of a sudden you start to look at Crystal Palace and Man Utd away.

38:38Pien Meulensteen:That's a great game to look forward to. But if you get chin by Everton, all of a sudden all those other games start to look difficult. What you have got is to a certain extent for Liverpool, forgetting the other teams, is these three games here are teams that are in and around you. You can really affect it. So if you were, as an example, to maybe go to Manchester United and get a point and then you can beat Chelsea, beat Villa, that ends up being a really good situation because you took points off the other sides as well. So how you manage that. But these two games right now are so important. Once you get through them, a lot will be dictated to that by, obviously, the result in midweek.

39:15Pien Meulensteen:But I feel that Everton won next is going to almost shape the season for Arnazla. If they can get something there, get a good win. And it's never easy, like you said. It's the first time they're going to the Hill Dickinson Stadium and it's a tough place to go. So they've got to make sure that they're bang at it, that one. Because one thing about Liverpool this year, you know, as he alluded to it, they've been run over too many times. they've been out-thought, out-worked, you know, and that can't happen. That's the sort of game where players are going to have to stand up and make sure you go up against those individual battles and win them.

39:44Pien Meulensteen:And if you do that, the rest of the games pretty much take care of themselves. But today, Izzy, Liverpool have proved that when they need a result, they can get one. And I suppose the performance that they put in today is something that they want to use going forward in these last couple of games. Yeah, and I think today, I want to give Liverpool credit, but I also was disappointed in Fulham as well. And I expected more from Fulham. We spoke at the start of the show about Fulham challenging for Europe and I didn't see a team today that went to Anfield who looked like a team who were going to go and play against a team, let's be honest, with Liverpool at the moment, a bit of a wounded animal.

40:20I didn't see a Fulham team that went there to run all over them and to bully them because Liverpool were there for the taking today in terms of the context. I didn't see a Fulham team that kind of came there with that intent. and I expected more of them. And I think that kind of played into Liverpool's hands a little bit. But in terms of the result, the performance, we spoke about the goals, you know, it's a huge tick for Arnaz slot. But the time now between what they've got two days to prepare tomorrow and Monday for the PSG game on Tuesday night, that's a tight turnaround for a game that's going to require probably 50 % more energy than what they've expended in that game.

40:57Pien Meulensteen:And the thing is Villa, I mean, just looking at it, just as it switched off. But Villa have got really good fixtures as well. But the fixtures right now, everything is just pressure. We've seen it with Arsenal today. Everyone thinks Arsenal are going to beat Bournemouth. It doesn't work like that in the Premier League, especially when you're getting down to nitty gritty. You need to find three points. The pressure has sometimes been the home team when you've got to make things happen. So it'll be interesting to see how all those fixtures pan out. But Liverpool got themselves right back in it today with that big result.

41:21Yeah, absolutely. Really big performance from Liverpool. We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll have a look to see if this was a missed opportunity for Fulham. And we'll be hearing from their manager, Marco Silva, next.

41:44Pien Meulensteen:Hi there, it's Damesh Sheff from the Sunday Supplement podcast. Every week I'll be joined by some of the UK's top sports journalists to go beyond the headlines and unpick the big stories. Catch us every Sunday live on Sky Sports News between 9 and 11am with the podcast dropping as soon as we come off air. So if you don't already, give Sunday Supplement a follow wherever you get your podcasts and I'll see you on Sunday mornings. This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get more analysis of the game and return to the student. Marco, how do you reflect on that? It was your first game since Burnley, which was three weeks ago, but did that have any impact in the performance?

42:29I don't think so. And it's going to be an easy excuse for us. And I don't go in that direction because we what we didn't show the first half, we should complete in the second and was the same team. And OK, we made the double change, but it's not excuse for us because most of the players, as I said before the game, they have they had international games, they played international games and some really important games for the national countries. It's not going to be an excuse for us. Of course, the approach and the strategy for the game was much more what we did in the second half than the first.

43:03Not very aggressive in the first half like we should. We wanted to be aggressive on and off the ball. In the first half, we are not capable to do it off the ball at all. We let Liverpool build up their games so, so easy, not with the right aggressiveness. In high press and even in when we were mid or low block, we were not aggressive enough. A good example there are the two goals that score around our box. With so much time, the players to decide and to take decisions. We have to be much more aggressive in terms of approach to have an impact in the players that they have the ball and we didn't.

43:38And it was the massive difference for the second half. Of course, we made double change. but I just remind the players that what we did prepare to the game throughout the week, what was the approach that you wanted to have and okay we adjust some things at half-time but nothing really big changes in terms of the approach and it was completely different. I know that Liverpool was winning 2-0 but our approach, the aggressiveness that we put on the pitch and off the ball, on the ball and we are capable to win balls in our offensive half to create problems. of course we needed the goal to to start to chase the score again and we had chances to score we didn't in that period because i believe if you have scored it's going to be completely different but okay we we were punishing this game because the the first 34 30 40 minutes or the first half the way you didn't approach like we should like to prepare like was the plan in terms of the our aggressiveness on and off the ball even if they scored the first goal probably in the best period of ourselves when we start to go and to have some possession to have to have some ball was the moment that they scored the first goal, a long ball from the goalkeeper that you have to prepare and you have to be stronger in the first and second ball.

44:46At this level you cannot have a long ball from the goalkeeper and you let the player to receive the ball without challenging that ball in the air, without winning the second ball or prepare well the second ball. At this level these type of things you cannot do it if you are going to do you are going to be punished and was the the reason that first goal came. I know that is a great finishing from Rio, But before that, looking for us, we cannot allow a player to receive the ball from a long ball from the goalkeeper in the way Salah received that ball. And the way I think Isabel's life will win that second ball as well.

45:14It's up to us to look for ourselves, really, because with the approach of the second half, with the aggressiveness, with the quality on the ball, many, many times we play second half. We are going to match any team. You are going to play in the way you want to play, to chase the positions that you want to chase on the table. if you repeat the first half approach, it's going to be very difficult. So how do you approach now the remainder of this season? Because it's so tight, you've still got that chance and the opportunity of what you want to achieve. You've just got to pick yourself up and go again.

45:47Definitely. And I told the players, it was my first feedback for them. And we have to really look for ourselves because one thing is our second half, other thing is completely different in the first half. In terms of planning, in terms of strategy, the approach, the communication for us was the same just we made double change I know you adjust some things half-time but it was the same and we didn't change the approach why it was completely different we had two faces in one football match it's up to us from the first minute to go we don't need to consider a goal or two to go and to chase the result in a different way and the football match is to start from the first minute and of course if you start losing it's going to be more difficult and it's the approach that we should take from the second half for the next game You're still in a good position, go well for the rest of the season Thank you very much.

46:31Thank you.

46:35So it will be a disappointing result for Fulham. However, Jamie, when you look at the table, it is still very tight sort of mid-table. There is still a big opportunity for Fulham here to try and get into Europe.

46:46Pien Meulensteen:Yeah, absolutely. The away form hasn't been good enough this season, which has made it really difficult for them. But at home, very difficult to beat. I like the way they play. He didn't like that first half. He alluded to it five, six times. You know, I think he probably looked at the team he picked with Oscar Bob. and Josh King and they just didn't win enough duels in there and obviously changed it. Boughton Luke in second half and he liked what he saw in second half and that might be the way to go a little bit more away from home and make yourself a bit more difficult to beat. But yeah, it'll be a sore one but anytime you go, well, I thought it's never going to be easy but what I think we both said at the start of the show was it's probably a good time to go there but they just didn't capitalise on it and that's the difficulty for them.

47:24Pien Meulensteen:But they're still having a really good season. Marco, I think his contract's up at the end of the season So it'll be interesting to see what he does, whether he's giving him an answer, if he's going to be leaving, staying. There'll be a lot of clubs looking at him, but he's given him a lot of success since he's been there. He's done a great job since he got them up from the Championship. And he's a very, very good manager. Let's have a look at their remaining fixtures, Izzy, because they have been in a similar situation before and not managed to get into those European places. So they really need to get points in these remaining fixtures.

47:55And a team like Fulham, with the manager they've got, they've got aspirations, but they've always been in there or thereabouts in this equation at this state of the season. And obviously last season, they made a little bit of a mess of the European charge at this stage. And they've got an opportunity to learn from that. And I think today's a missed opportunity. But I think in terms of the context, benefit the doubt, they've not played a Premier League fixture for 21 days. Maybe that's why we saw, particularly in that first half, a passive performance. but these fixtures coming up I mean Fulham have got in my eyes the ability to be very unpredictably really good and you look at those sort of Villa Arsenal fixtures they could have a massive say in you know the top five especially at the top of the league as well with Arsenal but see the next game is the most important one which is Brentford who are a team also in the same sort of situation in terms of challenging looking to evolve as a football club had a terrific season under Keith Andrews and yeah I think it's an interesting context for Fulham I think there'll be a lot of questions and you'd hope that the uncertainty about the manager, who in my eyes would probably want to be managing in Europe next season, whether that is with Fulham or another football club, but there's no doubt what he's done at Fulham has been terrific.

49:05And when they're on their day, Fulham play some terrific football. Just on that, Jamie, then in terms of Marco Silva, whether or not he's going to sign a new contract at Fulham, do you think that could overshadow their last couple of fixtures?

49:19Pien Meulensteen:Not necessarily. I think he's a top professional. But he's also ambitious. He's shown that in the past. When he left, was it Hull or he went to Watford and then he went to Everton, which has been a couple of contentious moves. So he shows he's not afraid to do that, which is fair enough. You get one chance as a manager and if you don't do well, you get sacked very quickly. So you've got to be sharp on those moves. So right now, he'll be looking at it and going, can I take this Fulham side any higher? If he believes he can't and there is a good opportunity out there for him, He might have even had his eye on Tottenham, but that's obviously now gone with Deserby going in there.

49:57Pien Meulensteen:The other one, the other really good manager I'm a big fan of is Andoni Iriola. He's up at the end of the season as well. So two good managers are probably looking to see what's going to happen. We still don't know what's going to happen at Manchester United. Michael Carrick gets a job or not. It looks probably like he will. But there are going to be opportunities for managers at the end of the season. And he probably doesn't want to say too much to Fulham because he wants to keep his options open, which is fair enough. you know so I don't know what his level will be and who will be interested in him but he certainly earned the right to be in the equation or the conversation with a lot of clubs because I like what he does and he's a very good coach and he's a winner Jamie, Izzy thank you so very much massive night then for Liverpool in the end in the Premier League when they are back on track

50:46Pien Meulensteen:Thanks for listening to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast Don't forget to hit follow so you don't miss an episode.