ARSENAL: PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

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1:19Gary Lineker:A trusted urology specialist can help diagnose PD and walk you through your options, including non-surgical treatment. Visit TalkAboutPD.com.

1:29Alan Shearer:This episode is powered by Fuse Energy. Before the action starts, a word from Fuse, who makes switching energy supplies easy. To celebrate big moves, we're testing Alan and Micah on the legends of the transfer window. Who holds the record for playing for the most clubs in Premier League history? I'm going to go Craig Bellamy. Alan? He just saw the answer there. No, he did not. I've got my finger on it. I just saw the answer there. I've got the answer anyway.

2:00Gary Lineker:And it's not Craig Bellamy. Oh, really?

2:03Alan Shearer:Marcus Bent. Eight different teams he played for, which is the most. Crystal Palace, Blackburn, Ipswich, Leicester, Everton, Charlton, Wigan, and one of the club. If you just look straight ahead at producer John. Wolves fan, yes. Wolves. From big match calls to moving house, smart choices make all the difference. Switch to Fuse Energy and save up to£200 on your energy bills. It takes less than three minutes online. Visit FuseEnergy.com forward slash football to sign up and view full terms and conditions.

2:48Alan Shearer:Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football with Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We're doing this just after Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth, which of course meant that Arsenal are the Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. Micah was working at the game in Bournemouth. So hopefully we'll get Micah from the back of a car somewhere a little bit later on. If not, no problem. Well, congratulations, Arsenal. I saw great scenes. It looks like it's at the ground. All the players are there jumping up and down. Fans are coming from everywhere to the stadium. I've had two or three Arsenal friends of mine that said, I'm going to the ground.

3:30Alan Shearer:I'm going to the ground. And it's a time for them deservedly to rejoice, Alan.

3:36Gary Lineker:Yeah, absolutely. They've been the best team. They've been the most consistent team. They've found a way to win games when they weren't playing that well, as you have to do. Being the champions, it's been a long, stressful, hard road for them. But when it's been that long, you have to go through all of that. All of that stuff, you know? So I've been there myself. Tell us what it feels like. I know what it feels like. The relief. I mean, I can just picture the scene now with all the staff, all the players. that all got together in the small hope that City didn't win at Bournemouth. Just in the small hope, just in case.

4:15Gary Lineker:And they'll be absolutely on the way to getting shit-faced now. So they should, because all of the stress has just been released from them and all the hard work, all the dedication, all what they've had to go through, not only this season, last season, the season before, the season before. all of those players have been through and Mikel so they've been the best team they deserve and I hope they have a great night or I hope they have a great few nights

4:43Alan Shearer:they managed to get that three points didn't they against Burnley last night which was vitally important slightly edgy but you know they did what they had to do and then obviously I don't know whether it's better or not if you're not actually playing when you win the league it happened with Leicester it didn't matter and they had that incredible party I remember at Jamie Vardy's house We had one down here actually with all my boys and it was amazing. And I suppose every Arsenal fan would have been watching that. All the players would have. And I suppose if it happens in that, you're actually, you can party straight away.

5:17Alan Shearer:You don't have to wait till you get changed and you have a shower. I mean, yours was, I suppose, similar in some ways, Alan, because when you won the league, you lost your last game and you were dependent on, was it West Ham, wasn't it? It took points off Manchester United. Did the fact that you lost the game matter after that or not? It just didn't. Are you mad? No, I'm just asking because I've never experienced it.

5:42Gary Lineker:Honestly, the stress that you go through. I mean, the Arsenal players and the Arsenal staff and the Arsenal fans all over the world would have been desperate for them to win it tonight in terms of Man City not winning. They wouldn't care one jot that they had done. It doesn't matter the weekend. They were just desperately hoping that they didn't have to play at the weekend in terms of the stress they've got to go through.

6:09Alan Shearer:Five days for you to actually suffer.

6:13Gary Lineker:And you can tell. I mean, even their performance against Burnley at home was full of nerves, full of anxiety and all of those things. You can feel it from the stands. And I get it. I understand. As you said, I've been there. I know what it's like. So I'd be absolutely so relieved and delighted that it's not gone. to the last game of the season, because you don't know anything can happen.

6:34Alan Shearer:No, of course. Tough game away at Crystal Palace as well. Under the circumstances, anything could occur. So, you know, a lot of players, they're all jumping up and down in the... I think, I guess it was at the ground. You couldn't really tell from social media, but it's definitely a big space. I would imagine perhaps it was. I don't know whether they all gathered deliberately. I'm pleased for Mikel Arteta. I think he's done a really excellent job. He's gradually built, and, you know, The pressure was mounting because he couldn't quite get over the line, apart from obviously that early FA Cup success.

7:06Alan Shearer:And then numerous trophies went just away from them. And you could see on the touchline how much it mattered to him, how much he probably needed that as well. I suspect now they'll probably go on to bigger and better things. I also think the fact that they've won in this way, this game, this league, will enhance their chances of success in the Champions League final. I still think they're second favourites because PSG, as we know, are an incredibly good side. But Arsenal, if anyone can beat them, it's probably Arsenal. And what a double that would be. Who have been the star men for you? And I don't think we'll differ too much in our opinion on this.

7:48Gary Lineker:I think the three outstanding players for Arsenal have been this season, from back to front, would be David Raya, the goalkeeper, Gabriel and Declan Rice I just think those those three for me have been the outstanding players week after week after week delivering performance after performance when it got tough and there are periods during a season where you have to knuckle down and you have to accept the criticism, you have to understand you're not playing well but I just think those three for most of the season I should say have been the brilliant players the outstanding players the go-to players yeah so I would actually have those three in one, two and three probably David Raya play of the season for me

8:35Alan Shearer:wow goalkeeper Al what's wrong with you?

8:37Gary Lineker:I know I know I know I've had a drink today the golf day but yeah I just think him, Gabriel and Declan have been outstanding

8:48Alan Shearer:all three of them would be worthy the only other player I'd add in there outside of them for what he's achieved on an individual basis would be Bruno Fernandes. Yeah, I agree with that. But I think it would probably go to an Arsenal player now. I don't know when they vote the players on this. I know the football rights has already been done. I was interested in it, because a few people saw it in different ways. You know when they lost against Manchester City? Yeah. And at the end of the game, there was a shot of Declan Rice going around going, it's not done. It's not done. You could see that going two ways.

9:19Alan Shearer:For me, it signified leadership and actually, come on, we're going to still do this. And ultimately, it's about the end result. And the end result means they have done it. I think people will look back on that moment and remember it in a, and I think a really important way, a significance.

9:37Gary Lineker:Yeah, I agree. I think you've got, how do you react? That's the most important thing is after such a huge blow, and it was a huge blow for you. Oh, yeah. How do you then react? What have you got about you? What are you going to do? Are you going to sit back and accept, OK, and feel sorry for yourself? Or are you going to bounce back and say, this is what we're made of and this is what we have to do? And Arsenal did that. Forget what people will say about it not being a great season in terms of standard-wise. Forget about people saying about VAR and they needed all the help and they've had decisions and they've never had a red card and all of that stuff.

10:16Gary Lineker:Arsenal, over the season, over the length of the season, I know it's only 37, but over 38 games, they've been the best team. And the best team wins it and they deserve it. And full credit to them and to Mikel Arteta.

10:30Alan Shearer:I couldn't agree more, Alan. And they'll certainly enjoy it on Sunday now. They'll get a big send-off there and they'll obviously lift that trophy.

10:40Gary Lineker:Well, you're right. You know, you said about the Champions League. I mean, just the belief and with them having this in the bag now, because you can imagine going into that game and they hadn't been the champions and Man City had beaten them. The stress and the pressure and the noise that would have said, oh, they've bottled the league, they're not going to win this, but now they can go into it. And yes, PSG are the favourites, fine. I think we all accept that. But I also think, and I've said it for a while, is that if this one team can beat this PSG team in terms of because of a defensive performance.

11:19Gary Lineker:And it's this Arsenal team. And I guess that will give them huge belief now going into that game. Because I think deep down, and maybe I'm wrong, and the Arsenal fans will tell me maybe I'm wrong, but I think this is the one they wanted and needed more than most.

11:36Alan Shearer:I think most of them, not all of them. I've had conversations and there are different answers, But I think mostly the league title is, it's the sign you're the best club in the country of that particular year. You can win a cup competition, even a big one like the Champions League. But this definitely increases their chances going into that game. I really look forward to that. Let's take a little break, Alan. When we come back, talk a little bit about what this means for Manchester City. The rumours, very, very strong rumours, that Pep Guardiola is going to leave. and a little bit on that decision that's gone against Southampton, your former club.

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13:45Gary Lineker:Let's talk about a condition many people haven't heard of. And it turns out it's more common than you'd think. Peyronie's disease, or PD for short. PD can happen when scar tissue builds up under the skin of the penis. This can cause a curve or the bump during an erection, and for some men, lead to pain during intimacy and may impact mental health. It may also lead to anger and frustration, depression, lower self-esteem, and even withdrawal from sexual activity and physical intimacy. Because of this, some men could feel embarrassed or reluctant to talk about PD. The actual cause of PD isn't always known.

14:20Gary Lineker:In some cases, it may be linked to a minor injury or repeated injuries during sex or other physical activity. The good news is, PD is treatable. If you notice a curve with a bump, a trusted urology specialist can help diagnose it. and walk you through your options, including non-surgical treatment. To learn more about Peyronie's disease, visit talkaboutpd.com.

14:47Alan Shearer:I suppose the other big news of the night, Alan, really is that, obviously Manchester City not winning the league, but also the fact that it appears, it's not been officially announced yet, that Pep Guardiola is going to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. And he will leave it with the first time in his managerial career that he's gone two successive seasons without winning a title. Amazing. Which is incredible. Yeah.

15:15Gary Lineker:I mean, there have been rumours for a while, hasn't there? Yeah. That he was going to be leaving this summer. I mean, to go out with another two trophies, which makes it 20 in 10 seasons. I mean, it is ridiculous. and I think you said it the other day about when Pep came in, so many people that were saying, oh, he can't play that way to be successful. He can't have his fullbacks come into midfield. He can't keep passing out from the back as he does. Whereas the whole world or the whole league is now passing out from the back. Even non-league football now is passing out from the back and putting fullbacks in midfield and doing everything that he sort of brought into the game.

16:00Gary Lineker:So he will leave an absolute legend. He will leave a guy that's been incredibly successful. And I know that they've had unbelievable wealth and money to spend, but that's not always easy to get that right when you've got that, as we've seen with so many other clubs. And he's done it in his own unique style. And I didn't think we'd ever put anyone in the bracket of Sir Alex, but I think you have to with him because of who and what he is and what he's done.

16:34Alan Shearer:Yeah, I would agree. I think you have to put him in the bracket with Sir Alex. I mean, he had an incredible amount of success over a long period of time. I'm not sure that he had the influence on an actual game, though, that probably Pep Guardiola has had. I think that's indisputable. But I think he's a great human being as well. You know, and I think you can tell that. I mean, I think he's probably slightly mad in the sense of his drive and his commitment and his energy and everything about him on the touchline, et cetera. But, you know, sometimes he scratches himself and bangs his head and all these sort of things.

17:15Alan Shearer:I think he's been an absolute credit to the game. And I know City have got the charges hanging over them. They've had them for a long time. But looking at them, pretty much all of them were before Pep arrived. I don't know. We'll have to wait and see if anything ever comes of that at any point. But it does look like he's going to be leaving and maybe he knows what's coming with the charges. Who knows? I don't think anyone else does.

17:43Gary Lineker:Yeah, maybe. Maybe you're right. But I guess what happens next for him, he takes a break, I think, like he did after Barcelona. does he go back then into football in terms of club management or international management I don't know my guess would be maybe an international thing maybe I don't know but whatever he does he deserves like incredible amounts of credit

18:07Alan Shearer:I think he deserves a break a little year out