Man Utd Dominate Man City, Frank’s Struggles Continue At Spurs & Glasner Feeling Abandoned At Palace

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1:15Hello and welcome to The Rest is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. You chaps are at home. I'm in Rabat in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, which is later tonight. So we're going to do the first half now to discuss all Saturday's games. And then we're hoping to jump back on later. But I might, chaps, because you know how these things can drag on, these events. We might have to leave you to do the second half on your own. But I'm sure, you know, you'll manage. You'll manage absolutely fine. But we'll see. I'll try our best to jump on.

1:59and let you know what it was like, the experience of being at the game and everything. And if we can't get back on, we'll record it later in the week for you and let you know our experience here in Morocco. But for now, well, fascinating days football yesterday. I think we have to start with the Manchester derby. It could not have gone much better for Manchester United. Manchester City were fairly awful, I actually thought. But that was a game we managed to watch before we flew away. But yeah, what was your take on it? Well, let's start with Micah. Do you need a little rant? Start with Alan. Give United all the praise.

2:39Go on, give it to them. That's a very good point. Go ahead, Al. I thought Man United were absolutely outstanding from start to finish. The energy, the way they just went out and did exactly what the manager wanted. I thought some of their play was superb, their aggression. Yeah, they got lucky with what should have been a red card for Dallor. There's no doubt about it. What on earth the VAR were thinking. I mean, and then they said that it was more of a glancing rather than it was a straight on. Absolute rubbish. I totally get your point, Alan, but the one thing I'll go back to as well in normal time, it didn't look anything.

3:17Yeah, and I get that with the referee. Yeah, the slow motion. They brought VAR in to look at things like that. the referee couldn't see it and I get that and understand that but that is a terrible challenge that is an endangering an opponent which means a red card and for the two to sit in there and think no that was okay it was just a yellow I mean honestly but anyway that's not their fault he didn't get sent off and they made the most of it and they were absolutely brilliant they created chances they made Man City look very average they stopped Haaland in fact they stopped everything that Man City were very good at in terms of blocking spaces, stopping balls into the forwards, into forwarding, et cetera.

3:59And they thoroughly deserved it. Should have been, could have been more so. They were outstanding. That has to be the norm for them every week now. Has to be the norm in terms of the energy. While we're on United, I think it does show that if players are given jobs that work for them and a system that works, I mean, people say, yeah, why don't they always try that? I think you do as footballers, you always try and give your best, but for various reasons, sometimes you can't. And then confidence saps and stuff like that. And then you get a fresh, fresh impetus coming in with a new manager. And he brought in, oh, surprise, surprise, Kobe Mainu came in and looked very comfortable in midfield.

4:36And he hasn't started, what, since August or something. So, yeah, I think it was a mixture of different things, probably the players. And also putting Bruno Fernandes slightly more forward. Bruno was absolutely outstanding, I thought. and it just looked more like a fit. You've got, you know, I know he's been away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, but Ahmad on the right, but not playing as a wing back. And I mean, players that suit the positions and they just look more comfortable in their roles. And with that comes an energy and with that comes an enthusiasm and a belief. Yes, you're right, Alan.

5:11They've got to keep that, maintain that. And they've got every chance to do it. They're not going to be playing too many games because they're not in any cup competitions now and not in European football. So they need to work on that. And they're very close, of course, to Champions League spots. And so there's, you know, maybe some reasons to be cheerful for the long-suffering people, poor fans at Old Trafford. Fire away, Micah, fire away. Before I go, can I ask you guys a question, right? If you're going to play against Manchester City, how would you score against them? Just a simple question.

5:45What counter? Exactly. Exactly that. Because the big gaps they've got and they're playing high. Man City are going to dominate the ball. We all know. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that. So when Man United were setting up in the way, you knew exactly what they were trying to do. So when Rodri got caught upfield and Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis, when he goes from right back into centre midfield, One person has to stay in the middle of the pitch. The first goal that they conceded, I was so stressed out about the situation. Shirk is taking the free kick. And whether it's a good free kick, bad free kick, whatever.

6:32We all know, and I've said this from day one, offensively, he's fantastic. Defensively, he's starting to work more, but in them defensive positions, you can't count them at the moment. So, I'm looking at Rico Lewis's position, and I'm not having a dig at Rico Lewis, because he's set up at the edge of the box, waiting for the second balls. But there was Fernandes and someone else behind him. So, if the ball breaks down, you've got a three-on-two. You've got a three-on-two at Old Trafford, where Man United want to play the counter-attacking football. can you take responsibly on the pitch to say one of us has to stay and i knew it was good a bad day because rodry who's been unbelievable for man city had an off day when he's passing the ball back and looking vulnerable on the ball and united had too much energy the smotherdom they basically went in a low block but then blocked the middle of the pitch and then as As soon as the ball went out, Allen did it really well on match of the day yesterday.

7:40It was a two versus one versus Semenyo and Doku. So they had nowhere to go. So it was congested in the middle. And then when it went wide, it went out too slow. United could get over. They was running like absolute animals to get back in position. So Man City couldn't break them down. And then they just allowed them to go through the middle of the... I was thinking to myself, what is going on here? I couldn't believe what I've seen for a team that is so balanced normally in terms of getting the ball back, knowing their positions, retaining the ball. But then against United, I don't know if the emotion took it out of them or United was just a better on the day.

8:23But that's one of the poorest I've ever seen Man City in a derby. And I'm talking for 10, 15 years, that long. Pep had one of his kind of, let's say, intriguing days where he obviously played two youngsters at the back in a lane in Kusinov and then didn't play right at left back put Ake at left back rather than in the middle where he's at least got a bit of experience in there, which was quite baffling. he took Phil Foden off at half time now in the first half I thought Phil Foden was the only bright spark for City, he didn't always go his way, his corners weren't very good but he did look busy in there, so he made, you know, the one he took Haaland off for 10 minutes to go when he's 2-0 down, it was one of those days when I was thinking, he's having one he's having one today In terms of the centre-back partnership I thought Kusunov and Elaine at Newcastle were brilliant.

9:18Yeah. And they coped with the atmosphere really well. Obviously, the Manchester derby's a little bit different, but I actually thought Alain did all right in the first half. He's good on the ball. He's very good on the ball. Good on the ball. And Kusunov, I thought he was good as well. I didn't think the problem was them defending. I thought it was what was in front of them, getting exposed to the counter-attack. Well, which has been the case probably for 18 months. It's got generally a bit better this season. you would have think with Rodri coming back, although as you quite rightly said, he had an off day yesterday.

9:51Yeah, he had an off day. And Nico Gonzalez has been playing in there, doing really well. I think what City lacked in the game was energy in midfield. As soon as United broke that first line, then they just couldn't get back. What surprised me is that Man United's both full-backs got booked relatively early. And I'm thinking, here we go, Semenyo and Doku. Every time they get the ball, I thought, go on, go at them. But they couldn't because they were 2v1 all the time and that's how United worked. They worked it so well. When the ball went out wide, you know that's a huge threat because they're very talented players, those two wingers.

10:30And if you don't double up and make it very tough, then more often than not, they get the better of you. But they never went past Shaw or Dallow at all. They were absolutely outstanding. Do you know what? There's an argument, other than the goalkeeper for Man United, there was an argument that every single Man United player could have been given man of the match because I just thought they were outstanding in every position. Just on that, both full-backs were booked, weren't they? Yeah, that's what I mean. Shaw and Dallow, like you said. Doku and Semenyo were staying narrow in a form. I was like, get high and wide.

11:06Get high and wide early. I was losing my mind in there. I really was losing my mind. because I just think United, it was perfect. Like Alan said, they got the decision, new manager bounce. The atmosphere at the stadium was brilliant. You could feel that there was, I wouldn't say something special going to happen, but it felt like there was up for it. There was all smiles before. The fans were really positive before the game. And then City just didn't turn up. I think Wayne said it really well last night in terms of they've had big results before. when they've been up against it. But they've never had big results and a big performance.

11:48Do you know what I mean? Yes. I think that was yesterday. They had the big result and a big performance to match at both of them. And they've got a nice and easy one at Arsenal next week. So let's see how they're going against that. But they've set a standard now. They have to get to it. Win that. Carrick at the wheel. Carrick at the wheel. Give them a five-year contract. Job done. Real well. All's well with the world. It is a strange obsession Manchester United have with ex-players, isn't it? They need them in the management room. They get the DNA and all this nonsense. It'll be fascinating to see what happens if he does really well, you know, in between now and the end of the season, what happens.

12:24You know that's going to happen then. Well, he'll get the job if he does really well to now at the end of the season. And, I mean, Michael Carrick, I think he's very intelligent. I mean, I think he did a reasonable job at Middlesbrough for a while. And it's very difficult in that league if you've not got the players. So, who knows? Who knows? But he could not get off to a bet a start than that, really. So you thought to yourselves at that point, Arsenal probably go on and win at Forest and stretch their lead to nine points, which could be curtailed if, again, we're doing this on Sunday morning before Villa play.

12:59But Arsenal couldn't get over the line at Forest. Missed opportunities? Well, they certainly missed a couple of opportunities, that's for sure. Yeah, definitely. I think when you've seen what happened in the early game and you think, right, this is our opportunity. They had the chances. They had two or three really big chances, but didn't really take them. I thought Forrest, in the end, deserved a point. I think Sean Dyche will be absolutely delighted with the effort and everything else that his team gave him. But they just didn't do enough. Arsenal, they didn't. Jokeres, I thought, was disappointing, didn't offer enough.

13:32There was a time in the first half where he was 1v1 with Murillo, I think it was. Murillo made a mistake and he went through. That's it. And I think, go on, get across him. Knock the ball across him and make him foul you. Make him foul you. Or make him have to leave you, so you're one-on-one. Yeah, he couldn't. He looked very leggy. Yeah, he looked. I was really surprised at how he let the defender control the situation rather than the other way around. But I suppose from their point of view, they've extended their lead over City. See what happens with Aston Villa. But I think it's probably a point gained rather than two more dropped, if you know what I mean.

14:16Yeah, in the grand scale of things, I probably agree, Al. But I think if they would have won that game, then it's over. I think it's a missed opportunity. Because mentally as well, you think, oh, we didn't really take advantage. I mean, I've got an interesting graphic here of games since, Premier League games this is, since they last scored. Martinelli 13 games, Madweki 13, Saka 8, Marino 7, S8 6, Giorca S5, Trossard and Jesu 3 each. So they're not quite firing on all cylinders at the moment, but they've still got a comfortable lead. And the reason that I said when we did our roundup, or a halfway season review that I thought Arsenal would win the league is because they don't concede money.

15:09Yeah. And I think that this season where no one else really is performing brilliantly, I think that will be enough. And I do think they'll come together and they will have spells where they start banging goals in because you're always going to get spells, particularly this time of year, I think, just after that winter madness around Christmas when he plays so many games where it gets a little bit stayed. I think they need to play Jesus now. Yeah, I wouldn't disagree. I think Arteta's stuck with Jokeres. Whether he's struggling for confidence, whether to adapt to the league. I know he's played championship.

15:50We know that. But the Premier League's a different beast. All the clips I watched of Jokeres last season, and I remember saying it when he first signed, Don't expect him to be a world beater. But what he did have was running in behind aggressively. But now it looks like he's not doing the same thing. And that worries me. Maybe he needs a couple of games out the team, get his confidence back and then come in again. But just that moment where you guys were talking about, if I'm a defender in that situation there, I'm thinking I can get back here. I can get back because he's got no confidence and his touch is not going to be right.

16:32And even when he goes through, I don't fancy him to score. I know he scored the other week, but there's not been a big moment for him where he scored an unbelievable goal that's given him that confidence to say, okay, I'm going to go get another goal, another goal, another goal. So maybe just taking him out the firing line for a little bit and then introducing him back might be the best thing for the team. Yeah, I wouldn't disagree. They did have one or two really, really good chances though, didn't they? Martinelli had a great chance, didn't he, first off? He pushed it past the far post. Big, big miss, yeah.

17:06Didn't he? What about Cel's save though? Was that a Saka header? From Saka's header. Brilliant header, brilliant save. It was. Fingertip. You know that I'm a goalkeeper now. You know that I'm playing goal now, you know, for the team. In net, in net. In net, in net. That's what we say up here. In net. In net. What did you think about the penalty decisions that both managers felt as if... Arteta felt as if he should have been given one for handball. Sean Dyche felt as if he should have been given one when Timber was pulling... Who was it? Was it Hudson-Odoi, maybe? Oh, yeah. I thought you said it right on Match of the Day.

17:43But did you... Just before we go into that, did you see Sean Dyche's interview? Yeah. I thought, ooh! It was very... Prickly. Prickly, that's the right word. So Lindsay Hipgrave asked him, you know, the results earlier in the day, did that put more pressure on you? And I thought he would have just said, well, maybe a little bit. We've got to focus on what we... It was like, no, we can't control that. I was just thinking, ooh, that was a little bit of a hit back there thinking, all right. And I don't know if it was wrong or right. It was just uncomfortable to watch at the time, you know? And then Martin Keough trying to give him a little bit of a compliment about the way he played and the subs that he made and all this sort of stuff, tactical stuff.

18:28And he sort of looked at him like, I was thinking, ooh. It was a bit uncomfortable, that was. Good start for Liam Resenia. A victory over for Brentford, Brentford missed a couple of chances. And the rest. Yeah. I mean, Chelsea were wide open at times. Yet they got the victory, absolutely, three big points. But I tell you what, if Brentford had taken their chances, it might have been a different story. Right throughout the game, it's Brentford opened them up. There were really, really big chances as well for them. On the turnover of losing the ball, yeah, that's something they're going to have to work on.

19:06And I guess they will, and they have done, but big three points. And I know they won, but Brentford will be kicking. I think they'll look at that and Keith Andrews will say, we've missed a big opportunity there. You're pulling a bit of a face there, Michael. Did you just say turnover, Al? Honestly? What are you doing, Johnny? Honestly, guys. If you can't beat him, join him, eh? All the terminology now. Turnover. Turnover. Talking of terminology, I'm quite enjoying Liam Resenia, I think we're calling him, like his dad wants him to be called. quite enjoying some of his slightly David Brent moments.

19:51Did you see the stuff about talking about managing? Manage is man and age, and we are aging men. Really? I didn't see that. I mean, I think Arteta does similar sort of things inside the dressing room over a period. I've seen him do something with a light bulb and it was a little bit like, whoa, if you're a player, you'd be going, what? Did you see the documentary where Arteta put speakers out there for atmosphere? It amuses me, all that kind of stuff, that they think it might make a difference. But he's had the start he needed to have, basically, which is a winning one, even if they did have a few issues going the other way, that they got away with.

20:34Well, you watched this game, Al. We didn't have this. Did he do anything tactically that was different? I thought what they did really well is defend set pieces and defend long throws. I thought they did that really, really well. They looked in good shape for that. But there was a lot of information being passed onto the pitch in terms of papers to players to do this and switch and do that. And I thought Wayne did it really well on a match of the day where Fernandes was taking up Cucurella's space. And that, hence them being really wide open when they lost the ball in the middle. but I think the way they defended set pieces was the biggest thing and the win obviously which is the most important thing but improvements will have to be but they can't be that open again and hope to get away with it It looked like Cole Palmer kind of struggling with his groin again at the end Yeah he didn't look happy I know he's different anyway but even when he stuck his penalty away he didn't look happy yesterday on the pitch Well apparently at the end of the game it was the same groin that's causing him problems so it might be getting to him a little bit which understandably so because there's nothing worse than playing with a niggle but obviously there's a World Cup coming up as well so massively important that that gets sorted out at some point hugely important game down at the well not necessarily at the bottom for Spurs but Spurs-West Ham in terms of the two managers and obviously West Ham winning away Callum Wilson who scored Obviously, he's talking about terminating his contract, but it's a vital goal for them.

22:10Gives them some sort of hope, I think. You know, just on that, before you go into West Ham, and I know we'll speak about Spurs, you know, because we've spent good times with Thomas Frank, it's hurting me seeing what's going on there. Yeah, because you know he's a good guy. He's such a top guy. The way he speaks about football, what he did at Brentford, It's a big opportunity. And it's just, when you watch them, they're like nervous wrecks. The lot of them, even when they score a goal, you think, let's get some control now. Just defend, just defend. And then all the things with, you know, with the Arsenal Cup and then the stuff with the fans, players coming out on Instagram.

22:53It's just, I really feel for him. But I don't know what's happened. I can't tell you. Normally, I could say how the Spurs are going to play, where they're going to improve, what they need. With Spurs at the moment, I just don't know what it is. Everything's just very bitty, which I thought a man of his ability, tactically, would have them playing in some sort of way now, which is disheartening to see, you know? Yeah, I'd agree. I mean, I just don't see a pattern. I don't see what they're trying to do. I don't know whether they're a sitting team and they want to hit you on the break. I don't see the repressing team.

23:31It's like, I don't know. And I guess that's how the Spurs fans feel as well. And when you look at their team yesterday, they've got Van de Ven and Romero. They've got their goalkeeper. They've got Porro. They've got the two midfielders in Gray and in Conor Gallagher, a new signing. And then forwards-wise, the players that are out on the pitch should be doing a lot more and a lot better. I know they've got Maddison out, Kulicewski out, Solanke's just coming back. but you still should be seeing a lot more than what you're getting from Tottenham and I totally agree with you Mike he looks really tired and he looks really as if it's really hurting him it's probably the first real spell in his career where he's been massively under the cosh because obviously it's gone it went really well for him at Brentford by and large yeah it's tough times for Thomas I think it surprised us a little bit that they've struggled this much yeah massively It's just a question of whether they stick with him now.

24:31Because, I mean, you look at Spurs in recent years and they've had so many top managers and big names and they all leave the club and they generally have a real gripe with the football club when they leave. I know it's always the coach that gets the blame. And the fact we know Thomas Frank reasonably well, obviously it doesn't affect your judgment on people, but it makes you think a little bit, I suspect. Yeah, but the problem is, Gaz, is now if he was to get sacked in the next couple of weeks, now bigger teams are looking at him saying he can't do it at that level. And it's just that opportunity that he's not taking.

25:11The question mark that everyone was asking when Man United needed a manager, when Chelsea were sort of looking for a manager, Spurs are looking for a manager. The question mark was, can he do it at this level? and now he's been given that, although not in the perfect circumstances, now it looks like it's too much for him. But I don't think it is by the evidence that I've seen him coach before, you know? So it's a strange one. Yeah, and it's also not very much time, six months. I mean, I know it's a mad, mad world manager. You know what you're getting into and if it doesn't happen, you're in trouble.

25:47But on the other hand, by the way, West Ham. I got stuck into West Ham when they played at Wolves a couple of weeks ago and they were awful and rightly so because there was no effort. There was no fight. There was nothing. But yesterday, to be fair to them, they're still not a very good team. But at least they showed a better attitude yesterday. And it's a really strange situation with Callum Wilson. They signed two centre forwards at West Ham for nearly 50 million quid on a huge gamble to try and keep them in the league. and then I listened to the manager Nuno say it might be his time to find somewhere else or whatever but then you turn to him in the last two minutes he scores the winning goal and gets you three huge points.

26:30Yeah, really strange but you'd have to say where's that fight being? Why can't that happen every week? You've just got to go out and roll your sleeves up and they did that yesterday. It was a massive improvement on what I saw it was but that doesn't mean they're a good team then, no. but at least they're willing to have a scrap and a fight and got on the better side of it yesterday. While we're on the subject of coaches, Oliver Glasner had something of a rant at the end of the game, didn't he? Said he thinks they've been deserted, basically. Obviously, he's talking about the upper echelons of the football club.

27:06I found it slightly baffling in the sense that also this week, I mean, he was complaining basically about selling the captain day before a game and also Eze in the summer. And I thought, yeah, well, I can understand you gripe on that. But you also came out this week publicly and said that you told the chairman that you were leaving your job at the end of the season. And I thought, well, hang on a minute. It did seem slightly hypocritical in some ways. He's done an amazing job. He has, an absolutely brilliant job. He's given the Palace fans something they've never had before, the wins at Wembley, both of them, in the Community Shield and, of course, in the FA Cup.

27:48And he'll always be remembered for that. But, I mean, we've seen it with Amorim and Mareska in recent weeks that once you come out and start criticising your bosses for whatever reason in public, you're on a sticky wicket. Yeah, I've said it on Match of the Day that it wouldn't surprise him if he's not in charge for the next game. Well, funny you should say that, though, Alan, That news is just broken and it's not the news that you would think. Crystal Palace have decided not to sack Oliver Glasner following his bombshell press conference comments before and after Eagles lost to Sunderland on Saturday.