England World Cup-bound + can Man United add to Liverpool’s losing streak?

0:00The Athletic FC

0:30of the Premier League with Liverpool Man United, Palace Bournemouth and Burnley leads. Parker v. Farker, but whose future looks darker? It's the Totally Football Show.

0:45It's Thursday the 16th of October. Woof. And joining us here in the Totally Football Show studio, Duncan Alexander. Hello, James. Hi. Your fellow editor, Dom Fifield, is making an appearance. Good morning, James. Good morning, Dom. Who's out there commissioning is my question. It's just a free-for-all. Anyone can do anything. Good Lord. And also with us, Natalie Jedra from Sky Sports. Whoop, whoop. Hello. You've been busy, Natalie. We keep seeing you popping up at the end of matches, poking microphones at unsuspecting players. Yeah. Yeah. Good. I'm doing a fan. Kind of what I do, yeah. Yeah, it's what you do.

1:17You absolutely will not stop ever. I love that. Good. Oh, here's a message from Solace in Mollusks. We've all taken it. Solace in Mollusks is answering our point on Monday when we were debating a little bit what we should call this World Cup because you can't call it USA 26 because yeah Solis and Mollis says it's a missed opportunity not branding this tournament as Big Mac Mexico America Canada like that what would they call it in Brazil Natalie? Oh god World Cup 2026 yes yeah Humo 26 Exa Yes, yes, yes. The exercise coming. Exercise six times in Portuguese. Yes. So we use it a lot. I think the big problem is that any number that's in the 20s doesn't roll off the tongue very easily.

2:0926. You know, Euro 96 works. It just flows. 26. World Cup. I think you just had a lot of practice saying 96 and not enough saying 26. I disagree completely. Trump 26. That sort of works. Trump 26. What do you think, Dom? Roll that around your mouth again. No, Trump 26 will be, I hope it never becomes that, but it might well do. But North America 26 works for me. Yeah, North America. It does, yeah. What about Mexico in that? You know World Cup. Well, true. Yeah, World Cup 26. Conquer Calf's big day out. It's kind of long. I don't know if it's going to catch. FIFA are doing their best to ignore Mexico and Canada, really, aren't they?

2:46Which is a shame because I think, yeah, the venues at Mexico are going to be, yeah, are going to be the best. Are you heading out, Atlee? Do you know? Hopefully. Right. Fingers crossed for that. Fingers crossed. Yes. Okay, well, I'll tell you some people who are heading to World Cup 26, Big Mac, etc. Six more nations qualifying this week, including our first European side, hello, England, courtesy of a 5-0 win. Tuesday night in the rather scenic stadium in Riga against Latvia. Also qualifying this week, two more from Asia, you had Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and four more African sides, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Paul, whose team looks pretty packed, and also Cape Verde, because of their 3-0 win over Eswatini.

3:32As we mentioned the other day, Cape Verde becoming the second smallest nation ever, with half a million population to qualify for the World Cup. Although that could be eclipsed if the Faroe Islands make it through. But how small are Cape Verde? Well, Will Jean's pointing out that Cape Verde is smaller than 49 of the 50 US states. And the sweeper equally, contributing that their defender Pico Lopez, who plays for Shamrock Rovers, was recruited by the Cape Verdean Football Federation via LinkedIn. I love their recruitment. It's so interesting because a lot of the players don't play there and don't live there, basically.

4:11So they're kind of reconnecting. There's no room, I don't think. Yes, there's no room. They're kind of reconnecting with their roots, but it's very interesting how they needed to recruit all in other countries and find people in places like LinkedIn. I mean, at first I was a bit against of this, everyone's going to play the World Cup thing, you know, like so many teams in 2026, but it gives room for this kind of story. Well, the expanded tournament meant that Brazil managed to qualify with too many difficulties, despite finishing fifth. I wasn't going to mention the fact that you were pointing a finger at me when you said Brazil lost to Japan, but we'll get to that.

4:47We had questions about that. Yes. We'll get on to those. I have answers. All right. That's a threat. I don't know how England recruited Thomas Tuchel, but it's a job that's worked out pretty well. Let's get on to his latest success next. This is the Totally Football Show with James Richardson, part of the Athletic FC Podcast Network. England are coming to America. No drama, no slip-up, just German-inspired England efficiency. England seal a place at the World Cup with two qualifiers to spare. Tuesday night, England beating Latvia 5-0 away. Goals from Anthony Gordon, a brace from Harry Kane. That takes him up to 76 now in an England shirt.

5:33And he's on 21 goals for club and country this season, which is crazy. I think maybe, is he also on 19 successful penalties in a row? Pretty amazing, but missed one crucial one in a... Yeah, that one that he missed was slightly annoying at the time. Then there was an own goal to make it 4-0. And finally, Palace Oldboy Eberici Eze, just before the end of the game. That's his second goal for England. They both have come in matches against Latvia. Crikey. Tuchel is the first ever England manager to win his first six competitive matches without conceding a single goal, which puts him in a pretty strong position now as regards his slightly unorthodox approach to squad selection, Dom.

6:22Yeah, I quite admire it. If you're on a short-term contract, which is effectively what he is, it's just one tournament contract, I can see the logic in forging a very strong team bond. Everybody knows their role. They work for each other. They're familiar with each other. You know, England have picked their best players for years and not actually won anything. So it's bold, it's bold. And obviously come the summer, there's a very good chance the likes of Jude Bellingham will be back in. Or perhaps in November, because Tuchel's been slightly fortunate, you could say, in that injuries have provided him with an alibi for leaving the likes of Bellingham out.

7:02Yeah, and he's stumbled on a, well, not stumbled, he's paid very well and he does it properly, but he's come up with a system that really works. And I think that Rice-Elliot-Anderson partnership works really well. I think Anthony Gordon, you know, tracks back, gets forward, supports Kane. Saka's now fit again and is clearly one of the best players in the world. So I think there's probably still some questions over the defence they gave up a few opportunities to Latvia isn't the reality, I mean maybe the ITV's coverage was incorrect but they only conceded two shots on target in the entire group and they were both against Latvia, one in each game yeah, I've seen managers heads roll for that so should do better but yeah I think it is a very interesting point, I think Dom's right that the fact that he's on a short term contract, it is all about next summer and he doesn't have to worry about the repercussions at all.

7:53It's interesting, I think some of the previous overseas managers for England, Sven-Gorgen Eriksson, Fabio Capello, have tended just to pick the best players because they're like, I'm the England manager, I don't want to upset anyone and it hasn't worked. So in a way, I hope Tuchel's nerve holds, but we'll see. Thomas Tuchel, not afraid of offending people, as he demonstrated with his recent comments about the Wembley crowd in the previous match. and interesting to see the away fans with a bit of a riposte. Thomas Tuchel will sing when we want. Are we loud enough for you? 1-0 to the library. It's all gone quiet over here.

8:28Bants, essentially. Natalie, if the World Cup were tomorrow, who would be in Tuchel's 11? Do you have a thought on this? This is my favourite part of the build-up to the World Cup, yes. Throwing the names, who's going to be in the list. Not who should be, but who do you think he'll pick? Well, I think he's going to pick Jude Bellingham. You think he will? I think so. At the starting 11, yeah, that's... Well, he will be at the final list. But I think in the starting 11, definitely, there's some fitness issues, aren't there? Like, if John Stones is fit, he'll start. There is a spine for this team already.

9:06Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, and the partnership, as Duncan mentioned. Anthony Gordon's been doing really well, And I think he brings a lot of pace and energy to the team. Saka also, if he stays fit, if he doesn't have any injury issues. So I think these names are very, very much established. But then you have your Morgan Rodgers, who's been impressing a lot in the number 10 role. But if you play Morgan Rodgers, you have to bench Jude Bellingham. Obviously, Harry Kane, I'm not even going to mention because that one is just so... Another discussion of how underappreciated Harry Kane is. It is true.

9:42Is it? Oh, my God, yes. Harry Kane in October is the best player in the world. Harry Kane at the end of the season in May. I mean, it was, what, seven degrees and raining in Riga. It won't be that in America. So, I mean, I hope he's fully fit. But he's consistently scoring goals. Yeah. I get the whole, his format at the Euros. I get that. It was a bit disappointing. but everything was kind of disappointing apart from the results in terms of performance from England but you know just give the guy some credit like more credit because I don't think he has enough credit we'll give him more credit I would say if we want to give Harry Kane credit that that penalty was probably the best penalty I've ever seen he hit it so hard and it went right in the middle of the side netting it was just it was a lovely rhythm to the build up as well it's just very little dance I compare that one to Volta Mardy's penalty.

10:40That was just weird. Didn't like that. You didn't like that? No. He didn't like that. The twisty foot one. Yeah. Goes against science. Yeah. Yeah, I don't like it. Who's going to be, so Jubilien will get called up. I think, yeah, he'll be in the squad. He'll get called up. So who will be the big names that you think, where will Tuchel stick to his guns and stick two fingers up at conventional wisdom? I mean, he'd come to me, but the, I mean, Adam Walton will have a brilliant season at Christopales, but he probably won't go to the World Cup. And why is that? Because he's not going to have played for England.

11:11He won't have played for Tuchel. But why does Tuchel feel that that's not relevant to what he's done? I think Tuchel has doubts over his physicality, which I think a lot of managers have had. In fact, there was a very good piece by Stu James earlier this week on The Athletic. Did you commission that, Dom? No, my brother did, actually. Oh, OK. It was a five-field commission, but not me. But when you look at him, he doesn't look like a conventional box-to-box midfielder. He's not. he's passing his vision that they're his they're his forte and I think he will go with an Anderson over a Wharton even though they probably play in the same positions at their clubs effectively really which will be a shame I mean Adam Wharton's chance at the international will come but I suspect it won't be in the World Cup despite the fact that I fully expect him to be one of the star players in the Premier League this season OK but when England crash out in the quarterfinals he will be the person everyone hangs their hat on for Euro 28 Yeah, when we all compile our who's going to be playing in the 28th tournament, Adam Walton would be your first name.

12:09Neil Miller, Adam Walton, all the labs. And what about Phil Foden? What about Phil Foden? No, Natalie. Yeah, no, because I don't know, maybe he will have enough time, but there's a lot of competition in that position. Cole Palmer as well. Cole Palmer as well, yes. And they're both versatile players. They can both play on the wings and as a 10, but both positions are very stacked right now. So many names we could mention. Duncan, the Athletic have commissioned a piece. They have. Who will be Thomas Tuchel's 11 in the summer? So briefly, could you just spill the beans? Well, it was pick your squad, basically.

12:48Oh, no, that's different. I did read that. Part of the same. No, no, I read it and everyone was going, well, this is what I do. And I'm thinking, no, but I want to know what Thomas is going to do. I want spoilers. Well, I think the key thread through it was that everyone found it incredibly hard to do because there's so many players. Normally, in previous years, let's jump back to Euro 92. I think it was a struggle to get 11 players, whereas now there's probably 30, 35 top quality players. What have our academies done? Incredible. Here's the starting 11 from Tuesday night. You had Kane up front, Gordon, Rodgers and Saka in behind, Rice and Anderson in midfield behind them, or sitting deeper behind them, Lewis Kelly, Stones, Concert and Spence is the back four with Jordan Pickford in goal.

13:34Which of those do you think is not a likely starter come the summer? Well, I think Gaye will start in the summer. Okay. I think Liv Rimento will play if he's fit. Over Lewis Kelly? Yeah, probably. Or obviously Spence could play left back and Liv Rimento could play right. It could interchange. Okay. Interchanging full backs. Yeah. But those big names that we mentioned, unlikely as it stands to be in Thomas Tuchel's starting thoughts? I think there's a lot of season to happen yet. But yeah, so like if Cole Palmer keeps fit, because he's not fit at the moment, so if he stays fit and Morgan Rodgers, I mean, he's been brilliant with Villa and with the national team, but Villa hasn't been doing well.

14:18So I think there is that aspect of things as well. I can't see a team without Cole Palmer, at least as an option, but potentially starting. Just to say, I suggested that Morgan Rodgers has been doing well based on numbers for Villa, and Villa fans are saying, absolutely, no, he hasn't. But the number of assists has been consistent. Anyway, you're absolutely right. There's a lot of football to be played, pointless to be throwing names out. You said it was your favourite part. I love it, yes. Okay, good. But we'll leave that for there because there's loads of other international stuff to talk about.

14:50Next up, we'll check out some of the other big stories from the UEFA World Cup Qualifier.

15:1420 spots still to be filled at North America, etc. Going to have 11 more European group winners decided in Norway Spain, Portugal, Norway Switzerland, Netherlands and Croatia all look set to win their groups Portugal actually could have done it this week they very nearly did a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo had them set in their game with Hungary but Dominic Slobberslay nipping in at the back post in time added on to make it 2-2 meant that although they're five points clear with two to play they're not quite there yet Portugal Hungary for their part are now only a point ahead of Republic of Ireland who've come roaring back in the race for a playoff berth.

15:56Elsewhere, Germany's 1-0 win away to Northern Ireland, big Nick Voltemada there, with his first goal for Germany and his fourth in the last five matches, means that Germany now top Group A along with Slovakia. Northern Ireland dropped down to third place, but with the top two, Germany and Slovakia facing each other in November, Michael O 'Neill's side equally still have a chance of a playoff. I watched this game. Did you know? It was a really good match. Germany weren't impressive in the slightest. Same happened over in Germany in the reverse fixture. Northern Ireland are really good. Really good.

16:30Gal Braith, I saw him in League One playing for Orient last season is a brilliant player and they should have equalised. They had loads of pressure in the second half. Ref gave two minutes stoppage time which seemed slightly on the short side. Yeah, I still think Northern Ireland are well in with the chow. Such a shame that Connor Bradley was suspended for that match because on Friday against Slovakia he was phenomenal I've never seen him play like that before he never stopped running and there was this one daft foul at the end which got him the second booking and cost him his second booking in the tournament and cost him his place on Monday but they are magnificent Northern Ireland they are feverish workers absolutely brilliant to watch oh fingers crossed then Wales chance of winning their group took a big hit after Monday's defeat to Belgium 4-2 the score here Wales had actually opened the scoring through Joe Rodon early on, but a pair of Kiv and de Bruyne penalties helped the Red Devils into a win that sees them now top that group ahead of North Macedonia and indeed Craig Bellamy's side.

17:34Scotland and Denmark are still level in Group C at the top of that collection. They'll be meeting in November in what looks a pretty key match. France, three points clear in Group D, although a late surge from Ukraine, who've beaten Iceland and Azerbaijan over the international break, is keeping things interesting for top spot in that group. And Sweden are a mess, a mess that features Isak and Joj Kjores up front, Anthony Alanga up wide, Lukas Bergval and Jasen Ayari in midfield, yes, but still a mess. Extraordinary. This week, after suffering their second defeat to Kosovo, they dismissed manager John Dahl-Thomason, who'd picked up a grand total of one point from four matches, four matches in which Sweden, with that collection of players it's scored twice.

18:19Two goals, two. It's the first time that Sweden have ever officially sacked their manager. I don't know what happens to them usually. Do they take them into a back room? Yeah, they just go into the Arctic Circle to look at some stuff. Michael Cox wrote a good piece about how bad they've been. The two main papers, Afton Bladet and Expressen, had polls on the front page saying, should Thomason be sacked? with a 92 % and 87 % saying yes, respectively. And, yeah, Elanga was shouting, this bloody system must go. Right. Which sounds... You can't really imagine him saying that, but, yeah, fair. The Graham Potter quotes were quite fun in the aftermath.

19:02Yes, Graham Potter, who has thrown his hat into the ring, one might say. A bit desperately. Well, I don't know. Maybe if he was asked, then he responded. Yeah. But I don't know if he rang up the papers to say, by the way. a rare come and get me play from the manager. Yeah. Well, Sweden, for all their woes, are still in line for a playoff spot thanks to the Nations League. They won their Nations League group. They're one of the best-placed Nations League group winners that are not already qualified. Wales, the Czech Republic and Romania, among the other sides, currently placed to enter the playoffs next March.

19:40Yeah, but we've talked about it before, but this back route in is a bit of a... I mean, Sweden don't deserve another chance, Rich, surely. I'm going to have Potters at the World Cup. I don't know what you're on about. That's brilliant. Only because you saw Hodgson managing in 94. You could do the dream team, Potter and Hodgson. Yeah, true. But yes, San Marino, if they lose heavily to Romania in their last game. Yeah, that would mean that Romania qualify directly. Yes, it could do. And that would mean San Marino get a playoff spot. So they're almost like, it suits them to lose. How heavily do they need to lose?

20:13Well, Romania have a plus five goal difference. Okay. So it's very complicated and possibly unlikely, but it doesn't seem ideal for a team to go into a game knowing that if they lose heavily, it's useful. I don't know. I'm just a purist. Anything else from international football? Anybody else got anything they want to mention? No? Natalie, anything from you? We can move on, yeah. Here's a question from J. Cole. Can you talk about Japan's historic win against Brazil and give thoughts on how well Japan will do in the next World Cup. They topped the Asian qualifiers. Right. First team to qualify.

20:50Yeah. Yes, they did. Well, Japan did really well. OK, first. In the game against Brazil. In the game against Brazil. Yes, exactly. So Brazil had a very modified starting 11 against Japan. So compared to the team that beat South Korea, five new. Right. So Brazil are on a bit of a sort of Asian tour at the moment. Yes. Yes. because, you know, qualifiers are done and now just friendly matches. So first off, you beat South Korea 5-0. And everyone thinks the EXA is coming. Like we are going to win the World Cup because there are no moderate opinions about the national team. And then we play Japan. And now, like everyone's starting to question Ancelotti and why he's making so many tests.

21:32Well, he's making tests because he needs to get to know players and he's been very strong about it. But he also says that the 26 to the friendly matches in March should be roughly the 26 players he's going to take to the World Cup. So back to Japan. Second half, complete disaster. The team completely switched off. There were some individual mistakes. This is Brazil. Yes, exactly. Brazil played really well in the first half, two nil up. And then in the second half, some individual mistakes and the team completely falls apart. And Casemiro gave a really good interview after the match because only three players remained on the team from the starting 11 from South Korea, which was Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Vinicius Jr.

22:22And Casemiro said, we can't do this because this can cost a World Cup. And there is a bit of a mentality thing with Brazil and all the pressure around them year after year. And this is something that I've spoken to off the record with many players. And they always mention that, like the pressure and the amount of criticism they get around anything that happens with the national team. So this is where Ancelotti steps in and just tries to absorb the levels of pressure. But they did play really well against South Korea. There was a... Estevão scored twice. And there was a really interesting formation because there's not established striker in Brazil now.

23:06So they played with Estevão, Vini Jr., Rodrigo and Matheus Cunha. So they were all rotating. Matheus Cunha wasn't the number nine. He was actually the player making it happen for the other players to be in that position, especially Vinicius Junior and Rodrigo. There were a lot of positives from that performance. So it's not all lost, but it's not all perfect. And yeah, it's something in between. Next up, we have Senegal here in London, I think. Is that in March? No, here in November. Senegal in London, Tunisia in Paris. And in March, this is really good because they decided to go for strong opponents.

23:46So France, we're facing France and probably either Croatia or Netherlands, which is really good because I keep hearing England fans saying that you guys didn't play strong enough opponents. And this is something that happened a lot with the South Americans because of Nations League. We can't face the European side. So it is good that Brazil will have a chance to really come up against this size and then we'll pray first and then we'll see. Okay. J. Cole actually asked about Japan, but that was a fascinating window on Brazil. Well done, Japan. Well done, Japan. But yeah, playing a Brazil side that wasn't too familiar with one another and maybe took their eye off the ball a little bit in that second half.

24:35Yeah, definitely. But Japan, who were revelations, I would say, of the last World Cup, no? Yeah. Looking forward to seeing them in action again. A brilliant qualifying campaign from them. And, you know, there'll be time to preview their prospects, he said moving along, as we get closer to the World Cup. Just on the subject of Brazil, though, Endric, is Esteval the new Endric? Has he kind of taken over the mantle of the new big prospect for the Celestal? Yeah, they're from the same generation. They're actually really good friends, Esteban and Henrik, even though they have very different personalities.

25:11Henrik hasn't played in almost five months an official match. Really? Yes. 18th of May was the last match he played against Sevilla. And he struggled with muscular injuries. He didn't play in the Club World Cup because of that. He was due to play in the Club World Cup, but he didn't. And then with the change of managers, Ancelotti leaving and Xabi Alonso said to him that he wasn't going to play many minutes at the start of the season because he wanted to establish starting XI. He didn't want to rotate the team a lot. And even there were some rumors that Andrik could leave Real Madrid on loan to get minutes, but he decided to stay at Madrid.

25:50And you add that to the fact that Gonzalo Garcia, who comes from the academy at Madrid, started to do really well. and there are a lot of options up front. You know, in a team that you have Vini, you have Rodrigo, you have Mbappé, you have Roselu and you have a youngster coming as well. So he hasn't had many minutes. We were expecting him to be one of the contenders for the number nine position and he might be the number nine for 2030 because there's so much expectation around Henrik. But yeah. He's still, what age would he be now? 18? 18, 19. I think he's 19 actually, yeah. Very good. Thank you, Natalie.

26:28Thank you, James. Always a pleasure to talk about Brazil. Right. Even when they lose three teams to Japan. It's only friendly anyway. All right, let's get on to some fixtures which are very much not friendlies. The Premier League returns this weekend with Match Day 8. What's in store? We'll discuss that next.

26:52You're listening to The Totally Football Show with James Richardson, now with you four times a week. Keep up to date with us on Insta and enjoy us in glorious Technicolor on YouTube at The Totally Show.

27:27Forest Chelsea gets us back underway. Forest, who are just a point above the bottom three, with Ange Postacoglu still in charge at three o 'clock on Saturday. Lots of games. There's Sunderland Wolves. Wolves are the only team in English League football yet to win a match this season. You've also got Burnley Leeds, Palace Bournemouth, Brighton Newcastle, and Man City Everton. At 5.30, Fulham hosts the leaders, Arsenal. Sunday then at two o 'clock, it spurs Aston Villa. and at 4.30 Liverpool against Man United. One of those teams has lost three games in a row and Chex notes, it's not Man United.

28:04Wow. On Monday night, the round concludes with West Ham-Brentford. West Ham are in the bottom three with Burnley and Wolves. Yes. What do you want to start with? Is it Liverpool-Man United or is it the two success stories of this season, Palace and Bournemouth? Dom, should we go straight there? Selhurst Park, Saturday 3 o 'clock. Palace on a dreadful losing run They lost last time out They did Yeah, that's true But that aside sixth spot Bournemouth at Italy two points and two places above but these have been the teams of the season so far Yeah, I would start with Bournemouth because I watched the first game of the season at Liverpool Bournemouth were magnificent They were absolutely magnificent 2-0 down came back 2-2 with one of the most spirited performance and considering it was a team that had been flung together in the latter stages of the transfer window pretty much the the level of coaching that areola as is doing at that club is phenomenal and i suppose that's what this this game is about it's the two possibly two of the best coached teams in the division at the moment and transitions yes a lot of transitions yeah i don't quite know how that's going to work i mean last season they were both nil nil you go no you go the 0-0 at Sellers was the first game of that 19 match unbeaten run that ended at Everton for Palace and Palace went down to 10 men before half time I think with the USMNT's Chris Richards sent off I want to say yeah they do tend to cancel each other out and I don't think Glaser's got a great record against Di Rielo I don't think he's actually scored against a Bournemouth team since coming to Palace.

29:52But look, yeah, you're right. It'll be interesting to see how tactically it works out, but two teams absolutely brimming with confidence. And it should be, he says, touching wood, it should be a really entertaining 0-0 draw. Right. Bournemouth, if they win, will go top of the league for a couple of hours at least. Have they ever been top of the league, Duncan? Not officially. I mean, when they got promoted to the Premier League, they suddenly decided to call themselves AFC Bournemouth so that they would start every season in first place, which when they're shortened to Bournemouth, it just looks weird.

30:25It goes Bournemouth, Arsenal, all on zero points. But if they get there legitimately, then even I will raise my hat to them. But yeah, they've been absolutely tremendous. I mean, Antoine Semenyo, probably the best player in the Premier League at the moment. As Dom says, Iriola, he's the sort of manager who doesn't mind if his players make mistakes. And I think that engenders a kind of freedom to his players that you see, like in that Liverpool game in the opening day of the season, he wasn't like, oh no, we're 2-0 down, it was just, Karen, what you're doing? They're very, very good. Is that a luxury you can have if you're manager of Bournemouth rather than, say, moving on to a big club where people get very excited?

31:00I think so. I think that's possibly what we've seen with Ruben Amorim. He maybe had that in his old job and doesn't have that. I mean, the step up to some of England's bigger clubs is big, but, I mean, a lot of people didn't think he'd be at Bournemouth this season, but not only is he there, he's rebuilt the defence and they're not in Europe, I think they've got a really good chance of finishing in the top five. I mean, certain metrics in the Premier League this season are quite like 2015-16 and we all know what happened that season. It was an unusual season. What are you saying, Duncan? I'm saying Bournemouth, I think, might have an outside chance of being title contenders.

31:40Wow. What could derail them? Short squad? Error they go into a different club. Right. entire squad getting ransacked in January. Right. Injuries, which they had a lot of last year, because the style they play does do that. So there are, I mean, it's a very long shot, but I think, you know, they outplay virtually everyone they come up against, which is why the Palace game will be a good test. So, yeah, I mean, it's a shame this game's at three o 'clock on a Saturday. For our global listeners, I would tune in. For anyone in the UK, just listen to the radio. Listen to the radio. All right. It's interesting because I spoke to Ira Ola at the start of last season and now a couple of times already.

32:21And at the start of last season, he said that they were not ready to fight for Europe. So it is outstanding how much they got done in a year's time. And when you look at both teams, when you look at Palace and you look at Bournemouth, it just seems like two group of players who are very happy to be managed by these two managers who are very efficient in the way they do things, which are different. You know, like with Iraola, you have like this intensity and the high pressing and it's just very exciting on the edge of your seat. And with Glasner, you have that more of that control in terms of defending really well.

32:57And it's going to be a really good test for the back three against a player like Semenyo, for example, who's been in such great form. But also they can turn on the pace and just become very exciting. And they come in the back of like the unbeaten run that came to an end. Actually, I was at that match, the Everton Palace one. And David Moyes mentioned that if it was any other team, people would be talking way more about the unbeaten run and Palace. And also Adam Wharton said, maybe it's good that we lost because maybe some players were feeling the pressure of the unbeaten run. And Oliver Glasner said that, yeah, we needed to feel that pain.

33:40And yeah, it's going to be good. It's going to be important. So I'm curious to see how they're going to respond to that. It's not as if they play badly either. No. The first 70 minutes, they should have been 5-0 up probably. Yes, definitely. So it was profligacy that really cost them at Hill Dickinson. But yeah, no one's complaining at all about the way Palace are progressing. These are the good old days for Palace fans. They really are, genuinely, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, they were the House of Parliament on Wednesdays. What were they doing then? They were parading the Palace for Life Foundation, the charity, took the trophies and Oliver Glasner and Joel Ward who Palace won some trophies they haven't mentioned apparently took them to the speaker's house and they had an event there a function there which was very well attended apparently very good very good so Palace Bournemouth at 3 o 'clock on the Saturday Sunday at 4.30 probably the marquee fixture of this round is Liverpool against Man United Duncan has the the crisis club bat on Has it changed hands?

34:43Oh, yeah. It's firmly at Anfield at the moment, definitely. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a fixture with more narrative around it than this game. I mean, Liverpool were coming in, the champions, three defeats in a row, strong 1990-91 vibes. Manchester United have never won two consecutive games under Ruben Amorim coming into this fixture on one win in a row. I mean, basically, whatever happens in this game, I mean, if it's a terrible 0-0 draw, that's possibly the only way we don't get full-on narrative. But, I mean, any other possibility is sensational. If United win this game, they'll only be two points behind Liverpool.

35:21Yeah. Extraordinary. I mean, they haven't won at Anfield in a very long time. Ten years, in fact, since a 1-0 victory goal from Wayne Rooney back when Louis van Gaal was still in charge. They also have a terrible record away from home. They haven't picked up three points on the road since March. March. Crikey. It's their longest ever run without an away win in Premier League history, which, you know, another record for Amirim to put in his CV. But, I mean, yeah, on paper they should struggle in this game, but Liverpool have given up so many chances recently. And that front sort of combination at United is starting to look all right.

36:03I mean, if Kunja played well on international duty, they've got him or Mason Mount and Buemo. So, Sesko's looking, you know, pretty good now. More so than the newly assembled Liverpool front line. Yeah. Yeah, well, Nagelsmann went to defend Florian Wurz during international break, said it's not his fault that his teammates are not converting the chances that he's creating. Is that fair? Yeah, I think it's an interest. I think I completely get the expectations around him, but he's clearly talented. You just need to give him time because he was also a very intense player in terms of pressing. And I think that this aspect of his game that is very important, it needs adjustment to the Premier League.

36:49And it is something that he usually does well. But Gravenberg had a minor hamstring issue playing for Netherlands. So there's something to keep an eye on. and Mo Salah. So he scores a lot of goals against Man United, which is the good news. 16 goals. 10 in the last 11 games. Yeah, 16 goals in 17 matches. Oh, well, that's better, yeah. Yes, overall. So, yeah. And with Man United, Duncan mentioned Mateus Cunha. I think it will be a good chance for Mason Mount, actually, to get two games in a row because of the traveling. I would assume that Mateus Cunha wouldn't start. and Mason Mounted really well against Sunderland.

37:33The win that we are all questioning, what does it mean? Does it mean something? Is it or not? I just think there's a good stat from Opto, which is that Mbwemo's made 173 off the ball runs so far this season, which is more than any other United player, and 26 of those have led to a shot. I just think the movement of that front three could... I mean, Canati has been poor, the two full-backs, Liverpool have been poor, Mark Carey has got a piece out today talking about how Liverpool got a weakness at the back post particularly when it comes to where the left back is I just think Buemo coming in on that side on the back post I don't know I've just got a feeling about this game So it's Bournemouth for the title and Man United to win at Anfield Yeah Or two 0-0 draws Yeah The great floor in association Dom do you have a strong opinion on this one?

38:27No. OK. Fulham Arsenal, leaders Arsenal, are the Cottagers going to do Arsenal's title rivals a favour? You're going to be going along to Kravitz for this, Natalie. Yes, I will be there. What's the story on this one? Well, I think it's a really good chance for Arsenal to build on straightforward wins, which is something they struggled in the past couple of seasons, especially two seasons ago. You know, the games that they should win. Like, they beat West Ham. It was very straightforward. Fulham, they can be a problem for anything because they're very organized. But if you want to be the champion, if you want to win the Premier League, this is the type.

39:05These are the games you have to win. This is the game. Yeah, exactly. It is the type of game. And you need to build momentum on this very straightforward win. You're so right. Did Arsenal win this fixture in the last two seasons? No. Were they champions the last two seasons? No. No. My point being, yes, exactly. And it will be a good chance for Arsenal as well, because Fulham, they've been struggling up front. Both of their strikers are out and they tried a striker-less thing against Bournemouth. Kind of Josh King was occupying those spaces. But, you know, you have the best defensive record in the Premier League against a team who's been struggling with forward options.

39:47Yeah, I mean, Arsenal's defence has been tremendous so far. Also, Fulham have conceded the most fouls in the Premier League this season. And it's probably not a good idea to give Arsenal three kicks. But yeah, you're right. It's a massive test because this is the sort of game you just need to go, win 2-0 and everyone forgets about it. But the three points are added on and turn out to be important. Perhaps so. Man City will be chasing their three points away at Hill Dickinson's Saturday, three o 'clock. They're at home, aren't they? Back up, Man City. and back to the head. Turn around.

40:26They scored more goals and picked up more points than any Premier League team in this calendar year so far. Man City, Erling Haaland's on a crazy tear between club and country. Frankly, I've lost track of the numbers. They're huge. They're huge. Everton, for their part, will be without the players created the most chances from open play in the division this season. That's Jack Grealish. Cos, under English rules, he's on loan from City. He can't play against his parent club. Oh, Lamarna Lualua, what did you do? Was that where this all began? Yeah, he played for Portsmouth against Newcastle in the 2000s.

41:04I think he scored and Newcastle kicked up a massive fuss. But obviously in the Champions League you can play against your parent club. I think you should be able to. If you sign a loan, it's in every other league you can. Seems silly. That was Arsene Wenger's attitude as well to it, wasn't it? Whenever he was asked in that era, he was like, well, if the rules could change, I'd make sure that was possible. There you go, Man City Everton. He'll fill in on that left side. Lilliman and Dye, it's what a player he is. You were talking about Senegal earlier. Wow. Every time you say that, I just get, when you were young.

41:36That's an open book. Oh, dear. Yeah, I think he'll fill in on the left-hand side. and I think the last Everton manager to win at City was David Moyes. David Moyes. How long ago? Hang on, hang on. You're going to get the first. It was almost 15 years ago. David Moyes was the top of his manager. On the City bench, Roberto Mancini. But Njai, he's been having a really good season and he's so versatile. So he's so handy for Moyes and Drewsbury Hall should be back. When you say and I, I get Whitney Houston. Oh, I take it as a compliment. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Should I say it? Yeah, just say it. And I. No, not like that.

42:27That's more emo. No, no, that's the bath. That's not what we're talking about. Come on. I'm saying and I will always love you. Sorry, we'll move on. Lots of other Premier League games next.

42:44This is the Totally Football Show, part of the Athletic FC podcast network. Amongst the other games taking place this weekend, Spurs, who are third, face off against Aston Villa Sunday at 2 o 'clock. Villa currently 13th, but showing some signs of getting it together in the last few matches, eh, Natalie? Yeah, heading to the right direction, they would say. No, really good signs, you know. But I was thinking about that because they've been doing things well. They're well placed on the table. No one is really talking about Spurs, so they've been doing it quietly. And I think they've been benefiting from that aspect because for so long, there was so much attention around Spurs, especially their managers with, you know, Mourinho, Antonio Conte, even with Ange as well.

43:32And now Thomas Frank is there. He's just doing his thing. They are playing well. They're showing really good signs. I think Kudos scoring his first goal was really big because he's been arguably their best player of the season. I think they're figuring out that they really need to give Xabi Simons freedom for him to really flourish. So there are some really good positive signs. I'm not sure yet if they can sustain top four form, but there's something for Spurs fans to be excited about. Duncan, what do you have in your bag of predictions? In a bag of negativity is the fact that they are, by some distance, the biggest over-performers on XG this season.

44:14That's a Spurs tradition, though, isn't it? Yeah, Son and Kane. But are Son and Kane playing for Tottenham Hotspur right now? No. No. And yet? Yeah, maybe it's just a club. Maybe it's in their DNA. But, I mean, it does point to the fact that they've been very good at set pieces, but they still struggle, I think, to sort of, you know, open play attacking patterns under Frank so far. I mean, that might come in the next few months, but I do think they've got quite a tough fixture list coming up. So, yeah, I guess let's revisit in a month or so. But, I mean, it's definitely a much more positive league campaign than last season.

44:51Right, last season under Ange Postacoglu, who is currently in charge of Noddington Forest and not having a particularly positive time of it. He's made it all the way to game number eight, but he's still yet to pick up his first victory for Forrest. Forrest this weekend, Saturday lunchtime, in fact, hosting Chelsea. Chelsea will be without Enzo Maresca because he picked up a red card against Liverpool. And potentially another Enzo Fernandes because he picked up an injury during international break. Yes, against Venezuela, an injury on his knee. so he dropped out of the squad just hoping he would recover he didn't play against Puerto Rico and hoping he would recover to play against Forest but you know knee injuries doesn't sound very good so yeah Nor does seven games without a win which is Angeposte Coglu's record since taking over at Forest Dom, how confident are you that he will have found the solutions over this international break for Forest Hills with rumours swirling.

45:58I don't know how much stock you put in the stories that were circulating over the past week about Sean Dyche hovering in the background, looming. Well, I mean, you have to put some stock into it because it would actually, Sean Dyche in charge of that squad, a squad that played almost Sean Dyche-type football under Nuno and did very, very, very, very well, would make more sense than asking Ange Postacoglu to come in once the season has started and completely revolutionise the playing style overnight whilst also maintaining a European campaign and the Premier League challenge. And, well, I mean, that's clearly been beyond him so far.

46:37Right. As a Palace fan, is there a slight glimmer in your eye when you discuss Forest? No, I was on the Straight Out of Cobham yesterday and Matt Davis-Adams of this parish was presenting, big Forest fan, obviously. I made the point that there isn't, I'm not, I'm not at all. I look at it and I would be absolutely crestfallen if I was a Nottingham Forest fan to see what's happened there, because all of those wounds are self-inflicted. They're absolutely self-inflicted. And it's really, really sad to see that all that progress that was made last year appears to have been completely undermined already.

47:14It is early in this campaign. They still can turn it around and make a success. The European stuff can still progress in the Europa League easily enough. But once a fan base starts chanting against a newly appointed manager... In his first home game? In his first... Was that his first first home game? I think so, yeah. In Michelin. Yeah, yeah, because it took him four games to have his first home game. There's no coming back from that. I don't think there's any coming back from that. No, I think once that's turned, even if they get a result against Chelsea, if they lose to Porto midweek, the first defeat afterwards is the one when you're gone.

47:51It's a tough run as well. They have Chelsea, they have Porto at home, and then they have Bournemouth away. They have Sturm. Champions Bournemouth. Yeah, Sturm. Champions Bournemouth. Sturm away from Austria and Leeds home. Then it's international break. But that's the thing, because these things happen during international break, right? Because the first match they have after international break, the November international break, is Liverpool at Anfield. Which they won last season. Yeah. A different time. How long ago that seems. I would argue that the 12.30 Saturday fixtures may be also the worst thing that he could have because the whole football world has been waiting for the Premier League to come back.

48:35There'll be a lot of attention on that game. There's a whole weekend for people at the club to think. You don't want to see anyone lose their job. But having three permanent managers before the clocks go back. You're excited by that. That's the sort of thing I like. Has that happened in the modern era where you have the three international breaks September, October, November. Has a Premier League club ever had three different managers going into the next little run of matches around those? I'm going to say no, it's never happened before. Yeah. So, you know, the script writers for our league just keep...

49:1012.30 on a Saturday after an international break is grim for both these clubs. I mean, it's bad for Chelsea as well, an away game. Yeah. A lot of players coming from all the way around the world a lot of fitness issues a lot of chat about chartered private jets I imagine yeah I don't think it's not very convenient for either team among the other subplots that the Premier League script writers have come up with is pitting Elliot Anderson the player who's won possession the most in the Premier League this season against Moises Casado the player who has the most tackles and interceptions in the Premier League this season it's matter and anti-matter anyway also coming up on Saturday but at the 3 o 'clock time is Sunderland to a ninth against bottom of the table, Wolves, who, as we mentioned earlier, the only team anywhere in English league football who've yet to win a match this season.

50:04Crikey. They've obviously been leading 1-0 in their last two games until very late on. And yeah, they're the sort of seasons where that happens, where you know it's going to be a struggle. Were there only three points off safety as it stands? Forrest the team immediately above the bottom three. It's a very condensed Premier League. We've seen a lot of seasons recently where the top few teams are streaking clear and there's teams at the bottom that can't buy a win. Obviously, Wolves haven't won yet, but then there's lots of teams who win a couple of games and you move a lot of places. So that's good.

50:40Very true for the likes of Brighton and Newcastle who face off also at 3 o 'clock on Saturday. They're currently 12th and 11th, but a victory would see them bounce up into the European positions. Magpies have never, ever won in their eight visits to the Amex, in the Premier League at least. It's also they came up together, if you remember, the last one. And it was the most geographically distanced promotion in English top flight history. I worked that out. It took ages. But yeah, it's true. Probably one of the most successful promotions of recent time. Right, yeah. Look at them now. Look at them now.

51:15Newcastle could become, you'll enjoy this, Duncan. only the second team in the history of all levels of English League football and that's a lot of football they would be only the second team ever in all of that to draw their first four away games of a season 0-0 please let that happen oh yeah, you'll never sing that the other one was Notts County also the Magpies back in 1935 wow it makes you think it does doesn't it It doesn't it? Someone on the south coast with an interest in conspiracies that we could tap into. What does Burnley-Leeds make you think? That's Saturday, three o 'clock as well.

51:53The two title rivals from last season in the championship, of course. Leeds pipping Burnley on goal difference on the final day of last season. As it stands, they are lying 15th, fully four points ahead of the Clarets, who reside in the bottom three. But which of the teams do you feel like made more adjustments to the Premier League? Because I think Leeds did. They adjusted their game a little. And even with signings and more physical signings, which has been widely reported. But Burnley, they have a really good home record. So that's in their favor. But I'm not sure. Maybe I would say Leeds. But I haven't watched enough of Burnley this season to say it for sure.

52:40But it's interesting. I mean, I think it's a bigger game for Burnley because they have slumped a little bit and they're in the bottom three now. And for people who claim that all three promoted teams will stay up, like myself, they need to sort of get a win. It's these sort of games you just need to pick off a win every three or four games and stay in the fight. Who were the three that you thought would go down? Wolves Brentford which maybe and then A and other, I mean Forest perhaps What about West Ham? West Ham who are currently in penultimate place they're hosting Brentford this Monday night in what will be Nuno Espíritu Santo's first home game in charge of the Hammers they haven't picked up a point yet at home, mind you Brentford haven't picked up a point away from home so there you go I do fancy Nuno to turn that around you do we live in Nuno excellent we'll be here I say we, I won't be because I'll be at the sumo at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday night it'll be the final night the sumo boys let's wrap up the board the sumo boys versus the samba boys yeah that'll be exciting exciting follow it on the iPlayer if you like you enjoying it oh we only had one night so far and it was extraordinary so intense wonderful venue as well yeah and it looks incredible uh and then the way that you know the way they put the door you there and whatever the name of the traditional roof is over the top six and a half tons that weighs here's a stat well actually here's two stats for you one you know they part of the the kind of rituals before the bout begins they stamp their feet but they also chuck salt around which is a kind of purifying gesture apparently they get through 40 kilos of salt a night 40 kilos of salt I mean there's some kebab shops in Kensington that might do that as well I can imagine the other side which is extraordinary so the very very top level of sumo wrestlers are called the Yokozuna and in sumo's history I mean sumo goes back 1 ,500 years but in kind of codified recorded history which is about the last 300 years there's only ever been 75 Yokozunas so it's a title that is bestowed to people who have some certain merit but you don't always have them you've only had 75 ever at the moment there are two

55:19at the moment struggling to recover the dignity of this particular story but anyway at the moment there are two of them which is pretty you know like Messi and Ronaldo and they're both here in London doing their thing brilliant because it is the top 40 wrestlers anyway so I'm not going to be here on Sunday evening but I will be listening when Matt Davis Adams takes you through the weekend's events live streaming of course on our YouTube channel and also available as a podcast on Monday morning I will though be here for Saturday Mornings Totally Extra in which we'll be discussing one of the weirdest seasons a Premier League club has ever had.

56:02West Ham 2006-2007. Bit of Pardew, bit of Kerbs, bit of Eggert-Magnuson, a lot of Tevez and a little bit of Mascherano, just madness. Best match I've ever saw was that season. Was that West Ham 3, Spurs 4? It was absolutely mad. Terrible night to be doing a runner. Right. And that game left them bottom of the table, 10 points from safety with nine games to go, and they still stayed up. They legitimately stayed up with their star striker. So, yeah, all good. Yeah. Well, we'll be having a look at that with lots of interesting people, I think, by the sound of it, in Saturday's Totally Extra. For now, though, that's it for this Totally Football Show.

56:50So many, many thanks to Natalie, to Dom, to Duncan, to Jake, and British to Charlie there. in the booth and to you at home. Look forward to you joining us again soon for now from all of us here. It's goodbye.

57:04You've been listening to The Totally Football Show, part of the Athletic FC podcast network. For more great podcasts just like this one, including The Athletic FC and our dedicated club podcasts, search for The Athletic on Apple, Spotify and all the usual places. We're also at The Totally Football Show on Insta and at The Totally Show on YouTube. The Totally Football Show is an Athletic Media Company production.