Turns out it wasn’t much of a test for Liverpool.

It was billed as Liverpool’s first big test of the season. Turns out it wasn’t.

I thought Chelsea were passive and largely ineffective and that description would sum up Cole Palmer’s contribution as well. I’m a massive Palmer fan, but he had a day to forget - just four shots - none on target and he created only one chance for his team mates. In total, Chelsea only had two shots on target. Forest provided a much stiffer test - and Liverpool failed that one.

But on this occasion fair play to Liverpool - they beat what was in front of them, despite a series of bizarre decisions from the ref.

My first question about his appointment would be why? This was only his second game of the season. It was too big for him. He was way off the pace. Why give him such a big game when he hasn’t been reffing?

Chelsea should’ve had a pen before Brooks eventually gave Liverpool one. Sancho’s foot was clearly trodden on Kop end. Pen. Why was there no review?

Salah tried to con one out of Brooks before Curtis Jones did. You could hear Brooks’ mind working ‘damn, I’ve just turned one down l, I’ll have to give this’. Yes, there was contact but it was no more or less than there had been on Sancho. It certainly wasn’t enough to send Jones tumbling.

I thought the next one might have been. Ok, Sanchez got something on the ball, but it continued towards goal and had Jones not been brought down he might easily have scored.

Incidentally - Chelsea won’t win anything with Sanchez in goal. He’s not good enough.

I can understand why Arsenal fans were furious that Chelsea’s Tosin wasn’t sent-off in a replica of the incident that saw Saliba dismissed the previous day. Perhaps the difference was that Howard Webb wasn’t at the game?

The PGMOL tell us that Webb had nothing to do with Saliba’s sending off so we must believe them. But who was he texting? Was he ordering pizza? A car home? Dinner somewhere? We’ll never know. What I do know is that it wasn’t a good look to get caught on the phone at that moment.

Back to the football - I don’t believe either incident was a red card offence. I’ve no idea why VAR got involved at Bournemouth. It was a subjective call therefore the decision should’ve been the on-field refs. Yellow was the correct card. They should’ve stayed with it.

There was a lot of fuss about City’s winner as well. The first thing to say here is that Silva wasn’t offside, but that wasn’t the offence that should’ve been looked at. Silva clearly impedes Sa’s ability to get to the ball. The series of pictures below clearly show Sa complaining about Silva blocking him on his line at the previous corner. Silva did. The video is better but I’m not allowed to post that.

This is something that needs to be looked at. Arsenal do it all the time as well. Officials have got to be better at spotting these things. 

I’ve got sympathy with Gary O’Neil’s view that there is unconscious bias when contentious calls are made. We’re always told ‘refs are human’. So it follows doesn’t it? They’re bound to be intimidated by big names.

Two other things from that game. There’s a glaring foul as Wolves build towards City’s goal in the 93rd minute. Nunes fouls Guedes - tackles him from behind - catches him and brings him down. If Wolves get that free-kick, they keep the ball and get a point. Chris Kavanagh waves play on. It was a shocking decision.

O’Neil pointed out post-match that Wolves had a goal ruled out in a game v West Ham last season that was very like Stones’. He right. They did. Where is the consistency?

There isn’t any - and it drives us all mad. For Webb to claim that VAR has made only two wrong calls this season is laughable. The guy should be sacked if he really thinks that.

What was he doing appearing on Gary Neville’s Overlap podcast? Why? I know they pay guests well but surely he didn’t take a fee? Isn’t his own programme Sorry! the place to be expressing this thoughts during another grilling from Michael Owen?

So according to reports in The Telegraph MbS controlled the Newcastle take-over. No. I don’t believe it. They go further suggesting whats app messages allege British govt involvement as well. No. This can’t be true. I distinctly remember Tracey Crouch, in her review on football governance, stating the game needed an independent administrator and casting doubt on the Newcastle deal going through if one had been in place.

Independent? Perhaps she meant govt regulator? Which is really what we’ve been talking about all along. And the Newcastle deal was always going to happen because the govt at the time wanted it to.

Did you see the piece with Trevor Birch in the Times? Birch is chief exec of the EFL - a good man. I was delighted to read the EFL have no plans to introduce VAR any time soon because Birch and his colleagues believe his league’s emphasis is on ‘authentic’ football. Good decision Trevor. The EFL is exactly that. Don’t ruin it.

I’m delighted with the appointment of Thomas Tuchel. England need a ‘winner’ in charge and Tuchel fits the bill. For the first time since 1965 I now genuinely believe England might just win the World Cup. That’s what Alf Ramsey promised a year before he did it - and Tuchel is making the same noises. Good luck to him.

Never mind all this racist nonsense that the England team should have an English manager. Carsley is Irish for goodness sake - which is why he didn’t sing the national anthem in Dublin.

And to those that claim international football isn’t that if national teams don’t have one of their own in charge I’d say this. Tuchel becomes the 47th coach working for a ‘foreign’ team. And weren’t you all screaming for Guardiola to get it? He wants Brazil. They want Ancellottti.

If you really do want an English leader why not Emma Hayes? She’s the most successful English coach working right now. Why not? Or are you all the misogynistic sexist you accuse me of being?

I don’t care too much that Eddie Howe wasn't interviewed, but I would like to know which BAME candidate was - in line with FA policy.

Under the heading RECRUITMENT the FA say this in their guidelines:

‘Shortlists for interview will have at least one male and one female, Black, Asian or of mixed heritage candidate’. So….? Names please Mr Bullingham.

Of course it’s your decision Jim.

I’m not kidding. I can’t recall watching a worse PL game than Villa v United.
It was awful. Coaches are going to have the game done away with if they keep serving up rubbish like we saw at Villa Park.

Newcastle/City was bad enough for 45 minutes the week before, but the pain went on from start to finish at Villa. At one point I thought I was watching walking football. Dreary doesn’t cover it.

How many times did Martinez and Onana stand outside their box with a foot on the ball? I know the idea is to invite the press and then work the ball out - but no-one ever pressed.

Clearly Villa were feeling the effects of their big night against Bayern, but that’s not really an excuse. If they want to mix it with the big boys they’ve got to do better, especially when there’s nothing to beat in front of you.

United were scared stiff. Putrid again. Ten Hag has excelled beating his own record for their worst ever start. How bad has it got to get before Ratcliffe and the brains trust act?

Sunny Jim told the BBC’s Dan Roan Friday it wasn’t his call whether ten Hag stays or goes. That doesn’t wash Jim. Of course it’s your call.

There’s so much I could say about the shambles at OT, but I’m so tired of it I can’t bring myself to go there again.

It’s beginning to look as though Sunny Jim’s has done it again though. His foray into football hasn't worked out at all well so far. If you want to know what I’m referring to watch this. It’s long but a really well researched piece by the award winning journalist Alfie Potts Harmet. Sunny Jim doesn’t come out of it too well.

We Need To Talk About Sir Jim Ratcliffe

What’s going on at Spurs? Not only did they make complete fools of themselves at Brighton - they did me as well. I really enjoyed watching them in the first 45 at the Amex and said so on beINSPORTS. They were good. And on the back of the win at OT I found myself thinking they might just have got it right at long last.

But oh no. The wheels came off again second-half in a very Spursy way. What is it about them? No wonder big Ange couldn’t take his eyes off the floor when he spoke afterwards! At best - they might win another cup one day, but it looks as though Fergie was right all those years ago - they’ll never win the title again.

Having said that - let’s add that Brighton were terrific as they turned the game on its head. Good luck to them. Regulars know I’ve got a really soft spot for Brighton. Roberto who?

Chelsea/Forest was really good as well. Both teams will hear from the FA as a result of the fight and Nicolas Jackson will be on a charge of his own. How funny was it watching Cole Palmer take a front row seat as manbags were being thrown about? He’s class.

The game was good though. Forest deserved something, despite Chelsea creating 38 attempts at goal. Based on Sunday’s game it would take Villa and United an entire season to make that many chances.

Kai Havertz scored for the seventh consecutive home game v Saints. A year ago we were all scratching our heads wondering why Arsenal had paid £65m for him. I’m sure I’d have had something to say, but fair play to Mikel Arteta. Havertz is now undroppable.

And while we’re on this subject - it looks as though the Arsenal boss was right about changing his keeper as well (hands up) but it was really good to see Aaron Ramsdale get such a good reception on his return to the club.

As Bayern Leverkusen fail to follow up on last season I wonder if Xabi Alonso is having any regrets about bottling a return to Anfield?

Have you seen the top of League One? Never mind Birmingham and Wrexham - how about Mansfield in third place? Nigel Clough is at it again. It’s probably too late for Clough jnr to get another crack at a big club, and that’s a shame. Like Cole Palmer, Clough is a class act. Keep it going Nige.

In his column in the Telegraph today the former head of the PGMOL - Keith Hackett - writes that we saw ‘a number of strange decisions this weekend’. That’s an understatement Keith.

Rashford should’ve gone for two yellows at Villa. He was petulant when he lashed out at Leon Bailey and deserved a second yellow.

Arsenal should’ve had a pen first-half when Havertz was wrestled to the ground v Saints. Palace should’ve had one v Liverpool when van Dijk pulled Guehi back. No foul said the PGMOL’s Matchday centre, claiming van Dijk let go quickly. Really? How come Eriksson was booked for an exact same offence in the opening five minutes at Villa then?

Arsenal’s second should’ve been disallowed. Merino is off-side and clearly affecting play as he goes to head the ball. It’s baffling as to how that was given. Bournemouth had one disallowed that was virtually identical.
And Leicester should’ve had a pen for handball when Zabarnyi handled.

It was a shambles of a weekend, but I guess Howard Webb will tell us his guys have only made one mistake all season on the next episode of Sorry! Nothing to see here…..

Hapless. And hopeless. But it’s not all his fault.

This is going to surprise a few people.
I actually felt a little bit sorry for ten Hag yesterday (Sunday).

What must he have been thinking as he stood on that OT touchline, in the pouring Manchester rain, watching the team he assembled for £600m being torn to shreds by Spurs?

‘It’s United lads….’ That’s all big Ange will have to say when they meet again in February.

Ten Hag was lost. He didn’t have a clue what to do. Hapless and hopeless. He wasn’t a Utd manager when they appointed him. He isn’t a Utd manager today. He never will be.

He’s insipid. Weak. Full of excuses. There are so many stats that condemn him, but here’s the most damning of all. In their last 15 league games Utd have picked up 19 points. Everton have collected 21.

So why did I feel a little bit sorry for him? Well - because it’s not all his fault. Granted - if he’d had any pride or dignity he’d have walked in the summer when Ratcliffe was hawking his job around Europe. In the end he was 4th choice to keep it. How degrading.

So this is all on Ratcliffe and his brains trust now. Of course they should’ve sacked ten in the summer, but the man who’s cancelled staff lunchboxes, stopped the supply of free matchday programmes for some, demands people use Uber’s, sacked the kit manager of some 27 years service and the media guru, didn’t want to pay the going rate for a top coach. What’s that old saying about paying peanuts?

Ratcliffe, Brailsford (what was in the Jiffy bag Dave?) Ashworth and Wilcox also wanted someone who’d do as he was told. Thomas Tuchel decided he could afford to say ‘no’.

So here we are. United are 12th, having scored fewer goals at OT than either Liverpool or Spurs - facing a tricky European tie this week and almost inevitable defeat at Villa Park. Surely they’ll bring the curtain down on this sorry saga then? I hope they’ve still got Tuchel’s number?

I’d love to be able to talk about the first-half at Newcastle - but I fell asleep. What a bore-fest again City. They really can be a hard watch. I read they completed 249 passes before getting three shots on target. Wow. Newcastle hit the target twice from 168 passes.

What would Kevin Keegan - the King of the entertainers - make of it all? Knowing him as I do I’m pretty sure he’d hate it.

Post match Guardiola complimented Eddie Howe on Newcastle’s approach. ‘They try to do the right things’ he said. Really? Who decides what the right things are Guardiola?

Ask any Geordie whether he/she would rather watch what these two served up Saturday - or a Keegan team ripping into the opposition. I know the answer.

There is perhaps a dim light at the end of the tunnel. Have you noticed how many teams are now lumping the ball into opposition territory from the kick-off? It’s something I’ve been talking about for a long time so I was grateful to Gregor Robertson in The Times at the weekend for putting a number on it.

It was 15 of the 20 PL teams the previous match week. Bournemouth and Brentford have been doing it for a long time. By getting the ball forward, Thomas Allardyce’s team scored goals in just 12 and 13 seconds in their previous two games. We flagged this on beINSPORTS Saturday - only for them to do it again - this time after 37 seconds.

Maybe this virus will spread? Let’s hope so. That teams will want to put the ball in areas where they can actually hurt teams? Where chances can be created and goals scored?

I guess Big Sam was right after all? That there is no ‘right way’ to play. That set-pieces are important as well. Allardyce was the first set-piece ‘specialist’ in the game. Remember? Graham Taylor will be smiling somewhere as well I guess.

I’ve nothing but sympathy with Forest’s belief that the poor standard of refereeing is blighting the game. What a joke that pen award was at The City Ground. Whatever happened to ‘the referee’s call’? Remember? It was point 1 in a six point review conducted by Howard Webb - more on-field decisions and less VAR intervention. Can’t help themselves can they?

Before we leave the subject of refs - no more Saudi moonlighting for Michael Oliver I see. Quite right too. I was surprised no-one mentioned his part-time job last weekend.

Leicester were unlucky at Arsenal. They had a real go didn’t they? If they keep it up a first win won’t be far away. Fair play to the Gunners though. They got the job done.

Ipswich were good as well. Delap looks like a player. Who would you say is better value right now - him or Zirkzee? Didn’t Delap used to play his football in Manchester as well? Right under the noses of the brains trust?

A quick question on Zirkzee. Where does he fit in when Hojlund is fit?

Finally - Cole Palmer. Wow. What a player. He’s streets ahead of Bellingham. I can’t think of better money ever being spent. What a rick Guardiola dropped letting him go. He’s already worth £100m more than Chelsea paid and he’s only going to get better. I love watching him.

The Gunners were six seconds from a statement win

Six seconds. That’s all there was of the game left. Michael Oliver ended the match exactly six seconds of playing time after City’s equaliser. That’s how close the Gunners were to a statement win.

I thought they were terrific. If they’d held on they would’ve deserved the win. I don’t buy the accusation their performance was ‘anti-football’. No it wasn’t.

There are two sides to a game of football - offence and defence. Arsenal took the game to City in the first-half - then, after shooting themselves in the foot again, put on a magnificent show of dogged defending.

It made me laugh when I read David Silva making those allegations - and whining about Arsenal’s ‘dirty tricks’. My goodness, what a glorious irony. Guardiola teams have always engaged in dirty tricks. He invented them at Barcelona and developed them at Munich and City.

Having said that, you’ve got to be careful if you go down that route. I’ve no sympathy for Trossard. What he did was just plain daft, so soon after Declan Rice was punished for kicking the ball away. He deserved to go.

But if he hadn’t been booked for doing that, he could easily have been booked for the foul that led to the incident. There was no need make that clumsy challenge - right on half-time, handing City a chance to have a crack at goal from the free-kick.

I do agree with Arteta that Doku should’ve been booked. He too kicked the ball away, but let’s not forget it would’ve been a simple yellow. Trossard was on a yellow when he committed his crime. The guy must have the brains of a rocking horse.

There’s no question Oliver dropped a bollock by not booking Doku. We want consistency.

He was also a bit naughty allowing Arsenal to take the free-kick - from the wrong place by the way - in the build-up to Arsenal’s first goal. Walker was a bit slow getting back in position, but protocol demands he should’ve been allowed to do so.

There’s an argument Arsenal’s second should’ve been disallowed. Ederson is clearly stopped from getting to the corner by two Arsenal ‘blockers’. They do it all the time and I’m a little surprised officials haven’t cottoned onto it yet. I thought it was a foul.

So both sides have reason to be a little miffed, but I enjoyed the game. It was great to see Arsenal go toe-to-toe with City, whilst also believing they could win it. That was a massive change in their mind set from last season

Oh dear Rob Jones. What were you thinking? Let’s take the sequence of events, that led to three red cards being shown at Brighton, in order.

Gibbs-White’s challenge on Pedro was poor and he should’ve been booked. In fact, there’s a case he should’ve seen a straight red. There was an identical challenge by Preston’s Sam Greenwood that saw him sent-off in their game v Blackburn.

The problem at Brighton was that Jones saw nothing wrong with Gibbs-White’s tackle. He clearly signalled he thought Gibbs-White got the ball and he gave a throw to Brighton.

It was the 4th - Antony Taylor - that changed his mind. I know there’s always a conversation between the 4th and a match ref, but Taylor shouldn’t have got involved once Jones had made his decision.

And it got worse. As all hell let loose in the dug-outs you can see Taylor telling his more junior colleague to send Nuno off. That can’t be right. Suggesting yes. But making decisions from the touch-line? No. It was not Taylor’s place to do that and he made Jones look a fool.

There was a lot of confusion as to why Tottenham’s Vicario wasn’t sent-off for handling outside the box. I’m not convinced John Brooks saw the offence as Vicario got himself into a real mess, juggling the ball on the edge of his box, but it didn’t matter.

The first two times the keeper touched the ball he was inside his area. The third time he wasn’t, but it wasn’t a red card offence. It would’ve been if Vicario had denied Brentford a clear and obvious scoring attempt, but that wasn’t the case - so VAR couldn’t get involved and Brooks was off the hook

Interesting times at West Ham eh? For the first time in their history they’ve lost their first three homes games. They were poor - very poor - against Chelsea and fans were leaving the Taxpayers Stadium long before the end.

I read Jacob Steinberg in The Guardian Saturday morning referencing the ‘style revolution’ that’s supposed to be happening at West Ham. ‘It’s moving slowly’, he wrote. Adding ‘West Ham look no less dowdy after swapping David Moyes for Julen Lopetegui’.

Is that the David Moyes who picked the Hammers up when they were in the drop zone - took them to a sixth-place and seventh-place finish and delivered a European trophy? How many times have we said ‘be careful what you wish for’?

And finally. At last - execs at the European Clubs Association are talking about shutting the transfer window before the season starts. I hope they do it. It makes a lot of sense.

Slotball went flat this weekend

Well that was interesting. Forest strangled Liverpool and thoroughly deserved their win.

I don’t think we can draw too many conclusions just yet, but I thought Liverpool were slow. Slow all over the pitch and so was the passing.

What that was down to is hard to say, especially because they were so good at United a fortnight ago. (Not that there was much to beat at Old Trafford).

And before Saturday there’s been no sign so far of them over-passing and displaying a style that I said in an earlier blog would frustrate the Anfield faithful.

It’s been suggested Slot got it wrong because he picked 11 starters who’d been on international duty. If it was an error I don’t think Klopp would’ve made it. He knew our league better than Slot. For the record Forest started only three who’d been away

In Holland you can probably get away what Slot did. The intensity is less severe in the Eredivisie. In our league there’s no hiding place. It’s full on all every week. I guess Slot will learn that and we should give him time, but this weekend Slotball went flat.

How much do we hear about ‘small margins’ these days? I thought it was interesting to see Christian Romero appearing to criticise Tottenham’s travel arrangements for players who were on international duty.

The Mail report he reposted a message by an Argentinian journalist that claimed Spurs ‘gave an advantage’ to Arsenal because they were ‘the only PL club that made their players come back from their national teams without their own logistics’.

In English, the journo and Romero were saying Spurs should’ve organised private flights for players - not rely on national federations to book scheduled flights. Arsenal’s players arrived back in England Thursday - Spurs’ Argentinian contingent on Friday.

Perhaps Romero has got a point? Maybe there is something in his argument. If there is, I wonder if he thought about organising his own travel? Players can certainly afford such luxuries these days and I’m certain he would’ve done for a shopping trip!

What is for sure is that Arsenal were good - very good - and Spurs were poor. I hope The Gunners do a job on City the same way next week - and this time believe they can win. None of the neutrals amongst us wants to see City run away with the league surely?

My message to Arsenal would be ‘don’t be scared to win’. They were at The Etihad last season. 0-0 wasn’t good enough. I’ve said this before - they had City by the throat that day but froze. They didn’t ‘believe’. And that cost them the title. It wasn’t the Villa defeat.

Quickly on the winning goal at Spurs. Arsenal scored 22 set-piece goals last season. Spurs conceded 16. Over to you Ange….

Do I sense a little unrest amongst Tottenham fans - not just with the result but with Postacoglu?

Well played Newcastle. What a start they’ve had. Perhaps the Saudi’s were right to stop spending after all? Of course I’m being a little facetious. It’s a great ‘start’, but the Toon are way short on numbers if they’re to mount a sustained challenge for honours.

It was great to have Tim Cahill back in the beINSPORTS studios this weekend. Cahill works in Qatar, but has been consistently busy during his time here, so we haven’t seen as much of him as we would’ve liked.

He was in great form Sunday though and he’ll be back next weekend when he’ll be joined by David Moyes.

I had dinner with Moyes towards the end of his time at West Ham but I haven’t seen him since, so I’m lookong forward to catching up with him as well. He too has been a bit busy recently!

He was one of UEFA’s technical observers at the recent euros with the likes of Fabio Capello and Aitor Karanka. Their report makes interesting reading.

If you want a summary read Paul Joyce’s piece in The Times today. One or two things leapt out at me. For instance - there wasn’t a goal scored from a direct free-kick at the tournament. How on earth did that happen?

Set-pieces and long throw-ins became really important as a result. Really? Over to you Big Sam….😂.

Be sure that we’ll be talking to Moyes about all the conclusions the panel came to. There’s a whole lot more to it of course than the things I’ve picked out - including how passing the ball quickly - with purpose - is so important these days.

Don’t lose faith in Utd. The xG wasn’t bad

Here’s the good news for Utd fans. And I’m quoting the manager ‘You can see the xG we didn’t concede as many goals. I don’t think we are in the same pattern’. Nope. Nor me. I’ve no idea. But I guess it means something to somebody and it might just be encouraging if it does.

Anyway. The interview went on like this ‘we stick together. And on the second-half we show some resilience’. What? Your team was hopeless in both halves.

How many times have I said he lives in a parallel universe? It’s embarrassing. Remember - this is Manchester Uniiiited.

I’d sack him now. No. I’d have sacked him in the summer. Maybe even before that. He’s not the right man to manage United. He’s reducing them to a laughing stock.

‘I’m not Harry Potter’, he went on to tell reporters. He’s right. I’d say more Graham Potter.

Everything I’ve argued came home to roost Sunday. United were awful. Simply awful - on the back of ten Hag’s Benitez moment when he claimed he’d had more success than Jurgen Klopp in the last two years. Fact. Let’s throw a McEnroe in while we’re at it ‘you can not be serious’. What was he thinking when he tried to taunt Liverpool like that?

If there had been any Utd fans left inside Old Trafford on the final whistle surely they’d have let ten Hag know how they were feeling? All you could hear were Liverpool supporters, who‘d enjoyed watching their team ram those daft words back down ten Hag’s throat.

I wonder if the clever people running United have got the balls to sack him during this break? Why not?

I also wonder how many Utd fans are now wishing the Qatari bid had prevailed? They would’ve swept away the whole stagnant sorry mess that Utd have become - invested millions on and off the field and put the club back in the big time.

I don’t want to spend any more time on this subject - except to say our game needs a strong Utd. I don’t take pleasure now - nor have I ever - in their decline.

I thought Liverpool were good. No more. But they didn’t have to be. They swept Utd away without getting out of second gear. I’m hoping my reservations about Arne Slot were wrong. In fairness, he’s made a great start and what players are saying leads me to believe they’re enjoying working with him.

Anyone would think he’d got a magic wand. Ah - Harry Potter maybe? It’s taken him no time to get the Anfield machine running smoothly, proving it can be done. They’re second after three wins and they haven’t conceded yet.

Doubtless ten Hag will point out that Utd were top for 17 hours earlier in the season?

Let this be my last word on Declan Rice’s sending off. Why all the hysteria? ‘The worst red of all time’ screamed Piers Morgan - leading the Arsenal collective indignation.

A couple of things here. It wasn’t a red. For delaying the re-start he was booked. He’d already been booked so he had to go. He was stupid. He knew what he was doing. I’m afraid the laws of the game apply to England internationals the same as they do anybody else.

I agree Chris Kavanagh could’ve looked away - and he might’ve done had Rice not collapsed like a pack of cards trying to get Veltman sent-off.

I also agree that Pedro should’ve been booked - but that wouldn’t have negated Rice’s offence.

Arteta said pre-season Arsenal would need to be perfect in order to win the title. They were imperfect on Saturday and only have themselves to blame for dropping two points. The laws of the game were implemented correctly.

A quick mention for Russell Martin, who reckons his suicidal approach to the game would be ‘questioned less I was foreign’. No it wouldn’t Russell.

Wise up man before it’s too late. Saints remind me of Burnley last season - who were, of course, managed by a foreigner. He too insisted he wanted to play the ‘right way’. He too got spanked most weekends and his team were all but down by Christmas.

I said then Vincent Kompany’s approach was a season long interview for a better job. Burnley fans reared up in his defence. But was I right wasnt I? His mate Guardiola played him into Munich - and Burnley went down. He got what he wanted and he didn’t care a jot about Burnley.

I’m not saying Martin is auditioning, but he’s heading for the exit door if Saints don’t change.

Did anyone else see the article in the Sunday Mirror re-shirt sponsorship by gambling companies?

The Mirror reported PL clubs netted £530m from shirt sponsorship deals in the summer - £125.5m of it from gambling companies. That’s a rise of £50.5m from the previous season.

How long is it since PL clubs agreed to ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors? Oh that’s right - July of 2024. And a ban comes into place in 2026. You couldn’t make it up. ‘Gamble responsibly’ guys.

There’s nothing good at Goodison right now.

I felt really sad for Evertonians this weekend. Watching the slow decline of a once great club - no, great club, for the die-hards these past few seasons has been painful.

I know that because I sit with one every week. Andy Gray - who was a big part of the greatest era the club ever had. I listen to him sharing thoughts with old team-mates. The worst part is they’ve almost all become immune to bad news, bad games and bad predictions about what lies ahead.

This is not Man Uniiiiited. This is Everton. But sadly the demise in the fortunes of both clubs is very similar.

I said I feared for Everton after last week’s home defeat to Brighton - largely because I couldn’t see where any improvement might come from. Improvement? It got worse at Spurs.

Everton were hopeless. Hapless. In some ways they were lucky it was only four.

And what about those pictures at Euston Station of Evertonians abusing their team as they boarded a train for Liverpool? That was bad.

I’m half with Neal Maupay, who made the point on Twitter scenes like that shouldn’t happen. Of course they shouldn’t. But are they understandable? Too right they are. If you’re an Evertonian right now they definitely are.

The players will always get it in the neck when things don’t go well on the pitch, but the mess at a Goodison isn’t this groups fault. They don’t go out to play badly.

It’s not their fault half of them - like Maupay - shouldn’t be at the club. They’re not good enough. But it’s all Everton have got right now. And that won’t change any time soon.

Looking for a small crumb of comfort Andy reminded me (when we went to work Sunday) that Everton didn’t win any of their first five games last season. I have to admit I was a little bemused. ‘So?’ I said. ‘And your point is….?’ 

I know really. He’s trying to say things got better. They did in fairness. But, even then, they were miles off where they should be. And it’s worse now.

Do we blame Dyche? Yea - a little bit. But it’s not his fault either really. He’s doing his best. The bottom like is it’s a shit-show at Goodison.

It’s clearly Moshiri’s fault. I’d still like to know the real reason he got involved at the club. You’ll notice I didn’t say ‘bought the football club’. Alisha Usmanov has a whole lot of questions to answer as well.

I can’t write half the things I hear about the pair of them. If you want more - follow Simon Goodley in The Guardian.

Is there hope? John Textor might be the answer, but he’s got to shift 47% of Crystal Palace before he can make a move. And even then - is a hard nosed American businessman going to spunk good money when he could probably buy the club out of administration a few months from now?

Everton is a fine football club. Most of my close friends are Evertonians. I have grown really fond of the club down the years. Why? People there were good to me when I worked in Liverpool. Add Andy, David Moyes, Reidy, big Joe Royle, Andy King, Adrian Heath, Elton Welsby and his boy Chris, who I work with again - there’s so many of them.

David Moyes? I wonder. I love big Dychey - but David Moyes? I don’t know. But I do know this - his heart lies at Goodison. It always has.

It didn’t take long for VAR to get busy did it? Or for managers to be raging about it - despite what we were promised by Howard Webb (no - not this time 😂) pre-season. Of course Bournemouth’s winner should’ve stood. Iraola was spot on. Why did VAR get involved? Didn’t Webb (nooooo) tell us on-field decisions would stand unless very clear and obvious mistakes had been made?

It was a subjective call as to whether Outtara handled the ball - therefore a decision for the ref - not VAR. If VAR wanted to get busy ok - but David Coote should’ve gone to the monitor to make the final call.

I’ll tell you what was ‘clear and obvious’ and that is the ball was rolling when Sanchez smashed it to Jackson before Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea Wolves. Why didn’t VAR get involved there?

Oh that’s it - ‘technology doesn’t get involved checking re-starts’.  What a load of bollocks. Why not? I hate to see goals disallowed, but if we’re ruling them out as we did at Bournemouth or for stray toe-nails, then we should in ‘matter of facts‘ such as a moving ball. More likely is VAR didn’t spot it.

Chelsea were terrific by the way. As good as I’ve seen in recent memory. Admittedly, Wolves fell to pieces after an encouraging first 45, but Chelsea were ruthless. Maybe? Just maybe? And I guess that’s why we never give up on our team. I know Evertonians won’t.

Chelsea and Everton left with opening day blues.

Raheem Sterling’s representatives say he wants ‘clarity’. I’d say he got it yesterday (Sunday) when he was left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad.

Chelsea couldn’t have been much clearer.  He’s on too much money (350,000/week) and they want him gone.

That’s fine. The problem is that Chelsea agreed to those terms and he’s got three years left on his contract. If they want out on the deal they’ll have to find a way to compensate him. He hasn’t asked to go.

Clubs love talking about a lack of loyalty when a player makes a stand and wants to leave, but that works both ways. Sterling hasn’t done anything wrong - so treat him properly. Ben Chilwell hasn’t done anything wrong either. The same applies.

Sterling featured in all six of Chelsea’s pre-season friendlies so what’s happened? This doesn’t feel like a decision Maresca has made. More one that Todd Boehly and overly-clever football committee have.

What’s happening with Gallagher Todd? Has someone realised after yesterday’s limp performance perhaps those young boys need a solid pro amongst them? Someone who understands Chelsea? Someone who understands what fed-up Chelsea punters want?

And Osimhen? Mikel Jon Obi told beINSPORTS at the weekend that he’s exchanged messages with the player and that Osimhen is desperate to sign. So what’s the hold up? Mind you - if I exchanged messages with him I’d advise him to steer clear of the madhouse.

What a start it was for Everton. It really couldn’t have been much worse. What worries me is not how bad it was - more that I can’t see how it gets better.

I watched Ipswich buzz about a bit - full of energy and enthusiasm. Eventually they ran out of steam and Liverpool picked them off. They were very good second-half playing more like a Klopp side. You could argue they were solid and sensible in the first - absorbing Town’s exuberance, but I enjoyed the second more. If they keep that up they’ll still be worth watching.

Anyway - Ipswich have got a naivety about them that both gives them a chance, but will likely cost them. I guess what I’m saying is they can get better.

Southampton did ok. They’ll have to learn quickly in order to survive, but they suggested there’s more to come as well.

We don’t know about Leicester yet, but I’m guessing they’ll be the same - although I expect Spurs to beat them tonight (Monday). 

But Everton? Wow. They looked so bad. They’ve got all the same problems as last season. Where are the goals going to come from? Where’s the energy? There’s no youth. No legs. Young’s sending off was an accident waiting to happen. He’s a terrific pro who’s had a wonderful career - but playing at full-back at 39?

I’m genuinely worried for the Toffees. There’s so much shit still to come down the line off the field I don’t know where they turn for answers on it.

Well done Sam Barrott. He dropped a real bollock at Brentford, but owned it. It’s so refreshing when a ref does that.

Of course he should’ve waited before blowing his whistle and disallowing Eze’s clever free-kick. You could see he was hoping VAR would help him out and tell him the ball was in the net before he whistled - but it wasn’t, so his decision stood.

Eze told us all later Barrott admitted he’d made a mistake. Good on him.

United? What more is there to say. The only question surely is ‘how long does ten Hag get?’ As I said last week - players and fans alike must’ve been gutted when news broke he was staying.

Just to expand on what I tweeted Friday - never tell your opponents you’re not ready. I know Guardiola did a similar thing - but there’s a huge difference. City are good. They could afford to still be getting ready Christmas. In fact, they often are, but they’re always top.

What ten Hag was really saying was ‘don’t blame me if we lose v Fulham’. It was typical of him. It’s never his fault. Although he always takes the credit if they get a lucky win - which Friday’s result was.

The last few days of the window are doing to be interesting. It ‘slams shut’ at the end of the month of course.

Who gets Ivan Toney? Do Chelsea get the Osimhen deal done? How can Chelsea keep spending? Perhaps they know there’s a transfer ban on the way?

Toney and Osimhen are about the only big deals left to do. It’s been quiet again hasn’t it? Are there no big stars left to trade or have we killed all the excitement with the sustainability rules? It would be a shame if that were the case.

It’s City’s - unless Arsenal grow a pair and celebrate only if they win it.

Here we go again. And it’s lovely to be back. As usual - I thought I’d get a few thoughts together before the big PL kick-off next Friday.

There’s a part of me wonders why I stick my neck out so early because there’s a lot of buying and selling to be done yet - but it’s only a bit of fun really. I’ll say that again - it’s only a bit of fun really - so try and take it in that vein. 

Having said that - I didn’t do too badly last season. I got three of the top four correct, including the title winners - but there shouldn’t really be any prizes for that. Until City play by the same rules as everyone else they’ll keep winning it. Cue angry City fans, who’ve forgotten that I said this was only a bit of fun 😂.

It was Villa who surprised me last season. Surprised us all really. Top marks to Unai Emery. Remember, Villa were in the bottom three when he was appointed as Steven Gerrard’s successor and without spending a fortune (take note City) he stayed within FFP guidelines (take note City) and transformed Villa.

They’ve added a few, but even so, I don’t think they’ll go as well this time round. As Newcastle found, playing with the really big boys puts a strain on resources. Last season unfolded for them exactly as I thought it would because of the CL distractions. They should still finish in the top six, but that’s a call based on Eddie Howe still being in charge. If he leaves for the England job then who knows? I should add that like every Geordie I hope Howe doesn’t get the job. England need something different now - not Safegate ‘light’.

Anyway - back to Villa. They’ll struggle with Europe early on, but like Newcastle, I’d expect them to have a better last third of the season once they’re able to forget about mid-week euro games.

I expect City to win it. Able to spend as they do and ride roughshod over the rules that everyone else is restricted by, they should always win it.

But….if Arsenal - as a collective - can grow a pair, they might just nick it. By that I mean be brave enough to win big games. Believe they can win big games. Don’t be frightened to win big games.

That’s what cost them last time. It wasn’t losing at home to Villa - it was being scared to win at City. Yes - being scared to win. There’s a difference between that and not wanting to lose.

They didn’t want to lose at City. They left delighted with their point, but I said on the day they’d regret not winning. They were the better side. They had City where they wanted them but got scared and let them off the hook.

If they’d had the same attitude as Wenger’s teams when they went to OT and twice got big results, they’d have put City out of the race and gone on to win the title themselves.

Never mind all the nonsense - training ground dogs, thieves stealing watches and wallets at meal times, playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ at London Conley and all the celebration pics after wins v Fulham in October - be professional and get the job done. Celebrate only if you win it Arsenal.

So that’s one and two, but I genuinely don’t know which way round.

I’ve no idea who finishes third and fourth. It’s a real lottery. I hope Spurs do. I like big Ange, but I’m not convinced they can be good enough across a whole season. Solanke is a really good piece of business, but it’s not enough. Maddison is good - no more - and flimsy. He needs help in that midfield.

Liverpool are interesting. Slot appears to have made a pretty good start, but I’m not sure his style of play will go down well with the Anfield crowd. He’s another one obsessed with passing teams to death. That’s a style in total contrast to Klopp’s. Liverpool were a great watch under Klopp. Slot likes football played very differently. If he wins a few games early on he’ll get away with it, but if he starts losing he’ll be in trouble. Liverpool should be top four.

So should Chelsea, but they won’t be. Nothing has changed there. Maresca is another one obsessed with passing and sending crowds to sleep. He’s started making excuses already - blaming Poch for their poor pre-season. That’s a new one, but creative. He won’t be able to do that three months in though. Chelsea won only one of six matches pre-season games. It doesn’t bode well does it?

Selling Gallagher was madness. Could you imagine Chelsea getting rid of Lampard in his prime? Of course not, but It’s a bit like that. Not that Gallagher is anywhere near as good, but like Frank, he bleeds blue blood. He understood the club. He was a leader. I just don’t get it. They could’ve sold a dozen of the duck eggs they bought last summer to make up the money. 

United? They’ll be jockeying for eighth again. Nothing has changed. The players must’ve been gutted when they heard ten Hag was staying. To a man they wanted him gone and believed he would be. But oh no. Sunny Jim knows best.

Ten Hag should’ve shown some dignity and walked when Ratcliffe started hawking his job around Europe. Make no mistake - if Tuchel had been prepared to do it for £8m/year he’d be in charge at OT now. No top coach will work for that - but ten Hag does.

So he fumbles on - being watched over by both Jason Wilcox and Dan Ashworth during his working week. Both stand pitch side at Carrington keeping an eye on him.

What an insult to a coach, but it’s what Ratcliffe wants. He said this recently ‘We decide the style. And that will be the Manchester United style of football. The coach will have to play that style’. Ridiculous.

No wonder Paul Scholes has already given this damning verdict ‘I’m struggling to get excited’.

I don’t see any surprises, but West Ham will be interesting. I believe they’ll miss Moyes badly. Lopetegui is a huge gamble. This is a man who doesn’t hang about if things aren’t going his way - and he won’t have much his own way working with mssrs Brady and Sullivan.

He’s doing the right things at the moment mind you. Getting the club to spend £27m on a 32-year-old centre forward isn’t smart financial business, but I like Fullkrug and I think he’s perfect for the English game. There’s no way Moyes could’ve spent like that though.

At least two of the promoted clubs will go straight back - maybe all three again. I thought all three last season and I was right.

It’s a huge step up now. Steve Cooper knows what it takes to survive and he might just keep Leicester up, but it’ll be too much for Ipswich and Saints.

Bournemouth could easily get into trouble. They’ll miss Solanke badly. Brighton will need to be careful. The gamble on their baby coach could easily backfire. If he loses the senior players he won’t recover. 

I think Everton will struggle again, but they won’t go down unless they lose a whole lot of points for FFP infringements. Forest will be at the wrong end again, but should also have enough to stay up. As ever - their home form will be critical. 

Anyway - there we are. Just a few thoughts.  I’m looking forward to starting a 33rd season with Andy. If you live in our part of the world join us regularly on beINSPORTS. Remember - all 380 PL games are live across our channels as part of the biggest live football portfolio anywhere in the world. Nobody does it like beINSPORTS.

Get Klopp - before someone else does

Well done guys. It was a good effort. Except it wasn’t really was it? Sadly, the bottom line is in the end the luck ran out and another tournament ended badly.

As regulars know, I felt all along England had the look and smell of a team destined to win Euro 2024. Not because they were good, but because everything - literally everything - was going their way. Until Spain proved to be far too good for them.

So another chance to end years in the wilderness limply passed England by. And they remain football’s great under achievers. That’s sad.

I’ve read the fall out and there’s nothing I didn’t expect in the papers. The general line is the boys covered themselves in glory (except they didn’t) and can be proud.

England will continue to be ‘nearly men’ until they start to be honest. And that includes our Press. Here’s the truth - England weren’t good enough. Far better teams went out because they were in the other half of the draw.

Another problem was that none of our so called stars turned up. None of them.

Bellingham had two ‘moments’ - but again failed to stamp any kind of authority on games. His attitude is also bothering me. There’s a sense of entitlement about him now and it’s not a good look.

Kane stunk the place out. He had to be carrying an injury surely? He couldn’t have been as bad as he was unless that was the case. I’m sorry to say it - but it’s got to be over for him now. With the likes of Toney and Watkins available why persist with Kane?

Perhaps England could go in a different direction and not play with a traditional nine? Maybe Bellingham could do a job at the top end? That way you get more ‘players’ in the team.

If you didn’t see my first Euro blog have a look at what I said then. I argued England should leave Kane out. I got hammered - but I wasn’t alone by the end of the tournament was I?

Foden did nothing. Saka got to the by-line once - before delivering a deflected cross that Bellingham hurled himself at to score. Rice? No. Nothing. And it was all too much for Mainoo. Talk of the kid being world class is nonsense. He’s good, but he’s got an awful lot to do before he’s that.

The guys at the back did ok - until the final. Guehi was the best of them. And the keeper was better than I expected him to be, although his antics drive me mad.

Palmer was good and Watkins‘ little cameo did him no harm at all. Why oh why didn’t Safegate find a starting place for Palmer? He’s the best player in the squad. I mean that - in the squad.

Across the tournament I’d say England played well for an hour or so in total. That’s not enough. They relied too much on luck and eventually that runs out.

After stuttering through the group stage they fell into the easiest half of the draw. There was nobody on their side. Germany, Belgium, Portugal and France were all in with Spain and were cutting each others throats.

Look at what Spain had to do to win it. They were terrific. The best team by miles.

As for England - they were out v Slovakia. Bellingham’s brilliant equaliser masked an awful lot and got people believing they were good - not lucky. That was another major error.

The best they played was in the first-half against the Dutch, but even then they were a goal down and toiling - before being gifted a pen that 11 out of ten people knew wasn’t. That award was the worst decision in the tournament. But they got another goal - stole it - and the deluded were in overdrive then.

To be fair - they were clinical in the shoot out v Switzerland, but they shouldn’t have needed pens.

In general, I thought Safegate was slow to make changes and although Palmer and Watkins won the Netherlands game, who wouldn’t have brought them on? Most coaches would’ve done, but perhaps a lot sooner. Safegate was always re-acting not acting.

The experiment with TAA failed miserably - as it was always going to. Jurgen Klopp didn’t think Alexander-Arnold was a mid-field player so what gave Safegate the idea he was? Klopp worked with him every day. Safegate didn’t, but he thought he knew better than Klopp.

When Safegate admitted he was fumbling about looking for a partner for Rice I was astounded. He’d had four years to do that following the Wembley final. In the end - I thought his treatment of TAA and Gallagher was poor.

He also made some really bad calls in his squad. Wharton? Why? You could ask the same question about Gallagher. Clearly he didn’t really fancy him. Dunk? Gordon? Bowen?

I’d have taken both Rashford and Grealish. Granted - neither had a great season for their clubs, but they’re established internationals and both can turn games. I’m not a big fan of Grealish, but he would’ve scared people coming on as a sub. And Rashford’s pace could’ve been devastating. England desperately missed pace in their team. And pace of passing. Positive forward passing.

Safegate will quit. I’m sure he will. If he doesn’t he should be encouraged to. He’s had a really good go at it, but he’s come up short on three occasions now. It’s time for somebody else to have a go.

But who? Well the outstanding candidate for me is Jurgen Klopp. I don’t buy into the theory that an England manager has to be English. That view borders on racist. Anyway, his nationality apart, Klopp is an English as they come now!

I’m also aware that he said he wanted a break from the day to day, never ending demands of club football. Well, what is international management if it’s not that? I think Klopp will already be missing football and his loss will only feel worse once teams start reporting back and playing again.

Klopp is one of the big beasts. He’d love a crack at international management surely? I reckon it would get his juices flowing again.

If he doesn’t feel refreshed right now let him have another month or two. England could fill any void with the U-21 boss Lee Carsley. After all - that’s how Safegate’s tenure started.

If I had my way I’d camp in the grounds of Klopp’s Mallorcan mansion until he said ‘yes’. Come to think of it - I’m there next week. I’ll do it if the FA ask me!

Other candidates would include Carsley. I’m told he’s a very impressive coach. Frank Lampard could be an interesting outsider. Eddie Howe would get a mention as well. He’s a very typical FA man, right out of the Safegate mold, but we need something else now.

We need someone to put fire in the bellies of the lads. Everybody in the squad right is too ‘nice’. They reflect the manager. Like Klopp - Mourinho would do that but he’s got a job. Klopp hasn’t. Give him one. Before someone else does.