0:01

Hello, and welcome to the podcast version

0:03

of the debate. Absolutely delighted

0:06

to be here. I'm Liam Brath for joining me

0:08

this week from the athletic. We've got

0:10

Maurice Whitwell, David May, Alex

0:12

Bruce and Ian Irving from Premier

0:14

League Productions to really, really looking for to

0:16

this. All of these are more on the way.

0:19

There's a difference between chopping someone

0:22

and being dangerous than going into a challenge

0:24

and being a little bit unlucky. Think he is unlucky

0:26

but for

0:27

me. Yeah. It's a red carp. I can't see United

0:29

going over there, getting done three. No. I

0:31

really can't. I think again, props didn't

0:33

show itself you know, I think we probably have to look at that

0:35

and think how we can fix that.

0:42

Yes. Welcome along. Absolutely delighted

0:44

to say that from the talk of the devil's podcast, we've got

0:46

Ian Irving, we've got Alex Bruce. David

0:49

may from the athletic. It's

0:51

Laurie. Well, we're gonna start with

0:54

Southampton, I think. And I

0:56

suppose the question is, is that

0:58

a point gained from the position that they were

1:00

in, or is it two points dropped, Alex?

1:03

A little bit of both really, I think. I think

1:05

obviously when you look at the way the game panned out

1:07

of the Casa Miro sending off was the big turn

1:09

in play in the game. When you go down to

1:11

ten men for a large chunk of it like we did,

1:13

so hanging in there and get point is obviously

1:15

not bad point in the end, but Southampton

1:18

had a chance to so did Money United. And

1:21

think it just frustrating afternoon all

1:23

around, obviously. The Casamiro sending

1:25

off being the big talking point. Well, come on to the Casamiro

1:28

sending off because it sort of impacts him what happens

1:30

going forward for Manchester United as as

1:32

well. If you're a neutral lorry,

1:35

that game was an absolute corker.

1:38

I

1:38

mean, if you've got your red tinted specs on less so,

1:40

but it was a it was a Betis game. Yeah.

1:42

I I really enjoyed it. I know

1:44

that, you know, I lost two points. I I would

1:46

say you could go into that game thinking, you know, this

1:48

would beat Southampton, but

1:51

I actually was quite charmed

1:54

by the the character that they showed. Actually,

1:56

I do think that, you know, you kind of expect the worst

1:58

when it's ten men for sixty minutes or so.

2:00

But actually, you know, it did keep going forwards,

2:02

did try and create chances. And the chances that the hunt and

2:04

had were basic because, you know, we're trying to win the game

2:07

and and you're giving up counter attacks with

2:09

a couple of sloppy passes. Betis

2:12

yeah. I mean, I I it had lots of entertainment, didn't

2:14

it? I mean, you're probably rather, from Alex's point

2:16

of view, want a game like the new cast

2:18

of one in the Kawabe Cook final, maybe where it's ground

2:21

out two nil win and you've got three points and you can

2:23

move on. But I think he would have learned

2:25

a bit about his plays in that in that game.

2:27

Just probably the quality of

2:30

of the attack in options,

2:32

I

2:32

think, again, perhaps didn't show itself I

2:34

think people have to look at that and think how we can

2:36

fix that. If you can hear a little bit

2:38

of noise in the background, we're filming in the megastore

2:41

again today, and it's open. So people milling around, taking

2:43

a look various bits and pieces, and that's

2:45

the that's the mermaid you can hear in the background.

2:47

Ian, United

2:50

probably had enough opportunities to go on

2:53

and win that game, which is quite surprising

2:55

given how good Southampton were over the course

2:57

of ninety minutes. Southampton, I think

2:59

the difference was Gavin Bazuna, who statistically is

3:02

one of the worst goalkeepers in the Premier

3:03

League, but somehow managed to turn up Brad Friedman

3:06

style at Old Trafford. Yeah. There's a

3:08

a history of goalkeepers doing that down the years.

3:10

Isn't actually was fairly

3:12

impressed with Southampton considering they came into

3:14

that game bottom of the Premier League. It's very tight between

3:17

the bottom nine teams, but there was sort of composure

3:19

and and confidence to their play,

3:22

which maybe the sort of results they've had in recent

3:24

weeks, building up till Jaffray has helped that.

3:27

Know, it did have chances. Didn't they? I mean, Bruno Fernandez

3:29

probably came the closest, as you mentioned, Brazil, who

3:31

got brilliant hand to that. I

3:33

just think that at the moment, beyond

3:35

Marcus Rash Ford. There needs to be more

3:37

from the attacking players. It's become a real

3:39

theme of of late. I know that the

3:41

Betis game was four goals and three

3:43

of the players who have got question mark for me

3:45

over their output, Anthony, Legos

3:47

and Fernandez all scored in that game, but I just

3:50

don't think they're producing enough at the moment.

3:52

It almost feels like if Mark's rashford doesn't

3:54

score, you're beginning to look around and scratch your

3:56

head about where the goals might come from. And

3:59

United have been okay with that. Because rash for the

4:01

form, like I say, has been so good, but there will come a

4:03

point where you do need others to step up,

4:05

you do need them to produce moments more

4:07

consistently. I think before the Betis

4:09

game, the record was something like three

4:11

goals between

4:13

VEGHOST, Anthony and Bruno

4:15

Fernandez in thirty eight matches. That's

4:17

just not good enough for attacking players Interestingly,

4:20

Manchester United at home, AZ has scored

4:22

two plus goals in fifteen

4:24

consecutive games at old trafford

4:27

I would imagine if I asked you the question whether

4:29

Manchester United should be beaten bottom of the

4:31

table Southampton regardless whether they're down to ten

4:33

minute or

4:34

not, you're going to ten minute me and say they absolutely should.

4:36

Everyone had originated down to

4:39

win the game. You know, that, as you say, two,

4:41

three, no. But refereeing

4:43

decisions make and change games

4:46

and, you know, the sending

4:48

off whether it was a sending off. People say it

4:50

wasn't a sending off, but I thought it was little bit

4:52

ash. Obviously, I'm a red book.

4:55

would say that. But I thought the

4:57

light show on Greg character. We've

4:59

just touched on that. A father kept

5:01

going right to the end, could have had

5:03

possibly a penalty, maybe two penalties,

5:06

but as we say, you know,

5:08

referees and fourth officials make

5:10

decisions and we have to stand by,

5:12

but I thought that I'd show him great character. And

5:14

Anna would say Liam as well, d Mark Games united

5:16

of I would say, it's

5:19

possibly catching on with us because

5:21

it's been relentless. It really

5:23

shows no sign of stopping either with the international

5:26

breakers around the corner and players flying out to play for

5:28

their countries. It could become even more secure. Want

5:30

to wheel back to something that Iain spoke

5:32

about in in second about whether or not we're

5:34

getting enough out of all of the forwards and not just Marcus

5:37

Rashford. First though, let's

5:39

talk about those refereeing decisions. We'll start

5:41

with the red

5:42

cards. We'll just go one

5:44

word each. Was it a red coffee lottery? No.

5:46

No? No.

5:49

Yes. Alright. So thanks

5:51

for the stand why it was given. Thanks

5:52

for being the odd one out. Why is it a red card? Because

5:56

I thought Casimiro was

5:58

to use the technical terms in danger in

6:00

his opponent with a challenge. felt like he

6:02

wasn't in complete control I

6:05

know that he got the ball and he sort of leg then

6:07

bounced up into the shin of Alcará's

6:10

boar. I think he's not going in with that four,

6:12

so that his leg isn't bounce. Leg isn't

6:14

gonna bounce up in that same way. In

6:17

terms of a referee making decision, it ticks

6:19

all the thresholds that they need to be able to make

6:21

that choice. And I feel

6:23

like so that was Casimiro trying

6:25

to impose himself on the game maybe a little

6:27

bit too much. Sent it off the other

6:30

week, which was naive, to be honest, was absolutely no

6:32

need to to do what he did against Crystal Palace.

6:34

I think he's more unlucky in this incident.

6:36

I don't think it was any intent to hurt the player. I

6:38

mean, he saw that afterwards, had such shared a bit

6:40

of a cuddle. It was almost like it wanted sort

6:42

of casimiro to sign the stud marks

6:44

in the chin that they were that

6:46

close. I think he was unlucky

6:48

but for me,

6:48

yeah, it's red card. The reason why I say no is

6:50

because the Jungfield referee didn't give it as a

6:52

red.

6:52

Yeah. So I don't I don't think it's a one that you can

6:54

actually go Betis get the BAT out and

6:57

and overturn that. So back in I I

6:59

totally echo what Ian's saying there because actually

7:01

there was moment before that where Alcrest

7:03

is sort of running through Flanders as a naval

7:05

team. Casimir dives into that

7:07

one and he he wiggles out of it and it ends up

7:09

with the World Cup headed chance actually. But

7:12

it was certainly something that I think Casimo had in

7:14

his mind. I want to make my presence felt

7:16

here. Do you think it's because he was playing whole the

7:18

midfielder on his own? Because obviously this season has

7:20

always been a fredder in Ericsson next to him at the

7:22

weekend. It's Bruno Fernandez. Actually, quite liked

7:25

Bruno Fernandez in that role. But

7:26

do you think maybe he seems to work for you now? Yeah.

7:28

But do you think maybe it was because he was on his own in

7:30

that instance, so he's trying to cover too much ground.

7:32

Maybe I don't know. I'm speculating

7:34

now. I

7:35

think Slobolfin does does the players

7:37

absolutely So much harm.

7:39

And

7:39

the reason is that on there, by the way?

7:41

It does. When you slow any challenge down and

7:43

you go and look at the the, obviously, the

7:45

replays of it, it can make challenges like

7:47

hell of a lot worse. When you've played the game

7:49

and you understood there's a difference between chopping

7:52

someone, and being dangerous

7:54

than going into a challenge and being a little bit

7:56

unlucky. And I think that's where common sense comes

7:58

in.

7:59

I think what the referee's would tell

8:01

or or what the neutral would tell would be that if you

8:04

go in with your stud show and you're always

8:06

running the risk that that might end up

8:08

being the outcome. For me, I

8:10

look at the trajectory of that

8:12

outstretched right boot. I don't think

8:14

if if you move the ball out of the way, I don't

8:17

think he ever makes contact I don't think he's

8:19

ever gonna make contact with Alkeraz. I think

8:21

the ball and and that sort

8:23

of the spherical nature of it just causes his

8:25

foot to roll over the top of it. At which point,

8:27

the decision is made. I also

8:29

not a fan of using freeze

8:31

frames. And Eric Tanaga mentioned this after the game,

8:34

didn't he? Using freeze frames

8:36

to make a decision on something that happened in

8:38

motion. It's very, very difficult to do that, and you

8:40

can make it look an awful, a lot worse, currently. That's why

8:42

I think the referee the VAR is supposed to

8:44

be overall in things that are

8:47

absolutely the wrong

8:48

decision. So the referee there has

8:50

made AAA call to see

8:52

a

8:52

conversation in real time. Is it so I

8:54

don't really see what the VR should

8:56

be saying. Actually, it's a subjective call. We're we're

8:58

just discussing this. don't okay. You can

9:00

say it's red car for sure. I don't think it's

9:02

a cast iron red

9:03

card. So it's a subjective goal. Leave it to the on pitch

9:05

on pitch referee. think the other thing is that Howard

9:08

Weber's come in this season and any wants

9:11

He wants the on field referee's

9:13

decision to stick more often than

9:15

not. And unfortunately, that's just not been

9:17

the case this time out. I think from a player's point of view, I

9:19

don't know what Daisy thinks of this, but it's

9:21

different from when when we played. I think now

9:23

when you go to ground with a straight leg, you have to

9:25

get the ball one hundred percent because if you don't,

9:28

you're running real risk as

9:30

we've seen now. I mean, five, ten

9:32

years ago, that challenge would have been applauded

9:35

probably. know you've caught in what you get your foot

9:37

on the ball first. Any kind of

9:39

danger now, obviously, you're

9:41

gonna get sent off. And as we've seen at the

9:43

weekend, I mean, I would

9:45

agree with you if that was consistently applied

9:47

across the league. There was one of the lessons that never even

9:49

got reviewed. We've seen Fabeno put a couple

9:52

of shockers in over the course of this season that

9:54

haven't resulted in sending offs. And

9:56

I think that's where people start to get

9:58

a little frustrated, look, we could spend all day

10:00

talking about

10:00

this. And it does lead on -- New monkeys.

10:02

-- with three versus one m. Yeah.

10:05

We're gonna we're gonna loop back to

10:07

Casimiro and what that means for Manchester United

10:10

in the betting scheme in a minute. But first, I wanna go

10:12

back to what Ian mentioned there about being

10:15

over reliant on Marcus rushford, who, without

10:17

a doubt, has had an incredible

10:19

season for Manchester United. Is

10:22

that is it now the point that, you know,

10:24

it needs some of those other forwards to step up

10:26

and take some of the

10:26

weight? Not even the forwards.

10:29

Know, the midfield. So I'll have to be chipping in.

10:32

You go over the years. You're likes of Skolzy

10:34

and and gigsy and kini

10:36

and, you know, Everybody chipping

10:38

in even the center house occasionally.

10:42

Mayzie Scott, if you didn't hear down the earth?

10:44

Well, you know, don't wanna go into that, but

10:46

yeah. But no, you know,

10:48

collectively, it's

10:51

it's a time now that, you know, you look at

10:53

all the teams in in in the Premier League

10:55

particularly in the top four, five, to

10:58

spread the cold between them. We

11:00

are relying so much on Marcus and, you

11:02

know, God forbid, he did get into our you

11:04

know, lots of farm, you know,

11:06

you relying on other players who really

11:08

haven't contributed. And

11:11

I was delighted that VEGROS could I

11:15

think his his work rate is

11:17

sensational. The shift he puts

11:19

in for everybody else but

11:22

he needs to be adding more he he has, you

11:24

know, create chances. He's had the chances,

11:27

but he's not taken on maybe that goal

11:29

on midweek. Can turn it

11:31

around and can start scoring goals, but we

11:33

do need the likes of

11:35

Anthony, Vlegast,

11:39

Bruno, obviously, cuts of mirrors

11:41

missing now. Jaden. Jaden. They

11:44

need to be contributing more. Yeah. You know,

11:46

if we've got any aspirations of staying

11:48

in the top

11:48

four, top three, then we have to start

11:50

scoring more goals. Look, I'm gonna move it on because

11:52

we're gonna run out of time and there's loads to talk about.

11:55

Kasimiro's suspension means that

11:57

Manchester United have now got decisions to

11:59

make starting with the game against

12:01

Betis in Seville on

12:03

Thursday. Now Betis

12:06

available for that game, but the question mark

12:08

comes as to whether you start him in that game.

12:10

Given that you've got four Premier

12:12

League games now, and a and

12:14

a cup of three Premier League games and and follow him in

12:16

the FA Cup where he's not gonna be able to play. So do you use

12:18

it as an opportunity being four one up

12:20

to maybe test out some new partnerships

12:23

that are gonna be playing in those four games.

12:25

Mayzie, do you start him against Betis,

12:27

or do you use it as an opportunity to give, I don't

12:30

know, Fred and Scott McDermott a bit of game time

12:32

together? Possibly. Yeah. As

12:34

you say, I mean, the

12:36

Alberta should be a dead dog

12:38

now. You know, you can't I can't see

12:40

United going over there. Betis done three

12:42

nil. I really can't. And

12:45

it's a chance for Scott to get more game time

12:49

because he's not played that many games this season.

12:52

Get his legs up to up to,

12:54

you know, another ninety minutes in

12:57

in him. I think that's important. But

12:59

depends what the manager thinks. You know, we could

13:01

second guess his team or four of us and

13:04

or five of us and pick, you

13:06

know, different midfielders. It's

13:08

it's a case down to what the manager thinks. But

13:11

for

13:11

me, I'd play Scott, get game

13:13

time in him. Was it West Elm when he came

13:15

off half time, And he he he did look

13:18

little bit rusty. I felt for him. I I know he was on

13:20

a booking as well, which obviously

13:22

didn't help him, but I think to get ninety minutes

13:24

under his belt at this

13:25

stage, obviously, with some big important games

13:27

come up, would be would be key. You know,

13:28

it's gonna play in the next wild games. You know,

13:30

does well. Absolutely. I mean, they've got submit

13:33

are available. And I guess the international break

13:35

also brings in the possibility of

13:37

having, you know, submit to back and ready.

13:39

And maybe even with a fair wind,

13:41

Christian Eric and sniffing around the

13:43

first team as well at the end of the international

13:45

break. That would be massive from Manchester United.

13:47

Yeah. I think wasn't the initial prognosis

13:50

at the end of April. So it was still maybe a month

13:52

away from seeing Christian Ericsson. And also bits

13:54

has missed. He said the last couple with the knock

13:56

as well. We don't know about his exact status.

13:58

Sean Tanag will update that in the press

14:00

conference on Wednesday ahead of the real Betis

14:02

scheme. You can

14:04

see easily why you can make an

14:06

argument to say that Fred and Tom and A, however,

14:09

your mid choice is gonna be over these four matches

14:11

that Casimiro's missing, should start

14:13

this game. But literally, every

14:15

single thing I've seen from Tenagh so

14:17

far mancession out of manager means that he's gonna

14:19

start gasimiro in this match. I'd

14:21

be shocked if he didn't play it. And if

14:23

united a cruise in, you'll take came off early

14:25

and and then use that midfield pairing that you

14:27

that you think of using maybe later on in the game.

14:30

If you get to half time and it's nil nil

14:32

or, you know, you're not you're ahead or whatever it might

14:34

Betis you're not concerned

14:36

about the the the match status or the

14:38

status of getting through, then maybe that's the time that

14:41

he he changes it. But especially Casimiro

14:43

not being available for the domestic

14:45

games. I think he starts this match personally.

14:47

It's interesting. I think I've learned over course

14:49

of Eric Tenhardt being the manager of Manchester United,

14:51

not to can guess to Eric Tenhardt because every

14:54

time I try and predict something that he's gonna

14:56

do,

14:56

Laurie, he then does exactly the opposite

14:58

to why I expected. Is is thought of

15:00

some creative answers to some it's

15:03

difficult solution. Does that mean, think back to the

15:05

the false norm with Christian Ericsson on the opening

15:07

day of the season, which didn't quite go to plan. But, you

15:09

know, he he obviously he doesn't like to

15:11

go for the standard response, I

15:13

don't think. So, you know, Cuddl is under Martin

15:15

a step into midfield. don't know. I mean, I thought he was

15:18

one of best players against Southampton, not only

15:20

for his defensive work covering one on

15:22

one, but also bringing the ball out and making those

15:24

passes through the line. So he actually does

15:26

have that to his game. When

15:28

Luke showed a sensor back, you know. He's

15:31

been excellent in that role also

15:33

against Johnson progressing the ball really well.

15:35

So that there's a couple of kind of interesting

15:38

solutions that he's found. I mean,

15:40

Sibits is actually kinda similar to Casamuro

15:43

in in a few ways when I was looking at the numbers

15:45

like tackles and exceptions and like that. So if

15:47

he's fit, then I think he should have

15:49

a this should be really considered in that role

15:51

because I think he's a quality player.

15:53

Right. Moving swiftly on. Fulham

15:56

is I mean, are we all thinking that Betis has

15:58

a done

15:58

deal? Anybody everybody with Macy's.

16:00

They've done deals since they've done deals since they've done.

16:02

Everybody agreed, good

16:03

for drinking the dead dog afterwards if if

16:05

they if they do get through.

16:07

We can't go there and get beat. Well, we might

16:10

go beat back at your goal, but certainly

16:12

not three or four. Yeah. But I I was

16:14

definitely guilty saying there's no chance for

16:16

going to one field and getting beaten by seven. So

16:18

I, you

16:18

know, strange things happen in football, don't they?

16:21

I I said that half

16:21

time as

16:22

well. Yeah. London doesn't strike twice. Yeah.

16:24

I have to talk about that. No. We've we've been very swiftly.

16:27

Yeah. Correct. We've never upped. Fulham

16:30

is the next up for Manchester United in

16:32

a cup competition and cup competitions have

16:34

been probably where Manchester United

16:36

are gonna find the majority of the success this

16:38

season. I think we're all probably fair

16:41

enough to say that the title race is now

16:43

out of Manchester United's hands. But

16:46

Karibau cup in the bag, FA cup

16:48

last eight, and now in the Europa

16:50

League as

16:51

well. This fulham game could end up being

16:53

huge for Manchester United season, Capella.

16:55

Absolutely. And when you you you saw the the

16:57

great day that everybody had had at the the

16:59

Cook final the other week against Newcastle,

17:01

I think to go to no disrespect

17:03

to a Caribou Cook, but I think

17:05

the FA cup is like the cup. Obviously, with steroids,

17:08

it's fabulous occasion to go to

17:10

an FA cup final. It's one of the the greatest

17:12

occasions you can ever play in. So to go and win

17:14

that would be a would be a huge trophy from Manchester

17:16

United. And at the start of the season, if

17:19

you'd said, listen, if you go and win the two

17:21

domestic cups, and and qualify for the

17:23

chump for the champions league. You'd

17:25

have to say from where Manchester United were at.

17:27

You just snatch your hands off. So

17:30

if you can put the cherry on top

17:32

with the with the Europa League success as

17:34

well, then then it'd be a fabulous

17:36

season, but think to to Gong when the FA Cup

17:38

would

17:38

be would be great. Love that competition. You love

17:40

that. You've got got winners below two of them.

17:42

Just two. Yeah. Yeah. And

17:45

this is where the conundrum is

17:47

disease obviously because of the dead

17:49

duck on Thursday. I'd

17:52

wake up on a on a on a Sunday. You

17:54

know, does he all back a little bit and

17:55

think, you know, we

17:57

should pull that one to bed and concentrate

18:00

more on the FA Cup because it is a it's

18:02

the best club cup

18:05

competition. And

18:07

I'm sure he's got one eye on that as well because

18:09

why not? As Bruce has said there,

18:12

one cup competition and a and a top

18:14

four is is brilliant. And if you can

18:16

get two bits of silverware, wow.

18:18

Wow. Great start. Two is much

18:21

snack

18:21

crew. That would be for him. I mean, I I am gonna

18:23

quote Eric Tenhard here and say one game

18:25

at a time. That he will only be concentrating

18:27

on Betis a year. Oh,

18:29

yeah. It has to because it would be incredibly

18:31

embarrassing to lose a dead duck on it.

18:34

But in terms of the FA Cup gaming, it's full of,

18:36

I think, you know, United well placed,

18:39

aren't they? Another home side, there's so

18:41

many of those. And you look at rest of

18:43

the competition, you know, there's obviously Manchester

18:45

City looming, but it has really opened up for United

18:48

win this Forum game. Fans are getting another

18:50

day out at

18:50

Wimberley. When that game, fans are getting another day

18:52

out at Wimberley, this is Barmo like it, isn't it? Make

18:54

it even more special if it was a Manchester Derby

18:56

in the fun as well. She's written the star

18:59

shortly. Is it? That that's

19:01

a terrifying thought. Isn't it? No. It's not

19:03

bringing on. I

19:05

I

19:05

mean, we shouldn't be celebrating

19:08

Wimbley and the semifinales. Should we? That

19:10

should definitely be at Villa Park. Right? Everybody's

19:13

we're all selling agreement. So we

19:15

shouldn't be safe for finals. Look finally,

19:17

before we before we disappear, not

19:20

the easiest weekend for Manchester United to

19:22

women. They ended up losing against Chelsea

19:24

and it kinda put a spanner in the works of the

19:26

of the title race. They've been going so

19:28

well Top three, I think probably

19:31

would have been Mark skin his aim this

19:32

season, and that looks like it's still well on.

19:35

Yeah. That is the aim definitely for Manchester

19:37

United. That's the step for the women's team. There's

19:39

no doubt about that whatsoever. They came so close

19:41

last season to get in it as well. And

19:43

you look at the development of of the whole club,

19:46

really, there's there's sort of key players out of contract

19:48

at the end of the season as well, and it would really

19:50

help the club if they were

19:52

able to get into the women's Champions League for

19:54

the first time because I think that would sign a lot

19:56

of those contracts automatically. It

19:58

would attract even more quality to the

20:00

club as well. Matskin has done a great job of

20:02

pushing United to this point. They've

20:05

never taken a point Chelsea in the WSL.

20:08

And it and it you know, you're looking at that game on

20:10

Sunday thinking how amazing it would be

20:12

to go there, to get even a point would have

20:14

been more helpful than than a one nil

20:16

defeat. United had so much of the ball as well. I

20:18

was watching quite a lot of the game

20:20

in the press room actually before the the member

20:22

playing Southampton here. And every time you look United

20:25

were on the ball, but it's just a bit more

20:27

of a sort of street wide edge to Chelsea.

20:29

Obviously, Sam Keur always seems

20:31

to have a fingerprints over these sort of big occasions.

20:35

In the in the WSL and you

20:37

just sort of were looking for someone to step up

20:39

and produce that moment really close

20:41

though. They're getting close, so there's no out Chelsea

20:43

in the lead now with game in hand, so

20:45

it's gonna be difficult, but there's definitely

20:47

clear improvements there.

20:50

Look, I sad to talk about

20:52

this, but Manchester United

20:54

funds and Manchester United lost somebody this

20:57

week. That was a towering figure

21:01

for both the fans on the football club. Ian

21:03

Sterling, the fan representative and

21:06

we've all sort of had some dealings with him, I

21:08

think, over the course of over the last

21:10

fifteen years or so, he was

21:12

a giant of a human being. And

21:14

anybody that has been to Old Trafford over

21:17

the last fifteen or twenty

21:19

years has benefited from something that

21:21

Iain has worked with the football club

21:24

on doing and and just so dreadfully sad

21:26

that we've lost him this week.

21:28

I know that we've known sort of similar length of

21:31

time here and then he he

21:33

was so important for this football

21:35

club and for the fun experience.

21:36

Absolutely. I don't think you can underestimate

21:39

just how much he's done down the years for

21:42

the club and the fans as well. You

21:44

mentioned, you know, it was a really, really important

21:46

sort of goal between between

21:48

the fans and the club. In terms of the work that

21:50

did, you know, things like safe standing, things

21:53

like the singing section, the price of

21:55

tickets are all trafficked over the course of the last

21:57

decade or so. Ian had a huge influence

21:59

on that. Fighting against the

22:01

Super League as well. He had a a really

22:03

big role in in in that. And

22:05

when the news broke over the weekend,

22:08

the amount of people who

22:10

got in touch to say, you know, how

22:12

sad it was, how well they knew him, what a fantastic

22:15

guy was. That's really important

22:17

thing as

22:17

well. Despite all the work that he did and how

22:19

popular he was in terms of that side of it,

22:21

just a really, really lovely man. Very,

22:24

very sad news. Really sad news. Proper

22:26

sole audience as well. You've obviously worked

22:28

with him from a professional point of view. He he was

22:30

one of those people that every time he picked up the phone

22:32

to ask a question. He'd always answer. He'd

22:35

always give you a forthright opinion

22:37

on whatever that was, and that went across the

22:39

board, by the way, forthright opinions for me and

22:41

stolen. He he was an absolute gentleman. Yeah. I

22:43

I feel really touched in the managed to get to know

22:45

him a little bit over these sort of three or so

22:47

years that been covering martial art for athletic

22:49

and He always gave his

22:51

time warmly. He wasn't like, you know, I was a sort

22:53

of new kid on the block and, you know, you're not

22:55

really my my time isn't worth

22:57

your, you know, isn't worth what you're asking

23:00

me. And it it was really passionate,

23:02

really engaged, funny. And I think

23:04

it was really fit in the, you know, it paid

23:06

paid tribute to him on Sunday because when

23:09

you've got somebody like that that's been part of fabric

23:11

of the club in the really key moments. think

23:13

you should recognize when the past due end, I was

23:15

just so shocked and so sad when the news came

23:17

up. I saw an emittance tweet, and that's how I

23:19

realized that I was stunned because that's

23:21

the conversation had with

23:22

him, obviously, full of life and just

23:25

a really sad occasion. Look, all of our

23:27

thoughts and best wishes go out to Ian's

23:29

wife and his daughter Lin and Lucy and,

23:31

you know, really tough time for you, but

23:33

all of us here at my Jesse and I want to give you our very,

23:35

very best.

23:37

Just enough time for me to say thank you very much to everybody,

23:39

to Laurie Whitwell. Thank you. Today, who may thank you very

23:41

much. Alex Bruce, thank you very much, Antoine

23:44

Irving. We will see you next time on the debate.