Spurs or West Ham's relegation fate + England squad reaction

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast - Episode Summary

Episode: Spurs or West Ham's Relegation Fate + England Squad Reaction
Date: May 22, 2026
Host: Matt Davis Adams
Guests: Karl Anker, Jay Harris

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Episode Overview

This episode gears up for the final weekend of the Premier League, where the focus is the dramatic relegation battle between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. The show also offers thoughtful reactions to Thomas Tuchel’s controversial England World Cup squad selections and surveys the broader Premier League stories, including Arsenal’s title win, European places, and managerial changes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Relegation Showdown: Spurs vs. West Ham

[01:55–11:52]

• Setting the Stage:
  Both sides are in precarious positions—Spurs host Everton, while West Ham welcome Leeds. West Ham sit two points behind, needing to win and hope Everton beat Spurs.

• Spurs' Midweek Defeat & Atmosphere:

  • Spurs lost to Chelsea as Arsenal clinched the title.
  • Jay Harris [03:37]: “Spurs fans were disappointed, but not surprised… Pretty much all of the Tottenham Hotspur fans I spoke to assumed they would lose.”
  • Spurs’ horrendous away (and home) record, particularly at Stamford Bridge, breeds apathy.

• West Ham’s “Self-Inflicted” Woes:

  • Poor tactical decisions and “fumbling” key matches noted by Karl Anker [04:45]: “West Ham keeps shooting themselves in the foot.”
  • Nuno’s inability to bring trusted staff from Forest blamed for some instability.

• Spurs' Home Form & Fan Disconnect:

  • Only two home Premier League wins all season.
  • Chronic fan-team tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium [06:08–07:27].
  • Jay Harris: “Throughout the entire season, Tottenham's home form has been an issue and there's been a sort of toxic disconnect between squad and fans."

• The Stakes:

  • Both clubs face seismic consequences, with added drama for London’s football scene and financial challenges looming for the relegated side [07:52–09:53].
  • Karl Anker [08:14]: “The Championship is in a particularly volatile state. West Ham and Tottenham would be scalps… I’d imagine you’d need to let go more than 10% of your staff.”

Memorable Quote

• Karl Anker [09:43]: “I want the most tragic comic scenario — let’s just get David Moyes to decide.”

2. Repercussions of Relegation for Spurs

[09:53–11:52]

• Jay Harris speculates on the “chaotic and unprecedented” fallout if Spurs go down—pressure on senior management, player exodus, cost-cutting [09:53–11:52].
• “The repercussions would be monumental.”
• “I just don’t know what's going to happen next week… I'll be dealing with the aftermath.”

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3. Team News & Tactical Debates Ahead of the Deciders

[15:49–26:45]

• West Ham - Leeds:

  • Castellanos expected to start; freeing Bowen and Somerville on the flanks has revitalized West Ham [16:04–17:25].
  • Karl Anker: “This might be the Jared Bowen game for West Ham. If they are going to stay up, it’s most likely going to be a goal or an assist from him.”

• Leeds' Motivation:

  • Leeds unbeaten in eight, still competitive with nothing on the line.
  • Jay Harris: “I've never watched a game where Leeds just rolled over… Every position means extra money and they’ll be motivated.”

• Spurs - Everton:

  • Jed Spence may play with a face mask after a jaw injury [24:33–24:49].
  • James Maddison cannot start, limited to 20–25 mins [24:52–25:01].
  • Randall Kolo Muani widely viewed as an “unsuccessful” loan; one goal in 29 league games [26:16–26:36].
  • Pressure on Richarlison to deliver – returning against former club Everton [27:12–28:26].

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4. England World Cup Squad Reaction

[18:52–25:01; 36:56–55:42]

• Key Omissions and Surprising Inclusions:

  • Bowen/Calvert-Lewin Debate:
    • Karl Anker [19:10–21:33]: “Calvert-Lewin—you should be in the England squad… but third-choice striker often means five minutes or penalty duty.”
  • Ivan Toney’s inclusion justified for his penalty prowess and chemistry [21:33–23:33].
  • Surprise at Jed Spence’s (injured) inclusion.
  • Adam Wharton, Alex Scott, Lewis Hall, Luke Shaw, Levi Colwill all discussed.

• Managers’ Rationale:

  • Jay Harris [22:57]: “Tony is a specialist; his presence at crunch moments has proved valuable.”

Notable Quote

• Karl Anker [55:42]: “This Thomas Tuchel guy… He’s tactically unique, isn’t he?”

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5. Other Premier League Headlines

[25:01–63:46]

• Arsenal’s Title Win – Squad Depth & Celebrations:

  • Subdued Carabao Cup atmosphere expected in the final match [40:20–41:48].
  • Visual moment anticipated — Eze receiving a guard of honor at Palace [36:56–38:32].

• European Football Permutations:

  • Bournemouth possibly entering the Champions League if (complex) results go their way.
  • Marco Rose replacing Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth — interest in style transition [46:40–48:18].
  • Brentford’s head coach Keith Andrews praised for defying expectations [48:38–49:52].

• Managerial News:

  • Michael Carrick confirmed as Manchester United’s permanent manager during the recording [62:27–63:46].

Memorable Quotes

• Jay Harris [48:38]: “It will probably be Mikel Arteta… but I do think Keith Andrews deserves recognition… They've exceeded expectations whatever happens.”

• Karl Anker [63:46]: “That's what Manchester United need right now—just a steady, understated, reliable operator. Which is much like how Carrick used to play.”

• Palace’s Oliver Glasner farewell – and a look at the Conference League and Europa League places [41:48–44:11, 56:26–58:39]:

  • Glasner’s legacy debated, difficult next job for his successor.
  • Conference League’s purpose and sporting integrity questioned if top nations dominate too many slots.

• Goodbyes, Player of the Year, and Mo Salah:

  • Mo Salah’s inclusion in Liverpool’s matchday squad questioned [59:06].
  • Player of the Year voting debated:
    • Jay Harris [60:00]: “I voted for Gabriel… If I got to recast my vote now, maybe David Raya or Declan Rice. I can't vote for Bruno Fernandes.”
    • Karl Anker [61:05]: “I think Arsenal’s split the vote; there was a groundswell towards Bruno Fernandes as the one individual doing the most.”

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Highlighted Quotes & Timestamps

• On David Moyes and Fate:

  • Karl Anker [03:14]: “David Moyes could end up finishing the season having decided a title race and the relegation bout. Tremendous.”

• On Spurs’ Home Form:

  • Jay Harris [06:08]: “Tottenham's home form has been an issue and there's been a toxic disconnect between squad and fans.”

• On Relegation Chaos:

  • Jay Harris [11:27]: “The repercussions of [Spurs going down] would be monumental. I’m gearing myself up… I'll be dealing with whatever aftermath happens.”

• On Richarlison at Everton:

  • Karl Anker [27:12]: “He’s still very well regarded at Everton for his hard work… If they do get over the line, and he’s the one to do it, that’d be a nice story.”

• On Ivan Toney’s Inclusion for England:

  • Jay Harris [21:33]: “He has a specialist profile in that he is exceptional when it comes to taking penalties… also a physical presence.”

• On Michael Carrick’s Appointment:

  • Karl Anker [62:40]: “It’s a very sensible contract length… that's what Manchester United need right now. Just a steady, understated, reliable operator.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:55 — Episode proper starts; intro to the battle for survival
• 03:14 — Moyes’ central role in both title and relegation
• 04:28 — West Ham defeat at Newcastle; Nuno's tactical confusion
• 06:08 — Spurs home form, fan disconnect, anxiety about relegation
• 09:43 — Relegation's financial and cultural implications
• 15:49 — Team selection for West Ham and Spurs
• 16:04 — Tati Castellanos’ importance for West Ham
• 19:10 — Bowen/Calvert-Lewin/Toney selection debate
• 24:33 — Jed Spence’s injury and masked return
• 27:12 — Richarlison motivation vs. Everton
• 36:56 — Arsenal’s title, Eze in England squad, Carabao Cup atmosphere
• 46:40 — Bournemouth’s European hopes and managerial transition
• 48:38 — Brentford and Keith Andrews’ case for Manager of the Season
• 55:42 — England squad, Tuchel’s logic, Harry Maguire debate
• 62:27 — Breaking: Carrick as permanent Man United manager

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Conclusion

A gripping episode that combines on-the-ground supporter mood, tactical detail, sharp reporting, and personality to give a vivid sense of the tension and stakes heading into the final weekend. The discussions around the England squad inject a secondary thread of controversy and insight, while broader Premier League storylines are skilfully woven in, making this episode essential listening—and now, reading—for fans seeking informed, lively football coverage.

Transcript

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[Matt Davis Adams]

The Athletic fc Welcome to the preview from the Athletic fc. It's the show where we get you set for the weekend's action. But this ain't no ordinary weekend. It's the final weekend of the season. We're kicking off with a fight for survival. Will it be Tottenham or West Ham who go down. On board today? We've got Karl Anker. How are you doing, Carl?

[Karl Anker]

I'm doing very well, thank you.

[Jay Harris]

How are you?

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah, I'm all right, thank you. Jay Harris is back with us too. Jay. Busy time of the year, but at least the sun's shining.

[Jay Harris]

Yeah, that's probably the only good thing about this weekend.

[Matt Davis Adams]

We shall See, we're going to get into the Premier League action elsewhere and talk a bit about Thomas Tuchel's England squad. But first let's get to our feature presentation. So they're both at home. Spurs host Everton. West Ham welcome Leeds. After losing three on the bounce, the Hammers hopes of survival hang by a thread. They're two points behind spurs, so they have to win and hope their former boss, David Moyes does them a favor by engineering an Everton victory at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Carl West Ham then relying on the man they let go to save them. You couldn't make it up were it not one of those stories that the Premier League churns out on a fairly regular basis. Interesting nonetheless, though, absolutely fascinating narrative here.

[Karl Anker]

David Moyes could end up finishing the season having decided a title race and the relegation bout, tremendous.

[Matt Davis Adams]

So, spurs in action midweek. You were there, jay, as they lost 21 to Chelsea on the night Arsenal clinched the league title. Nonetheless, a particularly sore one. What was the mood that you gauged amongst the visiting supporters at Stamford Bridge? Was it anger? Was it apathy? Acceptance?

[Jay Harris]

Well, there was a moment in the second half where the spurs fans started chanting really loudly and then the Chelsea fans sort of drown them out in response. And I wasn't too sure if it's because they both realized at that point that Arsenal had won the league and it was sort of an act of defiance or I was, or I wasn't too sure if spurs were just, you know, their team were losing and they desperately needed to. To motivate them somehow. I think the spurs fans were disappointed, but not surprised. We'd spoken before, I think it was last week, about Spurs's just horrendous record at Stamford Bridge. I think they've only won there once in 36 visits and pretty much all of the Tottenham Hotspur fans I spoke to in the buildup to the game assumed that they would lose. Now I think they got a little bit of hope towards the end when Richarlison scored and Madison had that shot blocked by J. Hato. But otherwise I think they knew what they were they were in for.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. And so it came to pass. West Ham meanwhile, Carl, utterly dismal in defeat at Newcastle. Nuno changed his setup and then he changed it again after 15 minutes, but by that point they were already 20 down. It was a defeat that felt particularly self inflicted.

[Karl Anker]

Yeah, absolutely bizarre starting lineup. Nuno went for a back three at a time where they had better momentum playing this sort of more conventional back four, 442. However you want to describe it. Not really sure whether to use the word panicked or fumbled. All sorts of unfortunate phrases there. But one of the biggest managerial slip ups at the worst moment for West Ham. And this is what I feel about West Ham in this relegation battle, in that they get really, really close to pulling themselves away from it and then they just fumble and leave points on the table. I keep going back to their. I think that was 30 to Wampton Wanderers in January and that's a result where you're going, if you want to stay up, you got to avoid this. This is such a bizarre relegation battle now because West Ham keeps shooting themselves in the foot.

[Matt Davis Adams]

But why I keep coming back to this, the fact that Nuno couldn't take his own staff with him from Forest, I think has been massive and I think you saw that writ large over last week's mistake. They do have some hope though. J do the Hammers. And it comes from. From spurs horrific home record. Incredible. There's two Premier League wins on their own pitch all season. One of them was against Burnley right at the start of the campaign. How nervy is it going to be there on Sunday? I mean, the first goal feels huge, right? If word filters through that West Ham have taken an early lead, nails are going to be being gnawed in every seat in the stadium.

[Jay Harris]

It's going to be really anxious. And throughout the entire season, Tottenham's home formers has been an issue and there's been a sort of toxic disconnect between the squad and the fans. The moment which will obviously stand out in everybody's mind is the game against Chelsea way, way back in November when Mickey Van Event and Jed Spence famously sort of ignored Thomas Frank's plea for them to applaud the fans at full time. And from that point onwards, it's just continued to unravel and, and spiral. You know, recent performances where it looked like they might scrape a win against Leeds and Brighton. No need to concede late equalizers. It's just sort of only continue to. To dampen the mood. Again, I think I've mentioned previously the, the Nottingham Forest game where they ended up losing 3 0. But the. The fans before kickoff said, do you know what, Whatever happens this season, we're going to try and do our bit to help the team. They meet the bus before kickoff, they let off flares, they're hanging on lamp post, they're on the roofs of bus stops, they're doing everything they can and then they lose 3, 0 in that manner. So there has Been some suggestion that spurs fans might do something similar for the game against Everton this weekend and try and sort of lift the atmosphere, but you're completely spot on. They've struggled to deal with the expectations and pressure not just this season, but last season. Their home form was really bad as well. I think out of the ever present Premier League size over the last two

[Additional Analyst]

years, I think theirs is actually the

[Jay Harris]

worst or it's just about level with wolves.

[Additional Analyst]

So that tells you everything you need to know.

[Jay Harris]

Spurs know they'll probably get away with it if it's a draw just because

[Additional Analyst]

of their superior goal difference, but you're completely right if West Ham take an early lead and it's nil, nil, every spurs fan is going to be thinking all it takes is one freak deflection for Everton to take the lead and we're on our way to being relegated. And that anxiety is definitely going to transmit itself to the players on the pitch.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Well, 15 years since West Ham went down, nearly half a century since spurs were last relegated from the top flight. Obviously seismic for both clubs. Carl, regardless of who drops, pretty significant for the London taxpayer too. If it's West Ham, do you have a preference as to who you'd rather see in the championship next term or who do you think it's going to be more troublesome for?

[Karl Anker]

There was a moment a couple of months ago where I was in the London office and the Spurs. One of our spurs writers was talking to one of our Nottingham Forest supporting friends to which someone commented, oh well, spurs might enjoy a season in the championship and our Nottingham Forest supporting friend went, no, mate, you might enjoy one season in there, but trust me, there's no guarantee you're going to get out of there at first response. So do not get yourself relegated. And I feel this for both clubs, the championship now, even with we're going to an expanded playoff with six teams, is in a particularly volatile state. West Ham and Tottenham are going to be a big scalp for every single championship club coming in. You're going to have a very angry Southampton team. I remember once doing a piece on a, on a bottom half club and how they might, how their finances might be affected if they got relegated. And the, the general rule of thumb is you tend to lose about 10 to 20% of your workforce by getting relegated because your operating costs just can't sustain that in the championship. West Ham now seem to be in an era of transitional Karen Brady's departed Tottenham Hotspur operating the championship. I would imagine you'd need to let go more than 10% of your staff as well. I think it'd be more financially ruinous for Tottenham because they're such a large club that has built themselves with that stadium to be playing Champions League football season on season, on season. So no preference. I want the most tragic comic scenario and therefore let's just get David Moyes to the side. Right?

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. Feels like a good way to do it. Jay, have you contemplated Tuesday nights in November at Deepdale or Lincoln coming to one of, if not the best stadium in the country?

[Jay Harris]

Of course I have. It's been something that's been in the back of my mind probably since the free one defeat to Crystal palace in March when spurs were leading 1 nil. Mickey Van Event gets sent off and it just triggered this incredible seven minute collapse where even though then head coach Igor Tudor made quite a few defensive substitutions, they conceded three goals just before halftime and. And loads of spurs fans started streaming out of the stadium. The mood was horrendous and that was the point where I thought, oh, they, they're not just sleepwalking to relegation at this point, they're almost free falling. So yes, I have considered it. And to just follow up on what Karl said, Roberto de Zerbi said on multiple occasions, whatever happens next season, regardless of what division spurs are in, he will be the head coach. Now let's just take that at face value. I think it's hard not to think that everything else would change. The CEO of Vinay Venkateshem and sporting director Johan Langer would come under. They already are under fierce scrutiny. It would get even more intense. Players like Christian Romero, Rodrigo Bentenkur, Jed Spence have all signed long term contracts in the last 12 months. But Spence has just been named in England squad for the World Cup. I'm sure Bentonco and Romero will be going with Uruguay and Argentina as well. I don't think they'll be fancying a season in the championship. And then you've got all of the other players who maybe have shorter lengths left on their current deals and they'll be probably desperate to go. Mickey Van de Ven, players like Archie Gray, Lucas Bergwa. They're young, but they're really highly rated. I'm sure other teams in the league and across Europe would want to pinch them. As Karl said, the workforce would probably have to be slimmed, which is a really, you know, a horrible thing to

[Additional Analyst]

have to consider that that might happen. So I just think it would be chaotic and unprecedented if spurs went down. I think the, the repercussions of it would be monumental. I'm gearing myself up for I just don't know what's going to happen next week. You know, my girlfriend's asking me you around on bank holiday Monday. I said no, I won't be. I'll be dealing with whatever aftermath good or bad happens from that game on Sunday.

[Matt Davis Adams]

All right, well, look, it's a, it's a huge game and, and team selection is going to play a massive part in it. Next we're going to have a look at how both West Ham and Spurs may line up on Sunday.

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[Matt Davis Adams]

West Ham fans singing you're not fit to wear the shirt at St. James's Park. Somebody who did show some fighting spirit, Carl, was Tati Castellanos came off the bench as part of that rearrangement. I mean, he's a surefire pick to start the game on Sunday, isn't he?

[Karl Anker]

Absolutely. I was really surprised he didn't start. I've been on this podcast before and spoken about how he's intro he's signing in January is really freed up Jared Bowen and Somerville to stick to what they're good at playing on the wing rather than that quasi forward thing they were doing first half of the season. The big criticism I had at West Ham under Graham Potter in particular was they looked old and they looked slow. Tati is not necessarily the most rapid football player, but he knows how to use his body, he knows how to use his physicality, which is something that Falkrook didn't really seem capable of doing when he was wearing a West Ham shirt. So. So, yeah, I'd expect him to start, I'd expect him to try and pin back at least one of the center backs and that should hopefully free up Jared Bowen. This might be the Jared Bowen game for West Ham. He's already got a fantastic CV as the club captain. I mean, he scored the winning goal in the Conference League final. But if they are going to stay up, it's most likely going to be a goal or an assist from him. And I wish him all the best because I think he's a fantastic football player. He's very often, every now and again I'll watch full player play and I go, yep. If Alex Ferguson was still around at Manchester United, he would have tried to sign you. Probably underpaid for it by leveraging some sort of thing, by bullying whoever manager was there. But Jared Bowman strikes me as the sort of player that Sir Alex Ferguson would have tried to sign for Manchester United.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. And you think he'll be in the Premier League one way or another next season. So it's Leeds for West Ham. They beat Brighton last time. Out late. Dominic Calvert, Lewin goal. He was on target at the London Stadium in the FA cup, wasn't he? Not too long ago. Leeds unbeaten, innate in the league. They got nothing to play for. Jay, where do you stand on this? Is that an advantage for West Ham? I mean, Leeds aren't exactly the type of team who just chuck it in when there's nothing on the line, as you will have seen at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium a couple of weeks ago.

[Jay Harris]

Well, I'm glad you mentioned that because after the game, Deserby attempted to play some mind games by saying, I'm sure Leeds will play like that against West Ham on the final day of the season. So it had already started, I think Leeds. I've never sort of watched a game where Leeds play where they sort of rolled over. And I sort of expect the exact same against West Ham on, on Sunday. Everybody tipped that they'd go down this season, that Daniel Farker was just this manager who was excellent in the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League. You know, every position in the Premier League means that you get a little extra money. And I'm sure Leeds will be as motivated as possible to finish as high as possible and sort of prove everybody wrong. And we know that Dominic Calvert Lewin is not going to be in the, in the England squad. So there's probably an element of him showing to Thomas Tuchel. You should put me in. I'm in excellent form. I've sort of finally proven I'm over the fitness struggles that I experienced at Everton and I'm sure he will put in as hardy a performance as he can on the final weekend.

[Matt Davis Adams]

It is Friday, Carl. It's Bank Holiday weekend. It's Premier League last day of this season Eve eve. It's also air your grievances publicly about Thomas Tuchel day, so we'll do a few of these as we go on. You mentioned Jared Bowen. You're a big fan. Ought he to have been in this squad?

[Karl Anker]

Maybe I could see the argument of taking him over Noni Madoeke. Madueke is a fine football player, a good under Sunny for Saka, but I can't bring myself to say anything more complimentary about that. Whereas Bowen is. He's got that roll your sleeves up intangibles where he's done so many good things for such a variety of bad West Ham teams that maybe he could have had inclusion over Nonny in particular. I mean Dominic Calvert Lewin, if I'm Dominic Calvert Lewin, I'm going, what more do I have to do? The third choice striker for England is a very movable feast, a very flexible role because you're not only relying on Harry Kane to not play football, which nearly never happens, you're also hoping, wondering, is Ollie Watkins not going to be up to snuff? So if you are going to be the third choice striker, you're probably only going to get five minutes and or take a penalty. But I'd still make the argument that Dominic Calvert, Lewin or even Danny Walbeck should have been selected over Ivan Toney, who as far as I know, Thomas Tuchel's not been to Saudi Arabia to watch Ivan Toney play football. Ivan Toney's great in the air and we know he takes a good penalty. And if you're the third choice striker for England, maybe that's the only thing you need to do because you are unlikely to play. You're unlikely to play regulation minutes. You're going to be in there for extra time for those final 30 minutes. And perhaps Tuchel believes Toni has the qualities over a Calvert Lewin. But I look at Calvert Lewin, I look at what he did this season, I look at, I mean, the goal he scored last week, that's a striker in top form. That's a striker that knows how to get a goal and how to get into those areas. I've been following Calvert Lewin since the pre Covid section of the 20192020 season where Harry Kane got injured and there was always a talk of if Harry Kane is not available for Euro 2020, which, when we thought it was going to be held in 2020, who might be the striker? And one thing that's always stuck out about Calvert Lewin, if you're a stats nerd, is his shot maps have an alarming consistency. There is a very particular space in the penalty area that he likes to shoot from and he knows how to get there again and again and again. And there's a point earlier in the season where it was going around Opta about how Calvert Lewin shotmap's a thing of beauty because every single goal he had had for LEED so far was just in a straight line. There's just a really nice consistency to where he shoots from that. Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Dominic, you. You should be in England squad as far as I'm concerned.

[Jay Harris]

Yeah, just on Tony, I'm surprised he's. He's been included and obviously I spent many years covering him for Brentford, so there's probably a little bit of a. A bias there. But I think there are a couple of important things which make Tuchel's decision easier for me to understand. And firstly, which you've alluded to, is he has a specialist profile in that he is exceptional when it comes to. To taking penalties. His record is near enough unblemished. He did it against Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the Euros. But also, as you've mentioned, he is a physical presence. And I think what sometimes people forget is that he came on in literally the last minute of the last 16 game against Slovakia. But his presence sort of leads to Jude Benningham's equalizer and then he does actually set up Harry Kane's winner. So Tuchel can look at Tony, Calvert, Lewin and Worldbeck and say, okay, none of them are going to play that much, but at least this person has a history and experience and a CV of performing at a crunch moment in an international tournament. There's also the fact that Tony is, I think, sometimes misrepresented, but he is actually a very funny, engaging character. And I'm sure we all saw at the last Euros all these videos of him joking around with Declan Rice, etc. So Tuchel's also thinking, who is going to be a sort of seamless fit into this environment? Who's going to be able to stay away in a different country for six, seven weeks and get on with his teammates? Okay, well, I know Tony can do that as well.

[Additional Analyst]

And that's not to say that Cal and Welbeck are not lovely people because I'm sure they are. And I've met Welbeck many, many years ago in, in Nack Town and I

[Jay Harris]

got a photo with him and he

[Additional Analyst]

was an incredibly lovely guy. It's just that Tony has been to a major tournament. Tuchel knows that.

[Karl Anker]

So I sort of think Walbeck's been to a major tournament, but not in

[Jay Harris]

recent Russia 2018, not in recent history.

[Karl Anker]

I know, I know. I'm just like, it would have been a lovely story.

[Jay Harris]

Of course it would have been a guy. It would have been a lovely story. So I'm surprised. But I, I do understand Tony's inclusion.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? I mean, the amount of minutes that the third choice striker is going to get is something we can debate. I suppose while we're talking about England players who have got in Jed Spence maybe one of the surprises, particularly given that his jaw is broken. I guess, Jay, that makes a big doubt for, for Sunday's game. But, but I mean if you're fit for spurs, you play at the moment, right? The Zerby only made three substitutions during the Chelsea game. Is, is Madison fit enough to, to get in from the off.

[Jay Harris]

Well, well, just on, on Spence. So he, he broke his jaw in that. If we're being kind collision with Liam Delap on, on Tuesday evening.

[Karl Anker]

Let's not be kind. Let's not be kind.

[Jay Harris]

Well, I was then gonna, I was

[Karl Anker]

then gonna say let's be, let's be real about this. He did not break his jaw. Liam Delap was not even looking at the ball. Winded up a bionic elbow and decided to do footballing violence and somehow didn't get a red Cardinal. It's deplorable stuff.

[Jay Harris]

No, I'm glad you said it. It's probably because I've already spoken about it on View from the Lane.

[Additional Analyst]

So I'm a bit like, don't know

[Jay Harris]

if I have the energy to go through it again, but it was a horrendous incident and the fact that Spence even tweeted about it with loads of laughing emojis afterwards tells you everything you need to know. But Spence, I believe, is going to wear a mask on Sunday. So I've sort of quipped to a few people that maybe he can be

[Additional Analyst]

spurs masked savior on Madison.

[Jay Harris]

There's no chance he starts on Sunday.

[Additional Analyst]

De Zerbi's been very clear that he,

[Jay Harris]

he can play 20, 25 minutes, tops.

[Additional Analyst]

Medical staff won't Let him play for any longer.

[Jay Harris]

I don't think he should play any longer. I think it's quite unfair the position that Madison's been put in. Here you are coming off the back of one of the most serious injuries in football. By the way, can you save us and drag us over the line from a relegation mess that you had absolutely zero involvement in? The only dilemma that De Zerbi has

[Additional Analyst]

in regards to the starting 11 on Sunday is whether he starts Randall Kola Moani or not.

[Jay Harris]

Because that loan signing probably has to

[Additional Analyst]

go down as one of the worst, not just in spurs history, but maybe in Premier League history. Now that might sound really harsh, but this is someone who has played for psg, was exceptional in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt. No, scored quite a few goals in the second half of last season on Loma Juventus. One goal in 29 Premier League appearances for Spurs. Now some people might look at that and think, oh, but he's probably come off the bench a few times. No, this guy has been a regular starter, plays well for 15, 20 minutes and then completely fades. The Zerbi's joked about having breakfast, lunch and dinner with him daily to try and boost Kola Moani's confidence, but whatever anybody has tried, it's not working. So do you try and roll the dice one final time and think Kona Moane is going to step up against Everton or do you say, I might have to do something drastic and, and change, but there's no, there's no obvious solution because of spurs injury crisis.

[Karl Anker]

My jaws dropped twice. My jaws dropped twice. In your explanation of Kolo Moane.

[Jay Harris]

One goal, one goal in 29 Premier League appearances. I think he scored four goals in the Champions League, but two of them were against PSG and another one was against Frankfurt. So it sort of became this running joke that he only scores against teams he's previously played for.

[Karl Anker]

And I believe he had a jaw problem as well, didn't he? He wore a mask partway through the season.

[Jay Harris]

He did have a jaw problem at one point. I can't remember when it was though, but it wasn't for very long.

[Matt Davis Adams]

All right, well, Karl, you've got a jaw problem, but you can pick it off the floor. And tell me about the pressure on Richarlison to produce then, because it's not just Kolo Muani. I mean, Tell's got one Premier League goal since the 7th of January. It was a good goal in fairness to him. But Richarlison, I mean, at least he strikes me as the sort of person who will be motivated by playing against a former employer. He's going to have to be, isn't he? Because he's the most likely source of goals goals of those three spurs attackers

[Karl Anker]

that we've spoken about very much looks like it. The current conversation has been released for the last two months has been about relegation. Rishi. He's still very well regarded over at Everton for his hard work in their relegation scuffle and the images of him holding a blue flare around Goodison park as they avoided the drop that time. Richarlison's a fascinating football player. For me, he's a great example of how far hard work can take you, but also that there is sometimes a ceiling to that hard work if you don't have that extra 5, 10, 15% of intangibles. I think he's a great human being. I think he's a fantastic at Housery. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to tell you the front part of that word. He's got horrendous taste in tattoos and I very much enjoy the fact that he constantly scores, gets booked and then it doesn't turn out to be a winning goal. So if he can have his moment for Tottenham Hotspur, this was a signing that it's 60 million I believe Tottenham spent to bring him in. He has tried, he has tried and he has tried and he has tried, but injury and other factors had meant he's not quite been the striker to help Tottenham get over the line. And I if they do get over the line and he's the one to do it, I think that'd be a nice story.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Okay. Before we move on from this game and Tottenham specifically, Jay, somebody who's not going to be involved on Sundays, club captain Christian Romero. How wild is this? He's injured, but according to reports, he's not even going to be there. Instead, he'll be at the final of the Argentine championship to see his old club, Belgrano take on River Plate. You'll be writing about this, Jay. It'll be up on the site by the time people hear this. Fair to say it's not gone down brilliantly with Tottenham fans.

[Jay Harris]

Roberto de Zerbi speaking at Half one. So by the time this podcast has come out, maybe he has given some extra context around this decision. So I'm going to try and be as firm but diplomatic at the same time just to cover my back. But it is also true that Belgrano Romero's boyhood club have sort of tweeted a Video of him in an Argentina shirt, apparently at their training ground with a bag of balls. I think it's time for spurs fans to accept Romero needs to leave because he is a good footballer with occasional moments of greatness. But I think it's too often outweighed by what he does on and off the pitch, whether it's red cards against Liverpool for kicking Konate the foul against Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford in February. You know, he's criticized Tottenham's board on multiple occasions this season. He just seems to think that certain rules don't apply to him. And to miss Sunday's game, which is, you know, as De Zerbi said after the Chelsea game, avoiding relegation is more important to spurs than winning any trophy.

[Additional Analyst]

And he referenced last season's Europa League final, and he said, this is about

[Jay Harris]

playing for the pride and dignity of the club. Well, Romero is telling you, Spurs, I know you pay for my.

[Additional Analyst]

You pay my salary, all my teammates in the dressing room. I know that I see you every day and we work together every day, but I'd actually just go and rather watch my boyhood club potentially win the Argentinian title. And I think it's an awful example of leadership. And spurs should just say, do you know what? When we weigh up the good and the bad, the bad massively outweighs the good with Romero, and it's time to cut ties.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. Feels like that's the direction of travel for sure. All right, then, Carl. The bookies seem to think that it's spurs who are going to save themselves and West Ham will go down. Do you concur with that? Are you saying that it's West Ham playing in the championship next term?

[Karl Anker]

The Optus supercomputers have it something like 80 chance of Tottenham surviving, while only a fraction of that for West Ham. I did ask an optor employee once what makes a supercomputer super, and they just went, big pipes, loads of water. So do you think these supercomputers and bookies have properly factored in Spursiness, quote, unquote? You're nodding your head.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah.

[Karl Anker]

Okay, that's.

[Matt Davis Adams]

That's. Well, that's an intangible, isn't it? I've got beef with the supercomputer anyway, because it just changes its mind dependent on results. So it's basically like a human being, I think. Jay, are you allowed to say that you think spurs might be the team that go down, or do you just have to say it's going to be West Ham?

[Jay Harris]

Oh, obviously, I'm contract contractually obliged to say that spurs will stay up. You, you can't rule anything out with, with spurs this season. It's in their hands. I think that's the most important thing. And they have played much better under Roberto De Zerbi. From a low floor, it should be said. I can see a scenario where both teams lose, to be honest. And spurs survive. Not by default, but they don't take the initiative. And just because West Ham are worse than them, they stay up that way.

[Karl Anker]

Yeah, yeah, that sounds sensible. Very much in the relegation battle and very much when you're looking at things regarding Tot Mottsborough, a good way to come to a conclusion is what's the funniest thing? What's the funniest. What's the funniest outcome? And the funniest outcome would be both teams lose. So, yeah, yeah, I'm going to go with that. Both teams lose and spurs win by default. And spurs stay up by default.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Default. As Homer Simpson once said, the two sweetest words in the English language, default. We shall turn our attention to the rest of the Premier League action next.

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This is the Athletic FC podcast, proudly sponsored by Betfair.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Right, this is the part of the show where with the help of our partners Betfair, we show you how you can play in a different league this season. We got Sam Rossbottom with us this week. Sam, we're focusing on the relegation battle. As we have been throughout the show. It's spurs and West Ham fighting for survival. Tell me about the odds for their respective games to kick us off, please.

[Sam Rossbottom]

Hey, Matt. Yeah. It's a one focus really, isn't it, for, for all of us in the, in the Premier League on Sunday. As a Man City fan, I'm absolutely gutted, to be honest with you. I was really hoping that I'd be coming on here and be chatting about the title race, but alas, it is the relegation that we're. We're focusing on. West Ham is stacked against them. I mean, the 1 to 16 to go down, spurs are 11 to 2. But we know that these last game days in the Premier League can throw a lot of drama. Spurs, the permutations, they got it pretty lightly, haven't they? They basically just have to draw, don't they? And I mean if West Ham get a record breaking Premier League win against Leeds, then they'll be sweating at the spurs stadium. But the stats in that game, Spurs v Everton, are pretty damning for both sides, to be honest with you. Everton, they're at their most vulnerable Away to London sides on the final day. They've won one of their last nine in that scenario. But let's face it, they are playing a Spurs side that can't get a win at home at the minute. So something's got to give there. Spurs are the favorites in this game at 2023 the draw currently 13 5, Everton 165 to get three points in that one and give West Ham some hope. And then looking at the game at the the London Stadium, West Ham V leads. They are the favorites to win. They know they have to do that. They're 8 to 11 to win. They only have five home wins all season though. I look, I want to be kind to West Ham fans and we're gonna throw some optic optimism their way. They have won 11 of their last 19 final day games at home, so reasons to be cheerful there. Hammers fans, the drawing that one three one leads currently 29 to 10. They're on a pretty decent run though. Eight games unbeaten they are. They've lost just one of their last 11 away games. So 29 to 10 could be a bit of value here in this market given how open the game could potentially get. It could get quite stretched with West Ham knowing that they have to win and then looking at who's going to be key in this one. I've picked out Jared Bowen. I mean it's not original. Bowen's on fire at the minute for West Ham. He's had a hand in eight of their last 12 goals so I do like him to score our assist to keep that run going at 8 to 11. Looking at both games I'm going to put together a cross match bet builder. I'm going to sit on the fence for both games. I'm going to go Spurs, Everton to be a draw. I'm going to go for West Ham and Leeds to be a draw and I'm going to stick those two player selections in that I fancy which is Richarlison to score our assist, Jared Bowen to score our assist. So that in a bet builder comes out just a bit bigger than 45 1. Fingers crossed we get that one over the line. We are taking advantage of Betfair's 90 minute guarantee with those match odds 90 selections and safe sub as well with those player selections too. So Matt, if the drawing on 90 minutes then that part of the bet will be settled as a winner and if our players are subbed off then those parts of our bet will roll onto the player coming on. So yeah, fingers crossed that one lands. It's not Great news if you're a West Ham fan, but hey, if you back it, it's 45 to 1 and it comes in then. Reasons to be cheerful.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah, and we've had some success with him this season, so why not? Sam, appreciate your time and yeah, we'll keep our fingers crossed for Sunday.

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This is the Athletic FC podcast, proudly sponsored by Betsy there.

[Matt Davis Adams]

So Arsenal won the title earlier this week, their first in 22 years. He came after Manchester City, couldn't get past Bournemouth on Tuesday. Arsenal go to palace this weekend. Erici as has had a decent week. He's in the World cup squad. He'll get a guard of honor from his old club too. Should be quite the occasion. As a one of those who surprised you at his inclusion in the World cup squad, Carl, There was a lot of competition in that area with your Palmers, your Gibbs whites and your Foden's not making the Cup.

[Karl Anker]

I think Eze has done enough to merit his own conclusion there. I've spoken several times in that I've been unconvinced by Phil Foden. Englisher if I ask you right now, what's Phil Foden's best game for England?

[Jay Harris]

It doesn't exist.

[Karl Anker]

There's a There you go. Cole Palmer looks in pain and I hope, I hope whatever surgery or ailment he's been putting off, hopefully thinking about going to the World cup, he can now go and get that sorted. So to my mind I went, no Palmer, no Foden. That means Gibbs White should get the spot. And the fact that Gibbs White just isn't there at all. I'm going. I beg your pardon. So eze 1 section Good, fine. Again, it should be Jude Bellingham as the number 10 for pretty much every single minute. If you need to have another option, it's Morgan Rogers coming on next to Bellingham. I do not see a scenario where Bellingham is not playing mitts unless Bellingham is hurt and then signals it himself. And then Eze might be in that sort of extra time penalties. Conclusion. I keep having to remind myself World cup games are going to be played in quarters because it's going to be so hot. So yeah, Eze might be the fourth quarter hero. Great football player. Phenomenal story. The guard. Your mileage may vary on the guard of honor in the Premier League. And Wayne Rooney spoke about how he felt quite awkward about the time Manchester United got a guard of honor from Chelsea players. But Alex Ferguson rotated the team so it was barely any of the players who actually won the league. But I think the visual of Eze walking and getting a guard of honor from Crystal palace would make both sets of fans quite happy, which is very rare to say.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah, well, I mean, we'll have to wait and see what kind of 11s both sides picks with the European finals on the horizon. Somebody else who didn't make the Cup, Jay, was Adam Wharton. He might be involved for palace on Sunday. Obviously I feel like the reason that he's not in is because every time an international squad has come around under Thomas Tuchel, either been injured or got injured, is that what's counted against him here or should he have made the cut?

[Jay Harris]

Yeah, quite possibly. I actually I'm slightly more surprised that Alex Scott's not been included. I think he's been excellent over the last couple of months. Lots of people will talk about the goal he scored for Bournemouth against Arsenal, but actually look at what he does in the build up to junior Eli Krupi's goal against Man City on on Tuesday. I think the way he sort of receives the ball, makes that pass is, is excellent and that's something which England could have could have done with. I think what's always sort of counted against Wharton is maybe he's not the most physical off the ball and then you. We can sort of see from maybe the profile of Tuco squad because I think he's taken slightly more defenders than attackers that maybe he's sort of digging in for a bit of a some jewels and some difficult games at the tournament. And I'm not sure that that's what Wharton excels at. But having said that, it's still strange to leave players with a passing range of Wharton and Trent Alexander Arnold out of the equation. You'd think that you'd have at least one of them on to sort of come on late in games, play some Hollywood passes, unlock some stubborn defenses.

[Matt Davis Adams]

But apparently not Sunday at Cellhurst. Carl, I've alluded to this already, but it is going to be two reserve sides you would think for Arsenal ahead of the Champions League final against psg. It's going to be very carabao y Right. I'm thinking Kepa the lesser spotted Christian Norgaard, maybe Max Dauman if he's eaten all his dinner and tried his hardest in his GCSEs this week possibly.

[Karl Anker]

And also, and I say this with love and respect, those Arsenal boys are drunk and tired. I think they what the photographs with Declan Rice and a couple other boys hanging around emirates up until 5am in the morning I was at the FWA awards on Tuesday night. And several journalists cheered, got up and then promptly left the event when they found out Arsenal had won the League title. I think some of them left to go write some copy and some of them decided to go to the Emirates and enjoy the celebrations. One journalist I saw, oh, I haven't seen you all evening, went, hi, sorry, can't stop. I need to go to the Emirates. There's 20,000 fans there and I want to enjoy this. Yeah, I think it's going to be a rotated team. I think it's going to be Mosquera at center back. I think I would be really interested if Norgaard starts because he's a football player I would have liked to see more of. And there was definitely points in the season where I was looking at Zubamendi in particular. Shouldn't Norgaard be playing here just to give Zubi a breather? Be interested to see who starts up front. I think, yeah, Nonny's gonna play. This is gonna be interesting one because the fringe players probably decide to have a couple of beers thinking, ah, cool, I get to hang out and, no, you're going to run. So, yeah, rotated teams. Very carabaoi. Very carabao. Going to be quite fun. Probably the most open Arsenal game you'll see all season. There's been loads of chat. If you want to beat Arsenal, you need to be willing to score two goals and keep a clean sheet. I think this time you can probably just win by one.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Baking hot sun in London on Sunday as well might affect things. Interesting, Jay. It's Oliver Glasner's final game at Selhurst park, isn't it? What kind of reception do you think he will get? Because it looked like it was going to be a horrible and messy divorce. It's obviously before the Conference League Final, so Palace fans won't know if he's got that over the line for them. But he did win them the FA Cup. Do you think that those wounds have been healed now between he and the Eagles supporters?

[Jay Harris]

Yeah, I think it was around that January period of time when, when Gay was leaving and Glassner announced his own departure, that it seemed really toxic. And I think there was a little bit of confusion and uncertainty over whether Glasner would get to this point. So I think results in the last few weeks and obviously, of course, getting to the Conference League final mean that some of those wounds have healed over slightly. But I still wouldn't necessarily expect him to get the same ovation he would have got had he not sort of kicked up a little bit of a fuss, but at the end of the day, if palace go on to win the Conference League final, then, then Glasner's won two trophies in two years, which is absolutely exceptional and it's far above what anybody anticipated when he was appointed. So I'm sure there will be many palace fans who still recognize that.

[Karl Anker]

I also think talking to palace fans, quite a few of them have said, yeah, he has caused a bit of a stink and called out his bosses, but also he was well within his rights to do that. And that's probably if you want Crystal palace to maintain this upward trajectory, you do need someone up there who can go, okay, I've delivered you your first bit as a, you know, Sil, you know, silverware in however many decades. Let's make sure we don't have to wait this. There you go. Let's make sure the gap isn't however many years and decades since. What have you got for me? And if the answer is, well, we're going to sell your center back, we're going to sell your best attacking player and we're not really going to bring in any recruitments, I think you're well, then you're right to do that. Whoever succeeds Glassner is going to have a very difficult role. You don't want to be the man who replaces the man. But hopefully the fact that Glassner has left in, has left and been so vocal about what he wants and what Crystal palace should aim for, that could hopefully play into that success of being like, okay, give me some money, let me go out and buy backup. So when we are on the Thursday Sunday treadmill, my players aren't absolutely exhausted in their Premier League outings because there were two or three points this season where you're watching Crystal palace play on Sunday and hit the hour mark and they just couldn't run anymore.

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[Matt Davis Adams]

sponsored by Betfair right Elsewhere, Manchester City as you mentioned, ran Arsenal close in the title race, but they ran out of road at Bournemouth on Tuesday. The cherries confirming European football they could yet get a place in the Champions League. Now allow me to take a deep breath here as I explain it. Aston Villa crown Europa League champions on Wednesday night. If they finish fifth in the league then the extra European spot earned through English teams performance in Europe gets passed down to the team in sixth. For that to happen they need Manchester City to beat Villa, Liverpool to beat Brentford. Bournemouth also need to hold on to sixth place. A draw would do it for them at Forest or they have to hope that Brighton failed to beat Manchester United. Bournemouth in the Champions League Possibly then Karl and Anarola therefore would be in with a shout for manager of the season. Any regret on his part that he decided to leave before this potential seat at European football's top table was offered to his side?

[Karl Anker]

Possibly. But you know the old showbiz thing of always leave them wanting more. This is unprecedented. Just a phenomenal way to to leave Bournemouth. Marco Rose is inheriting just a wonderful situation when he takes over there. I think Iralo is a phenomenal football coach again. Another one of the coaches from the Basque region that seems to be taking over European football at this current point in time. And Bournemouth, Bournemouth's been an interesting one in that very often you are watching Match with Day, you are watching Bournemouth play on sky and they have that moment where they are talking about how great things are at Bournemouth and camera will pan up to the players box where all the injured Bournemouth players are and they'll make some sort of comment on and they're doing it with so many injured players and then I'll go yes, it is amazing that they can seemingly play modular football and they can have two or three players out from injury and just keep on trucking. I do also go, if the way your AO wants to play football leads to this many injuries, possibly is that going to be possible when you're playing twice a week rather than once a week? The fact that he's leaving and Marco Rose is coming, it means we might not get an answer to that properly. I mean, Marco Rose is from the Red Bull school of, has coached Red Bull clubs, I should say so he too will like to play high pressing football, but also he has, I believe he has greater experience with Champions League competition. So I'll be really interested to see how Bournemouth progress, change their style if they are playing Champions League football or Europa League football. I've just said that sentence now and I've just had both themes play across my head. Don't be a football journey, kids. Don't be a football journey.

[Matt Davis Adams]

The Europa League theme's a banger, to be fair. What you think in manager of the year wise then, Jay? I mean, I think something we can say with Certitude, it's going to be somebody from the Basque region. It's got to be Arteta though, hasn't it? Getting. Getting Arsenal their first Premier League title in so long.

[Jay Harris]

Well, I think you're forgetting that I'm a man of a West London.

[Karl Anker]

Here comes Keith Andrews.

[Jay Harris]

Look, it will probably be Mikel Arteta because he finally got Arsenal over the line, but I do think Keith Andrews deserves a, a lot of recognition because what everybody was saying, and probably myself included before the start of the season was that there was so much skepticism about that decision. He had been the set piece coach for a season under Thomas Frank, but he'd never held a senior head coach role before. I think he'd done some stuff in academies previously and yeah, I had my question marks about the decision. The only thing which made me not truly criticize Brentford for that decision was the fact that they've done lots of things over the years which are unconventional. Setting up a B team is a perfect example of that which have worked out in their favor every year. When they sell Tony and Boomer or Vista, we go, well, surely now it's going to catch up with them and they continue to improve. And I watched the opening game of the season on sky when Brentford were 30 down to Nottingham Forest at half time and I thought this is going to be an ugly season. And then they beat Aston Villa 1 nil in the next game. Cover your ears, Carl. They beat Man United shortly after that and they've just gone from strength to strength. It's a shame that they've sort of their momentum's ground to a halt a little bit in. In March and April with so many draws I think it was five in a row. But to even be in a position

[Additional Analyst]

where they might qualify for Europe considering

[Jay Harris]

what everybody thought would happen.

[Additional Analyst]

Losing Norgaard and Bumo Visser, Mark Flecken means that they've exceeded expectations whatever happens and I think we need to give a hat tip to Keith Andrews for that.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. And what a sliding doors moment. Reportedly didn't get the MK Dons job before he got the Brentford job. He's probably quite relieved about that now. So they've got a chance to get in Europe have Brentford as have Brighton as we mentioned Chelsea and Sunderland too. A Brighton win gets them at least a Europa League spot. Carl, they're playing your lot. Man United at the Amex. How do you see that going? Is it all about Bruno Fernandes and the assist record as far as United are concerned?

[Karl Anker]

So this is going to be interesting one because Bruno Fernandes is going to be without Benjamin Sesko up front and without Casemiro to whip in corners and free kicks towards. So if he is going to get the assist record it's going to be to a player that he hasn't necessarily supplied too many goals to. Michael Carrick has already confirmed with his press conference yesterday that Casemiro already played his last game for Manchester United. That was against Nottingham Forest. I was there at Old Trafford when he got to 20 and the players all did run over to him including Senor Lemons from the ran the entire length of the field to congratulate Fernandez. I also talked to Fernandez on Tuesday at the FWAS and made mention that I'd like him to get one more. I'm not quite sure he'll get it if only because he's going to be without his two best tools there. I'm not sure who's going to play next to Mainoo at the heart of central midfield if Casimiro is not there. It was Mason Mount when United played Sunderland and Mount is not a deep line midfielder.

[Matt Davis Adams]

He.

[Karl Anker]

He's an attacking box to box player. An auxiliary number 10. Really you'll be able to speak on this a little bit more than I will Matt because you saw him at his absolute pre pelvic injury best for Chelsea. I really enjoyed and Brighten were in the Europa League a couple of seasons ago. They had a fantastic trip to Roma. They seemingly have the squad depth to deal with the Thursday Sunday treadmill compared to two or three other clubs. I'm not sure if they're going to saunter the Europa League final in the same way that Aston Villa have just done it now, but they'd be fun in European competition too. So United have played Brighton towards the end of the season in two or three campaigns. They did it in 2024 where they won two nil before going on to to win the FA cup final. So if you can get another result like that, that'd be quite fun. But yeah, I think Brighton are going to be up for it just a little bit more because United are secure in third place. I did ask Michael Carrick earlier this month if he felt the need to guard against complacency and any accusations his team were in the Beaks beach, I should say, and he said he almost got to gets offended by such accusations. So here we go.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Well, I mean they'll be close to the beach if nothing else on Sunday. Harry Maguire one of those not going to the World Cup Jay Other England defenders who didn't make the cut Lewis Hall, Luke Shaw and Levi Colwill. Have you got much beef with any of those decisions?

[Jay Harris]

In particular, I'm slightly surprised John Stone's managed to sneak in because he's just barely played this season and he's had fitness issues for a long period of time. I've not watched Harry Maguire and Man United a lot this season, but it seems like he has been at the the sort of heart of their revival under Michael Carrick. The sort of only caveat I'd say is that the way him and some of his family members have reacted to that news, I think is lacks class and dignity and we spoke earlier about maybe why some players have been included because they contribute to the harmony of the dressing room and maybe maybe that's a little insight into the into why Tuchel didn't pick maguire. Maybe putting two and two together and getting 10 there. But I think you will. You understand what I'm getting at. Levi Colwill It's a shame, but of course we all understand it because he's coming off the back of an acl, so otherwise I'm not too disheartened. We've already mentioned Spence is versatile. He can play left back or right back. So I understand that Lewis Hall Newcastle have sort of dropped off massively in the second half of the season. So again I can understand that, but we have to see how it all works out.

[Karl Anker]

You're a Very forgiving man, Jay, if

[Jay Harris]

you want me to go in two footed, I can go in two footed.

[Karl Anker]

Okay, look, I can understand some of these selections based on information Thomas Tuchel has said. And Thomas Tuchel very clearly has ideas about how to run the England team and how to approach this World cup and he's going to stick to these things. I think some of these ideas are suboptimal. We've just come off a European season where due to the fact that we're playing increased man to man pressing schemes, we're seeing more and more teams prioritise set piece play and physicality, particularly in the Premier League. And you are seeing the Premier League advantage in European competitions, particularly in the Europa League and the Conference League where Premier League teams are just elbowing their way through by that trend. I don't understand why he's not taking Harry Maguire. I do not understand why he's not taking a centre back who is incredibly robust in the air in both boxes has been there and done that Inner England shirt you've just mentioned. John Stones. John Stones next to Harry Maguire is the most successful centre back partnership England have had in the 21st century. No England duo has won more knockout games than those two together. So to take one and not the other is a bit odd. Not taking Lewis hall and Luke Shaw is odd in that. Again, you're playing in North American heat, you're going to be using water breaks, you're going to be. Some of these fullbacks are going to get gassed by the hour mark. And to my mind, you need as many bodies as possible and you should bring in people who can play left back and get up and down and up and down and up and down and. Okay, maybe you shouldn't take Luke short because he can't get over and across in the same way he used to in 2020. But to not take Lewis hall as well, I need a great explanation there. That's really, really odd to me. You need as many left footed players and as many people who can play left back with a left foot as possible. Because I can't have another Euro 2024 where your left back is coming inside on your right foot. This Thomas Tuchel guy, Matt, you know him a little bit more than me. He's tactically unique, isn't he?

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah. I mean, look, you can't pick everybody, can he? Is what I would say. I've always been a big defender of his. But this is quite strange. Some of the decisions that have been made, at least he's his own Man, I suppose he's probably not going to go around Harry Maguire's Sisters for dinner for a little while. Absolutely disgusted, she posted on social media. There we go. Let's finish with a little bit more Premier League chat. Sunderland hosting Chelsea could be pivotal in the race for a European place. Regis Le Bris looking to lead Sunderland to Europe in their first season back in the big time would mean much more to them, Jay, wouldn't it, than Chelsea a place in the Conference League. I mean, Chelsea could get in the Europa League, but for Sunderland, any flavour of European football would be tremendous.

[Jay Harris]

Well, did Chelsea want to get into the Conference League, which they won a couple of years ago under Maresca or last year under Maresca? Do they want to get into the Europa League when certainly during my childhood Chelsea were always competing in quarterfinals and semi finals and, and winning the Champions League. And then there's just a small factor of a new head coach in Xabi Alonso. Would he want to come in where his Thursdays or Wednesdays are taken up with traveling to random parts of, of Europe or does he want that extra time on the, on the training field and sort of stamping his own authority in this new team? But for Sunderland to, to be, you know, I sort of gave my hat tip to Keith Andrews earlier. We shouldn't forget Reggie the Bris because for Sunderland to, to be anywhere near that conversation is remarkable. The fact they came up via the playoffs, often teams that come up via the playoffs don't do that well in the Premier League, but they, they have also exceeded expectations. It seems like they had a little bit of a dip in, in mid March, but they've definitely had a resurgence over the last few weeks. So if they go into Europe it would cap a remarkable story. And the sense I've got with, with Sunderland is that they've got very ambitious owners. They've got, I think the CEO or the chairman, Kyra Louis Dreyfus is, is really young and he's got some interesting ideas. So I'm very intrigued to see how they develop over the next few years if and when they do get Europe.

[Karl Anker]

I don't think if your nation gets five Champions League places, I don't think you should get a Conference League slot. And I don't mean this is a demerita Palace, I don't mean this is a demerit to Chelsea. But when the Conference League was first announced in 2023, the idea was to offer more opportunities for smaller from clubs from smaller nations as clubs, but perhaps haven't had that European opportunity to do it, to do the, to get to have the midweek games, to get to travel Europe, to get to really enjoy this. The Conference League has the potential to make itself visually distinct and different to the other competitions and I don't think enough has been done to make it interesting and different from the Europa League and the, and the Champions League. And I think a great way to do it is if you are going to have this league phase, if you are going to have this huge slog and ELO system and chess ranking so the best teams don't meet each other until the final. The Conference League should be different. And if you want to do that, if you get five slots or even six slots for your nation, you should not get a Conference League spot.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Right? I don't mind that. I think Crystal palace fans might disagree, but we shall see I suppose. Carl finally then sandwiched in between Sunderland and Chelsea at Brentford, they go to Anfield to take on Liverpool. Lots of goodbyes all around the Premier League this. Is Mo Salah going to get on the pitch or is he done for his chances with his social media activity last week? Surely Arneslot can't just leave him out entirely, surely?

[Karl Anker]

And yet Arnas Slot did his press conference before we got on the podcast microphones and he was non committal about Mohamed Salah's inclusion which is ruinous from fantasy football managers everywhere. He should play. Slot is on up to a hiding to nothing if he doesn't play him because the accusation right now is that this is a manager who's putting his own ego and priorities ahead of Liverpool. That nebulous concept of the football club. And I think, I mean Mohamed Salah didn't play too much under Mourinho under Chelsea, but he definitely seemed to have picked up some lessons about how to carry yourself in terms of media and interviews. Yeah, Salah should play well.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Salah was one of the key players of this season last time around. He's not going to win player of the Year this time. Jay who should and who will would you think Bruno Fernandez took the FWA award?

[Jay Harris]

Well, I voted for Gabrielle for FWA and I probably unwisely voted quite early because I knew if I didn't vote when I first saw the email I was probably going to forget. So I think I voted in mid March when Arsenal were seven, maybe more points clear at the top of the Premier League table and they had comfortably the best defense in the division and I thought that is what's going to be the difference now obviously they've faltered over the last few weeks of the season and Gabriel's not been as influential with his goal scoring as he was in the first half of the campaign. But I still think when you consider how erratic he was when he first joined Arsenal, his development over the last few years has been phenomenal. If, if I got to recast my vote now, maybe I'd pick David Rya or Declan Rice. I'm sorry, I just can't vote for Bruno Fernandes. Just in a season where he's been able to rest his feet up every few days when other teams have been playing in Europe and stuff like that. I don't know, I just can't. It's a Premier League award.

[Karl Anker]

It's a Premier League award. What are you doing? It's a Premier League.

[Jay Harris]

You know what I mean, though? I do.

[Karl Anker]

I understand it, to use a Jay Harris term. What I will say is that in the fwa, I voted for Bruno Fernandez, but I did the opposite to you, Jake. So like you said, voting opened up in mid March and I made the option to wait until the very last minute to vote. And of course I'm a Manchester United report, I'm a Manchester United fan. And part of me was like, oh, I should give it to Bruno. In mid March I went, no, let me see if this is recency bias or something's going on. And then as you go through April, Bruno Fernandes keeps putting in great performance after great performance after great performance after great performance. Arsenal had their, as we've now seen under Arteta, April wobble. And I thought, yeah, if I want one outstanding individual for the 25, 26 season, I think Bruno Fernandes, there's an argument there for him and I want to support that argument. I think Arsenal have unfortunately fallen foul of what Manchester United fell foul of in the treble winning season where there were so many outstanding Arsenal players this season. That is split the vote because, yeah, you can vote for Declan Rice, you can also vote for Gabrielle, you can also vote for David Raya, you can also vote for Saliba as well. And I think you had a lot of journalists voting this way, that way and this way. Whereas you just had a groundswell towards Bruno Fernandes as the one individual who was doing the most to help his football team get to where they wanted to be.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Last word of the show. Karl is going to remain on Manchester United. Michael Carrick has, in the time we've been recording, being confirmed as the permanent manager on a two year contract. Not a surprise, is it? The right move.

[Karl Anker]

Not a surprise. I think it's a very sensible contract length as well. So it's two years with an option for an additional one. I think the World cup summer and the movement around a number of coaches associated with the World cup also help Michael Carrick stay as the number one contender. So Thomas Tuchel has signed a contract sanction in England. Caroline Cheloti signed a contract extension with Brazil. Always weird when these managers sign an extension before the tournament started. I think you're into a hiding to nothing there. Luis Enrique doesn't seem to be interested in leaving PSG at this current point in time and Julian Engelsmann's contract now runs to 2028 with Germany. So any of the managers that perhaps you could make an argument for saying let's go get him over Michael Carrick seem to be predisposed until 2028. So giving Michael Carrick a run until 2028 makes sense to me. Two thumbs up. He's a good man. He does not give huge headlines in the press conferences, which is a massive contrast to Ruben Emeron. And I think that's what Manchester United need right now. Just a steady, understated, reliable operator. Which is much like how Michael Carrick used to play for Manchester United too.

[Matt Davis Adams]

Yeah, absolutely. All right, well, that's where we're going to leave things for today. Enjoy the final weekend of the Premier League season. My thanks to Carl and Jay and producers Jay and John, and to you of course, for listening. Have a great weekend. We'll catch up with you soon.

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[Karl Anker]

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