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This episode is powered by Fuse Energy. Before the action starts, a word from Fuse, who makes switching energy supplies easy to celebrate. Big moves. We're testing Alan and Micah on the legends of the transfer window. Who holds the record for playing for the most clubs in Premier League history? I'm gonna go Craig Bellamy.
D
Alan, he just saw the answer there.
C
No, I did not
D
know the answer any. And it's not Craig Bellamy. Marcus Bent.
C
Eight different teams he played for. Which is the most? Crystal Palace, Blackburn, Ipswich, Leicester, Everton, Charlton, Wigan and one of the club. If you just look straight ahead at producer John Wolves fan.
D
Yes, Wolves.
C
From big match calls to moving house, smart choices make all the difference. Switch to Fuse Energy and save up to £200 on your energy bills. It takes less than three minutes online. Visit fuseenergy.com for football to sign up and view full terms and conditions. Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football with Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We're doing this just after Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth, which of course meant that Arsenal are the Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. Micah was working at the game in Bournemouth, so hopefully we'll get Micah from the back of a car somewhere a little bit later on. If not, no problem. Well, congratulations, Arsenal. Yeah, I saw great scenes. It looks like it's at the ground. All the players are there jumping up and down. Fans are coming from everywhere to the stadium. About two or three Arsenal friends of mine. That said, I've got going to the ground, I'm going to the ground and it's. It's a time for them deservedly to rejoice Alan.
D
Yeah, absolutely. It's. They've been the best team, they've been the most consistent team. They've found a way to win games when they weren't playing that well, as you have to do, being the champions. It's been a long, stressful, hard road for them. But when it's been that long, you have to go through all of that. All of that stuff, you know, so I've been there myself.
C
Tell us what it feels like.
D
You know what it feels like. The relief. I mean, I can just picture the scene now with all the staff, all the players that all got together in the small hope that City didn't win at Bournemouth. Just in this small hope, just in case it'll be absolutely on the way of getting shit face. So they should, because all of this stress has just been released from them and all the hard work, all the dedication, all what they've had to go through, not only this season, last season, the season before, the season before. Yeah, all of those players have been through, Mikel, so they've been the best team. They deserve. And I hope they have a great night or they hope they have a great few nights.
C
They managed to get that three points and they. Against Burnley last night, which was vitally important. Slightly edgy, but, you know, they did what they had to do. And then obviously, I don't know whether it's better or not if you're not actually playing when you win the League. It happened with Leicester, it didn't matter. And they had that incredible party, remember, at Jamie Vardy's house. We had one down here, actually, with all my boys and it was. It was amazing. And I suppose every Arsenal fan would have been watching that. All the players would have. And I suppose if it happens in that you're actually, you can party straight away. You don't have to wait till you get changed and you have a shower. I mean, yours was, I suppose, similar in some ways, Alan, because when you won the League, you know, you lost your last game and you were dependent on West Ham, wasn't it? Took points off Manchester United. Did the fact that you lost the game matter after that or not? It just didn't.
D
Oh, you might.
C
No, you won't. No, I'm just asking because I've never
D
experienced it, honestly, the stress that you go through. And then, I mean, the Arsenal players and Arsenal stuff and the Arsenal fans all over the world would have been desperate for them to win it tonight. In. In terms of Man City not winning, they wouldn't care. One jot that the. They had. It doesn't matter. The weekend they were. They were just desperately hoping that they didn't have to play at the weekend in terms of the stress they've got to go through.
C
So five days, five days fewer.
D
Yeah.
C
To actually suffer.
D
And you can tell, I mean, even their performance against Burnley at home was full of nerves, full of anxiety and all of those things. You can feel it from a stand and I get it. I understand as, as you said, I've been there, I know what it's like. So I'll be absolutely so relieved and delighted that it's. It's not going to the last game of this season because you don't know anything can happen.
C
Yeah, of course, tough game away at Crystal palace as well. Under the circumstances, anything, anything could occur. So, you know, a lot of players, they're all jumping up and down in the. I think, I guess it was at the ground. You couldn't really tell from social media, but it definitely a big space, I would imagine, perhaps was that. I don't know where they all gathered deliberately. I'm pleased for Mikel Arteta. I think he's done a really excellent job. He's gradually built and, you know, the pressure was mounting because he couldn't quite get over the line. Apart from obviously that early FA cup success and then, you know, numerous trophies went just away from them and, and you could see on the touch line how much it mattered to him, how much he probably needed that as well. I suspect now they'll probably go on to bigger and better things. I also think fact that they've won in this, this way, this game, this league will enhance their chances of. Of success in the Champions League final. I still think they're second favorites because psg, as we know, are an incredibly good side. But Arsenal, if anyone can beat them, it's probably Arsenal and, and what a double that would be. Who the Bin Starman for. For you. And I don't think we'll differ too much in our opinion.
D
I think the three outstanding players for Arsenal have been this season wouldn't. From back to front would be David Goalkeeper, Gabrielle and Declan Rice. Yeah, I just think those, those three for me have been the outstanding players week after week after week, delivering performance after performance when it got tough. And there are periods during the season where you have to knuckle down and you have to accept the criticism. You have to understand you're not playing well. But I just think those three, for most of the season should say, have been the brilliant players, the outstanding Players. The go to players. Yeah, yeah. So I would actually have those three in 1, 2 and 3. Probably David Rya, play of the season for me. Wow.
C
Goalkeeper Al, what's wrong with you?
D
I know, I know, I know it's hard to do the golf there, but yeah, I just think. Yeah, I think him, Gabrielle and Declan have been outstanding.
C
All three of them are. Would be worthy. The only other player I'd add in there outside of them is for what he's achieved and an individual basis would be Bruno Fernandes. But I think it'll probably go to an Arsenal player. Now. I don't know when they vote the players on this. I know the football rights has already been done. I was interested in, wasn't it? Because a few people saw it in different ways. You know when they lost against Manchester City.
D
Yeah.
C
And at the end of the game there was a shot of Declan Rice going around going, it's not done, it's not done. You could see that going two ways. For me, it signified leadership ship and actually, come on, we're going to still do this. And ultimately it's about the end result and the end result means they have done it. I think people will look back on that moment and, and remember it in a. And I think a really important way. A significance.
D
Yeah, I agree. I think you've got. How do you react? That's. That's the most important thing is after such a huge blow and it was a huge blow, how do you then react? What. What have you got about you? What are you going to do? Are you going to sit back and accept. Okay. And feel sorry for yourself? Or are you going to bounce back and say this is what we're made of and this is what we have to do. And Arsenal did that. Forget what people will say about it not being a great season in terms of standard wise. Forget about people saying about Var and they needed all the help and they've had decisions and they've never had a red card and all of that stuff. Arsenal over this season, over the length of the season and it's only 37, but over 38 games they've been the best team. The best team wins it and they deserve it. And full credit to them and to Mikhail Arteta.
C
I couldn't agree more, Alan. And they'll certainly enjoy it on Sunday now. Yeah, they'll get a big send off there and they'll obviously lift that trophy.
D
Well, you're right. You know, you said about the Champions League, I mean, just the belief and with them having this in the bag now because you can imagine going into that game without hadn't and they hadn't been the Champions and Man City had beaten them. The stress and the pressure and the noise that would have said, oh, the bottle, the League, they're not going to win this, but now they can go into it and yes, PSG are the favorites, fine, I think we all accept that. But I also think, and I've said it for a while, is that if this one team can beat this PSG team in terms of, because of a defensive performance and it's, it's this Arsenal team and I guess that'll give them huge belief now going into, going into that game because I, I think deep down and I, maybe I'm wrong and the Arsenal fans will tell me, maybe I'm wrong, but I think this is the one they wanted and needed more than most.
C
I think most of them, not all of them I've had conversations with and there are different answers, but I think mostly the League title is, it's the sign you're the best club in the country of that particular year. You can win a cup competition, even a big one like the Champions League, but this definitely increases their chances going into that, that game. Really look forward to that. Let's take a little break, Alan. When we come back, talk a little bit about what this means for Manchester City. The rumors, very, very strong rumors that Pep Guardiola's going to le a little bit on that decision that's gone against Southampton, your former club. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. Every great idea needs a name. And once you've got that, you need a great domain. Enter Squarespace. The all in one website building platform makes it super easy to lock in the perfect domain. You just search the name you want, buy it, and then you're ready to build. Your custom domain comes with everything it should. Powerful built in security, award winning support and tools that help you grow. And Squarespace offers over 400 extensions from theclassic.com to.org.net.co and the list goes on. Stand out, get found and claim your corner of the Internet with a domain that brings your idea to life. Go to squarespace.com football all uppercase for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use code football again all uppercase to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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News of the night. Alan, really is that obviously not Manchester City not winning the league, but also the fact that it appears it's not been officially announced yet that Pep Guardiola is going to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. And he will leave it with the first time in his manager career that he's gone two successive seasons without winning a title.
D
Amazing.
C
Which is incredible.
D
Yeah. I mean, there have been rumors for a while, hasn't there? Yeah. That he was going to be leaving this summer. I mean, and to go out with another two trophies, which makes it 20 in 10 seasons. I mean, it is. It is ridiculous. And you are. I think you said it the other day about when Pep came in, so many people that were saying, oh, he can't play that way to be successful. You can't have his fullbacks come into midfield. He can't keep passing out from the back as he does. Whereas the whole world or the whole league is now passing out from the back. Even non league football now is passing out from the back and putting fullbacks in midfield and doing everything that he sort of brought into the game. So he will leave an absolute legend. He will leave a guy that's been incredibly successful. And I know that. That they've had unbelievable wealth and money to spend, but that's not always easy to get that right when you've got that, as we've seen with so many other clubs.
C
Yeah.
D
And he's done it in his own unique style. And I didn't. I didn't think we'd ever put anyone in a bracket of Sir Alex, but I think you have to with him because of who and what he is and what he's done.
C
Yeah, I would agree. I think you have to put him in the. In the bracket with Sir Alex. I mean, he had an incredible amount of success over a long period of time. I'm not sure that he had the influence on our actual game, though, that probably Pep Guardiola has had. I don't. I think that's indisputable. But it's. I. I think he's a great human being as well, you know, And I think you can tell that. I mean, he's pro. I think he's probably slightly mad in the sense that. In the sense of his drive and his commitment and his energy and he's. Everything about him on the touchline, etc. You know, sometimes he scratches himself and bangs his head and he's all these sort of things. I think he's been. I mean, an absolute credit to the game. And I know City have got the charges hanging over them. They've had them for a long time. But looking at them, they pretty much all of them were before Pep arrived. I don't know. We'll have that wait and see if anything ever comes of that any point. But it does look like he's going to be leaving. And maybe he knows what's coming with the charges. Who knows? I don't think any. Anyone else does.
D
But yeah, maybe, maybe you're right. But I guess what happens next for him? He takes a break, I think, like he did after Barcelona. Does he go back then into football in terms of club management or international management? I don't know. My guess would be maybe an international maybe. Yeah, I don't know. But whatever he does, he deserves like incredible amounts of credit.
C
I think he deserves a break.
D
You love arrest. Yeah. You love a year or two, I think, like you did after Barcelona.
C
Who's next for them? The room is a Maresca. Enzo Morescu is under. Pep obviously was at City. Was. I thought he did really well at Chelsea and then that strangely fell apart. But I sense. I'm not sure you want to follow his footsteps. It'll be incredibly difficult for anybody really, wouldn't it?
D
Oh, I mean, yeah, we've seen so many over the years. I mean, Man United been a great example with Sir Alex when he left. They still haven't got it right after all these years. So. Yeah, good luck to Maresque. If it is him, he might need it.
C
Well, the rumors are that he's. He's already kind of signed some sort of contract, pre contract or whatever.
D
But, you know, I guess they've spoken to Pep and Pep's given his advice.
C
Yeah.
D
In terms of who he thinks and who you would want to. To. To. To take over from him. And I guess his advice would have been Maresca as well. Haven't worked with him.
C
And I suppose Sir Alex did the same thing with David Moyes, but that didn't quite. Well, it's where it's not really worked out with David perhaps as well, but I think it's just incredibly tough. I always used to say after Sir Alex did leave Manchester United said, you don't want that job, you want the one after the next job. So when someone's failed, I think it'll be incredibly difficult. But you know, Maresca showed that he's got talent and he's won trophies, but it's, it's, it's. It's a big fish.
D
I mean, Big fish trophies in 10 years. It's just. Just out of this world, isn't it?
C
Elsewhere, at the other end of the table, things have livened up a little bit with spurs failing to get the point that they needed at Chelsea. Bloody bogey ground for Spurs. Houghton Po didn't happen quite in the end. And now they go to the last game of the season where they'll play Everton. They'll need a point to stay up. If West Ham win and spurs lose, then West Ham will scrape by the skin of their teeth and. And stay up and spurs will be relegated. I mean.
D
Well, we spoke about the stress at the top end of the table. The stress is proper stress. I mean, people can and will lose their jobs and their livelihoods are at stake in terms of. At the bottom of the table, because whoever's going to get relegated, there's no doubt that people are going to lose their jobs, whether that's at West Ham or with. Whether it's at Spurs. So what both, those. Both clubs are going through. I mean, West Ham. I saw West Ham at Newcastle at the weekend and they were dreadful. They were awful. I thought, you're done. But they'd have been sat there tonight hoping and praying that Chelsea do them a favor. And they have.
C
Yeah.
D
And I guess when the spurs players saw the Chelsea team, they thought maybe. But their record at Chelsea is awful, isn't it? So it goes to the last game of the season and I. I mean, whoever it is, can't really complain because both spurs on West Ham have been rancid all season. Yeah.
C
They've massively underperformed for the clubs of their stature.
D
They have.
C
So, yeah, we're in times for. For spurs fans and spurs former players as well. Hate to see them go down. But again, it's always the fans that. That suffer the most. Yeah, we got to talk about your former club, your other former club, Southampton. I mean, I must say I was shocked at that news that broke this afternoon, that Southampton. Because of Spygate, the little guy. Funny enough, I was. We had an event tonight for Gold Hanger with all our, like, lots of our hosts were there, lots of guests from Netflix and Spotify and some of our sponsors. And it was because it's a big week in the pod industry down in London and we were. We were talking there and Gordon Carrera, who is one of the hosts on the Rest is Classified, I interviewed all our hosts that were there. There's about eight of them and. And he says we need to do an episode on Spygate. He said Because Southampton spies are. And that's who. His biggest take. I know it's not funny for Southampton fans at the moment because it must be like. I mean, I have to say I'm not sure. I'm not sure the. The crime warrants this punishment. I mean, and he's got like a little guy with a. Like a. An iPhone filming and I don't really. I mean it's gone on forever, that sort of thing and I don't really know what anyone gets out of it. It. It is breaking the rules. We know that. But I don't know, a giant fine would have probably sufficed, I would think, but. But also Stefan McGovern was there from the rest his money was a huge Middlesbrough fan. She was absolutely thrilled.
D
I bet.
C
I know, it's amazing.
D
I was at a golf event for charity this today as well. Sir Graham Wiley foundation in Newcastle and Close House of which he does a great job. And we have a huge Middlesbrough fan who is one of the directors of golf there at. At Close House and he was the same as Steph would have been. He was absolutely ecstatic. Yeah, I know they've appealed and appeal. The appeal is tomorrow.
C
Yeah, they have to.
D
But I'm. I'm with you. I'm. In terms of the. The crime and the punishment. I know Bielsa did it and then they changed the rules after they got a fine. But I. I was expecting more of a huge fine rather than full expulsion from. From the final. But maybe. Let's see what happens on the appeal. I don't know. I just. I mean, it's. It's bonkers that they've. They've done it and they've been caught in the way they have done. It's not a good look at. In fact, it's. It's stupid what they've done and what they've been doing. But I'm with you, you know. Yeah, I know Middlesbrough went full in in terms of going after Southampton and I guess you would if you. If you feel that strongly and you've been hurt or they feel as if they've been damaged that much, but.
C
Well, you can't blame them.
D
No, you can't.
C
You can't blame Middleman at all. You know, and obviously there's some wrongdoing here.
D
I mean for them, the money and the. For what's at stake, what Southampton are about to lose. I mean, you're talking hundreds of millions of pounds, aren't you?
C
Well, this is the boast. It's the big one, isn't it. I mean, we don't know who's going to win that. I've got this feeling now that if it happens, then Middlesbrough probably, sometimes these things are meant to be. I do, you know, what with all these things, it's whether it's points deductions and it's happened to, you know, with my club and. And it's happened to lots of clubs or something like this, which is the equivalent really, almost, because they're not, you know, it's 50, 50, whether they go up or not. It's almost the equival of being relegated, you know, basically setting you back down. So it's who suffers, really suffers. Fans.
D
The fan funds who pay their money every single week, every single year, year after year after year. And the fans are the ones that have been punished. But I guess if that's a precedent for saying you can't go and spy on clubs and fill them, at least do it well.
C
Gordon said, at least do it well. Don't get caught.
D
Let's see what the appeal says. I know, it's another. It's a new independent panel, isn't it? So, yeah, let's see, let's see what they say. But it'll be fascinating to see what they come up with.
C
Whatever happens now, there'll be a big president set. Okay, Alan, let's call it a day. There couldn't get older Micah in the end. Never mind. But for now, that's it. Goodbye from me.
D
Goodbye from me.
Date: May 20, 2026
Hosts: Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer (Micah Richards absent)
This episode celebrates Arsenal clinching their first Premier League title in 22 years after Manchester City failed to secure a win at Bournemouth. Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer discuss Arsenal's remarkable season, the experience of winning a title, the impact for Mikel Arteta and his squad, and the implications for Manchester City and their manager Pep Guardiola, amid swirling rumors of his imminent departure. They also touch on the stressful relegation battle, the Spygate scandal affecting Southampton, and reflect on the bigger picture in English football. The episode is rich with personal anecdotes, strong opinions, and characteristic wit.
Arsenal's Journey to the Title
Personal Experiences with Title Wins
Celebration Dynamics
The Manager’s Pressure and Growth
Key Players (Arsenal’s Standouts)
Leadership Moments
Pep’s Legacy
Speculation on Pep’s Next Move & City’s Future
Intense Stress at the Bottom of the Table
Scandal and Punishment
Potential Reversal on Appeal
Arsenal's championship triumph is dissected with honest analysis, personal anecdotes, and plenty of warm humor. The episode not only celebrates their achievement—shaped by Arteta, a handful of elite players, and notable resilience—but also contextualizes it in Premier League history. Speculation around Pep's departure is both respectful and candid, and the hosts don’t shy away from broader issues such as the relentless pressure of relegation and the contentious Southampton Spygate ruling. Although missing Micah's usual energy, the chemistry and insight between Lineker and Shearer still deliver a compelling listen for any football fan.