Man Utd legends Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have been told they are living in the past over their Premier League predictions. Plus, Newcastle vs West Ham, brilliant Bees, big club bias, VAR madness and lots more…
Get your views in to theeditor@football365.com…
 Manchester United are lucky to be 6th in the league 

I didn’t watch the United game yesterday given it was at midnight here in Dubai and mentally they cause me regret and anxiety, I wasn’t at all surprised to see United concede a late goal at the end, although you would expect them to keep a lead for more than 5 bloody minutes after breaking the deadlock in the 96th minute.
Ultimately, United are lucky to be in 6th place in the league given how they have played all season. 40 goals scored and 40 goals conceded in 29 league games is so average. I predicted United would finish in 7th place back in October 2023, and I am not too far off that prediction. If Newcastle & Brighton were not leaking so many goals, they would be above United, because they can actually score some goals and play decent football, just not as experienced defensively. Oh and pundits like Neville & Ferdinand claiming that United could sneak into Top 4 shows they really are living in the past, Villa are a much better team and have a better manager too.
Related video: Erik ten Hag says he's 'disappointed' after Manchester Utd 1-1 draw (Daily Mail)

But yeah, United need to just accept the fact they will most likely finish 6th this season, and should count themselves lucky this is the case. You just have to hope they aren’t shit on the day when they play Coventry in the FA cup semi finals and hope for some form of a miracle in the final if they reach it. If finishing 5th place provides Champions League football this season, it says it all about how good the squad are, Ten Haag deserves half a season max next season to improve things, and if there is no improvement and he just keeps constantly saying ‘This is a process’ in his press conferences without any actual improvement, give him the chop and give someone else a chance by the start of 2025.
Rami, Dubai
 
We’ll Never See Their Like Again
Man Utd are starting to remind me of The Nights Watch…Hopelessly outmatched, hilariously second best…yet the amount of wildlings they’ve gotten past is astonighing.


The only thing surprising about that Brentford game was that Utd didn’t hold on for the win. They are the best team I’ve ever seen at being awful and getting results. Like if you were to allocate points based on performances then Utd have MAYBE 20 points, and i swear that feels generous. They are relegation quality but are cozy in 6th place…easily the worst team ever to accupy 6th at this stage of the season.
But theyll continue to pick up random points when they dont deserve it and we’ll all continue to our heads.
Patricio Del Toro
 
A well deserved sucker punch for Utd.
Aidan, Lfc (it takes one to know one)
 
Great Bees performance!
I know Man Utd gets the clicks, but come on, your article was so one-sided it could have been written by Samuel Luckhurst.
Why is it always “big club plays rubbish” instead of “small team plays great” in those situations? We absolutely battered Utd for 90 (well 103) minutes. It was the most shots we’d managed in a game for years (possibly since we had an incredible 44 against Blackpool in 2015). We had a ridiculous 85 touches in their box (2 shy of the PL record). Was that because Utd were awful or because we were brilliant? Obviously an element of both, but maybe you could focus more on the good rather than the bad and ugly?


And a reminder to all about injuries (because I’m sure there will be a few Utd fans ready with that excuse), we had our entire first choice back 4 unavailable due to injury. When Utd had to replace their CBs they brought on 2 players with a combined 79 international caps!
Rob, Surrey, Bees fan
 
Big club bias 
(Probably the wrong day for this sort of stuff, however..)
In response to Lee regarding Big Club bias – specifically around penalties.
The following is from premier league 23/24 and I’ve used team names rather than ground names to help with the sense of it all.
Teams awarded most pens.
Liv, Che, Ars (8); MC, MU, New, B’ton (5).
Grounds with the most pens given.
Liv, Che (7); B’ton (6); MU, New, SU (5).
Grounds with most pens to the home team.
Liv (7), Che (5), MU, New, AV (4).
Teams with most pens away from home
Ars (5), MC (4), Che (3).
The only ground with more pens for the away team is Tottenham (1 home/2 away).

It seems to be Big Red and Big Blue so let’s leave Tottenham out of it and consider Big 5.
Big 5 home ground pens for home team.
Liv 100%, MU 80, Ars 75, Che 70, MC 50.
Big 5 (25% of league) won 38.5% of all home pens (20/52).
Big 5 won 40.1% of all away pens (11/27).
Rather than “refute the big club bias hypothesis” these facts seem to support it.
Hartley MCFC Somerset (one team really pops doesn’t it?)
 
Newcastle vs West Ham
That felt like a gigantic win for NUFC, emotionally speaking. At 1-3, I was winding down toward my baseline level of disappointment with the Mags. SJP sounded quieter on NBC than it has in a while, even at the first penalty, but that may have been an artifact of production. Thank goodness for Alex Isak, Tony Gordon, and Smoove Harv Barnes. Even when we were losing, I thought that the match was elevated by the joust between Bruno G and Lucas Paqueta. As far as I know, those guys are legit bffs, but they kicked the living sh*t out of each other today. And as far as I’m concerned, for Newcastle to pull that performance out when they were 16th in the form table and facing a brand-new injury crisis was phenomenal.I was disappointed that Howe felt he had to introduce Lewis Hall, because if I understand correctly, an appearance threshold will make his transfer mandatory. In the past, he hasn’t impressed me, but today, he did really well in a tough situation. Maybe that 20 million quid will prove a bargain.
Chris C, Toon Army DC (I think Destiny Udogie is the funniest name in the EPL, but my 18yo son won’t stop making fun of Alphonse Areola; my own inner 18yo can barely stifle his giggles.) 

PS: That bit with Kudus yelling at the seated ball-boy was super weird. I’d like to imagine the lad had been winding Kudus up, but he seemed kind of young to really get under a player’s skin enough to merit a verbal bollocking.
 
West Ham thoughts
3-1 up with Newcastle players dropping like flies, and Moyes cedes advantage by taking off Antonio for Kalvin Phillips.
I don’t want to add to the pile on to Phillips, but Jesus it’s tough to watch him on the football pitch at the moment. Unlucky with the penalty (though he was slow to react), but he was really poor for Barnes’ winner.
On the penalty, it feels a bit crazy that someone can be in the act of kicking the ball and an opponent can stick their leg in front to win a pen.
I’d have been livid if our second goal had been scored against us. Say what you want about how truly injured Scharr was, but convention says that play won’t restart if a player is on the floor.

I can’t believe more wasn’t made of Burn’s foul on Kudus in the first half. Seemed a clear foul and would have been a red card.
We have absolutely no pace at the back and were expo by third man runs for the third and fourth goals.
Under the wording of the offside law Newcastle’s first penalty shouldn’t have stood either. Mavropanos is not in control so his touch should not be deemed a deliberate act, therefore Gordon was offside. Personally I think it’s nonsense and would be happy for that to be a pen, but no way it should be under current interpretation.
Gordon’s first caution is a perfect example of the type of foul that sin bins could eradicate. It is so frustrating to see a skillful player dragged back with no attempt to play the ball.
I am moving more towards Moyes out each week. His substitutions are horrific. He put us on the back foot by taking off Antonio. But didn’t look to change the shape back until after the fourth goal. Very Southgatian in that he waits and waits and waits before doing anything.

After the 2006 cup final a lot of people told me that it was a great game for the neutral. As a non-neutral I couldn’t give a shiny shit and this game feels very similar. I’d convinced myself that as I’d got older that football results didn’t affect me as much, but this has proper ruined my weekend.
Still, beat Spurs on Tuesday and I’ll be convinced we can finish 6th and win the Europa.
Andy the hammer (its gonna take more than chocolate to cheer me up) 
 
More VAR madness…
I appreciate that it feels like shouting at clouds at this stage, but the VAR decision for Newcastle’s second penalty is surely particularly disgusting. Philips (who is awful) is going to kick the ball, and Gordon sticks his foot in the way. Not to win the ball, he was nowhere near the ball. Not to control the ball. Not to do anything other than ensure that he got his foot between the kicker and the ball. In my day (which means every effing day since the start of time) that’s a free kick to the person kicking the ball. Instead, VAR official (as they seem to do now) sh!ts himself, says “screw it, I’m not taking a view on this in case there’s even a vague chance of me getting criticized, let the ref sort it out”. Ref goes “well, if it’s been thrown to me it must be a pen”. Gets a slowmo of kicker kicking Gordon’s foot, job done. A very comfortable 3-1 win turns into a 4-3 loss. What the fk is the point anymore.
Mike WHU – zero years since last trophy
 
Vulgar name entry
In response to A’s vulgar name entry
, former Germany international Stefan Kuntz’ name translates as “Piers Morgan and Richard Keys”…
Lewis, Busby Way

Richards explains why Liverpool are ‘not going to win the league’ ahead of Arsenal or Man City

Micah Richards insists Liverpool are “not going to win the league” this season as the winner will be either Arsenal or Manchester City.
The Reds face Brighton in the early kick-off on Easter Sunday before Arsenal travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Man City in a crucial title clash.

Richards: Liverpool are not going to win the league

Leaders Arsenal are ahead of second-placed Liverpool on goal difference, while defending champions Man City are one point adrift of their two title rivals.
Liverpool could be the big winners of the weekend if Arsenal and Man City hold each other to a draw and the Reds beat Brighton but Richards doesn’t think Jurgen Klopp’s men will win the title.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: “No, they’re not going to win the league. I think it’s Manchester City or Arsenal… I think Manchester City will win the league.
“It depends what happens on Sunday. If Arsenal go to the Etihad and win…
READ MORE: Gary Neville ‘turning into a left-wing Trump’ as Liverpool supporter drops Man City ‘guilty’ verdict
“I think Arsenal have to win, I think they have to win. Manchester City’s record is incredible.
“Manchester City are without Stones and Kyle Walker, [Erling] Haaland has been up and down in the media and saying is he fit, is he not fit… Akanji, Ederson.
Related video: We can't expect to be spoken about like City or Liverpool because we haven't done it - Arteta (English Football Channel)

But Arsenal right now, top of the league,

“I just feel with Arsenal… remember last season when they had that opportunity and they had a few wobbles around this time last season and they could go to Man City, win that game and put a cat amongst the pigeons. And Man City just walked over them.
“This is a massive, massive day and if Arsenal can win, they can win the league.”
The match between Arsenal and Man City could go a long way to deciding who wins the Premier League this season and Richards wants the Citizens to emerge victorious.
Richards added: “I want Arsenal to do really well, just from the team and Arteta’s point of view and how far they have come as a young team,”
“But Pep and his greatness… I want to see him win as much as possible so I want Manchester City to win.”

Richards: I want Man City to win as much they possibly can

Richards continued: “City have won everything and that’s what I mean by greatness with Pep Guardiola. He’s set the standard, that’s what the standard is.
“Talking about Sunday, I want Manchester City to win as much they possibly can so we can look back and think, ‘Wow, we’re watching this greatness!’
“And if it wasn’t for Pep, it would have been all Liverpool. That’s how good a manager Pep is and the team he’s built.”

Aston Villa begin business time with just enough to end Wolves hoodoo

Aston Villa were wobbling prior to a conveniently-timed international break but Unai Emery’s Champions League chasers began the run-in by rediscovering their resilience…
The international break came at a perfect time for Aston Villa. And a fortnight’s pause in their Champions League charge appears to have set Unai Emery’s men up perfectly for the period likely to define a potentially-historic season.

Villa were stumbling prior to Emery waving off many of his Villans for their national service. A chastening defeat to top-four rivals Tottenham was followed by a draw at West Ham as questions began to be asked of Villa’s staying power ahead of a pivotal run.
A seven-game stretch over 20 days kicked off against Wolves, and the omens were not good. Villa were winless in seven at home against their near-neighbours, while Emery had not beaten the Old Gold in six previous attempts. With no side having taken more points against the top five sides, Wolves had the formula to extend those woes.
So a 2-0 victory was blessed relief for the Villans. It wasn’t particularly pretty, and not entirely comfortable, but three points to signal the end of their mini wobble were deserved.
The efficiency with which Villa achieved victory was typical of their success so far this season. Wolves shaded the early period and ought to have gone ahead when Rayan Ait-Nouri shot tamely at Emi Martinez with only the Argentina star to beat from close range. The Villa keeper, despite this being only his seventh clean sheet of the season, once again highlighting his importance in Villa’s charge.
Martinez has not been well protected of late. Villa have conceded at a rate of two per game in their last six and, despite Diego Carlos’s return, they offered encouragement to a Wolves forward line featuring Leon Chiwome, an 18-year-old Premier League debutant.

Emery Aston Villa
© Provided by Football365
So, as it so often is for Villa, scoring first was crucial. When Emery’s side establish leads, they tend not to give them away. No team has dropped fewer points having gone in front and an element of assuredness returned to Villa’s play after Moussa Diaby’s opener.
Again, typically, it was a consequence of a set-play. Douglas Luiz waited for Leon Bailey to sneak around the left side of Wolves’ defence before reversing a free-kick into the Jamaican’s path, with Morgan Rogers blocking any attempt by the visitors to belatedly track the winger. A first-time cross was initially stabbed away but only into Diaby’s path. His left-footed strike from the edge of the box flew through the massed bodies and beyond Jose Sa.
Related video: VAR takes centre stage as Aston Villa rescue point at West Ham (Dailymotion)

Villa had targeted Wolves’ left-flank, with Alex Moreno tasked with playing high in the hope of making use of the space behind Nelson Semedo. The plan worked to the point of Moreno receiving possession. The Spaniard has featured in every Premier League game since his season started in December upon return from a serious hamstring injury, but form remains elusive. All four crosses found Wolves players and his advanced positioning was helping, not hindering the visitors.
Emery hooked Moreno while remodelling his left flank just after the hour. Lucas Digne and Nicolo Zaniolo split the work of stopping Semedio and the latter made an immediate impression, evidently keen to impress the increasingly-sceptical Emery.
Zaniolo scored the equaliser at West Ham and the Italian offered Villa a spark after both sides laboured through the first third of the second half. Zaniolo had already tested Sa by the time he won possession high in the Wolves half, two minutes after coming on, before feeding Diaby. He waited for Ezri Konsa to overlap on the right and Villa’s latest England international scored his first goal since December 2021 with a mishit cross that Jhon Duran need not have touched.

Villa don’t give relinquish slender leads so their two-goal advantage was never under threat. The Villans were able to ease through to the finish line in a manner far more comfortable than might have been expected following a shaky start.
One down, eight to go of the ‘finals’ Konsa labelled Villa’s remaining fixtures, half of which involve Big Six tests, including Manchester City and Arsenal among their next three opponents. The hamstring worry that prompted Ollie Watkins’ half-time withdrawal has the potential to give Emery a headache but Villa may have rediscovered their resilience just in time to finish a job so far well done.
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