Well hello everybody, welcome to Anfield for the Gary Neville stroke Jamie Carragher podcast off the back of just a fabulous football match. Oh absolutely, yeah amazing football match, so surprised. No one expected that. I mean, I know that Liverpool fans will probably say we may be living a little bit complacent coming into it thinking it was going to be an easy victory, but really...
The fact of the matter is, I just thought if Liverpool played half well today that Manchester United in their current form and how they've been recently would be just swept aside. The best I thought I could hope for was almost like a 1-2-0 defeat. I thought United were absolutely fantastic. And I don't say that lightly because I think it's bloody hard playing here. And to play the way they did, you know...
Their guts and their courage have been questioned and their quality has been questioned. I've questioned them both. Today... They demonstrated that they had both in abundance in that game. And I'm surprised. They really shocked me. I thought they were fantastic from minute one to minute 90 against a good Liverpool side. They're always going to throw a lot at you. Did United surprise you, Jamie? Yes, I didn't expect them to play as well as they did, but I knew they'd be a lot better.
You know, the midfield was going to change because obviously Agarte was coming back. Main, who was going to play Fernandes, was going to be back. And they were never going to be as bad as they were in that first sort of 30, 40 minutes against Newcastle. And someone was asking me to score. coming in and I actually said I think Liverpool will win 2-0 and I always dread it and I had it last season
And we've had it a couple of times against Manchester United because Liverpool have had so many big victories. People get carried away. It's angering me now, actually, because the game's being drawn, getting sent text messages before the game, what the score will be, and laughing at United. It's Man United. it's a huge game and Liverpool have had unbelievable results over the last few years but they
That's not the norm in these fixtures. You don't get scorelines like that. And, yeah, I'm frustrated for the fact that Liverpool haven't won, but more of the fact that I feel like there was a complacence even from supporters. And maybe I felt like it was on the pitch in the first half a little bit. It didn't feel... It didn't feel like the second half. The first half was sort of like almost like...
Man Utd probably should have been in front, really, with a better team. And you can't allow that to happen on the back of how poor they were against Newcastle. You're at home, you're the best team in the league, and you just go and try and blow them away early on in the game. And they were just off it from the start, Liverpool. I think the...
Obviously, the team selection had to be much different. The team of the night that started against Newcastle was never going to win that football match or most football matches in the Premier League.
But Agathe and Maynou haven't been in amazing form in central midfield. Bruno playing off the left-hand side again. I actually thought that would come onto that left-hand side in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah. I actually thought that would be a risk for United rather than it being a strength as it ended up being. but I thought the way in which the three of them I mean they all played well don't get me wrong but the way in which I think Fernandes
Agathe and Main who took the ball. And I always say to take the ball here as a midfield player is the hardest. Particularly you've got Gravenberch, McAllister, Jones. They're all over you. I actually thought that those Liverpool midfield 3-2. I think McAllister was the best out of the others. But Gravenberch and Jones today. It'd be harsh to say they went missing.
But they certainly, I think, found it hard against Maynard, Agathe and Fernandes. I thought they outplayed them. I thought United got control of the midfield, which I've not seen many Manchester United midfields do here. It's really tough for Anfield to do that. I don't know what you thought about that. No, I thought KS Jones was poor.
And the one negative about Curtis Jones is a player when he's not playing well as he holds onto the ball too much. He's got that football arrogance, which is something that you want as a player. But he's at his best when he plays two-touch. He moves it quickly and he presses. He's not...
a superstar player in terms of sort of beating players or playing clever passes he just moves it on quickly and he presses and he's energetic as soon as he starts holding on to the ball too much for a little half a second too long it's almost like that little bit it doesn't become football arrogant
comes a little bit of arrogance and I just noticed he lost the ball early on I thought oh it's going to be one of those days from Curtis but listen in the main he's been fantastic it was just and again that just makes me think about coming into the game as that sort of talk subconsciously in the back of the head of how poor this United team is what Liverpool are going to do to them so
Yeah, I mean, in the end, it's probably a decent point for Liverpool because, you know, Manchester United, you think of Harry Maguire at the end, but Liverpool were not at the races at all. They only had a spell from when United scored to when they went 2-1. That was the only time in the game he felt like you were playing.
and Anfield in a big derby game. It's interesting at half-time, we looked at the expected goals. I was thinking it was going to be pretty even, if not United slightly ahead. But Liverpool was 1.28 and United was 0.40, which was like... I was thinking...
United's two chances. The Ahmad one where he runs ahead of it and the Hoyland one-on-one, I thought were slightly better chances than the Gravenberge one and the McAllister one. The Gakpo one. I say Gakpo one, sorry. The Gakpo one and the McAllister one. And even then, just looking at the actual expected goals, Liverpool 2.87, Manchester United 1.07.
I didn't feel it was a game that was like that, did you? No, it didn't feel like that. But listen, those numbers are right. I mean, a lot of that will be to do with Liverpool getting a penalty. And probably the Gachpo goal actually, you know, is a great chance of scoring. Probably in the six-yard box when he finishes. That will have a lot to do with it. But in the... Maine it felt to me like Manchester United
were very dangerous throughout the game. It didn't feel like, to me, like Liverpool at any stage of that game had control of the game and had control of United. And that's been a sort of a big standout under Arne. It almost felt like a little bit of a Jurgen Klopp game at times, certainly in the second half, when it was just ended.
to end and we've not really seen that for most of the season under the new manager I mean I was happy with United the whole game because I thought they were really good the whole game I was most happy with them in the last half an hour When they went punch for punch and I think landed some punches and at the end Maguire had an unbelievable chance. But that felt to me how United should be in a game of football. They should always be on the front foot. They're far too...
Often, I think, here over the last few years, it's almost like they've been hanging on and sometimes been beating 7-0. But there's been 4-0-0s where you almost set out to be a 0-0.
I am genuinely shocked at what I've seen today because I think that's as good a performance as I've seen since. Well, it is as good a performance as I've seen here since the Louis van Gaal performance, which was fantastic seven or eight years ago. That was a really good performance here. But that left-hand side of United, sorry, left-hand side.
of United and the right-hand side of Liverpool I think really needs some focus in this podcast because I chose Trent Alexander-Arnold as my sort of danger in this game for Liverpool. Let's let it happen. I was going to ask you, and I think you've answered really, so maybe we do move on to Liverpool, whether that, perhaps do answer just quickly, that was what can be a Manchester United blueprint performance, given the shape and given all of the talk around that.
Yeah, I'm sure some people will mention City. Forget City. City, to be honest with you, there was an element of hanging on and then just getting a couple of goals at the end, which was brilliant, don't get me wrong. That was a performance against the best team in the league at the moment. That was from minute one to minute 90. even to go behind in the game and come back. No, that's a real performance, that today, that Ruben Amman... Look, he did say to us and...
Look, he's picked a better team. That's number one. But he also said, I've not had any time on the training pitch at all with the players. This last week was the first time he's had four training sessions with them. He's now got, I think, five next week or six next week. So he did say he just wanted that.
time now I'm not saying everything's going to be right this has been the worst performance of any Manchester United team in a century in terms of league points and stuff like that so let's not get carried away but it's something to hang your hat on It really is something to hang your hat on. And onto Liverpool on that right-hand side. We used to have it when Paul Scholes played off the left in a 4-4-2.
You know, he did it with England, he did it with United quite a bit. There's a real strength that he can get into the pocket to attack. But then he's having to chase a really good right back going forward. I just thought that for Bruno...
to have to chase Trent Alexander-Arnold back with Salah being, you know, obviously Dallow's going to be bogged down with Salah completely. I just thought it was going to be a real tough day for him, but it didn't end up that way. It ended up that Dallow and Fernandes caused nightmares.
for Liverpool and Trent Alexander-Arnold? Well, what I would say is, listen, we're probably critical of Trent throughout the game, and rightly so, but certainly in this system, and not just, it probably even feels even more so under the new manager.
There's no doubt Mohamed Salah has almost like a free roll, if you like. It's like, don't come back too much because we can hurt you on the counter. I can be actually seen every time Liverpool sort of counter-attack, even when they're defending a corner. It feels like it's Mo Salah on the run. So you've got a little bit of that, but... we have both said I don't know for the last seven or eight years
Trent Alexander-Arnold has got to get serious about defending. Now, we've all spoken about at times this season, we felt like he's actually improved. And when we say improved, not just got better, it looks like he wants to do it. We've been there. You can see it in someone's eyes. You can see the mentality. You can feel the intensity when someone wants to come on. Conor Bradley, the first time, I think, Garnaccio ran at him.
He tried to go on the outside. Conor Bradley puts a big strong tackle and goes out for a corner. Okay, United happy to get a corner. But you could feel it. He wants to put the tackle in. He wants to block the cross. I never get that feeling.
I know he's that type of player, I get that. I can't believe he was like that today on the back of what had happened with the Real Madrid stuff because I can show you, me being in the city, knowing a lot of Liverpool fans, there was a lot of frustration and people weren't happy, the fact that Liverpool were in the position.
that they're in in terms of going for the title and this talk of Real Madrid blows up so I was actually thinking Trent's going to come here and put on like a big performance as if to say hey This is why maybe Real Madrid want me. This is why maybe I want the big bucks off Liverpool. I'm the main man. And I could just see it in the first half. It was that thing where he was jogging back. He wasn't in position. And I don't think the game could have gone any worse for him. And do you relate?
the two perhaps this is an obvious question is the Real Madrid talk relevant to the performance today
Well, it might be in that maybe actually the criticism he's got, because even though players maybe aren't on social media, they're aware of it. They're aware of the noise, maybe the family, their entourage. They're aware of the feeling. And I actually thought he'd come up with something to prove. And maybe that criticism... he's had and feels maybe it's harsh over the last sort of week or so has maybe affected them because the one thing you could say
in Mo Salah's defence because I've been critical of Mo Salah coming out and talking about his own situation I just want these Liverpool players to concentrate on winning the league we've won the league once in over 30 years this is a massive opportunity and that's a massive opportunity lost today but that does look like that offence affected
Trent Alexander-Arnold. And with Conor Bradley now coming back, I think if Trent puts in another performance like that, I think the manager will put Conor Bradley in. I think that the Real Madrid rumours have been circulating now for months about Trent Alexander-Arnold. And the Masters at it, Real Madrid, of hunting down the player, almost.
12 holes out you know what I mean they are they play the long game don't they they'll sort of see where a player is like 18 months time and think right okay they'll sort of target a player that's coming to the end of their contract on a free and it feels like something's building there I think
I'll be honest with you, I think sometimes they're... I'm not going to say behaviour, because the reality is it's football, it's business. No, the bullies. The bullies. Bidding 20 million for him, I'll be honest with you, it's tech a**. You know, it's insulting. I think there...
There's a certain respect, I think, that should happen between big clubs. No, but Gary, my thing is, in terms of, they've done this for a long time, you go back to Ronaldo, they are the biggest club in the world, and they've got almost their own...
media out there in terms of the papers. In terms of the bid, I don't think they're probably going to bid that much more than that. My problem isn't the bid. What I'm saying is you know when you bid £20 million for that play, you know a club like Liverpool Football Club are not going to accept that bid.
almost in some ways insulting them. No, I get that, but what I'm saying is they can get them for nothing in four months, so I've got no problem with the actual, the figure that they do. My problem with it is, is they have bid on the back.
of Trent Alexander-Arnold or his agent saying put a bid in because they wouldn't put a bid in they wouldn't do that unless they get the say so but all those parties know as Gary just said Liverpool are going to turn that down anyway so what are you trying to create do we know that though do we know I mean that's
People are not going to sell Trent in January when they're going for a league title. I'm saying that's quite something to say that you think Trent Alexander-Arnold or his people have told Real Madrid to put a bid in. No, what I'm saying is, let's not be naive here. No one puts bids in now unless... they've already spoken to the player about if it gets accepted would you come?
you know people know before they put things in and there's obviously been talks I've got no problem with that that's the nature of the game Trent's contract situation I'm sure he's in talks with Real Madrid and maybe other players and maybe he's got a decision to make but I think for that for that to come out when it did
I was not happy about that at all. For me, we're probably not the best people to speak to about this because we've never been involved in a transfer and we're probably two of the biggest club men you could see. We'd always put the club first. But I just think...
The situation Liverpool are in, there's no way an agent or Trent Alexander-Arnold don't know that bid's going in before it goes in. And if you don't want that to go in, you say no. I know, but my point is, you know, the idea that sort of even if Trent Alexander-Arnold or his people have said to Real Madrid, put a bid in, the club, Real Madrid, have got to stand there and say, look, let's be clear, Liverpool Football Club, they're a top operator.
they're not going to sell Elia for 20 million. Let's not upset them. We're on a good relationship. That's the way I would look at it personally. I think that Real Madrid have proven down the years that they do try and... I won't say it again what I said before, but it's insulting to a club like Liverpool, I think, from a Real Madrid perspective, from a Trent Alexander-Arnold perspective.
he would be completely naive to think that Liverpool are going to let him go mid-season because the message that would send to everybody would be wrong. Now... From my point of view, Cara's just said about us being clubmen. I am a club man. I would never have left Manchester United. And I remember when Inter Milan, I think, was sort of coming in for skulls and gigs. I'm going to say you then.
As Roy Keese at half-time, Trammier wouldn't even come in for me. No. So Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, I think at the time, that Moratti was the owner of Inter Milan, came in for Scholes and Giggs. They were never going to leave. But David Beckham, who was a...
Essentially a local kid, even though he came from London. You know, he'd been at United since he was 13. His mum and dad adored United. They were season ticket holders. And I'd never wanted him to leave. My advice to him was don't leave. But he wanted to go and play for Real Madrid because he saw... a journey that, if you like Logue, we didn't see. We didn't see that journey. At the time, I thought, no, you might regret that. And to be fair to him...
He's gone and had the most incredible career life at Real Madrid and all those clubs beyond. When I look at, say, Cara or Steven Gerrard, I went to, if you remember famously, asked Steven Gerrard whether he'd make the short journey down the East Lanx Road to Manchester to come and play for United. And he said, no, he said, I won't come and play for United because to be fair, you know, one, I don't want him. And secondly, to be fair, my family wouldn't ever be able to show up in Liverpool again.
And I look at Trent Alexander-Arnold, I don't see him quite the same as Cara or Steven Gerrard in the sense that I see him more like Michael Owen than he would be. And that's not a criticism, by the way. Someone who feels that... Their profile, their talent, their life needs something different. And I look at Trent and think to him, OK, I don't think you can lose here in the sense that...
You stay at Liverpool, you'll be a Liverpool legend and you'll be loved forever by the people here. And that's one way to go. And look, I might be saying this completely different if I was a United player, but when I look at the sort of David Beckham factor and I think of sort of Trent and the journey that...
Beck's had by going to Real Madrid and AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain and Los Angeles all those things that he's done in his life that I've not done I don't ever regret what I did but I also look at what he did and think you know I speak to Roy sometimes and Roy could have gone to Juventus and Bayern Munich
and you've heard him say I just wonder what it would have been like to play for these great clubs in Germany and Italy so I'm not sat here saying he's got to stay but on the other hand if Real Madrid come in for you and he wants to do that in his life
then obviously that's the problem that I think Liverpool fans have at this moment in time because it's almost like this is a very passionate city Liverpool as is Manchester but Liverpool's a very passionate city they love their football club and he's one of their own and it's tough
when you said this about it's different for him than it is for Mo Salah and for Van Dijk because he is a Liverpool boy. So that's the toughness at this moment in time for Liverpool fans, I think. I think what you said, I've said this before, when I look at Trent, it's actually the places he maybe goes on holiday. he's got that sort of David Beckham sort of feel about him you know Gary Neville that's for sure
No, he has got that. And for me, there's a little bit of criticism because he might leave for free. I can assure you that doesn't bother me because I actually argue the fact that he came for free. That's like us selling Virgil van Dijk for 75 million. You're breaking even. So I'm not too fussed about that. And you know what? It is life.
If he wants to go to Real Madrid, I think a couple of weeks ago, me and Jamie Redknapp ended up in a little bit of debate about him sort of going, and he saw it slightly differently, maybe what Gary's just mentioned. But I wasn't being critical of Trent. My point was saying, this is just how the fan base will feel about him. does go now my one disappointment is as a local player
and a Liverpool supporter, you're in a position now to play for a team who could go level with Manchester United in league titles this season. You could be the guy who lifts a Premier League title in two or three years' time when Virgil van Dijk goes on. You could be the guy who wins another two European Cups.
so the feeling at Liverpool supporters it can't get any better than what it is right now at Liverpool in terms of top of the table top of the Champions League if you're a fan every supporter's thinking you're me on the pitch that's the way I felt when I was on the pitch I was embodying what the supporters wearing the stand so the frustration is this can't get any better a little bit of a
leeway is given even though they're obviously criticised and maybe not thought of as the same as sort of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen Liverpool weren't the best team at the time we were a top four team so you could almost go I can understand McManaman going he goes and wins two European Cups he wouldn't have done
that at Liverpool so the feeling in Liverpool is why is a local player who loves this club as a supporter can help this club go on to another level successfully can captain the club is going to be paid great money and good luck to them
Why do you want to leave? That's where the frustration comes from me as a local player. If I was in his position, there's no way in the world I'd want to go anywhere else. I support what Jamie said from a local player perspective. I can't disagree with it because I was one of those players. But there's also an element of...
Do you know when a club brought a young player through, and it's sometimes like this in normal life, in business, when you've grown through and you've been in a business a long time from a young age, you never quite get what you should get in terms of the salary that the other players are getting. So Trent Alexander-Arnold is free at the end.
end of the year and if Liverpool were to replace him the good thing for Liverpool is they've got Connor Bradley coming through so they might look at it and think well I don't need to give Trent Alexander-Arnold almost effectively a transfer fee And then his wages of whatever it is on top. So let's say Liverpool were to buy Trent. They'd have to pay 40, 50 million pounds for him. So Trent will want that probably.
in terms of being recognised, is out of contract. If you're re-signing me, that you've got to give me a bulk of a transfer fee because you're going to have to replace me. And the clubs, because they've produced them as an academy player, never really look at you the same as they would do Salah or Van Dijk. They always look at you differently. It's true that.
We know that from being, you know, I was at United for a long time and they do treat you slightly differently. Now, I'm not complaining about anything that happened at United from my side, but, you know.
You never quite get to where the rest are unless you really kick off. And to be fair, I didn't do that. And Cara probably didn't do that. But Trent's probably thinking, well, no, hang on a minute. You're going to have to probably give me the transfer fee and then give me the money that Salah and Van Dijk are on or else I'm going to go because that's what Real Madrid are offering.
So there's probably an element of, yeah, he stays and he's a young player that's grown through the ranks. But there's also probably an element of Liverpool not wanting to give him that. And there might also be the fact that Conor Bradley is a bloody good full-back. And they might be looking at him and thinking, hang on a minute.
We're not going to go over the top for you because we've already got a good kid behind you. Just to bring it back, because we need to move on maybe Salah and the other players and the title race and so on. But if I were a fan of Liverpool, which I'm not, but if I were... My concern in the immediate term would be...
Am I going to get the best of Trent Alexander-Ronald now? If all this talk is going to make him a less good player than he was last week, then that's the top of the bottom of it. Dallow, from the first minute, thought, I've got you, didn't he? I mean, Dallow's not basically run past anyone. in six weeks he's been very willing but he's played on that left wing and he's passed it back first time he got the ball in that far corner he thought right I'm having you
Yeah, I mean, that is a worry that it does affect him. And listen, people always target Trent Alexander-Arnold defensively. You know, that won't change. But what will be really interesting going forward now is if it does affect him, as it looked like it did today. Liverpool have to change it. They will, because I think the one thing when you look at that game today, and I think of Arsenal, where Arsenal are better defensively, Liverpool create more chance to score more goals.
But Liverpool are in the full-back areas. Andy Robertson is hanging on for dear life. He's been an absolute legend at this club. But even the Ahmad goal, he's sort of knocked... Andy Robertson three or four years ago. It's a tough one, that. No, I know, but there was a similar goal against Liverpool player Leicester. A similar sort of goal where, listen, I know, I've been in that position and that can happen five years ago, but it just feels like he's involved in a lot of goals.
Robertson now and we've been there as players you're just half a yard short now if Trent is having problems at right back as well that puts an awful lot of pressure on the middle too and Van Dijk you think of how many times he pulled up a pool
out of the rubbish today in terms of covering across. He's probably having to work too hard and that's the one thing that can stop Liverpool winning the league, the full-back areas. I thought Jurgen Klopp was getting the absolute maximum out of this team last season to be where they were.
in a title race with a few weeks to go. And I think similarly Arne Slott is getting the absolute maximum out of this Liverpool team this season. The great thing for Liverpool is this season that Arsenal and City have dropped off. So they're now in a great position and far further ahead than where they would be.
have been last year but they really are doing well Liverpool I think today is a game that can happen look I didn't expect it but I think credit to United I do think United deserve big credit today look they've got a long way to go but they've got something to hang on to and like i said a lot of questions for liverpool the salah
statement to Patrick Davison on Friday. You called Salah selfish a few weeks ago for saying that he won. He's smirking. No, but he knows I'm putting him on the spot here because he called him selfish a few weeks ago for sort of saying that he wanted to go and he did an interview outside the game against Southampton. You're trying to get more hits for the Gary Neville podcast. The Gary Neville podcast doesn't need any more hits.
You know what I mean? We're very successful without you. But what my point is, is that he's gone again on Friday, Mo Salah, hasn't he? He's gone again with Patrick Davison. You know what it felt to me? It almost felt like there's too much talk of Trent here for the last week. Has everyone forgotten?
with me last year I need to remind people Mo we are well aware you're in your last year but you know what I would say I plead to Mo Salah in his interviews we all know you're in your last year we're all desperate for you to sign fingers crossed it all gets sorted you're playing you're in the form of your life But think about that manager.
who's come in who is basically every three days getting asked questions about your contract now it's easy to bat away from a journalist saying what's the situation for the contract nothing to say but when that journalist comes in and says Mo Salah's just said this or Real Madrid have put this bid in for
Trent Alexander-Arnold. It puts the manager in a really difficult position every three days. And this manager, what he's done since he's come in, I mean, has been absolutely... out of this world he's been one of the revelations of the Premier League not just for Liverpool the way he's come in and handled the whole situation and I just say to those players you know this has gone in the background you don't need to keep reminding us we all know about it we're all speaking about it every day
Don't be getting quoted on it. Don't be putting this manager under pressure every three days where he's got to answer something where you are basically quoted talking about your contract, basically. Use it all in a team together. The most important thing is Liverpool winning the league. And if your contracts get sorted...
the end of the season it's a bonus fantastic I'd be delighted if all three of them signed the contract but the most important thing and never forget this is the club and the club winning the Premier League let me ask you about that though Carol The club are very good operators, so I'm not suggesting for one minute they're not doing anything. But what are the club doing about...
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah at this moment in time that you know of? This is not an antagonistic question. This is a question of actually I don't generally know. So why is it that Trent and Mo Salah, Van Dijk's been quiet. Why do they seem to be a little bit unnerved by what's going on?
being offered contracts are they being offered low contracts are they are they stalling the goal what's happening I couldn't tell you because we always say about the player the players by the way I always say this about players and I'm an owner of a club The players get put out in front of interviews every single week in the Premier League. So I get what Cara's saying about Mo Salah. But the club, to be fair...
owners, sporting directors, they don't have to go and get interviewed every single week. It's always the manager and the players that get thrown out there. But what is the club's position? I'm not saying the club should answer to this or to answer to any journalist because they shouldn't do the Liverpool Football Club. But Liverpool are going to need to act themselves probably soon because in some ways...
What Jurgen Klopp did last year, they acted with clarity and they were really good about it. Because this is going to continue for the next few months. But what are they doing? I haven't got a clue. They have offered contracts. Have they offered contracts? Yeah, they will have offered contracts. I think Mo Salah said a few months ago that he hasn't been offered a contract. Chuck, now listen.
That was a little bit disingenuous. You know, the reason Liverpool haven't offered a contract is they're probably so far away from each other, maybe a numbers or length of contract. There's no point putting a contract in front of someone when you start the initial talk. You talk, what are you thinking numbers-wise? So there's no point putting a contract in front of someone that's going to say no to.
turned down and they're probably trying to meet somewhere in the middle I would imagine and maybe try and get some common ground but I just think that the thing I would never be critical and there's a It's probably an element at every club where people don't like the owners or they don't like the people at the hierarchy. But what I would say is when you talk about FSG or sort of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, I would always back them.
because of what they've done in this club. And I look at this stadium, I look at the training ground, I look at the fact... It's leaking, by the way. Did you notice that half-time? Just on the Man United fans. It's a new stand over there that's leaking. Well, that's why we can't afford these contracts. Got to fix the roof. But what I would say is they got the decision right in terms of bringing Jürgen Klopp. He's the guy who brings the title back. Another European Cup back. Slott comes in. I...
What they've done in terms of transfer-wise, not spending the biggest money, bringing great money in, then reinvesting it really well. Haven't bought a player this summer. getting battered and criticised for that they were put on top of the league so these decision makers are the top of our club yes I'm desperate for these players to sign but I'd always back them because they've got so much goodwill in the bank for me in the sense of the decisions that they've made they've been very good
But they've let three, the three best and most valuable players in the team, contracts run down for the last two years to the point where... That's explainable. That is explainable. We'll explain it then. Well, OK. Well, you've got two players who were... So I think Van Dijk's 34 and Mo Salah's 34.
now those players we've all been there no matter who you're at you get left to your last year when you're that age that's just that's the norm so that's normal the thing with Trent is there's been a there's basically behind the scenes Jürgen Klopp obviously Got more successful, got more power. Michael Edwards and his team of people moved away from the club. Then Jurgen Klopp announces he's going to leave. So basically...
Jürgen Klopp's last summer, the guy who was sorting the transfers out was basically a German guy who was Jürgen Klopp's mate in some ways. He did it for the summer and then moved away. Now, Liverpool didn't have people in position.
Probably should they have still done something? Yes. But I think it was easier for Trent and his agent to almost say, hang on, Jürgen Klopp's leaving. We don't know who the next manager is. So Liverpool can't announce the manager until really late in the season. Then you're into your last year and then it's a case of...
I don't know how good it's going to be. Now, if Liverpool were really struggling, maybe fighting for top four and not challenging for the sort of biggest trophies, it's an easy decision. Trent can again say, well, I want to win the biggest trophies. The fact that Liverpool are at the top of the league, are at the top of the Champions League, I think now...
puts Trent Alexander in a difficult position to say it's just about trophies because that's now what Liverpool fans are saying why do you want to leave now in this situation so that's how the club have got there it's because of basically the structure of the club which is being brought back
as soon as Jürgen Klopp's finished. I love the story of that. Amen. Well, that's interesting and we'll move on to the last little bits and pieces but again, I would speak as a football supporter, not necessarily of this club. I would observe, Jamie, that... Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk are both still performing brilliantly. And so in the immediate term, whilst as a supporter, of course, you want them to sign on for 25 more years and live forever, in the moment...
That doesn't concern me as much. Because you said right at the start of your long answer, the most important thing for a Liverpool supporter is that... Liverpool win the Premier League this year and if Van Dijk and Salah keep playing the way they are then Liverpool probably will and you know what I am convinced that both of those players will stay I think when you get to that age that day
I mean you talk about going on a free and going to another club I find it difficult not to believe that they wouldn't get clubs they're two of the best players in the world in their positions but there's not many clubs out there the way clubs are run now with sporting directors who will say I'll give A 34 year old player.
four or five hundred grand a week I mean clubs are not set up like that now they probably spend it themselves on maybe a 22 23 year old do they think they're getting a bit more longevity out and that's probably where Liverpool are a little bit now but it's different because they've been such legends for the club they're doing fantastically well now but
I can't envisage a situation where Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk aren't starting next season in a Liverpool shirt. I think that would be sorted one way or another. We were talking before the game about the actual economics of Salah because obviously I think you said it's down to the three.
year contract and obviously he's getting on in a year so why would they give him that and it's 400 grand a week which is just absolutely mind-boggling but 400 grand a week 20 million a year times that by three years is 60 million that's what Mosel is asking for it's a lot of money
But if Mo Salah leaves, you're going to probably spend 60 million on a fee and then you're probably going to spend another 10, 15 million on wages. So you're going to probably spend 100, 120 over the next three years to replace Mo Salah with a player that... to be fair, more than likely may not.
do what Mo Salah's going to do more than likely not going to do what Mo Salah's going to do and it's that thing about when you've paid a fee for a player once you don't like paying the fee for them again almost almost like and that's what Mo Salah probably Virgil van Dijk and Trent are making sort of
Liverpool do. They're probably making them re-sign them twice as if they're not their player. And that does hurt a football club. We've had it at Salford. Sometimes you sign a player and they've two-year contracts and then they come to the end and you think, I'm going to leave.
You've got to sign, again, because we own you now. There's a little bit of that with it as a club, but it doesn't work like that. The Bosman ruling changed everything in football, and obviously rightly so for the player, but that's the thing with the economics of the Mo Salah thing.
And that third year, he might be 36, 37. He might not be performing at his best. But if you just write that off and say it's 60 million for two years, it's still probably going to be cheaper than the alternative of replacing him and the goals that he scores. It's a challenging one for the club, and that's why I think Mo Salah's flexing those muscles and saying, I'm here, and I don't think you can let me go. I think there's an element of that with it. That's why he's confident.
I know, that's interesting. Well, we'll see how it plays out in the coming weeks. Quick bit of any other business. See Arsenal last night? Yeah, watched the whole game. Both of us did. Yeah, I thought Arsenal would get through the game, but the problem is they just can't seem to get that sort of fluidity in the final third of the pitch.
We were hanging on a little bit at the end. Brighton came back into the game and I was disappointed a little bit by Arsenal in the sense that at the end of the game, this feeling that sort of... What cost them was the penalty decision. No, what cost you was you not going grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck and seeing it out. And I've got Arsenal to win the league. thought that they would grow into the second half of the season, but Liverpool have got more electricity about them.
they've got more threat up front and unless Arsenal fix that and get that sort of dealt with Arsenal can win this league but they've got to deal in January somehow whether it's players coming back whether it's change of something within the current players that they've got or whether it's actually signing one or two players. I saw her, I think it was on Sky Sports News yesterday about Izak. It might have been Friday.
for 150 million. That's never going to happen, is it? You know, Arsenal are not going to spend 150 million pounds on Alexander Ezek in January. It's just never going to happen. So how are they going to get a player that's going to make such a difference to them right now? And Jesus, I watched him last night again, and I actually love Gabriel Jesus. I think he's a lot of heart, but he's everywhere but where you want him.
You know, Havertz is a little bit the same. You want them really in on that sort of 6-yard box. Thinking about the goal, that old... adage of where do you score goals they seem to not know that or forget it or remember it or what they were dear to it so yeah it's just a bit frustrating watching them at times because I think they've got something about them the journey that they're on with the manager and
They'll be happy today that Liverpool have dropped points and they're still in it. But they're going to have to improve enormously, I think. Yeah, it just feels like they rely on their defence so much. And it reminds me a little bit of some of the Liverpool teams I played in, where you'd look at our attacking and maybe go, you know, we've got Stevie and we've got Torres, but the others were good players without being great players.
I feel that when I'm watching Arsenal. We were very good defensively under Gerard Hulia and Rafa Benitez. But when you only score one in a game, what happened yesterday with the penalty?
you're just waiting for a moment like that and the game goes away from you and you drop two points so it just feels to me like Arsenal just haven't got their season going at any stage yet obviously they have the red cards at the start of the season it feels like they have a couple of good games then they draw a game and you think of the Everton game the Fulham game
but as Gary said they're still there I think this would have been a killer for them today if Liverpool would have won I think eight points with Liverpool having a game in hand I think psychologically I think Arsenal would have lost all belief even though there's still a long way to
go because Liverpool are actually playing better than them as well it's not just a points gap but I think watching Liverpool today concede the goals conceding chances I think oh okay we're stronger than this team defensively they might be better than us going forward in terms of scoring goals but I think Arsenal get it not just because of the rules, the way Manchester United, or certainly the way Liverpool defended, I think they'll think, oh...
These guys can start conceding goals because Liverpool at the start of the season looked really strong defensively. They're starting to leak goals and that's my worry with Liverpool in the full-back areas. I still feel, and the noise is coming out of the club, they're saying they're not going to do any business in January. I think Liverpool need to... by a defender okay okay maybe just one last one Gary if we may because
Nice way to finish, maybe, to tee up Monday Night Football. And in the context of the top three, that includes Nottingham Forest. What have we got, Joby? What are you thinking? Well, we'll do a big piece on them. I mean, they've been the revelation of the season, haven't we? And, you know, we talk about teams and styles of football.
I wouldn't say it's a throwback, but it's just what Nuno does. And almost in some ways, a throwback to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest. Because I always remember as a kid going to watch... ever nottingham forest games i'd go to the city ground and watch them and forest would be
really content even at home in terms of almost sitting back and they would have known even as a kid I remember they were known as almost being the best counter-attack team in Nottingham Forest so it almost feels like a little bit of a throwback to then in some ways but the front four are fantastic The Wyatt Wolves, who obviously rejuvenated now. So I think it'll be a really big game. I think...
I'm talking about Forrest, but also a really big game for Wolves. If they could win, you think of the situation that Everton find themselves in right now. If they could really pull Everton right back into it. But no, Nottingham Forrest, what a job he's doing. Just think. Peter Lim sacked him and brought him in. On that note, nice everyone. Do you like the sound of work that has plenty of giggles? Where you'll build lifelong skills.
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