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ESPN FC

Advantage Arsenal

05 Mar 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.031 - 4.936 Unknown

From 30 for 30 podcasts.

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10.002 - 13.445 Don Hutchison

Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami, gunned down.

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14.747 - 30.207 Unknown

The key to this case, it's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody. This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now.

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34.709 - 51.838 Dan Thomas

Welcome into the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas joined by Shaka Hyslov and Stevie Nicholl. What a day in the Premier League title race. We'll kick things off with Arsenal. They were on the south coast taking on Brighton. Saka would score early in this game just before the break. Brighton felt they should have had a penalty. Martinelli involved in that.

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51.939 - 72.913 Dan Thomas

Nothing was given and in the end, Arsenal hang on for a 1-0 win. A significant result considering what happened in Manchester. City taking on Nottingham Forest. This one would finish 2-2 at 2-1. City felt they should have had a penalty. Arlen going down, brought down by the goalkeeper. Nothing was given. There was a late scramble at the end at 2-2.

73.614 - 89.079 Dan Thomas

In the end, a fantastic clearance from Murillo meant that it finishes a draw. And what that means, Arsenal are seven points clear at the top of the table. City have a game in hand, but it really is now Arsenal. Arsenal's to lose. For more on this, Don Hutchinson joins us.

89.901 - 104.423 Dan Thomas

Stevie, you look at this overall, and this was a kind of a round of matches you thought, well, maybe Arsenal can drop points at Brighton. City should be a layup against Forest. Doesn't play out that way. Arsenal fans absolutely delighted.

104.403 - 117.165 Stevie Nicholl

Yeah, and it should be partly because of the way they actually got this victory. You know, this was backs to the wall, this was a defensive... You know, we've been talking recently about how the Arsenal back line of the start of the season had disappeared.

117.827 - 129.988 Stevie Nicholl

Well, it reappeared on the very night they needed it most, away at Brighton, because Brighton put them under severe pressure after Saka gets his goal. And really, Raya had a couple of good saves,

Chapter 2: How did Arsenal secure their win against Brighton?

131.082 - 147.909 Stevie Nicholl

From a defensive point of view, they won their headers, the challenges were spot on, they got blocks in when it was needed. Anything that they needed to do defensively, they got it absolutely spot on. And that's why they won 1-0. They got the goal and then they defended for the rest of the game.

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148.47 - 156.263 Stevie Nicholl

And right now, the only thing that matters is getting the three points, regardless of how good, how bad or how indifferent you play. Absolutely, Don.

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158.048 - 175.073 Don Hutchison

Yeah, I think there was one of their performances tonight where there's no pitches on the scorecard. They didn't play well. I thought Brighton were the far better side. I mean, Stevie's doing his best to try and get a Premier League referee's job if he doesn't think that was a penalty because it was an absolute stonewaller. I mean, Stevie, come on, man.

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175.814 - 180.04 Don Hutchison

I mean, Martinelli's just tracked Weaver in the box and pulled his arm and pulled him over.

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180.728 - 194.504 Stevie Nicholl

If we're going to give a penalty for that sort of tussle in the box, we're going to see 10 penalties a game. So it's up to you, Don. You want 10 penalties a game? No, that's a penalty. That's a stonewall penalty.

Chapter 3: What impact did Manchester City's draw against Nottingham Forest have?

194.524 - 200.611 Don Hutchison

It's not? If you're Vifa and you're running into the box, you can't get hauled over. Martinelli's not even looking at the ball.

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200.631 - 208.44 Stevie Nicholl

But Vifa's holding on to him to start with. As it starts out the box, the Vifa's holding him. So, I mean, it's six and a half a dozen.

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209.5 - 210.362 Don Hutchison

I disagree.

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210.382 - 227.497 Stevie Nicholl

Let me put it this way. Had it been given, right, I wouldn't really have complained because I would understand why the referee would give that. But the fact that it's not given, I'm okay with that as well because... As I said, there's 10 of them in a game now, every single game.

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228.478 - 248.62 Shaka Hislop

Shaka, you get the deciding votes? If there's 10 of them in a game, then there should be 10 penalties in a game. Right. Weaver's trying to run around Martinelli. Martinelli's not even looking at the ball. I'm not seeing Weaver trying to hold on to Martinelli. I'm seeing a player trying to run around his opponent, and his opponent kind of...

248.6 - 257.512 Shaka Hislop

Not even looking at the ball, just looking at the man and holding on. It starts well outside the box, continues well inside. That's a penalty, in my opinion.

Chapter 4: Why are Arsenal now favorites to win the Premier League?

257.673 - 261.498 Shaka Hislop

Keeping in mind, and listen, this has got nothing to do... So there's nothing from Weefa?

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262.159 - 262.439 Stevie Nicholl

Huh?

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262.459 - 280.447 Shaka Hislop

You don't think there's anything from Weefa? He's looking at the ball, trying to run into space. There's nothing Weefa's doing? So let me ask this. Why is he holding Martinelli? Why would he hold Martinelli in that position? Because that's what they do. They all do. They're all pulling each other. Let me just make this point. The ball is wide left.

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280.968 - 303.044 Shaka Hislop

He is on the far post trying to run around Martinelli to find space. He gains absolutely nothing by holding on to Martinelli. I don't see it. He gains nothing He's trying to create separation. He's trying to get away from Martinelli. Holding on to Martinelli is the most boneheaded thing anybody could do.

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Chapter 5: What were the key moments in the race for Champions League qualification?

303.144 - 315.001 Stevie Nicholl

So why does a striker hold on to the defender at an attacking corner? Because it makes no sense if you're an attacker, because if you're holding on, the referee's going to give a foul against you. So it's the same logic.

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315.021 - 320.929 Dan Thomas

I'm not following. I want to talk about City. What went wrong with them today, Stevie?

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322.9 - 332.154 Stevie Nicholl

To be honest with you, I don't think what they did was particularly wrong. I think Forest had a different attitude in the second half.

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Chapter 6: What are the implications of Manchester United's loss to Newcastle?

332.976 - 338.184 Stevie Nicholl

The two goals that we saw them losing today in Manchester City are the types of goals that they've lost all season.

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Chapter 7: What are the current standings in the Premier League?

338.504 - 353.595 Stevie Nicholl

So it's not a surprise that they've lost the goals the way they have. I think it was Forest's attitude that changed in the second half. The City get the two goals at home. If you're going for the title and you score twice at home, you can't let two in. Right. You can't.

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354.176 - 378.44 Stevie Nicholl

So I don't think it's a shock, particularly the way the goals came around, because Manchester City, as we've said, they have individuals who can win them games and score goals, but we know defensively they can be got at and they're not reliable. And that's, again, just... A similar outcome and a similar defensive performance from City that we've seen all season.

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379.101 - 389.998 Dan Thomas

This, of course, wouldn't have happened two or three years ago, Dom. Traditionally, this is the time of year where City would go on that run. Is it personnel? Is that what's changed? Is that why this isn't a massive surprise today?

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391.193 - 409.535 Don Hutchison

It's still a massive surprise that Forrest took a couple of points off him. Yeah, especially when City were winning the game. And the big turning point in the game was when Haaland's pen got turned down by the referee. Because if City score that, it's 3-1, it's game over. But I do agree with Stevie when you think City are not the finished article at the back. It's definitely in transition.

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409.555 - 429.121 Don Hutchison

They've got, you know, Nunez at right back. We've got a midfielder playing at a position when O'Reilly plays at left back. He's a midfield player playing at a position playing at left back. So... The signings that should have been made when you think Kyle Walker's moved on, you would have thought City and Pep would have identified a proper orthodox right back.

429.662 - 447.227 Don Hutchison

I get why they're playing midfielders there because his sort of thinking is, well, if we've got technical players, it's almost like having midfield players in that position. But defensively, it's risk and reward. When it works for them, the fullbacks can get up the pitch like O'Reilly did the other day and score a couple of goals and they can look good.

Chapter 8: How did Chelsea perform against Aston Villa?

447.688 - 464.793 Don Hutchison

Defensively, They're not proper defenders, so you can get at them. It's a side in Forrest that was scrapping for their lives. They all feel as though they deserve the point, and maybe they've got a point. But I still go back to the penalty claim at 2-1. City score that 3-1. That would have been game over.

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464.833 - 469.5 Dan Thomas

This is what Bernardo Silva had to say on that decision. All 50-50s have gone against us this season.

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469.7 - 470.441 Don Hutchison

It's the reality.

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470.761 - 478.052 Dan Thomas

For me, it was a penalty. Some might have a different opinion. What can Erling do? As I said, we're used to it. We know how it works.

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478.032 - 498.13 Stevie Nicholl

Look, the best angle is from behind and you see Haaland's right foot goes towards the goalkeeper. He's the one that makes the contact. Look, he stands on him. His foot 100% goes towards the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper's not going towards him and that's why I don't think it is a penalty at all.

498.911 - 522.838 Shaka Hislop

I'm with Stevie and I think there is movement from Haaland towards the goalkeeper but I think the goalkeeper takes him out anyway and that, in my mind, kind of takes prominence in whether it's a foul or not but that being said it's not given and the one thing I hate from hearing from teams such as Manchester City given their successes don't don't make this about something that's not

522.818 - 528.289 Shaka Hislop

You didn't get a call. Okay. How many times over the last seven seasons you got some of those calls?

528.309 - 540.753 Dan Thomas

Never. Bernardo Silva says the 50-50s all go against him. Okay, well, well, well. That's it. Clearly Bernardo Silva, you and I. Get here against Liverpool, forget that. Forget that. That's all right. That doesn't count.

540.793 - 553.382 Shaka Hislop

That, for me, just... You've got the wrong end of a bad decision. It happens to every single club. I don't. I feel that. I find that disingenuous. Harlan fishing for it, Don?

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