The Rest Is Football
Man Utd Dominate Man City, Frank’s Struggles Continue At Spurs & Glasner Feeling Abandoned At Palace
19 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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For more information about land referrals and energy power in the full festive fixture list, head to land at fuseenergy.com. Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. You chaps are at home. I'm in Rabat in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, which is later tonight.
So we're going to do the first half now to discuss all Saturday's games. And then we're hoping to jump back on later. But I might, chaps, because you know how these things can drag on at these events. We might have to leave you to do a second half on your own. But, you know, you'll manage. Your man is absolutely fine. But we'll see.
I'll try our best to jump on and let you know what it was like, the experience of being at the game and everything. And if we can't get back on, we'll record it later in the week for you and let you know our experience here in Morocco. But for now, well, fascinating days football yesterday. I think we have to start with the Manchester derby.
It could not have gone much better for Manchester United. Fairly awful, I actually thought. But that was a game we managed to watch before we flew away. But yeah, what was your take on it? Well, let's start with Micah. Do you need a little rant? Start with Alan.
Give United all the praise. Go on, give it to them.
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Chapter 2: What was the significance of Manchester United's performance against Manchester City?
It was one of those days when I was thinking, he's having one today.
He's having one. In terms of the centre-back partnership, I thought Kusunov and Allain at Newcastle were brilliant. And they coped with the atmosphere really well. Obviously, a Manchester derby is a little bit different. But I actually thought Allain did all right enough. He's good on the ball.
He's very good on the ball. Good on the ball.
And Kusunov, I thought he was good as well. I didn't think the problem was them defending. I thought it was what was in front of them, getting exposed to the counter-attack.
Well, which has been the case probably for 18 months. It's got generally a bit better this season. You would think with Rodri coming back, although as you quite rightly said, he had an off day yesterday.
Yeah, he had an off day and Nico Gonzalez has been playing in there doing really well. I think what City lacked in the game was energy in midfield. As soon as United broke that first line, then they just couldn't get back.
What surprised me is that Man United's both full-backs got booked relatively early. And I'm thinking, here we go, Semenyo and Doku. Every time they get the ball, I thought, go on, go at them. But they couldn't because they were 2v1 all the time. And that's how United worked. They worked it so well.
When the ball went out wide, you know that's a huge threat because they're very talented players, those two wingers. And if you don't double up and make it very tough, then more often than not, they get the better of you. But they never went past Shaw or Dallow at all. They were absolutely outstanding. Do you know what?
There's an argument, other than the goalkeeper for Man Utd, there's an argument that every single Man Utd player could have been given Man of the Match because I just thought they were outstanding in every position.
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Chapter 3: Can Thomas Frank turn around Tottenham's struggles?
Turnover. Turnover. Talking of terminology, I'm quite enjoying Liam Resenia, I think we're calling him, like his dad wants him to be called. Quite enjoying some of his slightly David Brent moments. Did you see the stuff about talking about managing? Manage is man and age, and we are aging men and stuff like that. Really? I didn't see that.
I mean, I think Arteta does similar sort of things inside the dressing room over a period. I've seen him do something with a light bulb and it was a little bit like, whoa, if you were a player, you'd be going, what?
Did you see the documentary where Arteta put speakers out there for atmosphere?
Yeah.
It amuses me, all that kind of stuff, that they think it might make a difference. But he's had the start he needed to have, basically, which is a winning one, even if they did have a few issues going the other way that they got away with.
Well, you watched this game. We didn't have this. Did it do anything tactically that was different?
I thought what they did really well is defend set pieces and defend long throws. I thought they did that really, really well. They looked in good shape for that. But there was a lot of information being passed onto the pitch in terms of papers to players to do this and switch and do that.
And I thought Wayne did it really well on a match of the day where Fernandes was taking up Cucurella's space and Cucurella was... And that hence them being really wide open when they lost the ball in the middle. But I think the way the defender set pieces was the biggest thing and the win, obviously, which is the most important thing. But improvements will have to be made.
They can't be that open again and hope to get away with it.
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Chapter 4: What challenges is Oliver Glasner facing at Crystal Palace?
Which is disappointing to see.
It's football. Football, it gives and it takes us away.
Just before we move on, we have to mention Sunderland or, you know.
Well, hold on. Before you go. Listen to our new Sunderland fan. I don't know if you've seen Match of the Day, Gaz, but apparently he's got some fantastic analysis ready for us.
I did. I had it. Honestly, Mike, it was the best piece of analysis you've ever seen. Well, you can talk us through it now, can't you? What happened? Did it get dropped? Let's talk about their home record, unbeaten at home this season, Sunderland. I mean, that is impressive.
So what happened, Gaz, since you didn't watch it? Sunderland were obviously playing Palace and Sunderland won the game. So normally on Match of the Day, you go with a team who's won, you'd give them analysis as to how they won the game, et cetera, et cetera. Are you trying to tell me how Match of the Day works? Exactly.
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I think you might have forgot by now. Thanks for the reminder. How's he getting on? It's been seven months. What's the show called? What is it?
So then Al comes out and says, oh, I had some fantastic analysis for Sunderland. Oh, it's going to be absolutely amazing. But we've got to talk about basically the big news and that was Glasner. Ah, so you dropped the analysis. So now it's a perfect opportunity for you to talk about Sunderland, Al. Go on.
As I got to Manchester yesterday at 10 a.m. and we still just before midnight, we were on air. They did offer me the opportunity to go and do the BBC iPlayer and put some analysis on it. You're kidding.
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Chapter 5: Is Liverpool's unbeaten run misleading this season?
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Hello and welcome back to The Rest Is Football. Without the old man, me and Micah Richards. Gary's at the AFCON final in Morocco. So we'll get some sense spoken in this half, Micah, right? We've got to start with Everton winning at Aston Villa, haven't we?
Yeah, I mean, the afternoon wasn't great, was it? No. The first game, Newcastle, Wolves-Newcastle, was an absolute bore. I was buzzing for Wolves a little bit. Just in terms of... I thought it could have been three or four nil. Maybe not with Newcastle's away four, but we'll come on to that. And then you go into Villa game against Everton, Morgan Rodgers. You're thinking Watkins.
I know Tarkovsky's been outstanding. Garner's been brilliant as well. Jack going back to Villa. I thought he was going to get absolute fireworks. And we got nothing in. Oh, honestly, I just, you know, that was a perfect example of proper coaching. So it was really boring for us viewers and fans, but I did the FA Cup game.
Spurs Villa and a lot of their play comes down the middle of the pitch and then they go wide when they need to but Everton are really good at defending the middle of the pitch so it was just like okay you go and then get to a certain thing and then Pass wasn't right. Defending was really good. Everton's shape was good. And it was always going to be one of them.
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Chapter 6: What does the future hold for Frank and Spurs?
And a way it's perhaps a little bit different and they're not getting that force or that push from fans and they're failing to get anywhere near the heights that they have been at home, which is a massive concern. And unless that improves and unless they find a way to get the best out of particularly the two forwards. I mean, I was going mad today.
You know, remember when we spoke about Man United, when all those balls were going into the box? There wasn't so many today, but there were two or three really good ones. I think, come on, have some movement. Someone attack that ball, you know, in and around the six-yard box. And even when Wisse came on, I was thinking, come on, you might do something different to what Volta Mata did.
But he didn't sort of do anything wrong. It was very samey, you know, it wasn't working after 60 or 65 minutes and then the changes come on like for like and that didn't change anything either. And they didn't do enough anywhere near enough in the final third to win that game today. So I thought a draw was a fair result and it was a...
It was a very lacklustre and a poor performance again from Newcastle, which obviously is concerning.
You mentioned concern. I was just about to ask you that. Eddie Howe said after the game, they controlled the game but didn't have the cutting edge. Is the problem just the final bit or is it just you're away for altogether? Because it looked to me like you got some good positions and all that sort of thing. And then just that final bit, at least you're creating the chances is what I'm saying.
Well, are we? I mean, when you say you're creating the chances, I mean, if you're putting the balls in, but no one's sort of getting on the end of them. I mean, Walter Marder had one in the first half with a header, which he should have done better. But there were two or three balls that went in where I'm screaming, come on, make the movement, get in the six yard box.
Otherwise, what's the point of... putting balls in the box. And I mentioned those away games. I mean, Man United had so many balls going in there, no one was getting on the end of them. They battered Man United in the second half in terms of possession and chances and all of that. And they couldn't find a way through.
Sunderland, they hardly created anything, didn't deserve anything from the game. Burnley, all right, they won the game, but... They left it really, really late to find a way to win the game. And today, the first effort on target was in the 86th or 87th minute. So clearly, they're struggling to get or find a way to adapt to change.
And we can't keep going on about Isak, but Isak won Newcastle so many games with his brilliance last year. Whereas at the minute... We haven't found a way to get the best out of the two forwards that were signed to replace them. And yeah, the recruitment has been an issue at the minute. I mean, whether they come good, I hope they do.
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Chapter 7: How did Everton secure a win against Aston Villa?
There's been a couple of occasions where he's got those scruffy goals, but no, both of them haven't done enough as yet to justify what Newcastle paid for them. I think it's a bit of both, Micah. It's a bit of both of... how are Newcastle going to get the best out of him and them? Whereas I think certainly he has to improve his movement in and around the box, Walter Marder.
But then also the balls up to him, I think have to be better. And players running off him and beyond him have to be better. So plenty of work to be done for Newcastle to improve.
And just lastly on Wolves, five unbeaten in all comps that is. Could they get out of it?
No. Sorry, John. I'm sorry. I don't think so. I mean, yeah, they've shown improvements in the last four or five games, but they've left it too late. Again, I thought Mane was a bit of a threat. And there is an improvement in them, but not enough to see them get out of the relegation battle, no. Do you think so?
Yeah, I think they've left it too late. And Middlesbrough are doing all right in the Championship now. It looks like they're going to get promoted if... It does seem like a strange decision if Middlesbrough come up and he goes down, but he's at the club that he loves. It's weird, wasn't it?
Strange one, isn't it? Yeah, it's a tough one he's taken over there. I mean, it's a tough start, but then they have showed improvements, but not enough to get out of trouble this season anyway.
Who needs Gary Lineker, eh?
Who needs him? I was just going to say the same thing, yeah. It's a much, much better show without you. It's smoother.
More intellectual. Bigger opinions. Deeper analysis.
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