Henry Winter

Estevao breakthrough moment at Chelsea? Lisandro Martinez edging towards the exit moment at Manchester United? And Derbies – which are the best? I join the great @Tim_Vickery on the latest Futebol & Football pod at FC Camisa youtu.be/zGyGDrz3T-o?si=gxPm…

Declan Rice has become Arsenal's most important player. Column @FourFourTwo #AFC  fourfourtwo.com/person/playe…

That’s why they’re champions - and favourites to go back-to-back. Arsenal organised and unyielding, took their chance well, led well by Odegaard and defended exceptionally well, Konsa outstanding. Got lucky when ref/var didn’t react to Timber’s shirt-pull on Isak, clear pen not given. Game management, occasional time-wasting. Good changes by Arteta, drawing on #AFC strength in depth. Big win, back top. #LIVARS

Stupid from Madueke at the very least #LIVARS

Good save from Alisson, must have seen it late from Tzolis #LIVARS

Arsenal could sense Liverpool nerves, and pressed hard and fast. Goal triggered by pressing of Tzolis, Odegaard. Clinical counter, pacey and precise: Odegaard, Bruno G, Madueke, Rice on overlap, cross for Havertz. Liverpool responding but Nyoni needs to watch challenge. #AFC #LIVARS

Good luck to Dave Challinor at Sheffield Wednesday. Good appointment #SWFC

Manchester United need to be freed of the yoke of the Glazers. That’s obvious. Been saying it since 2005. But how? It’s difficult to force regime change. A few United fans suggesting they’d welcome relegation as it would make the Glazers consider selling up. It might make them more likely to hold on as a PL club worth far more than EFL. A few fans suggesting a boycott of games - but why should loyal fans stop watching their team? And the club could simply get tourists in if a few games missed. A boycott of the megastore and catering is obvious (and already done by some fans) but that would also hit staff and temporary workers. Chants and banners make a point to the world how reviled the absentee Glazers are. But probably won’t worry the distant Glazers. They can point to money invested in transfers (and spent badly) but it’s not their personal money. It’s money generated by the fans. United have some very influential fans’ groups, fanzines, forums and pods. Would lobbying the Independent Football Regulator about whether the Glazers are “fit and proper owners” (in old parlance) have any effect? At the very least, there is a strong case for lobbying the IFR and Government about updating legislation to preclude debt-based takeovers (the IFR has an advisory role to Parliament). It’s certainly a national embarrassment that the most high-profile representative of the national sport has such substantial debt and such deeply unpopular owners associated with it. Sadly, like a stubborn stain, the Glazers will take some shifting. #MUFC

Bit harsh that Mateus Fernandes doesn’t get an assist for that fabulous cross. Hit with pace, arrowing towards far-post, perfect for Jan Paul van Hecke to attack, saved, headed in #THFC

Hugely popular goal that. Archie Gray is so popular because of his character, play anywhere for Spurs. Played 6, 8, all across the back. Team player. Terrible marking (by depleted Palace). #THFC #TOTCRY

Manchester United’s No 6 shirt has been worn by such distinguished servants to the club as Gary Pallister, Martin Buchan, Nobby Stiles, Jaap Stam, Duncan Edwards, Wes Brown amongst others. It’s now worn by Lisandro Martinez, who embarrassed the club again today #MUFC

Rogers and Palmer will get the headlines but Lavia deserves huge praise for dominating midfield, pressing, passing, winning the ball for Rogers’ goal. Offers all the physicality, mobility and determination lacking in Manchester United’s midfield. MOTM imho. #CHEMUN #CFC

Manchester United fans defiant. Manchester United players defeatist. One day, United players will take responsibility, and will play with the commitment of their fans. Carlos Baleba, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez failed to react for Chelsea’s first. Martinez so unprofessional for Chelsea’s second goal, elbow, second yellow, pen, shocking behaviour. Michael Carrick has his flaws but he’s been let down by his players. United fans have been let down by their players. United can change the head coach but they have to change many of the players, recruiting stronger characters. Players who take responsibility, who care for the club. #CHEMUN #MUFC

Lisandro Martinez could be in trouble here, first a foul on Rogers, then an elbow on Fofana. Brainless. #CHEMUN

Jamie Carragher has now apologised to Aston Villa for comments this week which were disrespectful but hardly actionable. He was wrong about a proud, historic club. Villa said last night they would “initiate legal action” against Carragher for what they described as his “unacceptable insults about the Club and its fans” on his Stick To Football podcast. Carragher claimed Unai Emery would “fancy” joining Manchester United. This fed Villa’s belief/fear of institutional impediments embedded in the Premier League inhibiting their ambitions. We live in a media age where views are news. Carragher is a pundit, paid to give opinions shaped by his many experiences as a player. It’s why he’s also employed by Sky Sports, which bankrolls much of football. You may not agree with some of his views expressed in the more informal, pub-vibe podland, but he’s allowed to say them, and discourse is at the heart of being a fan. That said, Carragher certainly shouldn’t be telling Villa fans objecting to his comments to “shut the f**k up” even “in jest”, a strange way of expanding an audience. “My language this week was clumsy & wrong,” Carragher has now posted on X in his apology to Villa, the owners and fans. “I can assure Villa fans it was tongue in cheek but I can understand it’s not come across that way, so apologies. Good luck today UTV!” Whether this is from pure contrition or a reaction to the threat of legal action remains to be seen. Carragher’s view on Emery deserved challenging but by Villa’s fans not by the club, which should have risen above it, and certainly not by lawyers. You don’t need to be a diehard Holte Ender to question why on earth Emery would leave Villa for United. Emery runs the football operations at Villa, organising and inspiring the squad and team, and overseeing the successful recruitment model. United are a managerial churn machine, a dysfunctional family, with tensions between fans and board, and a squad that needs a long-overdue overhaul. Carragher also needed challenging - in a debate, not a court - about his view on a famous club who have contributed so much to the history of the game. Near the players’ entrance is the statue of William McGregor, founder of the Football League. Villa were founder members of the Premier League. Champions of England, champions of Europe, producer of talent like Brian Little, Gabby Agbonlahor, Gary Cahill and Jack Grealish, and a couple more in the pipeline. The Holte End is one of the great stands of football. Villa deserve more respect from Carragher which he now shows belatedly in today’s post. But Carragher’s suggestion that there is a food chain in football is hardly a radical thought. It’s a view, the game is full of them, and if lawyers are scrambled, and views are censored, then the whole game is the poorer.

Can’t believe there are no goals. Better display from Manchester United, more urgency and pressing, showing more character, getting chances, need to keep targeting Fofana. #CHEMUN

Wesley Fofana cost £70m. #CHEMUN

This is about players’ character now, not simply about Carrick. Manchester United players owe it to their fans to show the right character at the Bridge today. It’s about standards. #MUFC

Jack Grealish is talented, big-hearted, incredibly likeable but he’s 31, unwanted by his main employer, has now let down his loan club and risks letting his career drift. It’s sad to see. At his best, with the ball at his feet, Grealish is a true entertainer, always trying to make things happen in the final third with his balance, dazzling footwork and sense of adventure. He’s generous off the field, helping many causes, the latest a £10,000 donation to a Southport family whose Evertonian dad has cancer. Grealish is genuine. But all these uplifting elements to his personality and playing ability are overshadowed if there’s not total dedication to his demanding profession. That’s time-keeping, refuelling correctly etc. Grealish risks wasting his talent, a special talent. Whatever the nature and scale of the disciplinary breach at Everton, reportedly missing training, Grealish has let down a manager in David Moyes who gave him a chance and is short of players anyway. Grealish has an ability to keep possession under pressure that Everton usually could do with but they beat Newcastle United without him to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. He's let down team-mates and fans. Do Everton need Grealish? Left wing, now left out. His replacement, Tyrique George is a completely different player, quick but raw. George is developing under Moyes (and Lee Carsley with England Under-21s) and an experienced manager clearly feels he can trust him more. George is 20 with his best days ahead of him. Grealish should be doing everything to prove his best days aren’t behind him. He should be fighting hard to keep Father Time and young challengers at bay. Grealish, as he showed last season before injury, could have a significant role to play, could bring some magic to Everton’s flanks, but he’s wasting that chance. He should look at the whole-hearted performances of the likes of Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner and want to be part of these band of brothers. Look at the way Hayden Hackney has been assimilated into a strong dressing-room - and impressed last night. There are good people around the club if Grealish needs help in any way. So what next? Grealish will be costing Everton a lot in their share of his Manchester City wages. Pictures from Finch Farm training will be eagerly awaited as will any involvement in Monday’s Premier League visit to St James’ Park. So where will Grealish go next? He did brilliantly getting Aston Villa into the Premier League, and did the Treble at City. He’s achieved much but could achieve more with that talent. His City contract expires next summer. He’s stuck on 39 England caps, and won’t feature even on the fringes of the conversation when Thomas Tuchel announces his squad next week. He’s now at a crossroads. Let’s hope likeable, gifted Grealish takes the right road, the one demanding total focus. #EFC