Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! Now then, where were we? The last time Football Daily preached to the masses [honk – Football Daily Ed], Jürgen Klopp was firing shots at TNT and waiting for Amnesty International to intervene over the crime that is the 12.30pm Saturday kick-off. By late Sunday, under the Anfield sunshine and in front of Sky cameras, the departing Liverpool manager was a much happier bunny, firing jubilant fist-pumps after his side’s 4-2 win over Tottenham. Yes, this was a long ol’ weekend built upon fierce mood and local election swings, which means it’s time for a recap Craig David would approve of. Saturday brought another routine Arsenal victory, their fourth on the bounce as Bournemouth were swept aside 3-0. Smiles all round, the Emirates still believing, bottles waiting to be popped … until, for the second weekend in a row, Manchester City cruised through their evening game to kill the mood in north London. Erling Haaland, clearly reeling from second-season syndrome after a staggering freshman year, scored just his, erm, wait … 33rd, 34th, 35th and 36th goals of the season. Trampolining at the far post to head home his second in a 5-1 demolition of Wolves, Haaland provided a reminder that he remains the biggest, meanest, scariest presence on the playground. What is the matter with you? Where is the editor when editing is so badly required? The opening sentence on Jürgen Klopp (Friday’s Football Daily) was by my count 61 words long. Business English teachers suggest a sentence of 17 should be the maximum. Most of us can follow a line of thought quite well. Even sequences of related sentences, often referred to as ‘paragraphs’, are well within our grasp. Stop treating me as if I were stupid. The better technique is to write up to me, not down” – Murray Todd. Let’s work this out together. David Moyes had a disastrous first go-around at West Ham. But the club brought him back, he sorted out the defence, and led them to European glory (well, Tin Pot). And he’s now available again. Moyes already had his first term at Manchester United, their defending is atrocious, and Europe beckons. Sing it with me. ‘♪ He’s coming home ♪ He’s coming home ♪ He’s coming ♪ Moyes is coming home’” – Mike Wilner. One of the main reasons I think Arne Slot will seamlessly adapt to Anfield is that he is trading De Kuip for De Kop” – Peter Oh. Can Mark Clattenburg be charged for bringing Gladiators into disrepute?” – Martyn Shapter. As a rube from across the pond, I’m quite grateful for you alerting us to the presence of a Bank Holiday, as otherwise I’d be blaming a serendipitous glitch in the internet for the absence of a Football Daily missive. Just one question though: why do Brits celebrate certain holidays by going to banks? Seems terribly buttoned-down” – John Nielsen-Gammon. Continue reading...

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and Lucy Ward as both Arsenal and Manchester City refuse to blink in the Premier League title race Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email. On the podcast today; Arsenal comfortably beat Bournemouth before Manchester City comfortably beat Wolves, will this be the story until the end of the season? Continue reading...

Mikel Arteta keeps cool, Jacob Murphy proves his worth and Elijah Adebayo states his case for a top-flight stay From touchline handbags in London with his manager a week ago to this: an individual performance of verve and efficiency to go with collective success, Mohamed Salah smiling once again. Much has been written and said about the Egyptian forward, of his recent struggles, future and behaviour. But a career as storied as his requires him to put aside the noise and go again, an internal wiring that is present among only the best. Salah was electric against Tottenham, striking the bar with a cross-turned-shot and forcing a strong save from Guglielmo Vicario inside the first 10 minutes. The post was struck not long after, though the offside flag went up too, and then came the goal just 16 minutes in, masterful movement at the far post preceding a clinical header. He was present in the build-up to Liverpool’s other three goals, allowing Jürgen Klopp a gorgeous afternoon of Anfield sunshine and fist pumps as that final goodbye inches closer. Taha Hashim Match report: Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham Match report: Manchester City 5-1 Wolves Match report: Brighton 1-0 Aston Villa Match report: Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth Continue reading...

At the end of a goalless first half against Bournemouth, the German bought a penalty that tickled at the lines of the law This was a Premier League game that posed all kinds of existential questions. If Kai Havertz falls in a crowded penalty area and nobody touches him, but someone does also kind of touch him, is that a penalty? Is simulation still simulation if the thing you’re simulating would have happened anyway because of things like legs, tangles, space, slide, path of run? And most importantly, is there any way of not having to talk about things like this ever again? Continue reading...

Manager praises trio in Arsenal’s quest for titleIraola aggrieved over penalty and disallowed goal Mikel Arteta was effusive in his praise of Arsenal’s signings from last summer and how they have driven the club’s challenge for the Premier League title. The 3-0 home victory over Bournemouth on Saturday lunchtime was built on performances by Declan Rice and Kai Havertz while David Raya’s 15th clean sheet of the season confirmed him as the Golden Glove winner. Rice made the second goal for Leandro Trossard and scored the third while Havertz won the penalty for Bukayo Saka to score the opener, albeit in controversial fashion. Havertz had hung out his trailing leg, waiting for contact from the goalkeeper, Mark Travers. When it came, he went down. Continue reading...

Updates from the 5.30pm BST kick-off at the EtihadRice drives Arsenal past Bournemouth to maintain title push Gary O’Neil, the Wolves manager, won’t be on the touchline today. He’s suspended after losing his rag with VAR last month. Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth Brentford 0-0 Fulham Burnley 1-4 Newcastle Sheff Utd 1-3 Nottm Forest Continue reading...

Mikel Arteta had wanted something less stressful than Arsenal’s previous home win over Bournemouth and he got his wish. In March of last year, his team had needed a 97th-minute Reiss Nelson goal to complete a wild 3-2 victory from 2-0 down. Here there was glory in the general sense of comfort and control, Arsenal moving to 83 points, still asking the question of the defending champions, Manchester City, who kick-off against Wolves at 5.30pm. It was not entirely straightforward; it rarely is. Arsenal caught a break at 2-0 up when an Antoine Semenyo goal was disallowed on the advice of the VAR for a foul by Dominic Solanke on the goalkeeper, David Raya. Continue reading...

Updates from the 12.30pm BST kick-off at the EmiratesWant to share your thoughts? Send Tim an email Iraola makes two changes to the team that thumped Brighton. Illia Zabarnyi and Ryan Christie come in for Lloyd Kelly and Enes Unal. Mikel Arteta sticks with the XI that won the first half of the north London derby, so Trossard starts and Martinelli is on the bench. Continue reading...

Gunners came from 2-0 down to beat Bournemouth last March and head coach hopes for a less breathless display on Saturday “In my heart and in my soul … this is what I am hoping for, yes,” Mikel Arteta says, as he prepares to go through the routine once again. It will be for the third time in the past fortnight or so and yet it is a movie the Arsenal manager has seen on countless occasions over the years – from a role on both sides, which only adds to the drama; the fear factor, too, which he must surely fight. Arteta’s team play first on Saturday as the Premier League title race nears its climax – at home to Bournemouth at 12.30pm. And then the defending champions, Manchester City, will have to respond when they host Wolves at 5.30pm. Continue reading...