A soggy, scrappy night at Goodison gives us another data point on Carrick’s United: not fluent or fun this time but reliably hard to beat and capable of nicking games with one proper bit of quality. We break down a first half of little rhythm, the earlier Šeško change, and the Cunha–Mbuemo–Šeško move that decided it.

We also talk goalkeeping: Lammens’ calm under Everton’s corner barrage, and what it changes when you actually trust the bloke behind you. Also: selection rigidity, the table shaping up nicely, Liverpool’s jammy win, Spurs’ relegation nerves and a look ahead to Palace on Sunday

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Off the back of a flat West Ham draw and an even flatter first half, we take stock of Carrick’s United at the point where “new manager bounce” meets reality. There are clearer ideas and better control than before, but the soft goals, the lack of box presence, and the squad’s physical limits still show up the moment United have to break a team down.

We discuss selection calls, why Šeško changes the shape of games even when he’s not at his sharpest, and what the draw means for a Champions League race that suddenly feels very live. Plus: Everton away next, VAR’s never-ending identity crisis, and why Jim Ratcliffe keeps making himself the story.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was more a match about competence than brilliance. The opposition going down to 10 men is not the guarantee it may be seen as, as this United team proved against Everton. But with Spurs, we saw an accomplished, professional performance with little drama.

Goals from Mbeumo and Bruno, and assured performances from Maguire and Martinez, meant this never got nervy or edgy; instead, it was defined by comfort and calmness - a welcome break from the dramatic wins of the last three weeks. Can United overcome another hurdle when they visit West Ham this week? We discuss all this and more, with a brief musical interlude. Thanks for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.