Premier League preview: Why we're worried for Saka | Football Weekly

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Premier League preview: Saka injury worries and Spurs' Stamford Bridge problem

The Football Weekly panel previews Liverpool v Brighton, Chelsea v Spurs, Manchester City's fragility, Aston Villa's chances and Bukayo Saka's workload. They see Brighton as a serious test, Spurs still short at Stamford Bridge, City running on fear and Saka needing protection.

The Premier League is back this weekend and the panel are going over all the key talking points from Bukayo Saka's latest injury to why Spurs will obviously lose.Subscribe to Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball?subconfirmation=1 Max Rushden is joined by Jonathan Liew, Paul Watson and Archie Rhind-Tutt to break it all down for you. Watch the full podcast episode ► https://youtu.be/rZvymeJRxOM We want your feedback! If you had any thoughts on our coverage of the World Cup, please let us know here ► www.theguardian.com/YTWorldCupSurvey The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://support.theguardian.com/ Guardian Football Weekly: https://www.tiktok.com/@guardianfootballweekly https://www.instagram.com/guardianfootballweekly/ Website ► https://www.theguardian.com Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/theguardian Bluesky ► https://bsky.app/profile/sport.theguardian.com Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardiansport/ The Guardian on YouTube: The Guardian ► https://www.youtube.com/@theguardian Football Weekly podcast ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport

Transcript

So, Premier League returns this weekend. For me, Johnny, Liverpool Brighton is is perhaps I mean, there are lots of interesting narratives and and stories, but I think Liverpool Brighton could be a really interesting game. Yes. I I I think this is this is um one of those games where we if Brighton win, we're going to get maybe a week of like are they could this be could they do a Leicester? Could could this be could they be title contenders? And I I honestly think they have they have every chance um with the fluency that they're showing, the confidence, the sheer kind of like swagger that they're playing with and also you know the fact that Liverpool who I thought were like frankly god awful for half an hour against uh Villa Royale. Um quite you know quite brutal you know. Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't surprise me if this was another sort of 4-3 44 kind of 3-3 sort of game. Uh because we sort of know how both teams will go about it. Um there'll be I think a lot of a lot of space in midfield. uh we're going to see a lot of, you know, cute switches of play and um yeah, I I I think it's it's it's an interesting test of of where Liverpool are at because I think if if Liverpool win, conversely, I think it gives it it lends a real kind of weight to the Areola project and and what he's building if they can if they can take a scalp like Brighton. Uh so so yeah, >> how do you say Archie? >> I didn't really have a view and wasn't expecting you to come to me on that. I look, I appreciate your honesty and when when no when when when Barry isn't on the pod, I need someone to do the I don't care version and so I will take that as I'm sorry for asking. I'm really it's my it's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you and I feel terrible. It's it's it's always the case that for this pod I'll prepare like loads for something and then I'll I won't get asked about that and then you go, "What about whole Brenford Archie?" And I'm like, "Oh, for sake." Well, well, well, you know, nothing if not fair. What have you got now? What have you got? What? Yeah. Okay. Yes. Carry on. >> Last month, >> I I watched the whole of the early Club Brigger Villa game. I'm just getting this out now. I watched the whole of the game. You didn't ask me a single question on it. And I was like, "Oh, you are kidding me." >> Surely Club Bugger versus Aston Villa is its own reward. >> Yeah. I've never empathized more with a sentiment than this, Archie. Like honestly, I'll have watched the whole of Turks and Caos versus Anguila and there's not a single bloody question. It's like, oh, you want to know about Arsenal, do you? Yeah, >> I watched I watched the Bettis Fire Nord highlights and I watched I watched I sat through six minutes of the Bettis Fire Nord highlights. I sat through about 10 minutes of Lask, you know, trying to try to think of something to say about that and and you know, then then it's it's like not getting picked at the at the school disco. Is there a WhatsApp group without me with all the panelists going and I I did this? >> I watched those on one and a half times because I know that the likelihood of me being asked about that is very low. But nevertheless, Max might still go and what a goal by the way by that 19year-old from Le and I'm going to go Yeah. I >> Yep. Yep. >> I'm I'm going to insist on I'm going to insist on reading out my notes. The notes I made for Rail Betters won Fire Nord. I've written here. I've written here. >> Yeah. >> Nine points. Nine points for Betis, >> Sloan, Ko, Arsenal and Bayern, who may already have qualified. Troy Parrot, fuckoo. >> Right. So, is anyone else Archie? I did my glad you've done them. Are there any notes you want to share? Things you prepared that I haven't asked you about today, Archie. Is there anything? You know, you take this take this podcast where you want. It's this is this is a bit like um have you seen that clip on GB News where the presenter goes totally mad with that panelist and the panelist like you're not being very professional here's my bit forget my questions Archie what do you want to talk about so I think that Brighton have made a really good start to the season that honestly the the way that Fabian Herzel has has gone about his business the fact that they've been so patient uh with with their approach continually uh that you know that they do have this this thing that we were talking about that Man United don't have of well >> is this is is this a madeup answer or is this now morphing into a sensible answer? >> This is morphing into a sensible answer. >> Yeah, it'll be it'll be an easy cut as well. Right. Max can just ask you a question. We chop that 5 minutes out where we just vented our grievances and we carry on. >> The truth is Max sometimes I really need a moment to speak. I I need a moment to think and I just don't give myself that moment to think where I was like I probably could have said something. Um >> no that's fine. I preferred I preferred the honesty and I preferred the bit that he had just given me a cliched well could go either way Brian. Um Man United Bournemouth is you know obviously given what we talked about with Manchester United it's it's a fascinating game. Marco Rosa before the Milan game which most of it will probably have happened by the time you listen to this but some of you uh you know early birds will have got this pot already he did it's a great line he said Paul like it's a huge game the Milan game we're looking forward to it the club has played a much bigger game before many years ago after the points deduction they needed to win their last game at home against Grimby and Steve Fletcher scored the winning goal that's the foundation of why we're here playing these kinds of games I love that Marco Rosa has Steve Fletcher you know in his vernacular Now >> I love it. I love it. So my dad is a Bournemouth fan and growing up being a Bristol City fan uh we would go and see City and we'd drag him along to that quite a lot. And then at Christmas we'd go and visit the relatives in Bournemouth and he would take us to Dean Court to watch Bournemouth who were just terrible at the time. They were they were definitely worse than us. Uh and we would actively laugh at him about how bad Bournemouth were. And I remember um it slowly dawning on me over the course of how many years that they were going to get to the Premier League and we probably will always be stuck in mid-table in the Championship which is to be fair much better than we ever were in those days. Um but the fact that Bulma are now playing AC Milan we used to sort of go and watch him play late in Orient and laugh at my dad. I I can only presume this is all at my expense. Um it's also also it's kind of a weird derby this isn't it Bournemouth AC Milan because Bournemouth uh I suppose a derby it's almost a friendship thing that Bournemouth chose their kit because they wanted to emulate AC Milan's kit right they actually did just yeah they just um I think in the 70s they used to play in uh red and white and in the 70s they were just like AC Milan are really good should we just use their kit and I'm pretty sure this is true if it's not then I apologize but yeah so um that's a very long-winded way of saying uh really loved that that he that Marco Rosa did that. I I really like it when a coach engages with the history of a club properly. And I think if you're going to engage with the history of Bournemouth, that history for a long time was massive struggle. And yeah, I remember my dad think he wouldn't have a football club to support anymore. Like genuinely staring down the barrel of that. So the fact they're playing AC Milan now is is great even though as I say is entirely my expense. >> Of course it is. Um and they be fascinating to see how that game goes and which side they pick for that and which side they pick for Old Trafford because you know you know both those sides need points in the Premier League. Uh Chelsea Spurs, Johnny. I mean I it's just the most guaranteed result in every season. It's Spurs have one win in 35 Premier League games at Stanford Bridge. That's sort of extraordinary statistic for some reason. Uh, and I I'm going to I am going to put my Spurs I'm going I'm going put my Spurs hat on here. Chelsea always come at just the wrong time. Chelsea always seem to come along at a point in the cycle where they are slowly getting better and they're slowly improving but not quite good enough to beat Chelsea yet. And that's when Chelsea come along. Uh and then of course you have the the Stamford Bridge Hudoo and and you know I I I remember uh like a heartbreaking three three all draw in the in the FA Cup about uh sort of 15 20 years ago when when three 3-1 up with with 10 minutes to go. But I I think um yeah it it is a little bit too soon for Spurs. Um but uh they are they are sign there are signs of life there and and again if if they can if they can pull it off if they can sort of manage to grab a win it's it's it's one of those results that puts a whole different spin on the season. Look at it like that. I think that that that's the more that's a slightly more optimistic way of looking at it. This could transform the entire deserby era. >> Could it it could but it like it just won't. There's just no way like Tottenham cannot beat Chelsea. They will >> they almost never at Wre but at Stanford Breeze they just can't do it. It doesn't matter what's happening. Doesn't matter what is happening in the whole world. Chelsea could feel no players and somehow Spurs will contrive to lose that game. >> And yet even a terrible Spurs will are Manchester City's kryptonite. Manchester City will come with their billion pound and the greatest manager in the world and they'll come and play and Thomas Frank will do a number on him. >> Yeah. Um it's almost like someone should say it's a funny old game, shouldn't they? at this point. Um, Arj, I'm too terrified to ask you a specific question about the remaining fixtures. Um, but why don't I do a come on? Yeah, hands up. What do you want? Fulham. Well, that that's So, so here's generally the structure of the Premier League preview. You go to Barry, you go to the other one, and then you go Archie Fam minute and I go, "All right, ticket prices are shit." Blah, blah, blah. Um, uh, the manager right now. Yeah. All right. Um, but I Okay, Josh King. Josh King's a real joy to watch. I love watching Josh King. Oh, I the sort of player where I think, "Oh, well, >> I better to enjoy it while he's here because he's not going to be here for much longer." And it would be nice if he does something tangible in a Fulham shirt. I just don't know if this is the Fulham team for him to do that with right now. Uh Alvaro Abaloa, I don't know how much longer this thing is going to last. We smashed Hull, but Hull were so bad. I don't think that they're going to be other teams that we face this season that offer as little resistance as they did. The other thing I I was going to say was that Crystal Palace Newcastle looks like a game where both managers are facing some heat and that could be interesting >> and that and that was my that was my Premier League. >> Thanks for Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yer and S both under a bit of pressure. Palace bowl account sticking with Saj for now. Um on Palace, the animal rights group Peter have written to the club asking them to consider retiring uh their live bald eagle mascot called Phoenix with immediate effect. Uh the organization has detailed records of incidents involving live mascots including birds being injured or killed in collisions with walls, windows, and match balls as well as falcon embedding its talons in a spectator's scalp. Blime me after landing on his head. God, that's not what you want, you know. You're just going for a you know. Ah, should we go? Who you playing? Ah, yeah. Go on then. Talons in the scalp. Uh Peta said bald eagles are wildly recognized as symbols of freedom. They deserve better than to be used as an entertainment prop to amuse the Eagles fans. A spokesperson said um which is not something I'd sort of generally considered but I you know I I I would bow to the knowledge of people who understand animals more than than I do for sure. Um >> Ben Fica and Track Frankfurt might be getting a similar letter then soon. >> Right. Right. um Villa Villa City. Uh Johnny, um how are you feeling watching Man City games at the moment? Like we we've had these rumors that the that the punishments are known or that they could come out sooner than than we thought they might, but it is sort of this weird situation of watching these games and then looking at the league table and just sort of ignoring who's top of it. >> Yeah, I I think Barney actually made this point, but like Manchester City games are are really weirdly compelling at the moment. It's like the um it's like the the big debortched party scene in Downfall where all the Nazis. So I'm not you know what it's not a great comparison. It's not a great comparison. I am I am not >> I am not comparing the manchester City 2026. I I want to make that very clear cuz I think City have lawyers. Do they have Do they have like does city have a legal do have lawyers? I'm not entirely they are busy. They're busy at the moment Johnny. It'd be weird if they all turned their attention to you for a slightly crash comparison, but you never know. >> Yes. But but they I mean they are a really fascinating team to watch because I I think like my my view is that at some point they just implode. I think something is powering them. And and I'm I'm not even sure they would be able to to identify what it is. It's adrenaline. It's it's fear probably. It's survival instinct. It's it's feeling like the walls are closing in on you. and and that is producing some like incredible incredible you know flowing running football. We saw you know we saw the Liverpool game uh but also I think this incredible fragility and brittleleness and I I think you know we saw we saw that against PSG that like there there are times that when I think they just collectively switch off. We saw them against Ipswich as well and I think Villa might actually be the Premier League team who if they've kind of physically recovered from midweek uh they have I think they have the tools to actually actually finally end that 100% record. Is Manzambi fit is the question. I I I think if if Manzambi makes that I think that could make a big difference. I know Villa have just beaten V King but the form that Manzambi's been in I think that he'd be a crucial cog to that. Can I can I talk about Saka for a little bit? I I'm slightly worried about him. >> He's I mean this is this it looks like a quad injury. >> He's had hamstring injuries in in each of the last two seasons and uh I think different legs, but basically what happens when you have a hamstring injury is that when you the hamstrings and the quads work kind of as as of pushpull. So if you've got any kind of reduced flexibility in your in your hamstring, that then means a lot more weight is going through the quad every time you straighten the knee. And I I know that he didn't play a full season last season that that that they sort of managed him, but he played he was played 49 games and he played a World Cup and he came back with seven days. He had he took seven days rest before he started preseason training with Arsenal and and he wanted to do that because he was really disappointed how the World Cup had gone and you know was hungry to to get going. I just think someone someone should say don't do that. Stop don't don't like this guy has also been playing pretty much solidly solid first team football since the age of 18. And look, I'm just I'm just a little bit worried about him is all I I because, you know, once these injuries compound, you know, as we see with the with the the hamstring and then the quad, you know, often has a knock-on effect on on his gate and his load management on on other parts of the leg. So, um, yeah, I just, you know, if there's a silver lining, I guess it's that if the the hamstring was weakened, now the the thigh is weakened and now he's back in perfect balance. Um, sure. Well, that's only one leg and then he would run in circles when I um when I did uh during the Soccer and Glory years, I may have mentioned this before. I did I went and had a medical at St. George's Park cuz we you know we we' heard about medical what is a medical, right? What actually happened? So, I did the full thing and there were two big moments. one when I for the standing jump I stood there and they sort of actually went like it looks like you shouldn't actually be able to stand up given how like out of alignment your whole body is just being stationary and when I did my quad hamstring sort of comparison I I scored 0% for hamstrings like that is not a lot that's not a good score for your hamstrings um yeah yeah and and also I get more importantly for sacka like if you come back and it's you're 2% off off it or 4% off, whatever. That that can be the difference maker when you're playing at this elite level.