I expect one of his fan club members will be along soon to make you take all that harsh criticism back.

To his credit he did make sure he rested on the seventh day.

It will make beating them all the more sweeter, as then Saint Pep's halo will slip just a tad.

He's not 'suddenly become great' in the eyes of the media since moving to City. They've been hyping him up for 18 months.


Let's not get ahead of ourselves again, remember how this sort of thing has bitten you on the arse before (Arsenal last season springs to mind).

Difference is, I am not saying that we will beat them for sure, just that if we did, it would be very sweet indeed.

Surely there is nothing wrong in saying that??

Oh come on , the laying everything on Martinez's doorstep by the press for a poor season won't convince me he didn't have a poor season.

Yeah Martinez certainly has his faults but Stones also needs to take some responsibility.

It's like he's become a different player after three games and the press are falling over themselves to fawn. Not saying he won't become a great player but I'm not buying this sudden transformation since he went to City.

James was absolutely spot on with his comments.

It's like the prodigal son has returned home.

"It will make beating them all the more sweeter"

That isn't a hypothetical.


My point is that there hasn't been a sudden transformation. The media have hyped him up for months and were blaming Martinez's inability to organise a defence long before he went to City.

Yes it is, the subject was about Pep, and how he seen as this magical, super coach, who can do no wrong, so when I said "...it will make beating them all the more sweeter", then that is the context in which I was talking, I didn't say that we would beat them for 100% sure, just that if we did, then seeing his halo slip a few inches would be great to see.

Except 'will' is a definite. By putting it there you are saying that something is going to happen. If you meant for it to be a conditional then I think saying "it would make beating..." makes more sense and avoids it reading like something is 100% going to happen.

Liverpool signed a deal with Holler to be the official timing partner a couple of days ago. Holler have tweeted this: http://i.imgur.com/njZbEyt.png

Spectacular.

Ah well hopefully we can come to some sort of agreement over what was the implied message that I was trying to get across.

You could have just said what you meant.

I seem to recall that you are pretty quick to jump on others, when it comes to that sort of thing.

I did say what I meant, it just got lost in the semantics.

Anyway now that has been cleared up, it would be nice to talk about goings on, on the pitch.

If you said exactly what you meant then it hasn't been cleared up.

Eric Bailly has won United's player of the month award. Not surprising given he's been absolutely fantastic so far. Got to admit I'm still not sure what our first choice pairing should be though. I'm not always sure of the logic of "they've player well so far so don't change anything" because that kind of complacency usually ends badly but I don't know if I'd bring in Smalling despite his excellent form last year.

I wouldn't change the back 4 tbh and I'm a big Smalling fan.

I do like Eric though.....a lot.

Yeah, he seems really passionate which helps me like him as a person. I know it doesn't really matter but I loved the way he slid in after Rashford's winner against Hull.

Awesome

.....and then launched himself onto the players afterwards. No wonder Fellani's back was giving him some jip.

The fan who invaded the pitch was sliding all over the place too. It reminded me of that 2-2 game against Villa away a few years back when a Utd fan did something similar and fell on his arse.

I don't think that the team needs to many changes, just depends on how Valencia is, as he arrives back on Friday doesn't he?

Could be an opportunity there for someone at rightback if he is not 100%.

Would love to see Miki start the match, in place of Mata, as pace could be a key thing to have against their defence.

He's injured and probably won't be back until a few days after the game, unfortunately.

Ahh I thought that there might have been a chance for him, Ahh well, anyone know the status of Lingard?

We could do with a bit of pace in the side, and he has that, plus a fair but of trickery (as showed v Leicester).

I'd seen he was a doubt for the game, figured he'd just be on the bench in case we need some extra energy late on. Bloody international matches.

Yeah they are annoying, good thing Ibra has been resting up, he will be raring to go, having had the international break off.

Both Madrid clubs have had their transfer bans confirmed. Means that if we want Griezmann next summer, we'd have to activate the release clause and avoid the tax regulations like we did with Herrera as I doubt they'd sell if they can't buy a replacement.

That is good to hear about the bans, doubt it will make either club change their practices all that much though.

As seen with Pogba, if we want a player, then we will pay whatever we feel is necessary to get him, so if in this instance with Griezemann, then I think we would pay that amount for him.

All clubs try to exploit any possible loopholes.

'Their practices' aren't half as shady as you think that they are.

Not illegal, but seem to be exploitative. Interesting that the giant Spanish clubs are the only ones who are going too far in they way they are pushing the rules...