Red Couch Mancs

The time has come for Manchester United to take the next step in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era. Vivek and Karl look ahead to bigger expectations with the new recruits in place and who the best players at each position could be. The episode was recorded on Sunday, Aug. 8 and hence the uncertainty over Lionel Messi's PSG transfer as well as the belief that Edinson Cavani would be fit and ready. Finally, there is a bittersweet announcement to close off. Karl and Vivek are so grateful to everyone who's joined us on this journey as we figured out how to run our own podcast and what would make for appealing content while being true to ourselves.

Thank you so much for listening to Red Couch Mancs, Glory Glory!

Vivek and Karl finally review United's defenders as we have big news to bring you with the signing of Rafael Varane, pending a medical. We breakdown:

- Impact and chain reaction of the signing of Varane

- Potential loan deals

- Marcus Rashford shoulder surgery and the knock on effect

- Olympic football round up

Karl and Vivek push their defenders review by one more week in the hopes that we have some great news to share regarding Varane. In the mean time, Karl and Vivek discuss:

- United friendly against Derby and how the youngsters fared 

- Are United closer to a title with Sancho?

- Should we believe the Pogba rumours? 

- Potential change in fifa rules

- Olympic round up

Euro 2020 is in the books and it was a special tournament to look back on. Vivek and Karl debate:

- Why did England lose the plot in the second half?

- Shootout strategy

- Disgusting racism against Rashford, Sancho, Saka

- Rashford surgery impact

- Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament

Karl and Vivek breakdown United's midfield, a topic that has polarized fans throughout the season. What does Utd need to do in the transfer market to address any midfield concerns that will take them to the next level. Other topics include:

- Fred, Scott, Pogba, Bruno, DVB performance breakdown

- What improvements can players make in the offseason

- Where is DVB's best position?

- Euro finals preview

In this episode, Karl and Vivek revel in the long overdue completion of the Jadon Sancho transfer, examine his fit in United's forward line, then review the season that was for the forwards. Euro 2020 included as well.

- How much does Sancho help the right-sided attack?

- Is Martial in a United jersey to start 2021-22?

- Setting expectations for Greenwood behind both Sancho and Cavani

- How Rashford can take the next step and Cavani can lead the line

- Magic Monday the best in Euro Cup history?

We take a look at the performance of both goalkeepers and who will be the number for United next season.  Vivek in typical fashion, breaks it down with the stats throughout the season to give you an in depth view of where each keeper excelled. Other topics include:

- Bruno vs. Pogba

- Maguire back

- Rumour mill: Sergio Ramos / Pau Torres / Raphael Varane / Harry Kane / Paul Pogba

- What went wrong with Memphis? What went wrong with Lukaku?

Thanks for listening! Remember to follow @redcouchmancs on Twitter and Instagram :)

Vivek and Karl are back to begin their 2020-21 season performance reviews beginning with the Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Did he have a successful season? What defines success next season? Where does he need to improve? Other topics include:

- Joel Glazer x Fan Forum

- Cantona Collar, Beckham Boot final tallies

- Sancho, Trippier transfer talk

- Which United player NEEDS a Euro 2020 to remember?

- Who will be the best United players at Euro 2020?

Thanks for listening! Remember to follow @redcouchmancs on Twitter and Instagram :)

Manchester United end another season trophy-less as Villareal pull off the upset with an astounding penalty shootout win that saw 21 out of 22 players score. It came down to a battle of the two goalkeepers' scoring abilities and David de Gea was the one to blink. Karl and Vivek discuss:

- Conceding off yet another set piece

- Where were Bruno, Pogba, and Rashford?

- No subs for 98 minutes, then 5 in 22 minutes

- Pau Torres' near-perfect audition

- How should OGS be assessed next season?

Cantona Collar: Scott McTominay. Beckham Boot: Marcus Rashford. Noisy Neighbour: Pau Torres.

Man United end the season undefeated away from home, only the second time that has been done in EPL history. With not much else to play for Karl and Vivek discuss:

- Top scorers for a single club

- Donny van de Beek still lackluster 

- Juan Mata deserves the winning goal

- Europa league final preview

Cantona Collar: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Beckham Boot: Glazers. Noisy Neighbour: Sergio Aguero

Man United's point along with Chelsea defeating Leicester City ensures a second place finish for the season, one better than last year. Karl and Vivek discuss:

- El Matador special, Kane who?

- De Gea shows off reflexes, does Henderson have an elite ceiling?

- Suspect back line

- EPL Match 38 @ Wolves preview

Cantona Collar: Edinson Cavani. Beckham Boot: Victor Lindelof. Noisy Neighbour: Tosin Adarabioyo.

Manchester United had a chance to severely dent their arch rivals UCL hopes and they were off to a great start, however mistakes led to their undoing, losing 4-2 in the process. Harry Maguire was sorely missed and Utd are desperate to get him back for the Europa league final. Vivek was busy with his day job today so we had Michael Singh on the show to break it down. 

- Set pieces were United's undoing yet again

- Marcus Rashford loves playing in these big fixtures

- United focus should be clinching second place against Fulham

- Can Dean Henderson cope with the pressure?

 Cantona Collar: Marcus Rashford. Beckham Boot: Dean Henderson. Noisy Neighbour: Trent Alexander Arnold.

Manchester United's valiant title charge finally comes to an end and Man City finally claim their title after having the bubbly on ice for over a week. Due to the fixture congestion, Man Utd made 10 changes to their team from the weekend, giving quite a few youngsters a shot. That resulted in many playing with each other for the first time and the lack of team chemistry showed, eventually succumbing to a 2-1 loss. 

- Greenwood coming into his own

- Amad Diallo has a bright future

- United have depth issues

- How do we catch City?

Cantona Collar: Mason Greenwood. Beckham Boot: Brandon Williams. Noisy Neighbour: Wilfred Ndidi

Man United picked up a record-equaling 10th comeback league victory of the season away to Aston Villa to take one more step towards wrapping up second place and delaying City's celebrations for another day. Karl and Vivek discuss:

- Pogba leading the charge early

- Traore wonder goal puts United on their heels

- Greenwood and Cavani show off class

- What is Martial's outlook?

- EPL Match 35 vs. Leicester preview

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Victor Lindelof. Noisy Neighbour: John McGinn.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer breaks his semifinal jinx and Manchester United are through to the Europa League final! Special guest Peter Galindo (@GalindoPW) joins the show to discuss with Vivek:

- Very strong starting lineup

- Cavani doesn't get enough credit

- Vintage Dave saves

- Mourinho to Roma

- Man Utd vs. Villareal final preview

Cantona Collar: David de Gea. Beckham Boot: Alex Telles. Noisy Neighbour: Bryan Cristante.

Special guest Michael Singh (@MichaelSingh94) joins Vivek and fills in for Karl to discuss United's magnificent second half performance that puts them on the verge of the Europa League final.

- Rashford vs. Greenwood on the right wing

- Pogba handball to concede penalty

- Lindelof poor in United conceding 2nd goal

- Cavani provides the full El Matador experience

- Liverpool EPL Match 34 preview

Cantona Collar: Edinson Cavani. Beckham Boot: Chris Smalling. Noisy Neighbour: Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Manchester United and Leeds United played out a surprisingly boring 0-0 draw and Michael Maynard of Toronto Maple Leeds (@MapleLeeds on Twitter) joined Vivek and Karl to break it all down.

- Impact of Super League on those outside Top 6

- Kalvin Phillips vs. Bruno Fernandes

- Luke Shaw handball?

- Scrappy moments

- Roma UEL SF preview

Cantona Collar: Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Noisy Neighbour: Kalvin Phillips. Beckham Boot: Glazer family.

Vivek and Karl celebrate their 50th episode with a bang, breaking down the rise and fall of the European super league (ESL). This conversation transcended the football world, making its way into everyday conversation. Ultimately, the ESL lasted a total of 72 hours and as a result there were several casualties including Manchester United CEO Ed Woodward, something the United fans have been gunning for ever since he started way back in 2013. We breakdown:

- Timeline of events starting with the announcement on April 18th

- Why this was such a big deal in the first place

- What lessons can we learn from this

- How do we use this fan power to make further changes in the game

Manchester United with a 3-1 victory over Burnley, it was tight in the second half when it was tied 1-1 but a couple of late goals sealed the victory. Vivek and Karl breakdown what Utd need to do to finish the season on a good note including:

- Finishing in the top 3

- What positions should be prioritized in the transfer market

- Marcus Rashford with some sublime skill and Mason's goal glut

- Leeds United preview

Cantona Collar: Mason Greenwood. Beckham Boot: Dean Henderson. Noisy Neighbour: Chris Wood.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are through to another cup semifinal after taking care of business against Granada. Edinson Cavani wrapped up the tie with an early goal and Alex Telles impressed after an extended absence. Vivek and Karl discuss:

- Surprisingly strong starting XI

- Cavani shows his value

- Haaland vs. Kane

- Solskjaer comments regarding Son

- EPL Match 32 preview vs. Burnley

Cantona Collar: Alex Telles. Beckham Boot: Jesus Vallejo. Noisy Neighbour: Yangel Herrera.

Friend of the show and devoted Spurs fan Zaman Alli joins Karl and Vivek to break down another away comeback win by United.

- Henderson start makes clear he is now No. 1

- Bruno vs. Hojbjerg matchup

- United's disallowed goal, VAR, Son drama

- Pogba dictates another pivotal match

- Granada UEL QF 2nd leg preview

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Jose Mourinho. Noisy Neighbour: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Manchester United get an important 2-0 victory away from home and in the process have one foot in the semi finals. They will be concerned that 3 of their players are suspended for the return leg in Shaw, Maguire and McTominay. Overall it was a game with few incidents and Ole might prefer that given what he has seen lately with the comeback victories. Vivek and Michael Singh breakdown:

- Has Henderson and David De Gea switched roles?

- Who is the best finisher at the club?

- Victory against spurs all but seals a UCL spot

Cantona Collar: Victor Lindelof. Beckham Boot: Rui Silva. Noisy Neighbor: Yangel Herrera.

United channel some of their away form at Old Trafford, coming from behind to take the 3 points with a 2-1 victory. Vivek Jacob was on a well deserved Easter break and in his place we had a guest in Bharat Khanna, a lifelong united fan and long time friend and listener of the show. With this victory, United open up a bit of a gap in second spot with some of their rivals losing:

- Rashford with an exquisite finish

- Bruno turns it on in the second half

- Has Henderson replaced DDG?

- How will United account for the loss of Martial

- Granada preview

Cantona Collar: Bruno Fernandez. Beckham Boot: Edinson Cavani. Noisy Neighbour: Yves Bissouma

The fixture pileup finally caught up with United as they crashed out of the FA Cup with defeat to Leicester City. Special guest Peter Galindo -- soccer writer at Sportsnet and host of Northern Futbol (a podcast covering Canadian soccer) -- joined the show to break it all down. A theme throughout the game was Manchester United sloppy in possession especially from their CDM's, resulting in 3 mistakes and 3 goals being conceded. United now go into the international break with a lot to ponder with their only hope of a trophy being the Europa League. 

- Fred and Matic too careless with the ball

- Wrong approach for final match before international break

- Ole missed a trick not playing Bruno and Paul Pogba together

- Surprised that AWB did not make the England squad

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Nemanja Matic. Noisy Neighbour: Wilfred Ndidi

Die-hard AC Milan fan as well as senior NBA writer and co-host of the Pound the Rock podcast Joseph Casciaro (@josephcasciaro on Twitter) joins Vivek and Karl to break down United's 1-0 win over Milan that came courtesy a super-sub performance from Paul Pogba.

- Importance of the No. 6 role in a 4-2-3-1 formation

- First half being giveaway central

- Pogba's game-changing substitution at halftime

- Henderson's strong response to his first leg error

- Leicester City FA Cup quarter-final preview

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Samu Castillejo. Noisy Neighbour: Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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United faced a hardworking, plucky West Ham side that is in with a shout of Champions League football. Everyone knew that West Ham would be hard to breakdown and it would be a game with few goals. United took some time to figure things out but they grew into the game. Ultimately getting a goal from a set piece and lock up 3 valuable points:

- Rashford misses a guilt edged header

- Fabianski kept his team in it

- Maguire was immense 

- Mason Greenwood was looking the part and unlucky not to get a goal

- AC Milan preview

Cantona Collar: Mason Greenwood. Beckham Boot: Marcus Rashford. Noisy Neighbour: Fabianski

A bad last-minute error from Dean Henderson costs Manchester United what would have been an undeserved first leg victory. AC Milan were the better side in each half and it was a moment of magic from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo that gave United the lead. Michael Singh steps in for Karl Mascarenhas to discuss with Vivek:

- Another poor United start

- Maguire's shocking miss

- Bruno and Diallo magic

- Henderson should be careful what he wishes for

- West Ham preview

Cantona Collar: Alex Telles. Beckham Boot: Nemanja Matic. Noisy Neighbour: Fikayo Tomori.

United come out of the blocks like a house on fire, with a quick fire press resulting in a very early penalty. That set the tone with a lot of swagger throughout the game. City had their moments but all in all it was a pretty impressive performance on the back of some very drab 0-0 draws. 

- Cavani out injured once again

- Dean Henderson with an assured performance

- Martial finally stepped to make his presence felt

- Luke Shaw can be an attacking force with finishes like that

- AC Milan Match preview in the Europa League

Cantona Collar: Luke Shaw/Martial. Beckham Boot: Pep. Noisy Neighbour: Riyad Mahrez

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Unfortunately, another drab performance from a Utd side that seems to be in a bit of a lull. Ole had one eye on the City fixture, and with a lack of options on the bench, United meandered to a 0-0 draw with only 1 shot on target.

- Cavani back in the starting lineup

- Dean Henderson potentially has a bit of a run in the side 

- No creativity in the side

- Rashford not at the races

- Man City EPL Match 28 preview

Cantona Collar: Dean Henderson. Beckham Boot: Marcus Rashford. Noisy Neighbour: Joel Ward

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Karl and Vivek let off some steam after watching Ole Gunnar Solskjaer show this is a side more keen on maintaining a Top 4 spot than putting up any kind of a title fight. Yet again, United play a Top 6 side and let paint dry for 90 minutes.

- Chelsea having the better chances

- Referee decision on potential handball penalty against Callum Hudson-Odoi

- Greenwood as a central striker

- Why Lindelof over Bailly again?

- Crystal Palace EPL Match 27 preview

Cantona Collar: Daniel James. Beckham Boot: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Noisy Neighbour: N'Golo Kante

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Special guest journalist Emily Wilson (One Football, CBC Sports, MARCA, Managing Madrid) joins Karl and Vivek to discuss the biggest talking points of the Round of 32 second leg fixture that saw Manchester United advance past Real Sociedad to the next stage.

- Sociedad looking the better side in the second leg

- Why United struggled to cope?

- Diallo and Shoretire getting playing time

- Tuanzebe robbed of his first goal?

- Chelsea EPL match preview

Cantona Collar: Eric Bailly. Beckham Boot: Anthony Martial. Noisy Neighbour: Modibo Sagnan.

Follow Emily Wilson on Twitter @wilson_emt

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After a slow start, the game sprung into life with a moment of magic from Marcus Rashford and a neat finish from Saint Maximin, halftime brought renewed vigor and intensity from Man United who took the lead through Dan James and United never looked back scoring another in the process and putting the game to bed. Lots was discussed including:

- De Gea's positioning

- Dan James finishing

- Martial confidence

- Real Sociedad preview

Cantona Collar: Marcus Rashford. Beckham Boot: Fred. Noisy Neighbour: Saint Maximin

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Real Sociedad played right into Manchester United's hands with a high press and high line that allowed the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford to run rampant. Karl Mascarenhas was away for today but Waking the Red's Managing Editor Michael Singh joined Vivek to look at:

- Rashford's finishing

- Bruno instrumental

- Maguire commanding the back

- James making a good impression

- Newcastle United preview

Cantona Collar: Bruno Fernandes. Beckham Boot: Imanol Alguacil. Noisy Neighbour: Mikel Merino

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United need to bridge the gap after Man City extended their lead and Leicester pick up 3 points against Liverpool. Facing a WBA who are in desperate need of 3 points to have any hope of staving off relegation. We discuss the performance on the pitch as well as team selection and what Ole could have done differently. 

Cantona Collar: Luke Shaw. Beckham Boot: Victor Lindelöf. Noisy Neighbour: Ajayi.

Manchester United are through to the FA Cup quarter-finals, getting the goal they needed from Scott McTominay in the seventh minute of extra time after 90 minutes went goalless. Karl and Vivek discuss:

- Van de Beek royal disappointment in No. 10 role

- Telles filling in well for Shaw

- Do United have a creativity or clinical problem without Bruno?

- Henderson growing impatient behind De Gea

- EPL Match 24 @WBA preview

Cantona Collar: Mason Greenwood. Beckham Boot: Donny van de Beek. Noisy Neighbour: Craig Dawson.

A kick in teeth. That's the mood after Man United conceded a Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal with the last kick of the game that gave Everton a share of the spoils. In this episode, Vivek and Karl look back on the Paul Pogba injury that changed the flow of the match, David De Gea's errors, and Axel Tuanzebe's inexplicable foul that led to the last minute dejection.

Cantona Collar: Bruno Fernandes. Beckham Boot: David De Gea. Noisy Neighbour: Lucas Digne.

United are in 9th heaven with an emphatic 3 points that puts the pressure back on Man City as they narrow the goal difference. Standout performances from their full backs, Luke Shaw and AWB, as well as all round performances from their attacking players were a joy to behold. This episode delves into some of the reasons as to why United were so good and also analyses some of the moves Ole made at half-time. Once again, VAR was a talking point except this time it was in United's favour. On a side note, Marcus Rashford's goal has taken him past the great Eric Cantona, which is no small feat given his tender age of 23. 

Cantona Collar: AWB. Beckham Boot: VAR. Noisy Neighbour: Che Adams

Special guest Devang Desai (@desaidevang on Twitter), host of the Open Era pod (tennis) and A Football Podcast (soccer) joined Karl and Vivek to break down an entertaining draw between Manchester United and Arsenal, as well as how he came to support the Gunners. United squandered several opportunities to bounce back from their defeat to Sheffield United and Edinson Cavani was surprisingly the main culprit. 

- Where is Bruno in the big games?

- Rashford too wasteful?

- Pépé ran United ragged on the right side

Cantona Collar: Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Beckham Boot: Marcus Rashford. Noisy Neighbour: Nicolas Pépé.

United are back down to earth with a thud. Vivek and Karl look back on a nightmare of a performance that included complete no-shows from Anthony Martial, David de Gea, Axel Tuanzebe and Alex Telles. The changes to the side should have brought a renewed vigour but instead they were lacking ideas and intent.

Cantona Collar: Harry Maguire. Beckham Boot: David de Gea. Noisy Neighbour: John Fleck.

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United's first big match win of the season comes against Liverpool! Karl and Vivek look back on one of the most memorable performances of the season that included:

- Rashford looking like a star

- Luke Shaw continuing great form

- Greenwood finally showing up

Cantona Collar: Marcus Rashford. Beckham Boot: Scott McTominay. Noisy Neighbour: Mohamed Salah

Manchester United reach their halfway point of the season on top of the league table. Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba were great, Mason Greenwood and Aaron Wan-Bissaka not so much, Karl and Vivek give you everything you need to know.

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Mason Greenwood. Noisy Neighbour: Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

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Karl and Vivek are joined by special guest William Lou -- Raptors beat reporter for Yahoo Sports Canada and die-hard Liverpool fan -- to break down an entertaining 0-0 match that leaves United top of the table. There was plenty of wastefulness up front that saw Anthony Martial and Roberto Firmino as the main culprits. Bruno and Pogba had great chances to win it but just wasn't meant to be.

Cantona Collar: Luke Shaw. Beckham Boot: Anthony Martial. Noisy Neighbour: Thiago Alcantara.

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Karl and Vivek are on Cloud 9 as Manchester United go top of the table for the first time this far into the season since the Sir Alex Ferguson era. It was a performance worthy of the occasion as United battled and bossed their way to victory. Paul Pogba was magnificent for United and it is ironic that after all the uncertainty around him it is his goal that puts United top.

Cantona Collar: Paul Pogba. Beckham Boot: Liverpool. Noisy Neighbour: James Tarkowski.

This match was all about the big picture and getting Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire some rest. Karl and Vivek assess Mason Greenwood in a central striker role, Brandon Williams at right back, Lingard in the No.10 role, and Axel Tuanzebe at centre back.

Cantona Collar: Scott McTominay. Beckham Boot: Daniel James. Noisy Neighbour: Ismaila Sarr.

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Another semifinal, another defeat. Vivek and Karl look at what went for Manchester United on the verge of another final, why enough wasn't created on the attacking front, and what exactly led to United conceding off a set piece to put Man City on the front foot.

Cantona Collar: Dean Henderson. Beckham Boot: Anthony Martial. Noisy Neighbour: John Stones.

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Tied for points with league-leaders Liverpool! Karl and Vivek are buzzing after United's 10th straight unbeaten match in the Premier League, eight of which have been wins. This episode delves into Paul Pogba's magnificent performance, Eric Bailly proving an absolute fortress at the back, and David De Gea putting on an inspired performance in his 327th league appearance for the club -- which puts him fifth all-time.

Cantona Collar: Eric Bailly. Beckham Boot: Scott McTominay. Noisy Neighbour: Jack Grealish.

Marcus Rashford comes up clutch in United's final match of 2020! Karl and Vivek look back on a strong defensive performance, Eric Bailly's best run of form since coming to the red side of Manchester, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka's complete unwillingness to cross a ball. Vivek goes off the English FA persisting with the Dec. 28/29 fixture when there's absolutely no need for it.

A special thank you to you, the listener, for supporting the podcast as we got started this year and we wish you all the best for 2021!

Cantona Collar: Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly. Beckham Boot: Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Noisy Neighbour: Romain Saiss.

Vivek and Karl look back on a positive performance but an unsatisfying result. Marcus Rashford had a goal but arguably should have had a hat-trick. Anthony Martial and Daniel James were anonymous, while Eric Bailly impressed once again. We're running out of superlatives for Edinson Cavani at this point, and can only hope the strikers on the bench watching him are learning a thing or two. A couple of bad mistakes led to Leicester's goals but other than that, it was a pretty solid performance in the back.

Cantona Collar: Harry Maguire.  Beckham Boot: Anthony Martial. Noisy Neighbour: Wesley Fofana.

Karl and Vivek look back on an inspired Edinson Cavani goal, arguably the best opening 25 minutes of the season even if it didn't result in a goal, and a back-line that more than held its own. Stay for a discussion of Alex Telles' crossing ability as well, and a look ahead to the crucial Boxing Day fixture away to Leicester City.

Cantona Collar: Edinson Cavani. Beckham Boot: Donny Van De Beek. Noisy Neighbour: Yerry Mina.

Karl and Vivek are joined by special guest Matt Balmforth, a die-hard Leeds United fan, to break down a thrilling match between Man United and Leeds. Over 40 shots attempted and eight goals provided plenty of talking points, and this discussion includes Scott McTominay impressing, Anthony Martial's finishing struggles, and Daniel James doing a job for the team.

Cantona Collar: Scott McTominay. Beckham Boot: Kalvin Phillips. Noisy Neighbour: Raphinha.