MATCH of THE DAY (Sep 28, 2025)

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00:01Oh, what a goal!

00:02Oh, look at that!

00:03Absolutely phenomenal!

00:05Rooney O'Connor!

00:08Welcome to Match of the Dead.

00:30Good evening, just the two games on Match of the Day tonight, but they're two good ones.

00:55Arsenal versus Newcastle and Aston Villa against Fulham.

00:58And there's two good ones in the studio as well, Joe Hart and Ellen White.

01:03It's been a difficult start to the season for Eddie Howe's Newcastle with the loss of Alexander Isak and only one win in the Premier League.

01:10High-flying Arsenal with the visitors to St James' Park looking to keep up the pressure on the leaders Liverpool.

01:16Commentary comes from Steve Wilson.

01:19Liverpool's defeat yesterday has upped the ante for Arsenal today.

01:23The opportunity to cut the lead to two points is there for the taking, but Arsenal will need to avoid a repeat of their recent struggles at St James'.

01:33Newcastle have won four of the last five here against the Gunners.

01:36Eddie Howe makes three changes from the draw at Bournemouth.

01:39Bruno Guimaraes, Joel Linton and Gordon in for Miley, Hall and Willock.

01:44And a return to a back four.

01:46Arsenal's Nani Maduweke will be out of action for a while.

01:49Saliba and Mikel Moreno drop to the bench.

01:53In comes Saka, Eze and Moschera.

01:55And Martin Odegaard is back as a substitute, now recovered from his shoulder injury.

02:03Well, black armbands today being worn by the players of both sides.

02:06I'm sure you'll have heard about it.

02:08The death of Billy Veiga, a former Arsenal Academy player in desperately tragic circumstances.

02:14Jürgen Timbuk, Burns header, Eze's touch, Eze's shot.

02:20Good save by Pope.

02:22Deserves the congratulations he gets here because that's a really good save.

02:27He's hit it well and Pope gets down very quickly, full stretch.

02:36Bruno Guimaraes is rather easily dispossessed actually.

02:40Eze here for Arsenal, looking for the run of Saka.

02:43This might be dangerous, Saka.

02:45And Jürgen Koresh is there, and that'll be a penalty kick, won't it?

02:49Play's going to go on, is it? No, it's a penalty.

02:52Jared Gillard didn't wait to see how that unfolded.

02:57He's pointed to the penalty spot.

03:00Question is, what card for Pope?

03:04I'm going to go and have a look at this.

03:11Do you know, this might be overturned.

03:14I think they're thinking that Nick Pope has got a touch on this.

03:21This is Nick Pope's outstretched right boot.

03:26I just have got a touch on it.

03:31After a view, the Newcastle goalkeeper plays them all, and there is no foul.

03:36The final decision is...

03:38Well, it's no penalty. Saka can't believe it.

03:42Neither can Mikel Arteta.

03:44That is very, very contentious.

03:48I mean to overturn it.

03:52Not re-refereeing the game and all that.

04:02Jokeresh, and Saka, Eze wants it.

04:05Saka, lovely ball into Rice.

04:07Trossard to his left.

04:09Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard hits the woodwork.

04:15It was a lovely move.

04:17Great pass here from Saka.

04:20To really open it up for Arsenal.

04:23Rice weighted it beautifully, and Trossard smashed the post.

04:28And Saka...

04:37Juri and Timber, a bit of room here for Eze on his left.

04:40Juri and Timber left.

04:50Kila Furi...

04:53...has come to get...

04:55...Nick Pope's towel.

04:56Oh, it's bounced awkwardly, it's Eze who hits it beautifully and Pope's right behind it.

05:13Got both hands up.

05:15Nick Pope.

05:16A save he would expect to make, but he makes it well.

05:19Go!

05:28Trip forward by Byrne.

05:29Christian Mosquera there has misjudged it.

05:32And Newcastle have a corner.

05:33He's got it.

05:36In his early weeks at Arsenal have been relatively error-free.

05:40Christian Mosquera, the Spanish defender.

05:43Oh!

05:45Short from Tonali.

05:46Cliped in, and in!

05:50Vltamada's header.

05:52Newcastle one, Arsenal nil.

06:01And he soaks up the adulation.

06:05Newcastle's Nick Vltamada puts them in front.

06:09Well, Arsenal are debating the legitimacy of this goal.

06:24They feel there's a push by Vltamada on Gabriel as this comes in.

06:28Have a look at this.

06:32They're not sure it's enough to rule it out.

06:40And the goal will stand.

06:42Newcastle in front.

06:47Bottman.

06:49Well, the debate goes on.

06:53Now, have a look at this.

06:54This was Gabriel on Vltamada just after the restart following Vltamada's goal.

07:00Maybe a little stroke of luck for Arsenal.

07:02I think that was intended for Gordon, which is where it's going to go now.

07:12Via Tonali.

07:14Gordon!

07:15And Vltamada didn't quite get in front of Gabriel.

07:19And this could have been a tap-in for Vltamada here.

07:24Couldn't get there.

07:26Jureen Timber.

07:27Eze.

07:30Did well.

07:32Zubimendi.

07:34Lovely little ball there.

07:35And a very good save again by Pope.

07:39Jureen Timber denied.

07:41Well, everything's going for Nick Pope today.

07:43That's a great save.

07:49Zubimendi.

07:50And Timber couldn't get over it.

07:57Trossard is saying he was fouled here.

08:02With Romento and Trossard together.

08:06Right there, I think.

08:07Waved away.

08:08Bruno Gimreich didn't manage to cut that out.

08:16Murphy has.

08:18Murphy advances.

08:20Bruno Gimreich into Murphy.

08:22Now it's just about pace.

08:24Murphy.

08:25Rice trying to chase him.

08:27And Rice does enough.

08:29Well, almost a classic counter-attack here.

08:32It's just about whether Declan Rice could recover.

08:37And he could.

08:39Four clean sheets in five Premier League games so far this season, Newcastle.

08:44Manchester City, four years ago, kept five clean sheets in their opening six Premier League games.

08:49But no-one's done it since.

08:50Three kick given.

08:53Three kick given.

08:57Saliba comes through.

08:59Makes a bit of contact.

09:00It's an awkward landing.

09:02For Livramento.

09:04A little under 20 minutes to go.

09:05They wouldn't want to be without him.

09:07And this is a real worry for Newcastle and Livramento.

09:16Trossard.

09:18Odegaard.

09:19Trossard.

09:21They squeeze it through to Declan Rice somehow.

09:23And it's put behind.

09:25By Malik Chao.

09:26It's going to be a corner kick to Arsenal.

09:29Into double figures now for corners.

09:31That's a lovely ball from Trossard.

09:38Played short to a very Eze.

09:40Odegaard.

09:41Rice.

09:43Glancing header is in.

09:45It's a brilliant goal.

09:47Mikel Moreno.

09:49Newcastle won.

09:50Arsenal won.

09:51Arsenal won.

09:53The former Newcastle man equalises at St James' Park for Arsenal.

09:59Lovely ball in by Declan Rice.

10:00And Marino made exactly the right amount of contact.

10:11Too little it goes wide.

10:14Too much Pope saves it.

10:15But this was spot on and in.

10:201-1.

10:22And there are five minutes to play.

10:25Well that's well won by Bruno Guimaraes.

10:31And that's a good ball.

10:32It's Ilanga.

10:33Great challenge for a climbing hand ball.

10:35And there's a delay here.

10:40Because they are going to look at what happened when Ilanga put this into the box.

10:46Oh.

10:47Gabriel sliding in.

10:49His left arm is raised.

10:51If it's deflected off his body onto that left arm he might get away with it.

10:55If not.

10:57You'd say penalty.

10:58And the decision, I think, is that it has deflected onto the arm.

11:12Odegaard.

11:14Should be Pope's.

11:19Pope has just given possession straight back to Arsenal with that.

11:22And here's Declan Rice.

11:29Off the head of La Salle's.

11:37Odegaard's corner.

11:39Pope came and it's in from Gabriel.

11:42Arsenal have won this game.

11:46Gabriel's header in the 51st minute of the second half.

11:52has won the game for Arsenal.

11:57It's a great delivery.

11:59Pope gets a bit lost in the crowd.

12:01And Gabriel's glancing header.

12:04Secures the points for Arsenal.

12:09Well, that shows you exactly what it means.

12:15Byrne with the header on.

12:16Lewis Skelly away.

12:17Eze forward.

12:19And Arsenal have the win.

12:22A huge three points from Mikel Arteta's side.

12:26Who felt that the world was conspiring against them at one point.

12:31But who's shown enormous character to come back and win at St James' Park.

12:36Newcastle one.

12:39Arsenal two.

12:42Michael, I don't think anybody would argue that Arsenal didn't deserve to win the game.

12:46I mean, you know, clearly you did deserve to win the game.

12:48But deserving it and actually doing it, sometimes two different things.

12:51Yes, and to do it in the manner that we've done it, wow, what a feeling.

12:55Football is about emotion and going through things.

12:58And today we had a beautiful one at the end of the match.

13:00Thanks, Gert.

13:01It'd be tough to take, obviously, to lose the game in that fashion.

13:04As you did, of course, with Liverpool here as well in another sort of frantic ending.

13:09Yeah, it's not lost on me.

13:10You know, two really late goals here at home.

13:12It's the worst way to lose.

13:13The pain you feel is as intense as you can get in football management, I think.

13:18So, yeah, I think we have to reflect and acknowledge today that we weren't at our best

13:23and take responsibility for that.

13:26I think you scored from the 11th corner of the game and the 12th corner of the game,

13:30which just goes to show, you know, I mean, Arsenal and corners, it keeps happening.

13:33Yeah, that shows a lot.

13:34And not only set-pieces strategy, but also mentality.

13:39Most teams, when they get five, six, seven corners and they don't score,

13:43they start to lose belief in their qualities.

13:47But for us, it's just a matter of trying to keep doing what we do,

13:51trying to, you know, do it at the highest level.

13:53And in the end, the last one, last second, we scored and, yeah, really happy.

13:58I've got to ask you about the penalty that wasn't.

14:01And obviously, your view definitely will be that it should be a penalty.

14:03I fully agree with you, especially because the rules are very clear.

14:07What we've been instructed is very clear.

14:09And this is a clear no-bearer, Vieja is not going to intervene.

14:12And it is a penalty, but thanks God we find another way

14:16and we keep fighting and we find our way to win the game.

14:18Yeah, because I think he'd have been a little bit angrier than that if they hadn't.

14:21However, you might say differently.

14:23And it is part of a kind of narrative that they have, Arsenal,

14:26about going up to Newcastle and things not necessarily going the right way for them.

14:31And they started to kind of feel that was going to be the same today, didn't they, with that decision.

14:36But you disagree?

14:37Yeah, they did.

14:38And it was a big moment.

14:39There's no doubt about it.

14:40It was contentious.

14:41There was a lot riding on it.

14:42But I'm going to have to disagree with Mikel Arteta there.

14:45We've gone into this into great detail.

14:48Because like I say, it was such an emotional moment,

14:50especially with everything going on around the Newcastle Arsenal narrative.

14:53And as Jocares goes through here, my immediate goalkeeper in me said,

14:57Oh, I hope Nick Pope's got a touch on that.

14:59But I'm not 100% sure.

15:00This angle is not conclusive.

15:02There's definite contact.

15:04But as we get to this one, we slow it down.

15:06This is really, really important.

15:08Nick Pope, with those size 13 feet of his, gets a toe on it.

15:11And not only does he get a toe on it,

15:13he manages to divert that ball away from goal.

15:16But that's not the most important point.

15:18As we just roll it on here.

15:20As Nick Pope plants his foot,

15:22he is deemed not to be using a forward motion towards Jocares.

15:26And therefore, as we roll it on,

15:28as Jocares' knee clashes into Nick Pope's knee,

15:31it is just seen as a clash of bodies.

15:33It's not Nick Pope taking him out.

15:35Saka would have been so hopeful there.

15:37Bruno Gameres would have had his heart in his mouth,

15:39as well as Nick Pope.

15:40But that is how we've got to the conclusion.

15:42That is not a foul.

15:44It's not a penalty.

15:45Play on.

15:46So, potentially, had he kind of fallen forwards,

15:49it could have been different.

15:50He held his ground.

15:52With the Robert Sanchez incident that people will bring up.

15:54You know, Robert Sanchez got a tiny touch on the ball

15:56last week against Manchester United,

15:58but the forward motion took him into the foul.

16:00Nick Pope, once he got the touch, planted.

16:02Jocares was just a clash of bodies.

16:04And then, of course, Newcastle go ahead,

16:07thanks to Volta Marder.

16:08And even within that goal,

16:10there was a moment and a potential foul

16:13Arsenal felt that should have been seen.

16:15Yeah, they felt like Volta Marder

16:17had slightly kind of pushed Gabriel

16:19and was that a foul.

16:20But I think it's just great play from Volta Marder.

16:23And we'll see it here.

16:24Something a bit different as well from Newcastle.

16:27Firstly, Volta Marder in that centre of the goal there.

16:30Looking, thinking it's going to be whipped in.

16:32Tanali's gone, no, I'm going to go with Gordon.

16:34Short corner.

16:35And then Volta Marder's kind of seen that and gone,

16:37right, I'm going to reassess.

16:38I'm going to readjust my position.

16:39I'm going to go a little bit towards the back post here.

16:41In by Tanali.

16:42Then he's had a run on it.

16:44Beautiful header.

16:45A little bit of contact.

16:46I think that's soft to say that that is a foul

16:49by Volta Marder on Gabriel.

16:50And we'll see it here that Gabriel's actually going,

16:53look, Volta Marder's running around the back, guys.

16:55I need some help here.

16:56I'm in a zonal position.

16:58I need someone to mark him.

16:59Help me.

17:00I need to have eyes on ball.

17:01I need to go up and head of the ball.

17:02Volta Marder's had a look.

17:03Right, this is coming in now.

17:04I've readjusted my position.

17:06Had a little bit of a run on it.

17:07Right, I'm going forward now.

17:09Gabriel doesn't know he's there.

17:10Tiny touch.

17:11It's not worth to go to ground.

17:13It's a lovely header from Volta Marder.

17:14I think he's done really well there.

17:16And it's a second goal in St. James's Park for Newcastle.

17:19And it kind of put them on their way.

17:21And they had great momentum in that time.

17:23Yeah, and for a long time,

17:25St. James's Park felt that the victory was going to be theirs.

17:27Because they were trying Arsenal.

17:29There was a great endeavour and great attack in play.

17:31And some beautiful touches.

17:32Ugumendi.

17:33Eze had a chance as well.

17:34Trossard.

17:35Yeah, Arsenal, they played really well today.

17:37And they were knocking on the door.

17:38And actually, Nick Pope would have been man of the match.

17:40Had this game finished in the 80th minute.

17:42But it didn't.

17:43We all know that.

17:44But my point is that they were playing well.

17:45They were knocking on the door.

17:46Pope was making sensational saves.

17:48Eze looked dangerous.

17:49Arsenal looked a real threat.

17:51But they just kept knocking on the door.

17:52But they just couldn't quite unlock it.

17:54And it took something special.

17:55And it would be too crude to say, OK, so if that's not working, revert to plan B.

18:00Or it could be plan A.

18:01When you look at the numbers.

18:02Because since 2003, 2023, to a 24 season.

18:06So almost two years.

18:07They've scored 36 goals from corners.

18:1015 more than any other team in the Premier League.

18:12But today's were a little bit different.

18:14Yeah.

18:15And along with those stats.

18:17Up until this game, 97% of their corners in this season have been direct.

18:21They've been slinging it into the box.

18:22They've been getting all set up.

18:24And they've been looking dangerous.

18:26But one of the players that I want to mention in this game.

18:29A lot of things surround Arsenal.

18:31Mikel Arteta defends his team vigorously.

18:33Arsenal fans defend their team vigorously.

18:35They're looking for certain things they feel hard done by.

18:37But what I notice with the players is they never give up.

18:40They're always focused.

18:41They're always looking for how can we get back into this game.

18:43You look at City last week.

18:45And you look at this tonight.

18:46Declan Rice was sensational all game.

18:48They were 1-0 down.

18:49He had various moments where he was chasing back, getting on the ball.

18:53Now, like I said, 97%.

18:54So the instruction from the side is set up and get that ball into some dangerous areas.

18:59But Declan Rice has gone, do you know what?

19:01I can see Newcastle and Knappen.

19:02They've got used to the fact that we're slinging balls in.

19:05We can set up against it.

19:06And he's locked ties with Eberiche Eze, who's actually not looking.

19:09Because he thinks.

19:10Also, we've got Trossard there.

19:12We've got everyone thinking that it's more than likely this ball is going to get slung in.

19:15And we'll get set up.

19:16And Declan Rice has gone, no.

19:17I've seen something different.

19:18Moreno, picking his nose there.

19:20He still not even knows what's going on.

19:21He can't believe a short corner is happening.

19:23But it's happened.

19:24Beautiful.

19:25Top players react.

19:26Odegaard reacts.

19:27Declan Rice, beautiful ball in.

19:29And Moreno, that is a sensational header.

19:32Honestly, I can't stress how delicate that is.

19:35He scored some big goals last year when they asked him to play up front.

19:38Beautiful header.

19:39Like I say, Nick Pope was an immovable object today.

19:41Absolutely perfect in the corner.

19:43And that is an Arsenal player saying, no, one all's not enough.

19:46Get up the other end.

19:47Get the ball back.

19:48It's showtime.

19:49A little glance at the dugout to say, sorry I took the short corner, but deal with it.

19:53It was a big moment.

19:54Let's get back in this game.

19:56Now I talk about Arsenal wanting to win the game.

19:59Nick Pope, good claim.

20:00Dominant claim.

20:01And he's seen that Arsenal are struggling.

20:03They're slinging bodies forward.

20:05You look at the Arsenal dugout, they know immediately this is danger.

20:08Premier League goalkeeper getting it in his hands there.

20:11Eze on the back foot.

20:12Elanga's got the pace to burn.

20:14Worst case scenario, Nick Pope would have thought is I'll get it over the top.

20:18Eze might head it out for a corner.

20:20Sorry, for a throw in.

20:21Best case, I've got Elanga in.

20:23Turns out neither of those are the case.

20:24It's a terrible kick.

20:26Shanked it into midfield.

20:27Arteta's telling his team to calm down.

20:29And then immediately he's reacted.

20:31Right, we've got another opportunity.

20:32We've still got bodies up there.

20:34Beautiful ball in from Declan Rice.

20:36Causes carnage.

20:37Look at Arteta.

20:38Right, now we can set it up.

20:40Exactly how I want us to.

20:41Here we go.

20:42This is the Arsenal that we expect.

20:44Bodies everywhere.

20:45Saliba lurking.

20:46And Gabriel one on one with Dan Byrne.

20:48And he's saying get it into that near post area.

20:51And I'm going to make something happen.

20:53And fair play to him today.

20:54There was loads going on in Gabriel's game.

20:56There seems to always be something going on in Gabriel's game.

20:58But a massive header for his team.

21:00But do not underestimate William Saliba.

21:02Nick Pope, top dominant keeper.

21:04One of the best keepers in the league in fact with crosses.

21:07But at this moment in time, he's locked in on the corner.

21:10That's where he's focusing.

21:11Where is that corner coming?

21:12And Saliba, blindside.

21:14Six foot four.

21:15Probably close to 100 kilos.

21:17Just as the ball comes in, he goes, get past me if you can.

21:20Nick Pope, dying to be a good teammate.

21:23Dying to be a top keeper.

21:24Come and get it.

21:25But he's just been blindsided.

21:26The strength isn't there.

21:27He's stuck in no man's land.

21:29Gabriel, what a huge moment.

21:32Credit to him.

21:33Like I say, he's involved in everything.

21:34Not always good.

21:35But that's a massive moment in this title race for Arsenal.

21:38To go to Newcastle.

21:40Win late.

21:41Credit where its credit is due.

21:42And that's the start I was just describing before.

21:4436 goals from corners since 23-24.

21:47We need a bit more Gabriel.

21:48We haven't had enough of him in this chat.

21:50And it's only fair that we kind of balance things out.

21:52Because Newcastle also felt slightly aggrieved.

21:55Maybe very aggrieved with a decision that didn't go their way involving him.

21:59Yeah, and I feel like he's been in both sides of the boxes.

22:02So many different decisions made.

22:03And this one, the referee made the decision of no penalty.

22:07And we'll see a couple of angles here from why.

22:11And it's Alanga having that strike.

22:13It's coming off Gabriel onto his arm.

22:16This angle's perfect.

22:17It's come off Alanga, deflected off his shin onto his arm.

22:21Which means that that is not a penalty.

22:23And it's the correct decision from the referee.

22:25Confirmed and checked by VAR.

22:27That it's deflected off Gabriel's shin onto his arm.

22:29Therefore, it can't be a penalty.

22:31And a really big weekend for them.

22:33Driving, as you described there, Joe, to get that win.

22:36And, of course, with Liverpool losing as well.

22:39It turned out to be, you know, how points can suddenly kind of switch in a table.

22:43A really big win, didn't it?

22:44Yeah, it was like the Ryder Cup, wasn't it?

22:46One minute Liverpool are romping away.

22:48Late goal at Crystal Palace yesterday.

22:50Arsenal 1-0 down, but they kept fighting.

22:52And I've got to credit the players.

22:54As a fellow ex-professional,

22:56I think Arsenal's mentality from the players on the field is exceptional.

23:00And they keep pushing.

23:01Have you been watching the Ryder Cup today?

23:02No comment, no.

23:04OK, it has been a tough start to the season for Aston Villa,

23:09who currently reside in the Premier League's bottom three.

23:11Fulham made the trip to Villa Park, looking to make it three wins in a row.

23:14Tom Gale, watch this one.

23:16The last time Aston Villa failed to win any of their first five games,

23:22they were relegated.

23:23The last time Unai Emery failed to win any of his first five games,

23:27he went on to lift the Europa League trophy with Sevilla.

23:31Emi Martinez has recovered from the injury which kept him out of the Europa League victory over Bologna.

23:37Harvey Elliott's first league start for Villa comes against the side who gave him his professional debut as a 15-year-old.

23:44Out of form, Oli Watkins missed a penalty on Thursday night,

23:48but has four goals in his last four appearances against Fulham.

23:52Marco Silva's on course for an unbeaten September.

23:55Their only defeat this season came at Chelsea.

23:58Fulham have won just one of their previous 21 league visits to Villa Park.

24:02Injuries keep both Kenny Tete and Rodrigo Muniz out of the squad.

24:07Raul Jimenez leads their Premier League attack for the first time since the opening day.

24:11Sessignon tries to pick out Awobi but the reflection falls kindly for Josh King.

24:21Head up, has options.

24:26Delays, Sessignon, Fulham corner.

24:33Sasha Lukic it is.

24:35With the in-swing.

24:40And it's headed home!

24:44Raul Jimenez!

24:47The struggles continue for Aston Villa but what a dream start for Fulham.

24:52Raul Jimenez back in the starting line-up.

24:57And that is a deft header.

24:59He knows exactly what he's doing.

25:03Gets away from Bogard.

25:05The pace on the ball helps him.

25:07Fulham have lift-off.

25:09Aston Villa nil.

25:11Fulham won.

25:12Cash able to calmly bring the ball down.

25:21Raul Jimenez, it looks as though his afternoon may already be over.

25:25He's scored a goal but he's gone down off the ball.

25:28He immediately signals over to the far side for treatment.

25:33So this is a real concern for Fulham.

25:37No Rodrigo Muniz in the squad.

25:41Raul Jimenez the only out-and-out striker at Marco Silva's disposal.

25:48Long way to go but Aston Villa have lost both games where they've conceded the opening goal so far this Premier League season.

25:56King.

25:58Oh!

25:59He's completely done.

26:01Bogard there.

26:02Running at Konza.

26:04Still going.

26:05Save from Martinez.

26:08This was bamboozling stuff from Josh King.

26:11Look at that.

26:12He's certainly confident, the 18-year-olds.

26:15Was there a better option?

26:17Still looking for that first professional goal.

26:20Fulham playing it around McGinn.

26:26Opens up.

26:28Oh!

26:29He can't take advantage.

26:33Fulham 4-2 casual with their defending.

26:39Wilson.

26:41Excellent from the Welshman.

26:43Referee keen to play advantage.

26:45Traore looking for King.

26:48Is he too heavy on the touch?

26:50No!

26:51Referee's got a decision to make and it's a free kick to Aston Villa.

26:58Josh King showing a yellow card for simulation.

27:05King gets there first but he does already start to go to ground before making contact with Martinez.

27:12Rodgers.

27:18Rodgers.

27:19Can he make an impact on the game?

27:21Not as yet.

27:23King strong in the challenge.

27:28Only has Traore at the moment.

27:31Trying to create space!

27:32And it's courtesy of a deflection off Matty Cash that Fulham have a corner.

27:41Or do they?

27:42I think their appeals are that it might be something more.

27:47Oh, it is an outstretched arm.

27:50But is that an unnatural position?

27:53No, it's not.

27:54No, it's not.

27:55So it is.

27:56Just a Fulham corner.

28:00Bassey.

28:03Look forward but straight to Martinez.

28:10Dinho.

28:12Has he found Watkins?

28:14He has!

28:15He has!

28:19Boy does he need that!

28:22Oli Watkins ends a nine game wait for a goal.

28:28But a lot of credit has to go for the assist.

28:33Luca Dinho, he spots Watkins, he's in between the two centre halves.

28:39This is pin points.

28:41And so is the touch from Watkins.

28:45He's so close to the goal, but he gets the height on it.

28:48And the dip.

28:50Pure class.

28:52Aston Villa one.

28:53Fulham one.

28:59Wobie having to come deep.

29:02Shmiora.

29:05Turned into trouble.

29:09McGinn.

29:10Options left and right.

29:11Will he go alone?

29:15The goggles are out again.

29:18John McGinn setting a captain's example.

29:23Aston Villa have come from behind.

29:27Well, the Holt End would have enjoyed this.

29:31The man who proved to be the match winner on Thursday evening.

29:35Excellent decision making.

29:37Fulham back off.

29:38The gap is there.

29:40And the Scotsman picks his spots.

29:44John McGinn with his first Premier League goal of the season.

29:49Makes it Aston Villa two.

29:51Fulham one.

29:52And is that the spark to really ignite in their Premier League season?

30:02Watkins.

30:05Oh!

30:06Two goals in quick succession for Aston Villa.

30:12Completely changed the complexion of this game.

30:16Emi Buendia comes off the Villa bench to score his first Premier League goal since March 2023.

30:25And this is more like the Aston Villa of old.

30:30Watkins with the run.

30:32And this is great play from the striker.

30:36He knows the angles against him.

30:38Does the cutback.

30:40And it's over to you, Emi Buendia, with a simple task of poking it home.

30:45This is quickly unravelling for Fulham.

30:52Watkins.

30:54Leno's off his line.

30:56Who has he caught?

30:59Andy Madley says no.

31:01VAR will have a look.

31:03Watkins is still down inside the 18-yard box.

31:07So Villa can't play the ball forward and Traore has it.

31:11Martinez dispossessed.

31:21Lukic!

31:23And off the line by Konzert.

31:25From a penalty shout at one end to almost calamitous stuff at the back for Aston Villa.

31:31What recovery from Esri Konzert.

31:36Ah, there we go.

31:37Ollie Watkins kicks the floor.

31:39That is definitely not a pen.

31:43After the goal, we reacted fantastic.

31:45And we used energy.

31:46And we transmit energy.

31:48And then energy, we transmit as well.

31:50Collectively, individually.

31:52Wishes and individual skills.

31:54And then try to play organized.

31:57But mostly we needed to show more wishes and more emotions to try to get our performance.

32:04The officials, they can come to explain everything again this week for us.

32:09I would like not to see them to try to educate a young lad and talent player in ourselves.

32:15Because we know how to educate them.

32:17Josh King got two yellow cards in two weeks from moments inside the box.

32:21We know how to educate a player from ourselves.

32:23And it's very, very difficult to understand so, so quick decisions for him and always with the yellow card.

32:30Last week, I was the first one saying that it was not a penalty.

32:32It was not a simulation but not a penalty.

32:34This week, for me, they can write everything what they want.

32:38I think everywhere in football, VAR decision in that moment is penalty.

32:41The second one, I think we can talk about it.

32:44Okay, shot, handball, the arm was not in the normal position.

32:49If you got a penalty against Chelsea because in the moment of the cross, the handball of...

32:54The handball of...

32:56The handball of Sessegnon was not in the normal position and everybody agreed.

32:58And the VAR agreed that it was a penalty called the referee.

33:02This one as well.

33:03A word for Ali Watkins because he's never hit, he's always shown up and a great finish here today.

33:09He's had a lot of criticism over the past couple of weeks.

33:12But what he'll get from us as teammates in the dressing room, from the staff, is love and support.

33:17Because what he's given this club and this team for the past few years has been nothing short of unbelievable.

33:23He always has a spell in the season that doesn't quite click for him.

33:27But what he does is he always grasps for the team.

33:29He's running channels, he's chasing defenders.

33:30And when the ball falls to him, you're confident that he's going to put it away.

33:34And today was no different.

33:36So, hopefully that shuts a few people up and we can carry on seeing Oli find the back of the night.

33:42Still believing in him.

33:43Yeah, we kind of could have predicted it, couldn't we?

33:45Because he's scored five goals in his last five games against Fulham, Oli Watkins.

33:49700 minutes, that's a long time.

33:51But you were impressed at how he was hunting for it today, Alan.

33:54Yeah, and I was really impressed with Oli Watkins.

33:55His endeavour to get into the space, his runs, you know, pointing, saying, I want the ball in these positions.

34:03I feel like when you haven't scored for a number of games, it can really be a weight on your shoulders.

34:08So what I really loved about Oli Watkins is he still wanted the ball.

34:12His teammates are still looking for him.

34:13We'll see him here.

34:14He's pointing.

34:15He's saying, I want it there.

34:16Look at the space, guys.

34:17I want it in this space for me to run on to and have an opportunity at goal.

34:21And he kept doing it again and again, especially in this first half and more so again in the second.

34:27And I feel like, for me, they see Cash, he's looking for him.

34:31Didn't quite happen for him, but he's stretching the back line.

34:33He's making the back line honest, which means, as well, that the midfield can get on the ball.

34:37This one I love.

34:38Martinez gets the ball.

34:39It's that hustle and bust, that physicality from Bassi, but he's trying to get into that space.

34:43Martinez obviously goes for the long ball, but didn't quite come off.

34:47This is my favourite one, which is the goal.

34:49He's in between Anderson and Bassi.

34:50As a centre-forward, you want to be in between the centre-hearts.

34:53He's just had that yard off Anderson there, which gives him enough space to run into that space behind the back line.

35:01A beautiful ball from Dina.

35:03And what a finish that is.

35:04A lob finish by Watkins.

35:06You'll see it again here.

35:07He's having a look at Anderson.

35:08I'm looking.

35:09I'm pointing.

35:10I want it.

35:11He's in a perfect position where neither centre-half can get close to him.

35:16And what a finish.

35:17It's so instinctive, that finish as well.

35:19You know, he's gone nine in all competitions, outscoring seven in the Premier League.

35:23But this one, he's not even thinking about it.

35:25Lobbed finish, beautiful.

35:26And this gave him so much momentum and so much freedom, especially in the second half.

35:31Yeah, they seemed like a team, kind of, as the game went on, transformed, didn't they?

35:36And one player who certainly had an impact was Emi Buendia.

35:40And it's interesting, kind of, thinking about what he's been doing over the last year,

35:43because we haven't seen much of him.

35:44He's had a real, kind of, chequered couple of seasons or so, hasn't he?

35:48Yeah, he has.

35:49Coming off the back of a difficult ACL injury not long ago.

35:51Last season, I was looking for his stats, because he kind of went out of my mind a little bit.

35:55But on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, I think he got 12 games whilst he was over there.

36:00A bit of a forgotten man at Aston Villa.

36:01Bought in, potentially, to replace Jack Grealish at the time.

36:05But this was a big moment.

36:07This is, this is Emi Martin, sorry, Emi getting into him and saying, look, can you do what, what Harvey Elliott struggled to do in the first half?

36:14Can you connect my strikers with the midfield?

36:16Can you get in those pockets?

36:18And he did that, and he did that very, very quickly.

36:20This is his first touch.

36:21Just getting in a good position in between all the congestion of Fulham, getting on the, getting on the turn, getting the ball turned over.

36:28Now look, there's no getting away from it.

36:29When you're, when you're struggling for goals and you're struggling for impact, like Buendia's career has stalled a little bit at Aston Villa, this is a big moment.

36:36Ball turns over, puts it into John McGinn, who was sensational in the second half, by the way.

36:40And this strike here, bang, he's got himself an assist in his first five minutes.

36:45A couple of minutes later, he's in the midfield battle, that's a no-brainer.

36:49He has to do that when he plays for Unai Emery in Aston Villa, but this is what he wants to do.

36:53He wants to be part of goals, creating or scoring them.

36:56Timing his run, arriving, and then just having that peace of mind, just dropping off, taking a good touch.

37:02Massive goal for him.

37:04Here, this is non-negotiable, like I say with Unai Emery, and this will be absolute music for Unai Emery.

37:10Seeing one of his players come on, an attacking player, pressing, it's got through his line now.

37:14This is not his responsibility, but not giving up on it.

37:17He knows how important this result is for Aston Villa.

37:20Getting back, helping his teammates, turning the ball over.

37:23Here he is, this is who Aston Villa need firing.

37:27Not only do they need a good Buendia, they need Morgan Rodgers finding his feet again.

37:31And his flow in the second half was far better.

37:33When he was linking up, nice little interchange, he knows how close that was to really sealing the game.

37:38And like I say, Aston Villa was, Villa Park was on a knife edge.

37:41But when you've got a player who doesn't feel that tension, and he's able to just take the energy from the game and just let everyone breathe again.

37:48Looked like he was in control.

37:49A really, really good afternoon for that man there.

37:52Yeah, and I'm sure he's a large part of these stats.

37:56Maybe not the whole picture, but it really is impressive the difference between the first five games average of those stats there, Ellen.

38:03You know, you look at shots on target, conversion rate.

38:06Today against Fulham, an enormous leap in terms of the positiveness of their play.

38:11Yeah, massive positive for them, and it will give them so much momentum and confidence.

38:15And especially for someone like Watkins, that freedom to now be like, I've scored a goal, that's off my head, the critics have gone.

38:21Now, you know, my players are looking for me, I want to score goals.

38:24And Fulham had a really good start, didn't they?

38:26And Josh King in particular, you were really kind of waxing lyrical about when we were watching this one.

38:30He's come off the back of the yellow card last week for simulation against Brentford, and then gets another one today.

38:37You kind of wonder if a referee has some kind of unconscious bias almost in their mind thinking about a play when they're something like that.

38:45Yeah, potentially, but you know, he's fresh to the game.

38:47I absolutely loved him in the first half. Everything that was good was going through Fulham was coming through him.

38:51And he got himself in a really good position here. Immediately, I thought, I didn't really know what had gone in.

38:56It did look like a dive at first inspection. Ellen, I know you've got an opinion once he's through one-on-one here.

39:02Yeah, I think as like a striker, you'd say, you know, can he just get his foot under the ball and just dink it?

39:06You'll see that space on that left-hand side by Martinez with a lovely space for the goal.

39:10Can he just dink that over the goalkeeper there?

39:12But that's an experienced goalscorer in Ellen White talking or an Erling Haaland.

39:15That's what they see. But this is what Josh King's reality is.

39:18He's got one of the best goalkeepers in the world standing big and strong in front of him.

39:22So he makes a decision that we might not necessarily agree with, but I'm not here to judge him for that.

39:26He knocks it to the right of, as we see it, left of Emi Martinez and looks to break round the left-hand side of him.

39:32Now, what is a really important thing is that there's no getting away from it.

39:35There's huge contact from Emilio Martinez on Josh King.

39:38I don't think it's a penalty, but I certainly don't think it's a yellow card.

39:42There was also another handball decision to have a little look at, and you are the queen of handballs clearing them up today.

39:49Marco Silva certainly felt this was not the right decision.

39:53Yeah, no, I think they'll be aggrieved because obviously, you know, the Cessna one against obviously Chelsea.

39:58But this one, you know, Josh King's strike and Matty Cash, what they're saying is basically that it's in a justified position.

40:04So the call by the referee was no handball, no penalty, checked and confirmed by VAR that Matty Cash's arm was in a justifiable position.

40:13You know, you know, someone like Marco Silva would be aggrieved, obviously, with the Cessna one, which, you know, was his arm in a similar position?

40:20I don't know. So it's a frustrating one because there's two similar, you know, decisions that have gone opposite.

40:27Yeah, did it feel today like that was a big moment for Villa and Unai Emery and a turning point potentially for them?

40:34Those two moments we've touched on there were humongous.

40:36They're absolutely massive because we know 2-0 down at home to Fulham, Villa Park's going to turn.

40:41But they stayed with their team, they got the rub of the green, they got the referee's decisions and they kicked on.

40:46That Ollie Watkins goal is massive.

40:48OK, we've got some great sport to watch this week.

40:51The Ryder Cup has come to a conclusion tonight and you can see highlights at 10 to midnight on BBC Two.

40:58Don't worry, Jo, you won't miss anything.

41:00The Champions League is back this week.

41:02You can watch highlights of all the games on Wednesday night at 10.40 on BBC One.

41:06And you can listen to live commentary of Galatasaray against Liverpool on Tuesday night at 8 o'clock on BBC Sounds.

41:11And if you've missed any of the action over the last two days,

41:14both Match of the Day programmes are available on iPlayer alongside highlights of each of the weekend's Premier League games.

41:20OK, here's the story of the rest of the weekend in the Premier League.

41:50Don't go all the way, good save to Bravko but followed in.

41:56Couldn't arrive at all, barely get it in, Jadon Anthony again.

41:59Corley Hall, fries it up for Haaland.

42:03Mateus Nunes!

42:07No volley by Mateus Nunes, in off Esteve.

42:13Haaland!

42:14Hidal and Esteve jump together and have they gift-wrapped it here for Haaland!

42:23Five-star performance from City.

42:26Semenyo, it's straight through the wall.

42:30Longstaff with it.

42:31And the downward head is in!

42:33Oh!

42:34Joe Rodon has equalised!

42:35And it's Noah Okafor.

42:37And it's Aronson!

42:38Great block by Seneci and Longstaff!

42:40Two on leads!

42:43Headed on dangerously!

42:45And into the net!

42:46Brilliantly!

42:47Ellie Crute is equalised for Bormann!

42:50Harry has to send it in.

42:53And the header towards goal, Vicario with the save!

42:56But it's bundled in!

42:58Tells delivery.

43:00Palinja!

43:03The latest of late levellers!

43:07James.

43:08Two in blue in the middle.

43:09And one of them is Enzo Fernandes!

43:12That's a heavy touch by Samtos and that's an even worse one.

43:14And Gomez looks to profit.

43:15And Gomez goes down.

43:17Trevor Chalabar is dismissed here.

43:21Oh!

43:22What a goal!

43:23It has been on the cards.

43:27Deep post.

43:28Weeper back in!

43:29And it's headed home!

43:30To Gilbert!

43:33And Welbeck is in again to wrap it all up.

43:36It's a horrible afternoon at the bridge for Enzo Mareska.

43:42Henderson looks long.

43:44The flag momentarily is staved down.

43:46His eagle, Thiago!

43:47It's in!

43:50Hishada with his pace gets the dead ball.

43:52And Altec pushes it out!

43:53Igor Thiago gets his second!

43:57That should be Kelleher's.

43:59Ooh, he's made a mess of it.

44:00Recovers.

44:01And again.

44:02But not the third time.

44:03Szczesko scores!

44:04Kunio with the cross.

44:06And if Buma was there, was he pulled back in the middle?

44:09Penalty giver.

44:11Safe.

44:15Thought about the pass.

44:16Goes for goal!

44:18Goodness me!

44:19You're getting sacked in the morning is the talk from the Brentford fans.

44:26Xhaka with a clip.

44:27And coming round the back, Alderete!

44:30And it could scarcely have been easier for them.

44:33Still no win for Ange.

44:35And that brings us nicely on, I think, to a little bit of managerial culling that's going on.

44:40Because Graham Potter became the second managerial casualty of the season yesterday when he parted company with West Ham.

44:46Of course, he's been replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo, who left Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

44:52If we have a little look here, Ellen, at some interesting stats.

44:56If you're a West Ham fan, maybe you can, which I know you've got a kind of fondness for them.

45:02You can have a look at what West Ham fans want from their team.

45:07Because David Moyes, when he was there, of course, brings them a trophy.

45:1143% possession, 1.4 points a game.

45:13But that style of football was deemed to not be the West Ham way.

45:18And if you have a look, the managers who've delivered a more possession-based game

45:22are actually accruing less points per game.

45:25So that would appear not to be as successful.

45:28So it's a case of what do you want, really, isn't it?

45:30Our cake can eat it, really, I think.

45:33And is Nuno the man to deliver a style of football that is aesthetically pleasing enough

45:38while delivering points and trophies at the same time?

45:40I think, first and foremost, with West Ham, they have to stop conceding goals and get points.

45:45And I understand the stat.

45:47And what the fans want is beautiful, free-flowing, fluid football.

45:51They want trophies.

45:52And I think, at the moment, they've got to get out of the bottom three.

45:55They've got to be solid in defence.

45:56And I feel like Nuno will bring that.

45:59But then it's more potentially counter-attacking, more transition, potentially more goal-scoring.

46:04It might be more exciting football for West Ham fans.

46:07But, yeah, I'm really excited by this.

46:10I feel like he's a really exciting manager.

46:13I feel like he's really exciting to watch in front of the camera.

46:15And I like the style of football that he obviously brought to Forest as well.

46:19It feels the whole culture around managers moving around these days is very different.

46:23Like, you know, you can leave somewhere quite quickly and it doesn't necessarily have to be a blot on your copybook.

46:27It doesn't have to be a black mark on your CV.

46:29You look at Maresca at the moment, who's apparently under pressure at Chelsea, having two defeats but two trophies at last season as well.

46:38But that's not enough, apparently.

46:40And he might be off, we understand, if things don't go right for him at the bridge on Tuesday against his old, well, their old mate, Mourinho, Benfica.

46:49Yeah, I think that's obviously a really interesting narrative that's always going to come to the forefront when Jose Mourinho's in town.

46:55But just on that, you know, it's not necessarily been a blot on your copybook.

46:58I don't think it is anymore.

47:00I think the way that football moves and it's such a powerful business that, you know, we talk about Maresca, you know, a Europa League conference title, world club championship.