Andy Mitten

We've also got Jack Pitt-Brooke back after last week's show.

Also with us is Andy Mitten from the Talk of the Devils podcast.

Andy, I feel like this one's gonna be perfect for you.

Yeah, let's see.

These three were there.

We've got Laurie and Andy with us here in the studio in Manchester and Keris has joined us as well.

Hello Keris, you okay?

Yeah, I'm good.

But we need to talk about the Manchester derby.

It's always a huge game, unquestionably, United versus City.

But the biggest Manchester derby this weekend, Andy, since...

The last one.

Yeah.

And actually, I mean, it's like, and I guess they've had to kind of develop, you think about, you know, we get Andy Mitten along from United We Stand.

Mm.

And it's like what he's done really well is, like, he's managed to sort of pivot to get access to play- you know, there was a time where you'd never think a fanzine-

We're here in the studio in Manchester.

Andy and Laurie are here, smiling back at me, sort of.

Frustrating end to that game, Andy, wasn't it? Because it wasn't perfect by any stretch during the 90 minutes, but it looked like United had won it until the 95 plus minute.

Yeah,

it looked like United had won it twice.

Yeah, a collective thing, right? And that was something that I think Carrick acknowledged after the game.

He obviously pushed back on certain aspects of questions, and again, I think it was quite a... showing his steel a little bit, but he's certainly showing more of his personality in post-match press conferences, both in the TV broadcasts and in the press conferences.

So that's interesting that he's kind of wanted to... put a more positive outlook on United's current situation he probably feels like this is United right the opportunity to perhaps think negatively and the expectations are big right and as we've just said there you sort of think of this as a three game stretch that they could have won all the matches at really on paper so he's I guess trying to push back on that idea and make sure that the sense of positivity is still there from the end of last season but I think he acknowledged the defence needs to be better and that's something that they're going to have to work on right and they've changed a few bits haven't they from the first game to the second game personnel that kind of thing substitutions as well so I don't know it kind of feels I guess if there's injuries at play there then that's one thing or protecting people a little bit but I guess in certain situations like that at Everton where you're only winning by one goal you know a couple of moments then I don't know that sort of keep the unit together so there's the understanding there and you know when someone is just there when to run and when not to run so yeah a disappointing feeling to it all really in the end because it felt like I agree with Andy that the first half in particular it felt like quite a sort of slow pace to the game but then you get these sort of moments of brilliance where United are passing through midfield and there was a that moment where I think Mbumo's ball out to Rashford and then Rashford's touch and inside I thought Rashford looked really dangerous actually again another sort of good performance from him and perhaps we'll get on to his understanding of Luke Shaw a bit more again but yeah it didn't feel like there was again the immediate urgency to do something in the game really take it to Everton when it felt like maybe they could have done given the way that Everton had sort of come into the game off the transfer window

That's been very kind to me.

Andy Mitten was on the show and was very, very good-

[laughs]

... at Andy Cole, wasn't he?

Thank you.

Daniel actually sharing his, uh, screen space with today Andy Mitten.

Andy, who's joining us from Barcelona.

How you doing?

but it kind of feels like he, he deserves a bit more credit than he gets.

Well, you can maybe explore that a bit.

Certainly, he did have a reputation as not being the easiest person to get along with, which is why it's also curious how he instinctively, it seems, formed these amazing partnerships with, uh, Peter Beardsley, later on with Dwight Yorke, Andy Mitten, of course, more recently.

Daniel, what do you think about when you think about Andy Cole?

in the Premier League basically not very happy if United fans aren't happy I don't know how we classify Everton supporters but we'll talk about that as well and we'll also preview the start of the WSL campaign for the women's team Keris Jones will be joining us a little bit later on to do that And to talk Everton as well.

Andy and Laurie are here for the moment now.

How are we doing? You okay?

Good.

But yeah, plenty to debate and I know that it'll be a continuing theme as we go on, even now the window's closed.

Oh, it will, unquestionably.

Certainly on the left back, Andy, because that does seem to be the area of the team that the majority of people wanted there to be Well, even an upgrade on Luke Shaw, if you listen to some, but certainly competition back up to him and considering how many more matches there are this season for the men's team.

How concerned are you about that position? Or on the flip side, equally, do you feel there's enough cover when you look at Nusmaz Rawi who can play there, Patrick Dorgu who could play there, even Lissandro Martinez, Carlos Baleiba, Diogo Dalo.