Szoboszlai strikes helps Liverpool go 13 points clear | England crash out of Champions Trophy
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Welcome to Back Pages, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest sports stories making the headlines in the morning's newspapers. I'm David Garrido, joining me are Henry Winter and David Ornstein. Welcome along to you both.

OK, let's start off with Liverpool. They moved 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle at Anfield. Let's start off with the eye and, as they say, red all over. A tune raid. And I wonder, Henry, coming to you first, how much of a portent might this be for the Carabao Cup final? But also, I mean, you know, Liverpool in the Premier League, no one's getting anywhere near them right now.

Well, we can't call it a title race anymore. It's a title procession. You saw that tonight with Liverpool. They were totally in control. Sobbeslai was outstanding in possession, out of possession. Lewis Hall at left back actually did pretty well against Mo Salah. And then he just produces a little bit of magic to create the second goal for Liverpool.

for McAllister but I think it's difficult to read too much into it because Newcastle were missing Isaac and I mean Callum Wilson tried hard but he's not in Isaac's class so look Liverpool whoever they're playing they've got the confidence

Yeah, they certainly do right now. The unbeaten run in the Premier League goes on. The lead stands at 13 points. Let's have a look, shall we, at the back page of The Sun, who pretty much agree that the title race is not just done and dusted, but Dom won.

You can see there on the left-hand side, Dominic Sabozlai, one of the goal scorers today, Alexa McAllister, the other. It was a lovely work by Luis Diaz on the left to set up Sabozlai then for the opening goal. What's your take on this, David? I mean, surely this is now done for Liverpool. You cannot see them losing it from here. Absolutely not. Liverpool will be home and dry before long. They're dominant. They're deserving players.

elect, I think you could say. They're bang on course and they're cantering towards the finish line. Arnaud Slot has done amazing in his first season in charge, not just in the Premier League, but in Europe as well and domestic cups. They've got the final to look forward to against Newcastle. They'll go into that as heavy favourites, even with Izak back in the team, which would change things dramatically. But

and you only need to look at how Callum Wilson went through on goal one-on-one twice tonight, and it could have given the game a very different complexion and was off target. So Liverpool strength, wherever you look across the team, right from the goalkeeper to the front line. Of course, they're like a firing Darwin Nunes, but even he was being cheered by the Kop end by the end. Mo Salah, unbelievable player. I think even more respect needs to be put on his name.

Sobersleif scoring in back-to-back games for the first time in his Liverpool career and he's been outstanding too. Gravenberch in behind. Just options wherever you look which must make Arsenal really wince because they haven't got them, especially in the attacking areas and that's why they've fallen out of this title race. Liverpool just so, so impressive. They've kept their players fit, crucially, and I would expect them to win multiple trophies this season.

Let's just have a look at the back page of The Guardian as well. Flying high, Sir Bosley's strike helps Reds go 13 points clear. I just wonder, obviously, you know, the first piece of silverware of the Arnott slot reign could come in the Carabao Cup final against the same opponents as this evening, Henry. But I wonder what will Newcastle have learnt that might help them when it comes to that Wembley showpiece? Get Izak fit. LAUGHTER

Anthony Gordon, who's a terrific player, who's always going to get a little bit of stick from Liverpool fans being an Evertonian. He's got to do better against Trent Alexander-Arnold, who actually had one of his best defensive performances. We always focus on how good he is in attacking-wise and also highlight his defensive issues. But I thought he was outstanding defensively.

They've got to... I mean, look, they're short-term things, but longer-term things. They've got to deepen the squad. They've obviously... There's PSR issues. They need to develop more players, tap into all the amazing boys' clubs they've got in the region. That's a longer-term issue. But look...

We can't judge Eddie Howe almost game by game. You can see the development of Newcastle United under Eddie Howe. He's had some fantastic performances and results this season. He's a terrific manager. He's the best homegrown manager as we're about to welcome Thomas Tuchel into the country or back into the country. So, look, things are going in the right direction.

I mean, you've only got to talk to Newcastle fans who are trying to get hold of tickets. I'm getting calls from sort of friends I've forgotten about around the world who are sort of, I'm sure David's the same, you know, just this or that Newcastle connection. There's,

There's something stirring there. You know, the Geordie Nation is incredibly special and the club is so important. You've only got to walk anywhere in the city and it dominates the skyline. It dominates the conversation. And Eddie Howe's added to that. So, look, one disappointing result tonight. You know, they're going in the right direction.

OK, let's move away from Liverpool to their nearest challengers who remain Arsenal, even though that gap has widened to 13 points. And with, you can see there, Luis Diaz and Dominic Savozza, who combined that for that first goal under that picture. Give up yet, Mikel? Even Arteta must admit Liverpool gap now too wide. This, of course, after he said, David, you know, over my dead body, would he give up on the title race now, surely not.

given the fact that they were toothless against Nottingham Forest yet again. I mean, you know, it's chalk and cheese between Liverpool and Arsenal right now, isn't it?

Yeah, you wouldn't expect Mikel Arteta to say anything else and that's totally understandable, but his team are all but out of the title race. Just scoring a goal would be helpful at the moment and that's the repercussion of their injuries and they seem to have lost form now as well. Back-to-back games without a goal in the Premier League for the first time in what, more than a year?

And I think all of their focus is probably going to go on qualifying for the Champions League again by finishing in the top four or five. And that should be the focus probably rather than catching Liverpool right now. And then their Champions League last 16 tie against PSV Eindhoven. That's absolutely massive. They need to inject some energy into the bodies of these players.

Um, even tonight with Liverpool, when you see McAllister finishing like he did, he's not a striker, you know, Arsenal are getting opportunities, uh, for, for, for the players that they do have. And they're perfectly capable players. Um,

some teams play without a recognised front man by choice and they still score goals and Arsenal aren't really creating like they normally do and they're going to have to get their act together pretty quickly. They've been dealt a difficult hand this season with injuries to key players and they will be getting them back. They'll hope it's not too late but to the frustration of many fans the Premier League title is virtually gone now. Really,

Really, last season was the one that you felt that it was the missed opportunity because they were ahead of Manchester City the year before they lost Saliba. And this time round, without Manchester City there, then you thought it could have been their year. But Liverpool have been unbelievable and credit to them. Arsenal are going to have to try and salvage something from the final few months of the season.

When it comes to Arsenal, Henry, of course they've got these huge injuries in their forward positions to really significant players. And they've tried different things. Mikel Mourinho with that experiment, which worked against Leicester but then didn't against West Ham. Even Riccardo Calafiore playing in a sort of advanced left wing position at times this evening. How on earth do they solve this?

who was brought in as a left-back, was their most attacking, threatening player in the first half. He actually sort of got the ball onto his right foot and hit the post. I mean, this is ranked negligence by Arsenal. Their fans have been saying it, not since this pre-season, but probably a couple of previous pre-seasons as well, that they need a number nine. I totally agree with David alluding to the fact that Saka's not there. And when Bakara Saka's not there, Martin Odegaard loses about 10% of his excellent game. So, look, the...

there are issues in terms of injuries but this is a chronicle of a death foretold everyone knew if Arsenal went into the season without a number nine with a manager fantastic manager in Mikel Arteta I wouldn't criticise him on many things but just going into the season without a number nine and

Look what happened tonight. Benjamin Sesko, who they were interested in, gets his 17th league goal of the season tonight. And they probably, I mean, David would know better than I am because he's the transfer guru, but they probably could have got him if they'd really pushed for it rather than spend money on players they didn't really need.

Let's move on to Manchester City, who in their previous two games had lost a way to Real Madrid and at home to Liverpool. This time, 1-0 winners over Tottenham Hotspur away from home. You can see it there at the bottom, Erling Haaland back with a bang as Guardiola's side return to the top four. What do you make of their performance, David?

First half, David, they were excellent and looked like they were showing signs of their best form. Second half, less so. Tottenham really should have got something out of the game, the chances they created and City showing their inconsistencies that have blighted their season. But that's a massive result, going to Tottenham and winning and

you know, quietly creeping into fourth place and Manchester City's focus will be to solidify that Champions League qualification. That wouldn't be a bad outcome from, you know, one of the worst seasons in recent memory. Um,

and, uh, of course this is kind of laying the foundations for next season already because they've recruited heavily in January. Um, and they're now getting a little bit of form together, but you know, it's on and off because they lost to Liverpool last time out, lost in the champions league before that they demolished Newcastle. So, uh,

up and down and tonight will be marked as a good one for them Erling Haaland returning is massive back fit and scoring he could have had another one towards the end but yeah Manchester City without a great deal of fanfare are maybe finding their feet a little bit more just of late

Yeah, I know that obviously Tottenham are also fairly up and down, but they have been a bogey side for City in seasons gone by. In the inside of the Daily Telegraph, Henry, the headline is Haaland fires old City before new City wobbles reappear. What do you think are the most concerning of the wobbles for City right now?

Well, it's been a long-term wobble without having the best player in the country in Rodri. This is pre-Mo Salah. I mean, the injury that Rodri sustained, you know, clearly damaged them. There are other issues at Manchester City, the ageing team. But it's quite interesting. I mean, David rightly points out the fact that they went and

bought and invested quite substantially in the January window and actually they're bought well you look at Kushinov difficult debut against Chelsea played well tonight he's been playing well recently Nico Gonzalez playing a slightly more advanced role tonight again he's very effective he's not going to be Rodri but clearly he's a talent

to play in central midfield. Jeremy Docher, who obviously sort of arrived some time ago, I thought he had a good game, but he is young. He's very much part of their rebuild. Mahmoud, whether he's playing as a 10 or a 9, I think he's a terrific signing as well. So, look, maybe these were players who they were planning to bring in in the summer and they brought them forward and had to pay a little bit more. But, you know, don't bet against Pep Guardiola. The rebuild has started.

Let's go to the time to, along with the sun, lead on Manchester United's win. And the picture as well. Maguire to the rescue header spares embarrassment for 10-man United. As we're getting used to, David, I mean, you know, this is always entertaining. Erratic fare from Manchester United. One man down because of Patrick Dorgue at half-time, but managed to score the winning goal from a man who was frozen out under Eric Ten Haag.

Yeah, entertaining for the neutrals, David. I'm not sure Manchester United would say the same. And early on with that, Dugu Onana mishap. It must have felt like when it rains, it pours. And it was absolutely pouring at Old Trafford. But they showed good spirit to get back into the game and quality as well against the Nip Switch side, who are good and had nothing to lose. And yeah, they're struggling towards the bottom of the table. But yeah,

you know, the likes of Liam De Lappe there, former Manchester City player and bulldozing around the pitch. It wasn't easy, especially given the circumstances United are facing on and off the pitch. And I think that's a really big win given the

events and form as well. Harry Maguire deserves real credit. He, you know, despite a rollercoaster ride that he's been on individually, he always seems to perform and often digs Manchester United's

out of a hole and his defensive partner too as well, De Ligt, did again tonight. So yeah, Manchester United will be pretty pleased with that win. It gives them a bit of momentum at a crucial time for the club in many ways and they've still got their European hopes too. So yeah, a big one for Manchester United. They just got there.

Henry, I was just looking up their results and in three of the last four games they've come from behind and claimed something in two occasions a win and one a draw, the 2-2 draw against Everton. Now, does this show fighting spirit or does this show defensive frailty to concede the first goal yet again as they've done the last five games running?

Yeah, or it shows that they believe in the manager and that there's still an element of resilience in them. I mean, I think it shows tonight where their problems lie. The fact that two of their goals came from centre-backs and the other one was an own goal. They've clearly got a problem with Rasmus Hojland up front, whether they then move for Jokeres.

Amarant's old sporting Lisbon striker in the summer, that's an area they absolutely need to address. But I was a bit worried that Sir Jim Ratcliffe watching this tonight, having laid off so many people at Old Trafford, would have thought, oh, I can actually do with 10 rather than 11 in the team.

Yes, interesting. Yeah, we know about all of the recent kind of cutbacks and stories and anecdotes of what's going on after 12 months of Ineos at Old Trafford. Let's just quickly look inside the Daily Telegraph again for the other game we haven't mentioned, which is Brentford won Everton 1. Really briefly, if you can, David, I mean, does it show a little bit of how far Everton have come in such a short period of time that David Moyes said they should have won this game? And he's right, isn't he, given what happened to Beto?

Yeah, he had chances to claim what would have been an amazing victory. And the turnaround under Moyes has been spectacular, especially with everything that's gone before Everton. And Brentford is an incredibly tough place to go. They're a brilliant team under Thomas Frank at home, but also away now. And so, yeah, Moyes will be pleased with that, Everton too. And they're going to be comfortably safe of relegation and heading into that new stadium at Bramley Moor dock with a spring in their step.

Let's turn our attention to the Women's Nations League and the Lionesses have been in action. England beating Spain by a goal to avenge their defeat in the World Cup final. David, I just wonder in terms of the significance of this result because England improving their position in the Nations League and beating a great world power in Spain.

Beating the world champions and very encouraging for England. There were a few question marks about Srinivikman's lack of changes in the last game but you look at the way they played tonight and you look at the performance of Lauren James in particular. England have got some very good players and they showed it tonight.

Okay. Um, I wanted, she would move from there to perhaps, uh, the cricket because, well, England's out of the ICC champions trophy. They lost to Australia. They lost to Afghanistan this time by, by eight runs. Um, I'll, I'll stay with you actually here with Henry because it's, it's, you know, to be out of the tournament with still a game to play in the group stage, uh,

Such an indictment of where English cricket is right now, particularly in the white ball game. Remember that this is a team who were kings of limited overs cricket. And now, you know, they have nothing to show for the last 18 months. They haven't. And they've sort of wasted a very good innings by Joe Root tonight or today. I mean, this Michael Vaughan piece, I mean, he doesn't hold back here. I mean, but I cannot survive this humiliation as captain. And that's from a former England captain. That's from an individual in Michael Vaughan who's been a

in the crosshairs who knows how difficult it can be and he's just saying that Butler has to go. I think that's reflected on the back of the Times and on other papers as well, particularly the broadsheets, the focus on Joss Butler because this is pretty humiliating, losing to Afghanistan by what was it, eight runs?

Just on this, Henry, I mean, Joss Butler, I think the sad thing is that he is being, obviously compared to Owen Morgan, who was such a statesman-like captain who obviously brought the World Cup in such dramatic circumstances back to England. I just sort of wonder, you know, how much is this his fault? How much do you feel that he has not really added, if anything, the captaincy has sort of taken away from him and taken away from his batting prowess?

Possibly, because his batting is just such an asset for England. I always like listening to Joss Butler. I think he deals with some of the difficult questions thrown at him, particularly over Afghanistan in the lead up to the match with the big boycott. You know, all the sort of the issues that everyone's been talking about with sort of, you know, the Afghanistan teams. I just thought he sort of he's handled it well.

You know, almost a sort of slight sort of statesman like he's very eloquent. He talks well. You imagine he's a good character in the dressing room as well. So got a bit of sympathy for him. But look, the truth is on the pitch. The results state that a performance like that. And I think Michael Vaughn may well have his way.

David, just to bring you in on this, in terms of just, you know, when you have the situation in a national team, when a captain is under such pressure, we've seen this, of course, with football. How significant is it, do you think, a step here for Butler to step down compared to, say, for example, when David Beckham decided he didn't want to be, you know, England captain anymore? And there have been other situations across the

other major sports where the captain stepped down. Because obviously, you know, there are other players who can take that weight off that captain. And in this case, you know, none of them really did apart from Joe Root, perhaps. Yeah, and Root with captaincy pedigree of his own, of course. I think the captaincy sounds like it may be on its way to Brook after this and maybe that's more suitable. I don't think it's nearly as dramatic as, say, Beckham because Beckham craved the captaincy and it was...

his life's work. Whereas in this case, it seems Butler was a bit uncomfortable with it from, from the start. He did actually win the T20 world cup. Let's not forget. But even he coming into the match sort of was quite open in, in talking about the situation. And,

And since the defeat today, he has sort of said he needs to work out if he's part of the solution or the problem. And so it wouldn't probably surprise him if it's going to go. The record has been wretched. We've got to look at the lack of one-day cricket, I should say, being played within England right now. It's the focus on T20 that's taken over. And it's showing because that success of the...

one day World Cup and then the T20 victory too feels a long way away and the white ball cricket white ball game maybe needs to refocus and maybe it will start with the captaincy change it hasn't gone well for McCullum either as coach since he's taken over in this format so yeah it's not good at all it's not been good on the women's side either and the ECB will have some head scratching to do and it will probably start with

removing Butler of the captaincy. Yeah, Henry, what do you think is the overall direction that England cricket needs to head in here now? Because they've got a real crisis in terms of the limited overs formats of the game. And this was something they were so dominant at before. What do they really need to look at?

Well, I get confused by so many different formats. I mean, it's completely different from football in terms of the captaincy because you have one captain and the focus is totally on that with England and football. But there seems to be sort of differing captains for different formats.

I think when you look at some of the younger players coming through, and we've seen that, there is encouragement there. But there's always the IPL for them to look at. That's a huge distraction for some of them as well because of the money involved. So, yeah, but, you know...

I love going and watching England in an Ashes series, whether it's at Lord's, the Oval, wherever it is. That for me, the Test match, four or five days, whatever it is, that is absolutely the pinnacle. And all these other ones are just almost like the little children running around the heels of the big father of the Ashes and Test cricket. I love that. And that, I think, is still embedded in the country. Yeah. Yeah.

I think that's what we're going to be focusing on certainly in the years to come. See if England can win back that, it'll learn. David, Henry, thank you very much indeed.