Jose Mourinho being absurd, Cardiff not welcome in Premier League and Thierry Henry a risky move for Aston Villa

Meanwhile, the top flight's top teams played out a 0-0 stalemate, but find out why Manchester City should have thrown the game and why Thierry Henry might be a risky appointment for Aston Villa.


Here's five things we learnt this weekend…

1. THE speedy solution to players stealing yards at throw-ins is to penalise the player and award the opposition a throw.

Benjamin Mendy was a persistent offender during Manchester City’s clash at Liverpool and referee Martin Atkinson needed the powers to punish him properly.

Instead, he just had to keep sending him back to where the ball went out of play.

2. FOR some reason, Neil Warnock just doesn’t get the Premier League.

Cardiff’s ranting manager was digging out Harry Kane for his reaction to Joe Ralls’ assault on Tottenham team-mate Lucas Moura.

The Bluebirds' agricultural approach to football, encouraged by their angry manager, is not welcome in the Premier League.

3. ASTON VILLA are not the first club to be seduced by the idea of appointing a big name as their manager, but Thierry Henry is a risky decision.

Henry is a sensitive soul, a super prickly character who struggles to accept criticism or to take on board the views of others.

The Arsenal legend does not like to offend, or to put himself in the position where he might not be popular.

Now that he is about to take the Villa job, that will have to change if he is to stand a chance of making this a success.

4. JOSE MOURINHO was more than entitled to have a dig after Manchester United’s comeback against Newcastle, but the idea that he is being hunted is absurd.

Mourinho is a trophy-chasing manager, brought in to keep the fans sweet on the Stretford End and deliver the big prizes to Manchester United.


After winning a treble in his first season at United, he failed to bring home the bacon last season.

For that reason, he is always going to be under the hammer.

5. GARETH SOUTHGATE seems to have overlooked England’s dreadful performances in the Nations League opener against Spain and the friendly with Switzerland when he picked his latest squad.

The latest call up, for Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, smacks of desperation after injury forced Burnley’s James Tarkwoski out of the squad on Sunday.

It is all well and good looking outside the top clubs for international footballers, but they usually get found out at the highest level.

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