Gallowgate Toon

Maybe but there are frustrations around his managerial style that have hampered league campaigns in the past (but has been effective in cups).

Emery is a good manager but I'd be very surprised if he finishes higher than 7th next season unless there's extremely significant investment.

Bruno was a massive miss that game. He keeps the ball and build attacks so well - it really helps to contain opposition & force them into a deeper shape. Joe was a decent stand-in defensively but his passing IQ & movement into valuable spaces are levels below Bruno.

It seems a bit weird that this is taking so long, no? Feels a long, long time since the initial charges were brought forward.

He looks massively invested judging by some of his reactions yesterday to events (Willock flop, massive celebration etc.). He's such a cool character that I wasn't sure if he'd fully buy-in like, say, Bruno, but it absolutely looks that way at the moment.

He should already have 2 assists to his name, tbf. He was very close to playing a lovely ball in to set Isak through yesterday as well, similar to that Wilson chance he set up against West Ham, just an extra yard or two on it and it would've been perfect.

Think he's always had some talent but he seemed way too nice & meek for so long. He'd often look scared to take risks and end up doing nothing. It feels like he's really embraced a WUM character and it's almost given him the freedom to express himself.

Ten Hag trying to have a personality did seem to trip them up for this. I think he felt they had our number after the Cup Final and a few snipes would have us playing too emotionally. He's better at just being a (very good) robot coach.

Strikers go through patches of form. His overall record for us is near 1 in 2.

A delicious footballer. That pass for the first goal was perfection.

Looks so much better when he mixes it up and goes outside at least a little bit. Wasn't doing his weird run as much today so I think he's over his niggle.

Seen Villa a few times and they don't look that convincing to me but Emery is a good manager. Don't feel we should be going there scared though.

Some of his touches today when in danger were sublime. Got that Arsenal grad comfort on the ball but pairs it with such speed and stamina. If he was better at finishing, he'd basically be Bellingham.

His positioning has been a lot more flexible recently which suits him & us more. It felt like he was much more fixed as the deepest mid before the WC but we're now seeing more interchanges and midfielders moving.

Chuffed for him. Been a rough run and he shouldn't be starting still but he's a cracking option off the bench. If we make Europe, I think he can be a valuable squad member (we'd still need another striker).

He was astonishingly good today as his work off the ball was so fucking class. His absolute quality on the ball is almost a bonus.

I am buzzing. Keep the squad for for the run-in and we have a real, real chance. They were absolutely shite on the day.

Feels very un-Howe to drop a player in from the start even after a relatively minor injury. He's a pretty good sub to come on though with his pace and movement.

Was at the Blyth game and they were massively outclassed. 'keeper pulled off some unbelievable saves to keep the score respectable. Team organisation seemed all over the place.

Scotty T

He was absolutely pelting about against Liverpool and was trying to open up a lot in the cup final too. He's definitely been protecting from some sort of injury over the last 2.

Don't think we'll see him start there at all but it's really handy he can drop into there during games when space has closed up in the centre.

Been an absolute monster the last 2 games. Really taken responsibility.

Really like the positional fluidity between him and Longstaff yesterday. Think Howe tried to rotate in game for legs as well as tactical reasons, but Bruno has the best touch & vision in the final third of pretty much any of our players and we should be getting him in & around there as much as possible.

Obviously, he has immense qualities on the ball, but his pressing over the last 2 games has been the most impressive bit for me. Takes a certain mentality of forward to do it, I thought that's where we might miss Wilson the most considering our defend from the front ethos.