Paullow

Cardiff down to 10 men after 7 mins in the South Wales derby. Completely changes the game.

Would have preferred a Chelsea win, but better than Man utd winning. We'll likely finish below both, but much more likely to finish above the latter, and that's a better point for them.

I know they were the third wheel of our Hughton Championship season, and then there was that ridiculous match at the City Ground under Rafa, and if they stay up and eventually push on, you can imagine a section of their fans having chips on their shoulder, but all that aside, I can't help but like them, and do hope they stay up. Awful result for Liverpool (huge contrast between their home and away form), fantastic result for Forest - starting to improve a little bit, 5 points from 4, 2 clean sheets in a row, only 2 goals conceded in those 4 etc. - certainly shakes things up a bit more at the bottom.

I guess a lot of Newcastle fans have been at this poll . I'd consider Everton, Newcastle, and Villa of similar stature, with Leeds (especially with their 16 years outside the top flight and at least 3 in League One) one level below, joined by West Ham with their recent emergence. I'd say Tottenham would be around the same level traditionally, but they really have differentiated themselves these past 15 years or so to join the 'big 6'.

League One offering from Sky tonight rather than a PL or Championship match like usual (especially the latter). Ipswich vs Derby at 8pm. BT Sport showing Porto vs Benfica at 8.15pm and that will likely go a long way in deciding the title with Sporting currently 9 points off the pace after only 9 games.

I was hoping he would have been kept on a bit longer (not from a Villa perspective, ha), and certainly until at least after next Saturday, but yeah, from an outside perspective, he did feel the main thing holding you back and that a more competent manager would get you up and running pretty sharp, and if you can get in someone with real credentials, like some of those that have been linked, then it will be like chalk and cheese. The fans had obviously turned, VillaTalk was like a bloodbath , and when you get to that stage, he has to go, because he was clearly on borrowed time, and a win here and there will just give him a tiny stay of execution, and needlessly delay the inevitable.

It's still not great, but isn't it 44 points from his 38 PL games? He took over last season on 10 points from Dean's 11 games, and then generated 35 in his 27 games to take you to 45 for the season (10W 5D 12L), and then the 9 from 11 this year (obviously poor), so in a full PL campaign of 38 games, it's 12W 8D 18L, 44 points. Not amazing as I say, and your squad / investment should be doing a lot better, but 36 points will often take you down, whereas 44 points will tend to get you around 14th, where you finished last season on 45 points? He did win 3 of his first 4 games, so it is 35 points from his last 34 games, which is poorer, and does look a lot worse.

I read it as 5th gets EL and the League Cup winner gets ECL, 7 European spots in total for the PL, and if both cups are won by non top 6 sides (very unlikely, of course) then only the top 5 will qualify for Europe via the league.

Imagine finishing in the top 6 for the time in years and not even qualifying for the Europa Conference . I guess it sort of happened in my first season of following football back in 1995 when we finished 6th - I remember wanting Man Utd to beat Everton in the FA Cup final as I knew it would benefit us, although not fully understanding what was going on, ha. I guess for now, assuming we don't, I'll be hoping the 'big' clubs do well in the cups to keep the 7th door open.

Probably not in the VAR era.

3 match ban, he'll miss our match (with Stevie G no doubt), not sure if that's good or bad.

What's that chant the Villa fans always sing?

Hopefully a hard earned point for Villa tonight in an entertaining game. Both PL matches are interesting. Two under pressure managers who would have had top 10 aspirations, and badly need a result. I'll watch the first half of Fulham vs Villa, and might stick with it if a decent watch.

How does Europe work this year. Everyone assumes 7th is Europa Conference, but is that dependent on the cups being won (as usual) by the big 6, or rather 5, as Tottenham never win anything? Or would the PL get an extra place if say a Palace or equivalent won one of the cups?

Find it staggering how we are as short as 11/5 to win this (SkyBet), 13 months ago we'd have been like 10/1. Similar odds generally vs Man Utd, but that felt a bit more realistic with them still having struggles this season. I guess last nights results may have impacted those odds a little bit, but they are still formidable at home, 10 wins in a row, and I'm still not as confident about us when we're away. Odds are just a number, but it's still brilliant to see them that low (unless you were actually wanting a punt on us ) https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/tottenham-v-newcastle/winner I am also very much in the 'free-hit' mindset. I'd have snapped your hand off for 4 points from Man Utd, Everton and Spurs, and we have that with a game to spare, and I'd absolutely love to finish 7th, but if we were going to somehow finish top 6 then I think it would still be at MU's expense, not Spurs', so a bit of a shame the way that match went last night - they'll probably be looking for a reaction as well. Our season isn't going to be defined, or objectives changed, because of an away defeat to Spurs. At home, I'd be confident of at least a point, and wouldn't 'take a draw', but it is a bit of a different proposition at their stadium, and would 100% take a draw there, and even a 'spirited' 1-0 defeat wouldn't be a disaster. It goes against our current mindset, and how far we've come these past 10 months or so, but I'd personally consider making fairly big changes for this with a bit of an eye on the far more 'winnable' Villa match 6 days later- I'd consider bringing Lascelles in, Targett in, start Willock, possibly Fraser, Anderson, maybe even Wood. Obviously that would generally increase the chances of a heavier defeat, but it really is a compact schedule, and that forthcoming Palace League Cup match should be considered as an opportunity, rather than a distraction.

Surprised to see Arsenal's home match with PSV on at 6pm tonight. That KO time is not uncommon for the Europa League, but it's normally those on the continent an hour ahead - really early for fans to get to the ground, and you couldn't really do a 9-5/5.30pm without finishing a bit earlier. I guess it's another option for the armchair UK fan to watch before the PL starts on Amazon at 7.30pm - I guess that's probably the reason it's on so early.

Exactly a year to the day since he was sacked. Astonishing how far we've come in those 12 months.

Fraser has been in the wars in his 4 mins or so.

Stuck a couple of quid on the draw, just in case. Obviously hoping not to profit.

Elliot did well there.

Very few goals in the PL tonight. Just 3 in the 5 matches, and 4 of them haven't got much left in them.

He has now, unfortunately, ha. Mings-like.

I was going to say Bruno has been quiet this half, but then I guess most of our players have. Hasn't really got going, but obviously something to hold on to, so no massive need.

"Thankfully it goes out for a goal kick"...