Abacus

4 games without Casemiro could be huge for Man U. Beat them at St James's and we'd really put the wind up both them and Spurs,who I'd love to see implode under Conte. Rather be aiming at two chances to get past a team for top 4 instead of one.

This guy is a baller. What a player, looks on a different plane to most of the rest of the team. I'd hate to play against him - he won us that game tonight.

By the time MOTD comes on, I already know all the scores etc and so, I'm only going to watch it if we've won to replay the happiness. Basically, just like I'll read the match report the next day. Or there's been a particularly controversial incident, or if there's been some huge other game. It's not really needed any more for a lot of people, but I do think that having a highlights package on the main terrestrial channel for the millions who don't have Sky or don't stream is actually of more value to the PL. I'm sure they'll be quite happy with all this coverage in week 1, but will be fuming if it carries on much longer, or if the BBC abandon MOTD altogether. It's a great advertising tool for Sky. Either way, the BBC has put itself in a ridiculous position here.

Jacob Rees Mogg on co-commentary.

Obviously good that Spurs lost, based on current form they're the most catchable of the teams above us. With current points and games in hand, doing that is in our own hands. Even in the games we've lost, including today, I don't think we've exactly performed badly. It feels like a spawny 1-0 win could be enough to turn our luck round and send us on another run. I'd still be over the moon with a top 4 finish, because that would be one hell of an overperformance with the squad we've got. Whatever, we don't deserve less than 7th based on the season so far which would be good. So hopefully we're not looking behind us and will concentrate on giving the teams above us a scare for the rest of the season.

It's ironic, then, that the better Ten Hag does, the more chance you have of the Glazers staying. A few years of no trophies, the genuine chance of missing CL money, no Super League, realising they'd need to actually invest in the infrastructure to grow, and suddenly they're looking at investment/ selling up. If they think they can carry on raking in money from a successful team and demanding a ridiculous valuation while they do so, why would they leave? It's one reason why, after being worn down by Ashley's behaviour and his constant false promises, many of us wished ill on our own team. Us becoming a financial problem to him by sinking down the leagues / having to give away free tickets etc was the only way he'd ever go. And all the while everything at the club was rotting. I'm not going to wish bad luck on Ten Hag himself - he looks to be an excellent manager. But in some ways, that could make him like late Ferguson - propping up a poor regime by over-performing. Saying all that, personally I reckon the Qataris will just stick an extra billion or two more than the club is financially worth and not think twice about it.

Wandy makes a key point in that a lot of the most vociferous fans were basically driven out under Ashley, and now they can't get back. Some banned for making a fuss and the level 7 singing section broken up for being mean to that big baby. That said, even when it was there, while it must have been fun to be part of but didn't really carry into some of the rest of the ground, imo, it was too cut off. Anyway, I think the 10 year price / ambition freeze had a part to play. Too many people say in the same seats grumbling but not caring enough to make a noise about it, being worn down year after year but scared to ditch their seat. I don't mean all of them by any means, but I know some people who kept their ticket but stopped going. I went to one of the cup games, by contrast, and thought the atmosphere was brilliant. I was bruised from leaping about and hoarse the next day, in a bit of the ground where everyone was up for it. But if I was in a bit of the ground where everyone was mumbling away about sitting down and looking at you like an alien when you're howling away, well over time you'd just sit on your hands and shut up as well. Much better to be in a place with like-minded fans. I wonder if the hoped for SJP redevelopment is a chance to do this - there's going to be temporary disruption anyway, which might finally shift some people from their usual seats to start with.

Whilst a drop down the league would obviously be disappointing, I'd have been very happy with a top 7 finish and a decent cup run before the start of the season. I know the Europa League is a bit of a distraction, but I don't think a lot of players in other leagues see it that way. In other words, while it doesn't have the money or the draw of the Champions League, it should still help us attract a better calibre of players. Plus, it's fun to be in.

I think Burn had a really good game yesterday, so I'm not sure he'll be dropped. But. If Target is fit I'd prefer him at LB too - he's not as attacking as Burn, but he does all the dirty work and frees up ASM better. Hope they're looking at Schar closely after he got clobbered. Burn is always an option to go back into the middle if Schar or Botman are carrying a knock. And yeah, where Gordon fits in is a bit of a riddle. He'd have fresh legs, at least.

Not much he could have done about either goal. You could argue about the second, but I think that's a wonder-save if he reacts to that late deflection and keeps it out. A couple of excellent saves as well - particularly one against Weghorst. Think he's done enough there to have a proper run at the No2 GK slot. Good on him, didn't let us down.

Hell of an effort from the fans. They did us proud. Should have heard the roar in the pub when those flags were still going at the end.

Chelsea are bloody awful, they just don't play like a team and I've no idea how they have set up or what they're trying to do.

Looking like Southampton, Bournemouth and either Leeds or Everton for the drop, then. I think it'll be Leeds, they should've had a plan before getting rid of Marsch. It completely passed me by that we'd already sailed past the magic 40 point mark. This is basically a free hit season for us now

This surely can't be happening to the best footballing team in England today.

They probably don't expect anything. They don't think he can change or affect anything. What they want is publicity, and targeting the manager of a club just before their first major final in decades is the way to get it. So yes, it's a publicity stunt more than anything. You can argue that it's personally unfair on Howe (it probably is), but then, they'd argue that what's more unfair is the Saudi regime etc which justifies what they're doing because it gets the attention they want, which might itself cause change. And around and around we go. FWIW, we criticise the mackems for suddenly caring about human rights since the takeover. There's a reverse thing happening with some of our fans where people suddenly feel the need to justify themselves. Not saying that's what these people are doing, but no-one has any responsibility for sorting the world's problems because of which team they support. Personally, I care about human rights in the world just as much or as little as I did before the takeover, and that's my business. As a Newcastle fan all I care about is whether they are good custodians of the club or not. If they aren't (and it's not just about spending money, this), I'll want them gone just as much I wanted rid of Ashley.

Chumbawumba He gets knocked out! But he gets up again So he probably shouldn't have been in goal!

Hell of a roar there

Off to the Forest forums now...

Beyonce is going to be furious when all the single ladies turn up to lob crisp packets at her, then bugger off early to beat the rush.

None left except the ones booing Mitro

I can't understand how the best footballing team in England can be getting pumped 3-1 at home in front of a load of empty seats. How can there even be enough people there to lob that much rubbish onto the pitch?

Brilliant news! Opens up the chance of sponsoring the new fan zone or stand rather than a stadium re-naming, maybe?

4 or a 5 for me, probably. I don't know anything about Ashby, and I'm waiting to see about Gordon, though hoping for the best and wishing them both well. To lose an established striker and a midfielder, whatever you think of either of them, and not directly replace them feels risky. Bruno's sending off and Isak's possible concussion underline that. Wood and Shelvey would have been in the squad next week for sure. I wonder what Howe's feelings are on losing those two. Not too fussed if we missed out on Gallagher, if he even was a serious target. Hopefully a couple of decent signings in the summer instead, but we probably can't keep defying gravity with our current squad.

He's an already-legend.

Well, and the Trippier thing interests me. I wonder if they came off the pitch and Trippier had said what a rough time he'd given him / how hard he was to play against, and that might have been a factor in wanting him. Or very possibly I've just made all that up in my own head.