Andy Reid
Ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

The easy thing to do is just to level it on Steve Bruce but the players need to have a look at themselves. Bruce wasn't telling anyone to stop running around or stop people playing with energy which is the minimum requirement of anyone playing on a football pitch.

Have players been giving their all? It would appear from the outside that they haven't - but it's a fresh start for them now. Eddie Howe will have wiped the slate clean so they need to really kick on and show what they can do and there's no doubt that this club will be going somewhere over the next four or five years. What that journey looks like remains to be seen.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think the Aston Villa job is a fantastic job for Steven Gerrard - I think it's a bit disrespectful on both Gerrard and Villa to say that the job is a stepping stone for what he really wants to do. He's got a great opportunity to go on to bigger and better things with Villa - they are a fantastic club with huge support.

He's got a big job on his hands, they're a great club with lots of potential and I'm really looking forward to seeing how he does. I was really impressed with what he did and how he id it at Rangers but it was only a matter of time before he came back to the big league.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport at St James' Park

Imagine if you're staying in the hotel room next to Eddie Howe for the next couple of hours.

"Oi, mate, keep it down. I'm trying to get some kip before a night out."

Howe is usually a cool customer on the touchline, but what will it be like trying to manage a game from his room? And a Newcastle game, at that?

Oh to be a fly on the wall.

John Acres
Final Score at Villa Park

Spoken to a few Villa fans on the way in about Steven Gerrard. They began by talking about how disappointed they were that their former manager Dean Smith, a Villa fan, wasn't given more time after the sale of Jack Greilish to Manchester City, and the win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

They pointed out that they've been very ordinary in the last five Premier league matches however, and are hoping Gerrard can get off to a fast start. You get the feeling he'll have tonif he's to win over the Villa faithful.

Andy Reid
Ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Chelsea were brilliant form the first whistle - how they've kept the ball and had forward runs, they've stretched the play and players have come into the pockets, how they've been out of possession when Leicester have tried to build has been fantastic. The quality on display was brilliant and the system has worked perfectly well.

If you want to have a look at how a 3-4-3 should be played come and look at this Chelsea side - it's been a joy to watch and it could've been more.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel speaking to BT Sport: "We played a good away game, excellent result, a good mixture. We created a lot of half chances, we were a bit unlucky with offsides but I am happy if we create. We need to be strong from first to last minute, it was a deserved win.

"Very good first half, we struggled with decisions and precision in the last third and could have created more chances. At two goals, anything can happen and the stadium can wake up but we did not allow them into the game and finished them off."

On Antonio Rudiger: "Everybody wants him to stay, sometimes there is a delay in these things but I know he knows he plays for a fantastic club in a fantastic league so we need a bit of patience.

"Ngolo [Kante] is outstanding, he finds another gear on the pitch, when he plays with a free mind he can be the difference.

"We want to push over and over again, I am happy with the way we played and the result."

Chris Wise
BBC Radio 5 Live at Vicarage Road

Image source, BBC Sport

Watford supporters trying to catch a word/selfie/autograph with Manchester United’s players. It’s a bit of a scrum down there.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Brighton have been very much left in the role of bridesmaid's at Villa Park this afternoon.

Yet Graham Potter's men are in excellent form and have only lost twice all season.

They do have an issue today though, with Robert Sanchez suspended due to the red card he received in the final minute against Newcastle just before the international break.

It means Jason Steele, who made over 100 appearances for Blackburn, makes his Premier League debut for Brighton.

Andy Reid
Ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think West Ham have got the base of a really good squad and they're starting to build - they will find it difficult but they've got a lot of good players in that squad now. They will feel they can deal with the loss of one player for a period of time, in this case Angelo Ogbonna. Craig Dawson will probably step in and he's a really experienced player, he's someone who can fill in in this time and do a good job.

I think they'll be alright - I'm really impressed with what they're doing there now.

Chris Latchem
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

Classic retro programme cover at Molineux as Wolves remember Ron Flowers this afternoon. Flowers, who died at the age of 87 last week, helped Wolves win three English First Division titles in the 1950s and the 1960 FA Cup. He was one of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad.

Flowers’ legacy lives on in Wolverhampton, as the sports shop he opened in his name - Ron Flowers Sports - remains open in the city centre.

Image source, BBC Sport

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Villa Park

After five successive defeats led to Dean Smith's exit, Steven Gerrard will be looking to make a quick impact at Aston Villa.

It won't be easy though. Brighton won the corresponding fixture last season and Graham Potter's side have been in fine form this term.

Villa will be targeting the game though. Their next home match is against Manchester City - and not long after that, on 11 December, they have what promises to be an emotional return to Anfield for Gerrard.

Alan Hutton
Former Scotland defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

The worry is that Norwich are sitting on five points, it's the bigger picture they'll be looking at. Dean Smith went to Villa and they were in a bad situation and turned it round, he got all the boys pulling in the right direction and got them up and di an unbelievable job there.

He will do his best - you can see the changes he's made, Brandon Williams, Todd Cantwell and Billy Gilmour in. It's a no brainer that he wants football players there to go and affect the game. Long term the plan will be that if they do go down they build a team round guys like Cantwell and progress, get back in the Premier League and stay there for the foreseeable future.

It's a difficult job for him at the moment but if anyone can turn it round I think he can.

Marc Webber
Final Score at Carrow Road

Image source, bbc s

New manager, new hope, new programme cover.

The Norwich faithful I’ve spoken to are warming to Dean Smith as their new boss.

Some were initially disappointed that it wasn’t Frank Lampard, but some are now seeing Dean’s record in management and his desire to tighten up the defence as evidence he may be the man to keep the Canaries up.

He gets a clap and a “Deano, Deano” shout from the two Norwich fans who have already taken their seat in the snake pit end of Carrow Road’s Barclay stand.

The new Norwich manager is doing his pre-match interviews in front of them.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Villa Park

It's a big day for Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard, as the former England and Liverpool skipper takes charge of his new club for the first time.

He has used his first lot of programme notes to underline how he is feeling ahead of today's game against Brighton.

"The word I've used to describe the club is iconic," he says.

"I'm extremely proud to be here and excited for what the future holds.

"We'll be working hard every day to get to where we want, standards will be extremely high."

Image source, BBC Sport

Steven Gerrard says it’s "very unfair" to call Aston Villa a stepping stone towards his dream of one day becoming Liverpool manager.

He has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Villa after leaving Rangers last week.

"I'm all-in and I will give this job everything that it needs for it to be a success. I'll be 100% committed and so will my staff.

"It's very unfair and you'll never hear me saying it's a stepping stone. For me, I'm really honoured and proud to be in this position."

Read more.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport at St James' Park

You have to feel sympathy for Eddie Howe.

In the programme, which features an illustration of Newcastle's head coach on the front cover, he describes joining the club as a "life-changing moment for me" and yet he is denied a warm welcome from the 50,000 Newcastle fans ahead of his first game in 15 months because of Covid-19.

He's picked an attacking line-up though, which is illustrative of his promise on Friday that he would deliver a team which would "play for their shirts and do the city proud".

Howe says he will be in "constant communication" with the bench during the match, led by assistants Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones.

It promises to be an interesting dynamic as Newcastle seek their first win of the season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

When the news came through that Eddie Howe had tested positive for covid and was going to miss his first game I just thought - this could only happen to Newcastle United.

After years of waiting for a week that's been positive - everything coming out of the training ground that the players have changed attitudes or got more energy or that they've been pressing higher and things are going really well. There was a buzz around the city and then BOOM - that happens.

On a serious note we wish him well and hope he's okay but he should have been able to work and get into the players in the last 10 days so really they should be prepared and his absence shouldn't really affect them. What I can guarantee is that St James' Park will be absolutely rocking this afternoon.

Image source, Getty Images

New Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will miss his first game in charge after testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

The Magpies, who are second bottom in the Premier League, host Brentford at 15:00 GMT.

Assistant head coaches Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones will take charge of the team in Howe's absence.

"I'm very disappointed that I won't be there with you all at St James' Park tomorrow," said Howe.

"I have been, and will be, in constant communication with my coaching team and the players, and I know they will be giving everything on and off the pitch."

Image source, Getty Images

Dean Smith is a man in a hurry to restore his reputation - and it took him only days to return to the Premier League's managerial front line at Norwich City after being sacked by Aston Villa.

He was self-evidently not in the Canaries' thoughts when they sacked Daniel Farke on 6 November, minutes after their first Premier League win of the season at Brentford. At that point, Smith was still in charge at Villa Park.

Smith's dismissal at Villa less than 24 hours later pushed the door at Carrow Road ajar for a swift comeback before it opened wide when Frank Lampard withdrew his interest in the job.

In simple terms, this is a sound appointment.

Read more here.