Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on Football Focus

John McGinn has really flourished under Unai Emery, as if he has that bit in his teeth to prove the doubters wrong. He has been given the captain's armband and looks the polished version of himself. We saw he had the quality, the awareness, the vision, the football brain, but managers before were not necessarily getting the best out of him. Now he had stepped into this leadership role and has taken his game to another level.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Ryan Leister from the Wolves Report podcast says he is "delighted" for Old Gold boss Gary O'Neil after defeating champions Manchester City last Saturday.

O'Neil - who guided Bournemouth to safety last season - has had a tough start to life at Molineux after taking over from Julen Lopetegui and saw his side go out of the Carabao Cup to Championship outfit Ipswich last week.

However, such an impressive victory over the reigning treble winners will surely provide a springboard for the rest of the season.

"Nobody expected anything from Wolves before the game, even at 1-0 up people were saying 'at least we've shown something'," Leister told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Then after the equaliser everyone in the football world is expecting Man City to go on and win.

"To bounce back again was amazing, Molineux was rocking and it was fantastic to hear it like it was during the Nuno (Espirito Santo) years again.

"The job he (Gary O'Neil) did at Bournemouth was fantastic, he came in after they lost 9-0 (to Liverpool) and everyone had written them off. With no disrespect to Bournemouth, they probably had a weaker squad than Wolves have now but this is a tough job.

"They've lost Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho - key players, big voices, mature, senior footballers with big experience. He's got a younger squad with some new players.

"I'm delighted for him, the way he approached the game against City was magnificent - tuck in, make it boring, make it horrible, frustrate. The way they countered for both goals was wonderful."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Gav: I know this sounds silly but I am shocked that Bruno Guimaraes' release clause is reportedly £100 million, is that all? I would have thought it would be treble that. Best Bruno in the league by a mile.

• Aston Villa have won 15 points from their seven Premier League games this season (W5 L2); only in 1998- 99 have they won more points at this stage of a campaign in the competition (17).
• Wolves have lost just four of their 13 home Premier League games in 2023 (W8 D1), having lost each of their final four on home soil in 2022. They’ve won five of their last eight at Molineux (D1 L2) keeping a clean sheet in four of those wins.
• Based on every team’s last 20 Premier League games, only Manchester City (52) have won more points than Aston Villa (42 – W13 D3 L4).
• Following their 2-1 win against reigning champions Man City last weekend, Wolves will be looking to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since April last season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Aston Villa are another team doing well, while Wolves surprised everyone by beating Manchester City last weekend.

Both teams will be well organised rather than flying forward, so there won't be seven goals in this one, but I just have a feeling Villa will edge it - and it wouldn't surprise me to see Ollie Watkins grab at least one of their goals.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

KSI's prediction: There will be more goals here! 2-3

Tommy's prediction: 0-1

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Brighton shipped six goals last week and I think Liverpool will be able to get at them down the flanks.

Mohamed Salah looks in particularly good form at the moment - but if the Reds don't win this game then I suppose they will want a replay, won't they?

I like Reds boss Jurgen Klopp but, if that happened, it would turn football into a total farce. Everyone would want every game replayed over any contentious decision that has gone against them, which is absolutely ridiculous.

Of course they were unlucky against Tottenham and that was a horrendous decision to disallow Luis Diaz's goal, but Liverpool have to take a bit of responsibility themselves over the red cards for Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota - I really cannot understand why they appealed against Jones' sending-off.

The Seagulls played in Marseille on Thursday and we are still waiting to really see how European football will affect them this season.

Yes, they beat Bournemouth a few days after playing AEK Athens last month, but this is a much tougher task for them.

Brighton beat Liverpool twice at the Amex Stadium last season - 3-0 in the league and 2-1 in the FA Cup - but this is a different Liverpool side, especially in midfield. I can see Alexis Mac Allister shining on his old patch, and taking home the points.

Sutton's prediction: 2-3

KSI's prediction: I feel like this is going to be a goal fest - Brighton score a lot of goals but their defence was all over the place against Villa last week. The same applies to Liverpool really, so I am going for a lot of goals. 3-4

Tommy's prediction: 2-3

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My old mate Charlie Adam came on the Monday Night Club a few weeks ago, saying he wondered whether Newcastle would get a point in their Champions League group, but they have done a bit better than that already.

Wednesday's win over Paris St-Germain was a hell of a result and Eddie Howe's side are absolutely flying at the moment.

West Ham were another team in European action on Thursday as they went to Freiburg, so we will have to see how they contend with that, but this has the makings of a really good game.

The Hammers have started the season well too and are above Newcastle in the table, and this feels like it will be close... but I am going with the team in the hottest form.

Prediction: 1-2

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on Football Focus

Everything is going for Ollie Watkins at the moment. Danny Ings left and that left him as ‘the man’ up top, took the number nine shirt and has kicked on from there. Dean Smith brought him to the club because he knew he would be a reliable goal scorer for them. It was only a matter of time before he hit such a high level of form. He does less work on the pitch, as in running and pressing, but he does more high quality work, and is more efficient in forward areas. The exciting thing is that he is still learning too.

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Lyle Taylor
Former Nottingham Forest striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

He scores goals. if you give him chances, he scores goals.

He scores all different types of goals aswell. He is not a one-dimensional player.

He will be looking to continue what he has done in the last two weeks and try and force himself into Southgate's plans to start in the upcoming internationals.

I think what playing non-league football does for you is that you become more robust than those who are in academies. Jamie Vardy is another example of that, they don't tend to miss much training and get a lot of injuries. They are exposed to men's football from a young age and have to deal with that.

That is what you see and ultimately whether a player makes it or not is down to their own willpower and psychology.

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Brighton & Hove Albion

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Five of the 12 teenagers to start a Premier League game in 2023-24 have done so for Brighton, with 19-year-old Carlos Baleba making his first start in the competition against Liverpool today.

Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, Facundo Buonanotte and Jack Hinshelwood are the other four to have featured for the Seagulls this season.

Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on Football Focus

Unai Emery learned from his first spell in the Premier League, didn’t go as he would have wanted it to, but he went away and evaluated that. He has always been a fantastic man manager, understanding what exactly makes each player tick, how different players need different things to perform. In good times and in hard times you need to be able to rely on that skillset. His tactical awareness, unrelenting drive to improve himself and the players, he is pushing forward and taking everyone with him on this journey.

Wolves come into this game having set the biggest high bar they could possibly could for themselves - beating treble-winners Manchester City.

Here is what manager Gary O'Neil had to say after that win...

"[I am] pleased, of course. The season's not started well for us. [It has] been a tough start. The lads have stayed committed in every game and gave everything. The game looked exactly as we prepped.

"I'm not out here making big statements. I am just trying to win a game of football. [We have] Aston Villa next week and they won 6-1 today. If the prep can go as well as it did and the lads stick to the plan we can cause them some problems.

"We needed to find a way to be solid and have enough attacking players to carry us up the pitch. We prepped for the game really well. The lads saw all the [patterns] that we looked at and they carried it out brilliantly."

Best win as Wolves boss? "Beating the best team in the world, and possibly ever, is a massive result for us. It is a big result. Beating Manchester City with where they are and off where we were and what people were saying about it. To answer it with that, was pretty pleasing."

Image source, BBC Sport

A lot of eyes will be on West Ham's game against Newcastle United as the Footballer's Football Podcast's Michail Antonio and Callum Wilson reignite their friendly rivalry.

Hammers forward Antonio and Magpies striker Wilson exchanged some words ahead of the game in this week's episode: "If Michail actually decides to actually turn up, you know, then all of a sudden we might actually have some action," Wilson joked.

Antonio joked back: "This guy can't even talk about turning up. He's there talking about me not turning up to podcasts, man can't even turn up to games. What are you on about? He's sat at home mate, while Isak is scoring goals."

Antonio gave his prediction for the FFP derby: "Well, I don't think Callum's going to make it."

Wilson bantered back: "Hey, I might not. I might not make it. I might be there, I might not be. I have to keep your dad Moyesy guessing. He doesn't know if I'm going to walk through the stadium or whether I might not. But he knows that if he sees me walk through the tunnel, it's a problem. You know that if you see me enter that stadium, it's a wrap for you man."

Then Wilson gave his prediction for the big game: "There's only one outcome, it's a Newcastle win. It's inevitable isn't it, just like the sun rises in the morning, Wilson will score against West Ham. It's one of those things, it's just part of life. I back-up my talk. I talk the talk and I walk it. I've been walking over West Ham for years."

Antonio joked: "Well you aren't walking right now, man is limping."

Listen to more of the Footballer's Football Podcast here

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Both of these teams come into this game off the back of some Europa action on Thursday night.

It wasn't looking good for Brighton at 2-0 down in Marseille, but they showed some serious guts to battle their way back into the game and claim their first point of the group campaign.

Liverpool were made to work for their win over Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, but earned it thanks to Ryan Gravenberch's first Reds goal and a late strike from Diogo Jota. They're now two wins from two in their group.

Both teams made changes - Liverpool making a whopping nine - so hopefully fatigue shouldn't be too much of an issue today.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Jurgen Klopp has praised "really smart" Alexis Mac Allister as the World Cup winner prepares to face former club Brighton for the first time on Sunday.

It has been some week for the 24-year-old, who also played against his brother Kevin in the Europa League on Thursday.

After an impressive start at Anfield, Klopp says he has discovered new things about the Argentina international.

"He is a fantastic player and I love everything about him," said Klopp. "He is super smart, tactically and off the pitch as well, so it is really nice to work with him.

"His best position? He is too young for me to know. He is a midfielder - I can tell you that!"

Mac Allister operated in an area close to the strikers for Albion last season but has often been deployed as the deepest midfielder in Klopp's system following the departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the summer.

"Did I know before that he could play there?" said Klopp. "I had a guess but I was not sure. If we defend well as a team, he can definitely play in the six position because there are small spaces and he sees situations really well.

"Then, we have got an extra footballer on the pitch, which is really cool."

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Julien Laurens
French football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

To keep him [is great], and that long-term contract doesn't mean he will stay at Newcastle forever, but on Wednesday he was amazing.

Sometimes you don't see the players doing the work because of the goalscorers. You saw Bruno Guimaraes against PSG.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Bruno Guimaraes has signed a new contract with Newcastle United, following his transformative move to the club last January.

"I'm absolutely delighted," he said.

"The fans have made me feel at home since my first day here and I feel so loved in my life.

"I remember in my first interview, I said I wanted to play for this club in the Champions League and now it's happening. We are doing so well and when I look around the pitch at my team-mates I am so proud of them all."

Guimaraes' contract runs until 2028 - a two-year extension on his previous deal - and head coach Eddie Howe said he "epitomises" Newcastle's improvement since his arrival.

"I'm delighted to get Bruno signed and committed to the long-term future of the football club," said Howe.

"I think he epitomises the recent success we've had. He's put in so many good displays, he's very consistent and he's got a great personality off the pitch as well."

Image source, Getty Images

Gary O'Neil believes there are "more errors" being made over decisions this season compared to the last campaign and hopes they can "improve the process".

The Wolves head coach's comments come after the VAR audio for Liverpool's controversial offside goal against Tottenham was released this week.

From this weekend, PGMOL confirmed VARs will confirm the outcome of any decisions with their assistant VARs before notifying the on-field officials to prevent a repeat mistake.

"I get it, I get there is human error and a mix up and that can happen, but obviously it was a big mix up," said O'Neil in his pre-match news conference.

"I just think this season, maybe even more so than last, there seems to have been more errors made. I'm just hopeful the guys can improve it, I know they’re not making mistakes on purpose and getting things wrong because they want to, so hopefully they can improve the processes.

"Like when you’re coaching a football team, things go wrong and you look to improve the processes. I’m sure that’s where they are and hopefully they can get to a place with it where everyone understands it and can see what’s coming next which is where I’m a little bit lost with it."

Wolves have been on the wrong end of VAR decisions already this season, with the club receiving an apology in August after referee Simon Hooper failed to award a penalty when Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic in their 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Joao Gomes was also penalised for handball last month after the ball deflected off his knee before hitting his arm, giving Luton a penalty in a 1-1 draw.

"The handball last night in the Aston Villa [Europa Conference League] game where it hits the boy's face and then his hand, similar to Joao at Luton, where the ref gets sent to the screen and it gets overturned - I just think it’s strange, really strange," he added.

"I don’t really know what’s coming next. Similar to the offsides and some of the lines that are drawn, I’ve spoken to them about it and I’m not sure how accurate they are, so for me I think it needs improving but I’m sure they’re working hard to improve it."

I suppose we need to at least make passing mention of all the VAR chat this week, seen as Liverpool are returning to Premier League action for the first time since the shambles of last weekend at Tottenham.

Jurgen Klopp had his say about it all - suggesting a replay of last Saturday's game - but it's also a subject that has been brought up to numerous other managers too.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou spoke about it before yesterday's win at Luton.

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil, who leads his side into action against Aston Villa today, also had a bit to say on the subject.