Hello and welcome to the game, football podcast from The Times and Sunday Times.

Honestly, who would be a manager, eh?

Days after Ruben Amarin was sacked interim boss, Darren Fletcher watches Manchester United

draw 2-2 at relegation threatened Burnley.

Will Olly Gunner-Soulshar make a remarkable return to Old Trafford?

Elsewhere incoming Chelsea manager Liam Rossignor watches from the stands as his new side lose

2-1 at Fulham. Nuno Espirito-Santo's job at West Ham gets even harder and the pressure

grows on Thomas Frank as Tottenham lose 3-2 in the last minute at Bournemouth. Bad time to be

pictured holding an Arsenal Cup.

Honestly, football's gone, isn't it? I would just pack it up. Anyway, on today's show, we'll also discuss the title race as Manchester City draw again. A thriller at St James's Park, red card chaos at Everton and Brentford, winning the Battle of the Upstarts to go fifth. I'm Tom Clark and joining me today

we have the Chief Correspondent for the Times

and Sunday Times Martin Samuel

the football correspondent for the Sunday Times, Johnny Northcroft and the former footballer Gregor Robertson is here as usual. Johnny, I remember the last time you were on the show, end of 2025. We asked for our wishes for 2026 and you said, can everyone just calm down a bit? Well, they didn't listen, did they, Johnny? Not a bit. No, the football world is like my own house. No one listens to me. We've all lost the plot. There is so much to cram into this show, but we have to start, I think, with the latest at Manchester United. A two-two draw, as I say, at Burnley last night, but far more significance off the pitch. We have a headline on the Times website currently as we record this on Thursday morning with a piece from Paul Hurst and Matt Lawton. Manchester United speak to Olly Gunner-Soulshar over the interim role. Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher also being considered. Another former Old Trafford favourite, Rudd Van Nistroy, is thought to be out of the running. So, Martin, what a week it's been for Manchester United, as I say, off the pitch with that draw at Burnley as well, kind of summing up things where they are. Your reaction to the last couple of days at Manchester United? Well, if Oligona Solskia is the answer, what the hell is the question?

I mean, we've seen Oligona Solskir as Manchester United manager.

It didn't quite work.

It didn't really work.

And just because they've managed to find a way that it could get worse

It doesn't really mean that you go back to Oligona Solsthal and go

Well, it wasn't quite as bad as this when he was in charge

Because, you know, look, mate, it's the worst fun club in the country

It really is, it's got every advantage

It really, really should be,

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