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Yeah not bad. Not great, bit boring, but not bad. The second half was a real chore to watch and we were hanging on for a long spell there, but a win is a win and getting them away from home is rarely easy. Especially when you’re playing the way we are at the moment. It’s not clicking but it is functioning well enough to beat the bottom half dregs we’ve faced so far, so I’m not complaining. Well not too much anyway. Slot said afterwards he was pleased with the first hour because we controlled the game well. He didn’t like that we failed to get the second goal that would have killed it, which is fair, but I’d suggest that we didn’t really show enough urgency to get that second goal. I agree we controlled it. I agree we should have done better with some good chances, but I don’t think we created enough considering how in control we were. Maybe if Jota doesn’t waste two great chances it opens up even more and we run out comfortable winners by three or four, but he did waste those chances and it almost cost us. When you let an opponent hang around, you know that eventually they always have a spell in the game or at the very least they’ll get a really good chance. Palace had several good chances and for 15 minutes they were all over us before Slot made some subs and we calmed it down again to see it out. So it’s mostly positive, especially as its a 12.30 away game after a midweek European fixture. These games can easily go badly so any time you get three points it’s to be celebrated. We’re not really passing the eye test at the moment but does it matter? It feels like it might, and it could catch up with us against better opposition, but maybe better opposition is what we need to raise our own game? We’ll find out soon enough.

Monday Sep 30: Had the radio on today in the car and understandably it was dominated by how fucking shit United are. It’s not a new thing, they’ve been shit for ages, but it’s still always going to be big for media outlets as its basically gold for them. United being shit is great for business as not only are they getting angry United fans listening and calling in, you’re also getting fans of everyone else loving the fact that United are shit and their fans are angry. This was hilarious because Jim White was doing his usual overly dramatic schtick. Callers are ringing in blaming Ten Hag, the Glazers, ‘Sir Jim’ and Ineos etc and then here comes Martin Keown out of nowhere with this absolute belter: “I look at Ruud Van Nistelrooy and wonder what he is doing. Is he helping his manager or trying to take his job”. Seriously, that’s so fucking good. Absolute next level pettiness and world class grudge holding and I’m right here for it. Too many old football feuds have been resolved and everyone is just too friendly these days. Keane and Vieira, Neville and Carra, Keane and Schmeichel… then you’ve got Keown putting the blame on Van Nistelrooy for the complete mess United are in. He’s only been there a few months! I love that, all these years later and Keown still won’t let the beef go. Good for him I say. I thought this was interesting from Virgil on Konate’s fitness today: “He is a fantastic player who still can be better. As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion. He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that's what asked.” Looking after himself much better? What does that mean I wonder? More gym work? Better diet? I was under the impression that this kind of thing was no longer left to the players and they just did and ate what they are told. It’s interesting though as Ibou is playing twice a week now whereas Klopp never really had that luxury. Not good news for Quansah though.