Faustus

Flying out for this tomorrow via Frankfurt. Can't wait. Never been to Porto before and heard a lot of good things. Looking forward to a few Sagres and a francescinha.

Bit bemused by people who say we could have played better, or will have to play better to beat Porto. Goes without saying. No team goes 100 m/ph every game all season. Just enjoy the win for what it was. The Mancs made games like that their forte in the 90s.

I'm flabbergasted at the reaction to the second pen. I was listening to a BBC podcast with Ian Wright, Chris Sutton and Andy Brassell on, and they were unanimous in their assertion it was a pen. It's not so much the fact that people think it was a pen that bothers- it's a game of opinions, after all- but, similar to the Calvert-Lewin reaction, the unwavering insistence that it's a pen because there's a degree of contact there. You see Lamela anticipate the possibility of a pen because Van Dijk goes to boot the ball halfway up the pitch, Van Dijk is onto this so pulls away, but because Lamela has already committed himself at this point and a degree of contact has been made, it's apparently a stone wall decision. Just rubbish. What the he'll is Van Dijk supposed to do? He pulls away at the point of initiated contact, his leg is high but pulled back because he twigs mid-motion what Lamela is after, no hint of studs. Just what the he'll is the defender supposed to do? He's being punished by virtue of having a fucking leg. For me, it's equally, if not more bizarre, that the aforementioned Calvert-Lewin incident. May as well just do away with defending altogether if the deck is being stacked so highly in favour of the attacker whereby any touch is being deemed worthy of a penalty.

I get buying your own butties or whatever else on the odd occasion as a treat, but I'm amazed at people who buy theirs every day. It's one of those costs that creeps up on you, and to make your own takes less than five minutes. A mate of mine used to always buy his and he'd end up spending around a fiver per day. One hundred quid per month on your butties and other bits and bobs is insane.

Surely this debate regarding the pens highlights why VAR Is bollocks? Ie, in the sense that so much of football is subjective.

He's a genius.

People who use words in e-mails or articles that they clearly either no idea what they mean or use them in the wrong context simply for purposes of vanity. I just read an e-mail on a site dedicated to the unmentionable that described bearing witness to the rise in standard of the Asian game as 'inexorable'. It's epidemic among those with a WordPress page who fancy themselves as a journalist, often at the expense of cadence, structure and conciseness. Often it's counter-productive because the argument itself is undermined by how jarring something reads. A piece can still be challenging, thoughtful and well-written even if you're keeping it simple with regard to language. It feels like this is something more people need to realise.

When I see those stats re Rodgers and Klopp without any context, I often wonder what the point the person quoting them is inferring. Is it that Rodgers win percentage actually wasn't that bad, considering he's mocked relentlessly, or that Klopp is failing in actuality, despite most fans being happy with the job he's doing? Or is it about us at a ceiling unless things change behind the scenes?

I saw that too and thought it was such a weird line. I'm sure the Wigan fans would rather have a day in the sun like that than scrape 17th every year, taking tidings every other week.

Cammell Lairds are always worth a watch. I feel like I should go more, but I've had a good time whenever I've taken a game in. There's a social club over the road that does San Miguel on tap and if you're going into the match, they can pour your bev into a plastic cup and you can take it outside with you and into the ground. About 10 mins walk away, there's a cracking gastropub on the Rock Ferry shore, where the food is top drawer and there's a great selection of ales. They've had a bit of a torrid time recently though. Last time I went to see them was last season, when they played Maine Road; that Man City fans team. They ended up drawing 2-2 after they came flying out of the traps, going 2-0 up early doors, and were lucky to hang on for a point after blowing out of their arses from early in the second half. If I remember rightly, that was their first point of the season and that was in something like November.

When will people accept that we're a good team and have a good manager?

Great moment when the Kop sang his name today. The lad must have felt ten feet tall.

When you pour yourself a bowl of cereal in the morning only to find that there isn't enough for a full bowl so you have to top it off with another cereal, making some weird hybrid breakfast. Still seething over my hotchpotch bowl of Shreddies and Corn Flakes this morning.

Isn't Milner teetotal? I'd probably go for Robertson on the basis that he seems grounded based on past experiences, ie stacked shelves after being released by Celtic, played semi-pro for Queen's Park even until relatively recently. Trent seems a good lad but given his age, he'd probably want to go to Baa Bar or Revolution at about 11 after pre-drinks and games at somebody's house. Fuck that right off.

How the fuck isn't there a Match of the Day on tonight? Bell ends.

Just been watching MOTD highlight the nailed on pen Burnley should have had today, as well as saying they haven't had one in something like 37 Premier League games. Cheers, lads.

That should have read 'Jairz' instead of 'Hairs'. Fuck Off, autocorrect.

Ah, sorry, Hairs, hadn't seen the context to which you are referring. In fairness, I still think he's been decent value when you take into account what Klopp's got out of him. I'd say he's paid his fee back, myself.

Think lumping Lallana in the 'mixed bag' category is a bit harsh, personally. I'd have agreed under Rodgers, but he's been excellent under Klopp. Some of his performances as a centre mid have been outstanding. It's a testament to the manager's coaching capabilities.

I thought it was sound. One or two mis-steps and the acting was patchy in places, but some of the set-pieces were brilliant and I liked the characterisation overall. It took me out of my world for just over 2 and a half hours and it left me feeling entertained. I don't think you can ask for more of a Star Wars. While Lucas influence are apparent, I've personally always thought the allegorical aspects have been overstated so as RK says, you can have people feeling deflated when a film doesn't fulfil those expectations. For me, they've always been great stories well told with iconic characters. Nothing more, nothing less. From that point of view, it ticked every box and I left the flicks happy.

The Guardian's 'Long Read' article on Man City this morning. But, yeah, let's all get back to cooing over Pep and his plucky band of upstarts.

I remember he came out with a belter at his press conference when he got the Southampton job. Resporter: Gordon, do you think You're the right man for the job? Strachan: No, I was just saying to the chairman before that he should have got George Graham in because I'm useless. Class.

I reckon Roy Keane bollocks his kids on Christmas morning. "Think You're all Billy Big Bollocks with that Mr Potato Head, don't you? You fucking sicken me, getting complacent like that."

I reckon Roy Keane bollocks his kids on Christmas morning. "Think You're all Billy Big Bollocks with that Mr Potato Head, don't you? You fucking sicken me, getting complacent like that."

Yeah, it's not as if we just scored five ourselves...