As we know, you cannae beat a bit of AC/DC, but talking exclusively to Tribalfootball we did find time to discuss Arsenal’s humiliation of Manchester City as well.
“The biggest surprise is probably that I don't think it was that big a surprise. It's crazy to say that, but I watched Manchester City capitulate in Lisbon against Ruben Amorim's Sporting and I could not believe how poor they were defensively. The last 30 minutes against Arsenal was exactly the same. Up until then, I thought it was quite good and also a quite even game.
“Then Thomas Partey scores, and you see a team devoid of any confidence, devoid of any belief. The other worrying thing for Man City is now that teams can smell blood when they play them. There's absolutely no fear in the teams that play them, and they look tired and weary, a little bit leggy, and the combination of all those things is not good at all,” says Ally McCoist who found the goal celebration of Myles Lewis-Skelly a great piece of p***-taking.
“When Haaland threw the ball at Saliba at the Etihad in the reverse match I said, ‘that could come back to haunt you’, and that’s exactly what happened. We have a saying in Glasgow; ‘when you fly with the crows, you get shot with the crows’.”
While Manchester City looked devoid of confidence another side looked absolutely beaming during the weekend and McCoist is thrilled for his old pal now managing Everton.
“David Moyes was my first ever roommate on international duty. He was a young boy at Celtic, and I was a young boy at St. Johnstone when we were rooming together with the Scottish international youth team. So, I know David really, really well and I was hoping he would come in, make a difference and do well. But boy, oh boy. I mean, three wins out of four and scoring goals.
“This is an Everton team where you didn't know where the next goal was coming from. Now, they're scoring after 10 seconds. I knew David Moyes would make an impact at Everton, but even I didn't expect him to make this initial impact. They just look a different side, they're believing in each other, they're working for each other, there's a confidence and a desire and if you're a football fan watching that that's all you can ask for.”
Rashford now has to turn up
Speaking of desire and belief, there’ll be a few football fans out there hoping that Marcus Rashford can rediscover just that by joining Aston Villa. Ally McCoist readily confesses to being one of them.
“I'm pleased for him because I want him to do well. I want to see Marcus Rashford back playing with a smile on his face, scoring goals and playing well. We haven't seen that for however long it's been at Manchester United and Marcus Rashford is as much to blame for that as anybody else. But he has been given an opportunity and I think it's a brilliant move for him.
“You would think they're a team suited to his play. And just as importantly, he's going to have a top manager who will do everything to get the best out of him. But here's the thing I like most about this whole thing; for the first time in a long, long time there's a great deal of pressure on Marcus Rashford. He now has to turn up and deliver and I don't mind seeing that,” the former Rangers goal-poacher admits before speculating a move abroad might have been even better for Rashford.
“I initially thought in an ideal world the best thing for him would have been going to France or Spain or something like that. To get a little bit of peace. However, he's done the opposite thing and fair play to him. He's going to a club where there'll be just as much scrutiny on him. I know you might say Manchester United are the bigger club than Aston Villa. However, the focus on Rashford and Aston Villa now will be immense. He'll know that and by doing this, he's saying; ‘right, I'm up for this challenge’. I'm really looking forward to seeing what will happen.”
Naturally, Marcus Rashford didn’t turn out for Manchester United in their defeat against Crystal Palace. Kobbie Mainoo did, though, and in a quite unusual position as central striker. If that was what he was?
“Well, you tell me, I've got no idea, but whatever way you look at it, that's a major slap in the face for Højlund. To a lesser degree Zirksee as well, but he’s not an out and out centre-forward. Højland is and if you’re Rasmus Højlund, you'll be knocking on the door Monday morning asking; “what's going on? You're playing somebody who's not a centre-forward in my position. Are you trying to tell me something?” Playing Mainoo there certainly didn’t work that's for sure.”
- Ally McCoist was talking to Tribalfootball on behalf of talkSPORT BET