It was another HUGE weekend in the football calendar… It’s always great to see the Scottish League Cup start again. It was a shame Bonnyrigg Rose couldn’t get a result, though.

Lionel Messi did also sign for Inter Miami this weekend, so Marcus, Luke and Jim debate whether Messi winning MLS would be comparable to Maradona at Napoli. We also thank Ian Wright for the signing of Declan Rice and “my giddy aunt, here we go” Marcus has confirmed the signing of André Onana to Manchester United.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive live events, ad-free Rambles, full video episodes and loads more: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

Arsenal prodigy Ethan Nwaneri has been given the opportunity to train with the first team ahead of their match against Manchester United this weekend. Nwaneri holds the distinction of being the club’s youngest-ever appearance maker in the Premier League and has continued to progress in the club’s youth system.

Regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the country, Nwaneri has consistently showcased his potential beyond the youth level. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been closely monitoring his development and sees him as a player who could contribute to the first team in the near future.

As Arsenal prepares for their challenging fixture against United, a report from All Nigeria Soccer indicates that Arteta has extended an invitation to Nwaneri to train with the senior squad. This opportunity provides the manager with another chance to assess the youngster’s progress and readiness for potential involvement with the first team.

Just Arsenal Opinion

Nwaneri is a player we all look forward to seeing in our first team, just like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.

Stan Collymore has offered his prediction for the result of the upcoming match between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta’s men have started this season in high spirits, but they dropped points against Fulham and would be eager to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.

United has been inconsistent at the start of the season, so it is a game between two clubs desperate to impress and take all the points and Collymore believes he knows the team that could win.

He predicts exclusively on Caught Offside:

“Looking ahead to this weekend’s fixture, I think if you offered Erik Ten Hag a point now, he’d snatch your hand off but I actually believe Arsenal could edge it.”

Former Arsenal player Paul Merson has suggested that Liverpool could consider selling Mohamed Salah for £200 million and using £150 million of that amount to acquire Bukayo Saka in January.

Liverpool recently rejected a £150 million bid for Salah on deadline day and are expected to receive another offer, this time from Saudi Arabia, valued at £200 million before their transfer window closes. Despite transfer interest, Salah has not indicated a desire to force a move, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been clear about his intention to keep the star player.

However, Merson has suggested that Liverpool might contemplate accepting such a significant sum for a player who may have a limited career span remaining and then reinvesting in talent like Bukayo Saka in the January transfer window.

He said on Sky Sports:

“Do they sell him for £200m, and then in January see if they can get Saka from Arsenal for £150m?

Arsenal, having made both incoming and outgoing transfers during the recent transfer window, still have some players who could potentially leave the club. According to a report from Talk Sport, Saudi clubs are still in the market for talent from top European clubs, and Arsenal may see some departures to the Middle East.

One player who is mentioned as a potential departure is Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian defender, who was a regular starter for Arsenal since joining the club, has lost his place in the starting lineup this season. It is suggested that he might be tempted by the financial incentives offered by clubs in the Middle East.

Another player who could make a move before the transfer window in the Saudi Pro League closes on September 7th is Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian winger has reportedly been told to leave Arsenal and was unable to secure a transfer before the deadline day in other European leagues. As a result, there is speculation that he may consider a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Just Arsenal Opinion

Pepe is a player we need to get rid of because we simply do not need him at the moment. The Ivorian has done badly since he joined us and does not seem like he will ever get better.

Arsenal defender William Saliba has named Alexander Isak as one of the top three strikers in the Premier League, despite not having faced the Swedish forward. Isak has emerged as a standout player for the current Newcastle team, which is set to participate in the Champions League this season.

Since joining Newcastle, Isak has consistently displayed excellent form and has impressed with his performances in each game he plays. He is in contention for a starting spot alongside Callum Wilson but appears to have the advantage due to his consistent and high-quality displays, which make him a formidable opponent for defenders.

Saliba’s recognition of Isak’s talent underscores the impact the Swedish striker has made in the Premier League, even though he has yet to face off against certain opponents like Saliba but the Arsenal star rates the ex-Borussia Dortmund player highly.

He tells Sky Sports:

“I would probably say Haaland and then Rashford second and then Isak, I never played against him but I saw him and he is so good as well.

What can Arsenal expect from Man United?

If Arsenal fans think the performances of their team has been far from satisfactory, then United fans will have no sympathy for their Premier League counterparts.

Despite sitting on six points after three games, Erik Ten Hag’s men have failed to truly convince their fanbase that they are in for a treat this season.

In their opening match against Wolves, United were lucky to take away all three points, as the Wanderers had several opportunities to snatch a win at Old Trafford.

In their second game, Hag’s side were deservedly beaten by Spurs 2-0. Fans from the red side of Manchester would have felt the same nerves when they went 2-0 down against Nottingham Forest inside the opening five minutes.

Arsenal versus Manchester United is the headline fixture in European football this weekend. And if there’s one player the Gooners aren’t expecting to start in that game, it is probably Kai Havertz. For the first few games, the German has been called out for failing to live up to his hefty price tag and show his natural brilliance.

While many feel it is time for Arteta to be ruthless and drop him, Premier League legend Dimitar Berbatov feels he still needs another chance. The former Manchester United striker says Havertz is a good player and should still be given the opportunity to play to show that.

Berbatov made those claims while making his predictions for the Arsenal vs. Manchester United clash, which he feels will finish in a 2-2 draw. He defends his prediction and backing of Haverts, saying on Metro, “I want to see goals and entertainment, but points are the most important. I’d like to see Kai Havertz play and see what he can really do; he has everything to prove he’s a good player. Hopefully, he can start and get involved and play his best with his passing. Although I want to see a United win, I think this will be a tricky game, and leaving the Emirates with a point won’t be bad, considering how United have done away from home recently. Prediction: 2-2.”

It is definitely time for Havertz to come good, to stop the Arsenal fans calling him all sorts of names, simply because he hasn’t yet found his best form yet.

Sam P

Ex-Arsenal Women’s midfielder Mana Iwabuchi has hung up her boots. The World Cup winner joined Arsenal in 2021 from Villa, where she hoped to play a massive role as a Gunner, but unfortunately, she didn’t. Eidevall didn’t use her as much as she may have hoped, despite her trophy-laden career…..

@buchi_mana https://t.co/meWoVXO55E

— Vivianne Miedema (@VivianneMiedema) September 1, 2023

Even last season, with injury troubles, he only played her 3 times and he even allowed her temporary exit in January as she moved to Spurs on a loan deal. She didn’t dazzle at Spurs, despite playing 13 times,  and missed a spot in the Japan World Cup squad. Now, she’s decided to leave football, and she’s looking forward to the next chapter of her life.

Vivianne Miedema, who’s enjoyed playing with the 30-year-old at Arsenal and Bayern Munich, has penned a beautiful message about her ex-teammate. Sharing how fond she was of Iwabuchi, she wrote on Facebook:

As per the ex-Spurs player and manager Tim Sherwood, Arsenal would have had to be worried about Manchester United in the title hunt this new season had the Red Devils beaten them to Declan Rice’s signature. Manchester United had in the past been noted as one of the clubs that wanted the Englishman so badly but didn’t even try to impede Arsenal’s move for the 24-year-old.

Arsenal got him for a record £105 million, and Sherwood says they did the best business in completing that deal—a swoop for a player they needed, as they just bought the signing of the season, saying on the No Tippy Tappy Football, “For me, the signing of the season will eventually be Declan Rice. I really believe that. I think he’s the player Arsenal needed.”

About United failing to sign Rice (and Harry Kane), he notes that the Ten Hag project would have been ripe to challenge for the league title this season, but he doesn’t see that happening.

“I’m just amazed that Man United never went out and signed him and Harry Kane. And then, for me, they would have challenged for the Premier League. But they’ve gone backwards,” added the ex-Spurs boss.

Declan Rice has settled well at Arsenal; he hasn’t put a foot wrong since his debut. He has brought another dynamic to Arsenal’s midfield.

Are The Gooners one injury away from disaster?          

With the transfer window coming to a close last night, it has Gooner fans wondering if we’ve been left short at the back for the upcoming season. With Timber picking up a grade 3 rupture and is rumoured to be out injured for seven to nine months, should Arsenal have brought in another defender to replace Timber?

Last season we saw Tomiyasu and Zinchenko both pick up injures which left our back line open and led to many defensive problems, and it is arguable that William Saliba’s injury could have cost us the League title. With Rob Holding going to Crystal Palace on a permanent transfer and Kieran Tierney going on a season long loan to La Liga side Real Sociedad, it’s got Arsenal fans wondering if we needed to bring in another defender to keep more depth in the squad.

With The Gooners competing in four competitions this season, including the Champions League, squad depth is going to be a key factor in how well we can do. With the injury record of both Tomiyasu and Zinchenko it feels very risky not bringing someone in to replace Timber.

Areta was asked about why he didn’t go into the market to find a Timber replacement inh is pre-match press conference for the Manchester United game on Sunday and said this “Well, we’ve done quite a lot and obviously we have a lot of uncertainty over a lot of players as well, so we have to be very cautious and find alternatives and ways. Sometimes you want to do everything that is needed, but sometimes it’s not possible and we have to adapt” via Arsenal.com.

Luke and Andy check in after Chelsea’s routine win against Luton Town, but are left with more questions than answers.

Are Chelsea actually good? Are they a cohesive team or just a collection of sparkly individuals? And how doomed are Luton? At least Mauricio Pochettino has decided to go Full Redknapp…

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

Marcus, Pete, Vish and Andy are here to pull up the curtain on the third Premier League weekend of the season! But we’ve got much bigger fish to fry, like the 2023 Greenlandic top flight where one team pulled out to go on a reindeer hunt.

We preview Chelsea vs Luton Town - is it the biggest mismatch the Premier League has ever seen? - and discuss Inter Miami reaching ANOTHER final, but with Lionel Messi’s bodyguard in tow. Plus, a vintage edition of Jack’s Encyclopaedia where Vish must confront “the north”!

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

There’s nothing quite like Ally McCoist doing co-comms at Ibrox. Today Marcus, Jim, Vish and Pete are here not only to reflect on that but ask the important question: Does Luuk de Jong remind you of Terminator?

Elsewhere, we try to decide whether Pep Guardiola will ask a fan to manage Man City while he recovers from back surgery and Jim starts beef with a child...

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

Come for analysis of referee David Coote’s decisions last night. Stay for the surprisingly long chat about the humble coot.

Marcus and Luke chew over Arsenal’s gutsy win at Crystal Palace and give their opinions of Manchester United’s statement announcing that they’re finally parting with Mason Greenwood.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

The Lionesses fell short, but Mary Queen of Stops gave us one last cheer!

Marcus, Luke, Vish and Jim commiserate England’s defeat in the Women’s World Cup final, wonder whether Michael Keane put in one of the worst displays we’ve seen in literally years, and find out why Dan Gosling has been disrupting games in east London.

Plus, anyone up for a urinal on the outside of their house?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcus is here to officially open the weekend, which is great news for the nation as the Lionesses can now play their World Cup final on Sunday. He’s joined by Luke, Andy and Jim to revel in the excitement and look ahead to The PIF Posse’s big clash with Man City at the weekend.

We also congratulate Micheal Olise for being persuaded to stay at Crystal Palace (thanks to hard man Roy Hodgson obviously) and we review the biggest event at the London Stadium this year… Wingfest 2023, baby!!!

Subscribe to Upfront HERE!

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

Who should be the head of the goalkeeper's union? That’s the question Marcus, Pete, Jim and Vish ask today after Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya protest the goalkeeper's union will be stronger than any potential rivalry for the Arsenal no.1 shirt.

Elsewhere, we ask why the Saudi Pro League is feeling like a big vat of soup made up of ageing players. Neymar - aka the Zayn Malik of football - is of course the main ingredient. Plus, we review the first episode of P̶u̶b̶l̶i̶c̶ I̶n̶v̶e̶s̶t̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ F̶u̶n̶d̶ P̶o̶w̶e̶r̶p̶o̶i̶n̶t̶ We Are Newcastle United, with fairly predictable results...

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

Marcus and Luke reconvene after Man United’s haphazard heist saw them stole a point from under Wolves’ noses last night. Just like old times!

We wonder if Andre Onana’s a lucky man after his rugby tackle (spoiler: he is) and ask what United need to do to improve things going forward. We also give some props to Gary O’Neil’s brave boys.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

Marcus, Luke, Jim and Vish surf a big ol’ wave of Barclays into the first Monday of the new season - join us!

There’s plenty to get stuck into as Roy the Boy got in a scrap, Moises Caicedo got a lift to Chelsea from Peter Odemwingie and Ange Postecoglou brought some Aussie sunshine.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month. Sign up for an annual membership before the end of August and you’ll get 15% off! Just click here: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***