Key events1 Mar 2026PreambleShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureRighto, that’s us done here. Thanks for your company and comments – I’ll see you for Manchester United v Crystal Palace at 1pm for a 2pm kick-off. But between now and then, have a bit of this!“Agree with you regarding GNev’s odd comments,” begins Dave Estherby. “A big tall striker who can hold the ball up, link play and score goals – all from the bench recently – is exactly what Man Utd need right now. Respectfully disagree about Amorim though; I think he had lost at least some of the players (both human and the plastic ones on that wonderful little board of his) and was getting the boot regardless. If only there were 10 million or so things that could soften the blow for him...”I agree he was going to get fired eventually, and I’m sure the players didn’t believe in him, but I don’t think it was reflected in the effort they put in for him.“In your discussions with the co-congregationalists,” says Charles Antaki, “I wonder if you had the chance to puzzle out the conundrum that Spurs offered in their match against (but not very much against) Arsenal? On the one hand you might say that their dismal performance allowed Arsenal to run riot and thereby recharge the morale batteries. On the other hand, you might say that that very same dismal performance was indeed so hopeless that even the local scout troop’s under-13 team would have found a way to beat them, so any hubris it will have generated among the Arsenal players will immediately meet its nemesis in whichever at-least-generally-competent team they meet next. Cue Chelsea.”I’d be pretty sure Arsenal know exactly how dreadful Spurs were, again. I find the problem with them isn’t over-confidence, it’s desperation: so much of what they do feels contextualised, rather than a team living in the moment. They feel the weight.We’re under way in Cremona, where Cremonese face Milan. We’ve seen Inter pull away at the top of Serie A in recent weeks – they lead by 12 – but it’s tighter behind them, with Napoli, Roma and Como all within striking distance.If Hearts can see this out to win the SPL, we’re talking about one of the great footballing efforts. Circumstance has helped them – the Old Firm are a mess – but even so, Derek McInnes is doing an amazing job in convincing his players it’s possible.I’m absolutely buzzing for this one. Join Will Magee to see how things unfold.Harry Kane, though. I try not to toss off absolutes when talking about footballers, but I can say that, without doubt, he is the best finisher I’ve ever seen from 15-22 yards. Quick decisions, short backlift, outrageous precision – which, I think, is more or less why he’s also so good playing at a no 10.The big game of the afternoon comes at the Emirates, where Arsenal take on Chelsea. The last time these teams met at this venue, Chelsea allowed a cup semi-final to expire without making any apparent effort to win it and though their results have generally been decent, I can’t say I’ve been impressed with them under Liam Rosenior. I’d expect Arsenal to find a way to win this one because I don’t think there’s a single area of the pitch in which Chelsea are superior and they don’t have the attacking verve to override that.What is wrong with people, part 9,068,994.How good is it to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back and enjoying his football? I don’t know him personally, but he seems a really excellent lad, who’s had terrible luck with injuries. I do find it slightly surprising that a bloke as obviously bright as he is didn’t develop as much as he was expected to, but he’s not got too many miles on the clock though he’s 32, so there’s no reason he can’t keep going for a fair old while yet.Team news from Ibrox Stadium:Rangers: Butland, Sterling, Souttar, Fernandez, Rommens, Chukwuani, Raskin, Moore, Skov Olsen, Chermiti, Naderi. Subs: Kelly, Meghoma, Djiga, Tavernier, Aasgaard, Bajrami, Gassama, Diomande, Miovski.Celtic: Sinisalo, Araujo, Murray, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nygren, Yang, Maeda, Adamu. Subs: Doohan, Cvancara, McCowan, Tounekti, Saracchi, Hatate, Arthur, Forrest, Donovan.I do, tough, think it’s a little harsh to say Sesko is less effective when he doesn’t have time to think. His finish at Everton saw him pointing to where he wanted the ball delivered, having had time to decide what finish to apply, likewise his goal against Fulham, when he controlled in the box, then picked the perfect shot.I think it’s also worth noting that, under Amorim, United were already improving – most particularly in attack. I think it was more a reflection of player quality than anything else, but against Bournemouth in the 4-4 draw, for example, the football they played was superb, and though Amorim was entirely responsible for his own downfall, he was also extremely unlucky at the end: he lost Amad, Mazraoui and Mbeumo to Afcon at the same time Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount were injured. Had that not happened, he’d not have been fired, I don’t think.As far as Jonathan Wilson’s piece goes, I agree the situation at United now isn’t like when José Mourinho left. He’d lost the players, so as soon as someone new came in and the players started putting maximum effort in, things were going to change. Under Ruben Amorim, that wasn’t the case, so to bring about change, greater managerial skill was required, and for all we see Kobbie Mainoo back in the team and so on, the biggest change has been the intensity and organisation out of possession. No longer are United conceding chances and goals all over the place despite having 68 defenders on the pitch.Back to Sesko, I’m just reading that Gary Neville said this: