Morning Mix: Chelsea show there are no guarantees for Newcastle, Liverpool need more than a midfielder

Monday is here again which means it’s time for ‘Morning Mix’ – our weekly football column with a bit of music thrown in for good measure.

We look at two talking points from the past seven days and point you in the direction of some of the best football stories elsewhere on the internet.

We also offer a top tune recommendation to get you in the mood for the week ahead and what to watch out for over the coming days. Let’s get this party started!

Chelsea show there are no guarantees for Newcastle

Newly-minted Newcastle United are on an inevitable path to world domination if the hyperbole in the run-up to the Carabao Cup final is accurate.

However, the Magpies’ lacklustre display against Manchester United on Sunday showed they have a massive job on their hands to become regular contenders.

Most of their squad are not good enough to win silverware, and splashing gazillions in the transfer market is no guarantee of success – Chelsea fans can testify to that.

For all the talk of a new golden era for the club, knocking Tottenham Hotspur out of the so-called ‘Big Six’ may be as good as it gets.

Liverpool need more than a midfielder

Liverpool’s dismal performance at Crystal Palace on Saturday perfectly demonstrates how far they have fallen off the pace in the Premier League.

It has been suggested that the Reds need a couple of tweaks and all will be well with the world, but their problems run much deeper than that.

For all the talent he possesses, Jude Bellingham can’t fill every position in midfield – and that’s assuming he would want to join a club outside the Champions League.

Trent Alexander’s form is also a major concern in defence – once described as a ‘world-class player’, the 24-year-old is increasingly looking like a busted flush.

The week that was

Are you looking for the best football stories from the past week? Check these out:

• Wrexham and the man who understands most what the revolution means.
• ‘The military call and I deliver’: Voices from Ukraine’s football after year of war.
• Kai Havertz may not be a ‘true 9,’ but I don’t care and neither does Chelsea.

Today’s top tune

Our latest trip down a Friday night music rabbit hole led us to The Clause. Not quite sure how they went under the radar, but happy to have found them!

What to watch this week

Liverpool have not been great this season. If they can’t raise their game when Man United are in town on Sunday, there really is no hope for them.

A final Morning Mix thought

Crystal Palace have not won in 2023, are lousy in front of goal and only six points above the relegation zone. Odds of 12/1 to be relegated look tempting given their upcoming fixtures.