Morning Mix: Arsenal should steer clear of egotistical Zaha, Newcastle get away with one

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 show on the road!

Arsenal should steer clear of egotistical Zaha

Having dug out Bruno Fernandes for petulance last week, we were hoping to get through the latest round of Premier League games without any more childish antics.

However, Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha hadn’t read the script as he rolled out his infamous fake hard-man act after a tangle with Manchester City defender John Stones on Saturday.

The 30-year-old possesses an ego that makes Cristiano Ronaldo look modest despite coming nowhere near the Portuguese star in terms of talent.

The Ivory Coast international has been linked with a summer move to Arsenal, but they would be well advised to steer clear of this serial underachiever.

Newcastle get away with one

Newcastle United bagged their first win in six Premier League matches courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

However, they were undoubtedly helped by a howler by the match officials, who failed to spot that goalkeeper Nick Pope should have been sent off.

Pope took out Wolves striker Raul Jimenez in the Magpies’ box in the first half – a penalty and red card was the obvious call for the officials to make.

Quite how VAR didn’t ask referee Andy Madley to review the incident is baffling. As errors go, this was about as ‘clear and obvious’ as it gets.

The week that was

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

• Life as a Manchester United masseur: Ronaldo’s clothes and fixing Mourinho’s back.
• Line of duty: How assistant referees cope in the angry world of football.
• This wasn’t Match of the Day – just another symbol of broken Britain.

Today’s top tune

If you’re a regular reader of Morning Mix you’ll know that the Royston Club have been featured in this column before.

We make no apologies for banging the drum for them – their latest release Shallow Tragedy is another superb tune. Turn up the volume and enjoy!

What to watch this week

Real Madrid vs Liverpool. If the Reds pull off an unlikely comeback in Spain, this column will be devoted to positivity about Jurgen Klopp’s side next week. Not. Going. To. Happen.

A final Morning Mix thought

Arsenal welcomed Gabriel Jesus back against Fulham over the weekend following his lengthy spell on the sidelines.

His return to action should be a boost to their title hopes, but will he be happy if he doesn’t win his place back in the team?