The interim and the intermediary

Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Matt Hughes and Paul Hirst after a good weekend for the Manchester clubs.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sensational performance as interim manager at Old Trafford makes the possibility of him not being given the job permanently more and more improbable. After another victory over Leicester, would the appointment of anybody other than Ole cause uproar? And could anybody have done what Solskjaer has done?

Pep proves to be unpredictable again at the Etihad, fielding Fernandinho at centre-half. Is this another example of Guardiola’s tactical flexibility or a more long-term solution? Plus what next for Emery’s Arsenal?

There were emotional scenes at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, at Cardiff’s first home game since the disappearance of record signing Emiliano Sala. We discuss what the transfer of Sala has revealed about the inner workings of football and ask why are there so many people involved in these deals?