In case you weren’t tuned into the Champions League action, you’ll no doubt be surprised to hear who served as a special guest commentator for Manchester City last night: Noel Gallagher.
As you do.
Believe it or not, we’re not pulling your leg; the iconic Manc musician wasn’t just at the stadium to watch his beloved Blues in Lisbon on Wednesday evening, he was given the opportunity to join Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist in the commentary box for their game against Sporting CP.
In what was a first not only for TNT Sports but indeed a major televised football competition too, Noel Gallagher didn’t just share a few quick words about his club before or after the game from pitchside, he was on co-comms alongside the professionals for the entire game.
Safe to say there were a few fair double-takes when people switched on the telly to hear the guy who usually sings ‘Little by Little’ talking about possession and pass completion rates.
Although ‘Fletch’ and McCoist naturally did most of the heavy lifting on the night, the older Gallagher brother was regularly turned to throughout the game. In fact, we were surprised to hear just how many times one of the two broadcasters uttered ‘Noel?’ to get his thoughts.
Gallagher’s association with the club has only grown stronger in recent years, having often given his thoughts pre and post-match at the Etihad – not to mention most recently collaborating on an official Oasis ‘Definitely City’ clothing collection – but this was very left-field, to say the least.
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Obviously trying to hold his bias as best he could, the 57-year-old was actually rather critical of Man City before, during and after the match, especially with their results of late, initially predicting a 2-2 draw but warning of more goals in the second half when the two teams went in at the break level with one a piece.
Nevertheless, the decision to get a celebrity turned pundit in the commentary box was just too jarring for some watching at home, and many took issue with the fact that a very famous City fan became the focal point of their otherwise regularly scheduled programming and impartial coverage.
While there were plenty that no doubt did enjoy the special one-off guest appearance by the legendary songwriter and guitar player as a bit of fun to mix things up, the vast majority slammed TNT, calling it everything from “embarrassing” and “a joke” to asking, “What the fuck is football coming to?”
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To sum up the general consensus in one very cliched footballing sentiment, the phrase seen most online was simply: “The game’s gone.”
Noel fuckin Gallagher in commentary. Seriously. Another nail in the coffin of modern broadcasting. Imagine tuning in to United v Juventus in the 90s and having to listen to Rick Astley.
The Times‘ take on Noel Gallagher moonlighting at commentator was to dub it a stunt that “represented the world going completely bonkers”, quipping, “What’s next, Ozzy [Osbourne] on [Aston] Villa?”
Besides commentary itself, very few would have predicted the outcome at full-time and certainly not the scoreline, as Sporting won the game 4-1 with three comeback goals scored inside just 11 minutes and a final blow delivered by in-form striker Viktor Gyökeres to round off his hattrick.
In the end, it turned out a few Reds managed to get some enjoyment out of the surprise appearance as there was double the irony in that not only did City go on to lose while Noel was commentating but it was also at the hands of Rúben Amorim, the head coach set to take over at Manchester United next week.
One person fan wrote, “I take it all back whoever decided to put Noel Gallagher in the commentary box is a f***ing genius” while another added, “Can we have Noel on co-comms every week?”
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What did you make of getting a celebrity on co-commentary – is it something you’d like to see more of or was it not your cup of tea? You can watch the highlights from their significant defeat, their heaviest since September 2020 and a rare margin for Man City in the Guardiola era, down below.
It’s the first time Manchester City have lost three games in a row since 2018.
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Danny Jones -
6th November 2024 
