ONE evening this week there were five Premier League games – all are now televised of course.

I don’t necessarily watch them. As I’ve said before, it’s a false atmosphere and it’s a bit like seeing something on the training ground.

But the thing I did notice at the end of the night on Wednesday, was the five games were all won by the away teams.

I suppose someone could say ‘well, so what?’ but if you look at them and notice – one of the games was Brighton beating Liverpool at Anfield.

All due respect to Graham Potter, I don’t think anybody expected them to win looking at their season so far. They had their first home league win of the season the week before and were obviously still on a high.

Liverpool, to lose on the night, was even more of a surprise because it was their second home game in a row where they had lost. Their previous record before that was 68 home games unbeaten.

As I’ve said at times, especially if you had younger players in the team, to go to Anfield, Old Trafford, Highbury – big places – especially at Anfield with the singing before the kick-off you’d sometimes felt like you were losing 1-0 before the referee had started the game.

Without that crowd atmosphere, it’s obviously a big advantage to away teams. Mr Klopp must not be happy.

But thinking of one of his friends, our own Ralph Hasenhuttl will be even more unhappy.

Obviously, everyone in football, both home and abroad would have seen our result against Manchester United – one occasion when the away team did not do better.

We sadly equalled the record of a 9-0 defeat.

I have to jump straight in as a manager and try to defend Ralph. I have a saying: “Players win games. Managers lose them.”

But I know exactly how he would be feeling. I wish I could sit and have a coffee with him, or something even stronger!

Many, many years ago – in the days when League Cup ties were played home and away. We beat Watford, managed by a young Graham Taylor, bless him, 4-0 at The Dell.

The mistake I made as manager, looking back on it, was to pick a full-strength team for the second leg. The seniors in the team on the night gave the impression it was all home and dry.

They strolled around and Watford battered us. We were up against it and came away having lost 7-1.

A score line of 7-5 of course doesn’t look as bad as 9-0 but no manager wants to come away with his team having let in seven goals.

It was such an incredible evening, one of the senior players didn’t even get on the bus to come home and made his own way.

It was an amazing experience and Ralph will feel just as bad as I did.

Having said that, the last time a 9-0 defeat happened, I remember being at St Mary’s. It was unbelievably bad weather with wind and rain.

You were hoping the referee would call the game off halfway through because of the wet conditions – but mainly because every time Leicester went forward, the ball went in our net.

But Ralph came through that, the club and supporters stood by him and he picked us up and did ever so well.

What he needs more than ever now is the same thing with the club and the supporters sticking with him. Most of all, the players have to look at this and realise what it means all-round.

In their defence, there were nine injuries to players who could have been in the first team. I suppose you could say on the night, Manchester United played against Southampton reserves – but we won’t get away with that.

I suppose in the Watford days the Football League would have allowed us to call the game off with nine players out – not nowadays with 20 or 30 players in squads.

What Ralph will need is a reaction from the dressing room. Going to Newcastle is not the sort of fixture I would look forward to.

At present, Steve Bruce is under immense pressure for the way his team have sunk into the bottom six.

Let’s hope Ralph can perform the sort of miracle he did after the last heavy defeat.

The thing he needs is support all-round and then let’s look forward to the next games – particularly the cup tie with Wolves – I think we would all like another trip to Wembley.