The Game Football Podcast (The Times)

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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Paul Hirst and Bill Edgar to discuss the headlines in the world of football.

Arsenal make it 20 games unbeaten as they draw 2-2 at Old Trafford. We discuss Manchester United’s tactical approach. They lump it and the panel don’t like it. Plus with the fourth most expensive signing in United ‘s history – Fred – yet again not even making the bench, does this demonstrate Mourinho’s lack of faith in their transfer policy?

The big game of the Premier League weekend sees Chelsea host league leaders Manchester City. With Sergio Aguero injured and Gabriel Jesus having not scored a league goal for 4 months, will Pep Guardiola decide not to field a recognised striker at Stamford Bridge?

And we examine the latest managerial addition to the Premier League – the new Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhüttl. Does he have the right group of players to carry out his intense pressing strategy? And will man-management issues from the past rear their head at St Mary’s?

Charlie Scott and Paddy von Behr provide their advice ahead of the fantasy football weekend. For free Fantasy Premier League tips from The Sweeper, visit thetimes.co.uk/fantasyfootball 

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Henry Winter Joins Gregor Robertson and Natalie Sawyer to look back at the all-English Super Cup in Istanbul, with the Premier League continuing to dominate Europe. Things are not so promising north of the border though as Celtic crash out of the Champions League before it really starts.

Natalie and Gregor are also joined by James Gheebrant to take a look this weekend's Premier League action, as it throws up another early treat with Manchester City welcoming Tottneham to the Etihad.

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What a weekend in the Premier League and with a full set of midweek fixtures to come, Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Oliver Kay and Bill Edgar to digest all the action.

The panel praise Unai Emery for his role in Arsenal’s North London derby win over Tottenham and the improvement in the players he has inherited. But was Pochettino too passive? And is something brewing between Emery and the absent Mesut Ozil?

Liverpool managed to stay 2 points behind Manchester City in the title race, courtesy of a 96th minute winner from Divock Origi in bizarre circumstances. But does the league table lie? Have Liverpool been lucky this season? And what has happened to Wednesday’s opponents Burnley?

After reports that Jose Mourinho branded Paul Pogba a ‘virus’ in a furious dressing room bust-up. Oliver Kay concludes the pair are incompatible and have both handled the situation dreadfully. Is Mourinho more of a virus than Pogba?

And the manager’s chair at St Mary’s is available after Southampton sack Mark Hughes. Find out why that chair isn’t the launching pad it used to be for ambitious coaches.

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Natalie Sawyer and Gregor Robertson are joined by the Times very own, Alyson Rudd to look back on an action packed weekend of football.

Gregor describes what it's like to go through a horrific leg break as Andre Gomes begins his long road to recovery.

Also, we discuss how Liverpool have become so good at leaving it late, and, why the Emirates is so toxic?

All this plus, just how good is Alex Neil doing at Preston...

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Clarke. As Ole Gunnar Solskjær takes his 100th game at Manchester United - will he be there for 100 more? Brighton and Sheffield United both look good, but need results - why aren’t they coming? There’s been no yellow cards for diving since the season started - are the lack of fans the reason? Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still scoring at 39, the team pick their favourite ‘older’ footballers who can still cut it!

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Spain lose and then regain top spot in Group B as VAR allows a disallowed Iago Aspas equaliser while simultaneously awarding Iran a penalty to push Portugal down into second place.

Natalie Sawyer reviews a crazy couple of minutes in Kaliningrad and Saransk. She’s joined by Henry Winter, who wants VAR to clamp down on Portuguese play-acting, Alex Kay-Jelski who would like Argentina to stay in Russia and Alyson Rudd who admires Uruguay’s intelligent thuggery.

Plus we bring you an update from the England camp ahead of the clash with Belgium and the conclusion to Mo Salah’s miserable month.

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@OliverKayTimes, @_pauljoyce, @allyrudd_times, @martynziegler and @JNorthcroft.

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Jonathan Northcroft joins Nat & Gregor with news that Premier League football will return on the 17th June. But are we ready?

The panel debate this and ask....who is the Premier League's greatest import?

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Alyson Rudd joins Nat & Gregor to welcome back Premier League football!

Hear why they're backing Norwich to perform a great escape, which 'dysfunctional' Premier League team is in the middle of another player contract dispute, and is one title good enough for this Liverpool side?

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A tough weekend for both halves of North London with incredible scenes at The Emirates as captain Xhaka goes to war with The Gunners faithful!

Natalie Sawyer and Gregor Robertson are joined by Matt Dickinson and Gary Jacob for more on this, Sean Dyche's call for red cards for diving and whether Tottenham's problems really are all Dele Alli's fault.

Plus we hear how Gregor got on when he went to visit Sol Campbell at Southend United.

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy.

Scotland will go away from Wembley the happier side after holding England to a goalless draw. Who were the standout players for Steve Clarke’s side and did they make the changes Gregor longed for? (00:00)

England registered one shot on target and Harry Kane was taken off in the second half. What problems does Gareth Southgate face after this lacklustre performance? (15:54)

Is Harry Kane’s club future weighing on his mind? What do England need to do in their next game to get back on track? (24:47)

Today’s results:

Sweden 1-0 Slovakia

Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic

England 0-0 Scotland

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Gab Marcotti is joined by Henry Winter, Stewart Robson (who’s forced to say some nice things about Arsene Wenger) and Bill Edgar (who relives his pitch-invading days).

The longest serving manager in English football will be leaving at the end of the season so the panel debate Wenger’s legacy, the details of the departure and what next for Arsenal?

Plus in the FA Cup semi-finals, why did Spurs go limp and why didn’t Southampton go harder?

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Natalie Sawyer is back alongside Gregor Robertson as they dissect Gareth Southgate's England squad, ask whether Tyrone Mings is the real deal and what the plan is if Harry Kane gets injured.

They're joined by The Times' James Gheerbrant and Henry Winter who also discuss whether the modern young player is too arrogant, and who came out on top in the twitter storm between Michael Owen and Alan Shearer.

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Nat & Gregor are joined by Matt Dickinson after contrasting weekends for either side of Manchester. So should City fans be worried? And how soon will United be back challenging for titles?

More on this, the incredible story of Jamie Vardy and Gregor tells us what it was like to play against a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney.

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Ian Hawkey.

Manchester United looked to be heading to a Champions League defeat before a remarkable comeback win - but are the cracks just being papered-over at Old Trafford? (00:00)

Liverpool were also on the right side of an eventful 3-2 Champions League tie. Did Jurgen Klopp’s side deserve to win at Atletico? (15:43)

Daniel Meuren is the co-author of ‘Thomas Tuchel: Rulebreaker’ - a new biography on the Chelsea manager. He joins us to tell us more about the rise of his countryman from Mainz to winning the Champion (32:55)

Chelsea brushed Malmö aside on Wednesday, while Phil Foden starred again as Manchester City made short work of Club Brugge. Is the England youngster on course to become the best the country has produced? (39:16)

Steve Bruce has finally been relieved of his duties at Newcastle. How was his departure handled and who is the sensible choice to take over at St James’ Park? (45:58)

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The rollercoaster ride of following the Three Lions continues as England leave it late to secure 3 points in their World Cup opener against Tunisia.

Natalie Sawyer is joined by Matt Dickinson, Matt Hughes and Alyson Rudd to salute the bagger of a brace Harry Kane, debate the non-appearance of VAR in Volgograd and discuss whether Ruben Loftus-Cheek can fill Dele Alli’s boots.

The video officials do help deliver Sweden’s first opening day victory since 1958. Plus Ian Hawkey is on Panama Watch for the podcast in Sochi as England’s next opponents succumb to Belgium in their first ever World Cup match.

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft.

Chelsea dropped points with a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton. Is everyone sick of Thomas Tuchel’s excuses and did Brighton deserve a point? (00:00)

There were more contentious VAR decisions over the weekend - which ones should have stood and which could we have done without? (11:43)

Leicester City did well to bounce back and beat Liverpool in the week - is that the end of Liverpool’s title challenge already? (16:44)

Manchester United were abysmal against Newcastle, with Eddie Howe’s side deserving of at least a point. Does Ralf Rangnick now understand the size of the job he’s undertaken? (23:53)

As we head into 2022, we make out halfway point predictions for how the Premier League and a few other situations will play out before the end of the season (36:18)

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy.

Chelsea vs Liverpool was end-to-end, but the 2-2 result wasn’t really helpful for either club. Should Sadio Mane have been sent off after 12 seconds? Which was the best goal of the game? (00:00)

Romalu Lukaku was missing for Chelsea after his Italian television interview - how is the situation most likely to play out and has it been blown out of proportion? (14:06)

Despite losing, Arsenal came away from the Manchester City game with a lot of positives. Is their ability to see games out a lingering problem, though? (27:07)

Leeds United enjoyed a much-needed victory over Burnley. Were they back to their best or did the visitors do their best to help Marcelo Bielsa’s side? (39:18)

The project at Everton just doesn’t seem to be working. How much longer can they persist with Rafa Benitez?? (50:00)

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After all the speculation over England's Group G decider with Belgium, two reserve sides face off in Kaliningrad with Gareth Southgate's side losing 1-0 and surrendering top spot. But does finishing 2nd offer an easier route to the World Cup final? Or did defeat damage morale as England's squad players blew their chance of a regular starting berth?

Natalie Sawyer is joined by Jonathan Northcroft and Alan Smith to assess England's chances of progressing in this tournament while wondering if Belgium are the real deal this time.

Plus Oliver Kay watches England's next opponents Colombia knock out Senegal in Samara. And he feels the Three Lions have nothing to fear.

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Less football but no fewer football talking points for Gab Marcotti, Natalie Sawyer, Oli Kay and Bill Edgar to pore over.

Manchester City look to complete the domestic treble with an FA Cup final win as we examine the historical significance of that feat. Are they the greatest team we’ve ever seen. Or are Watford, and manager Javi Gracia, better equipped to upset City than many think?

Both Guardiola and Gracia will be joined in the Premier League by another up and coming English manager in the form of Dean Smith or Frank Lampard. Aston Villa play Derby in the Championship play-off final. What do the panel make of Lampard’s first season in management?

And with Antoine Griezmann announcing he is leaving Atletico Madrid this summer, possibly for the Nou Camp, what are the knock-on effects for Premier League clubs in terms of players Barcelona would have to let go? Does it accelerate Eden Hazard’s departure from Stamford Bridge? Or Wilfried Zaha from Selhurst Park?

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Tom Clarke.

Harry Kane is staying at Spurs. Will his reputation be tarnished? Will the Tottenham fans forget about this? Will he leave next summer? So many questions! (00:00)

Reports today suggest Cristiano Ronaldo has been offered to Manchester City for around £25m. Would he fit into Pep’s side and could he light up Manchester once again? (18:30)

We’ve seen some big scoreline in the Carabao Cup second round - should Premier League teams be involved or could it become the EFL Cup instead? (23:45)

West Ham have shown that last season wasn’t a fluke and their early performances this season have been just as impressive. Does David Moyes need a deeper squad and what can they achieve this season? (32:15)

Liverpool take on Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend - are the visitors to Anfield the favourites? (38:04)

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Natalie Sawyer and her new co-host Gregor Robertson are back with The Game brought to you by the Times. On this episode, they are joined by The Times very own, Alyson Rudd, and James Gheerbrant.

In episode two of our season preview, they focus on the ins and outs of the transfer window, and what VAR will mean for the Premier League. They also discuss whether English clubs will be Kings of Europe again.

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Gab Marcotti is joined by Matt Dickinson and Matt Hughes in the aftermath of England’s progression to the Nations League finals after victory over Croatia. Iceland feels like a long time ago.

In the best Wembley atmosphere since Springsteen, Gareth Southgate continues to find answers to questions as England manager, including proving his tactical flexibility and showing the squad does have strength in depth. We show some love to Southgate and to Fabian Delph.

Following the backlash to the news that Premier League clubs have been asked to contribute to a £5million bonus for outgoing chairman Richard Scudamore, we ask whether he has been hard done by. Do people truly understand the nature of the payment or misunderstand it as a present? And does his work at one of the UK’s biggest brands of all time merit that reward?

Matt Hughes also has the inside track on proposed plans for top Championship clubs to break away and form a Premier League 2. Could they be overplaying their hand and overestimating their value?

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Jonathan Northcroft and Tom Roddy.

Manchester United came up short against Villarreal in the Europa League final - are they further away from challenging for trophies than people think? Paul Hirst joins us live from Gdansk (00:00)

Will Manchester City go one step further than United and win a European final this week? We look ahead to the Champions League final against Chelsea (23:24)

Rumours that Mauricio Pochettino could be coming back to Spurs hit during the podcast - but surely that’s not a good move for the former Tottenham boss.. or is it? (40:21)

The EFL playoff finals are coming up this weekend - Tom Clarke attempts to remain calm as we give our predictions for the three season-ending matches (48:46)

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd, Tom Clarke and Henry Winter.

Ronaldo is back! Was CR7 actually ever close to signing for Manchester City? His arrival means some of the younger attackers could miss out - are United taking a backwards step with this signing? (00:00)

A fierce debate erupts on the topic of the use of VAR over the weekend after Paul Pogba wasn’t sent off for what looked like a dangerous challenge on Ruben Neves (20:38)

The Times’ Chief Football Writer, Henry Winter joins us to give his take on the latest round of Premier League fixtures (28:50)

Spurs top the Premier League, Arsenal are bottom. After another loss - is the trust for the process at the Emirates being lost? (42:40)

Chelsea managed a draw against Liverpool, despite having 10 men for half of the game. Were these dropped points for Jurgen Klopp’s side? Are they poorly using the one player that could unlock most other sides? (53:50)

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Gab Marcotti is joined by Julien Laurens and James Gheerbrant to discuss the pulsating Premier League action that saw West Brom somehow survive another weekend and the race for the top 4 restart.

Plus are Neil Warnock’s Cardiff a welcome addition to the Premier League? Was Sparky too sarcy about Jon Moss? And do Chelsea have the most handsome forward line in football?

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Molly Hudson.

Stockport are the latest team to pull off an FA Cup upset after they beat Bolton 5-3 on Wednesday night. How are non-league clubs being regulated and are they being protected from potential financial problems going forward? (00:00)

Reading have been deducted 6 points and Derby County another 9 points for breaching EFL financial rules - how did both clubs differ in their offences and why have Derby been punished more harshly? Have the salary caps actually helped clubs in the football league? (12:19)

The WSL has seen a big increase in viewers thanks to the new television deal, however crowds in stadiums have dropped slightly. Does the increase in the wider appeal make up for the short-term dip in people through the turnstiles? (19:52)

The Premier League is back this weekend - we look into Arsenal’s return to form and how the next few months of their season could pan out (27:55)

The three new Premier League managers have home ties this weekend - but who out of Norwich, Newcastle and Aston Villa got the best deal with their new boss? (37:25)

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The Times' North East Reporter Martin Hardy joins Hugh Woozencroft and Gregor Robertson to look into the current situation at Newcastle United. At the time of publishing, they sit second bottom of the Premier League table with just one point from four matches. Fans have been unhappy for many years under Mike Ashley - but will the club ever be sold without some reinvestment first?

(This conversation was taken from 'Henderson Saves The Day At Anfield', which was originally released on 16/09/21)

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It was a bad week for English side in the Champions League after such a fantastic season last time around, so is there cause for concern?

Alyson Rudd joins Natalie Sawyer and Gregor Robertson on this week's episode as they look back at midweek defeats for Liverpool and Chelsea, while Tottenham blow a comfortable half time lead.

Also, has Guardiola found the answer to his defensive crisis? It looks that way.

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Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are in the company of Oliver Kay and Matt Hughes, the morning after Liverpool sweep aside Manchester United at Anfield.

Even if United persist with Jose Mourinho until the end of the season, the panel agree that United need to be putting the groundwork in right now to secure his summer replacement.

As for Liverpool, they remain unbeaten and top of the league. Does Klopp get enough credit for the work he’s done with the squad?

Southampton feel the Hasenhüttl effect to win at St Mary’s for the first time this season and end the Gunners 22-game unbeaten run. Find out why Arsenal’s Bernd Leno is indicative of German goalkeepers.

Plus we have live Champions League draw reaction in the studio as the last 16 match-ups are revealed. Klopp renews an old rivalry, it gets worse for United and Tottenham’s tie is an architect’s dream.

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Nat & Gregor are joined by Ben Machell after his beloved Leeds United secured their promotion to the Premier League, but can Leeds cut it back in the big time?

The panel discuss this, a weekend of managerial casualties and the 8 billion possible permutations at the bottom of The Championship!

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy.

Chelsea have a big weekend ahead of them with the FA Cup final - but by losing to Arsenal, have they blown the race for the top four in the Premier League wide open? (00:00)

Managers have been backing Ole Gunnar Solskjær - but should Manchester United see any punishment for making 10 changes for their loss to Leicester? (19:32)

Manchester City are Champions - but how long will the era of City dominance continue? Pol Ballús wrote about Pep Guardiola’s latest triumph exclusively for The Times and joins us to add his thoughts (26:54)

As Fulham’s return to the Championship was confirmed - Will Scott Parker be back next season and which of the three sides going down is most likely to make a swift return? (41:23)

The EFL playoffs get underway at the weekend - can Tom Clarke’s beloved Lincoln City make the final? Gregor Robertson gives us the ex-pro’s perspective on winning (and losing) at Wembley (46:48)

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson.

Manchester City are 11 points clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. Is there any way they can lose the title from here? (00:00)

Romalu Lukaku might be back in the Chelsea starting line-up, but how must his re-inclusion have gone down with his teammates? (10:16)

Rafa Benitez didn’t last the season at Everton. As the Spaniard departs, did he ever stand a chance of succeeding? (15:08)

The North London derby was called off over a lack of players with reportedly few Covid cases in either squad. Is it time to change the rules on postponements to stop teams abusing the system? (31:30)

Matt Dickinson has been absent from The Game for a while - he explains his new direction and his favourite stories he’s been across since we last heard from him (42:40)

Dickinson’s Diaries. Needs no introduction! (52:30)

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What a strange night it was for England as they took the show on the road to Southampton. The Times very own James Gheerbrant and Alyson Rudd joined Natalie Sawyer and Gregor Robertson to look back on another win for the Three Lions as they took a huge stride towards Euro 2020 qualification against Kosovo.

Gregor also discusses what exactly is going on with the Scottish National team as it looks like their only chance of reaching next summers major tournament will be through the Nations League Playoffs.

Plus, we look ahead to the return of domestic football, as Alyson explains who the 'Alpha Males' are in the dressing room.

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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?

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Ian Hawkey and Tom Clarke.

Wales are out after a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Denmark. What went wrong after so much promise and why didn’t Rob Page react to what was happening time and time again on the pitch? (00:00)

Gareth Bale’s big secret was promised after the tournament - so what has he got up his sleeve that he’s kept us waiting to hear? (16:32)

Denmark didn’t just keep their momentum going, but looked impressive in victory - could Alyson’s pre-tournament prediction of a Danish triumph actually happen? (17:46)

Italy are through, but did the second half against Austria show some worrying signs for their chances of tournament victory? (23:08)

Who will progress from Sunday’s ties in the Round of 16? Will Cristiano Ronaldo continue his impressive (penalty) scoring record or will Romelu Lukaku have the last laugh? (32:14)

Today’s results:

Wales 0-4 Denmark

Italy 2-1 Austria

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy, Matt Dickinson and Matt Lawton.

Chelsea won their second Champions League title at the expense of a shell shocked Manchester City. Was N’Golo Kanté the difference? How much of their run should be credited to Frank Lampard or has Thomas Tuchel shown him up with this success? (00:00)

Why did Pep Guardiola choose to try something completely new in the final of the most important game he’s managed for City? How will the club bounce back from this disappointment? (14:44)

The final England squad will be announced for EURO 2020 tomorrow - are we any closer to working out which right back is likely to start? The two Matt’s give us the inside story on how they themselves, get the inside story from the England camp (28:14)

After heartbreak last season, Brentford were finally promoted to the top flight - does this prove the changes to the club’s structure were a success? (52:14)

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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd to discuss a big week in the Champions League, and a bigger weekend to come in the Premier League.

Liverpool face Manchester City at Anfield as the Premier League’s top two title favourites go head to head. With the Reds losing in Naples, is it the wake-up call Jurgen Klopp needs for a reset on a midfield lacking in creativity?

Henry Winter witnesses a Messi masterclass at Wembley, as Barcelona dismantle Tottenham. Messi may be one of the greatest of all time but does he benefit from a better supporting cast than legends of the past?

And we ask what has happened to Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris? Is he still among the Premier League’s best shot stoppers? And is it right that he’s been out of the spotlight for so long after his drink-driving charges?

Plus Natalie doesn’t want to talk about it – but there’s a managerial vacancy at Villa Park, brought about by bad results and cabbages.

Charlie Scott and Paddy von Behr provide their advice ahead of the fantasy football weekend. For free Fantasy Premier League tips from The Sweeper, visit thetimes.co.uk/fantasyfootball 

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke.

The EFL returns this weekend, and with fans! Despite this positive, how will the pandemic continue to affect clubs negatively and are players putting financial security above professional aspirations? (00:00)

It wouldn’t be a preview show without our predictions, so we pick which teams should be challenging in all three leagues this season (18:20)

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Natalie is joined by Tom Roddy and Tom Clarke for a trip back to Euro 2016 and England's humiliating exit at the hands of Iceland. Four years on they face them again with a point to prove ahead of next year's European Championships.

More on this, why Harry Kane's place in the team could be under threat, and should Everton fans be excited for the new season?

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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by James Gheerbrant and Paul Hirst ahead of the Manchester derby. While United were securing a famous win in Turin, City were smashing Shakhtar but with the help of a bizarre penalty awarded to Raheem Sterling. With no foul committed, should Sterling have owned up to the referee?

And with revelations about City allegedly circumventing financial fair play, what damage is being done to the club’s reputation?

Martyn Ziegler calls in after speaking to FIFA president Gianni Infantino about proposed European Super League plans and his insistence that any players to compete in such a league would be banned from international football.

Plus after their shock defeat in Belgrade and with some challenging fixtures to come, can Liverpool get through the next few weeks, in their pursuit of domestic and European glory?

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.

They’re up to fifth in the table having been bottom at the start of the season - but are Arsenal back? (00:00)

West Ham are in the top four after an impressive, but not surprising 3-2 win over Liverpool on Sunday. How far can they actually go this season? (11:08)

Manchester United are sixth after their 2-0 loss to Manchester City and Brendan Rodgers is being linked to the job should United part company with Ole - is he the right man for the job? (23:18)

Dean Smith has been relieved of his duties at Villa Park after five straight losses in the Premier League. Has he been treated poorly by the club he supports? (32:46)

Norwich are also on the hunt for a new manager after Daniel Farke was dismissed on Saturday. Does this move make more sense than Villa’s given their lack of ambition this season? (44:19)

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After a big weekend in the Premier League, it’s an even bigger week to come in the Champions League. Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson.

Tottenham’s dismantling of Chelsea leads to another chapter in the Kante/Jorginho debate. Gab sticks up for Sarri as the panel heap praise on Spurs and their manager, ahead of the make or break clash with the Spursiest team in Serie A – Inter Milan.

Meanwhile Alyson sticks up for Salah as Liverpool warm up for what could be a classic with Paris Saint Germain. But just how good are PSG? That proves to be quite the debate in itself.

Southampton lose again, not helped by the hands-off approach of Hughes. Has a chopping and changing of profiles caused the Saints to lose their pattern as a football club?

Plus there’s Bradford, Boca and the reason why Jose Mourinho might be happier managing a pub team.

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Matt Dickinson and Tom Clarke join Natalie Sawyer for more on yet another scalp and yet another trophy for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal! But is the Spaniard building something resembling Klopp's Liverpool at The Emirates?

The panel discuss this, a Millie Bright stunner, yet more accolades for Lucy Bronze, and more on the transfer window's newest rebel... Lionel Messi!

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For those suffering Gab Marcotti withdrawal symptoms, we have a treat for you. And indeed a treat for Gab, as he sits down for a chat with one of his favourite writers, the northern sports correspondent for The Times – George Caulkin.

Gab and George discuss how press coverage of football has changed, the significance of football in the North East and of course, the current disconnect between fans and club at Newcastle United.

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Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by George Caulkin, Paul Joyce and Bill Edgar ahead of another seismic Saturday and Sunday in the Premier League.

League leaders Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp’s men embracing control over chaos this season. Klopp appears to have cracked it when it comes to the goalkeeper, defence and attack. But will the rotation in midfield be what costs the Reds this season. And as Mourinho renews old rivalries on Merseyside, would Liverpool fans actually want him to leave Old Trafford?

All four English clubs progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League but were we impressed by how they performed? And does their patchy form show what a struggle it is to juggle European football with chasing Manchester City this season?

And as Newcastle head to Huddersfield in a relegation six-pointer on Saturday, George Caulkin talks to us about proposed takeovers, fan boycotts and why January will be so crucial to Rafa Benitez’s future.

Charlie Scott and Paddy von Behr provide their advice ahead of the fantasy football weekend. For free Fantasy Premier League tips from The Sweeper, visit thetimes.co.uk/fantasyfootball 

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Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Matt Dickinson and Tom Roddy. Happy New Year! Hopefully football gets back to it’s best in 2021 - and it looks like Manchester City are finding form again. Is this the turning point for Manchester City? On the receiving end of Pep Guardiola’s masterclass were Chelsea - with their poor form, should Frank Lampard be starting to get worried? After several Premier League players broke social distancing rules over the festive period - how should we react as fans and should the FA get involved? Things fail to improve for Sheffield United after another pointless weekend - are Sheffield United one of the most unique clubs in Premier League history? Hugh thinks Mauricio Pochettino joining PSG is a pointless appointment and he’s not afraid to tell you why and the team remember the best football failures after Timo Werner’s impressive corner flag routine at the weekend!

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For the final podcast of 2018, Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer bring you a one-off special, as the great writers at The Times give us their ideas for changing the game of football forever.

What measures and rule changes would we bring in to improve the sport we love? Full-time buzzers? Physios in play? The ball never out of play? Hear from Henry Winter, Alyson Rudd, Oli Kay and many more.

Also on the agenda, VAR, the Super League…and mascots.

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Natalie is joined by Alyson Rudd and Tom Clarke to relive this season's Champions League final. Thiago Alcantara was one of the stars of the show - but could he be swapping Munich for Liverpool?

More on this, and what to expect from next year's bumper season!

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Phil Neville said post-match that Lucy Bronze "has got to win the Ballon d'Or" after her man-of-the-match performance against Norway to send England into the semi-finals. 

Bronze set up England's first goal and sealed the 3-0 victory with a stunning strike from range, but does she deserve to be recognised as the best women's player in the world?

Natalie Sawyer is joined on the podcast by the West Ham United and former England defender Claire Rafferty, plus The Times and Sunday Times journalists Molly Hudson and Rebecca Myers from Le Havre to discuss Bronze's standing in the game and England's best performance of the tournament so far.

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