The Game

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke to discuss the week's biggest stories, and look ahead to the weekend's International football.The Times' Chief Football Writer Henry Winter joins the show to look ahead to England's Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Friday, and discuss some of the selection headaches for Gareth Southgate. He also discusses Harry Kane's future and whether he will leave Spurs this summer. (00:00)Jude Bellingham has been unveiled as a Real Madrid player following his move from Borussia Dortmund. How significant is this transfer for English future, and what can we expect to see from him in Spain in the coming seasons? (14:30)The Times' Scotland reporter Michael Grant joins the show to preview Scotland's trip to Norway in a huge game in Euro 2024 qualifying. He also discusses Ange Postecoglou going to Spurs, and a possible return to Celtic for Brendan Rodgers. (31:15)The transfer window has officially opened, the guys discuss their dream transfers this summer! (42:15)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd to look back at the Champions League final, as Manchester City complete the treble with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in Istanbul.The Times' Manchester Correspondent Paul Hirst joins the show to reflect on the game, and discuss how Inter Milan made it so difficult for Manchester City. We also discuss the off-the-field issues in getting to the stadium on the day, and look at how Pep Guardiola has transformed the careers of some of his players. (00:00)What does Manchester City's treble victory mean going forward? How big of an achievement is it for Pep Guardiola's side to do this, or should they have won the Champions League sooner? (22:30)The Times' Chief Sports Writer Owen Slot joins the show to reflect on his recent visit to Abu Dhabi. He discussed what it was like there to watch Man City win the Champions League, and whether Abu Dhabi have embraced Manchester City and if the locals now support the club. (44:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the FA Cup final and discuss the week's biggest football stories.West Ham have won their first cup competition since 1980 after winning the Europa Conference League following a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the final - can the club push on from here, and will David Moyes be at the helm to do so? (00:00)The West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has confirmed that captain Declan Rice will leave the club in the summer, but where will he end up? And despite this, is the future bright for West Ham with a season in the Europa League to come? (17:16)Manchester City are 90 minutes away from completing the treble this season - but do we give Inter Milan any chance of an upset? What will they need to do to defy the odds to win in Istanbul? (27:20)Real Madrid are set to sign the Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham after the two clubs agreed a fee for the England international. How good will it be for him to go to La Liga, or is this the right move for him? Lionel Messi is set to go to Major League Soccer to play for Inter Miami, and we also react to Liverpool signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton. (37:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the FA Cup final and discuss the week's biggest football stories.Manchester City remain on course for the treble after beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final. The Times' Paul Hirst joins the show to reflect on the game, discuss how important Ilkay Gundogan is for Man City, and debate how United can compete with their neighbours in the future. (00:00)The Times' Senior Sports Writer Matt Dickinson joins the show to discuss his book, and also reflect on his piece with the Manchester United legend Brian McClair, in which they look back at the United treble-winning side of 1999. (26:10)Real Madrid announce that Karim Benzema will leave the club at the end of the season after 14 years in the Spanish capital, but should Spurs striker Harry Kane replace him at the club? We discuss Benzema's legacy, and also discuss what Kane should consider if he makes the move. (36:00)Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is the favourite to take over as Spurs ahead of the new Premier League season. We'll discuss if the step up will be too much for him, and whether he can cope with managing in one of Europe's Top 5 leagues. (46:15)Alyson reflects on her interviews with the Southampton owners Sport Republic, and the Brentford manager Thomas Frank, and looks back on her key findings from both conversations. (58:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Molly Hudson to discuss the week's biggest football stories.Jose Mourinho misses the chance to win the Europa League after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sevilla in Budapest, but will he stay in Serie A next season, or will he make the perfect International manager? (00:00)The Times' Manchester Correspondent Paul Hirst joins the show to preview the weekend's FA Cup final as Man United face Man City at Wembley, how motivated will United be to stop City winning the treble? How important a day is it for Manchester United? (09:25)Gregor, Tom and Molly continue building up to the FA Cup final. What type of game will we expect to see? Will City's complacency cost them with their eyes on the Champions League final? What do United need to do in the summer to strengthen? (24:30)Manchester United have reportedly agreed terms with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount - how disappointed should Chelsea be to lose another homegrown player? What can Mount add to the Manchester United midfield? Will Declan Rice be a good signing for Bayern Munich? (34:45)Molly looks ahead to the start of the Women's World Cup, as Sarina Weigman names England's squad for the tournament this summer. Will their injuries catch up with them? When will the off-the-field problems such as broadcasting rights etc be solved? (46:55)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gregor Robertson is joined by Tony Cascarino, Tom Allnutt and Alyson RuddThe curtain comes down on another Premier League season and the final day saw Leeds & Leicester drop down to the Championship.Despite survival is Sean Dyche the right man to keep Everton out of trouble and push them up the table?Where did it all go wrong for Leicester? Premier League and FA Cup winners drop down to the Championship after 9 years in the top flight.After going from Bielsa to Allardyce where do Leeds go from here? Spurs won't be playing any form of European football for the first time in 14 years despite victory on the final day. We discuss whether Ryan Mason should get the job permanently and of course what happens with Harry Kane.Aston Villa will be playing European football next season after Unai Emery's transformed them post Steven Gerrard. Why couldn't Gerrard get out the best from this squad?And we review the season as a whole which has seen the Premier League season break mid way through for the World Cup and and a record number of managers losing their jobs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Jonathan Northcroft & Gregor RobertsonAfter Leicester parked the bus against Newcastle to pick up an all important point we ask the question is it too little too late for The Foxes?How important will the fans be at Elland Road, King Power & Goodison Park as all three have must win home games on the final day.The panel predict who they think will drop out of the Premier League.Newcastle United will be playing Champions League football next season. What does that mean for their summer transfer plans?What is going on at Spurs as yet another manager turns down the club. Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has revealed that he plans to stay in the Netherlands.And we look ahead to the Championship play-off final between Luton Town & Coventry City. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy to look back at the weekend's Premier League action and discuss the biggest stories of the week.Nottingham Forest have secured their Premier League status for another season after beating Arsenal 1-0 at the City Ground. They discuss just how well Steve Cooper has done this season, and ask if the owner Evangelos Marinakis deserves credit for showing faith in him. (00:00)Manchester City win the Premier League for a third consecutive season, how has Pep Guardiola been able to maintain the consistency at the club whilst also managing a number of world-class players? Will their dominance continue in the years to come? (14:55)Pep Guardiola's side have now won 5 Premier League titles in the last 6 seasons, but why do fans still not consider them to be one of the greatest teams in history? We'll ask if the 115 alleged breaches of financial rules from the Premier League has tarnished their legacy in how they are viewed. (26:05)Leeds United's Premier League status is hanging by a thread after losing 3-1 at home to West Ham. They have now lost 25 points from winning positions this season, so was it too late to make a change in the dugout? We'll also reflect on Everton's late equaliser at Wolves and why that makes them favourites to stay up heading into the final day. (45:35)Brighton have qualified for Europe for the first time in their history, with it looking likely they'll play in next season's Europa League - but how do they cope with the step up? What's their plan to be able to deal with the Thursday-Sunday schedule next season? (54:30)Roberto Firmino received an emotional send-off after his last home game as a Liverpool player - we discuss the legacy he has left behind and where he ranks amongst the greatest No.9s in Liverpool's history. (1:02:20)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Ian Harkey & Tom Allnutt.Man City produce a masterclass against Real Madrid to book their place in the Champions League final with some billing it as the best performance by any English side in European historyWe compare Pep Guardiola's Barcelona with his Man City side and ask why his current team lacks the romanticism of his previous success.England and Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been hit with an eight month ban after he was found guilty of betting charges.Is the ban harsh and does football and gambling have an unhealthy relationship?And we discuss the latest in the Championship as Luton and Coventry prepare to face each other in the play-off final. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Roddy & Gregor Robertson.Arsenal's title bid finally comes to an end as they lose at home to Brighton by three goals.Are Brighton the best team to watch in the Premier League and are they the story of the season?How long can Brighton hold on to their star players and their manager Roberto De Zerbi with sharks already circling.We discuss Leeds and the impact that Sam Allardyce has made since joining on a short term deal until the end of the season.With Champions League qualification now mathematically impossible do Spurs even want to play in the Europa Conference league?Frank Lampard tells the Chelsea players they need to take a look at themselves after they dropped more points, this time at home to Nottingham Forest.And with Southampton's relegation finally confirmed we pick a part where it's gone so wrong this season for The Saints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft, Gregor Robertson & Ian Hawkey.Following the 1-1 draw at The Bernabeu are Man City now heavy favourites or just favourites to reach the Champions League final.Kevin de Bruyne scored the goal for Man City as he continued his fine form but does he need to win the Champions League to go down as one of the all-time greats?In the other semi-final Inter Milan took the bragging rights and one foot in the final after a 2 nil win over AC Milan.Is Edin Dzeko the most underrated striker in Europe following his exploits at the San Siro?Inter Milan had the opportunity to make it 3 nil after they awarded a penalty in the first-half however the referee decided to overturn his own decision after consulting VAR. Was that the correct decision?As we head into the Championship play-offs who are favourites to make it to the promised land of the Premier League?In-form Sunderland's injury issues continue and take on Luton, who aim to become the first team to go from the National League to the Premier League.After all the issues Coventry have had in recent years would Mark Robins guiding the Sky Blues to promotion be the story of the season? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson & Charlotte DunckerWas Everton's win the most bizarre result this season? A team that played more like champions elect as opposed to relegation threatened.Is Brighton's season tailing off and now in danger of missing out on European football next season? Following Nottingham Forest's thrilling win over Southampton does that put them in pole position to stay up this season? Are Leicester "too good to go down"? A 5-3 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage leaves the foxes in the bottom 3 and in real danger of losing their Premier League status.Arsenal playing Newcastle at their own game. A frustrated Eddie Howe complained about the time wasting from Arsenal although the stats show that it is Newcastle who have been the worst culprits of the dark arts this season.And finally what is going wrong at Manchester United with just 4 wins from the previous 10 games. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Allnutt to look back at the week's Premier League action and discuss the biggest stories of the week.The Times' Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Lawton joins us to reflect on the news that Sam Allardyce has been appointed the new Leeds manager until the end of the season. He discusses what he can bring to the side, and explains why his long-standing assistant Sammy Lee won't be with him this time around. (00:00)The panel continue to discuss Sam Allardyce's appoint at Leeds and try make sense of it all. Gregor Robertson believes the appointment has no logic to it, whilst Tom Allnutt says Leeds no have identity, so he could understand why they have made the decision to bring him in. (08:10)Leicester drew 2-2 with Everton in a huge game at the bottom of the table on Monday night, they reflect on this result, and explain why a point may not be the worst result in the world for both teams as they look to stay in the Premier League. (18:00)Arsenal keep their slim hopes of winning the Premier League title alive with a 3-1 win at home to Chelsea in midweek, but just how bad have things got at Chelsea, and how much of a job does Mauricio Pochettino have on his hands if he were to be appointed the club's new manager? (24:00)Erling Haaland breaks the record for the most Premier League goals in a single season as his 35th helped Man City brush aside West Ham - they discuss that result and also reflect on Liverpool's 1-0 win at home to Fulham on Wednesday night. (34:20)Molly Hudson joins the show to reflect on Arsenal's defeat to Wolfsburg in their Champions League semi-final second leg at a sold-out Emirates Stadium, and also reflect on the news of a 4th Arsenal player picking up an ACL injury in just 6 months (47:15)We end the show by discussing Lionel Messi's future after he took some unauthorised leave from PSG, and we preview the final day of the Championship season, with so many teams still in contention for a possible play-off place. (55:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Spurs once again started very poorly, but this time managed to almost salvage a point against Liverpool. How do they even begin to fix their shortcomings? (00:00)Possible red cards and Jurgen Klopp’s actions on the touchline also came up in our thorough analysis (14:18)Bournemouth are surely secure now, but Leeds are deep in trouble. Where can they get the points they’ll need to survive? (33:39)Forest could have given themselves a huge chance of staying up, but let Brentford snatch all the points in West London. Did Steve Cooper get his tactics spot on, though? (45:30)Southampton are sure to be playing in the Championship next season - but are they the next club to free fall down the leagues? (50:55)Crystal Palace have been a joy to watch since Roy Hodgson came back - but where do they look after the season is over? (60:54)Brighton are within touching distance of Europe - what have they got so right that other clubs have struggled so much with? (70:02)Erling Haaland is on the verge of breaking the Premier League scoring record, but is there another gem starting to shine at the Etihad? (74:38)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi all, The latest episode of The Game podcast was released earlier:Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Allnutt & Jonathan Northcroft.Title decided? Following Man City's comprehensive 4-1 win against leaders Arsenal does that mean the title is once again heading to Manchester.What is wrong at Chelsea? Has Frank Lampard's reputation been damaged during this so far unsuccessful interim spell. With Mauricio Pochettino looking likely to return to the Premier League is this the right job for him and is he the right man to turn around the clubs fortunes.Leeds & Leicester battle it out in a relegation 6 pointer but should Leicester be disappointed not to take all 3 points and is Dean Smith the man going forward?"Spurs are a mess of a club" but who really is to blame for the seasons shortcomings? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Tom Clarke to look back at the weekend's Premier League and FA Cup football.Arsenal drop 2 more points after drawing 3-3 at home to Southampton on Friday night, but can they recover from this blip and regain control of the title race? Manchester City sweep aside Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, can they now go on and win the treble this season? (00:00)Spurs are thrashed 6-1 away at Newcastle, but does the culture need to change if they are to become successful, and who would join the club as their new manager if results continue like this? What additions should Eddie Howe make to his squad with Newcastle set to qualify for next season's Champions League? (25:30)The Premier League relegation battle takes another twist, as Leicester move out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at home to Wolves, and Leeds lose at Fulham. Bournemouth are thrashed 4-0 away at West Ham, and Nottingham Forest lose 3-2 against Liverpool at Anfield, but who will go down this season? (47:00)Manchester United book their place in the FA Cup final after beating Brighton on penalties, and both Wrexham and Leyton Orient secure promotion from their prospective divisions. (1:02:55)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Ian Hawkey to look back at the midweek Champions League action, and look ahead to the weekend's football.Manchester City book their place in the semi-finals with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich, but is this the year they finally go all the way in Europe? They dissect the performance at the Allianz Arena and also discuss a potential new contract for Erling Haaland (00:00)Chelsea's season is all-but over after losing 4-0 on aggregate to Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tie, can things get any worse for Frank Lampard? What do they make of the owner Todd Boehly going into the dressing room to speak to the players? (12:00)Can history repeat itself with Real Madrid knocking out Manchester City in a Champions League semi-final? They discuss the threat posed by the Spanish club, and also discuss the other semi-final, with sees AC Milan face Inter in a Milan Derby. (28:15)Molly Hudson joins the show to look back at a crucial game in the WSL, as Manchester United beat title rivals Arsenal to go top of the table. They also discuss the injury to the England captain Leah Williamson, and how it may impact both Arsenal and England. (38:15)The FA Cup semi-finals take place this weekend! Can Sheffield United cause an almighty upset and beat Manchester City? Is this also Brighton's best chance to reach the final? Do they have enough to beat Manchester United? (47:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy.Arsenal dropped more points in the title race at the weekend. Are they struggling under the pressure and will the title come down to the result of the game against Manchester City? (00:00)Ollie Watkins continued to impress for Aston Villa as they put Newcastle in their place. Could Unai Emery’s team make Europe? (17:28)Brighton have a knack of finding exciting young players with Julio Enciso the latest to impress - scoring the winner at Stamford Bridge. Tom Roddy has more about his exclusive story on the likely identity of Chelsea’s new manager (26:20)Dean Smith’s 600th game in management didn’t go to plan - with Leicester losing to Manchester City. Do the Foxes have a better chance of survival under him, though? (39:02)Bournemouth showed they’re up for the fight with a stunning victory against Spurs. Are the Tottenham fans losing focus on the action on the pitch? (49:22)We round up the rest of the games across the weekend - with several teams fighting for their lives in the Premier League (65:59)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tony Cascarino and Tom Clarke in London - and Gregor Robertson in Ghent.Chelsea have it all to do in their Champions League second leg against Real Madrid. Was Frank Lampard the best choice and did the club wait too long to part company with Graham Potter? (00:00)Manchester City have a lot less to worry about against Bayern Munich. Have they found form at the right time and will they finally achieve European glory? (22:07)Dean Smith is in at Leicester City. Is he a good choice and did the club miss a trick in keeping the faith with Brendan Rodgers for so long? (40:30)Liverpool are said to have cooled their interest in Jude Bellingham and Gregor tells us about his trip to Wrexham as we round up the other big stories of the week (52:26)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League football and discuss the biggest stories.Arsenal draw 2-2 away at Liverpool in a thrilling game to round off the weekend's football, but with the gap now just 6 points between them and Manchester City, are they still favourites to lift the title? What did the panel also make on Trent Alexander-Arnold's new position and his performance in general? (00:00)Aaron Ramsdale pulled off a string of fantastic saves in the draw at Anfield, but should the Arsenal goalkeeper now be considered England's Number 1? (18:30)What punishment should Assistant Referee Constantine Hatzidakis receive for his altercation with Andy Robertson? We discuss that and also how behaviour towards officials need to change, and what punishment will allow those changes to happen? (24:10)VAR was again the talking point at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Brighton lose 2-1 to Spurs in an incident packed game. The PGMOL have since apologised to Brighton for their error in not awarding them a penalty, but how can we stop the constant scrutiny on VAR decisions? (46:45)Bournemouth moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Leicester City, they discuss the job Gary O'Neill is doing on the South Coast and ask how worried fans should be about Leicester's bid to stay in the top flight? They also look back at a huge win for Crystal Palace against relegation rivals Leeds United. (54:50)Frank Lampard began his second stint in charge of Chelsea with a 1-0 defeat at Wolves, but what is the point of re-appointing him if they don't beat Real Madrid in the Champions League? (1:06:15)Ian Hawkey joins the show to look ahead to the week's Champions League action, and discuss how Bayern are faring ahead of meeting Manchester City, and how important it is to have the likes of Napoli and AC Milan in the latter stages. (1:10:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy to look back at the midweek Premier League football and discuss the biggest stories.Frank Lampard has return to Chelsea as their interim manager until the end of the season, but was it a right decision? Will that galvanize the players ahead of the Champions League, or should they have stuck with Potter if there permanent replacement will be appointed in the summer? (00:00)West Ham were thrashed 5-1 at home to Newcastle on Wednesday night, as the pressure ramps up on David Moyes. Should the club stick with him, or do they make a change to try and keep them in the league? (28:20)Are Newcastle now favourites to finish in the Top 4? How much credit does Eddie Howe deserve for recovering from a mini-blip last month to lead them to third in the Premier League table? (34:40)Nottingham Forest show their support to under-fire manager Steve Cooper, but if their eight-match winless run continues, should the club make a change, or is peer pressure from the supporters stopping the owners from sacking him? (38:00)Leicester City are still without a manager as they lost at home to in-form Aston Villa - do we consider Aston Villa to be a threat next season under Unai Emery? Who should replace Rodgers at Leicester, Martin O'Neill or Rafael Benitez? (44:56)Fulham's Aleksandr Mitrovic has been banned for 8 games for a push on referee Chris Kavanagh in their defeat to Manchester United last month, but is that the right amount of time, or does he deserve stronger punishment? (53:23)We end the show by looking ahead to huge games in the EFL and National League, as Burnley can be promoted back to the Premier League this weekend, and Wrexham face Notts County in a huge game at the top of England's fifth tier. (1:00:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League football.Graham Potter has been sacked as Chelsea manager after just 7 months in charge, we discuss where it went wrong for him, whether the ownership were at fault for hiring him in the first place, and who could potentially replace him at Stamford Bridge. (00:00)Aston Villa go to Stamford Bridge and win 2-0, and with the points tally since Unai Emery was appointed only bettered by 3 of the Top 4 in the Premier League, can they make a late charge for Europe? (25:25)Manchester City maintain their pressure on the league leaders Arsenal after dismantling Liverpool at the Etihad, but how poor were Liverpool, and should they start to conceding selling players such as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold? (28:50)Manchester United hold a dressing room inquest following their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, but is Erik ten Hag already ahead when it comes to his long-term project at the club? Was this defeat a gentle reminder of how much work needs to be done before they're challenging at the top again? (45:40)Brendan Rodgers leaves Leicester City by mutual consent - what can we do to ensure Premier League clubs are not just firing managers so frequently? Who do Leicester appoint in the interim? (59:48)We end the show by discussing the weekend's other Premier League football, as West Ham beat Southampton, Bournemouth beat Fulham and Brighton and Brentford share the spoils in a six-goal thriller. (1:11:09)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft to look back at the weekend's International football, and look ahead to the return of the Premier League.Scotland stun Spain with a 2-0 win at Hampden Park to top their Group after the first 2 games of Euro 2024 qualifying, how much credit should we give Steve Clarke for the job he has done with the national side, and what did we make of Rodri's comments about Scotland's style of play? (00:00)Wales begin life without Gareth Bale with 4 points from their first 2 games - but has the team now been allowed to express themselves without having to fit around his style of play? (16:30)What's going on at Spurs, and what's next for the club? They discuss the news that their Managing Director of Football Fabio Paratici's ban from football has been extended to worldwide. They also assess the job Daniel Levy has done at the club in the light of this story. (20:00)Roy Hodgson returns to the Premier League as Crystal Palace manager at the age of 75 when they host Leicester on Saturday, but have the club made a step back with his appointment, and what would the ramifications be if they were to be relegated? (39:20)The guys end the show by previewing the other big games and the bottom, and look ahead to a huge game at the top between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. (48:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino to look back at the weekend's International football.Spurs have parted company with Antonio Conte, was it always a marriage in hell? Does Daniel Levy deserve the criticism that has come his way? Is it more than just recruitment that's to blame? (00:00)The former Bayern Munich manager Julien Nagelsmann has been linked with the role, but will he be a good appointment, or shall they appoint someone left-field such as Vincent Kompany (19:55)Harry Kane surpasses Wayne Rooney to become England's all-time record goalscorer - is he the greatest England striker of all-time? (32:20)England begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with two wins from two - they reflect on a 2-0 win for England against Ukraine, and praise the performances of Bukayo Saka and James Maddison. (42:26)The guys reflect on the weekend's other International football, as Wales leave it late to secure a point against Croatia in Split, Scotland start their campaign off with a 3-0 thrashing of Cyprus, and the Republic of Ireland beat Latvia. (59:48)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke, Michael Grant & Matt LawtonMatt Lawton joins the show from Naples ahead of England's European Championship qualifier plus he gives an update on the protracted takeover of Manchester United.Is Gareth Southgate under pressure despite qualification for Euro 2024 not even underway?Michael Grant discusses Scotland as they play their first competitive fixture since September.And after Mesut Ozil announcing his retirement how should he be remembered? A Premier League legend or a wasted talent? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke & Tom Allnutt Antonio Conte lets rip at his players after throwing away a 3-1 lead at Southampton. Should Conte keep his job? And was his rant directed at the board or the players?Following the sacking of Patrick Vieira we discussed if that was the right decision. Still in 12th and after a tough run of fixtures should Vieira have been given more time?Leeds picked up a huge three points as they won at fellow relegation rivals Wolves.With Alexander Mitrovic losing his cool and being shown red for his actions at Old Trafford what should Mitrovic's punishment be?Paul Heckingbottom continued to work wonders at Sheffield United with promotion back to the Premier League on the cards and now an FA Cup semi final.Have Brighton unearthed another gem in Evan Ferguson? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Ian Hawkey and Jonathan Northcroft.Erling Haaland scored five goals in little over an hour for Manchester City in their 7-0 win over Leipzig. Can we finally put to bed the theory that he’s made their side worse? (00:00)Liverpool are out of the Champions League after a comprehensive defeat over two legs against Real Madrid. How much of a rebuild do they need to be back challenging in Europe? (21:50)Trent Alexander-Arnold is in the spotlight again after comments from Jamie Carragher. Is he reaching a crossroads in his career? (30:46)Hugh gets his random Champions League quarter finals generator out to see how the teams left in the competition could get matched up and could we see a new name from Italy on the trophy this season? (39:12)We share our favourite individual performances in the history of the Champions League, with a couple of surprise suggestions in the mix (45:00)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Gary Lineker will return to MOTD this weekend after everything that transpired over the last few days. Have you ever seen football presented in such a miserable way as they did on Saturday night? (00:00)Liverpool followed their thrashing of Manchester United with a 1-0 loss at Bournemouth. Can the south coast side stay up and will Liverpool bounce back to shock Real Madrid? (08:42)Everton got a much-needed win over Brentford. How can they stay in the Premier League and how important will Goodison Park be to them? (27:04)It’s been suggested that Ivan Toney is in line for another England call up - but should he be involved with the possibility of a lengthy ban on the horizon? (35:42)Leeds battled to get a point against Brighton - was Roberto De Zerbi’s disappointment a sign of how far Brighton have come? (39:36)How important was West Ham’s point against Aston Villa in their survival hopes under David Moyes? (46:17)We round up the rest of the weekend’s games with big wins for Chelsea and Spurs (53:13)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson & Tom Allnutt Is Graham Potter beginning to turn things around at Chelsea following back to back wins and Champions League progression?Another disappointing evening for Spurs as they crashed out of the Champions League against AC Milan.Is it time for Antonio Conte to leave and for the emotional return of Pochettino?Another year passes without Harry Kane winning a trophy. He is now approaching the final 12 months of is deal at Spurs so what of his future?Premier League preview as sides chasing Europe come up against sides at the other end of the table fighting relegation.After hitting Man United for 7 last week can Liverpool back it up with a big win over Bournemouth? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd & Matt DickinsonHistory is made at Anfield as Liverpool hit Man United for seven as the race for the top four hots up.Arsenal hitting back like champions? Reiss Nelson scoring late to seal a 3-2 comeback at The Emirates.Would missing out on the top 4 be an opportunity missed for Newcastle? Defeat to Man City sees them drop down to 6th.In how big trouble are Crystal Palace? Without a win since December!Despite a 4 nil defeat at Brighton why is David Moyes still safe at West Ham?Stay of execution for Graham Potter at Chelsea after a narrow 1 nil win at Stamford Bridge against Leeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Molly Hudson and Jonathan Northcroft.Grimsby triumph as Southampton reach and even lower low. Gregor’s former side are celebrating a famous cup win - but are the Saints doomed? (00:00)Sheffield United shine to knock Spurs out of the FA Cup. Despite better results, are Spurs actually playing any better at the moment? (15:58)Manchester United continued their good form to brush West Ham aside. Can they add a second domestic cup to their haul this season? (24:10)Liverpool made slight improvements to beat Wolves - but are they going to be shown up by United at the weekend? (30:57)Everton were blown away by Arsenal in the league. Will Sean Dyche be able to turn things around and if so, how? (36:12)Leeds United go to Chelsea looking for points against a side who can’t find form. Would a loss at the weekend be the final straw for Graham Potter? (42:14)The Continental Cup final takes place this weekend with Arsenal facing Chelsea. Molly tells us why Lauren James could be the key to a Chelsea win (50:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy to review the footballing weekend.Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Ian Hawkey & Tom AllnuttWhat is wrong with Liverpool at the moment? A heavy defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League first leg leaves their season in tatters.Is Erling Haaland the problem for Man City? Struggling for goals and drawing away to RB Leipzig in the Champions LeagueJavi Gracia returns to the Premier League. The former Watford manager has signed a 'flexible contract' with Leeds.And we look ahead to the Carabao Cup final as Manchester United take on Newcastle United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke & Tony Cascarino. The title race continues to hot up as Arsenal score two late goals to secure the points against Aston Villa, whilst Man City can only draw at Nottingham ForestIt's another defeat for Chelsea and Graham Potter..how many more can he oversee before the dreaded axe is dropped?Wins for Bournemouth, Everton & Southampton made things even tighter towards the bottom as West Ham dropped back into the bottom 3. Should David Moyes keep his job? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy, Ian Hawkey - with Tom Clarke.The master beat the apprentice as Manchester City took the Premier League lead from Arsenal. Are the wheels starting to come off for Mikel Arteta’s side? (00:00)Chelsea will have to win at Stamford Bridge to progress in the Champions League after a 1-0 loss away at Borussia Dortmund. Is the lack of a striker going to continue to haunt them until the end of the season? (20:38)Tom Roddy joins us from Dortmund fresh from his sit-down interview with Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller, as he continues his comeback from testicular cancer (33:28)Tottenham also need to win at home to make the last 8 of the Champions League, but should they be quietly confident against AC Milan? (37:46)Bayern got the better of PSG and Ian Hawkey casts his expert eye over where both European giants find themselves at present (43:54)Southampton and Leeds are still on the lookout for new managers ahead of their meeting on Saturday. Just how important is the Premier League match at Elland Road? (49:50)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Clarke.Southampton have parted company with Nathan Jones after a whirlwind 95 days in charge. Does this actually go down as the worst Premier League appointment ever? (00:00)City cut Arsenal’s lead to 3 points with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa. Do they have the momentum to overtake the Gunners and leave them in the dust? (18:15)VAR was once again a huge talking point over the weekend, with changes for the next couple of games already made by the PGMOL (38:24)Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham - did another mistake in that game hold them back? (45:48)Spurs lost 4-1 at Leicester City. Are their inconsistency problems ever going to be solved and where will they realistically finish this season? (53:16)We round up the rest of the games with Alyson giving special praise to a Fulham defender (60:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft, Tom Clarke and Gregor RobertsonLeeds sacked Jesse Marsch this week and are now on the hunt for a new manager but is there a long term plan strategy in place? Why didn't it work out for Marsch and should the owners take more of the blame for Leeds' current position in the table? (00:00)Manchester United came back from 2-0 down to draw with Leeds last night, was this a missed opportunity for them to put pressure on Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race and how pleased will Erik Ten Haag be to see Jadon Sancho back amongst the goals? (10.30)It was reported that the investigation into Manchester City's alleged financial breaches could take 2-4 years to be resolved, should more focus be put on the timing of this announcement by the Premier League this week with increased reports of a proposed independent regulator for the Premier League? (21:40)Pressure is on Southampton and manager Nathan Jones with uncertainty over his future, can they get a result against Wolves this weekend? If they don't, should Nathan Jones stay or go? (37:14)Are questions now starting to be asked of Arsenal ahead of their game vs Brentford this weekend? Should we be expecting more from Chelsea and Graham Potter now? Can Sean Dyche add to Liverpool's woes in the Merseyside Derby? (47:54)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When two actors decided to buy non-league football club Wrexham AFC, they brought the cameras with them to document every moment. With the Hollywood lights came a large injection of cash and mass media interest, but what has it meant for the club, the community - and for football more widely?Guest: Gregor Robertson, former professional footballer and columnist, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Welcome to Wrexham/FX, Sky News, Wrexham AFC, Beanyman Sports2, The Emirates FA Cup, BBC Sport, Times Radio, Deadpool/20th Century Fox/Marvel Entertainment, CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC Good Morning America, talkSPORT, ESPN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino - with Martyn Ziegler.Sean Dyche started his Everton career with a 1-0 win over leaders, Arsenal. Can he continue to make progress as the season continues? (00:00)Arsenal were let off by City’s loss at Tottenham but how will Mikel Arteta and the team react to this bump in the road? (13:40)Manchester City’s form continues to show signs of cracking - what can we take from Pep’s comments and recent team decisions? (19:25)Harry Kane becomes Spurs’ all-time top goalscorer - but is he better than Alan Shearer? (33:26)Liverpool lose again and this time it wasn’t even close. Are Jurgen Klopp and his players suffering from both physical and mental exhaustion? (39:19)The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter, Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss the breaking news about Manchester City’s alleged rule breaking (52:21)We round up the rest of the weekend’s games with Forest and Brentford feeling positive while pressure mounts on Leeds and Southampton (56:38)Chelsea and Leicester did business at the end of the transfer window and it seems like they’ve made some wise purchases (70:08)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, James Restall and Tom Allnutt - with Tom Roddy.Newcastle are through to their first final since 1999 - how significant is this moment in the club’s history? (00:00)Chelsea signed eight players in January. Does Graham Potter have a problem on his hands and how did they get around FFP whilst spending so much? (13:20)Everton failed to sign any players in the January transfer window - does Sean Dyche have any hope of keeping them in the Premier League? (42:07)Plenty of other deadline day deals went though - we take a look at the winners and losers in the window (55:20)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy.The master beat the apprentice in the FA Cup fourth round - what did we learn from Manchester City vs Arsenal on Saturday? (00:00)Brighton beat Liverpool for the second time this season - but was it actually unexpected given their league position? (15:28)Wrexham nearly caused a huge upset against Sheffield United. Is it hard to deny the positive impact the Hollywood investment has had on the club? (33:52)Everton have appointed Sean Dyche as their new manager. Is he the man to save them from relegation and what does he need to do as soon as he takes charge? (48:31)Anthony Gordon has finally moved to Newcastle - is he worth the reported £45m transfer fee? (55:34)Chelsea have added another player in the last few days and they’re not stopping there as Tom Roddy brings us some behind-the-scenes information on another potential incoming at Stamford Bridge (60:22)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Molly Hudson, Tom Clarke and Gregor RobertsonNewcastle get closer to a domestic cup final date at Wembley after beating Southampton in the first leg of the Carabao Cup Semi-Final but is their attack struggling? What does the future look like for Southampton with their Premier League status up in the air? (00:00)Manchester United breeze past Nottingham Forest in the other Carabao Cup Semi-Final first leg but were Forest actually that bad despite losing 3-0? Is Weghorst going to be an important player for Erik Ten Haag after scoring his first goal for the club? (07:48)Everton sacked manager Frank Lampard this week and now the focus is on who his replacement could be. Is Marcelo Bielsa or Sean Dyche the answer and what are the expectations of Everton fans currently? (19:57)Manchester City face Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup this weekend, can we expect a classic? Will Guardiola overthink his team selection too much? (33:58)After Chelsea vs Liverpool in the WSL was abandoned after six minutes at the weekend, what can be done about frozen pitches at this time of year and why does the WSL deserve better? (45:45)With the Premier League Player of the Month nominees being announced, the team offer their opinions on their alternative Player of the Month candidates. (53:27)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Clarke and Tony Cascarino.Manchester United were beaten by a late minute goal at Arsenal - but did their performance show how far they’ve come under Erik ten Hag? In this extended conversation about the club, we look at which players are stepping up, what they did wrong against the Gunners and how ten Hag’s signings are fitting in (00:00)Everton have fired Frank Lampard. At the time of recording, the news wasn’t confirmed - but heavily rumoured. Was Lampard ever going to succeed and was he actually given longer than other managers would have been? (33:26)West Ham got the win they needed to ease some of the pressure on their manager, David Moyes. Will they turn the corner and will the Scotsman still be in charge at the London Stadium in the summer? (49:51)Manchester City showed they have no intention of giving up the title challenge - but despite another hat trick, are they still hampered by Haaland? (54:07)Liverpool vs Chelsea really wasn’t the game we all hoped it would be. Is it any surprise the fixture was a mid-table encounter? (63:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Molly Hudson and Tom Allnutt - with Matt Lawton.Manchester United were denied second place in the Premier League table by a stunner at Selhurst Park and how much of an impact will this weekend’s game against Arsenal have on the title race? (00:00)Matt Lawton joins us to discuss The Times exclusive that David Moyes is set to be sacked by West Ham if they lose to Everton on Saturday (20:56)We also get the latest on the sale of Manchester United as Sir Jim Ratcliffe shows his hand early in negotiations (25:19)A landmark case saw former Lyon footballer Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir win a maternity case against the club. What does this mean for future cases? (32:23)John Yems received a 15-month ban for breaching discrimination rules. The FA are considering an appeal - so was his punishment too lenient? (42:44)A new VAR trial is planned for the Club World Cup - but are high profile tournaments the place to test new ideas? (54:22)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League action,Are Manchester United now in a title race? What did you make of their performance at Old Trafford - has Erik ten Hag turned them back into an elite football club again? How do Manchester City adapt to playing with Erling Haaland? (00:00)Should Bruno Fernandes' controversial equaliser stood? We discuss whether the officials, or the law was to blame for that incident? (13:15)Are Arsenal now the genuine favourites for the Premier League title after their 2-0 win over Spurs? Is Conte partly to blame for Spurs' recent woes so far this season? Were you surprised at how easy Arsenal made this victory look? (20:43)What now for Everton and Frank Lampard after yet another home defeat? How important was this week in Southampton's season - can they now stay up? Reflecting on James Ward-Prowse's new role in the Southampton midfield. Everton face a relegation six-pointer against West Ham this weekend (36:38)A huge win for Graham Potter and Chelsea? Are Crystal Palace starting to look over their shoulders? (56:20)Liverpool are thrashed 3-0 at Brighton in what Jurgen Klopp describes as the worst performance he's seen - how big are the club's issues? Do we need to start praising Brighton more for their recent run of form under Roberto De Zerbi? (1:00:00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft to look back at the Carabao Cup action, and preview the weekend's Premier League fixtures.Newcastle reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals as they move one step closer to ending their long run without winning a trophy - how important would it be for the club to win silverware this season? (00:00)Nathan Jones eases the pressure on his job as Southampton beat Manchester City in their quarter-final last night, how crucial is their trip to Everton at the weekend - has he changed the opinions of the Saints supporters? (06:15)Will Everton manager Frank Lampard lose his job if he loses against Southampton on Saturday? How much pressure is on him to get a result (13:45)How important was it for Nottingham Forest to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals? Praising the job Steve Cooper is doing at the football club (20:00)Previewing the Manchester Derby - is this the time where Erik ten Hag's side can finally compete against their local rivals? Are City showing signs of decline under Pep Guardiola? What is this crazy idea he has spoken about? (21:15)Will Arsenal show their continued title credentials and beat Spurs in the North London Derby? How will the game pan out, do Spurs have to be the more physical side? (35:55)Discussing the legacy of Gareth Bale - how will he be remembered following his retirement from the game last week? (45:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Chelsea were humbled by Manchester City in the FA Cup, hours after they lost to the same opponents in the Premier League. Is Graham Potter already doomed? (00:00)Stevenage and Wrexham both caused upsets, but it was Hugh that was most upset when a debate over club ownership took over (24:58)Newcastle lost to Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest didn’t enjoy their trip to the seaside and Burnley showed Bournemouth why they’re top of the Championship (47:56)Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Wolves provided a handful of talking points - including Hugh’s favourite subject.. VAR (58:14)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Molly Hudson.Southampton are still rooted to the bottom of the Premier League after a 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest. The fans are already turning on Nathan Jones, but was his appointment a mistake? (00:00)Nottingham Forest are out of the relegation zone with that win - has Steve Cooper turned a corner as his almost entirely new squad seems to finally gel? (13:24)West Ham let a lead slip to only take a point home from Leeds. Can David Moyes turn it around if he’s given time? (17:34)Everton continue their slide towards the bottom three after an embarrassing 4-0 loss at home to Brighton. What’s going so wrong at Goodison? (26:55)Spurs made up for their New Year’s Day loss to Aston Villa with a 4-0 win away at Crystal Palace. Are Antonio Conte’s concerns realistic? (35:46)Arsenal and Newcastle drew at the Emirates. Did we actually learn anything from the game? (46:38)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd.Tottenham lost at home to Aston Villa and Antonio Conte with some classic deflection - but are Spurs fans expecting too much of the team? (00:00)Aston Villa were impressive once again under Unai Emery. How far can he take them? (19:30)Chelsea were eventually lucky to get a point, away at Nottingham Forest. Is Graham Potter too different to what the club are used to? (23:17)Arsenal continue to impress and Martin Ødegaard is at the centre of it all. Can this form continue until the end of the season? (46:15)Everton showed you can get into Erling Haaland’s head as they held Manchester City to a draw. How can they escape the relegation battle they’re in? (55:50)West Ham are also in trouble, but David Moyes is remaining upbeat. Fulham continue to impress as Marco Silva finds the right balance and are Southampton doomed? (62:49)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd, with Paul Joyce and Martin Hardy.Erling Haaland picked up where he left off for Manchester City, but are they still the team to beat - despite Arsenal’s lead? (00:00)Arsenal are five points clear at the top of the Premier League after the first games after the World Cup - can they continue this form and what did we make of Arsene Wenger’s return to the Emirates? (09:15)West Ham are 16th and a point from the relegation zone. What’s gone wrong at the London Stadium and how long can David Moyes last if results don’t change? (18:28)Liverpool have added Cody Gakpo to their squad. Paul Joyce broke the story in The Times and he joins us to discuss their ‘stealth’ approach to transfers (26:08)Newcastle were briefly in second place earlier in the week - but can they actually maintain a title challenge or should they focus on the top four? (39:09)Wolves have made a managerial change and it’s already showing signs of working - should Everton do the same? (48:55)Dean Smith has left Norwich after 13 months in charge - who do they go with to replace him? (58:08)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.