After a Boxing Day full of goals and surprises, Natalie Sawyer is back alongside Alyson Rudd, Alan Smith and Paul Hirst to digest it all.

Manchester City had lost 2 out of 61 Premier League games and have now lost 3 of their last 4 after defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium. Are they simply missing the fatherly Fernandinho? And with Liverpool now 7 points clear of the champions, are the Reds only set to improve under Jurgen Klopp?

As for the Foxes, it’s been an incredible Christmas but does Claude Puel’s persona count against him? And does he have the power or is it the players?

Burnley are battered on Boxing Day 5-1 by Everton. Have they lost sense of who they are and how do they turn things around? And is Sean Dyche’s job safe no matter what?

Plus with Tottenham making it 11 goals in 2 games and with this season on course to be the highest scoring season in Premier League history, we ask whether the disparity between the haves and the have-nots is the contributing factor. And outside of Liverpool, is any team actually defending well?

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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It’s Christmas Eve but Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are hard at work bringing you The Game podcast from The Times with Henry Winter and Gary Jacob.

It’s time to critique an incredible Crystal Palace performance at the Etihad as they beat the champions Manchester City. It’s a result that sends Liverpool 4 points clear at the top of the table but Henry Winter is quick to highlight the humility of Jurgen Klopp’s squad. Including perhaps the most important player in the league, Virgil Van Dijk.

Tottenham thrash Everton 6-2 but how big will the January transfer window be in terms of providing a clue as to Mauricio Pochettino’s future? And how big is the window for the top 4 hopes of Chelsea and Arsenal?

Manchester United put 5 past Cardiff in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game in charge. Can United be accused of cheating Jose Mourinho or are they just a group of very good players? And has Solskjaer been given the remit to show off some of the lesser seen stars?

Plus we look at Mike Dean’s flamboyant behaviour, Neil Warnock’s hair and Ralph Hasenhüttl in Rocky II.

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In a special episode, Alyson Rudd sits down at Sky Sports with the voice of football - Martin Tyler.

We talk about Martin's days as a non-league striker at Wealdstone, his beginnings in broadcasting and the mechanics and workings of his commentary career. Whether he's stressed in Seville or lauding Rickie Lambert, this is the story of an iconic figure within the game we love as we discuss what makes Tyler tick.

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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd, Oliver Kay and James Gheerbrant to discuss the biggest football story of the season, that being the sacking of Jose Mourinho as Manchester United manager.

In the eyes of the panel, there’s no conspiracy theory here. Mourinho was given money and support and didn’t deliver the major silverware the club expected. How much damage has been done to his reputation? Where now for one of the game’s most decorated managers? Has the modern manager and modern player left him behind?

Former Fulham defender Brede Hangeland speaks to us about the man who will be caretaker at Old Trafford until the end of the season, his former Norway team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Hangeland tells us he’s never seen one man so influenced by one person as Solskjaer is by Sir Alex Ferguson.

As Tottenham win 2-0 at the Emirates in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, we look at this from the Spurs perspective. Is Mauricio Pochettino to Old Trafford really a no-brainer of a decision? And could Daniel Levy bleed United dry?

Paddy von Behr provides 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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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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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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Natalie Sawyer is joined by Alyson Rudd, Henry Winter and Matthew Syed to discuss a weighty issue in the world of football.

Raheem Sterling was allegedly the victim of racist abuse during Manchester City’s defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

On Sunday, Sterling took to social media and said that newspapers fuel racism when it comes to young black players. The panel discuss whether incidents like the one at Stamford Bridge stem from sub-consciously negative coverage of young black players. And does that create a climate from which a more extreme form of racism can flourish in grounds around the country?

On the field, with Liverpool overtaking City into top spot, do we have a proper title race on our hands? Has hat-trick hero Mo Salah just put the fear of God into Premier League defences? And how will the Reds fare against Napoli in their Champions League decider?

Plus with Cardiff making 4 home wins out of 5 and climbing to 14th, were we all too quick to write the Bluebirds and Neil Warnock off?

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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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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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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Henry Winter and Gary Jacob ahead of a huge weekend of Premier League action.

Tottenham have beaten Chelsea and Inter Milan this week and the panel praise Pochettino for not playing the percentages. Next up is the North London derby. The battle between Ozil and Eriksen could be crucial but how much longer will those players be at their respective clubs?

Looking ahead to the Merseyside derby, and with Liverpool losing away in the Champions League again, do they lack a dominant figure in midfield? And can Sigurdsson seize control on Sunday for Everton?

Plus it’s another week of Mourinho behaving erratically. No Pogba, Lukaku or Sanchez selected for the Champions League clash with Young Boys. Should United have done their research before signing Sanchez? Should Mourinho have been more careful in his reaction to Rashford? And is he fuelling the negativity around the club?

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 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.