The Game

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 

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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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The Premier League is back and so are Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti, aided admirably by Bill Edgar and George Caulkin.

It’s a big weekend at the bottom with Ranieri taking charge of Fulham for the first time against fellow strugglers Southampton. Can Claudio cook up some chemistry? What will he do with Seri and Sessegnon? And are we about to witness the end of Mark Hughes’s managerial career in the Premier League?

We have witnessed the end of Martin O’Neill’s tenure as Republic of Ireland manager. Is it all about results for the Irish, or should they be looking to evolve in the world of football? Possibly with Stephen Kenny at the helm?

Plus Paul Joyce joins us to discuss his article for The Times on the injury epidemic in the Premier League, specifically those suffered by players at top 6 clubs who featured heavily at the World Cup. In the hectic schedule, are managers and players short-sighted in their approach to rest and recuperation?

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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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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It’s not quite awards season but with a third of the Premier League season gone, Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Gregor Robertson and Matt Furniss from Opta to review the best and worst performers of the campaign so far.

There’s plenty of love for Wolves while we also try to determine what went wrong for Jokanovic at Fulham.

It’s been a better season than you think for Hugo Lloris as we look back at the best goalkeepers.

Howe and Pochettino are up there with the best managers. But were we expecting more from Lukaku, Keita and Walcott?

Plus we welcome the best newcomers and the fact that Isaac Success has been steering clear of the Baileys.

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Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd and Oliver Kay after a massive Manchester derby.

Events at the Etihad throw up a number of questions. Is Jose Mourinho getting the best out of this United squad? How have they spent so much to look so average? And despite a slender lead at the top of the table, is it inevitable that City will retain the title?

After another virtuoso display from David Silva, we ask is he the player of this Premier League season so far? Or are Virgil Van Dijk and Eden Hazard more valuable to their clubs and therefore more deserving? Plus there’s some love shown to David Brooks of Bournemouth.

And with international duty around the corner, Jadon Sancho produces another super showing as Dortmund defeat Bayern in the Bundesliga. Just how excited should England fans be about this young talent?

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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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