'Who'd have thought Everton would turn into the great entertainers?!...'

Mark, Bridgey and Phil are back this week with a bumper weekend ahead:

• Liverpool keep dropping points... are they vulnerable ahead of their biggest clash of the year?
• Conversely, with a City side smarting from a Champions League loss.... are they on a hiding to nothing?
• Our guys choose which match is worth losing sleep over: Newcastle v Forest or Aston Villa v Chelsea?

Watch EVERY Premier League match, every week on Optus Sport.

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Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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

Schwarzie and Phil are joined by Bridgey to reflect on Spurs' win over a 'decaying' Manchester United team that are really struggling. Phil also updates us on how Antony is doing in La Liga since leaving Old Trafford...and it's not a good look for his former employers. 

Meanwhile Arsenal are dealing with their injury crisis well so far, as Mikel Merino scores twice in his first ever runout at centre-forward. But can they still win challenge Liverpool for the title? Chelsea on the other hand are heading in the opposite direction.

And after Ederson became the goalkeeper with the most Premier League assists, Schwarzie also talks very proudly of his only one, which was mostly thanks to Yakubu.

Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

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

'You keep Cole Palmer quiet.. the creativity is gone from that side...'

After a dashing weekend of FA Cup football, the big league returns with the Premier League and matchweek 25. Mark Schwarzer and Jay Bothroyd outline three juicy fixtures for this weekend including:

• City and Newcastle's big clash and the #9 that Jay anoints as the world's best.
• STACKs of goals as Jay and Mark both predict Ange and Spurs to bounce back from a very forgettable week against a battling Manchester United!
• Brighton and Chelsea renew their recent rivalry, but will the Londoners flip the result?

Watch EVERY Premier League match, every week on Optus Sport.

-----------

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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

Schwarzie is joined by Jay Bothroyd after watching Ange's Spurs slump to another defeat, this time against Aston Villa in the FA Cup Fourth Round. We also hear from Ange himself after the game chatting to Schwarzie, as well as Morgan Rogers.

The guys also reflect on Plymouth's historic victory over Liverpool and come to terms with the fact that no VAR in the FA Cup has made us miss technology!

Every episode of the FA Cup is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

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

'We played Mourinho's Chelsea... I got as many touches as Erling Haaland!'

It's the triumphant return of two massive entities this week on the podcast: 1) The Emirates FA Cup fourth round is back on Optus Sport - every game - and 2) Jay Bothroyd is back to stir the lads up as Mark Schwarzer and Phil Kitromilides try and not take the bait.

• The lads once again reminisce on the magic of the Cup and the great stories that it creates
• What a massive week for Tottenham as they try and parlay their breakthrough league win into EFL Cup AND FA Cup victories!
• Coventry City's Frank Lampard reveals his breakthrough Aussie gun (see the full interviews on the Optus Sport app NOW!)
• Can the Sky Blues take down the Tractor Boys? 2/3 of our guys think they can!

Watch EVERY Emirates FA Cup match on Optus Sport.

-----------

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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

In this special edition of the Optus Sport Football Podcast, Schwarzie is at Coventry City ahead of their FA Cup Fourth Round clash against Ipswich Town to chat to Frank Lampard and young Aussie Raphael Borges Rodrigues.

Lampard sings Rapha's praises, not only saying he's ready to make an impact in the team, but also how his mentality reminds him of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney!

Rapha on the other hand speaks at length about his footballing career so far and what drives him to success - as well as opening the lid on a secret WhatsApp group of young Aussies in Europe!

Every match of the FA Cup fourth round is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

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

Schwarzie and Phil are reunited with Jay Bothroyd as he basks in the glory of Arsenal's momentous victory over Manchester City. 

The guys also discuss Arsenal's exuberant youth players, Liverpool not showing any signs of slowing down and why Ruben Amorim continues to struggle at Manchester United.

And, in classic Jay style, the pod gets derailed into comparing Erling Haaland to Gerd Muller and Alexander Isak; whilst Mick McCarthy also gets a mention for not liking Jay's car or his diamond earrings!

Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

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

'BOURNEMOUTH CAN GET THE JOB DONE HERE!...'

Another week, another set of stunning fixtures ahead in the Premier League! Phil Kitromilides, Michael Bridges and Julien Laurens are here with stacks to preview:

• Manchester City and Arsenal renew their modern-day rivalry...but is it as much of a blockbuster as it has been of late?
• One which is undeniably mouth-watering is Bournemouth v Liverpool - can the Cherries continue their sparkling season and shake up the title race?
• We hear from Bournemouth's Lewis Cook on how they will approach this giant fixture.
• Chelsea take on West Ham in what has been dubbed 'PotterRico' or, to be more clear: The Graham Potter Cup.

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Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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

With Schwarzie on his monthly holiday, Phil is left to host Bridgey and Juls to pick the bones out of a Premier League weekend which saw Ange's problems grow, Bournemouth flying and Robert Sanchez continuing to struggle in goal for Chelsea. 

Phil also sets about debunking the Arsenal referee conspiracy theories...until everyone jumps on board with it!

Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

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

'You're 13th in the table...YOU'RE MANCHESTER UNITED!...'

There are several mouthwatering fixtures this weekend in the Premier League, and while some have blockbuster status, there are others that have Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens excited to watch for *different* reasons:

• Manchester City v Chelsea will be massive...but has the title race already reached the end?
• Would Cole Palmer's sparkling individual form be at the same level had he stayed in the Manchester City setup?
• Manchester United seem 'crippled with insecurity' and are tipped to put no 'another awful performance' against Fulham. Is this harsh or fair by the Optus Sport Football Podcast lads?
• Bournemouth take on forest in one of the unlikeliest 'match of the round' contenders in recent seasons.
• We hear from Kiwi international and Forest star Chris Wood ahead of this one.

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Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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