With the action at Anfield making for slim pickings, we turn to the spreadsheets in search of fresh narrative. The results MIGHT surprise you...

There's also Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, Peter Walton's idea of acceptable dissent, Phil Foden's latest betrayal of Pep Guardiola and a clash of fire and ice in prospect on the shores of the Red Sea.

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Liam Brady brought the house down at our end-of-year live show last week, arriving with anecdotes full of insight, levity and physical comedy that were warmly received by the Liberty Hall crowd and our World Service members alike.

Elsewhere, Ken has been marvelling at Manchester United's ill-fated Champions League campaign which has served us up a six-part series of appointment-television, dramatic perfection fit for an Emmy Award.

To join go to secondcaptains.com/join - it's a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and we're independent and Irish owned.

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Leinster went to war in La Rochelle, and at the fourth time of asking against ROG's team, got the win they craved. It won't make up for the last three seasons in Europe, but it was a deeply satisfying win.

We chat to Shane Horgan and Murray Kinsella of The42 about Frawley's monster kick to seal it, the levels of animosity between these two teams, and Leinster's toughness, tackle technique and lineout masterclass.

There's also Munster's weak set piece, Connacht taking a hammering at home and Ulster's roll of the managerial dice.

And Ken gives us his take on Wiffen's short-course world record.

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A great weekend for Unai Emery and Lewis Dobbin, not only because they were winning but because they were celebrating in the right way, according to the people who pay attention to these things.

Manchester United's 0-3 defeat to Bournemouth came as no surprise to Mystic Murph - but Erik ten Hag's team selection did. Still, if the title of Sir Big Jim's new book is anything to go by, help is on the way.

Lars Sivertsen and Gavin Cooney join us to talk about the weekend's football. Is Emi Martinez emerging as Mikel Arteta's biggest transfer mistake that nobody really noticed at the time? Why might Martin Odegaard be struggling to hit the levels of last season? And how long can Chelsea hide in the shadows from their own reckoning?

Gavin also brings us up to speed with some of the happenings of the FAI AGM on Saturday.

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After what could be considered one of the greatest performances in the club's storied history, it’s time to welcome a new force into the world of Premier League superclubs - Unai Emery's Aston Villa. Miguel Delaney and Rory Smith joined us to delve into their past and ask if they truly are contenders for this year's title.

Plus, Malachy Clerkin and Sinead O'Carroll were in studio this week to review the best sports books of 2023. This time around, with the added wrinkle of having a book written by one of our judges on the shortlist.

It's been a mega week on the World Service and there's so much more to come. To join go to secondcaptains.com/join - it's a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and we're independent and Irish owned.

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In front of 8,100 fans in a packed out Sportsground, Connacht had Leinster beat; until the very death when Ciaran Frawley broke their hearts. We discuss the many ebbs and flows of psychic energy in this game and whether the pain will linger for Connacht.

Gerry Thornley was in Galway to witness a deeply flawed Leinster display and a thrilling Mack Hansen comeback. We also discuss Munster's magic attack, Ulster's internal strife and big Thomas Ahern's shot at being a starter in Europe.

Plus there's Match Of The Day McDevitt, Big Sam's hat and Ronnie O'Sullivan's numbers.

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We can be sure that Friday's live show guest Sam Allardyce would have been appalled at the spectacle of City 3-3 Spurs.

For the rest of us it was pretty good. Spurs' devotion to their apparently suicidal gameplan, Kulusevski arriving at the back post like the wrath of god, Haaland screaming at the ref for calling it back as Grealish ran through - and Pep revealing in his post-game comments that he is a Master & Commander guy. 

John Brewin and Rich Jolly join us to talk about some of the weekend's action. Has Ange Postecoglou proved he is the real deal? What has gone wrong for Jack Grealish this season? Why is there such a wave of anger towards Marcus Rashford from Manchester United fans? And will Jadon Sancho succeed in outlasting Erik ten Hag? 

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It turns out that Irish footballers literally cannot stop scoring and creating goals right now. Does this make the Ireland job the hottest vacant property in world football? 

The weekend brought the sad news of Terry Venables' death at the age of 80. We look back on the broadcasting masterclass that ended Venables' chances of managing Ireland back when the job paid a lot more than it does now.

We also talk about the anti-corruption protest at Everton and whether the Everton fans really are on to something about the corruption of the Premier League. 

There is even time to talk about a very 1230ish edition of Man City v Liverpool. 

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"Don't ever doubt me again" - Ireland, consider yourself told. 

Katie Taylor avenged her only professional defeat with an exceptional points victory over Chantelle Cameron in the 3Arena on Saturday night, with a performance that franks her boxing greatness and rubber-stamps her place as one of Ireland's most beloved sports-people. 

We speak to former middle-weight world champion Andy Lee and the42's Gavan Casey about an extraordinary atmosphere, a display for the ages, and the possibility of a final act for the trilogy. 

There appears to be widespread enthusiasm for the idea of Croke Park hosting Taylor/Cameron III, but one of our presenting team is intent on bringing down the mood... and it's not the Croke Park area resident in our midst either. 

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