The Daily Football Briefing

Tottenham lost 3-2 in Istanbul, but that scoreline really doesn’t tell the whole story. Jay Harris does though because he was there. Man Utd beat PAOK Salonika 2-0, but Carl Anka still isn’t happy. Meanwhile, I watched Ajax who, seven months on from getting spanked 6-0 by Feyenoord, appear to be back in business.  Abi Paterson has got the Conference League covered, she spoke to Simon Johnson who was at Stamford Bridge for a goal frenzy to rival Abi’s pun frenzy… It’s all here and you should be too. Click the button now. Go on. Live a little.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Carl Anka, Jay Harris, Simon Johnson Producer: Abi Paterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it time for Arsenal fans to panic? They lost to Newcastle at the weekend, they lost to Inter on Wednesday night. They’ve actually only won two of their last six and one of them was against Preston. James McNicholas has some soothing words.  Nothing will soothe Tyrone Mings pride after an extraordinary misjudgement saw him give away a crucial penalty in Bruges to condemn Aston Villa to their first defeat in the competition. Jacob Tanswell was there. Plus, we’ve got Pol Ballus in Belgrade for another Barcelona goal fest and Thom Harris was Paris for a surprise result that leaves PSG outside the qualification spots… Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: James McNicholas, Thom Harris, Jacob Tanswell and Pol Ballus   Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wow. Manchester City were torn apart by Sporting in Lisbon and there will be a rush to say that this really sets the tone for the future of the Manchester rivalry. Does it though? Sam Lee was there, we’ll find out what he thinks. Seb Stafford Bloor usually covers German football so he’s a useful, fresh set of eyes on Real Madrid. Because they are absolutely awful right now.  James Pearce was at Anfield to see yet another Liverpool victory, this time over a team managed by the man most supporters initially thought should have replaced Jurgen Klopp. I bet they don’t think that now. We’ve got all the rest of the Champions League news, so stick this in your ears immediately and you’ll be up to speed in no time.    Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: James Pearce, Sam Lee, Seb Stafford Bloor Producer: Abi Paterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arsenal are losing their sporting director Edu…to Nottingham Forest. Sort of. James McNicholas joins us to explain more.  The Champions League is back! Do you remember what was going on? Could you tell me right now who’s top and who’s second? Probably not, so we’ve previewed the whole thing for you. Plus, we’ve got all the news from Monday’s games including Fulham’s stunning late win against Brentford. Listen here. Now. It’s not like you have anything better to do.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: James McNicholas Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not so much for supporters of other title contenders, however. Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all lost, Liverpool won and Nottingham Forest have sneaked into third place. Who saw that coming? We’ve got all the scores from around the world including Napoli’s shock defeat to Atalanta, as described by James Horncastle. We’ve got Bayer Leverkusen dropping more points, but it’s nothing to worry about according to Seb Stafford Bloor. We’ve got Abi Paterson with all the WSL action. And there’s all the most important updates from all the leagues I run on a game of Football Manager. (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Turkey and the USA, obviously. I’d run Belgium, but I just don’t understand it.)  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Carl Anka, Jack Pitt Brooke, Abi Paterson, James Horncastle, Seb Stafford Bloor Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester United aren’t wasting any time. They sacked Erik Ten Hag on Monday and they reached agreement with Sporting over Ruben Amorim on Thursday. Laurie Whitwell joins us to explain what’s been happening.  And how good are Bayern Munich really? They’re unbeaten in the Bundesliga, but that Barcelona result was pretty rough. Seb Stafford Bloor has been watching them and he’s written an assessment for The Athletic which he helpfully condenses for us here.  Plus how much trouble are Man City in and why? And will Arsenal’s wonderkid keep his place in the team? Find out here.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Laurie Whitwell, Seb Stafford Bloor, Sam Lee Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester United had a rare fun night at work on Wednesday, levelling Leicester City in an enjoyable 5-2 victory. Casemiro scored twice. Twice! Laurie Whitwell was there.  Manchester City are out at the hand of Spurs, which means this competition is now wide open. Jack Pitt Brooke was watching.  We had people at Aston Villa for their defeat to Crystal Palace, Brighton for Liverpool’s win, Preston for Arsenal’s teenage goalkeeper and Liam Twomey was watching Chelsea on the telly. And we’ve got all the big scores from elsewhere including another very good night for Aberdeen.    Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Laurie Whitwell, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Andy Jones, Jordan Campbell, Jacob Tanswell and Liam Twomey.  Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s the latest on Manchester United’s hunt for a new manager? Laurie Whitwell joins us with an update. Ruben Amorim is the man they want and they are in a hurry to get this done.  Southampton survived a bit of a scare against Stoke City, they’re through to the last eight. Brentford needed penalties to beat Sheffield Wednesday. But they were brilliant penalties.  Napoli are top of Serie A, Dortmund are out of the DFB Pokal and we’ve got loads of other scores from around the world too.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Jay Harris, Laurie Whitwell Producer: Steve Hankey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s felt like it’s been coming for some time, so how quickly will Manchester United look to replace Erik ten Hag following news of his departure on Monday? Carl Anka looks back on a frantic day at Old Trafford and what t expect under current interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, although could Sporting’s Ruben Amorim be on his way in imminently? Sam Lee has been watching events at the Ballon d’Or, where Real Madrid are really not happy and they’ve let everybody know about it. Plus, all the scores from Monday’s action and news from the rest of Europe including an injury blow for Brighton, a new club for Mario Balotelli and the Italy legend who could be set for a sensational return to Serie A at the age of FORTY EIGHT! Need something to read? Catch up with David Ornstein and Adam Crafton’s insight into Manchester United’s move for Ruben Amorim: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5880077/2024/10/28/manchester-united-manager-next-ruben-amorim/ Need something to listen to? The Athletic FC podcast looks back on how it all went so badly wrong for Erik ten Hag: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcast/144-athletic-football-podcast/episode-921/ Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Carl Anka, Sam Lee Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s happened, Manchester United have sacked their manager Erik Ten Hag following Sunday’s defeat to West Ham. David Ornstein and Adam Crafton broke the story and David joins us to explain what happened.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: David Ornstein Producer: Abi Paterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been quite a weekend, hasn’t it? Who would have thought that Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool would be struggling to make the top three stories?  Two giants of European football experienced desperately disappointing weekends. Manchester United, of course, are used to that sort of thing. But Real Madrid? Did anyone expect the European champions to be torn apart in their own home by Barcelona?  But we’re here for all your Monday morning questions. Like, how did Bayern Munich react to their midweek misery? Who won in the French top of the table clash between PSG and Marseille? And did Aberdeen win because I am now really invested in them for reasons I do not understand. Listen now. It’s 15 minutes of your life and you’ll be so pleased with the transaction, you won’t even want them back.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Carl Anka, Liam Twomey, Jay Harris, Dermot Corrigan,  Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s two steps forward and three steps back for Manchester United at the moment. The confidence boosting victory over Brentford seems a long time ago already after this disappointing draw away at former manager Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce. Laurie Whitwell was there.  No such issues for Tottenham, they’ve won three from three after a good win over AZ Alkmaar in London. Teenage sensation Mikey Moore impressed again, Jay Harris is here to tell us how good he is.  And Chelsea are dominating a competition in which it doesn’t seem entirely fair that they get to play. They battered Panathinaikos 4-1 in front of Liam Twomey. Well, in front of lots of people really, but Liam was one of them. Plus, Roberto Mancini has left Saudi Arabia. I wonder where he’ll end up next…  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Laurie Whitwell, Jay Harris and Liam Twomey  Producer: Steve Hankey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, I don’t think anyone expected that. Barcelona stuck four past a worryingly open Bayern Munich to put their Champions League campaign back on track. Pol Ballus was there, he thinks it’s was a performance for the ages and it’s rather hard to disagree. Atletico Madrid’s performance will live long in the memory too, but possibly not for the same reasons. They were beaten 1-3 at home by Lille and the irony that Lille beat Real Madrid last time out is unlikely to console them. Sam Lee watched Erling Haaland score quite the most remarkable goal I’ve seen in many years as Man City swept past Sparta Prague. And we’ve got all the other games from across the continent too. Well, most of the big ones. We drew the line at the Finnish Conference League play-offs.     Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Pol Ballus, Sam Lee Producer: Tom Fuller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aston Villa have played three and won three, and they top the Champions League. More than that, they’ve successfully reversed their Ollie Watkins/Jhon Duran dynamic up front. Jacob Tanswell was there. Real Madrid had a bit of a fright, they were 0-2 down to Borussia Dortmund after an hour. It ended 5-2 and Seb Stafford Bloor says it didn’t flatter them.  Arsenal picked up an important win in front of James McNicholas, AC Milan survived a ropey start against Club Brugge to win 3-1 in front of me. On my laptop, at least. And we have news on all the other CL games, including Juventus’ defeat at home to Stuttgart and PSG’s draw with PSV.  There were Championship games too, Nancy Froston was at Elland Road to see Leeds go second. Is there any other podcast that will bring you up to speed with all of this? There is not.  Need something to read? Got a strong stomach? Nick Miller digs into the Evangelos Marinakis phlegm-gate case. Yes, it’s as vile as it sounds. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5863991/2024/10/22/marinakis-spitting-fa-report/ Need something to listen to? The Athletic FC podcasts asks, just how good are Barcelona under Hansi Flick?  https://podfollow.com/athletic-fc-pod Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Jacob Tanswell, Seb Stafford Bloor, James McNicholas, Nancy Froston Producer: Tom Fuller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crystal Palace, so impressive at the end of last season, are still without a victory after they were beaten 1-0 at Nottingham Forest. What’s gone wrong? Matt Woosnam was there, maybe he knows? It’s all about perspective though. Crystal Palace are in a far better position than Valencia. The former La Liga champions hit rock bottom of La Liga after they were beaten 1-3 at home by Las Palmas, who haven’t won a game since February. They’re getting relegated, aren’t they?   Plus: Close your eyes. Close them tight. Now, tell me the current top three of the Champions League. Can you do it? Of course you can’t. No-one can. That’s why you need this podcast. We’ll tell you who’s playing who, but we’ll also tell you what it all means. In so much as we can. I mean, what does anything mean, really? We’re all just flesh-wraiths, briefly animated for reasons we know not, condemned to lurch across this plane of existence, trying to do as little damage as we can in the short time that we’re here. We’re marooned on a tiny rock that hurtles through a near-infinity of open space. So, juxtaposed against this harrowing reality, sure, I’ll tell you what I think Girona against Slovan Bratislava means. Plus, will Virgil van Dijk sign a new contract and which rapper is trying to buy Tranmere Rovers? Need something to read? Try Liam Tharme’s excellent and thoughtful piece about the real issue with English coaches. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5853035/2024/10/21/thomas-tuchel-english-coaches-pathway/ Need something to listen to? Are you an NBA fan? Find The NBA Daily right here.  https://podfollow.com/nba-daily Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Matt Woosnam Producer: Tom Fuller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That’s ten wins from eleven games for new Liverpool boss Arne Slot and very little pleases those supporters more than a victory over Chelsea. James Pearce was there and he tells us what this performance might mean for Curtis Jones. We’ve got the scores and the stories from the WSL with Abi Paterson, from Spain with Dermot Corrigan, from Germany with Seb Stafford Bloor and from picturesque Lake Como with James Horncastle. You simply will not find a more efficient way of finding out everything you need to know about the football than listening to this splendid little podcast.  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: James Pearce, Abi Paterson, Dermot Corrigan, Seb Stafford Bloor, James Horncastle Producer: Abi Paterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International week is over, club football has returned and I think we’re all very thankful. We’re looking ahead to the Liverpool - Chelsea game with Liam Twomey, we’re chatting to Dermot Corrigan about Real Madrid and Barcelona and we’ve hauled JJ Bull out of a cocktail party to give us the lowdown on unbeaten Aberdeen. Plus, all the scores from the Women’s Champions League and the surprise appearance of an Improptu International Week Gamers Club. Why would you listen to anything else? Need something to read? Get a sneak preview of Thomas Tuchel’s football with a heavy duty tactics read from Mark Carey and Thom Harris: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5847535/2024/10/17/thomas-tuchel-england-tactics-analysis/ Need something to listen to? Check the mood at Old Trafford where they may not be looking forward to the return of club football with quite the same level of enthusiasm…Talk of the Devils is here. https://podfollow.com/talk-of-the-devils Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Liam Twomey, Dermot Corrigan and JJ Bull Producer: Si Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Thomas Tuchel signed, sealed and delivered we speak to David Ornstein following the new England manager’s first press conference while we look at the pro’s and con’s of his time at Chelsea with Simon Johnson. As Arsenal begin life without women’s manager Jonas Eidvall, Megan Feringa was at the Emirates Stadium to keep an eye on any early signs of change as they took on Valerenga in the Champions League, while we look back on Manchester City’s dramatic win against St Polten in Austria. Plus misery for Poch as the USA are beaten and yet another match ball for Lionel Messi. Need something to read? Andy Jones takes a look at Liverpool’s clipboard-wielding ‘field coach’ Sipke Hulshoff - the often unseen key member of Arne Slot’s team: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5844715/2024/10/16/sipke-hulshoff-liverpool-assistant-profile/ Presenter: Matt Davies-Adams With: David Ornstein, Simon Johnson, Megan Feringa, Paul Tenorio Producer: Simon Watts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Tuchel is set to become the new manager of England. The news broke on Tuesday night, but Jack Pitt-Brooke pounced into action, he joins us to explain the thinking.  There was some Nations League football too. Pol Ballus watched Spain beat Serbia,while I greatly enjoyed another battling performance from Scotland and their fans’ merciless treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo. Plus, in words that sports writers have never before been able to type, Sir Alex Ferguson is going to lose his job at Manchester United. Adam Crafton has more on his big story.  And Arsenal are looking for a new manager of their women’s team. Charlotte Harpur broke that one for us and she explains why it’s all over for Jonas Eidevall.   Need something to read? La Liga president Javier Tebas has been sounding off about FIFA and Matt Slater is here to explain all:  https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5845608/2024/10/15/club-world-cup-fifa-criticism/  Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Pol Ballus, Carl Anka, Adam Crafton and Charlotte Harpur  Producer: Tom Fuller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a good night for Europe’s traditional powers. Germany beat the Netherlands in a match of few chances, France beat Belgium in the game I really should have been watching and Italy thrashed Israel in the game James Horncastle was watching. Elsewhere, why have Nigeria forfeited their game against Libya? And why is FIFPro, the footballers’ union, launching a legal complaint against FIFA? You’ll find out here.  Need something to read? You need JJ Bull’s guide to why Aberdeen are (sort of) Europe’s most in-form team. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5836751/2024/10/14/aberdeen-best-team-in-europe/ And if you want to know if Pep Guardiola could be England’s next manager, you need the Athletic FC podcast. https://podfollow.com/athletic-fc-pod Presenter: Iain Macintosh With: Steve Hankey, James Horncastle, Nnamdi Onyeagwara, Matt Slater Producer: Steve Hankey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices