Beyond The Back Four

A weekend of controversy and confusion in the Premier League — but this time, former referee Mark Clattenburg says the officials mostly got it right. From Enzo Maresca’s second yellow and subsequent red card for celebrating Chelsea’s late winner over Liverpool, to Arsenal’s debated penalty against West Ham, and VAR’s messy role in Manchester United’s clash with Sunderland — we go beyond the headli...

The European Super League didn’t die in 2021 — it’s quietly being rebuilt. Sam Homewood, Graeme Bailey and Kieran Maguire reveal the real plan behind A22, Perez, and the new “Unify League.” We break down: The 2023 court ruling that changed everything Real Madrid, Barcelona & the A22 ambition Why Premier League growth has plateaued Fan resistance and regulatory threats Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Arsenal’s late win at Newcastle grabbed headlines — but behind the result is a squad that’s cost over £1bn to build and a board that expects Mikel Arteta to deliver a Premier League or Champions League title. Liverpool’s defeat at Crystal Palace showed the cracks in their new system, while Oliver Glasner continues to build his reputation — with links to Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen alrea...

From non-league football to the Premier League and the World Cup with Ghana , Albert Adomah joins Beyond The Back Four for his first ever podcast interview. He shares: Premier League debut with Middlesbrough Representing Ghana at the 2014 World Cup Scoring his 100th career goal in 2025 18 seasons of football longevity What comes after retirement A must-watch for fans of underdog stories and EFL le...

A weekend full of Premier League drama — Liverpool making statements in the Merseyside derby, Arsenal stealing a point against Man City, and United grinding out a win over Chelsea amid growing tactical questions. Mark Clattenburg joins Sam Homewood & Graeme Bailey for the ref verdicts: Was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s yellow vs Liverpool harsh? Did Casemiro deserve his second vs Chelsea? The review...

Is Bruno Fernandes holding Manchester United back? After United’s worst start since ’92, Sam Homewood, Graeme Bailey & Dan Coombs debate whether Rúben Amorim’s system is already broken — and if Bruno’s leadership is helping or hurting. We discuss: Amorim’s 3-4-3 and why it doesn’t suit United’s squad Bruno’s captaincy — inspiration or issue? January fixes: Baleba, Wharton, Gallagher? How long...

Three Premier League giants, three very different weekends. Arsenal sent a message with a ruthless 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Liverpool left it late but Mohamed Salah’s penalty sealed victory at Burnley. And then Manchester United… torn apart 3-0 by Man City in the derby. In this episode of Beyond The Back Four, Sam Homewood is joined by Graeme Bailey and Dan Coombs to go beyond the headlines...

VAR was meant to fix football — but has it actually broken the game? Ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg joins Kieran Maguire and Graeme Bailey to reveal how VAR spiralled out of control and what must change. What you’ll learn: How VAR has changed football (and where it’s failed) Why fans and players no longer trust decisions Could a “challenge system” save the game? The financial & rep...

England laboured past Andorra 2-0—but Serbia in Belgrade is a different beast. In this episode of Beyond The Back Four, Sam Homewood is joined by Mark Clattenburg, Kieran Maguire, and Graeme Bailey to break down what went right (and wrong) against Andorra, who impressed for England, and whether this side is ready to prove a point on the road to World Cup 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Why do football’s transfer windows exist — and are they destroying the game? Sam Homewood, Kieran Maguire and Graeme Bailey break down the real purpose of the transfer window, the impact of PSR (Profit & Sustainability Rules) , and what it means for clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. We explore: How transfer windows started Why they cause inflated fees & panic buys How PSR pressure...

The weekend delivered Premier League theatre in full — and we're here to dissect every nail-biting moment. • Liverpool edge Arsenal 1-0 thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick — extending LFC’s goalscoring run to 37 straight games, a new club record. • Chelsea beat Fulham 2-0, but it’s the VAR that’s trending after Josh King had a goal controversially disallowed for the visitors. • Manch...

Premier League winner Danny Simpson reveals what really happened behind Leicester City’s historic title run — from life under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United to Gary Neville’s surprise role in contract talks. He opens up about: Copying Ashley Cole’s style Claudio Ranieri telling him he could leave before the fairytale Life after football with SDK Bar in Manchester & Phoenix City Academy...

Kobbie Mainoo could be ready to leave Manchester United after growing frustrated with his playing time, Arsenal finally unveil £67.5m star Eberechi Eze, and Chelsea smash West Ham in a 5-1 demolition. Sam Homewood is joined by Kieran Maguire, Graeme Bailey and special guest Danny Simpson to break down the Premier League’s biggest stories from the weekend — plus Hot Takes & Cold Showers with s...

Welcome to Beyond The Back Four , the football podcast that goes deeper than just match reports and talking points. Every Monday, Sam Homewood is joined by show regulars Kieran Maguire, Mark Clattenburg and Graeme Bailey. Together, they’ll break down all the major Premier League action from the weekend — the goals, the controversies, the transfers, and yes... the refereeing decisions too. Every We...