The Athletic FC Podcast

It is close to a year — 49 weeks and counting — since the Premier League handed Manchester City a charge sheet with 115 breaches of its financial rules across NINE different seasons. Just yesterday, the Premier League brought charges against both Nottingham Forest - and for the second time this season - Everton... All before the reigning Premier League champions are to even see a hearing begin? So...

There was a sense of inevitability at St. James' Park on Saturday when Kevin De Bruyne entered the arena. So why can't Newcastle United, the-so-called “richest club in the world” match Manchester City spending power and have their own selection of superstars to call on from the bench? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Newcastle United writer Chris Waugh and Mark Critchley to analyse. Prod...

Adam Leventhal returns to preview matchweek 16 of the Premier League. Five fixtures over the weekend are headlined by Man United vs Tottenham. Will we get a glimpse of new Spurs’ signings Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, and will they hit the ground running? Elsewhere champions Man City travel up to Newcastle. Both teams won comfortably in the FA Cup last week, with City welcoming back Kevin De Bruy...

Two years on from Senegal ending their wait for glory, AFCON returns this weekend. Does this year's tournament represent Mohamed Salah’s best chance to finally lay claim to being King of the Continent? Meanwhile, Andre Onana, one of Africa’s most high profile players, once again sees his international career in jeopardy. Ayo Akinwolere is joined by former Ivory Coast defender Sol Bamba as well as...

Last summer, the list of high-profile players leaving some of Europe’s biggest clubs to join the Saudi Pro League seemed to get longer by the day… What started with a multi-million-pound pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo in December 2022 soon expanded to include the likes of Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves and of course, Jordan Henderson. Well, now it seems Henderson wants out - and to return to the Premier...

So Tottenham have agreed a loan deal for RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner. A player who  - it’s fair to say - was a disappointment at Chelsea. But if the German international fits the profile and style Spurs are looking for.. Can Ange Postecoglou be the one to unlock Werner’s potential?  Host Adam Leventhal is joined by The Athletic’s Spurs writer Jack-Pitt Brooke, Liam Twomey who as one of our Chel...

Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at home yesterday by Liverpool in the FA Cup. That was despite creating a number of good chances and having relative ‘control’ of the game throughout... Something Gunners' fans haven’t seen since… well, the West Ham game last week! So, how worrying is this pattern for Arteta? And what’s their way out - Is it through coaching? Or in the January transfer window?  Host Adam Le...

The Weekend Preview returns for 2024 with an FA Cup special. Headlining the show is the first Tyne-and-Wear derby since 2016, as a wounded Newcastle head to their local rivals Sunderland. Meanwhile, the highest-profile clash sees fourth-place Arsenal welcome table-topping Liverpool on Sunday. Arsenal are in poor form, but how much will Liverpool miss Mo Salah, who’s just left for AFCON? Another al...

Victory last night means Real Madrid have reached the halfway stage of La Liga as league leaders on goal difference. But in terms of stability, resources and recruitment they look miles ahead of everyone else in Spain - and most clubs across Europe.  So with the future of manager Carlo Ancelotti secured, overseeing a clutch of talented youngsters in their redeveloped iconic stadium what, if anythi...

Now that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Manchester United has finally been confirmed, how will this impact the club’s January window? Even if players are sold, is spending even possible given FFP concerns? And is Jadon Sancho set to follow Donny van de Beek out the door at Old Trafford? Michael Bailey is joined by The Athletic's Football Correspondent David Ornstein, Adam Crafton and Manchester...

Adam Leventhal returns to preview the last set of games before Christmas. First up, a Christmas cracker at the top of the table, with Arsenal visiting Anfield. The Gunners lead the league but are without a win away to Liverpool in over a decade. Elsewhere West Ham host Man United, where they have a chance to overtake the Red Devils in the table, while guest Jon Mackenzie shares his controversial t...

They were frustrated by Man United last weekend, sensational against West Ham last night... Liverpool’s last two games sum up the predicament many fans find themselves in when trying to assess whether Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0 are really ready to win the Premier League this season. Do they need to strengthen in January, are they still over-reliant on talisman Mo Salah and will Arsenal this weekend pro...

Even as Nuno Espirito Santo becomes Nottingham Forest's new manager, the fanbase continues to mourn the departure of Steve Cooper - a coach widely regarded as their best since legendary club figure Brian Clough... This is a story that will resonate with fans all over the world - why there is no room for sentiment in modern football. So, does Evangelos Marinakis have a plan, or are this just the la...

Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid aren’t the only team upstaging the mighty Barcelona this season…  The Catalans are already nine points behind league leaders Girona - and the goals have dried up for star striker Robert Lewandowski too. So, is Xavi on borrowed time in the dugout. Why is Barca president Joan Laporta interfering in team selection? And if they were to make a change - would they have to l...

Four weeks on from being hit with a record Premier league points deduction, Everton's fighting spirit is undeniable... After four wins on the bounce, the Toffees already clear of the drop-zone - and in fact - if their appeal was successful they'd be firmly in the race for European football. So how has Sean Dyche masterminded their escape, and with a takeover and the January transfer window looming...

Adam Levethal returns to preview Matchweek 17 of the Premier League! The weekend is headlined by table-topping Liverpool taking on Manchester United. Will Jurge Klopp’s side dish out another 7-0 thumping to The Red Devils at a slightly larger Anfield? Then we switch our minds to the Dyche derby as Everton’s manager returns to Turf Moor. Will the in-form Toffees come unstuck at Vincent Kompany’s Cl...

Newcastle United's dreams of Champions League progress ended in failure as AC Milan mounted a second half comeback to knock them out. Newcastle's focus will now be to get back into the competition via the Premier League despite missing key players due to injury as well as Sandro Tonali, the player they signed from AC Milan, suspended until next season. Why did Newcastle’s European campaign fail, w...

Man United are out of Europe, 10 points off top spot in the Premier League and it’s not even Christmas…  In normal circumstances, any Manchester United manager would be under almost unbearable pressure…  So why aren’t the club going to sack Erik ten Hag just yet?  Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Adam Crafton, Man United writer Laurie Whitwell and our German football writer Raphael Honig...

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino may want to spend MORE money this January…  So, after almost a billion pounds in transfer fees already, could there really be another spending spree? And how much progress has actually been made at Chelsea under Pochettino?  Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic’s Adam Crafton & our Chelsea writer Liam Twomey - also a regular on our Chelsea podcast ‘Strai...

After beating Man City on Wednesday night, Aston Villa backed that up against Arsenal on Saturday, seeing off Mikel Arteta's side 1-0 at Villa Park. Having won 15 games in a row at home, Unai Emery has now taken Villa to within two points of the Premier League summit. So what is possible for Aston Villa this season and should they be considered title contenders? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Ath...

Adam Leventhal returns to preview Matchweek 16 of the Premier League! The weekend is headlined by a clash between table-topping Arsenal and surprise-package Aston Villa. Can Villa extend their winning run at home to 15 games? Then we ask what's going wrong at Manchester City? The Champions are without a win in four matches and have only managed three in their last nine.  And finally it's a tour of...

After Manchester City fell to defeat at Villa Park on Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola's side slipped to fourth in the Premier League and six points off pace-setters Arsenal. So what is going wrong at City, is it a glitch in the matrix or are their problems more serious? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Mark Critchley, Pol Ballus and Thom Harris to explore and examine City's winless run as...

Despite a 5-0 win over Sheffield United on the weekend, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley were beaten again this week & remain in Premier League relegation zone... Kompany has revolutionised their playing style, but does a ‘stubborn’ commitment to one way of playing hold back too many managers in the Premier league? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers, Andy Jones and journalist and f...

In this exclusive interview for The Athletic, Arsenal and Italy midfielder Jorginho joins host Ayo Akinwolere, to talk about the Gunners' Premier League title charge, 'misunderstood' Kai Havertz and more... What's it really like to play for Mikel Arteta and why deep-lying central midfielders have become so expensive in the transfer market. Jorginho also opens up about the abuse he's suffered havin...

Trent Alexander-Arnold is flying in the Premier League… A year on from playing a bit-part role in Qatar and struggling for form at home, Trent is now excelling for club & country in a bespoke hybrid role.. So is unlocking his immense talent the key to Liverpool’s title challenge & has he finally convinced Gareth Southghate that he has to find a starting place for him for England.. Ayo Akin...