The Rest Is Football

 Real Madrid academy graduate Gonzalo García steals the headlines with a perfect hat-trick as Madrid dismantle Real Betis. With García in red-hot form, can Xabi Alonso find a system that fits both him and Kylian Mbappé into the starting XI, and what does that mean for the increasingly out-of-favour Vinícius Jr? Over in Catalonia, Barcelona make it nine straight La Liga wins thanks to a stunning st...

Arsenal charge six points clear at the top of the table, do they already have one hand on the Premier League trophy? With Manchester City dropping points in two of their last three games and Erling Haaland now goalless in three, are they becoming too reliant on their star striker? Gary, Micah and Al also dive into Ruben Amorim’s post-match press conference, where the United boss appeared to take a...

Arsenal move four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Manchester City drop points away at Sunderland. Alan and Micah draw on their own playing careers to break down the pressure, mind games, and mental battles that come with a title race as the finish line approaches. Can Arsenal handle the weight of expectation and finally lift their first league title in 22 years? The guys also reac...

How did Unai Emery’s genius win Aston Villa the game at Chelsea? Has Rayan Cherki’s brilliance been the spark that has seen Man City win eight games on the bounce? How has Keith Andrews got Brentford playing so effectively after losing Bryan Mbeumo & Yoane Wissa in the summer? Gary, Alan and Micah also debate whether Arsenal continuing to win these edgy games is a good sign for them or is asking f...

A short message from Gary to say a big thank you to all our listeners for their support so far this season and give an update on some of the exciting things we’ve got planned for 2026. Have a wonderful Christmas! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kylian Mbappé marked his birthday in style, matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s best-ever goal tally for Real Madrid in a calendar year. With over 200 more goal involvements than Ronaldo had at the same age, does Mbappé already have a case for being the better player at 27? Gary and Alex also break down Barcelona’s dominant form after their eighth straight win against Villarreal, is there anyone who can...

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League at Christmas, but with Manchester City starting to look back to their best, have they taken the mantle as favourites for the title? Morgan Rogers scored two brilliant goals as Aston Villa made it ten wins in a row in all competitions. Does this season now look like a three-horse title race? Gary, Alan and Micah also debate a controversial weekend of referee...

How many of the Top 10 all time Champions League goalscorers can Alan and Micah name without mistake? Who is the surprise inclusion on the list? Why was Micah left to rue making up a new rule to allow them to get bonus points? Gary is quiz master once again as he tests the guys knowledge on the most lethal finishers in Europe’s elite competition, with a few rants and outbursts along the way! The R...

How do players react when one of their teammates issues an ultimatum to force a move away from the club? Is it easy to forgive, or does it permanently damage relationships in the dressing room? The guys also dive into football superstitions — what rituals did they cling to during goal droughts, and did doubt start to creep in when the goals weren’t coming? Gary, Alan and Micah round things off by...

 Are Real Madrid still struggling to find the right balance, and is Jude Bellingham being played out of position? Despite an away win at Alavés, questions remain over the performance, and frustration is growing among some Madridistas with Xabi Alonso. Raphinha is finally back after an injury-hit start to the season, and he made an immediate impact with two goals to keep Barcelona four points clear...

Sunderland make it seven wins from seven as they beat fierce local rivals Newcastle in the derby. Are Eddie Howe’s problems growing as he tries to fit Nick Woltemade into Newcastle’s established system, and do they lack the energy that drove last season’s success? Manchester City look like they’re finally back — but just how much of that revival is down to the man in form, Phil F***ing Foden**? En...

Is Xabi Alonso’s Jon under serious threat after City come from behind to beat Madrid? Noni Madueke’s stunner set Arsenal on their way to a sixth win in six, but did he really mean it? How important was it that Liverpool beat Inter Milan after Arne Slot left Mo Salah out of the squad? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss a good point away at Leverkusen for Newcastle, as Alan is left dreaming of what m...

What was Alan’s message to Erling after he beat his record for getting to 100 Premier League goals? Why was the Norwegian superstar particularly fired up for this season, by people not talking about him over the summer? Why has Erling started his own YouTube channel and what is he hoping to showcase on it? Gary and Alan travel up to Manchester to speak to Erling Haaland and celebrate his achieveme...

A loss at home and three red cards, will Xabi Alonso even make it to the end of the week? Reports in Spain suggest he could be out the door if Real Madrid don’t beat Manchester City in the Champions League. Can he turn things around for Los Blancos?  After Ferran Torres’ hat-trick vs Real Betis, who is Barcelona’s first choice Number 9? Gary & Alex also break down Villarreal’s impressive six-game...

Has Mo Salah just issued Liverpool an ultimatum with his post-match antics — is it him or Arne Slot? And if so, who’s really in the wrong? After Aston Villa’s huge win over league leaders Arsenal, the gap tightens once again. Is it finally time to talk about Villa as genuine title contenders? Micah also joins the pod from Abu Dhabi after watching Lando Norris win the Formula One World Championship...

Have Arsenal already got one hand on the trophy? They consistently look like the best team in the Premier League right now. Meanwhile, Liverpool look out of ideas with problems all over the pitch, how much are they missing Trent Alexander-Arnold? Sunderland sit 6th in the Premier League, is this one of the most impressive performances from a promoted side in recent years? The Lads also break down ...

What’s Alan’s message for Erling Haaland after he broke his record as the fastest to reach 100 Premier League goals? Were Newcastle lucky to be given a penalty in their draw against Spurs? Is Jack Grealish in with a shout of making the England squad for the World Cup? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the big news that The Rest Is Football will be on Netflix throughout the World Cup this summer. W...

Real Madrid have now drawn three straight games in La Liga, and some Madridistas are already calling for Xabi Alonso to be sacked. Is he genuinely under pressure this early in his tenure? Meanwhile, Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid have won seven in a row in all competitions. After parts of the fanbase questioned his future just weeks ago, could El Cholo actually turn things around and mount a seri...

Are Chelsea the biggest challengers to Arsenal winning the title? Are we about to see the next evolution of Liverpool after Mo Salah was benched in their win at West Ham? Why does Lucas Paqueta have to take responsibility after his stupid sending off for dissent? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss Sunderland’s stunning comeback as their fantastic start to the season continues, with Alan already hav...

How many trophies can Mikel Arteta and Arsenal win this season — and are they now the best team in Europe? Enzo Maresca’s tactics shine as Chelsea thump Barcelona, but have Hansi Flick’s ultra-aggressive high-line tactics finally been found out? Meanwhile, Liverpool are in freefall. They’ve lost 9 of their last 12 games — so what on earth has gone wrong at Anfield? And is Arne Slot already under p...

Forget what you think you know about reality. The Rest Is Science is a mind-bending new show from Goalhanger that tears down familiar ideas… time, randomness, beauty, it will reveal just how bizarre the world truly is. Join Professor Hannah Fry and science creator Michael Stevens (aka Vsauce) twice a week to explore big, small and surprising questions as they deep dive into theories, concepts, obj...

Gary, Alan and Micah debate what's been the biggest ever goal in football history... From Diego Maradona's mazy run against England in 1986, the infamous 'Hand of God' in the same match to Sergio Agüero's last-gasp title clincher against QPR leading to some of the most iconic commentary of all time, the lads debate what the Biggest Ever goal has been from the games they've played in and then watch...

Real Madrid have failed to win any of their last three matches in all competitions — is a  crisis unfolding at the Bernabéu? Barcelona, meanwhile, have surged to within a point after a demolition job against Athletic Club, celebrating their return to the Camp Nou for the first time since May 2023. Gary and Alex also break down the form of the chasing pack — Atlético Madrid and Villarreal — and deb...

How did Eberechi Eze step up and give his “I have arrived” performance for Arsenal? What on earth has happened to Liverpool? Did Newcastle get lucky with a couple of decisions in their win against Man City? Gary, Alan and Micah are joined by Michael McIntyre after a chaotic North London Derby. Michael and Gary spent the afternoon filming together for his new show ‘In The Box’, which meant they had...

Was Scott McTominay’s outrageous overhead kick one of the greatest we’ve ever seen as he fires Scotland to their first World Cup in 28 years? And why does it feel like the British media has it out for Jude Bellingham — is this really about football, or is there something more sinister behind the narrative? The lads dive into Scotland’s historic qualification, the press’ obsession with knocking dow...