Football Daily

Mark Chapman rounds up the best of Saturday’s football from the Premier League, Women’s Champions League and the English Football League.

Chris Wilder shares what he told his Sheffield United team after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed with a 5-1 defeat to Newcastle.

Burnley’s Vincent Kompany and Aro Muric reflect on their 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. We hear from Jurgen Klopp and Michail Antonio after a late goal secured West Ham a 2-2 draw against Liverpool. And after Luton’s Premier League survival hopes were dented by a 2-1 defeat at Wolves, we hear from Rob Edwards.

There’s also reaction from Goodison where Everton confirmed their Premier League survival with a 1-0 win over Brentford, and to Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, and Chelsea’s 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa.

We’re at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea were denied a place in the Women’s Champions League final by defending champions Barcelona, Emma Hayes gives her damning assessment of the decision that saw her team reduced to 10 players for the last 30 minutes of that match.

Derby manager Paul Warne reacts to their promotion back to the Championship, and there’s a run down of the rest of the day’s results across England and Scotland.

02:05 – Newcastle 5-1 Sheffield United 04:12 – Chris Wilder interview 06:03 – Manchester United 1-1 Burnley 07:50 – Vincent Kompany interview 10:00 – West Ham 2-2 Liverpool 11:07 – Jurgen Klopp Interview 12:25 – Michail Antonio Interview 13:36 – Aro Muric Interview 14:55 – Wolves 2-1 Luton – Rob Edwards Interview 16:45 – Everton 1-0 Brentford 18:48 – Sean Dyche Interview 20:49 – Thomas Frank Interview 22:42 – Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace 23:14 – Aston Villa 2-2 Chelsea 24:44 – Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona – Women’s Champions League 30:06 – Emma Hayes reaction 31:03 – Championship scores and reaction 34:18 – League One scores and reaction 34:52 – Paul Warne interview 36:14 – League Two scores and reaction 38:09 – Scottish scores and reaction

Darren Fletcher is joined by Paul Robinson, Nigel Reo-Coker and Don Hutchison as the Premier League season enters its final weeks.

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola joins the team to reflect on his successful first season in English football, and whether Dominic Solanke can make England's Euro 2024 squad.

The team debate whether Liverpool's poor form means the title race is just between Manchester City and Arsenal.

We also hear from Andy Cole after he was inducted into the Premier League's Hall of Fame, and the panel look at the job Sean Dyche has done at Everton this campaign.

TIMECODES 01:21 Liverpool's faltering title bid 11:53 Andoni Iraola on Bournemouth's strong season and Dominic Solanke's form 23:20 Is this Sean Dyche's best season as a manager? 29:33 Andy Cole on his induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff and West Brom forward Jed Wallace analyse the big issues in the EFL as the season draws to a close.

With Leicester on the brink of promotion back to the Premier League, Jed gives us an insight into their strengths and weaknesses and whether they can get the job done at Preston this weekend.

BBC Radio Derby commentator Ed Dawes joins the pod to explain why some Derby County fans still haven’t been won over by Paul Warne, despite the club being on the brink of their first promotion since 2007.

And in League Two, the panel look at Doncaster’s extraordinary form, and who out of Sutton or Colchester will avoid the drop into non-league.

TIMECODES 03:00 Leicester close in on Premier League return 07:48 Championship relegation battle 14:10 Tom Cleverley becomes Watford's permanent boss 16:32 Derby on the brink of League One promotion 28:56 Doncaster's 10 straight wins 32:44 Colchester and Sutton's relegation fight

John Bennett talks European football with Julien Laurens, James Horncastle and Kristof Terreur. Guillem Balagué joins the pod to react to Xavi changing his mind about leaving Barcelona. The panel discuss Bayern Munich contacting Ralf Rangnick about their manager’s job, and Inter winning Serie A. And Dutch football writer Elko Born swings by to give the lowdown on Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, who’s confirmed he wants Liverpool job.

00:35 Mbappé’s nutmeg 02:25 President Macron scores a penalty 05:50 Xavi to remain as Barcelona coach until 2025 15:45 Rangnick 'contacted by Bayern Munich' about manager job 25:00 Arne Slot confirms he wants Liverpool job 31:30 Inter seal Serie A title by winning Milan derby

Steve Crossman has reaction to Wednesday’s Premier League results as Everton stun Liverpool. He’s joined by Conor Coady, Michael Brown, Andy Reid, Clinton Morrison and correspondent John Murray. Hear from Jürgen Klopp, Sean Dyche, and Erik ten Hag after Manchester United come from behind twice to beat Sheffield United. And Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan joins the pod with Liverpool set to open talks with Feyenoord over manager Arne Slot.

01:45 A blow for Liverpool in the title race 02:50 A performance for Everton to be proud of 06:05 Klopp’s last Merseyside Derby ends in defeat 11:25 Klopp: “Nothing good to say about tonight” 13:30 Man Utd fight back twice to beat Sheff Utd 20:15 Mateta scores twice as Palace beat Newcastle 21:50 Bournemouth into top half with win at Wolves 23:05 Everton’s Sean Dyche: “I asked the Toffees to rise” 25:05 Will Arne Slot be Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp replacement?

Ben Haines and England Women's record goal scorer Ellen White are joined by Bay FC’s Jen Beattie. Jen gives an insight into life in San Francisco and how the NWSL compares to the WSL, plus her thoughts on the new Taylor Swift album!

Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert drops by after scoring the only goal against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, making it advantage Chelsea heading into the second leg.

As the Championship also draws to a close Head of Women’s Football at Crystal Palace Grace Williams joins the pod as the club sit on the brink of promotion.

Timecodes: 0:10 Intro 01:30 Jen Beattie & Bay FC! 12:10 Erin Cuthbert on Champions League 24:10 Title Race 30:00 Grace Williams Crystal Palace

Steve Crossman is joined on the Tuesday Night Club with former Chelsea goalkeeper Rob Green, ex Manchester City midfielder Izzy Christiansen & ESPN's Senior Football writer Mark Ogden.

Hear reaction to Arsenal's 5-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates which sends them three points clear at the top of the Premier League table with Alistair Bruce-Ball and former Brighton striker Glenn Murray plus Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and Ben White.

The panel also discuss the news that UEFA is set to confirm nations will have 26-man squads for this summer’s European Championship in Germany, Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United and Unai Emery's new contract at Aston Villa.

Leicester boss Enzo Maresca also gives his thoughts after his side's 5-0 win over Southampton took them to within one win of promotion.

TOPICS 0 mins - Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea 2 mins - Mikel Arteta 8 mins - Mauricio Pochettino 13 mins - Ben White 15 mins - Leicester 5-0 Southampton 17 mins - Enzo Maresca 18 mins - Euros squad discussion 24 mins - Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future 33 mins - Unai Emery's new contract at Aston Villa

Kelly Cates is joined by Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Shay Given for the Monday Night Club. They begin by talking about Nottingham Forest's frustration with refereeing following their 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton.

Victory for Sean Dyche's side leads into discussion about their fight to stay in the Premier League, before Burnley are the focus following their 4-1 win at Sheffield United.

The panel then cover Manchester United scraping past Coventry City to make the FA Cup final, delving into the topic of goalkeepers receiving yellow cards, after incidents involving United's André Onana and Aston Villa's Emiliano Martínez during the past week.

TIMECODES:

05:43 - Nottingham Forest 21:45 - Everton 27:42 - Burnley 33:38 - Manchester United and Coventry City 42:23 - Goalkeepers and yellow cards

Ben Haines and Nedum Onuoha have FA Cup and Premier League reaction. They’re joined by former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker and The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards. Hear from Erik ten Hag and Mark Robins after Manchester United survive Coventry City’s comeback in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Catch Nuno Espírito Santo’s thoughts after Forest take to social media to question the VAR. And hear from Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool beat Fulham to go joint-top.

00:30 Was it the best semi-final of all time? 05:15 Coventry boss Mark Robins: “We were a toenail offside” 08:00 Man Utd get away with one 12:40 Erik ten Hag: “The way we did it isn’t okay” 15:00 Do Man Utd stand a chance vs Man City in the final? 16:55 Forest question VAR official and ‘consider options’ 26:40 Everton climb towards safety 28:15 Liverpool win to go joint-top with Arsenal 33:10 Palace put five past ‘drifting’ West Ham 35:40 ‘Classless’ Antony features in Question Time

John Bennett presents the Football Daily from Molineux where Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Wolves.

He is joined by Simon Grayson and Luke Edwards for reaction to all of Saturday’s Premier League and FA Cup action.

We hear from Pep Guardiola after his Manchester City side squeezed past Chelsea to book their place in the FA Cup final with a 1-0 win at Wembley.

Rob Edwards reflects on a tough day for Luton in their fight to avoid relegation after they were beaten 5-1 by Brentford at Kenilworth Road.

And we hear from Vincent Kompany after a big win for Burnley as they kept their hopes of Premier League survival alive with a 4-1 victory away to Sheffield United.

02:44 – Wolves 0-2 Arsenal reaction 07:30 – Does Arsenal’s win put pressure on Manchester City 08:50 – Manchester City’s schedule 11:19 – Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea – FA Cup semi-final reaction including Pep Guardiola interview 21:46 – Coventry City v Manchester United – FA Cup semi-final preview 23:58 – Luton 1-5 Brentford reaction including Rob Edwards interview 29:50 – Sheffield United 1-4 Burnley reaction including Vincent Kompany interview

Darren Fletcher hosts the Friday Football Social with Glenn Murray, Kevin Nolan and Clinton Morrison. They debate the Football Association's decision to scrap FA Cup replays, hearing from Coventry City boss Mark Robins ahead of playing Manchester United in Sunday's semi-final.

The podcast also discusses whether there is a worthwhile alternative to take over from Erik Ten Hag at the Old Trafford club at the end of the season, should he be replaced, amid the news that Southampton say they have "reluctantly agreed" to let director of football Jason Wilcox join Manchester United.

The panel then continues to look ahead to this weekend's football, looking at the Premier League title race, as well as Manchester City's most immediate task of their FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. There is also talk around how important this weekend could be in the battle to avoid relegation to the Championship.

TIMECODES:

02:40 - FA Cup replays 19:59 - Coventry City 22:18 - Manchester United 29:30 - Relegation battle 36:15 - Manchester City 38:30 - Liverpool 44:40 - Arsenal

Steve Crossman has reaction to European results for Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa. He’s joined by European football experts Julien Laurens and Kristof Terreur. Stephen Warnock and Vicki Sparks reflect on Atalanta knocking Liverpool out of the UEFA Europa League. Danny Gabbidon and Ali Bruce-Ball watched West Ham suffer the same fate against Bayer Leverkusen. Hear from Jürgen Klopp, David Moyes, and Unai Emery as Aston Villa are left flying the flag in the UEFA Europa Conference League after beating Lille.

00:50 Aston Villa reach first major European semi since 1982 05:00 Emery on Emi Martínez’s ‘important personality’ 05:35 Atalanta knock out Liverpool 12:50 Klopp will rank among the Liverpool greats 17:00 Klopp: “We didn’t lose the tie tonight” 18:35 West Ham knocked out by Bayer Leverkusen 25:55 Moyes: “It was a terrific performance”

Mark Chapman presents reaction to the Champions League Quarter-Finals.

He’s joined by Paul Robinson, Shay Given and John Murray to discuss Manchester City’s defeat to Real Madrid. Hear from Pep Guardiola after penalties knocked the Champions out of the competition.

Guillem Balague joins the pod to share his thoughts on a far from perfect performance from Real Madrid, and how Carlo Ancelotti will feel after the match.

Matthew Upson joins Ian Dennis to discuss what went wrong for Arsenal after they were knocked out by Bayern Munich. Hear from Mikel Arteta as his team look to bounce back in the Premier League at the weekend.

Plus, the panel discuss what these results mean for English sides in the Champions League.

TOPICS: 0.26 - Manchester City v Real Madrid 8.33 - Pep Guardiola 9.54 - Bayern Munich v Arsenal 16.00 - Mikel Arteta 17.21 - English sides in the Champions League

Ben Haines and England Women's record goal scorer Ellen White are joined by England and Chelsea’s Millie Bright. Millie talks about how she is getting on recovering from injury and her time on the sidelines.

Millie gives an insight into what it has been like working her way back from a knee injury, her relationship with Emma Hayes and what’s kept her busy outside of football.

Spurs forward Martha Thomas also drops by to tell Ellen and Ben what it felt like scoring the match-winning goal, that sent Spurs to Wembley for the FA Cup final.

Timecodes: 0:10 Intro 01:30 Soccer Aid! 03:10 FA Cup with Martha Thomas 10:50 Millie Bright on recovery 23:30 Mary Earps 25:10 Rachel Daly 30:30 Emma Hayes 37:15 Millie’s charity work

Kelly Cates is joined by Nedum Onuoha, Theo Walcott and Daniel Storey to look ahead to a huge night for Manchester City and Arsenal in the Champions League. Ian Dennis and German football reporter Taufig Khalil join from Munich to preview Arsenal’s quarter-final second leg against Bayern. The panel discuss if Manchester City could do back-to-back trebles as they prepare to play Real Madrid at the Etihad. They also talk about Cole Palmer’s scoring record and the Chelsea penalty row.

TIMECODES: 01:00 Mikel Arteta on emotion 02:45 Arsenal reaction from loss against Aston Villa 11:35 The pressure on Bayern with Taufig Khalil 14:53 Manchester City’s back-to-back treble chances 24:17 Jude Bellingham on this season’s Real Madrid 26:31 Cole Palmer and the Chelsea penalty row

Steve Crossman hosts the Monday Night Club with Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Conor Coady. They discuss the latest in the Premier League title race, after Liverpool and Arsenal suffered surprise home defeats to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa respectively.

Conor describes the atmosphere at his club Leicester City as they try to win promotion from the Championship, before the podcast moves on to Bayer Leverkusen being crowned champions of Germany's Bundesliga with the help of ESPN reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt.

Having looked back at the weekend, the panel then move onto Monday night's game, picking up on Cole Palmer's terrific four-goal haul in Chelsea's 6-0 victory against Everton.

Finally, Stockport's Kyle Wootton joins following his side's promotion to League One under manager Dave Challinor, who was known for his long throws as a player. But was he the original expert at them?

TIMECODES:

03:50 - Premier League title race 23:00 - Leicester City 29:25 - Bayer Leverkusen and Archie Rhind-Tutt 40:30 - Cole Palmer 44:20 - Stockport and Kyle Wootton

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff present interviews and reaction from the EFL Awards. Hear from all three managers of the season, listen to Alfie May talk about his journey from a building site to the football pitch, and get the gossip on Hull City boss Liam Rosenior’s fashion sense from his wife Erika.

01:50 Notts County’s Jodi Jones 03:55 Peterborough United’s Ronnie Edwards 05:25 Leeds United’s Archie Gray 11:15 Crewe Alexandra’s Mickey Demetriou 14:40 Charlton Athletic’s Alfie May 21:45 Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters 24:10 Blackburn Rovers’ Sam Szmodics 26:00 Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville 29:55 Norwich City’s Gabriel Sara 36:10 Hull City’s Liam Rosenior and wife Erika 39:10 QPR chairman Lee Hoos 42:00 Mansfield Town’s Nigel Clough 43:55 Portsmouth’s John Mousinho 47:05 Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna

Ben Haines and Nedum Onuoha have reaction to a big twist in the Premier League title race. They’re joined by former Liverpool striker Tash Dowie and The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards. Hear from Mikel Arteta after Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa, and catch Jürgen Klopp after Liverpool lose to Crystal Palace. And hear from Ollie Watkins, who is just one goal behind Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

01:20 Nedum gives his moments of the weekend 03:40 Big twist in the Premier League title race 08:30 Ollie Watkins: “We could see Arsenal were getting tired” 14:30 Mikel Arteta: “We should have scored five” 21:35 Jürgen Klopp: “We have to be around when others struggle” 29:10 Are Liverpool due a goal haul? 30:45 Crystal Palace showing promise under Glasner 32:50 West Ham lose to Fulham, but can they knock out Leverkusen? 34:15 Tash feels the nerves in Question Time

Steve Crossman and 5 Live Sport’s team of reporters take you through the biggest stories from Saturday’s football as Manchester City thrash Luton to go top of the Premier League and Manchester United come from behind twice to draw with Bournemouth.

Leon Osman give his thoughts on Man City’s win – PLUS you’ll hear interviews with the likes of Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag. And catch reaction from the Stockport and Wrexham camps after they sealed promotion to League One.

Darren Fletcher talks title race with Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City only a point apart. He’s joined by Nigel Reo-Coker, Don Hutchison and Fara Williams. They react to the big European results, with Liverpool suffering a shock defeat. How will that affect the Premier League title race? Is this the best season ever? And a Newcastle fan joins the pod to talk about her deaf son’s ‘sound shirt’ that he’ll be wearing at St James’ Park to enhance his matchday experience.

02:30 Could European results affect the Premier League title race? 06:50 Is this the best Premier League season of all time? 10:20 Drama at the bottom as well 13:00 The panel disagree on who is going to win the league 15:35 Points deductions and appeals palaver 23:20 Are Liverpool running out of steam? 29:10 Should Klopp have revealed his retirement plans? 32:00 ‘Sound shirts’ for deaf Newcastle fans

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff chat EFL with Wycombe’s Joe Jacobson. Three promotions are possible this weekend – get the lowdown on all the contenders. Hear from Leeds boss Daniel Farke as the path to the Premier League tightens even further. Get Joe’s reaction to the EFL Trophy defeat to Peterborough at Wembley. And Jobi tells us his best and worst moments of the week in 72PLUS 72MINUS.

01:55 EFL Trophy commiserations for Joe 07:40 Leicester veer off track again 13:50 How do the panel rate Leeds’ chances? 18:00 Joe backs Ipswich for automatic promotion 19:30 Millwall masterstroke in the Championship survival scrap 24:35 Portsmouth on the verge of League One promotion 29:30 Who’s going to be best of the worst in League One? 32:00 Stockport and Wrexham look to seal promotion 36:00 Colchester and Grimsby treading in quicksand 38:45 A dodgy decision and a fairytale story in 72PLUS 72MINUS

Steve Crossman hosts Euro Leagues including reaction to Thursday night's football. The podcast begins with commentator Vicki Sparks and former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock discussing a shock result at Anfield, where Atalanta beat Liverpool 3-0 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg.

The team hear from Jürgen Klopp, before bringing in Euro Leagues pundits Julien Laurens and Guillem Balagué - with the former at Villa Park for Aston Villa's 2-1 Europa Conference League quarter-final first-leg victory over Lille.

They then move on to the major talking points from the four Champions League quarter-final first legs from earlier in the week.

TIMECODES: 00:40 - Liverpool 0-3 Atalanta 05:25 - Jürgen Klopp 07:18 - Aston Villa 2-1 Lille 07:50 - Euro Leagues pundits on Liverpool's defeat 13:35 - Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City 21:33 - Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich 25:15 - PSG 2-3 Barcelona 29:31 - Atlético Madrid 2-1 Borussia Dortmund 30:25 - Athletic Bilbao winning the Copa del Rey

Mark Chapman brings you reaction from Wednesday's EFL and Champions League games with former Ipswich Town striker Sam Parkin.

Hear from Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna after his side miss the chance to go top of the Championship with a 0-0 draw against Watford while Birmingham interim manager Gary Rowett gives his reaction to his 1-0 defeat to Cardiff, leaving them in the relegation zone.

Charlie Slater and John Acres report on Champions League quarter-final first-leg wins for Barcelona and Atlético Madrid against Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund respectively.

Pat Nevin and Gavin Wallace also discuss Dundee's fifth postponement of the season after their Scottish Premiership game against Rangers was called off.

TOPICS 1 mins - Kieran McKenna 4 mins - Championship automatic promotion battle 8 mins - Gary Rowett 10 mins - Championship and League One round-up 19 mins - Champions League round-up 22 mins - Championship relegation discussion 25 mins - Dundee v Rangers postponement discussion

Ben Haines and England Women's record goal scorer Ellen White discuss England’s 2-0 win against Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

The Telegraph’s Tom Garry and commentator Vicki Sparks drop by to dissect how the Lionesses have performed over the first two games of their Euro 2025 qualifiers. Ben and Ellen also look ahead to the FA Cup semi-finals at the weekend.

Timecodes: 0:10 Intro 02:20 England Ireland 10:10 Keira Walsh 12:00 Sarina Wiegman 24:20 Home Nations qualifiers 28:10 FA Cup Semi-Finals

Kelly Cates hosts reaction to Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first-leg ties with former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown.

Ian Dennis and former England winger Chris Waddle react to Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. Hear from City boss Pep Guardiola.

John Southall and former Arsenal defender Matt Upson were at the Emirates for Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich. Hear from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel.

Vicki Sparks discusses England's 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland in their Women's Euro 2025 qualifier and Aaron Paul rounds up the night's big stories from the EFL. Hear from Stockport County boss Dave Challinor.

TOPICS 0 mins - Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City reaction 5 mins - Pep Guardiola 11 mins - Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich reaction 15 mins - Thomas Tuchel 20 mins - Mikel Arteta 22 mins - Republic of Ireland 0-2 England reaction 24 mins - EFL round-up 27 mins - Dave Challinor

Mark Chapman is joined by Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Luton’s Andros Townsend. They discuss the Premier League title race after Liverpool could only draw at Manchester United. Giulia Bould from BBC Radio Merseyside joins the pod to talk about Everton’s latest points deduction. And birthday boy Barry Fry swings by after Peterborough’s EFL Trophy win at Wembley.

02:20 Liverpool lose lead at the top of the Premier League 10:00 How much of a setback is it for Liverpool? 13:35 Stats in the title race 17:20 Chris Sutton: “I think it’s Arsenal’s to lose” 20:45 Can Man City do it again? 22:30 Everton docked two points for second financial breach 34:45 Wins for Everton and Luton in the survival fight 36:00 Barry Fry joins the pod EFL Trophy final 43:05 Barry’s memories of Joe Kinnear

Ben Haines, former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, ex-Liverpool winger Stewart Downing and ESPN's Mark Ogden reflect on Liverpool dropping points in the title race. They assess where the 2-2 draw leaves Jürgen Klopp's side, while also asking if Kobbie Mainoo should be a starter for England after his latest impressive performance.

They also look back on Chelsea's 2-2 draw at Sheffield United and Tottenham's win over Nottingham Forest. And Pat Nevin joins the podcast following a thrilling Old Firm encounter, which leaves the Scottish Premiership title race perfectly poised.

02:20 Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool 07:30 "Game on" in the title race says Jürgen Klopp 13:25 Do Man Utd lack organisation under Ten Hag? 17:50 Sheffield United 2-2 Chelsea 26:05 Tottenham move into the Top Four 32:15 Rangers 3-3 Celtic

Mark Chapman and 5 Live Sport’s team of reporters take you through the biggest stories from Saturday’s action as Arsenal go back to the top of the Premier League.

Dion Dublin also joins the pod to give his thoughts on the 3 o’clock results – PLUS you’ll hear reaction from the likes of Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Rob Edwards.

Darren Fletcher presents reaction to England's 1-1 draw with Sweden in their opening Euro 2025 qualifier. Commentator Vicki Sparks and ex-Lionesses' defender Gilly Flaherty dissect where England need to improve ahead of Tuesday's second qualifier in the Republic of Ireland.

Michael Brown and Owen Hargreaves also join the pod to look ahead to another pivotal weekend in the Premier League. They look at the title race, with Owen recounting he approached run-ins during his career.

And the panel ask just how much more is yet to come from Phil Foden, following his impressive season so far.

TIMECODES 00:20 - Lionesses 1-1 Sweden analysis 06:22 - Sarina Wiegman interview 10:30 - How to approach a title run-in 17:10 - How much further can Phil Foden go? 22:55 - Cole Palmer - a starter at Euro 2024? 33:28 - Brighton v Arsenal and Man Utd v Liverpool

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff chat EFL with Cambridge striker Lyle Taylor. They’re joined by Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen with twists and turns in the Championship promotion battle. Defeats aplenty in the play-off race. Neil Warnock has his say after Plymouth Argyle overlooked him after sacking Ian Foster. League One and League Two are also on the agenda, and catch’s Jobi’s 72PLUS 72MINUS.

02:20 Is this the best Championship title race for some time? 03:20 Leicester City GK Mads Hermansen joins the pod LIVE 11:00 The other contenders… Ipswich Town in a ‘strong position’ 19:40 Too many Easter eggs in the Championship play-off race? 25:25 Are Plymouth making a ‘fatal mistake’ after sacking Ian Foster? 30:22 Big clubs lead the way in League One 33:15 A great escape in League Two? 35:15 Own goals and screamers in 72PLUS 72 MINUS

Maz Farookhi is at Anfield to present reaction to wins for Liverpool and Chelsea in the Premier League.

She is joined by Dion Dublin to discuss the major talking points of Liverpool's 3-1 win over Sheffield United, with John Southall at Stamford Bridge, where Cole Palmer scored a thrilling hat-trick as Chelsea came from behind to beat Manchester United 4-3 in stoppage time.

The podcast hears from managers Jürgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag.

TIMECODES:

00:25 - Liverpool 3-1 Sheffield United 10:45 - Chelsea 4-3 Manchester United

John Bennett hosts Euro Leagues with Julien Laurens, Archie Rhind-Tutt and Mina Rzouki. They discuss Bayern Munich's search for their next manager after Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso decided to stay at the club which is leading Germany's Bundesliga.

Scottish footballer Sam Wardrop, who retired from professional football in 2021 discusses his return to the scene with Ljungskile SK, who play in the Swedish third tier.

The podcast then moves on to surprises in cup competitions, ahead of Cyle Larin's Mallorca facing Athletic Club Bilbao in the Copa del Rey.

TIMECODES:

02:30 - Xabi Alonso 07:15 - Bayern Munich's search 17:11 - Sam Wardrop 26:18 - Cup shocks and Mallorca's Cyle Larin 31:36 - DFB Pokal

Steve Crossman has reaction to Wednesday’s Premier League action. Steve is joined by Izzy Christiansen, Steve Bruce and Theo Walcott as Arsenal go top of the table and Manchester City beat Aston Villa 4-1 with a Phil Foden hat-trick.

Hear reaction from Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Frank following Brentford’s nil-nil draw against Brighton.

Timecodes: 0:10 Intro 01:30 Arsenal - story of the game 03:10 Arteta 09:40 Manchester City 12:10 Foden chat 19:25 Guardiola 23:30 How damaging is defeat for Villa? 25:10 Title race 32:10 Thomas Frank

Ben Haines and England Women's record goal scorer Ellen White catch up with the Lionesses! Hannah Hampton, Niamh Charles and Khiara Keating sit down with Ben and Ellen to discuss all things England ahead of the Euro 2025 qualifiers.

Hannah and Khiara give an insight into the 'goalkeepers' union' and how Khiara is settling in to the Lionesses squad. Niamh talks about wearing the captain's armband for Chelsea and the rivalry between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall.

Timecodes: 0:10 Intro 02:20 Conti Cup 03:40 Steph Houghton retirement 07:20 Hannah Hampton 18:00 Khiara Keating 25:10 Niamh Charles 32:10 England v Sweden at Wembley!

Kelly Cates brings you reaction to Tuesday's Premier League matches with former Everton & England defender Phil Jagielka, former Spurs & Newcastle centre-back Sebastien Bassong & Statman Dave.

Nottingham Forest claim a big 3-1 win over Fulham. Hear from Player of the Match Morgan Gibbs-White and Fulham boss Marco Silva.

Everton and Burnley claimed a point against Newcastle and Wolves respectively. Hear the thoughts of Everton boss Sean Dyche, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany plus Newcastle's Eddie Howe.

Hear from Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner after their 1-0 loss at Bournemouth while, at the other end of the table, West Ham and Tottenham drew 1-1. Hear from West Ham manager David Moyes and Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu.

TOPICS 0 mins - Highlights of the night 1 mins - Morgan Gibbs-White 3 mins - Nottingham Forest discussion 7 mins - Marco Silva 8 mins - Fulham discussion 11 mins - Eddie Howe 13 mins - Newcastle 1-1 Everton discussion 16 mins - Sean Dyche 23 mins - Vincent Kompany 25 mins - Oliver Glasner 26 mins - Relegation discussion 30 mins - West Ham 1-1 Tottenham discussion 34 mins - David Moyes 35 mins - Ange Postecoglu

Steve Crossman talks Premier League title race, Hayes vs Eidevall and James Tavernier. He’s with Micah Richards, Chris Sutton and The New York Times’ chief soccer correspondent Rory Smith. Who’s going to win the league? Catch Klopp’s glowing comments on De Zerbi. Izzy Christiansen joins the pod as we hear from Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall after their altercation at the Women's League Cup final. And Rangers’ captain James Tavernier becomes British football's highest-scoring defender, but how does Micah’s goal tally compare?

10:10 Are Liverpool doing more with less? 14:45 Is a draw at Man City a good point for Arsenal? 19:05 Chris Sutton defends Erling Haaland 25:00 Who’s going to win the Premier League? 29:35 Could De Zerbi replace Klopp at Liverpool? 40:00 Emma Hayes & Jonas Eidevall’s touchline clash 49:35 Terrific Tavernier puts Micah to shame

Ben Haines and Nedum Onuoha are joined by former Liverpool forward Natasha Dowie and former Arsenal defender Jen Beattie to dissect a huge day for the Premier League title race.

We discuss Manchester City’s goalless draw with Arsenal at the Etihad and Liverpool’s comeback win at home to Brighton that’s put them in pole position in the title race.

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola give their assessment of the match and what it means for the run in, and Harry Symeou, from the Chronicles of a Gooner podcast, joins us on the Football Daily.

We discuss Arsenal’s win over Chelsea in the women’s League Cup final and the disagreement between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall over the Arsenal boss' behaviour on the touchline.

Plus, with Jen settling in at Bay FC in the NWSL, Tash and Nedum share their experiences of playing in America.

00:40 - Frida Maanum’s collapse in the League Cup final 03:39 – Nedum’s Picks 05:59 – Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal 10:27 – Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola 15:23 – Harry Symeou 19:29 – Liverpool 2-1 Brighton 27:55 – Title Run in 32:15 – Continental Cup Final 39:00 – Playing in the USA

Alistair Bruce-Ball presents reaction to Saturday’s football stories.

Hear from Eddie Howe & David Moyes as Newcastle come from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in the last minute against West Ham, plus Chris Wilder’s reaction to Fulham’s last gasp equaliser as Sheffield United threw away a 3-1 lead. Stephen Warnock talks through the big stories of Saturday’s fixtures, and reaction from Sean Dyche & Rob Edwards as Everton and Luton both lose as the battle at the bottom of the league intensifies. Ange Postecoglou reflects on Tottenham’s late win over Luton, and Craig Bellamy & Mauricio Pochettino look back on 10-man Burnley’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Conor McNamara & Paul Robinson analyse Aston Villa’s win over an injury-stricken Wolves, and Henry Moeran is alongside Mark Warburton for the late drama at Brentford as the Bees draw with Man United.

Darren Fletcher is alongside Paul Robinson, Nigel Reo-Coker & Michael Brown to look ahead to the game of the weekend between Man City and Arsenal at the Etihad.

Boxing promoter and manager, and huge Arsenal fan, Frank Warren joins them to discuss Arsenal’s chances in the game. Plus, hear from Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta as their teams prepare for the tie.

They debate who will replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool following Xabi Alonso's announcement that he will be staying at Bayer Leverkusen next season.

Also, they talk about the job that Erik Ten Hag has done at Manchester United, whether the new ownership will bring a different approach to recruitment, and if Ten Hag can build a side around Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho that could challenge for titles in the years to come.

A new era begins for Man Utd but what can fans expect? Sir Jim Ratcliffe sits down with BBC sports editor Dan Roan after completing his deal to buy a 27.7 per cent stake in Manchester United. He says it's a boyhood dream to be involved in United and that restoring them to the pinnacle of English and European football is the greatest challenge. Sir Jim also reveals his plans for a new stadium.

Producer: Jonathan McKeith.

This is also available as a Sports desk special on BBC Sounds.

Ahead of a new book launch, 'Watford Forever' by John Preston – which tells the story of how Sir Elton John and Graham Taylor saved Watford, the pop legend sits down with Gary Lineker to talk about his love of football, why FA Cup finals are like headlining Glastonbury and why Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney remind him of himself.

Lionel Messi has won his eighth Ballon d’Or and Guillem Balague gives a behind-the-scenes account of how in Qatar, the Argentinian won the World Cup. Guillem hears from the biggest names in the sport; from Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, former England forward Gary Lineker and ex-Argentina defender, Pablo Zabaleta - who give their unique perspectives on what happened during that tournament. We are taken on a journey – from that shock loss in Argentina’s opening game against Saudi Arabia, to one of the best international finals ever – where Argentina beat France on penalties, fulfilling Lionel Messi’s destiny of winning the World Cup and cementing himself as one of the greatest players of all time

This is a special episode celebrating the life of England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Mark Chapman is joined by former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, as well as former Man Utd captain Steve Bruce. Also hear from football correspondent John Murray, former England manager Roy Hodgson, ex-Man Utd players Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. And hear archive audio from Sir Bobby himself on winning the World Cup.

02:05 Football correspondent John Murray 03:30 Sir Bobby Charlton on winning the World Cup 05:05 Gary Lineker on ‘England’s greatest ever player’ 09:10 Alan Shearer and Steve Bruce on a fellow son of the northeast 14:20 Former England manager Roy Hodgson on a ‘humble and charming man’ 15:45 Ex-Man Utd players Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick reaction 17:45 Man City boss Pep Guardiola sends ‘big hug’

Steve Crossman & Guillem Balague are joined by Julen Lopetegui.

They discuss Julen’s journey so far, from Asteasu in the Basque Country to Wolves.

Coaching the Spanish national team and Real Madrid.

Plus Spanish managers in the Premier League and why a Basque flavour can be important.

TOPICS:

08:23 – Talks about living in Wolverhampton 12:48 – Next job in England? 15:30 – Leaving Wolves 26:27 – Chat about managers that coached him 31:00 – Talks about John Toshack 35:05 – On playing with Pep Guardiola 44:55 – Managing the Spanish national team

Mark Chapman is joined by Micah Richards, Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and guests as they delve into the ‘dark arts’ in football. From pinches, punches and meaty challenges. To distraction tactics, timewasting and taunting opposition fans - there’s been plenty of ‘housery’ employed over the years.

[Initial publication - Thursday, December 22nd 2022]

Four-time African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Touré, Africa Cup of Nations winner, Efan Ekoku, and former D.R. Congo captain, Gabriel Zakuani, debate all things African football in a new podcast from the BBC World Service, Match of The Day Africa: Top 10.   In each episode they’ll debate a topic, ranging from the best African goalscorers to the continent’s biggest World Cup moment, and decide on their top 10 from a shortlist compiled by a panel of African Football experts.

Search for ‘Match of the Day Africa: Top 10’ wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode every Monday from the 3rd July or head to bbcworldservice.com/africatop10.

The Football Daily’s 72+ team of Aaron Paul, Phil Brown & Jobi McAnuff discuss and debate their EFL top 10s in this brand new mini-series.

In episode one, the guys rank the big play-off moments. From Dean Windass to Troy Deeney, and from Josh Windass to Bobby Zamora – who will top the lot?

A BBC World Service documentary revealing the untold stories behind Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s journey to the top.

In Barcelona, former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina relives his time sharing bunk beds with Arteta at the world-famous La Masia academy, declaring that the boy from the Basque country was “born to be a manager”.

Presenter John Bennett travels to Arteta’s home town of San Sebastian to meet his childhood coach at a small club, next to a hair salon, that has become an amazing football talent factory.

Hear from former teammates at Everton, Arsenal and Rangers, from where Dutch great Ronald de Boer remembers Arteta stepping up aged 21 to score a stoppage-time penalty to snatch the title from Glasgow rivals Celtic: “To take that responsibility, at such a young age, in such an important game and moment of that decisive title race against Celtic was impressive.”

And find out why the Welsh city of Newport played such an important part in Arteta’s journey into coaching.

Arsenal legend Arsène Wenger and former Man City captain Vincent Kompany also feature in this documentary, which paints a picture of a single-minded, intelligent and meticulous man, schooled in the Barcelona style of play, who is now mixing it with the top managers in the game and has got Arsenal fans dreaming of glory once again.

Roddy Forsyth is joined by Connie McLaughlin and Pat Nevin to reflect on his 42-year career covering Scottish football at the BBC.

We’re joined by former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill and football correspondent John Murray.

We hear from former Rangers and England captain Terry Butcher and there’s a special message from Roddy’s family.

Steve Crossman discusses the career of legendary commentator John Motson, who’s died aged 77. Steve is joined by football correspondent John Murray and commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball. Also catch an interview with former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson, who often co-commentated with John Motson. And hear from the man himself.

Darren Fletcher presents a special edition of the Football Daily reflecting on the life of former Chelsea striker and manager Gianluca Vialli. Darren and former Premier League striker Glenn Murray are joined by ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who was there when Vialli was manager at Stamford Bridge. Hear from Vialli speaking to Nihal Arthanayake in 2020. And catch the thoughts of Italian football expert James Horncastle, who worked with Vialli on TV.

75 years ago, we heard Sports Report for the first time. On this podcast, Mark Chapman and Pat Murphy speak to fans, broadcasters and those who’ve been on the other side of the microphone. Jockey AP McCoy, author Lee Child and manager Tony Pulis are among those to explain why Sports Report is so special. **This is pre-recorded, so please do not message in**

TOPICS: 7:00 – Author Lee Child, 12:40 - What is it like actually working as a reporter on the show? 18:50 – Manager Tony Pulis, 26:15 – Stories from our presenters, 33:20 – Jockey AP McCoy, 42:30 - The most difficult day in the history of the programme, the day of Hillsborough, 50:20 – The wrong theme tune!

This is a special episode celebrating the life on and off the pitch of arguably the greatest player ever, Pelé.

Aaron Paul is joined by those who played against him, idolized him and interviewed him as they reflect on an incredible career of a true footballing legend. Former England midfielder, Alan Mullery – who played against Pelé in the 1970 World Cup tells Aaron his memories of playing with the great man, not once, not twice, but three times. South American football expert Tim Vickery gives his thoughts from Brazil as the country reacts to the news and we hear from Wales football legend Cliff Jones who faced Pelé in his first World Cup in 1958.

Gary Lineker gives his tribute, as does legendary commentator Barry Davies and chief football writer at the Times, Henry Winter - who have both watched Pelé and interviewed him during their careers. Not only that, we hear from the man himself and if he thinks he’s the greatest player of all time…

Timecodes: 3’00 – Tim Vickery from Brazil. 8’22 – Cliff Jones on playing against Pelé in the 1958 World Cup. 10’00 – Pelé interview. 13’00 – Clive Toye, general manager of the New York Cosmos. 18’00 – Gary Lineker tribute. 21’00 – Barry Davies reflections. 28’00 – Alan Mullery on playing against Pelé and being his friend. 35’00 – Henry Winter on interviewing Pelé.

As 2022 draws to a close, Steve Crossman visits the Euros-winning Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman at Wembley Stadium, the site of England’s historic victory, to reflect on her team’s undefeated year.

She discusses how her life has changed since the summer, how her teaching has influenced her coaching and shares the lessons she’s learnt from her players.

Highlight timecodes: 1:00 – Memories from the Euros final at Wembley. 2:30 – How life has changed since becoming European Champions. 6:00 – How the players are using the spotlight for good. 7:30 – Sarina as a teacher. 13:50 – What Sarina has learnt from her players. 16:30 – Reaction to players quotes. 20:00 – Transition of squad. 24:00 – Sarina’s early life. 26:30 – Pressure.

Guillem Balagué travelled to Warsaw just before the Poland team left for Qatar to sit down with Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski.

In this wide-ranging and in-depth interview, Lewandowski discusses everything from getting into TikTok to his hopes at the World Cup. The striker discusses the influence of his father and the impact of his death when Robert was aged 16, as well as what he learnt from Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.

Time codes

1.30 – How Robert got into TikTok. 4 – The nickname Bobic and his development as a youngster. 6.21 – Robert discusses when he felt ready physically. 7.46 – Why his dad decided to call him Robert. 10.01 – The death of his dad when he was 16. 13.40 – Getting over being released by Legia Warsaw. 18.42 – The advice given to him by Jurgen Klopp. 20.21 – The influence of Pep Guardiola. 22.25 – His on-field leadership skills. 25.07 – His leadership skills for the national team. 26.12 – The different preparation for the Qatar World Cup. 29 – What happened in 2018. 29.55 – His ambitions to score at the World Cup. 30.40 – Competing against Lionel Messi in his final group game. 33 – His desire to play in La Liga. 34.21 – Why Qatar may not be his last World Cup.

Joshua Kimmich is a key player for both Germany and Bayern Munich. The 27-year-old opens up in a lengthy interview with Guillem Balague recorded at Bayern Munich’s training ground shortly before the Bundesliga season paused for the World Cup.

He discusses everything from playing football in the street as a youngster to the influence of Pep Guardiola. He talks about lengthy car journeys with his dad to training with Stuttgart, the evolution of his game, his hopes for the World Cup – and spills the beans on several of his Germany team-mates.

Timecodes 1.40 – Taking his family to the World Cup. 4.05 – His upbringing, playing football in the street and having fun with his friends. 8 – Joining Stuttgart at the age of 12 and the journeys there with his dad. Whether his dad thought he could make it. 11.50 – When he realised he was good and had talent. 16.50 – How and when the move to Bayern Munich happened. 18.21 – The influence of Pep Guardiola. 25 – Kimmich discusses his favourite positions on the pitch. 28.40 – Developing as a leader. 30 – Why a strong Bayern is good for the German team. 31 - Learning lessons from 2018. 34 – His favourites for the Wold Cup. 36 – Kimmich discusses several of his team-mates – Manuel Neuer, Thomas Mueller, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz.

Steve Crossman is joined by BBC Wales’ football correspondent Rob Phillips, former Wales striker Sam Vokes and former Wales captain Ashley Williams to look ahead to Wales’ first appearance at a World Cup in 64 years. They hear from Gareth Bale as he prepares to head to the tournament, former Wales international and member of the 1958 World Cup squad Cliff Jones reflects on Wales’ last appearance in the competition and Wales legend Ian Rush gives his thoughts on Wales finally qualifying for the tournament again. 5 Live presenter and Wales fan Elis James drops by too and a number of famous Welsh celebrities offer messages of good luck to the team.

Darren Fletcher is joined by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Nedum Onuoha to chat Eric Ten Hag's Manchester United, Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola's coaching style. Bastian also reflects on his playing career, including Germany's World Cup victory in 2014, and chats about his new book, 'One of You'.

0'52 - Bastian Schweinsteiger's book, 'One of You' 5'34 - Manchester United and Eric Ten Hag 15'15 - Cristiano Ronaldo 16'25 - Coaching ambitions and Casemiro 21'25 - Manchester City v Brentford 25'28 - Pep Guardiola's philosophy 32'50 - England ahead of Qatar 35'55 - Germany's 2014 World Cup victory 39'28 - Germany ahead of Qatar

Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by Guillem Balague, James Horncastle and Julien Laurens.

With the top European leagues set to stop for the World Cup, the team ask which of them are effectively already over.

Julien discusses why the sackings continue in France, Guillem explains why the Basques are consistently able to punch above their weight and they also ask what was behind Gerard Pique’s red card?

Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan also drops in to shed some light on why there is something of a keeper crisis with their national team.

TIMECODES 1 min – The team discuss where they are staying in Qatar – and whether they will use the gym. 7 mins – James explains whether he thinks Napoli will go on to win Serie A. 11 mins – How the title race is looking in La Liga – and why Gerard Pique saw red. 19 mins – PSG on top - again – in France but why are so many managers are losing their job? 25 mins – Why the Basque region produces so many footballers. 29 mins – Marcel explains how the Dutch are looking heading into the World Cup. 40 mins – Bayern Munich and Germany’s Joshua Kimmich on a winning mentality.

Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by Guillem Balagué, Kristof Terreur and Mina Rzouki. Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has announced his retirement – but how good was he and how will he be remembered? The Champions League group stage has now finished and the team discuss whether it will be silverware for Napoli, the balance at PSG and the miserable campaign for Atlético Madrid. Plus – more top players are set to miss out on the World Cup, is this becoming a bit of an issue?

TIMECODES….. 1 min: Guillem’s crazy birthday and Kristof’s holiday. 3 mins: Gerard Pique’s decision to retire. 12 mins: Napoli looking good and deserve great credit. 24 mins: Whether the balance is right at PSG. 33 mins: The deep problems at Atlético Madrid. 40 mins: More players missing the World Cup.

The Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer meets Erling Haaland on the eve of his debut season at Manchester City.

Haaland talks about the relationship with his father, and wanting to be a better player than him from a really young age.

He says he has the ability to improve ‘everything’ in his game, highlights the importance of meditation, outlines how he’ll develop on-pitch chemistry with his new team-mates, and insists he’ll welcome the physicality and ‘pain’ of the Premier League.

HIGHLIGHTS 01:30 – Relationship with and influence of his father on his career 05:00 – Emotions connected to goalscoring, and how to get over missing chances 11:00 – His mental approach to the game and importance of meditation 13:45 – On whether he has to adjust his game to fit in at Manchester City

Steve Crossman speaks to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola about playing golf and spending time with family during the summer break, why emotions are more important to him than stats in football and how Erling Haaland is settling in.

They also discuss why Pep has embraced the city of Manchester so much, what he plans to do when he retires and why the club’s fanbase around the world is so important to him.

Steve’s also joined by former City midfielder Michael Brown to reflect on Guardiola’s words, what the signing of Haaland says about the club’s status and whether he thinks Pep’s more relaxed than what we see on the touchline.

Former England international Alex Scott looks at the explosion in popularity of women’s football and asks what the future holds for the game she loves. Women’s football is the fastest growing female sport in the world. With wages on the rise and multi-million pound broadcasting deals being agreed, this summer’s European Championships in England are set to be a watershed moment for the game. Traveling to Barcelona, Alex witnesses a seminal moment in the sport’s history as a world-record 91,000 people pack the Nou Camp for the women’s Champions League match between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Keen to know if that growth is sustainable, Alex seeks the views of some of the sport’s biggest names such as Chelsea manager, Emma Hayes and England Lionesses captain Leah Williamson. Alex hears how Reading’s WSL player, Emma Mitchell, is juggling being a new mum and a top-flight footballer, with maternity rights only recently being introduced for players. Meeting other Women’s Super League players, Alex learns about the challenges they still face, exploring the lack of diversity in the women’s game and the ongoing issues with social media abuse.

This is a pivotal time for women’s football and in order to find out if the game she loves is in safe hands, Alex flies to Switzerland to speak to Uefa and travels around the UK, meeting experts across the industry, including agents, investors, international stars and former players, to hear how far the game has come – and look at its incredible potential for the future.

This is a special Football Daily pod where Mark Chapman sits down to chat to Premier League referee Mike Dean on his extraordinary career, after announcing that he will retire at the end of the season after over 20 years at the very top of the game.

He tells Mark how he started in the lower leagues and rose to the very top – and lets us in on a few secrets along the way… like who were his favourite players - to the manager he feared the most and lifts the lid on what really goes on in the referees dressing rooms. Not only that we hear his views on how the game has changed throughout his time on the pitch and of course VAR gets a mention too!

Kelly Cates, commentator Conor McNamara and former Wales internationals Sam Ricketts and Sam Vokes reflect on Wales’ victory over Austria in their play-off semi-final, which leaves them just one game away from qualifying for their first World Cup since 1958.

Wales manager, Rob Page, gives his reaction to his team’s emotionally charged win.

Mina Rzouki reacts to Italy’s shock exit from the World Cup Qualifiers, and we also have reaction from Scotland’s draw in their international friendly against Poland.

https://careerssearch.bbc.co.uk/jobs/job/Journalism-Researcher-5live-Sport-BBC-Sport/59454

Steve Crossman & former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha catch-up with World Cup winner & Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger. The 8-time Bundesliga title winner talks international highs & lows, his time playing in a legendary Bayern team & turning down a career as a professional skier

Darren Fletcher is joined by former Man City and Spurs midfielder Michael Brown and ex-Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison to look ahead to the Manchester Derby, Antonio Conte’s Premier League return and the latest in Newcastle’s manager search.

Could Saturday’s match at Old Trafford determine the fate of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer? The Manchester United manager has a great record in this fixture, winning three and drawing one of the last four, and this time around he has Cristiano Ronaldo. Will a Man United back four better suit Pep Guardiola’s Man City?

As Antonio Conte prepares for his first Premier League game in charge of Tottenham, Clinton and Michael ask if the current squad are prepared for their fresh start and whether they will buy into the new regime. Plus, will Harry Kane be a part of Conte’s long-term plans?

With Eddie Howe looking like the favourite to replace Steve Bruce at St James’s Park, is he the best manager to take on Newcastle’s relegation battle?

Plus we’ve reaction from St Mary’s after Southampton beat Aston Villa one-nil. You can hear from both Ralph Hasenhüttl and Dean Smith.

As Barcelona sack Ronald Koeman, Steve Crossman is joined by Guillem Balague, Rafa Honigstein, Mina Rzouki and Julien Laurens to discuss what we can expect next for both the club and their former manager. What was the decisive moment that lead to his dismissal and how would the Spanish side look with Xavi at the helm?

Plus, we hear from former Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj on why it didn’t work out for him under Jose Mourinho and Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken tells us why he is loving life right now.

TOPICS: 3’30 Ronaldo Koeman sacked by Barcelona 19’10 Real Sociedad 26’00 Adnan Januzaj interview 37’00 Mark Flekken interview

Steve Crossman & former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha catch-up Wolverhampton Wanderers’ captain & England defender Conor Coady. The guys talk all things Wolves, England, the art of being a Captain AND car parks.

Former Wolves striker Nathan Blake also join the guys to talk expectations this season & mental health.

To mark the International Awareness Day for Epilepsy, Steve Crossman is joined by former England and Cardiff forward Jay Bothroyd as well as Port Vale Defender Leon Legge to talk about how the neurological disorder has affected their lives.

All three share personal experiences before chatting about stigmas, mental health and how sport deals with medical conditions.

This podcast contains references to some scenarios you may find distressing. For more information on epilepsy, visit the NHS website.

Pep Guardiola as you have never heard him before.

The Manchester City boss selects several of his favourite songs that reference key moments in his life, as he takes us on a journey from his humble beginnings to the very top of the football world. Speaking to Guillem Balague back in 2018 he talks at length about his upbringing, family life, Barcelona, New York, politics and his special relationship with the people of Manchester.

Guardiola also opens up about the night his wife and two daughters were caught up in the Manchester Arena Attack.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk opens up on his love of Disneyland and Game of Thrones, honing his skills on Cruyff courts and how he switches off from football in an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with Guillem Balague

Steve Crossman is joined by triple Ballon d'Or winner Marco van Basten for a Euro Leagues special. He won six league titles, two European Cups and the Euros but Marco van Basten wishes he had retired earlier. He discusses meeting his idol Johan Cruyff as a teenager and scoring his most famous goal in the Euro 88 final. But he missed two seasons trying to fight back from his ankle injury and now cannot even kick a ball.

Steve Crossman, Guillem Balague, Rafa Honigstein and Kristof Terreur are joined by Bayer Leverkusen’s Uefa committee member Fernando Carro to discuss a turbulent week.

From the seismic shock caused across Europe by the news of the proposed European Super League to the possible fall-out and consequences of its collapse - the team unpick a week like any other.

TOPICS

3.20 – What has happened this week

5.18 - Impact of Florentino Perez’s latest interview

09.30 - Interview with Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro, who is also on Uefa’s Club Competitions Committee. He talks about how ‘disgusting’ certain aspects of behaviour was from ESL clubs

16 - Carro very strong on need to discuss problems in football in the open

17.30 – Carro good on how Germans are good at finding compromises – and how important this is right now

23.35 – The team discusses what happens next

27 – Rafa Honigstein on how Perez has been exposed as “the emperor with no clothes”

34 – Why fans around Europe have reacted differently to the ESL plans

37.57 – The team discusses whether this week will be remembered in 10 years

BBC Sport's Eilidh Barbour has been speaking to the Scotland and Arsenal defender Jen Beattie.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and is still receiving treatment, but has since played for her club and country.

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by issues raised in this podcast, support and information is available at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

In this special episode of the Football Daily podcast Mark Chapman is joined by correspondent John Murray and South American football expert Tim Vickery to pay tribute to football legend Diego Maradona, who has died at the age of 60.

Maradona - arguably the greatest player football has ever seen - had a spectacular career: he captained Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup, and scoring both the infamous 'Hand of God' goal and the much-lauded solo second against England in their quarter-final.

He spent much of his club career at Napoli, winning two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup with the Italian side. He had previously played for Barcelona, Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors.

We hear from Gary Lineker, Pep Guardiola, Ossie Ardiles, and Paul Elliott - all paying tribute to the Argentine superstar.

Former Arsenal and Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner talks candidly to Steve Crossman about Arsenal, addiction, smoking with Pirlo, and finally embracing the 'Lord Bendtner' nickname.

Steve Crossman and Stephen Warnock look ahead to Sunday's Premier League matches. We hear from Fulham boss Scott Parker on the club's tough reintroduction to the Premier League and Stephen explains why he feels Tony Khan's social media comments after the Villa game were unhelpful. Tottenham's Eric Dier expresses his frustration with the use of VAR ahead of his side's trip to Manchester United, while Stephen reveals who has been a key figure in Aston Villa's good start as they prepare to face Liverpool. Ahead of their game at Arsenal, Steve speaks to Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder and new signing Rhian Brewster, who talks about his decision to go to Bramall Lane, training with Steve McManaman and why his dad loves John Barnes.

Harry Maguire speaks exclusively to the BBC's Dan Roan.

Steve Crossman and guests select their Greatest Champions League XIs

Steve Crossman, Mark Clemmit and Derby County’s Curtis Davies explore how lockdown has affected the lives and careers of players in football’s lower divisions.

Mark Chapman is joined by Ian Wright, Chris Sutton and Rory Smith in the Monday Night Club's end of season review.

The team react as Aston Villa escape relegation, condemning Watford and Bournemouth to the Championship.

Who had the better season - Frank Lampard's Chelsea or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United?

And Chris tells all about his lawnmower woes.

From a 2 - 2 draw against West Brom back in December 2015, to producing one of the greatest Champions League comebacks of all time against Barcelona in May 2019. Kelly Cates is joined by our football correspondent John Murray, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock and John Gibbons from The Anfield Wrap to reflect on the 10 defining games that turned Klopp's Liverpool from also-rans to Premier League champions.

After 30 years of waiting for a 19th title, Liverpool are Premier League champions following Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea.

Steve Crossman is joined by football correspondent John Murray and former England and Chelsea winger Karen Carney who saw that dramatic win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that confirmed the title for Liverpool.

We hear reaction from former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock as well as Ronny Rosenthal who was part of Liverpool’s last title winning team 30 years ago.

Plus Gabby Logan from Match of the Day speaks to Liverpool's Andy Robertson and James Milner, who were mid celebration after hearing they're officially Premier League champions!

Kelly Cates, Ian Wright, Chris Sutton and Rory Smith are back on the Monday Night Club.

The team talk about #BlackLivesMatter appearing on team shirts when the Premier League returns and the impact that it could have on tackling racism in football.

Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp talks about the Blades' incredible season as he draws close to a century of goals for his boyhood club.

Who will go down? And who will qualify for Europe? The panel discuss the possibilities as the PL's return draws near.

Steve Crossman, Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens are back with the Euro Leagues show.

Frenkie de Jong discusses his rise from a small Dutch village to FC Barcelona and former teammates Aitor Karanka and Bixente Lizarazu are re-united.

Former Middlesbrough manager Karanka discusses the return of La Liga and Bayern legend Lizarazu recalls France's success at Euro 2000.

Kelly Cates is joined by Chris Sutton, Micah Richards and Rory Smith on the Monday Night Club.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock criticises Rafa Benitez' man management skills and reflects on the 2005 Champions League final.

And the team react to the cancellation of the Women's Super League.

Steve Crossman, Guillem Balague and Kristof Terreur are back with the Euro Leagues.

Roberto Martínez explains why his Belgium players are coaches of the future and Red Bull Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch remembers THAT half-time team-talk at Anfield.

And Brighton defender Bernardo discusses his love of radio, Project Restart and his upbringing in Brazil.

Mark Chapman, Ian Wright, Chris Sutton and Rory Smith are back on the Monday Night Club.

Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie discusses his club's ninth Premiership title in a row and Dion Dublin remembers the magic of Eric Cantona at Manchester United.

The Bundesliga is back and so are Steve Crossman and the Euro Leagues team.

Fortuna Düsseldorf sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel takes us behind the scenes at his club and Archie Rhind-Tutt joins us from Köln-Mainz.

Meanwhile, former Watford and Atlético Madrid boss Quique Sánchez Flores discusses winning the Europa League, his godfather Alfredo Di Stéfano and the Pozzo family.

Steve Crossman is joined by Guillem Balague and Kristof Terreur on this week's Euro Leagues show.

The team bring us the latest on the return of the Bundesliga and leagues across Europe.

Plus Chris Waddle reminisces about his Marseille career and the time he aimed for France and ended up on an island in the Indian Ocean...

And Nayim remembers THAT goal against Arsenal in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final.

Jermain Defoe talks about a lack of respect for his England career and Glenn Hoddle relives the Champions League final on the Friday Football Social with Darren Fletcher and Jermaine Jenas.

John Murray gives an update on the Bundesliga and potential return for the Premier League.

Plus we hear about Fletch's BBQ and JJ's slip and slide...

José Enrique compares Jon Flanagan to Roberto Carlos and we hear from FC Schalke and Wales winger Rabbi Matondo in this week's Euro Leagues podcast.

Guillem Balague and Julien Laurens join Steve Crossman to discuss Ligue 1 being cancelled and how football may restart in Spain, Italy and Germany.

What links Robbie Savage's hairdryer to Keith Gillespie?

Can Mark Chapman and Chris Sutton reverse their poor form to overcome Savage and Vicki Sparks in Alistair Bruce-Ball's "You're Better Than That" quiz?

And how could we see a return for football?

Steve Crossman is joined by Guillem Balague and Kristof Terreur for this week's Euro Leagues podcast.

Former German international Steffen Freund reflects on their Euro 1996 victory, a sore subject for Steve.

With the news that the Dutch football season will be voided, we're also joined by SC Cambuur manager Henk de Jong whose team were at the top of the Eerste Divisie and could now miss out on promotion to the Eredivisie and Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan.

Darren Fletcher and Jermaine Jenas catch up with one of the Premier League's longest-serving players James Milner.

They chat all about his life in football as well as those infamous social media videos.

Kelly Cates is joined by Ian Dennis and Clinton Morrison to discuss their favourite sporting films and whether the Premier League can survive the coronavirus crisis.

We hear from National League chairman Brian Barwick and football finance expert Nick Harris to discuss how teams will cope.

What would make Sean Dyche rather get a "big spoon" and "ram it" in his eye socket?

And how does Lucy Bronze think women's football has changed over the last few years?

Mark Chapman is joined by Dion Dublin, Karen Carney and Clinton Morrison to discuss life without football, Phil Neville's own language, their favourite grounds and what riled them up on the football pitch.

Sean Dyche also uses the word 'peng'.

Mark Chapman is joined by Michael Brown, George Elek and Kieran Maguire to look at how EFL clubs will be affected by coronavirus.

On this special episode, we hear from EFL chairman Rick Parry, Portsmouth striker John Marquis, Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace and Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth.