The Optus Sport Football Podcast

Schwarzie and Bridgey have returned from their golfing trip to run the rule over the latest Premier League weekend with Phil:Chelsea are looking unstoppable under MarescaWill struggling Ange be at Spurs by the start of 2025?Manchester United's turmoil continues on and off the pitchHow to stop Arsenal at set piecesIs Pep cracking up?Leicester's superb start under Ruud van NistelrooyMichelle and Ash are also back with their assessment of the first WSL weekend after the international break.Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Do Arsenal's front men have enough goals in them to win the league?!Midweek football is here on Optus Sport!With Mark Schwarzer galavanting on a Spanish golf course, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens pore over this week's midweek fixtures.Arsenal v Manchester United will be huge - we give our pre-game analysis on what lineups will cause the greatest trouble for the oppositionNewcastle sit in a disappointing 11th place and take on an absolutely flying Liverpool at St. James' Park. How can the Magpies take down the seemingly-unassailable Reds?-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

With Schwarzie and Bridgey sunning themselves on a Spanish golf course, Phil and Juls pick up the slack to reflect on a momentous weekend of Premier League action.How Arne Slot has found the 'perfect blend' at LiverpoolWhy the title race isn't over yetHave Manchester City fallen off a cliff?Juls goes big on Guardiola: "He doesn't have a clue!"Do great managers lose this many games?Amorim's tactical transformation of Manchester UnitedShould Hojlund, Rashford or Zirkzee lead the line at Old Trafford?Chelsea flying highAston Villa looking 'horrendously bad'Phil also tells us about a special moment for him at the weekend as he took his son to his first ever Tottenham match.Every match of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Liverpool v Manchester City awaits - and the lads anoint it the game of the season!The Premier League really heats up this week!Mark Schwarzer is joined by Phil Kitromilides and Michael Bridges to look ahead to a few key fixtures in this weekend's Premier League calendar.Schwarzie can't contain his excitement for Liverpool v Manchester City and the impact it could have on the title raceBridgey claims that the Chelsea v Aston Villa clash will be decided by the glovemenPhil needs a momentary meditation to ease his nerves for Spurs' danger match against FulhamPlus, the second round of the FA Cup comes to town and is live on Optus Sport, with a former Premier League and international star showing up for a non-league side! We'll give you a clue... "BEEEEASST!!"-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Schwarzie and Phil are joined by Bridgey to reflect on another epic weekend of Premier League action:Initial thoughts on Ruben Amorim's Manchester UnitedThe 'incredible' job Kieran McKenna is doing at Ipswich TownSchwarzie's shock at Leicester City sacking Steve CooperWhy Graham Potter is 'the perfect man' to replace himAnge's 'historic' dismantling of Manchester CityIs Dejan Kulusevski the new Gazza?Have Manchester City lost confidence and self-belief?Liverpool should give 'incredible specimen' Mo Salah 'whatever he wants' Every match of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

The hopes of thousands are pinned on United's reaction to the arrival of new manager Ruben Amorim!The Premier League returns!As Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens pick through this weekend of football action, their six plus millions of other eyeballs will be on Portman Road as Manchester United turn out against Ipwsich, under the guidance of new gaffer Ruben Amorim for the first time. The lads hypothesise how the Red Devils will react, particularly with how poor they gave been on the road this season. Phil has a giddy excitement to see his Spurs take on Manchester City. Why? Because of their sequence of LOSS-WIN-LOSS-WIN-LOSS in their past string of matches - which means that, OBVIOUSLY, this week will be a win, and a big one!Mark, meanwhile, has his eyes on St. Mary's Stadium as Liverpool take a visit - and they may have a big say in the immediate future of the club!-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

"I get why he said it.. but I think you need to keep it within the group".Between Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens this week, we cover allegiances for Australia, England, Germany, Greece, Spain AND France, as we give a big look across the international break and look ahead to the much-anticipated Premier League return.We discuss:England's massive win over Greece, and bravo to the goal scorers, but why did it take so long for Curtis Jones to get an England cap?Harry Kane's outspokenness over squad members withdrawing, and while Mark gets it, he isn't sure he played it correctly.The Socceroos struggle against Saudi Arabia and need three points against Bahrain, while they are playing under the weight of expectation to qualify, because of the overachievement in Qatar.Will Cristiano Ronaldo play at the World Cup (surely?!)?Ruben Amorim moves to Manchester, and STACKS of questions remain about how the squad will line up against Ipswich next weekend!andPhil decides to point the finger of irresponsible parenting at his wife - hope she's not listening!Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Can we REALLY expect England to fall AGAIN to Greece?It's international weekend in the world of football, and Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Michael Bridges lob in with their big picks ahead of a massive weekend of fixtures on Optus Sport, with Phil doubling down on his Greece-will-upset-England call from the last international break - and you won't believe the about-face Bridgey does to Phil's Hot Take!Plus, Schwarzie predicts his old national teammate Tony Popovic to have the perfect two-shot on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Bridgey reckons Italy will turn around their poor fortune of late and we hear from Amy Harrison and Ash Sykes with their women's football preview!-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Schwarzie and Phil are joined by Bridgey this week as they reflect on another weekend of Premier League chaos:Bridgey sings Pedro Neto's praises, but questions Kai Havertz as the No.9 for ArsenalAre Manchester City mentally fragile?Liverpool are flying high, but who is their No.1 goalkeeper? Schwarzie thinks it might be Kelleher soon!Why Spurs could win a trophy this season, but won't finish Top 4.Also Schwarzie is stitched up by Phil who reveals Ipswich's last Premier League win came against him in 2002, whilst Amy and Ash catch us up on all things WSL.Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.