Essential Football
Featuring extended interviews with some of the biggest names in football and in-depth analysis of the latest talking points with Sky Sports' football journalists, dive deeper with the Essential Football podcast. Subscribe today and make sure you don’t miss an episode.
Episodes
May 16, 2024 • 37 mins
Sky Sports football journalists Peter Smith, Sam Blitz and Nick Wright look ahead to the final day of the Premier League season and ask whether the twists and turns will come in the title race or in the pursuit of Europe.
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May 10, 2024 • 39 mins
Ron Walker is joined by Sky Sports digital football journalists, Ben Grounds and Zinny Boswell to take a look at the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Will it be Nottingham Forest, Luton Town or Burnley who maintain their place in the top division?
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Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Sam Blitz discuss the fall out from this week's London derby between Chelsea and Spurs, amid seeming mounting pressure on both managers. Plus, they look ahead to the Premier League fixtures this weekend.
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April 25, 2024 • 36 mins
Ron Walker is joined by Sky Sports News' senior reporter, Melissa Reddy and Sky Sports digital football journalist Adam Bate to discuss the reports touting Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's replacement as Liverpool manager.
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April 11, 2024 • 39 mins
Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Nicholas Wright discuss the current situation at Manchester United and consider whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the club can help them return to the top of English football.
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April 5, 2024 • 40 mins
Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Richard Morgan discuss the huge clash between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford this weekend, and consider whether both sides must win the game as the Premier League season edges towards its conclusion.
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April 2, 2024 • 26 mins
Sky Sports Senior Reporter Melissa Reddy joins Ron Walker to discuss Xabi Alonso's decision to stay in Germany at Bayer Leverkusen, where Liverpool might turn next in their pursuit of Jurgen Klopp's successor, and will we see Ruben Amorim or Roberto De Zerbi on Merseyside?
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March 28, 2024 • 39 mins
Sky Sports football journalists, Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz are back after the international break to preview the huge Super Sunday games between Manchester City and Arsenal and Liverpool's match against Brighton.
Could this be a decisive weekend to decide who will end up lifting the trophy? Where will City vs Arsenal be won or lost? Is this De Zerbi's audition for the Liverpool job?
Could this be a decisive weekend to decide who will end up lifting the trophy? Where will City vs Arsenal be won or lost? Is this De Zerbi's audition for the Liverpool job?
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March 27, 2024 • 21 mins
Manchester City defender and former England captain Steph Houghton has announced her retirement from football at the end of the season. Houghton is City's most decorated player - she's won the League, FA Cups, League Cups, and earnt 121 England caps.
In 2020, Steph joined Caroline Barker to look back at one of her proudest moments in an England shirt, at the 2015 World Cup in Canada. Ultimately, Steph was part of the team that suf...
In 2020, Steph joined Caroline Barker to look back at one of her proudest moments in an England shirt, at the 2015 World Cup in Canada. Ultimately, Steph was part of the team that suf...
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March 14, 2024 • 33 mins
Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz discuss the Premier League title race and make a case for each of the three contenders - Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
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March 8, 2024 • 28 mins
It's Liverpool against Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp versus Pep Guardiola! Michael Dawson and Peter Drury join Sky Sports' Peter Smith to look ahead to this huge match at Anfield, which you can watch, live, on Sky Sports on Sunday.
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February 23, 2024 • 26 mins
Michael Dawson and Peter Drury join Pete Smith to look ahead to Chelsea vs Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
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February 19, 2024 • 31 mins
Sky Sports' Peter Smith and Melissa Reddy discuss the latest on Liverpool's hunt for a successor to Jurgen Klopp, weighing up the attributes of the key contenders and the criteria the Anfield club will be looking for from their next head coach.
From standout favourite Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, to potential Premier League picks, such as Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford's Thomas Frank and Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou, S...
From standout favourite Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, to potential Premier League picks, such as Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford's Thomas Frank and Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou, S...
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January 26, 2024 • 31 mins
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher reacts to Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Anfield at the end of the season.
For more on this story, keep across Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports website and app.
For more on this story, keep across Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports website and app.
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January 8, 2024 • 22 mins
As he prepares to return from an eight month ban for breaching gambing rules, Brentford striker Ivan Toney sits down with Darren Lewis to discuss his time away from the game.
Toney describes how he avoided watching football for a period of time, what he has done to keep himself in shape and how he wants to repay his club by helping them stave off relegation from the Premier League.
Toney describes how he avoided watching football for a period of time, what he has done to keep himself in shape and how he wants to repay his club by helping them stave off relegation from the Premier League.
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December 25, 2023 • 26 mins
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke exclusively sits down with Sky Sports to reflect on a successful 2023, looks ahead to Euro 2024, Scott McTominay’s impact, his squad selection dilemas and more.
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December 24, 2023 • 28 mins
The England manager Gareth Southgate sits down with Sky Sports News' Senior Reporter Rob Dorsett to look back at 2023 and look ahead to next summer's Euros.
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November 24, 2023 • 16 mins
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher joins Peter Smith to look ahead to the huge Saturday lunchtime showdown between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad, which you can watch live on Sky Sports. Carragher assesses the key battles across the park, Alexis Mac Allister's crucial role in the Liverpool midfield and whether Erling Haaland or Mo Salah will steal the show for their side. He also reveals what the key selection decision ...
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October 12, 2023 • 16 mins
England host Australia on Friday – 20 years after the Socceroos stunned the Golden Generation.
In February 2003, sandwiched between a dominant Australia Ashes win and England’s famous rugby World Cup triumph Down Under, the Aussies beat England at football for the very first time.
It was the night when Sven-Goran Eriksson changed the entire England team at half-time, Wayne Rooney made his international debut and Australia landed a ...
In February 2003, sandwiched between a dominant Australia Ashes win and England’s famous rugby World Cup triumph Down Under, the Aussies beat England at football for the very first time.
It was the night when Sven-Goran Eriksson changed the entire England team at half-time, Wayne Rooney made his international debut and Australia landed a ...
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August 30, 2023 • 32 mins
In this special episode of Essential Football Ben Ransom and Jamie Carragher discuss the concern around football tragedy abuse.
They are joined by Joe Blott from the FSA, Charlotte Hennessey, who lost her father at Hillsborough, and Gareth Senior, who was in Istanbul when two Leeds supporters were murdered in 2000.
They are joined by Joe Blott from the FSA, Charlotte Hennessey, who lost her father at Hillsborough, and Gareth Senior, who was in Istanbul when two Leeds supporters were murdered in 2000.
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