Football Weekly – "Palace pull off Liverpool hat-trick, plus the Premier League previewed"

Date: October 30, 2025
Host: The Guardian (Max Rushden)
Panel: Barry Glendenning, Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, Robin Cowan, Ewan Murray (for the Scottish segment)

Episode Overview

This week’s Football Weekly dives into a dramatic round of Carabao Cup action, headlined by Crystal Palace’s impressive win over a youthful Liverpool at Anfield—their third victory in a row against the Reds this season. The crew preview the upcoming Premier League fixtures, discuss managerial intrigue at Liverpool and in Scotland, and provide the usual blend of sharp analysis and gentle ribbing, including a detour into throw-in bureaucracy and the highs and lows of Wolves’ light shows.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crystal Palace 3-0 Liverpool – A Cup Hat-Trick at Anfield

[00:47–11:31]

• The panel leads with Palace’s win over a heavily rotated Liverpool, crediting Palace for achievement despite their own changes.
  • Robin Cowan: “You had Will Hughes coming in, he hasn’t played much this season…they’re just a very, very well-coached team.” (02:37)
• Focus shifts to Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s selection policy. Several teenagers started; five more on the bench. Was this a calculated risk or signs of deeper trouble?
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: Compares squad rotation to being a zookeeper’s understudy: “If you have them on the bench then you’re not resting them. If you’re the lion keeper in the zoo…and you still have to come in and supervise the understudy…that’s not a rest, is it?” (04:23)
• Speculation on whether this creates a crisis narrative at Liverpool, especially given a tough upcoming fixture list: Villa, Real Madrid, and Man City.
  • Max Rushden: “If they lose all three of those games…you’re then into the kind of territory that Man City were in last season…then you’re looking at a really, really poor, not only poor title defense, but you’re then kind of dragged into a top four race.” (08:46)

Notable Quote

“Some of their [Palace's] goals were really good. Their second and third goals I thought were just like, just beautiful football. I just wonder if Glasner wants that Liverpool job.”
— Jordan Jarrett-Bryan (08:46)

2. Liverpool’s Dilemma: Cup Choices & Fixture Pressure

[09:20–11:31]

• Reflection on Slot’s post-match comments about team depth compared with Man City and Chelsea.
  • Barry Glendenning: “Chelsea can bring in Estebao after I made two substitutions…we had six teenagers…” (09:20)
• Discussion over how quickly pressure can ramp up. Is Arne Slot a "busted flush" already?
  • Robin Cowan: “He’s starting to come out with comments that can be made a joke of…‘teams are changing their style against us’—well, yeah, they do that because you’re good.” (10:11)

3. Premier League & Carabao Cup: Review & Preview

[11:31–24:20]

Chelsea 4-3 Wolves

• High-scoring, error-laden match. Joy over Jamie Gittins’ wonder strike – debated volley vs. half volley.
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: “For a half volley, the ball has to be still in contact with ground. In my opinion, it certainly wasn’t. Brilliant strike off the outside of his right boot.” (14:08)

Long Throws and Football ‘Dinosaur’ Discourse

• Old-school set pieces are back in style; Tony Pulis being vindicated.
  • Barry Glendenning: “Tony Pulis wrote…needless to say, I had the last laugh column.” (14:50)

Spurs’ Defeat to Newcastle – The Shoelace Incident

• Spurs undone by Jed Spence’s lengthy boot-tying as Newcastle score from a corner.
  • Barry Glendenning: “The first goal…was basically down to Jed Spence tying his shoelaces for what felt like 25 minutes.” (17:41)
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: “…He was kneeling down, taking an age to tie his shoelace…I don’t know if Jed Spence just isn’t very good at tying his shoelaces.” (17:41)

Upcoming Key Premier League Fixtures

• Spurs vs. Chelsea: Both in dire need of a win, particularly after recent form stumbles. The panel predict a draw.
  • Max Rushden: “If they have ambitions on trying to get a Champions League spot…this is an opportunity for Spurs to really assert themselves as one of those key chasing sides.” (20:22)
• Newcastle at West Ham, Wolves at Fulham: Wolves’ poor defensive record noted, as is Newcastle’s away form.

4. Arsenal Continue Strong Run – Brighton Beat as Title Talk Begins

[25:48–29:02]

• Arsenal beat Brighton 2-0; discussion about the depth and flexibility of the side.
  • Max Rushden: “We look so impregnable at the back and able to score across the board up top. Yeah, it’s looking worryingly good for us at the moment.” (28:02)
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: “I was really happy for [Ranieri] because he's gone from the hot guy to being dropped...keeping him involved and scoring goals just makes him feel like he is a part of this.” (26:31)

5. Manchester City: Cup Progress & Bournemouth Preview

[29:11–32:08]

• Man City continue in the cup with goals from several players—not just Haaland—easing fears about goal reliance.
• Discussion about City’s record vs. Bournemouth and teenage goalscoring stats (Franny Jeffers, Robbie Fowler, Nick Anelka named as previous teen records).

6. Tyler Adams Interview: US Soccer, World Cup, and Diversity

[32:16–34:30]

• Jordan Jarrett-Bryan introduces his Channel 4 interview with the USMNT captain, covering diversity in the squad, pay-to-play problems in the U.S., and the difficulty of getting British athletes to talk meaningfully about social issues.
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: “I just found a very articulate, interesting young guy that has some thoughts on things beyond football...” (33:10)

7. Football Bureaucracy: Should There Be a Countdown on Long Throws?

[34:30–36:53]

• IFAB is considering time limits for long throws due to an increase in their use.
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan: “If it gets to a point where, you know, Michael Coyote is taking eight minutes to take a throw in, then yes, I guess. I think it should probably be left up to individual referees discretion.” (35:32)
  • Barry Glendenning: “IFAB, sort out the handball law. Preach worry.” (36:53)

8. EFL & Other Carabao Highlights

[36:53–37:52]

• Cardiff beat Wrexham in the Welsh derby. League One and Championship sides make rare cup progress.

9. Scottish Football: Celtic Madness and Managerial Intrigue

[39:25–51:59]
With guest Ewan Murray.

• Celtic Saga:

  • Celtic part ways with Brendan Rodgers in an explosive manner, with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond issuing a scathing statement.
    • Ewan Murray: “I think it was overly personal, overly spiteful…whatever you think of Brendan Rogers, he wanted the best for Celtic…” (39:56)
  • Immediate appointment of Martin O’Neill as interim, which energizes the fanbase but raises nostalgia questions.
    • Ewan Murray: “He’s the youngest 73-year-old you ever see…privately, 100% Martin O’Neill will believe he can still manage Celtic on a long-term basis.” (42:56)

• Rangers:

  • Danny Rohl’s arrival and measured optimism after early wins.

• Hearts:

  • Riding a positive wave with six wins in a row before a recent draw.

• Aberdeen:

  • Quirky new sporting director Lutz Pfannensteeel’s wild CV: penguin theft, modeling, near-death experiences.
    • Ewan Murray: “He once stole a penguin. He has spent 101 days in a Singaporean jail accused of match fixing, not penguin theft related…” (51:04)

Notable Moment

“He reeled off pretty much word for word what I’d written six or seven years before…when he was Ireland manager, he used to spend too much time…he used to read everything…”
— Ewan Murray on Martin O’Neill’s legendary memory (45:39)

10. Correspondence & Listener Banter

[51:59–55:44]

• Listener emails on “divorced Belgians,” amusing wedding shout-outs, and reflections on Football Weekly’s role as a lifelong companion.
  • Andy Johnson: “I can now say that the Football Weekly podcast has been a longer constant in my life than marriage…” (52:51)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:47] Crystal Palace’s win at Liverpool—full panel analysis begins
• [02:37] Robin praises Palace’s coaching and depth
• [04:23] Jordan’s “zookeeper/lion keeper” analogy
• [08:46] Jordan speculates on Glasner and Liverpool job
• [10:11] Slot’s odd post-match comments and pressure at Liverpool
• [14:08] Gittins’ volley/half-volley debate in Chelsea–Wolves
• [17:41] Jed Spence’s shoelace and Spurs’ downfall at Newcastle
• [20:22] Spurs–Chelsea preview
• [26:31] Arsenal–Brighton recap and Arsenal’s prospects
• [29:20] Manchester City’s cup win, multiple goalscorers
• [32:16] USMNT’s Tyler Adams discussion
• [34:30] Long throw-ins: bureaucracy or part of the game?
• [39:25] Scottish football chaos: Celtic, Martin O’Neill, fan perspectives
• [51:04] The legend of Lutz Pfannensteeel at Aberdeen
• [52:51] Listener correspondence and wedding shout-out

Memorable Quotes

• “If you have them on the bench then you’re not resting them…If you’re the lion keeper in the zoo…and you still have to come in and supervise the understudy…that’s not a rest, is it?”
  — Jordan Jarrett-Bryan (04:23)

• “He’s the youngest 73-year-old you ever see…privately, 100% Martin O’Neill will believe he can still manage Celtic on a long-term basis.”
  — Ewan Murray (42:56)

• “Some of their [Palace’s] goals were really good…just beautiful football. I just wonder if Glasner wants that Liverpool job.”
  — Jordan Jarrett-Bryan (08:46)

• “I can now say that the Football Weekly podcast has been a longer constant in my life than marriage…”
  — Listener Andy Johnson (52:51)

Tone & Style

As ever, the tone is warm, irreverent, and sharp—mixing informed debate and analysis with banter, self-deprecation, and the occasional surreal analogy. The panel blend big-picture reflections on team and manager trajectories with hyper-local trivia (shoelace mishaps; penguin heists) and reminders that football is, ultimately, meant to be fun.

This summary serves anyone wishing to catch up on the week’s Football Weekly, providing insight into both footballing events and the distinctive humor of the show.