Invincibles Safe, Foden Fun, Hypothermia, Coronavirus & A Bernie-Barry Barney

Covid's grip on the Premier League's neck appears to be tightening again with Manchester United the latest to successfully appeal for a game to be called off. A new variant is in play, cases are on the rise and there are concerns that matches could once again return to being played behind closed doors. We discuss the scenario everyone dreads.

Over in Switzerland, UEFA, to the amusement of many, cocked up the Champions League draw. They got it right at the second time of asking allowing us to pick our ties of the round. We also discover live on air that the Europa League, like an onion, has many, many layers.

Elsewhere in football, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy leading many to ask how many more retro kits the club will drop to make things up to fans. There's also time for a quick chat about Conor Gallagher - the latest Chelsea academy kid to shine - and, on the eve of his retirement, some reflections on Sergio Aguero's career.

There's only one place to start after the break - the madcap end to the Formula 1 season. Were we enthralled? Did we get angry? Did we sleep through it? You'll have to listen to find out.

Chess makes the cut for a second week in a row (blame Wogan) and we make our pick for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award.

After 115 episodes, dating back to June 2019, we end with a final 'And Finally'. We're not saying goodbye forever, but we're certainly going to take a break for a while as we get to grips with more pressing real-life matters.

Thanks for listening over the last two and a half years, it's been a blast.

Big love and Merry Christmas. Allen and Wogan.

We might be going on a bit of a hiatus, but do subscribe to make sure you don't miss out on our triumphant return, because that would be a damn shame, wouldn't it?

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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

It's been a while since a Premier League club has succumbed to Covid but with a clutch of cases in Conte's camp, Spurs have had matches with Rennes and Brighton postponed. Against the backdrop of vaccine passes being introduced for match-going fans in England, the arrival of winter has once again underlined that we're not out of the grip of this rather tedious pandemic.

Rather than get too down about things, we instead focus on the great week enjoyed by Divock Origi. With legend (and meme) status already assured, the Liverpool striker continues to lead a curious existence at Anfield, popping up with late winners for Jurgen Klopp whenever he fancies. Given he's only 26, we're in awe at how long he might go on like this.

Elsewhere in football, it was a terrible week for retro fashion brand Arsenal who found time between merch drops to lose four football matches in the space of a week. The men went down at Manchester United and Everton while the women, during recording, were hammered by Barcelona having lost the FA Cup final to a Sam Kerr-inspired Chelsea. After dissecting the mess at the Emirates, we pay homage to the Aussie who followed up her Wembley heroics with a lesson in how to deal with pitch-invaders.

After the break, we look ahead to the exciting finale of the F1 season. Will it be Max or Lewis who takes the title in Saudi Arabia? And will Andrew actually watch for once? No comment.

We end the show with a Wogan TED Talk about unionization in American sports before dumbing things down with some awful takes on chess. Yes, chess. Did we pay lip service to the Ashes? You'll have to listen to find out.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

Robert Lewandowski had to settle for a sympathy award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony as Lionel Messi pipped him to the big one on a night when Jorginho took bronze as the best player in the world. We chew over the criteria behind a controversial list that had Mo Salah down in seventh.

Back in England, Newcastle United underlined their credentials for the drop with another limp performance, this time against Arsenal. Can they find salvation in the January transfer window or will players be put off the prospect of a spell in the Championship?

Things are suddenly looking a little rosier at Manchester United. The Red Devils stunned everyone by making the savvy appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim coach. It looks great on paper but we're still scratching our heads trying to figure out how his consultant role plays out when another coach takes on the full-time position.

Elsewhere in football, Sp*rs lost to the lowest-ranked team in the Europa Conference League before snow forced the cancellation of their clash with Burnley. For the US-based Lilywhite who'd travelled 31 hours to be at Turf Moor that came as a bit of a shock.

We end part one with a trip to Dublin where Cathal took in the FAI Cup final and then head to Portugal where Primera Division side Belenenses took on Benfica with just nine men in their starting lineup.

After the break, it sounds like Novak Djokovic might not take part in the Oz Open because he's not vaccinated against Covid. We wonder if that's a decision he'll come to regret. We then turn our attention to cricket's coin toss conundrum and golf's big grudge match between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

After a host of poor results, culminating in a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Watford, Manchester United's owners couldn't ignore the issue any longer. Finally, after 168 games in charge, they pulled the plug on the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era. It was painful for all involved, evident by the tears shed by the Norwegian in an interview with the club's in-house TV channel.

Where do United go from here? They don't seem so sure with an interim, Michael Carrick, due to be replaced by another interim if they can't find someone permanent. It's a mess. And it's glorious.

On the pitch, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City kept the pressure up on each other at the top of the table with easy wins. Jurgen Klopp's men delivered a particularly impressive win against Arsenal in the Left Field derby after things promised to boil over on the touchline. We discuss hardman managers.

At the bottom, new gaffers Gerrard and Smith got off to winning ways with Aston Villa and Norwich while Burnley and Newcastle settled for high scoring draws on an entertaining weekend of Premier League action.

In Germany, 'Coronavirus Chaos Club' Bayern Munich have caused controversy by deciding not to pay their unvaccinated stars. We mull over whether that's fair before rounding up part one with news of an Everton legend and a look at the ghostly world of cryptocurrency partnerships.

We start part two looking for Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai - not seen in person since making sex abuse allegations against a high-ranking government official - before discussing Tiger Woods' return and Barry Bonds' eligibility for the MLB Hall of Fame.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
Twitter: twitter.com/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

We're pretty much done with international football for 2021. A select few countries can start booking flights to next year's World Cup in Qatar, others, including some big names, face nervy playoffs. 

We assess the winners and losers from a dramatic week that included spectacular bottle-jobs by Portugal and Italy, a formal complaint by South Africa to Fifa, England engaging in some superb stat-padding and Ireland, Wales and Scotland all burnishing their reputations with decent results.

All eyes return to the domestic game on Saturday when the Premier League campaign rolls up its sleeves and gets into the festive spirit. Arsenal travel to Liverpool for the Left Field derby and for once a Gunners-paddlin' isn't as nailed-on as usual. Or is it?

We also check in on Norwich and Aston Villa who've appointed new managers and survey the scene in the women's game after a big week in the WSL. There's even time to talk Derby County who've suffered yet another points deduction and seem destined for League One.

After the break, we chat over Lewis Hamilton's miracle win in Brazil in embarrassingly little detail before turning our attention to terrible haircuts in the autumn international rugby and Australia's surprisingly easy win over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
Twitter: twitter.com/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

You take a week off and all hell breaks loose in the Premier League.

Left, right and centre, managers have lost their jobs with Norwich and Aston Villa following the lead of Newcastle and Spurs - the managerial merry-go-round always spins faster just before an international break. We mull over the comings and goings and what might happen next at the clubs affected.

A different type of manager has also come under the spotlight this week - social media managers. Following a cock-up by Bruno Fernandes' team and a reveal-all interview by Manchester United's CEO of Media, we talk football's obsession with fan engagement and the weird path it's leading us all down.

On the pitch, West Ham are looking pretty tasty. Up to third with a win over Liverpool they remind us of 2016 vintage Leicester. Surely they can't challenge for the title? Or maybe they can?

Elsewhere in football, we cast an eye over some of the international break's least fascinating matches, weigh up the job facing Xavi, laugh at Jose Mourinho and question who has a hand steady enough to tackle Daniel Sturridge's hairline.

After the break, we catch up with the racism storm at Yorkshire Cricket, shake our head in disbelief at Aaron Rodgers' Covid calamity and discuss who we'd most like to smack in the face.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

After a humiliating 5-0 defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford, the end is nigh for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian labelled Sunday his 'darkest day' and rumours abound that the Glazer family may now pull the plug on a man they awarded a new contract to just three months ago.

For Jurgen Klopp, Mo Salah and the red side of Merseyside - utter bliss. The only unbeaten team in the Premier League have their swagger back after last year's stumble and look ready to push Chelsea and Manchester City all the way.

We discuss the top three's credentials and ask who'll be the best of the rest as we cast a casual eye over the likes of Leicester, Spurs, West Ham, Everton and Arsenal.

Elsewhere in football, Real Madrid beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a low-key El Clasico, Jude Bellingham scored a lovely goal, Crystal Palace fans held up a banner protesting against Newcastle United's new owners and Paul Scholes caused a stir by being caught on camera sucking on the toes of his adult daughter.

What the f*ck?

After the break, we find out live on air that the cricket World Cup that's currently being hosted by India, UAE and Oman isn't the one that England won a couple of years ago, we look ahead to the World Series (sort of) and we talk favourite candies.

Enjoy the show!

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
Twitter: twitter.com/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

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New owners, same old Newcastle. Well...for now, at least. After a week of joyful scenes in the North East following a takeover by (not) Saudi Arabia, St James' Park was brought down to earth by another terrible performance by Steve Bruce's side. We discuss what happens next for the smash-nosed manager and the Geordies' project.

After a record-breaking 29 away games without defeat, the wheels finally came off for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer away from home. Leicester ran riot on an afternoon that has many once again questioning how far the Norwegian can take the Red Devils.

Elsewhere in football, Crystal Palace's 2-2 draw at Arsenal suggests the Gunners might have the wrong ex-captain in charge, Real Sociedad are the darlings of Spain and Mo Salah is doing his best to steal the Ballon d'Or away from, erm, Jorginho?!

After the break, there was British success at Indian Wells after Cameron Norrie sealed a first ATP Masters title despite his shoes being stolen. We ask the big question, why are tennis players so careless with their kicks?

We also look back on the NFL's return to London and cast a casual observers eye over the MLB playoffs.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
Twitter: twitter.com/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

What a game between Liverpool and Manchester City? End-to-end, fantastic goals and in Mo Salah and Phil Foden, two men of the match! We discuss the fallout from a Premier League cracker and what it says about the title race.

Will Manchester United, who've looked bang average for a couple of weeks, be able to keep pace? More dropped points at Old Trafford, this time against an Andros Townsend-inspired Everton, suggest probably not.

At the other end of the table, Watford - surprise, surprise - became the first club to lose their nerve and sack their coach. After 10 months in charge, Xisco Munoz has been replaced by 70-year-old Claudio Ranieri. It's the Italian's 22nd managerial role. Will it be dilly ding or dilly wrong for the Hornets?

Elsewhere, things are going from bad to worse for Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, Wrexham's celeb owners have thrown a strop and a GPS typo led to an embarrassing Coupe de France exit.

After the break, boxing is under the microscope following stunning allegations of corruption at the Rio Olympic Games. Oh, dear. However, we're not giving up just yet as Tyson Fury's umpteenth clash with Deontay Wilder has landed just in time to moisten the loins. We also chat about unvaccinated NBA stars and inappropriate dad dancing.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
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And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan

Only a couple of weeks ago, Spurs were top of the Premier League and Arsenal were bottom. Nuno Espirito Santo was manager of the month and Mikel Arteta was the bookies' favourite to be sacked. Now, courtesy of Sunday's derby win, it's the Gunners who are on the charge and the Lilywhites in freefall. We try and figure out what's happening in north London.

The top of the Premier League may have a familiar look to it but Brighton, Everton and West Ham are doing their best to cling onto the coattails of the big boys. The Seagulls snatched a late point in El Gatwicko to maintain their great start but surely they'll fall away soon?

City's slick win at Chelsea - small revenge for the Champions League final - has teed them up nicely for further epic clashes with PSG and Liverpool. If they come through unscathed, does that make them *the* team to beat in Europe?

Elsewhere in football, we talk safe standing, drinking in view of the pitch and a 60-year-old playing up front for his own club.

In a packed 'Not Football' half of the show, we run the rule over Europe's annihilation in the Ryder Cup, talk Anthony Joshua's latest damaging defeat, Lewis Hamilton's 100th F1 victory and a very long field goal in the NFL.

Enjoy the show!

Every week on Left Field, Wogan and Allen dissect the latest in Football and Not Football. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out, because that would be a real shame, wouldn't it?

Subscribe: il.ink/leftfield_pod
Twitter: twitter.com/leftfield_pod
Instagram: instagram.com/leftfield_pod/
Facebook: facebook.com/leftfieldpod/

And your co-hosts...

Allen: twitter.com/AAllenSport
Wogan: twitter.com/CathalWogan