It's the Merseyside derby this weekend, and we get into that a bit with this week's guest. After all, our guest Stephen Warnock came up through the Liverpool academy and has been to Anfield and Goodison Park many times — and to Everton's brand-new Hill Dickson Stadium once. That one's at Liverpool's cathedral, however, and it's not the marquee match of the weekend. Neither is Man United-Chelsea.

The big one is Arsenal vs Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and it could tell us a lot about whether the Premier League is about to see a two-horse title race, a three-way, or even four if Chelsea get involved. For his part, Warnock thinks it will come down to just Arsenal and Liverpool, though there's always the chance of injuries or a tactical mastermind maneuver from Pep Guardiola. The Catalan will certainly have something up his sleeve for his old student, former Man City assistant coach Mikel Arteta, who will hope his newly super-deep squad can challenge on all fronts this season.

Beyond all that, Warnock also talks about a couple of his more idiosyncratic managers back in his playing days, Big Sam Allardyce and Neil Warnock. He also talks about sharing a flank with streets-won't-forget Barclaysman Morten Gamst Pedersen, and these are the kind of behind-the-scenes stories you'll find — along with some expert insight on the fitness and recovery side — on his new podcast venture, Strain on the Game.

Check that out, but first: Have a listen here, leave a review if you enjoy yourself, and check out more sharp conversations and on-the-ground reporting at The Football Weekend.com.

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The 2026 World Cup in North America is less than a year away, and while the club season has now kicked off in earnest, we'll have a number of international breaks before the big show. Each one is an opportunity to take stock of the various national teams across (nearly) every continent and see who’s on their way to the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.

We’ll take those opportunities with a series of shows in those windows where club football is on hiatus, and joining up for the inaugural edition is Felipe Cárdenas, senior writer for The Athletic covering national teams across North and South America.

We got into the U.S. Men’s National Team, Mauricio Pochettino’s performance, and the controversy around this summer’s Gold Cup; Lionel Messi’s last ride with Argentina and his chance to add a line to his resumé that could really settle all debates; Carlo Ancelotti’s bid to put the icing on his own cake with Brazil; Chile and Colombia’s struggles; Bolivia’s 13,000-foot home field advantage; and how Mexico and Canada are setting up as hosts.

(And to come clean: I mispronounced Felipe’s last name in the intro! Ignore my “ñ.” We learn.)

Get more sharp coverage of the world's game at TheFootballWeekend.com ↗️

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The violence, the sectarianism, the proxy war linked to The Troubles in Northern Ireland and what it means to be Scottish — all of it is tied up in the Old Firm, Celtic vs Rangers, Glasgow’s white-hot derby. A particularly ugly Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park even saw alcohol banned from Scottish football stadiums.

But what about the commercial side?

Because from the beginning, all concerned have recognized the financial opportunity generated by Scotland’s greatest rivalry. “The Old Firm” name may well come from a cartoon that satirized the whole thing as a joint business enterprise, and fans have rebelled against the two clubs and the authorities for reasons financial. Some local companies, like Tennent’s brewers, have even chosen to sponsor both Celtic and Rangers simultaneously — because to choose just one could mean financial ruin. After all, both sides are more than happy to stage a boycott.

The 447th Old Firm derby was played Sunday, as early as possible to (theoretically) keep the number of pints consumed beforehand to a minimum. Rangers have won 171 of those meetings, Celtic 170. Last year, ahead of the first Old Firm of 2024/25, Chris McLaughlin of the BBC Scotland joined the show to run through the rich and tempestuous history of this very particular derby match.

Get more on this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAGSb8lq12g&pp=2AYB

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