Manchester City keep winning—but does it mean anything? Following their 3–0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, I discuss the performance, the turning point of Ryan Gravenberch’s red card and the wider question hanging over the Premier League: how are supporters supposed to invest in a title race while City’s financial charges, verdict and appeal overshadow the competition?

There’s also a frustrated Manchester United fan’s assessment of the 1–1 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford. Bryan Mbeumo’s opener wasn’t enough as Dominic Solanke rescued a point for ten-man Spurs. Why do United keep letting these opportunities slip—and where does it leave Michael Carrick?

Chelsea’s 5–1 win over Bournemouth provides another talking point, with Jordan Henderson and João Pedro scoring twice each. Are Chelsea beginning to show the quality and experience needed to become genuine Premier League title challengers?

Finally, Brighton’s 2–0 victory at Sunderland deserves attention. Despite being reduced to ten men, Fabian Hürzeler’s side secured another impressive result. Are we overlooking a serious contender for European football?

This week, Manchester City’s long-running financial case has finally reached a landmark verdict. An independent Premier League commission found City guilty of serious financial breaches across nine seasons, as well as the majority of the charges relating to their failure to cooperate with the investigation.I break down what the case commonly known as the Manchester City 115 charges actually uncovered, including sham sponsorship agreements, disguised owner funding, inaccurate financial information and breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.What punishment could Manchester City now face? Could there be a major points deduction, an enormous fine, relegation from the Premier League or even titles being stripped—and how could City’s appeal change the outcome?There is also the much bigger question of legacy. Can Manchester City’s era of dominance ever be viewed in the same way again? For Manchester United supporters, does the verdict change the meaning of that iconic AGÜEROOOO! moment in 2012? And does the cloud over City’s 2023 treble reinforce the unique legacy of United’s historic achievement in 1999?If the guilty verdict is upheld, could the consequences finish Manchester City as we know them?Let me know what punishment you believe would be fair—and whether anything can repair the damage done to English football.After Review… every Monday at 7PM.Subscribe for Premier League discussion, football analysis and the stories behind the modern game.For football romantics—past and present.

Welcome to Kiss the Badge: After Review… — your weekly look back at the biggest results, controversies and talking points from the Premier League weekend.This week, the Manchester derby takes centre stage after Manchester City’s controversial 1–0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Erling Haaland scored the winner after VAR overturned an offside decision—but should Enzo Fernández have been penalised for interfering with Lisandro Martínez?With the refereeing body subsequently acknowledging that the incident should have been reviewed differently, I discuss whether Manchester United were robbed, why VAR got such a significant decision wrong and what another high-profile mistake tells us about the system’s suitability for Premier League football. Is VAR improving the game, or has it created more confusion, inconsistency and controversy?There is also the uncomfortable question for United: regardless of the decision, why couldn’t Michael Carrick’s side take advantage against ten-man Manchester City following Phil Foden’s red card?Elsewhere, Arsenal maintained their perfect Premier League start with another victory. With Mikel Arteta’s champions and Manchester City both winning their opening four matches, is the title race already becoming a two-horse battle—and can Liverpool, Chelsea or anybody else keep pace?Finally, I look at Coventry City’s alarming start following their 5–0 defeat against Brighton. Frank Lampard’s newly promoted side remain without a point or a Premier League goal—but have their performances offered enough encouragement to suggest they can still avoid relegation?Subscribe for weekly Premier League reviews, football analysis and discussion—and let me know whether you think Haaland’s Manchester derby goal should have stood.For football romantics—past and present.

Welcome to Kiss the Badge: After Review… — your weekly look back at the biggest results, performances and talking points from the Premier League weekend.This week, Arsenal take centre stage after coming from behind to beat Chelsea and preserve their perfect start to the season. Was this simply another important victory—or a statement from the champions that they remain the team everyone else has to catch?I also discuss Manchester United surrendering the lead twice in their draw with Everton, Tottenham’s worrying start continuing with another goalless performance, and Liverpool making an immediate impression against Ipswich.Elsewhere, there are thoughts on Manchester City’s narrow victory over Coventry, Aston Villa’s continued struggles in front of goal and the growing pressure on the teams already searching for their first win.Subscribe and let me know in the comments: can anybody stop Arsenal this season?For football romantics—past and present.

This week, Tottenham are bottom of the table after suffering two defeats from their opening two matches without scoring a single goal. Following another disappointing performance against Newcastle, how concerned should Spurs supporters be—and why has Roberto De Zerbi’s heavily rebuilt side made such a poor start?I also look at Liverpool’s 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest and the questions it raised about their attack. With Bradley Barcola expected to arrive for an enormous fee, how much pressure will there be on him to deliver immediately—and is it fair to expect one player to solve Liverpool’s early problems?Chelsea maintained their winning start with a thrilling 4–3 victory over Brighton. Their attacking football has brought excitement back to Stamford Bridge, but are they genuinely ready to challenge for the Premier League title—or do their defensive vulnerabilities remain too significant? There are also thoughts on the arrival of Emi Martínez and what his experience could add to Xabi Alonso’s developing team.Finally, Manchester United responded to their opening defeat by beating Ipswich Town 5–2 at Old Trafford. I discuss Bruno Fernandes’ magnificent hat-trick and ask whether he should already be considered one of United’s great Premier League players. Despite the emphatic scoreline, did the two goals United conceded demonstrate that Michael Carrick still needs further defensive reinforcements before the transfer window closes?After Review… arrives every Monday at 7PM, with Kiss the Badge: Déjà Vu following every Wednesday at 7PM.Subscribe and let me know your thoughts on the weekend’s football in the comments.For football romantics—past and present.

Welcome to Kiss the Badge: After Review... — your weekly look back at the biggest matches, results and talking points from the Premier League weekend.

This week, the main focus is Manchester United’s disastrous opening-day defeat at newly promoted Hull City. United conceded twice from set pieces, struggled to create meaningful chances despite dominating much of the ball, and were unable to find a way through Hull’s organised defence. Was this simply one bad performance, or did it expose deeper problems with Michael Carrick’s team and the business United still need to conduct before the transfer window closes?

Tottenham also endured a miserable start, losing 3–0 at Brentford. After spending heavily during the summer, Spurs looked disjointed, vulnerable defensively and unable to impose themselves on a far more cohesive Brentford side. What does such a concerning opening performance tell us about Roberto De Zerbi’s new-look team—and where does it leave Spurs already?

It was an equally alarming afternoon for Aston Villa, who found themselves 4–0 down at Brighton before half-time and were reduced to ten men following João Gomes’ red card. After significant changes during the summer, I discuss the scale of the rebuilding job facing Unai Emery and whether Villa’s opening-day collapse points towards a difficult season ahead.

Finally, there’s a look at Newcastle’s dramatic 2–2 draw with Liverpool. Newcastle led twice and appeared set for a statement victory, only to be denied by Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time penalty. Despite the late disappointment, did the performance provide some much-needed encouragement after a turbulent summer at St James’ Park?

After Review... arrives every Monday at 7PM, with Kiss the Badge: Déjà Vu following every Wednesday at 7PM.

Subscribe and let me know your thoughts on the weekend’s football in the comments.

For football romantics — past and present.

The Premier League is back—and so is Kiss the Badge! ⚽️🔥In the first episode of the new season, I say a huge thank you for all your support during the World Cup, share a little of what I’ve been up to over the summer, and look ahead to the new Premier League campaign.I’ll also be revealing what’s coming up on Kiss the Badge over the next few months and what you can expect throughout the season.Who will win the title? Who will exceed expectations? And which teams could struggle? Here’s what I think will happen…Let me know your predictions in the comments—and don’t forget to subscribe for new episodes of Kiss the Badge every Monday and Wednesday at 7pm!#PremierLeague #PremierLeaguePredictions #KissTheBadge #FootballPodcast