Which teams had a Happy Christmas and which didn't?
The Game
The Times
3.2 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 29 December 2025
⏱️ 59 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Reaction to all the Christmas fixtures as Villa keep winning, Arsenal look nervous and City look ominous. If Villa win at Arsenal can they go all the way?
Are Liverpool's signings starting to click and hats of to Keith Andrews and Regis Le Bris.
Elsewhere, Palace look knackered, Ruben Amorim finally plays a back four, West Ham need to buy a defender or they are down and will Iraola change his system?
Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd and Gregor Robertson.
We'll be back on Friday to review the new year fixtures and predict the rest of 2026. Happy New Year and we'll see you then.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the game, football podcast from The Times and Sunday Times. |
| 0:08.9 | After a full round of festive action, we are back to try and work out what it all means. |
| 0:13.7 | How many more games do Aston Villa need to win before they become title contenders? |
| 0:18.2 | Are Arsenal starting to look a little bit shaky? |
| 0:22.1 | Are Liverpool clicking without Mosella and is anyone worried about Bournemouth all that and loads more including a discussion |
| 0:27.3 | about who is the manager of the season so far I'm Tom Clark and joining me today we have the senior |
| 0:32.4 | sports writer and Sunday times columnist Alison Rudd and the former football return journalist |
| 0:36.8 | Gregor Robertson is here. |
| 0:38.2 | Team, we are back post Christmas. Did you all have a lovely time? |
| 0:41.8 | Wonderful team. |
| 0:42.4 | Thank you Tom. Yes, thanks for asking. |
| 0:44.4 | Alison, I think all listeners, and I was thinking this as I was unwrapping my gifts on Christmas Day, are wondering if you got a new flag and if so which one for the World Cup? |
| 0:55.2 | No, no, I didn't get a flag, which is weird. |
| 0:59.2 | But I gave football strips out with replica kits of Jordan and Uzbekistan. |
| 1:08.8 | Nice. |
| 1:09.6 | Because they're debutants. But I think I might have screwed up. Fullistan. Nice. Because they're debutants. |
| 1:11.5 | But I think I might have screwed up. |
| 1:13.7 | Full kits. |
| 1:15.1 | Well, they're just the top. |
| 1:16.5 | Oh, right. |
| 1:17.6 | I think they might be fan designed as opposed to real. |
| 1:22.1 | Oh, no. |
... |
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