Has Prem Rugby finally got its STARS back? | LRZ, Maro Itoje & Finn Russell exclusive

A goal from the halfway line. Five past Crystal Palace. Brighton are taking on the Premier League’s richest clubs — after selling key players yet again. We discuss Diego Gómez’s extraordinary strike, the ambition to shoot from that far out and how Fabian Hürzeler’s side are gatecrashing the top five. Can Brighton turn another flying start into Champions League qualification? Then, football’s financial knife edge: two-thirds of English clubs could face insolvency within 30 days if owner funding stopped. With 94% of clubs across the top five divisions making a loss, how secure is the game behind the record transfer fees? Sports business expert and founder of The Long Play, Jordan Macauley, joins us to unpack the Independent Football Regulator’s stark report and its connections to the Manchester City case. We explore the pressure on broadcasters, whether TV revenues can keep growing — and what happens to clubs if wealthy owners decide football is no longer worth the investment.

Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid has left plenty to unpack — not least Lisandro Martinez’s explosive post-match comments. Mark Chapman and Nedum Onuoha react to the biggest talking points from another dramatic week in Europe. Then, we turn to something far less visible but increasingly common inside football: Snus and nicotine pouch use. Why has nicotine become so normal in dressing rooms? Why are players using it, and what happens when a habit that starts socially becomes something much harder to control? We hear from a former Premier League footballer speaking candidly about his own addiction to snus, explore how these behaviours spread through teams and academies, and ask whether snus is really the story — or simply one symptom of a much wider issue. From nicotine and gambling to nitrous oxide and the search for a release from the intensity of elite sport, this is a conversation about what happens away from the pitch — the dressing room culture which fuels addiction amongst footballers.

Manchester City were outstanding at Anfield but, with sanctions looming, has this been the perfect start to a title challenge or a relegation battle? Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Nedum Onuoha unpack City’s sublime 3–0 win over ten-man Liverpool and the boos at Old Trafford as Manchester United fail to beat ten-man Tottenham. Why did the two sides respond so differently to having an extra player — and what does it actually take to break down a team of ten men? Plus, George Elek (Not the Top 20 podcast) joins us to explore life beyond the Premier League: Southampton’s Spygate fallout, Robbie Savage at Peterborough, outspoken owners and the uncertain future facing players without clubs.

After the boardroom drama of the last fortnight the Premier League is back and focus shifts to Manchester City’s players who face the court of public opinion for the first time since the guilty verdicts vs Liverpool at Anfield. It’s going to be a bear pit and, as Liverpool await, lifelong City fan Nedum Onuoha opens up for the first time about how the Manchester City financial case has changed his relationship with the club. He joins Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman to explore the pressure facing City’s players and your ideas for making Premier League spending rules fairer. Plus: Manchester United v Tottenham — already a must-win? And what is going on with Cristiano Ronaldo after he accuses his Portugal manager of broken promises while insisting his international career isn’t over.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, The Sports Agents presents a special episode about a conversation sport still finds difficult. Gabby Logan sits down with three athletes from three very different worlds — Britain’s most successful female Olympian Dame Laura Kenny, boxer Campbell Hatton, son of the late Ricky Hatton, and professional basketball player and mental health advocate Kofi Josephs. This is not a conversation about medals, titles or results. It’s about what happens away from competition, the pressure to keep going and why admitting that you need help can sometimes be the hardest step of all. Three deeply personal conversations about mental health, and why talking really can make a difference. This episode was recorded at The Royal Foundation's launch of the 'On Your Side' toolkit. You can download The Royal Foundation's On Your Side toolkit at www.hubofhope.co.uk/onyourside This episode contains discussion of suicidal thoughts, bereavement and mental health difficulties. If you are struggling with any of the issues discussed in this episode, you can contact Samaritans free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123, or visit samaritans.org ANDYSMANCLUB provides free peer-to-peer support groups for men across the UK. Groups meet on Mondays at 7pm, excluding bank holidays. Visit andysmanclub.co.uk to find your nearest group, or email [email protected]. ANDYSMANCLUB is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or somebody else is in immediate danger, call 999.