<description>&lt;p&gt;In this football phrase of the week, we talk about the football phrase 'under the lights', connected with theupcoming Merseyside derby.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The post &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-phrase-of-the-week-under-the-lights/"&gt;Football Phrase of the Week: Under the Lights&lt;/a&gt; appeared first on &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com"&gt;Learn English Through Football&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

In this football phrase of the week, we talk about the football phrase 'under the lights', connected with theupcoming Merseyside derby.

Football Phrase of the Week: Under the Lights 
In this football phrase of the week, we talk about the football phrase 'under the lights', connected with theupcoming Merseyside derby. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/">here</a> and visit our site to access all our previous posts and <a href="https://languagecaster.com/category/podcast/">podcasts</a>. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.com </a> 
 
<a href="https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/football.language.under_.the_.lights.110225.mp3">https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/football.language.under_.the_.lights.110225.mp3</a> 
Under the Lights 
DB: Hello there everyone. This is Damon from the Languagecaster team. Welcome to our Football Phrase of the Week.  I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the football. 
 
Today we are looking at the phrase under the lights, which is a phrase we can use to describe the action this mid-week when Liverpool play their local rivals, Everton, in the Merseyside derby. 
 
This is a mid-week game, so not the weekend, and usually these games are played in the evening, so people can finish work and then go and watch the game. Because it is in the evening, the stadium lights are turned on, so the game is played with lights, or under the lights. 
 
But when we say, the game will be under the lights, we don't just mean there will by lights turned on. The inference or suggested meaning is that the crowd might be nosier, more passionate, louder. Playing in the evening is unusual, and in the evening, many supporters may drink a bit more alcohol than a normal afternoon game. Therefore, the atmosphere may be more intimidating for the visiting team. 
 
Actor Andrew Gower, an Everton fan,<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/42796566/can-everton-upset-liverpool-last-derby-goodison"> told ESPN</a>, '"I always say imagine if Everton won something again, that united energy would be off the scale. Gary Neville, Gary Lineker -- they all talk about Goodison under the lights and say when the gantry shakes there's nothing like it." 
 
Last Merseyside Derby 
As well as being under the lights, it will also be the last ever Merseyside derby played at Goodison Park, Everton's ground, as they will relocate next season to a new stadium by the docks. 
 
Liverpool will be hoping that the combination of playing under the lights and it being the last home derby for Everton doesn't inspire the <a href="https://languagecaster.com/learn-english-through-football-the-toffees/">Toffees</a> to a win over their rivals! 
 
Stinger: You are listening to Languagecaster (in Spanish by <a href="https://multilinguafc.com">Multilingua FC</a>) 
 
Yes, you are listening to Languagecaster and that message was from our friends at Multilingua FC! We'll be back after next weekends action with some more football phrases and language. Drop us a line at admin@languagecaster.com if you have any questions, or post on our forum at languagecaster.com. We'd love to hear from you. 
 
Is your team playing under the lights this week? 
 
Enjoy all the football. Ta-ra. 
Related Terms 
 
 
 
 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/football-cliche-form-goes-out-the-window/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Form goes out the window</a> 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/week-29-main-report-5-questions-about-football-derbies/">(a) Derby</a> 
 
 
 
 
 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/12th-man/">Twelfth Man</a> 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.

Football Phrase of the Week: Under the Lights

<description>&lt;p&gt;This football language podcast looks at some football language from an FA Cup tie between Man United vs Leicester, including to squeak past.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The post &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com/learn-english-through-football-podcast-squeak-past/"&gt;Learn English Through Football Podcast: Squeak Past&lt;/a&gt; appeared first on &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com"&gt;Learn English Through Football&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

This football language podcast  looks at some football language from an FA Cup tie between Man United vs Leicester, including to squeak past.

Learn English Through Football Podcast: Squeak Past 
This football language podcast looks at some football language from an FA Cup tie between Man United vs Leicester, including to squeak past.You can read the transcript for this podcast below you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/">here</a> and visit our site to access all our previous posts and <a href="https://languagecaster.com/category/podcast/">podcasts</a>. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.</a> 
&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/podcast.squeak.past_.080225.mp3">https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/podcast.squeak.past_.080225.mp3</a> 
 
DB: You're listening to Languagecaster's Learning English Through Football Podcast. Hi there everyone. Welcome to the Learn English Through Football Podcast. I'm your host Damon, and I'm talking to you from Tokyo, which is again bright, sunny, but cold. Lots of snow on the other side of Japan to Tokyo, but blue skies here. How about Damian and London? 
 
DF: Hello everyone and hi to you too Damon from a wet and very cold London. I am okay, though as it's the day after the <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-return-leg/">second leg</a> of the Carabao Cup semi-final game between your team Liverpool and my favourite team Tottenham, I have been better! We can talk about that game later on in the show. What else do we have on this week's podcast? 
Today's Show 
DB: I'm sure you'll get over losing to Liverpool 4-1  on aggregate in the semis when Spurs win the Europa League! Right, as you said, we'll hear from you later with your comments on the Liverpool Spurs game and some football language from it. You'll also be giving us your predictions for some cracking games this weekend. But before that, we're going to take a look at some football language from the 4th round FA Cup <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-tie/">tie</a> between Manchester United and Leicester City. 
 
This week is the 4th round of this old tournament, and typically this round has more of the top teams matched against each other. Many of the non-league or lower division sides will have been eliminated, or <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-podcast-knock-a-team-out-of-the-cup/">knocked out</a>, in the 3rd round. 
 
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Indonesian) 
 
DB: OK, that message, or stinger, was in Indonesian, and we'll hear more messages in different languages throughout the show - listen and see how many languages you can recognise. Or even better, send us a message in your language ('Hi. My name's (NAME) and you are listening to languagecaster.com'). Send it to us at admin@languagecaster. 
 
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Tagalog) 
Squeak Past 
DB: Right, the FA Cup fourth round match between Manchester United and Leicester. Going into this game, United were heavy favourites, as Leicester were in terrible form with eight losses in 10. The Manchester side did <a href="http://languagecaster.com/football-language-to-run-out-winners/">run out winners</a> 2-1, but they needed a late winner in added time. Their performance was not convincing, was not good, and they were lucky to get the winner. In this situation, we can say they squeaked past Leicester or they squeaked into the fifth round. 
 
http://gty.im/2197602522 
 
If a team squeaks past another, they are lucky to win. You may also hear 'squeeze past', which means the same thing. 
Chalk Off 
DB: Leicester City manager, ex-Man United striker Van Nistlerooy, certainly thought United were lucky to win.

Learn English Through Football Podcast: Squeak Past

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this football phrase of the week we introduce the football phrase 'touching distance', connected with the Arsenal vs Man City game.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The post &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-phrase-of-the-week-touching-distance/"&gt;Football Phrase of the Week: Touching Distance&lt;/a&gt; appeared first on &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com"&gt;Learn English Through Football&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

In this football phrase of the week we introduce the football  phrase 'touching distance', connected with the Arsenal vs Man City game.

Football Phrase of the Week: Touching Distance 
In this football phrase of the week, we introduce the football phrase 'touching distance', connected with the Arsenal vs Man City game. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/">here</a> and visit our site to access all our previous posts and <a href="https://languagecaster.com/category/podcast/">podcasts</a>. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.com</a>. 
<a href="https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/weekly.football.language.touching.distance.040125.mp3">https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/weekly.football.language.touching.distance.040125.mp3</a> 
Touching Distance 
DB: Hi there everyone. This is Damon from the Languagecaster team. Welcome to our Football Phrase of the Week.  I hope you are all doing well. 
 
We are looking at the phrase touching distance, which is a word we can use to describe the weekend's action. The phrase is connected with the Arsenal versus Manchester City game. 
 
Going into this game, Arsenal were nine points behind league leaders Liverpool. That was a big gap, and the pressure was on Arsenal to win; lose, and the Gunners would be nine points behind having played a game more than Liverpool. 
 
If you watched the weekend's action in the Premier League, you will know that Arsenal <a href="http://languagecaster.com/football-glossary-to-thrash/">thrashed</a> a fragile Manchester City side 5-1. That meant they closed the gap on Liverpool to six points, to keep within touching distance of the leaders. Touching distance means close enough to still have a chance of catching a team above. The gap is still big, but it can be closed; catching Liverpool is not impossible. 
 
http://gty.im/2197267633 
 
Here is how <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cyv4835mzp6t?page=8">the BBC used this phrase in their match report</a>: 'Arsenal have played a game more than Liverpool, but this impressive victory at least means they remain within touching distance of Arne Slot's pace-setters.' 
 
 
Stinger: You are listening to Languagecaster (in German) 
 
 
Yes, you are listening to Languagecaster and that message was in German. We'll be back after next weekends action with some more football phrases and language. Drop us a line at admin@languagecaster.com if you have any questions, or post on our forum at languagecaster.com. We'd love to hear from you. 
 
Enjoy all the football. Ta-ra. 
Related Terms 
 
 
 
 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/english-football-phrase-2006-week-8-two-horse-race/">Two-horse race</a> 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/football-language-the-run-in/">Run-in</a> 
 
 
 
 
 
 	* <a href="http://languagecaster.com/weekly-football-phrase-to-clinch/">(to) Clinch</a> 
 	* <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-game-in-hand/">Game in hand</a> 
 
 
 
 
 
https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/

Football Phrase of the Week: Touching Distance

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this football language podcast we look back at some of the language from this week's European action, including the phrase 'seal a spot'.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The post &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com/learn-english-through-football-podcast-seal-a-spot/"&gt;Learn English Through Football Podcast: Seal a Spot&lt;/a&gt; appeared first on &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com"&gt;Learn English Through Football&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

In this football language podcast we look back at some of the language from this week's European action, including the phrase 'seal a spot'.

Learn English Through Football Podcast: Seal a Spot 
In this football language podcast we look back at some of the language from this week's European action, including the phrase 'seal a spot'. You can read the transcript for this podcast below you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/">here</a> and visit our site to access all our previous posts and <a href="https://languagecaster.com/category/podcast/">podcasts</a>. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.</a> 
<a href="https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/podcast.seal_.310125.mp3">https://languagecaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/podcast.seal_.310125.mp3</a> 
Hello 
DB: You're listening to Languagecaster's Learning English Through Football Podcast. Hi there everyone. Welcome to the Learn English Through Footbal l Podcast. I'm you host Damon, and I'm talking to you from a bright, sunny, but cold Tokyo. It is the end of January, so that's no surprise. 
 
I imagine it is chilly in London too, where Damian, the other half of the team is based. Maybe his team's win, Tottenham, in the Europa League last night will warm him up a bit. How about where you are? What's the weather like, and more importantly, how is your favourite team doing? Did they win, lose or draw this week? 
 
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Persian) 
 
DF: OK, that message, or stinger, was in Persian and we'll be hearing some more languages throughout the show - test your knowledge of languages and try and guess what languages they are. Here's one to get us started. 
 
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Turkish) 
Today's Show 
Right, I just mentioned Damian's team Tottenham and their 3-0 win against Swedish outfit, Elsborg. That means means Tottenham qualify for the last 16 knockout round. In this podcast, we will look at phrases that mean to qualify for, and different ways to say this in football. 
To Seal a Place (Tottenham Hotspur) 
Our first phrase is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jan/30/tottenham-elfsborg-europa-league-match-report">from a Guardian report</a> on the Spurs vs Elsborg game: 'it was at least heartwarming for Tottenham to seal their place in the last 16 of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/uefa-europa-league" data-link-name="in body link" data-component="auto-linked-tag">Europa League</a> thanks to three academy products...'. In this sentence we have the verb phrase to seal a place - Tottenham sealed their place - in the last 16. To seal a place in the last 16 is to qualify for the last 16. The place is decided, it is sealed. 
 
http://gty.im/2196182665 
 
Let's look at some variations for this phrase. First, we can change the noun 'place' for 'spot'; so seal a spot in. A little less common is 'berth' - seal a berth in. 
To Clinch a Spot (Liverpool) 
We can also choose from a variety of verbs. So, rather than seal a spot in, we can say, secure a spot in, or clinch a spot in. This last pattern was used in <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43624523/champions-league-recap-projections-predictions-best-xi-best-games">ESPN's report</a> on the Champions League results: 'one of the only two losses (in the top 12) was suffered by a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.">Liverpool</a> team that had already clinched a spot in the top two.' 
 
So, we have a lot of options to talk about qualifying with these words. We can change the noun: to secure a place, or spot, a berth. Or the verb: to secure, to seal, to clinch. 
 
Remember, we also need to say what the team has qualified for: so, Tottenham secured a spot in the last sixteen in the Europa League.

Learn English Through Football Podcast: Seal a Spot

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this football phrase of the week we explain the expression, 'to bring down in the box' from the Chelsea versus Arsenal game in the WSL.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The post &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-phrase-of-the-week-bring-down-in-the-box/"&gt;Football Phrase of the Week: Bring Down in the Box&lt;/a&gt; appeared first on &lt;a href="https://languagecaster.com"&gt;Learn English Through Football&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>

In this football phrase of the week we explain the expression, 'to bring down in the box' from the Chelsea versus Arsenal game in the WSL.

Football Phrase of the Week: Bring Down in the Box 
In this football phrase of the week we explain the expression, 'to bring down in the box' from the Chelsea <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-glossary-versus-vs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">versus</a> Arsenal game in the WSL. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-glossary/">here</a> and visit our site to access all our previous posts and <a href="https://languagecaster.com/category/podcast/">podcasts</a>. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.com</a>. 
 
https://media.blubrry.com/footballlanguage/content.blubrry.com/footballlanguage/FootballPhraseoftheWeek_BringDownintheBox.mp3 
 
Bring Down in the Box 
http://gty.im/2196025647 
 
DF: Hello everyone. This is Damian from the Languagecaster team and I hope you are all doing well. And welcome to our latest football phrase of the week and this week we will look at an expression from the Women's Super League (WSL) game between leaders Chelsea and London rivals Arsenal. And the phrase is, To bring down an opponent. This expression is often used to describe when a player <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-glossary-a-foul/">fouls</a> an <a href="https://languagecaster.com/learn-english-through-football-language-podcast-opposition/">opposition</a> player resulting in a free kick or a penalty. So, to bring down a player means that the player falls to the ground after being tackled (or fouled) by the opposition player; the player was brought down means that this player was fouled by the opposition player. If a defender <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-language-podcast-bring-down-an-opponent-wsl-2022-liverpool-v-chelsea/">brings down</a> an opponent in the penalty area or the penalty box then <a href="https://languagecaster.com/weekly-football-phrase-to-award-a-penalty/">a penalty will be awarded</a> and this is what happened in the <a href="https://languagecaster.com/languagecaster-predictions-italian-top-table-clash/">top-of-the-table clash</a> between Chelsea and Arsenal. 
 
Here is what the BBC said about the foul that led to the penalty: 'Substitute Guro Reiten scored from the penalty spot after England international Lauren James was brought down in the box by Arsenal captain Kim Little.' 
 
So, the Arsenal defender Kim Little fouled Lauren James in the penalty area and gave away a penalty - she brought her down to <a href="https://languagecaster.com/football-glossary-to-concede/">concede</a> the <a href="https://languagecaster.com/weekly-football-phrase-to-award-a-penalty/">penalty</a>. 
 
Can you think of any more examples like this? And how would you say this expression, 'to bring another player down' in another language that you know? Let us know by dropping us a line at <a href="mailto:admin@languagecaster.com">admin@languagecaster.com</a>. 
 
Stinger: You are listening to Languagecaster (in French) 
 
Yes, you are listening to Languagecaster and that message was in French. And we'll be back with some more football language in our podcast later on in the week when we will be looking back at some of the language from this week's final Champions League and Europa League group stage games. 
 
Enjoy all the football and we'll see you again soon. Bye bye. 
More Examples 
 
 	* Example: Reiten scored from the penalty spot after England international Lauren James was brought down in the box by Arsenal captain Kim Little. 
 	* Example: Mbeumo then dipped a free-kick narrowly wide of the upright after Maxence Lacroix brought down Mads Roerslev 25 yards from goal. 
 
Related Terms

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