It was now Thursday.
Champions League, Europa, and Conference League matches had wrapped up earlier that evening, and with the European spotlight dimming for a breath, the BBC Thursday Night Football panel was shifting its attention to the domestic front.
Premier League football was back—and with it came one fixture dominating every discussion thread, every back-page headline, and every studio screen:
Liverpool vs Arsenal.
The camera panned across the sleek, modern set and behind it, were the four regular pundits on the—three fresh, sharp analysts and one voice of authority seasoned by years of footballing insight.
Darren Mackie, a former midfielder turned analyst, led the discussion.
To his right was Lucia Grant, a tactician known for her crisp match breakdowns and a sharp eye for youth talent.
