In this episode of the Five Aside Podcast, we link up with SoccerTakesWithAK to shine a light on the stories that usually sit outside the spotlight. We break down the Best of the Rest in the Premier League, discussing Aston Villa’s relentless momentum, Sunderland’s statement derby win, Newcastle’s inconsistency, and Tottenham’s worrying dip, and what these performances say about standards beyond the so-called “Big Six.” The conversation then moves to Serie A, where Inter Milan are quietly setting the pace, Napoli are stumbling, and Roma are hanging around without fully convincing — raising questions about who truly controls Italy’s title race. We wrap up with AFCON talk, focusing on Nigeria’s squad call-ups, key omissions, and what this group realistically means for the Super Eagles’ chances at the tournament. A mix of tactical analysis, honest d ...