Each week the languagecaster team will explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport. On this week’s show we feature the phrase To lay down a marker. Click on the link below to hear the word or phrase, while you can also read the transcript below that. You can also find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here football cliches here and our huge football glossary here.
Listen here: Lay down a marker.mp3
This week’s English for football is to lay down a marker. This phrase is used after an important victory to mean the winning team has made a statement – the result shows they can go on and make a challenge for the title or go on and win a competition. It’s still early in the season, but Manchester City hammered their cross-town rivals Manchester United 6-1 last week. Before the game pundits were wondering whether City were the real deal, whether they really could challenge for the title. The 6-1 victory laid down a marker and told all the teams in the Premier League that they were title contenders. To lay down a marker
Example: Belgium laid down a marker with their 5-2 victory over Tunisia in their second group match at the 2018 World Cup.
