The playoff-chasing Golden State Warriors will have Chris Paul back in the lineup on Tuesday night when they visit a Washington Wizards team that’s mired in an 11-game losing streak.

Paul has not played since he sustained a fractured left hand on Jan. 5 against the Detroit Pistons and underwent surgery three days later.

The 38-year-old Paul is averaging 8.9 points, 7.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.13 steals in 32 games in his first season with Golden State.

The Warriors went 12-9 after Paul’s injury and are 29-27 on the season.

Golden State leads the Utah Jazz by three games for 10th place in the Western Conference and a berth in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of former RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl to the club’s board.

The 50-year-old – who came through the Bayern youth ranks and made one senior appearance – will start his new role with the Bundesliga champions on March 1 and has signed a contract until June 2027.

Former Germany Under-21 defender Eberl went on to have spells at Bochum and Greuther Furth before signing with Borussia Monchengladbach, where he later moved into coaching and then became director of sport.

Eberl moved to a similar position at RB Leipzig in December 2022, but was relieved of his duties at the club just nine months later.

“I spent my entire childhood and youth at FC Bayern and in Munich, so it’s something special for me to return in a new role to the club where it all began,” Eberl said on the Bayern Munich website.

“The job as board member for sport is a great challenge, which I will approach with a lot of respect and humility, but with even more anticipation.

“Together with everyone here, I want to do everything I can to ensure that FC Bayern continues to be successful in the future and brings joy to its fans.”

Bayern announced the club’s executive board would consist of three positions from July 1 – a chief executive, a chief financial and sales officer as well as a board member for sport, which will be Eberl’s role.

James Owen’s Triumph Hurdle hope Burdett Road has been ruled out of the contest by an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.

The four-year-old was formerly trained by Michael Bell on the Flat, winning the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last season and reaching a peak rating of 101 after a third-placed finish in the Winter Hill.

He was then gelded and turned his attention to hurdling for Owen, winning his debut by 12 lengths at Huntingdon before claiming a Cheltenham Grade Two next time out.

Burdett Road returned to the same track last month to contest the Triumph Trial and was this time beaten by Nicky Henderson’s very highly-regarded Sir Gino, though connections were still keen to let him take his chance in the main event come March.

That plan has now been scuppered by injury, meaning the horse will not only miss the Cheltenham Festival but will also sit out the rest of the season.

Owen confirmed the news via X, saying: “Burdett Road has unfortunately picked up a setback and will miss the remainder of the season.”

Andy Murray hinted he was heading into the “last few months” of his tennis career after battling from a set down to beat Denis Shapovalov in Dubai to secure his second win of 2024.

The three-time grand slam champion has been forced to fend off retirement talk following a string of first-round defeats and looked set for another early exit when Shapovalov, a former top 10 player, took the opening set.

Murray had struggled to breach the serve of his 24-year-old Canadian opponent, but produced a trademark gutsy display to edge a second-set tie-breaker before keeping his composure to break twice in the decider and secure a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-3 win after two hours and 33 minutes.

Victory saw Murray become only the fifth man in the Open Era to claim 500 tour-level wins on a hard court and he will face either fifth seed Ugo Humbert or wild card Gael Monfils in the second round.

However, rather than his match-up against one of the two Frenchman, it was the 36-year-old Scot’s longer-term future which was again a hot topic following his win, with Murray admitting he probably does not have “too long left” in the sport.

“People read a lot into what I say on the court sometimes and it’s not always rational,” Murray said.

“I obviously still love competing and still love the game, but it gets harder and harder the older you get to compete with the young guys and keep your body fit and fresh.

“Not easy, I probably don’t have too long left, but I’ll do as best as I can these last few months.”

Murray won his most recent meeting against Shapovalov, but that was in 2022 and he entered this match in torrid form with only one win this year.

Shapovalov signalled his intent with three aces in his opening service game before the duo traded a number of early holds.

The first break point opportunity did not occur until the ninth game and, while Murray saved it at 15-40 down, Shapovalov outlasted the Scot in a lengthy rally on the next point to move 5-4 up.

Murray let his frustration show after his wayward backhand gifted Shapovalov the initiative and chucked his racket at the court before the Canadian closed out the opener with two more aces.

Former world number one Murray produced a strong response at the start of the second set and remarkably produced three successful challenges on his serve.

Murray followed that up with a first break point opportunity and, while it came and went, the 36-year-old did break Shapovalov at the next time of asking to move 3-1 up.

Shapovalov had sent down two double-faults to aid Murray’s cause, but hit back immediately with a break of his own before he consolidated it after a 10-minute service game which included a 137mph ace.

Murray had to display his battling skills to keep the second set on serve at 4-4 and a tie-breaker was ultimately required, which the Scot edged to win a marathon 75-minute set.

Shapovalov’s serve had let him down towards the end of the second set and his struggles continued with two double-faults to begin the third.

It handed Murray the ascendancy and he took full advantage to claim a confidence-boosting 500th hard-court win of his career.

Murray said: “It’s not bad. Obviously hard court has been a great surface for me over the years and 500 is a lot of matches so I’m very proud of that.

“There are not many players that have done that, so great to get to 500 before I’m done.”

An emotional-sounding Murray finished his on-court interview by trying to point out his father in the crowd, saying: “My dad’s come to support me this week which means a lot.”

Captain Teague is more likely to take his chance in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle than contest the Baring Bingham at Cheltenham, unless the ground is testing.

Barring a deluge during the Festival, Paul Nicholls thinks the three-mile contest will be right up the street of the six-year-old, who finished third in the Champion Bumper 12 months ago.

He has added the Grade One Challow Hurdle to his record this season and given how strongly he stayed on that day at Newbury, Nicholls can see him coming home powerfully up the hill.

“He’s obviously a smart horse. He won on his debut in a bumper at Plumpton then went to Cheltenham where he finished third, not beaten far,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“On his debut over hurdles he won the Persian War at Chepstow, then ran well at Cheltenham when he was second. I think Harry (Cobden) learned quite a lot about him and he didn’t jump as well as he might.

“He went to the Challow at Christmas when he stayed on dourly and won very nicely. He’s obviously smart, he’ll work with Bravemansgame on Tuesday at Kempton, it will be nothing flashy but he hasn’t run since Newbury so it’s a day out.

“He’s in the two races, the Baring Bingham and Albert Bartlett. It will come down to the ground, so it will be a late decision. I’m convinced the way he stays on in his races, that trip (three miles) will suit him well and he’ll stay on up the hill.

“No final decision yet but if the ground is normal Cheltenham ground, we’re slightly favouring the Albert Bartlett. He’s on a par with Stay Away Fay who won it last year and possibly has a little more boot than him. He’ll make an awesome chaser next season.”

In the same Johnny de la Hey colours is Teeshan, well fancied for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper after winning easily on his debut for the yard at Exeter recently.

“We’ve taken the decision to go to the bumper, he’s obviously a talented horse. What he beat, who knows, but last year Captain Teague was in a similar situation having won his bumper at Plumpton and he finished third and won a Grade One hurdle this year. On his homework he’s very much on a par with Captain Teague,” Nicholls added.

“We don’t know much about him but everyone will after the bumper. He loves soft ground and I’d say next year he’ll end up doing what Captain Teague has done, that sort of route. He’s a very smart, young horse. He’s so laid back, the occasion won’t bother him.

“Quebecois is a nice horse who will run in the bumper too. He’s a half-brother to Brindisi Breeze (who won the Albert Bartlett for Lucinda Russell). He’ll be a lovely novice hurdler next year and he’s a seriously nice horse.”

Liari looks like running in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with a big weight, rather than taking on the best in the division in the Triumph Hurdle.

“Liari is a nice horse, a juvenile and he’s won all three,” said Nicholls.

“He’s got two options, the Boodles on the first day off a mark of 134, and he’s in the Triumph.

“Sir Gino is rated 145 so he’d have to improve the best part of 10lb to compete with him, so I suspect if he goes anywhere, he’ll run in the Boodles

“The other option is to wait for the Grade One at Aintree but that would mean clashing with Kalif Du Berlais, if he goes there.”

Paul Nicholls is heading to this year’s Cheltenham Festival with a streamlined squad that looks strongest in the novice chase department, with Ginny’s Destiny and Stay Away Fay holding leading claims in their respective races.

The champion trainer might only send a dozen horses into battle against the Irish juggernauts of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, but Ginny’s Destiny currently heads the ante-post markets for the Turners Novices’ Chase and Stay Away Fay is prominent in the betting for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Unbeaten in his last three starts over fences at Prestbury Park, Nicholls admits to being surprised at just how much Ginny’s Destiny has progressed.

“He’s probably one of the most improved horses in training, arguably. He’s won his last three, all at Cheltenham, and he was very good on Festival Trials day,” he said.

“I think he’s almost favourite for the Turners, he loves Cheltenham, he’s made all in his last three, he stays well and would probably stay three miles but we haven’t gone that far yet.

“What I like about him is he’s a solid horse, he jumps well, he goes a good gallop and keeps galloping, he’s a smart animal.

“It’s always hard to pick out your best chance but he has to be one of them because he’s so solid and I think he’s still improving.

“I’d say he’s every bit as good as Stage Star (winner of the Turners last year) and I think he’s rated higher than he was going into the race last year.

“Dan (Skelton) is adamant his horse (Grey Dawning) would have beaten him the first day at Cheltenham without the mistake but I’m not convinced, and jumping is the name of the game. His form has worked out and he keeps on improving.

“Willie has said Fact To File goes for the other race, but we were either taking him on with this lad or Stay Away Fay so it made no difference to us.”

Stay Away Fay already has a Festival win to his name in last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and while he lost his unbeaten record over fences against his elders in the Cotswold Chase, Nicholls felt he enhanced his reputation.

“He’s had a good season. He won the Albert Bartlett last season having been beaten at Doncaster the time before and improved enormously from that run. I’m hoping we can do the same again from when he ran on Trials day,” said Nicholls.

“He won first time out at Exeter, he won very well at Sandown and then ran a good race in the Cotswold Chase in a muddling race which turned into a sprint – at the weights he ran well, so we were pleased with that.

“I’d have preferred the Brown Advisory to be on the New Course, the stiffer track as he’s all about stamina and that experience won’t be lost on him, he’ll improve an awful lot.

“Running in the Cotswold did him no harm at all. I could have run him in a novice chase and won easily but learned nothing about him, so it will stand him in good stead. It was all about experience, we never went into it thinking he’d win, just thinking he’d run well.

“He’ll take on Fact To File and plenty of other good ones but you expect that at Cheltenham. He’s all about stamina, he’ll keep on learning and he’s in good shape at the moment.”

Everton are up to 15th in the Premier League after their penalty for breaching the competition’s financial rules was reduced to six points on appeal, but they face the threat of further sanction with a second case still to be heard.

An independent appeal board set aside the 10-point sanction originally imposed by a commission in November for breaching league profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), with the new reduced penalty lifting the Toffees’ points tally from 21 to 25.

Everton said they were “satisfied” the appeal had resulted in a reduction in the points penalty, but the club are not wholly out of the woods and could have a further points sanction imposed in relation to a second PSR complaint which was laid on January 15.

That one has to be completely concluded before June 1 – the date when promoted clubs receive their Premier League ‘shares’.

It is also unclear whether the club may face compensation claims related to the first PSR breach. A ruling published at the time of the original 10-point penalty said five clubs – Burnley, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Southampton – had 28 days from written receipt of a copy of the decision against Everton to pursue a claim.

None of those clubs confirmed whether they had pursued a claim when contacted by the PA news agency last week. One of them, Forest, have had a PSR complaint lodged against them since the original sanction was issued against Everton.

The reduced six-point penalty for Everton relates to breaching PSR in the assessment period up to the 2021-22 season. The appeal board rejected seven grounds for mitigation put forward by Everton but did find the original commission made legal errors.

The first of those was in relation to club representations to the Premier League in August 2022 over stadium debt, which the original commission said were “less than frank”.

While the appeal board found these representations were “materially wrong”, it accepted that it had never been the Premier League’s case that this was anything other than an innocent mistake by Everton.

Similarly, the appeal board said a breach of Premier League rule B.15, which requires clubs to act in utmost good faith, was never part of the original complaint against the club.

“The first time rule B.15 appeared was in the commission’s decision,” the appeal board ruling stated.

The appeal board also found it was wrong of the commission not to take into account available benchmarks for sanction, such as EFL guidelines.

The appeal board revealed it considered other possible sanctions, such as a fine or a ban on registering players, but concluded a points deduction was warranted.

“The unfair advantage achieved by a breach may include a financial advantage over other clubs, but it is most immediately a sporting advantage and consequently the sanction for breach can legitimately focus on sporting disadvantage,” the appeal board decision said.

The reduction in penalty means Luton are now four points from safety in the Premier League, but their manager Rob Edwards accepted the issue was out of the Hatters’ hands.

Forest drop to 17th, and their manager Nuno Espirito Santo said: “Regarding the hearing and the decision, we are waiting.

“There are people in the club that are taking care of that. So these questions are not appropriate for me.”

Everton released a statement following the publication of the revised sanction.

“While the club is still digesting the appeal board’s decision, we are satisfied our appeal has resulted in a reduction in the points sanction,” the statement read.

“We understand the appeal board considered the 10-point deduction originally imposed to be inappropriate when assessed against the available benchmarks of which the club made the commission aware, including the position under the relevant EFL regulations, and the nine-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency.

“The club is also particularly pleased with the appeal board’s decision to overturn the original commission’s finding that the club failed to act in utmost good faith.

“That decision, along with reducing the points deduction, was an incredibly important point of principle for the club on appeal. The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal.”

The club said they remain fully committed to co-operating with the Premier League in respect of the second complaint, which relates to a PSR breach in the assessment period up to the end of the 2022-23 season.

If clubs breach PSRs in consecutive seasons, they can provide evidence and make submissions to the independent commission hearing their case that any crossover should be treated as a mitigating factor.

Labour MP Ian Byrne, who tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons in response to the initial 10-point deduction, wrote on X: “I was proud to be able to take the fight against Everton’s disproportionate & unfair penalty to Parliament and am pleased to see their points deduction reduced today.”

Gordon Elliott is under no illusions about the task facing Gerri Colombe as he bids to turn the tables on the “awesome” Galopin Des Champs in next month’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the race last season and while he was beaten on his next couple of starts, he has roared back to his best with victories in both the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Gerri Colombe, a three-time Grade One-winning novice last term and narrowly denied Festival glory by The Real Whacker, made a successful start to his first campaign in open company in the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November, but was firmly put in his place Galopin Des Champs over the festive period.

And while Elliott is adamant his star stayer was not at his best in the Savills Chase, he acknowledges a 23-length deficit is a huge gap to bridge.

“Gerri Colombe is in good form. I think Galopin Des Champs has been awesome this year, I don’t know how we’re going to beat him, but I think we’re better than we were in Leopardstown the last day,” he said.

“For me he didn’t run his race in the Savills. He wouldn’t have been second I don’t think with another 100 yards.

“We’ve always counted him as a bit of a mud lover, but I think the better the ground, the better the chance he’ll have.

“He really stays, he’s not flashy and doesn’t do anything fancy, but he looks great and we’ve been training him for one day.”

The Cullentra handler is preparing to fire a twin assault at the Ryanair Chase, with both Conflated and Fil Dor set to line up.

Conflated was third in the Gold Cup last season, but having unseated Jack Kennedy at the final fence in both the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup this winter, he is set to drop back in distance.

Fil Dor, on the other hand, will step up in trip having finished second behind Dinoblue and star two-miler El Fabiolo in his last two races.

The latter will carry the colours of Robcour for the first time at Cheltenham after being sold to stay in the yard for €620,000 as part of Andy and Gemma Brown’s recent dispersal.

Elliott said: “Conflated has unshipped his jockey the last two runs at the last, but he was actually running a good race both days.

“He’s a bit of a boyo, he’s got a big engine but there’s been a quirk in him since day one.

“Fil Dor will also go for the Ryanair. He got a fright last year in Leopardstown and he never jumped a fence after it, but his two runs this year I thought were very good.

“I think a step up in trip will suit him. He has to improve, but he’s going the right way and has an each-way chance.”

Found A Fifty will bid to give Elliott a first ever victory in the Arkle Trophy after being beaten a neck by Il Etait Temps in the Irish equivalent at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“He did nothing wrong in Leopardstown apart from getting beat. He’s maturing the whole time and I thought he was more settled than he was the time before,” Elliott added.

“There is a little kink in him, but he’s got an engine.”

Zanahiyr, third in last season’s Champion Hurdle, is set to return to Cheltenham for a first run over fences at the meeting in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase.

Elliott understandably has high hopes of landing the Glenfarclas Chase for the sixth time in eight years, with dual winner Delta Work set to be renew rivalry with last year’s runner-up Galvin and Coko Beach a potential third major contender if the ground is soft for the cross-country event.

Hopes are also high for Salvador Ziggy in the National Hunt Chase, while Riviere D’Etel is considered a “big price” by her trainer for the Mares’ Chase.

Andy Murray dug deep to secure a second win of 2024 with a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-3 victory over Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the Dubai Open.

The three-time grand-slam champion has been forced to fend off retirement talk following a string of first-round defeats and looked set for another when Shapovalov, a former top-10 player, claimed the opening set.

Murray had struggled to breach the serve of his 24-year-old opponent, but produced a trademark gutsy display to edge a second-set tie-breaker and kept his composure to break twice in the decider to secure a much-needed win after two hours and 33 minutes.

The most recent meeting between the duo went to Murray, but that was in 2022 and he entered this match in torrid form with only one win this year.

Shapovalov signalled his intent with three aces in his opening service game before the duo traded a number of early holds.

The first break point opportunity did not occur until the ninth game and, while Murray saved it at 15-40 down, Shapovalov outlasted the Scot in a lengthy rally on the next point to move 5-4 up.

Murray let his frustration show after his wayward backhand gifted Shapovalov the initiative and chucked his racket at the court before the Canadian closed out the opener with two more aces.

Former world number one Murray produced a strong response at the start of the second set and remarkably produced three successful challenges on his serve.

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Buoyed by his eagle-eyes, Murray followed this up with a first break point opportunity and, while it came and went, the 36-year-old did break Shapovalov at the next time of asking to move 3-1 up.

Shapovalov had sent down two double-faults to aid Murray’s cause, but hit back immediately with a break of his own before he consolidated it after a 10-minute service game which included a 137mph ace.

Murray had to display his trademark battling skills to keep the second set on serve at 4-4 and a tie-breaker was ultimately required.

Several mini-breaks followed, but it was Murray who made sure the match went the distance after he edged a marathon 75-minute set with an excellent trade-off with Shapovalov after he came into the net.

Shapovalov’s serve had let him down towards the end of the second set and his struggles continued with two double-faults to begin the third.

It handed Murray the ascendancy and he was able to consolidate with a succession of quick holds to move within sight of a precious victory.

Murray had to work hard to hold in the eighth game of the decider and it broke Shapovalov’s resistance with the Canadian broken again to hand the Briton a confidence-boosting 500th hard-court win of his career.

Record-chasing Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe is adamant he will not allow thoughts of personal glory to muddy his thinking when he runs out at Italy’s Stadio Olimpico.

The 28-year-old moved within one of Stuart Hogg at the top of the Scots’ all-time try-scoring list after producing a magnificent, match-defining hat-trick in Saturday’s 30-21 Calcutta Cup victory over England at Murrayfield.

Van Der Merwe went into this year’s Guinness Six Nations as Scotland’s sixth most prolific player, with 21 tries.

However, his five championship touchdowns over the past month – two away to Wales plus his treble on Saturday – have taken him ahead of Chris Paterson, Tony Stanger, Ian Smith and his Edinburgh team-mate Darcy Graham into second place.

One more score in dark blue will allow Van der Merwe to equal Hogg, who holds the record with 27 tries from his 100 caps.

The South Africa-born wing, who has got to 26 in just 37 appearances for the national team, is well aware of the big opportunity beckoning him but he insisted he will not allow it to cloud his focus or his decision-making as the Scots prepare to conclude their campaign away to Italy and Ireland next month.

“It’s something I targeted coming into the Six Nations, to see if I could do it (catch Hogg) in the Six Nations,” said Van der Merwe. “I knew it was a big task and there’s obviously still two games left… But the most important thing is the team, it’s not about myself.

“If that means I have to chase box-kicks and not score tries or give the pass to someone else, then so be it. It’s all about the team and us getting the wins.

“We want to start winning stuff as a team and the next two games are massive for us.”

Asked if he had allowed himself to ponder the possibility of making history in the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome a week on Saturday, Van der Merwe said: “It’s probably in the back of my mind, but I wouldn’t say I’m going into the game just thinking about myself and thinking about how I can score as an individual.

“For me, the team is always first. If that means I have to give the pass and not score myself, then I have to do it. If I don’t score but we get the win, I’ll be a happy man.”

Van der Merwe became the first player to score a hat-trick for Scotland in a Calcutta Cup match on Saturday. Incredibly, he now boasts a record of having played four matches against England and won them all. In total, he has scored six tries against the Auld Enemy since his first appearance in the fixture in 2021.

“I don’t know what it is, but I obviously love scoring against England so it’s pretty special,” said Van der Merwe. “It’s four wins out of four for me in this fixture. What an achievement that is, and it just shows you where this team is going.

“It’s obviously very special to score a hat-trick for Scotland, even moreso against England, but the most important thing was for the team to get the win.

“I obviously finished off a few opportunities but I’d say I made a few mistakes here and there. I wouldn’t say I was at my best but being a winger, I have to finish off the opportunities I get and luckily I was able to do that.”

Van der Merwe first arrived in Scotland in the summer of 2017 when former England player and coach Richard Cockerill signed him for Edinburgh despite the fact he failed to pass a medical due to a long-running hip injury.

Now in his second spell at Edinburgh after a stint at Worcester, the swashbuckling back is proud of the level he has been able to take his game to since he first moved to Scotland from Montpellier.

“Richard must be kicking himself, thinking ‘I brought this guy over, now he’s scoring tries against England’,” laughed Van der Merwe.

“I’ve been here (almost) seven years now and I guess when I look back, it’s all about hard work and dedication.

“When I come in on the bus and see all our fans at the stadium, I always think about how I can give back because Scotland has done so much for me.

“I guess the only way I can give back is with my performances. I absolutely love our fans and I love playing for Scotland.”

The midweek FA Cup fifth round fixtures will give several Premier League clubs the opportunity to make up for significant setbacks over the weekend.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag cannot afford another defeat after Saturday’s late drama against Fulham, while Chelsea must respond to Sunday’s Carabao Cup loss to Liverpool.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the talking points around the key fixtures.

United need a response

Saturday’s stoppage-time home defeat to Fulham has put Manchester United under pressure going into Wednesday’s trip to Nottingham Forest. With a trip to the Etihad up next on Sunday, United need a positive result to avoid going into a derby amid another round of crisis talks at Old Trafford. With Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s buy-in now complete and an overhaul of football operations under way, the pressure on Erik ten Hag will only ramp up, and he cannot afford to see their only remaining hope of silverware this season come to an end.

Liverpool to clear their hangovers

There were emotional celebrations for Liverpool and their outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp after Virgil van Dijk’s header late in extra time won the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. Victory keeps Liverpool, top of the league by one point from Manchester City, alive in their bid for a quadruple as they remain among the favourites for both the FA Cup and the Europa League. Even with 120 minutes in their legs from Wembley, few would bet against them in a home tie against Championship Southampton.

Chelsea to bounce back

Mauricio Pochettino told his Chelsea players they needed to feel hurt by their Carabao Cup final loss, in which their performance in extra time prompted Gary Neville to call them “blue billion pound bottle jobs” on Sky Sports. Pochettino is yet to get a consistent tune out of his expensively-assembled squad, and Sunday’s defeat means the Argentinian has lost all three major finals he has reached while managing in England. The FA Cup offers an opportunity to put that right and their first opportunity to show a response comes on Wednesday, when they are favourites to see off Championship Leeds at Stamford Bridge.

Guardiola looking forward to intense period

As Manchester City return to Kenilworth Road to face Luton, where they had to come from behind to win 2-1 in the league in December, Pep Guardiola said he was relishing the decisive part of the season as his side look to replicate last season’s historic treble. Few would blame him given City’s enviable habit of reeling off long winning runs at this stage of a campaign. “Tomorrow is a final, like every game in Premier League and of course in Champions League,” Guardiola said. “The decisive part of the season is here ahead of us, in front of us, not far away, and we are going for it.”

Newcastle seeking consistency

Eddie Howe’s side slipped to ninth place with Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Arsenal, a mile off the sort of form that got them into the Champions League last term as a season best described as up and down continues. The best hope of returning to Europe next season may well lie with the FA Cup – a competition Newcastle are desperate to win to end their 55-year wait for major silverware. Although away from home, they should be firm favourites away to a Blackburn side still seeking a first win under new manager John Eustace. “This season can still be very special for us,” Howe said. “But we have to make it happen.”

England’s fourth-Test defeat to India condemned them to a first series loss under the leadership of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the pair’s record since taking charge in 2022.

First setback

The Stokes-McCullum era began with a spectacular series win over New Zealand in June 2022, England chasing down fourth-innings targets of 277, 299 and 296 to win all three Tests.

They lost the first Test against South Africa later that summer by an innings but responded in kind in the second en route to a 2-1 series win.

A first-innings total of 657 in less than four sessions set the tone for a 3-0 win away to Pakistan in the winter and they then shared a series in New Zealand 1-1.

Last summer’s Ashes were also drawn, 2-2, with Australia retaining the urn but both teams emerging with pride and credit from a thrilling series.

Stokes and McCullum’s side also won a rearranged fifth Test against India in July 2022, which completed the previous summer’s series as a 2-2 draw, and beat Ireland in a one-off Test ahead of the Ashes.

Captain marvel

Stokes still has a 60.9 per cent winning record in Test matches as captain, behind only WG Grace (61.5 per cent) among Englishmen with at least 10 Tests in the role.

He has won 14, lost eight and drawn one of 23 Tests, including one while deputising as captain for Joe Root in 2020.

His personal contributions have been impressive, with 1,342 runs as skipper at an average of 36.27 and a strike rate of 65.62 – up on the respective marks of 35.77 and 57.54 when not captaining the side.

That ranks him fourth among England run-scorers under his captaincy, behind Root (1,737), Zak Crawley (1,531) and Ollie Pope (1,413).

While his bowling has been limited by injuries, his 29 wickets as captain have come at an average of 28.17 – far below his prior rate of 32.74.

Pep Guardiola is relishing the decisive phase of the season and has promised Manchester City are again “going for it”.

The treble winners are in strong contention to repeat last season’s glories in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

March will be a crucial month with a derby against Manchester United followed by clashes against title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal. They will also look to wrap up their place in the Champions League quarter-finals as they host FC Copenhagen leading 3-1 after the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Prior to that comes an FA Cup fifth-round trip to Luton on Tuesday and Guardiola is looking forward to that and the coming weeks.

The City manager said: “So after this game, February is over. Just two-and-a-half, three months to end of the season and we’ve arrived here still being there (in the competitions).

“Tomorrow is a final, like every game in Premier League and of course in Champions League.

“The decisive part of the season is here ahead of us, in front of us, not far away, and we are going for it.

“It’s better to play for this than being 10th in the table and (having) no chance for that. The feeling is that if you lose – bye-bye. It’s so nice.

“The problem is September, October – you see the expectations far, far away. In that moment you don’t think about any titles.

“We don’t even now. I would say how we’ll define the end of March, beginning of April depends on what we have done this next month. Tomorrow and this month will (determine) our options.”

City have close to a fully-fit squad for the trip to Kenilworth Road after Jack Grealish returned to the squad as an unused substitute at Bournemouth on Saturday following a groin injury.

Defender Josko Gvardiol is now the team’s only notable absentee with an ankle problem and Guardiola is hopeful he will return soon.

City needed to come from behind to beat relegation battlers Luton away in December and Guardiola is anticipating another tricky encounter.

He said: “It will be even more difficult. We saw all the games played there against the top, top sides, and the reason why is clear – football goes in the direction Luton play, so, so aggressive.

“It doesn’t matter if you are at top of the league, the bottom or in the middle, (they have) courage to play and face the challenge without any fear.

“And after, it’s not just that. They have played direct channels but at the same time they have the ability. I think they’ve improved a lot since we met them there with their build-up play and the patterns are so clear.”