Curtis Main is relishing his return to Scottish football after joining Dundee on an 18-month contract.

The former Motherwell, Aberdeen and St Mirren forward spent the first half of the season with Indian club Bengaluru after leaving the Paisley side under freedom of contract last summer.

Main, who has also played for Darlington, Middlesbrough, Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Oldham and Portsmouth, is delighted to be reunited with Dundee boss Tony Docherty, who was assistant manager to Derek McInnes during the striker’s two and a half years with Aberdeen.

“It is a great feeling to be back in Scottish football and I am really looking forward to getting started with Dundee,” he told the Dark Blues’ official website after signing with the Tayside club until the summer of 2025.

“The manager was a big influence in my decision, I’ve worked with him in the past and he knows what he is going to get from me, and I know what I am going to get from him.

“For me, that was a big appeal to get the opportunity to work with him again. I can’t wait to get back out on the pitch in Scotland and to play in front of the Dundee supporters.”

Main scored nine goals for St Mirren in his last season in Scotland and Docherty was keen to secure his signature from the moment he took the reins at Dens Park last summer.

“I am absolutely delighted to bring Curtis to the club,” said the manager. “I’ve got a good relationship with Curtis from my time as assistant manager at Aberdeen and I built up a strong bond with him.

“He has done fantastic work in the Scottish Premiership, he knows the league really well and he brings real quality in the type of striker that I feel the whole team will benefit from.

“Curtis is also a fantastic professional, I know what he will bring to the club and to the changing room, he has a really strong attitude along with a winning mentality.

“Curtis is a player that I have wanted to bring in right from when I got the job here. I believe Curtis will fit in extremely well with the way we play and I think he is a player that the fans will love.”

Dundee, who are seventh in the cinch Premiership, visit Kilmarnock in the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup this Saturday.

Ireland boss Andy Farrell has selected Peter O’Mahony as captain for the Guinness Six Nations.

Munster flanker O’Mahony takes on the role from Johnny Sexton, who retired following last year’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in Paris.

The 34-year-old, who first skippered Ireland in a 15-12 win over the United States in June 2013, has won 101 Test caps for his country, plus one for the British and Irish Lions.

“Ever since I was a boy starting off in the game, I have always dreamed of captaining Ireland,” said O’Mahony.

“I have been asked to lead Ireland on a number of occasions previously, and each of those 10 matches were special days.

“To be now asked to captain Ireland ahead of the Six Nations is without doubt one of the proudest moments of my life and I would like to thank Andy for this show of faith in me.”

Head coach Farrell’s 34-man selection does not include any uncapped players.

However, there are recalls for Leinster quartet Cian Healy, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley and Jordan Larmour, Ulster trio Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney and Jacob Stockdale, and Munster wing Calvin Nash.

Reigning Grand Slam champions Ireland begin the championship on February 2 against France in Marseille.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva pulled off the result of the Australian Open so far by beating Ons Jabeur in the second round.

Andreeva allowed the sixth seed and two-time Wimbledon finalist just two games in a 6-0 6-2 hammering, but defending champion Aryna Sabalenka avoided a repeat against another 16-year-old, Brenda Fruhvirtova.

Novak Djokovic had to save four set points in the third set before overcoming Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, the defending champion appearing to be spurred on by an exchange of words with a spectator on Rod Laver Arena in his 6-3 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-3 victory.

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Women: Ons Jabeur (6), Caroline Garcia (16), Leylah Fernandez (32)
Men: France Tiafoe (17), Francisco Cerundolo (22), Lorenzo Musetti (25)

Who’s up next?

The remaining four British singles players are all in action on Thursday, with three on the same court.

Cameron Norrie opens proceedings on 1573 Arena before Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu both play Chinese opponents for the right to meet each other, while Jack Draper faces 14th seed Tommy Paul.

In the day session on Rod Laver Arena, Iga Swiatek faces Danielle Collins, while Carlos Alcaraz takes on Lorenzo Sonego.

Egypt coach Rui Vitoria has warned his team that Ghana will punish any mistakes ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash on Thursday.

Egypt were held to a 2-2 draw by Mozambique in their opening game of the tournament on Sunday.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah’s penalty claimed a point for his country and Portuguese manager Vitoria has told his side they will need to be on top of their game against Ghana.

He said: “It’s going to be a different story. We will have to reduce the spaces and be more concentrated because against an experienced team like Ghana, the slightest mistake is paid dearly.”

Ghana lost their first game 2-1 to Cape Verde courtesy of Garry Rodrigues’ stoppage-time winner.

Vitoria also highlighted the tactical problems his side encountered during their draw to Mozambique.

He added: “Mozambique has a solid team, I said it before meeting them and that’s what happened.

“They gave us a lot of tactical problems with this low block. This team has excellent elements in midfield. They found gaps in us and they took advantage of it.”

Ashroe Diamond is likely to tee up a Cheltenham Festival bid at Doncaster on January 27.

Willie Mullins’ top-class mare has the Grade Two Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle as an aim as she finds herself ineligible from most races restricted to her sex in Ireland due to winning a Grade One last term.

She made a perfectly satisfactory comeback this season when third in the Hatton’s Grace against the boys at Fairyhouse.

“We were delighted with her first run back, she was one of the last to come in because of the cut she got in the Honeysuckle (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, at Fairyhouse in April),” said James Fenton who manages the Blue Blood Racing Club who own the mare.

“It was a bad enough cut, she needed staples in it and it was a bit of a mess and needed plenty of work.

“We are very limited in Ireland when it comes to Grade One-winning mares as they are omitted from a lot of the graded races.

“We’d have liked to have run her in the BeattheBank at Leopardstown over Christmas that Shewearsitwell won last season, but as a Grade One winner she couldn’t go in it.

“So we’re probably looking across the water and she’s going to be entered in Doncaster on the 27th (Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle) and the plan is to run at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Hurdle.

“She’s doing everything right at home and she’s a proper mare this year, we’re looking forward to getting her out.”

He went on: “She’s been kept in training because we think there’s more to come. I felt she was a little bit hard done by last year. She hasn’t made Cheltenham yet and when we discussed it I said there’s still a bit more there.

“We just felt she deserves one more year over hurdles, she is a Grade One winner already, there isn’t much to prove going over fences but I do think she’s good enough to win the Mares’ Hurdle and if she’s in the first three, we’ll be delighted.

“Myself, Willie, Patrick (Mullins) and David Casey will all have our views of the best route and when you have that kind of a team saying what you should be doing and where you should be going, you probably should be listening.”

Jamie George will lead England into the Guinness Six Nations but Kyle Sinckler and Billy Vunipola face uncertain international futures after being omitted from Steve Borthwick’s squad for the tournament.

George, the 85-cap veteran hooker, replaces Owen Farrell as captain after the Saracens fly-half decided to miss the Championship in order to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing.

The 33-year-old is undisputed first choice in his position, an influential player in the English game and highly experienced, all factors behind his promotion ahead of Ellis Genge and Maro Itoje.

He has just committed his future to Saracens and is poised to sign one of the Rugby Football Union’s 25 ‘enhanced contracts’ at a time when a growing number of England players – including Farrell – have either joined French clubs or are considering doing so.

Explaining George’s choice as captain, head coach Borthwick said: “Firstly, Jamie is an outstanding player, one of the best hookers in the world with incredible work-rate. He’s a great example in that sense.

“Secondly, he’s got a fantastic understanding of the game, tactically very astute. And thirdly, he’s brilliant with people and builds great relationships.

“(His new contract) is a real positive step. It’s a really good sign that English rugby, while there’s still some way to go, has potentially turned a corner.

“To have the captain of England commit his future to English rugby is an important step.”

The outlook for Vunipola and Sinckler is less positive with two stalwarts of the 2019 and 2023 World Cup cycles facing battles to reclaim their places in the pack.

“I’ve spoken to both players regularly about what I’d like to see develop in their games to be in the squad,” Borthwick said.

“Do I think Kyle Sinckler will be back in the squad at some point in the future? I’m pretty sure he will be and I sense a determination from him to go after the aspects we discussed.”

England and Saracens appear increasingly resigned to Farrell’s departure to Racing 92 next season, a move that would make him ineligible for international selection.

“I spoke with Owen yesterday (Tuesday) and what’s important is that Owen makes a decision that’s right for Owen and his family,” Borthwick said.

“Will a player of Owen’s calibre be missed if he chooses to play outside of England?  Yes, of course. Do I want him in some point in the future to come back? Yes.

“But I also want him to do what’s right for him and his family and have the experiences and the memories that he wants to make.”

There are seven uncapped players in a 36-man squad that has been significantly revamped following the World Cup, containing only 17 of the 34 involved in France.

Retirements and injuries have forced Borthwick’s hand to an extent, while there are returns for the likes of Henry Slade and Alex Dombrandt, but the inclusion of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Oscar Beard, Tom Roebuck, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ethan Roots, Fraser Dingwall and Fin Smith indicates a period of evolution.

Exciting 21-year-old Exeter wing Feyi-Waboso was born and raised in Cardiff and played for Wales at age-group level, only to now commit to England.

“Manny’s really impressed us, not just on the pitch. We can all see the power he brings, the speed he brings. He finds a way through contact when there doesn’t appear to be a way through there,” Borthwick said.

“When I rang him yesterday (Tuesday), I said ‘I’m announcing my Six Nations squad tomorrow and naming you in it’. I could sense that excitement and buzz down the phone, he was thrilled. And that gave me a real energy and a real buzz as well.”

Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a scare for the second match in succession to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

Djokovic, who came through the longest first-round match of his grand slam career on Sunday, had to save four set points on his serve to avoid falling 2-1 down to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on Rod Laver Arena.

The world number one eventually took the third set on a tie-break and appeared to be inspired by an exchange of words with a spectator in the fourth on his way to a 6-3 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-3 victory.

It was not clear if the 10-time champion asked for the spectator to be removed but former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, who is commentating for TV, said on Eurosport: “Just say the word Novak and I’ll run out of this commentary box and escort him out myself.”

Popyrin was left to rue failing to convert any of his four set points in the ninth game of the third set and Djokovic said in his on-court interview: “He had quite an easy forehand and he missed it.

“I didn’t do anything special, I was lucky at that point and that game to get away. He was the better player for a set and a half. The momentum shifted in the tie-break, I managed to put one more ball in the court than he did but that’s all.

“I think I played maybe at the highest level in some instances but also credit to him for tactically coming out with the right game plan and serving big. He deserves a big round of applause for the performance.

“I haven’t been playing my best but particularly in the early rounds you play players who have nothing to lose, they come out on the centre court trying to play their best tennis and I think both my first and second round opponents were really great quality tennis players and I managed to find a way to win.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to build as the tournament progresses.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost to Djokovic in last year’s final, also had to save four set points on his way to victory over another Australian, Jordan Thompson.

Thompson took the opening set and had four chances at 5-6 in the fourth set to force a decider before Tsitsipas sealed a 4-6 7-6 (6) 6-2 7-6 (4) victory.

Fourth seed Jannik Sinner enjoyed a far easier day as he thrashed Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong 6-2 6-2 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena, but 17th seed Frances Tiafoe was beaten in straight sets by Czech world number 75 Tomas Machac.

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev needed just 99 minutes to beat American Chris Eubanks 6-4 6-4 6-4, while Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry – who beat Andy Murray in straight sets on Monday – beat Gael Monfils by the same score.

Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur is also into the third round after beating Italy’s for the loss of just six games.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has celebrated the end of his eight-month ban from football with a social media post declaring he is “free”.

Toney’s suspension for breaching Football Association gambling rules ends on Wednesday and he could return to action on Saturday in Brentford’s home Premier League game against Nottingham Forest.

Bees head coach Thomas Frank said before his side’s FA Cup replay defeat at Wolves on Tuesday night that Toney “will be absolutely on it and ready for Saturday”.

Toney has been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea during the transfer window, but Frank is hoping to keep hold of the 27-year-old at least until the end of the season.

“It’s a team he’s really enjoying being part of, with some good mates, enjoying their football together, enjoying playing for Brentford and for the fans,” Frank added.

“We’ve done everything we can to help him through this. We’d like to keep him, but we know how football is.”

Toney’s last competitive match was in Brentford’s 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on May 6, but he has been allowed to train with his team-mates since September.

He made his England debut during a European Championship qualifying win against Ukraine last March and has scored 32 goals in 64 Premier League appearances for Brentford.

Toney was also fined £50,000 and warned about his future conduct for 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.

Mike Dickson, the Daily Mail’s long-serving tennis correspondent, has died at the age of 59, his family have announced.

Dickson was in Melbourne covering the Australian Open for the newspaper, which he joined in 1990.

On behalf of his family, Dickson’s wife Lucy posted a message on X that read: “We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and Dad, Mike, has collapsed and died while in Melbourne for the Aus Open.

“For 38 years he lived his dream covering sport all over the world. He was a truly great man and we will miss him terribly. Lucy, Sam, Ruby and Joe.”

Dickson grew up in The Wirral and worked for local media outlets before moving to the Mail, initially as a cricket correspondent, before switching to tennis in 2007.

Lee Clayton, the Mail’s global publisher for sport, described Dickson as “a giant of a journalist”, adding: “Dicko was everything you want a correspondent to be – a brilliant news hound, a terrific writer and a friend to so many in his sport.”

The Mail’s veteran boxing reporter Jeff Powell added: “A tragic loss. The only consolation is that he died doing what he loved. Being a major player of his craft at a grand slam.”

The PA news agency’s tennis correspondent Eleanor Crooks said: “Mike, or Dicko as he was universally known, was the tennis reporter that we all aspired to be.

“He knew everyone in the sport and was a master at finding the stories that mattered. British tennis journalism is a small world and Dicko was the heart of it.

“Great company in press rooms and bars around the world, he could always be relied upon for a quip or an impression. Tennis will be much the poorer without him.”

El Fabiolo remains on course for Ascot’s BetMGM Clarence House Chase on Saturday.

While most of southern England is currently white over due to a succession of freezing nights, with more to come, there is hope in the forecast that it may warm up in time for the weekend.

It would be a huge shame if the meeting does not go ahead, as Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo is due to meet the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon, with the score between the two currently standing at one win each.

However, should the meeting be lost to the weather and rerouted to Cheltenham the following weekend, as it was last year, El Fabiolo appears unlikely to make the journey.

“We took him to the Curragh yesterday, Paul (Townend) rode him, he went very well so the plan at the moment is to head to Ascot at the weekend,” said assistant trainer Patrick Mullins on Sky Sports Racing.

“The plan is, as long as the race is going to go ahead, we’ll probably take the boat on Thursday afternoon. If it’s called off and he had to come home we’ll probably wait for the Dublin Racing Festival which is on our doorstep and worth great money as well.”

He went on: “To be honest I’d have thought the Dublin Racing Festival seemed the more obvious choice, but Willie, Simon (Munir) and Isaac (Souede, owners) seemed very keen to go to Ascot.

“Jonbon looks like a horse who is improving all the time and he’s a brother to Douvan, but I think we were very unlucky not to beat him in the novice hurdle (at Aintree), we got hampered at the third-last and made a mistake at the last and we beat him well at Cheltenham last year.

“You never know, the score is 1-1, hopefully we can make it 2-1 but there will be another rematch later if we don’t.

“It will be a spectacular race, great for the sport. Both teams are going in thinking they have a live chance.

“It’s a bit like in boxing when you get a trilogy. Hopefully they all get there and the race pans out as you hope, but we’re delighted with our fellow.

“He’s not a natural super-sharp two-miler (over a fence), he does have his own style. The day he won at the DRF with Daryl (Jacob) he put down at the fourth-last, but he seems to know where he is putting his feet. He generally keeps his hind end low which gives him a good centre of balance and, touch wood, while it is his own style, it does seem to be very effective.”

An update on conditions at Ascot released on social media read: “The track is currently frozen in places under the covers in the shaded areas of the racecourse.

“This is an improvement on yesterday morning but the forecast indicates a more severe forecast over the next two nights with temperatures due to drop as low as minus 5C.

“The forecast beyond that remains conflicting with the possibility of milder conditions arriving. We will continue to monitor and update as we get closer to raceday.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has submitted his tender offer for 25 per cent of the Class A shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange as part of his deal to become the minority owner of Manchester United.

It was announced on Christmas Eve that the Ineos chairman had agreed to buy a 25 per cent stake in the Premier League club in a deal that included investing 300million US dollars (£236.7million) into their infrastructure.

As well as buying Class B shares held by the Glazer family, the announcement confirmed that Ratcliffe would offer to acquire up to 25 per cent of all Class A shares at a price of 33 US dollars (£26) per share.

That offer from his company, Trawlers Limited, for up to 13,237,834 Class A ordinary shares was confirmed in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Wednesday.

United’s Class A share price was 19.84 US dollars (£15.64) on December 22 – the last full day before the public announcement of Ratcliffe’s offer.

On the last full trading day before the commencement of the offer the price was 21.20 US dollars (£16.71) per share.

The document read: “The offer and withdrawal rights will expire at one minute after 11.59pm eastern time on February 13, 2024, unless the offer is extended or earlier terminated.”

The filing also said upon the consummation of the offer Ratcliffe’s shares would collectively “represent a 27.69 per cent ownership interest and 28.71 per cent voting interest in the Company”.

Earlier in the day United announced their first-quarter earnings for the three months ending September 30, 2023.

Published later than usual following the conclusion of the strategic review, it showed record first-quarter revenues up nine per cent at £157.1m.

Newport manager Graham Coughlan has described hosting Manchester United in the FA Cup as the biggest game in the club’s history.

County booked a money-spinning fourth round date with the 12-time winners at Rodney Parade on January 28 by winning 3-1 at non-league Eastleigh on Tuesday.

The Sky Bet League Two outfit have become used to entertaining Premier League big guns in recent years, welcoming Manchester City and Tottenham among others, while the old Newport County played in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in the 1980s before going out of business.

But Dubliner Coughlan, a massive United fan who joked his family would be “doing Irish jigs around the house” after Newport beat Eastleigh, insisted the visit of Erik ten Hag’s side will top those occasions.

“It’ll be a hell of an occasion,” Coughlan told BBC Sport Wales ahead of the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

“It’s a fourth round tie against Manchester United, for me the biggest club in this country, in Europe and in the world.

“I know some people would lean towards the fifth round game against Manchester City (in February 2019), but I’d say Manchester United all day long.”

Coughlan recalled before the Eastleigh replay how United had left him in tears as a four-year-old when Arsenal beat them 3-2 in the famous “Five-minute final” at Wembley in 1979.

Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy had dragged United back into the game in the final few minutes before Alan Sunderland slid home at the death to win the FA Cup for Arsenal.

“We’re a big Manchester United family, we’ve been to FA Cup finals with them,” Coughlan said.

“I can’t get my head around it to be honest, they are unbelievable names.

“Just to have Manchester United coming to Rodney Parade is a hell of an achievement.

“I don’t know when it will sink in, I’m sure my family are doing Irish jigs around the house at the moment.”

Television coverage, fourth round prize money and a capacity crowd around the 10,000 mark means Newport stand to make around £400,000 from the United tie.

It is a welcome boost for the supporter-owned club who have encountered financial difficulties and are on the brink of being taken over by Huw Jenkins, the former Swansea chairman who took them into the Premier League.

Newport are due to increase capacity at Rodney Parade by starting work on a temporary stand on Wednesday.

The stand will be in place for Saturday’s sold out League Two clash with Welsh rivals Wrexham.

“Another 1,000 passionate members of the Amber Army will get the chance to back the Exiles against Wrexham and Manchester United with the erection of a temporary stand behind the North Terrace,” read a club statement.

“The club is also adding an additional 400 seats to the away stand to meet the FA’s allocation guidelines for the Manchester United tie.”