Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc edged out Lando Norris in practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which was red-flagged on two occasions.
A combined 30-minute delay wiped out half of the one-hour session after Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg both crashed out.
Leclerc saw off Norris by just 0.043 seconds, with Max Verstappen third, 0.173 sec off the pace. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished sixth and eighth respectively for Mercedes.
A week after he smashed into a loose drain cover in Las Vegas, Sainz was in the wars again, but on this occasion it was through driver error.
Sainz – who appeared to be put off by another car arriving from the pits – lost control of his machine through turn three and ended up in the barrier.
Although the Spaniard was unharmed in the high-speed smash – with the running just eight-and-a-half minutes old – he sustained significant damage to his car; with the sidepods, floor, rear suspension and front wing of his Ferrari all destroyed.
Sainz’s impact also left the barrier in a mess and a 22-minute delay ensued as the tyre wall was repaired.
But only moments after the running re-started, the red flag was out again – this time after Nico Hulkenberg crashed on the exit of turn one.
On cold tyres, the German was too hasty on the throttle, sliding into the barrier before stopping in his wounded machine.
The stoppages arrived as a blow to half the grid who sat out the opening session as 10 rookie drivers were blooded at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Mercedes are looking to hang on to second in the constructors’ championship and are only four points ahead of Ferrari with one race to go.
And the troubled team will be alarmed by Leclerc’s speed as the Monegasque, on pole position in Las Vegas, topped the order.
Russell finished three tenths adrift of Leclerc while Hamilton, who made way for the team’s Danish junior driver Frederik Vesti in the opening running, was half-a-second back.
Mercedes’ sluggish pace also leaves the grid’s once-dominant team facing up to a winless season – their first since 2011.
In the day’s first running, British drivers Zak O’Sullivan, 18, and Jake Dennis, 28, made their Formula One weekend debuts for Williams and Red Bull respectively.
Ollie Bearman, 18, who in Mexico became the youngest British debutant at a Grand Prix, was handed his second practice appearance by Haas.
Dennis, in Verstappen’s Red Bull machine which Hamilton has described as the fastest ever seen in F1, finished 16th of the 20 runners, 1.1 sec off the pace.
O’Sullivan was 18th – seven tenths behind Williams’ Logan Sargeant – with Bearman 20th and last, albeit only a tenth slower than Kevin Magnussen in the other Haas.
Ange Postecoglou is excited to see Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur close to his best again amid a growing injury crisis at the club.
Spurs host Aston Villa on Sunday with at least nine first-team players ruled out and Pape Sarr a doubt after he returned with a knock from international duty with Senegal.
A much-needed positive for the Australian is the return to fitness of Bentancur, who made his first competitive start in nine months in Uruguay’s 3-0 win over Bolivia on Tuesday after a serious knee injury.
With first-choice midfielders James Maddison (ankle) and Yves Bissouma (suspended) definitely absent for the visit of Villa, Bentancur could be thrust into action.
“The back four is probably the major issue for us at the moment. We’re really low on depth there, but midfield as well. That’s just the period we’re going through,” Postecoglou reflected.
“The fact Rodrigo got an opportunity to start (for Uruguay) is good for us. It gives him that confidence that he’s able to get through a game.
“The beauty of him is he can play a couple of different areas. I think he can play as a six, he can play further forward as an eight and he’s even creative. I think he can score goals as well.
“We were kind of hoping with him, Madders, Pape, Biss and people like Pierre(-Emile Hojbjerg) we were well stocked in that midfield area for different kinds of combinations, but obviously that has been disrupted a bit.
“The key for Rodrigo is to get him back to that level physically and mentally where he feels really comfortable about playing at this level.
“I don’t think he is far off it from what I’ve seen and again certainly over the next few weeks he will get that opportunity.”
Bentancur was one of Tottenham’s best players last season and impressed in a box-to-box role before he sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage in February.
Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa used him at the base of a midfield three on Tuesday, which is where Bissouma has played for Spurs so far this season.
With Bissouma suspended for the Villa match after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign at Wolves, Postecoglou hinted Bentancur could fill that void.
He said: “Yeah, potentially. Watching the (Bolivia) game and how he played, he did it really well so you know he can play there.
“I don’t think he is that far off from a physical perspective of being able to play his normal game, whether that is box-to-box, and part of it is getting belief in himself and his own body that he is capable of doing it.”
Spurs’ hopes of returning to winning ways have been hit by their lengthy injury list, but Postecoglou insisted: “Aston Villa will be a great test for us, but we’re at home.
“Apart from the Chelsea game, our home form has been really strong and we need to make sure we get back to that.”
Mister Policeman made a winning chase debut for Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse – but was made to work all the way to the line by lesser-fancied stablemate Feu Du Bresil.
Something of a talking horse at Mullins’ recent open morning, the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned five-year-old had some decent types behind him when winning at Cork in April.
Sent off at 4-9 under Paul Townend for the Irish National Hunt Chase CLG Beginners Chase with Danny Mullins on Feu Du Bresil, the latter jumped better on the way round and held an advantage after the final fence.
It was to the favourite’s credit that he knuckled down and eventually got up to win by three-quarters of a length, although his Arkle odds with Paddy Power were lengthened to 12-1 from 8s.
“It was messy, we went very slow, he missed the second-last and Danny got away on me,” said Townend.
“I liked that when I gave him a flick at the back of the last that I was back on top and it was snug by the time I got to the line.
“His jumping can sharpen up and I’d say a faster pace will help his jumping.”
He added: “He probably rides a bit bigger than he looks. I thought going along we were only in schooling mode for the majority of the race. He’d be better at a faster pace when let jump.
“The runner-up ran to a good level in Punchestown and he’s unexposed. He’s improving away the whole time and I’d say he’s growing into himself. He’s a nice yardstick, but you’d be hoping to beat him at the same time.”
Gordon Elliott’s Better Days Ahead (2-9 favourite) atoned for a recent fall at Down Royal when barely coming out of a canter in the Sign Up To GavinLynchRacing.com Maiden Hurdle.
“Jack (Kennedy) said he would have done more at home and it was a nice school round for him,” said Elliott.
“It was a nice confidence booster after falling the last day. He jumped great there today.
“He’ll have to head for one of those good novice hurdles now, whether it’s this side of Christmas or not, I don’t know.
“Three miles won’t bother him or he could go back to Navan in a few weeks’ time for one of those novice hurdles there because he didn’t have a hard race there.
“He probably likes a bit of soft ground, the way he handled it there. Jack said when he gave him a squeeze after the second-last he picked up very quickly.”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag knows Everton’s players and fans will be “mad” about the 10-point penalty imposed on the club and has challenged his team to meet fire with fire on Sunday.
United make the short trip to Goodison Park this weekend to face a Toffees team fuelled by a sense of injustice after an independent commission imposed the sanction on the club a week ago for a breach of Premier League profitability and sustainability rules.
For the Red Devils, it is the first of three challenging away games in the space of six days.
On Wednesday they travel to Turkey to face Galatasaray knowing a defeat will end their hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16, before a trip to take on Newcastle a week on Saturday.
Ten Hag is expecting Goodison Park to be a bearpit on Sunday but is determined his players will not be outmuscled.
“It’s always about us, I can see the opposition and I can see they are mad, but then finally it’s about us,” he said at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
“If they are mad and that’s their fuel, we have to match those standards. When we match the standards we have a very good chance to win the game.”
United head into the game in good Premier League form, having won four out of their last five matches.
They are boosted by the return of England international Luke Shaw from a thigh strain which has sidelined him since August.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana has overcome a knock suffered on international duty with Cameroon, but a decision will be taken on Saturday about whether Rasmus Hojlund can feature.
The Dane suffered a muscle strain in the second half of the win over Luton just before the November international break.
Slate Lane will bid for an imperious four-timer in the Betfair “Serial Winners” Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, as Emmet Mullins attempts to get his hands on another major handicap prize at Haydock on Saturday.
Unbeaten since joining the Grand National-winning trainer in the summer, the five-year-old has been no stranger to British shores, making three successful raids at some of the minor tracks.
He now steps up in class for his toughest assignment to date in a race won by some fine operators over the years.
“He’s been good and won three out of three. He’s doing everything right,” said Mullins.
“It’s a big ask to win four on the bounce, but hopefully he can run well at least.
“We’re very hopeful, we’ve not done much at home with him (since his last run) and we even gave him a run in a charity race in between to keep him ticking over and all is good.”
Disputing favouritism for the £125,000 contest is Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo, who won a competitive renewal of the EBF Final at Sandown in March and got the better of the reopposing Santos Blue when making a successful return at Aintree last month.
Always held in high regard, this event will give a decent indication of what calibre of performer Crambo really is.
“We’re excited to go to Haydock,” said O’Brien. “He finished very well last year, winning the EBF Final, and although it didn’t happen for him at Aintree in the spring, he came back out at Aintree and ran a lovely race there.
“It’s a step up to three miles and it will answer a lot of questions and tell us where to go from there.
“He’s got a lot of weight on Saturday, so if he runs well off that, we know he’s a good horse, it is just whether he is a handicapper or a Graded horse. Hopefully, Saturday will tell us.”
Little separated Alan King’s Emitom and Nicky Henderson’s Bold Endeavour when they finished second and third at Newbury recently and both are consistent performers in these contests, while Willie Mullins will also saddle a raider from Ireland in the form of the reappearing Fine Margin.
Meanwhile, Dubrovnik Harry will attempt to leave a disappointing 2022-23 season well behind and build on his encouraging comeback fourth at Cheltenham last month.
“We were pleased with his reappearance and he gets to go again off the same mark,” said trainer Harry Fry.
“It’s a competitive field, as you would expect for the prize-money on offer.
“Last year didn’t happen for him, but we’re hoping he can go and give a good account of himself.”
The likes of Politologue, Clan Des Obeaux and Bravemansgame have all previously won the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase and there could be another high-class winner with a top-quality field of five assembled for action.
Cheltenham Festival winner and Grand National third Gaillard Du Mesnil is the proven performer over fences, but there are some unknown quantities full of potential amongst the opposition, none more so than Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away.
The Old Gold Racing-owned mare scooped Grade One honours at Aintree in the spring and has now been pitched in at the deep-end for her chasing bow, with connections dreaming she will make an immediate impression in her new discipline.
“We’re very much looking forward to it and the confidence coming from Lucinda and Scu (Peter Scudamore) is heartening,” said James Day, chief operating officer and co-founder of Old Gold Racing.
“You can really see their confidence in her, given the race she has been declared for, which is a pretty big one for going over fences for the first time.
“She’s had a few entries over the last few weeks and they’ve been very sensible with their approach to make sure she gets off on the right foot, that’s really important.
“Winning the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle was amazing and she is showing in her training that she has all the makings of a proper chaser, although the proof is always in the pudding.”
Dan Skelton also has high hopes for Grey Dawning, who strung a three-race winning sequence together over hurdles last term and was not disgraced on his chasing bow when bumping into Paul Nicholls’ Stay Away Fay.
“We’re happy with him and obviously he is coming back quickly (after Exeter), but I don’t think that will be a problem,” said Skelton.
“He needed the run a little bit at Exeter and I was very happy with the way he jumped and did everything that day. He just took a little bit of a blow and Stay Away Fay and the other horse got the better of him late on, which is an acceptable first run.
“It’s quite a competitive race, but it wants to be for £50,000 at the end of the day. It would be very easy to go for a standard novice chase somewhere and maybe he does that later in the season if he needs to.
“We would just prefer to take on some bigger and better races and see where we get to – and he will be getting some experience under his belt.”
The action on Merseyside begins with the Grade Two Betfair Racing Podcasts Newton Novices’ Hurdle, where Henry Daly’s Bowenspark could enhance his burgeoning reputation.
“He did it nicely at Stratford and let’s hope he can do it again,” said Daly.
“Like when you start with all these things, you have got to find out as you go along how you are getting on.
“He won a couple of bumpers and was probably a bit unlucky at Aintree. The form looks very solid, so hopefully he continues to progress.”
The Lawn Tennis Association has called on British fans to show respect to opposing players after Novak Djokovic’s spat with supporters at the Davis Cup in Malaga.
Djokovic defeated Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-4 to secure a 2-0 victory for Serbia over Great Britain in the quarter-finals on Thursday evening but was very unhappy when a section of the 5,000-strong British support tried to drown out his post-match interview with drumming.
Djokovic, who had earlier ironically blown kisses to a vocal British fan at the end of the first set, told the supporters: “Learn how to respect players, learn how to behave yourself.” He then added: “No, you shut up, you be quiet,” as the row continued.
British captain Leon Smith played down the incident, arguing that noisy, partisan atmospheres are central to the Davis Cup.
An LTA spokesperson said: “Passion is a unique component of the Davis Cup and it is a competition where emotions run high. We are lucky to have strong travelling support and would always encourage GB supporters to behave with respect for our opposition.”
Rather awkwardly for the governing body, it does provide help to some supporter groups, including the one in question, the Stirling University Barmy Army, to travel to ties in order to create a good atmosphere.
The row overshadowed what was a disappointing end to an encouraging season in the competition for Smith’s men.
Norrie played well and kept the scoreline relatively close against the world number one without ever remotely threatening an upset but the damage was done when Jack Draper lost out 7-6 (2) 7-6 (6) to Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening rubber.
It was only the 21-year-old’s second Davis Cup match and one he will unquestionably learn from, with Draper set to be central to Britain’s hopes over the next decade and more.
He has recovered well from an injury-hit first two-thirds of the season, reaching the fourth round of the US Open and his first ATP Tour final in Sofia earlier this month to pull his ranking back up to 60.
“I’m really proud of the improvements I made this year,” said Draper. “I think, though I lost the match, I’m trying to play in the right way. I didn’t serve great, but I’m trying to look to come forward a lot more.
“I think it’s only exciting with me. I’ve got so much to improve on. That’s an amazing thing. Just reset and look for improvements.”
Draper also backed Smith to continue his long tenure in the captain’s role. It is now eight years since the Scot guided Britain to a stunning Davis Cup title, and next year will be his 14th at the helm.
“He creates an amazing environment,” said Draper. “We all want to play for him, all want to work hard. He only is positive around us in my opinion.
“It’s up to him if he wants to step down or not, but I’d be very happy if he stayed on and we can keep playing, because he’s a great captain, a good guy. He gives us a lot.”
Without a peak Andy Murray, Smith has had more difficult selection decisions to make, and last year’s group-stage exit ended in recriminations when Dan Evans claimed he should have been picked for doubles.
He got his wish this year, which paid off when he played the key role in helping Britain reach the last eight only for a calf injury to rule him out of this week’s event.
Had Evans been available rather than cheering from the stands, things might have turned out differently, and, with Murray also sidelined, Smith was left with a team that picked itself.
He will hope that Norrie rediscovers his best form next season having now lost three Davis Cup rubbers in a row, and there were some encouraging signs against Djokovic despite the final result.
Britain will find out on Sunday if they have been awarded a wild card for September’s group stage or must play a qualifier in February, while Djokovic and Serbia have their eyes on the big prize and a crunch semi-final against Italy on Saturday.
The match will see Djokovic clash with Jannik Sinner for the third time in a week and a half in the biggest Davis Cup singles match for many years.
Sinner handed Djokovic his first defeat since the Wimbledon final in the group stage of the ATP Finals only for the world number one to take revenge in the final.
Djokovic, who is unbeaten in Davis Cup singles rubbers since 2011, said: “We’re developing a nice rivalry lately. I have tons of respect for him.
“He’s been playing arguably the tennis of his life. I saw a little bit of the singles and doubles that he won (against the Netherlands on Thursday). Amazing. He really played on a high level. I could see that he was very pumped to play for his nation.
“I’m not playing bad myself. So it’s going to be, I think, a great match.”
NBA referees are too "emotional", according to former player Gilbert Arenas.
A controversial incident on Wednesday led to Golden State Warriors' Chris Paul being ejected from his team's game with the Phoenix Suns, thrown out by referee Scott Foster, with whom Paul has endured a long feud.
Paul and Foster have clashed numerous times over the years, and the latest disagreement saw the referee slap the 12-time NBA All-Star with two quick technical fouls, leading to the 38-year-old's seventh career ejection.
Arenas, who racked up 11,402 points in an NBA career spanning 11 years, believes referees must do more to control their own emotions amid the chaos.
"Someone should ask Adam Silver [NBA commissioner] this," Arenas said on his Gil's Arena podcast. "If I'm a player, I'm playing a game that's emotional, I'm acting in real time, real deep human emotions.
"And when I don't control my emotions, a ref can give me a technical, which means whatever I said to him, irritated him so bad that he didn't control his emotions and he gave me a tech. So, my emotions led to him being emotional, but he gets to give me a technical and that's fine.
"How? He's supposed to be the most cool and collected m*********** out there. There's no nothing for him. He doesn't leave it with a win or loss. Whatever he does, whatever he makes, he gets it no matter f****** what. What's a ref's record? zero and f****** zero his whole career. There's no win or loss, [yet] that's the most f****** emotional dude in the game."
Shishkin sets out on what Nicky Henderson hopes will be a fruitful staying campaign when he lines up for the Nirvana Spa 1965 Chase at Ascot.
So brilliant at his best over two miles, the decision was taken to go over further immediately after he finished third in last year’s Tingle Creek at Sandown – his first start since being pulled up in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham that March, after which he was subsequently found to be suffering from a rare bone condition.
He looked magnificent in beating Pic D’Orhy in the Ascot Chase in February and did little wrong when second to Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase, before taking the plunge over three miles and a furlong at the Grand National meeting, staying on strongly to account for Ahoy Senor.
Henderson has his sights on the King George at Christmas, but first Shishkin must pass this two-mile-five-furlong reappearance test, where he again meets the Paul Nicholls-trained Pic D’Orhy.
“He’s in very good form. Nico (de Boinville) is happy with him, the timing is right and he’s done everything right,” said the master of Seven Barrows, who also had the option of going for the Betfair Chase with the nine-year-old.
“Pic D’Orhy is coming to Ascot and we will take on Bravemansgame later (in the King George).
“He showed us at Aintree he’s a stayer, it took him a long time to pick up Ahoy Senor. You can’t win a King George with a doubtful stayer, but he’s proved he does (stay).”
Although second best to Shishkin over course and distance earlier in the year, Pic D’Orhy would end his campaign with a decisive victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree and has Ditcheat stable jockey Harry Cobden on board for his return to action.
“I’ve always believed in this horse, who never stopped improving last season and looks fantastic,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“This Grade Two race has been his target from the moment he came back from holiday early in July.
“He is fit to run for his life, his work with Bravemansgame on Thursday was eyecatching and drying ground at Ascot is a big plus for him.
“We don’t think he was at his best when he was beaten by Shishkin at Ascot in February, as he’d had a few races before that, and things could well be different this time.”
Donald McCain’s Minella Drama was a bronze medallist behind Pic D’Orhy in the spring and also performed well on Merseyside on his seasonal bow when second in the Old Roan Chase.
Brian Hughes rides and said in his blog for Novibet.ie: “With Shishkin to beat, it’s not going to be easy for Minella Drama, but we are the only horse in the field with a run under our belt.
“He ran well on his return at Aintree and I think going right-handed at Ascot will suit. Strictly on ratings, we look fairly matched with Pic D’Orhy, but Shishkin is in the race, and he is a fair horse. I was hoping he’d be going to Haydock!
“We’re fit and I’d love to think we could beat him, but he’s some horse. I think we’ll give him a good race, though. We’re hoping he likes Ascot and can then pitch up there again in the Ascot Chase in February.”
The field of four is rounded off by Straw Fan Jack, who was set some lofty targets at the business end of last season and continues to have his sights aimed high by trainer Sheila Lewis.
Lewis Hamilton cannot be blamed for considering a blockbuster switch to Red Bull following Mercedes’ failure to provide him with a winning machine, Christian Horner has claimed.
Red Bull team principal Horner confirmed on Friday that Hamilton’s father Anthony made an inquiry about the availability of a seat alongside Max Verstappen at the grid’s all-conquering team.
Verstappen has won the past three world championships, while Hamilton last took a victory at the penultimate round of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia.
“I have known Anthony Hamilton for 15 years and I don’t think he was enquiring about himself to come and drive,” said Horner of Anthony, who managed his son in the formative years of his career.
“I don’t know who represents who, but with the surname you would think they are reasonably close.
“Anthony is a good guy, a proud racing father and inevitably when drivers go through tough spots – and Lewis has not won a Grand Prix for two years – questions will be asked up and down the paddock.
“Lewis is the most successful driver of all time and he hasn’t won a grand prix since 2021. You have not got to be a rocket scientist to work that out and I doubt I was the only one that an inquiry was made to.”
Red Bull will head into the season finale having failed to win just one of the 21 rounds so far. Verstappen has triumphed on 18 occasions – a record for any driver during a single campaign.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team are in a state of flux, but the seven-time world champion signed a two-year deal with the Silver Arrows, worth £100million, in August. Sergio Perez is contracted to Red Bull for 2024.
On Thursday, Hamilton denied seeking a move to Red Bull and claimed it was instead Horner who approached him.
“I have checked with everyone in my team and nobody has spoken to them. However, he (Horner) did reach out to me earlier on in the year about meeting up,” Hamilton said.
Horner added: “It is entirely normal for drivers, drivers’ representatives and drivers’ parents to have different conversations during the year.
“There was never a seat available and there was never any engagement. There are many drivers we hear from during the course of the year.
“We have not had any serious discussions with Lewis and there was never a seat available.”
Stephen Robinson fears Ryan Strain could be out for weeks with a groin strain as he welcomed back fit-again Jonah Ayunga to his St Mirren squad.
The 26-year-old wing-back had to go off in the first half of Australia’s World Cup qualifier against Palestine in Kuwait and had a scan on his injury on returning to Scotland.
Ayunga has not played for the Buddies since he ruptured his ACL against Motherwell in January, but the 26-year-old striker has worked himself back into contention for the cinch Premiership game against Livingston on Saturday.
The St Mirren boss is looking for a “reset” after a 4-0 defeat by Dundee before the international break, but will also have Keanu Baccus suspended for the visit of the Lions to Paisley.
Robinson said: “Ryan Strain came back with a groin injury, which we had scanned yesterday, so we are still waiting on results from it but we are not very hopeful.
“He certainly won’t be available for Saturday. It looks like it will be weeks rather than days so it is a big blow for us.
“Jonah has been training for nearly six weeks now which is a lot of good training time.
“He played 90 minutes last week (bounce game) and was very good. So he is certainly ready to be involved, at what stage or level we will decide in the next 24 hours.
“Jonah is a very laid back boy. There is not a lot that gets him up or down. I am sure there is maybe a different side to him at home, but he is a great boy, a boy who I have worked with at two clubs.
“He has pushed himself and credit must go to Gerry Docherty (physio) and Gary McColl (strength and conditioning), who have pushed him to the limit and got him into a condition that he is ready to go. It is credit to all three.
“I felt the game against Dundee was a one-off game, where as a collective we didn’t play particularly well and we need to reset ourselves again and do what we were doing which was not playing in front of people and I am comfortable we will do that on Saturday. We want to get another win under our belt.”
Monday, November 27
FOOTBALL: Premier League, Fulham v Wolves – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1830; Serie A, Verona v Lecce – TNT Sports 1 1730, Bologna v Torino – TNT Sports 1 1930; LaLiga, Girona v Athletic Bilbao – Viaplay Sports 1 2000.
GRIDIRON: NFL, Minnesota Vikings v Chicago Bears – Channel 5, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports NFL 0100 (Tues).
BASKETBALL: NBA, Philadelphia 76ers v Los Angeles Lakers – TNT Sports 2 0000 (Tues).
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300.
Tuesday, November 28
FOOTBALL: Champions League, Lazio v Celtic – TNT Sports 1 1700, Paris St Germain v Newcastle – TNT Sports 2 1900, Barcelona v Porto – TNT Sports 4 1945, Manchester City v RB Leipzig – TNT Sports 1 1945, Shakhtar Donetsk v Antwerp – TNT Sports 3 1730, AC Milan v Borussia Dortmund – TNT Sports 3 1945, Young Boys v Red Star Belgrade – TNT Sports 7 2000, Feyenoord v Atletico Madrid – TNT Sports 6 2000; Championship, Watford v Norwich – Sky Sports Main Event 1930.
CRICKET: Women’s Big Bash League, Eliminator play-off match – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0805; Third T20, India v Australia – TNT Sports 2 1315.
BASKETBALL: NBA, Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks – TNT Sports 1 0030 (Weds), Sacramento Kings v Golden State Warriors – TNT Sports 1 0300 (Weds); EuroCup, Wolves Vilnius v London Lions – TNT Sports 4 1645.
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300.
Wednesday, November 29
FOOTBALL: Champions League, Galatasaray v Manchester United – TNT Sports 1 1700, Arsenal v Lens – TNT Sports 2 1900, Bayern Munich v FC Copenhagen – TNT Sports 4 1945, Sevilla v PSV Eindhoven – TNT Sports 3 1745, Benfica v Inter Milan – TNT Sports 6 2000, Real Madrid v Napoli – TNT Sports 3 2000, Real Sociedad v RB Salzburg – TNT Sports 8 2000, SC Braga v Union Berlin – TNT Sports 7 2000; Championship, Ipswich v Millwall – Sky Sports Main Event 1930; LaLiga, Mallorca v Cadiz – Viaplay Sports 1 2000.
CRICKET: Women’s Big Bash League, Challenger play-off match – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0805; Abu Dhabi T10, Delhi Bulls v Deccan Gladiators – TNT Sports 2 1115, Team Abu Dhabi v Chennai Braves – TNT Sports 2 1345, Bangla Tigers v New York Strikers TNT Sports 2 1615.
BASKETBALL: NBA, New Orleans Pelicans v Philadelphia 76ers – TNT Sports 1 0100 (Thurs).
GOLF: DP World Tour, The ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 0100 (Thurs).
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300.
Thursday, November 30
FOOTBALL: Europa League, TSC Backa Topola v West Ham – TNT Sports 1 1700, AEK Athens v Brighton – TNT Sports 2 1700, Sparta Prague v Real Betis – TNT Sports 4 1730, Marseille v Ajax – TNT Sports 4 1945, Liverpool v LASK – TNT Sports 1 1945, Rangers v Aris Limassol – TNT Sports 3 2000; Europa Conference League, HJK Helsinki v Aberdeen – TNT Sports 3 1745, Aston Villa v Legia Warsaw – TNT Sports 2 1945.
CRICKET: Abu Dhabi T10, Abu Dhabi v Northern Warriors – TNT Sports 1 1115, Morrisville Samp Army v Chennai Braves – TNT Sports 1 1345.
GOLF: DP World Tour, The Investec South African Open – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 1000, The ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Sky Sports Golf 0100 (Fri); PGA Tour, The Hero World Challenge – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 1830; DP World Tour.
GRIDIRON: NFL, Dallas Cowboys v Seattle Seahawks – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports NFL 0000 (Fri).
BASKETBALL: NBA, Miami Heat v Indiana Pacers – TNT Sports 1 0030 (Fri), Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Clippers – TNT Sports 1 0300 (Fri).
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300, 1900.
Friday, December 1
FOOTBALL: Championship, Preston v QPR – Sky Sports Main Event 1930; FA Cup, York v Wigan – BBC Two England 1930; Women’s Nations League, Wales v Iceland – BBC One Wales 1900, England v Netherlands – ITV4 1900, Belgium v Scotland – BBC Alba 1930; Ligue 1, Reims v Strasbourg – TNT Sports 4 1945; LaLiga, Las Palmas v Getafe – Viaplay Sports 2 2000; Serie A, Monza v Juventus – TNT Sports 3 1945; A-League, Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers – TNT Sports 1 0845.
CRICKET: Abu Dhabi T10, Northern Warriors v New York Strikers – TNT Sports 2 1115, Morrisville Samp Army v Team Abu Dhabi – TNT Sports 2 1345, Delhi Bulls v Chennai Braves – TNT Sports 2 1615; Fourth T20, India v Australia – TNT Sports 1 1315.
GOLF: DP World Tour, The Investec South African Open – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 1000, The ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 0300 (Sat); PGA Tour, The Hero World Challenge – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 1830.
RUGBY UNION: Premiership, Harlequins v Sale – TNT Sports 1 1900.
BASKETBALL: NBA, Boston Celtics v Philadelphia 76ers – TNT Sports 2 0030 (Sat), Phoenix Suns v Denver Nuggets – TNT Sports 2 0300 (Sat).
BOXING: Hamzah Sheeraz v Liam Williams – TNT Sports 2 1900; Nathan Gorman v Bohdan Myronets – Channel 5 2200.
HORSE RACING: Newbury – ITV4 1305.
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300, 1900, BBC Two Northern Ireland, BBC Two Scotland 1900.
Saturday, December 2
FOOTBALL: Premier League, Nottingham Forest v Everton – Sky Sports Premier League 1700, Newcastle v Manchester United – TNT Sports 1 1900; FA Cup, Alfreton v Walsall – BBC One 1215; Euro 2024 draw – BBC Two England 1715; Serie A, Lazio v Cagliari – TNT Sports 2 1715, AC Milan v Frosinone – TNT Sports 2 1930; Ligue 1, Nantes v Nice – TNT Sports 4 2000; LaLiga, Girona v Valencia – Viaplay Sports 1 1300; A-League, Western United v Wellington Phoenix – TNT Sports 1 0630, Sydney FC v Perth Glory – TNT Sports 1 0845, Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory – TNT Sports 2 0400 (Sun).
CRICKET: Women’s Big Bash League, Final – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0805; Women’s T20, New Zealand v Pakistan – TNT Sports 1 2330.
GOLF: DP World Tour, The Investec South African Open – Sky Sports Golf 1000, The ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Sky Sports Golf 0200 (Sun); PGA Tour, The Hero World Challenge – Sky Sports Golf 1700.
RUGBY UNION: Premiership, Bristol v Gloucester – TNT Sports 1 1330, Saracens v Northampton – TNT Sports 1 1615; URC, Lions v Dragons – BBC Two Wales 1505, Viaplay Sports 1505, Benetton v Ospreys – S4C 1915, Viaplay Sports 1935, Bulls v Sharks – Viaplay Sports 1300, Cardiff v Scarlets – Viaplay Sports 1500, Stormers v Zebre – Viaplay Sports 1715, Ulster v Edinburgh – Viaplay Sports 1715, Connacht v Leinster, Viaplay Sports 1935.
HORSE RACING: Newbury – ITV1 1325.
MMA: UFC, Beneil Dariush v Arman Tsarukyan – TNT Sports 2 0000 (Sun).
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300, 1630, 1830, BBC One 1445, BBC Two Northern Ireland, BBC Two Scotland 1630.
Sunday, December 3
FOOTBALL: Premier League, West Ham v Crystal Palace – Sky Sports Premier League 1300, Sky Sports Main Event 1400, Manchester City v Tottenham – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1600; FA Cup, Eastleigh v Reading – ITV 1240; Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone v Celtic – Sky Sports Main Event 1100; Serie A, Lecce v Bologna – TNT Sports 2 1130, Fiorentina v Salernitana – TNT Sports 1 1400, Udinese v Verona TNT Sports 5 1400, Sassuolo v Roma – TNT Sports 3 1700, Napoli v Inter Milan – TNT Sports 3 1945; Ligue 1, Le Havre v Paris St Germain – TNT Sports 3 1200, Monaco v Montpellier – TNT Sports 3 1400, Lille v Metz – TNT Sports 5 1605, Marseille v Rennes – TNT Sports 4 1930; LaLiga, Mallorca v Alaves – Viaplay Sports 1 1300, Almeria v Real Betis – Viaplay Sports 1 1515, Sevilla v Villarreal – Viaplay Sports 1 1730, Barcelona v Atletico Madrid – ITV4 1930, Viaplay Sports 1 2000; A-League, Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City – TNT Sports 1 0600, Macarthur FC v Adelaide United – TNT Sports 2 0600.
CRICKET: ODI, West Indies v England – TNT Sports 1 1300; Fifth T20, India v Australia – TNT Sports 4 1330.
GOLF: DP World Tour, The Investec South African Open – Sky Sports Golf 0930; PGA Tour, The Hero World Challenge – Sky Sports Golf 1630.
RUGBY UNION: Premiership, Leicester v Newcastle – TNT Sports 2 1430; Premiership Women’s Rugby, Leicester v Loughborough – TNT Sports 2 1715; Top 14, Stade Francais v Toulouse – Viaplay Sports 2 2000.
GRIDIRON: NFL, TBC – Sky Sports NFL 1700, TBC – Sky Sports Main Event 1930, TBC – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports NFL 2115, Green Bay Packers v Kansas City Chiefs – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports NFL 0115 (Mon).
SNOOKER: UK Championship – Eurosport 1 1245, 1845, BBC Two England 1300, 1900.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby believes the performance of Alexis Mac Allister could be crucial in the top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City.
While the two teams are generally well-matched in most positions, the hosts boast Rodri, who is regarded as the world’s best in the holding role, while Jurgen Klopp has had to field Mac Allister as a makeshift number six.
It is an unfamiliar position for the Argentina World Cup winner, who is more effective in a slightly more advanced role, but he has been asked to do a job as Liverpool’s all-new midfield still takes shape after a summer overhaul.
Japan international Wataru Endo was one of four midfield arrivals in the summer and while he is accustomed to the defensive job, the 30-year-old has been entrusted with only two Premier League starts and is unlikely to be in consideration against the defending champions.
“When you look at the midfield three, I still think we need to find the right balance and combination,” Molby told the PA news agency at the launch of the club’s Ultimate LFC Experience, a package which includes giving fans the opportunity to train at Melwood – the former home of the men’s team and current training base of the women’s side.
“We’ve managed to get away with that midfield from game to game, but there is every chance Bernardo Silva and Julian Alvarez will be playing in there and he (Mac Allister) will have to look after those and that’s a big job in itself.
“You only have to look at City and what happened when Rodri was out through suspension and they lost games (against Wolves and Arsenal) – that’s how important a world-class number six is.
“When you look at the teams who are doing well, they all have a world-class number six so that’s an area where we might need to look at.
“The majority of games we will get away with it because of the general quality we have, but there might be one or two games where we go ‘we need someone better in that position’.
“That is not a criticism of Alexis as he is not a number six, he is more of a number eight, so the quicker we can get in there the quicker we will improve.”
:: For more information about the Ultimate LFC Experience go to www.liverpoolfc.com/stadium-tours
Nathan Heaney has eyed a middleweight world title fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly after his majority decision victory over Denzel Bentley in Manchester.
The 18-0-0 Heaney became British middleweight champion on Saturday after an expert performance against London’s Bentley.
The Stoke supporter believes last week’s victory makes a future fight at bet365 Stadium more of a reality and set his sights on Alimkhanuly’s WBO and IBF belts.
“Frank (Warren) said the winner (Bentley or Heaney) fights for a world title and I think there’s no reason why I can’t fight Janibek (Alimkhanuly) and do my best,” Heaney told the PA news agency.
“Bentley did a very good job against Alimkhanuly himself (unanimous points defeat).
“Styles make fights and that could be a very exciting thing to happen.
“I want any of the world titles. Janibek has two world titles and so he’d be the best one to fight because you can get two birds with one stone there providing I can beat him.
“It lays the foundation to fulfil my dream which is to fight at Stoke City’s football ground.”
Bentley struggled to deal with the elusive Heaney, who showed signs of brilliance.
https://twitter.com/NathanHeaney/status/1726143846197936259
The undefeated Stoke fighter claimed he “played” with Bentley for 12 rounds and said the victory was emotional.
“Watching the fight back at times I was playing with one of the most dangerous middleweights in the division,” he added.
“He laid out his last title defence in 45 seconds but I’m in there with my hands on my thighs and I’m doing a little shoulder shimmy.
“Steve (Woodvine) told me exactly how to beat Denzel Bentley.
“In the first round I was moving my feet and I thought ‘he can’t close me down’. The plan Steve had set out for me was absolutely perfect.
“It must have been disheartening for him (Bentley) to be told before he’s going to knock me out and then not be able to land a shot on me.
“It was full of emotion. Some fighters online after I boxed behind closed doors said I’ll never get beyond area level.”
Heaney insisted the win was no surprise to him and that it was the best performance of his career.
He said: “It definitely didn’t surprise me (winning) but it did everyone else. It made the win even better because no-one expected it from me.
“Everything was flowing because I was enjoying it so much.
“It’s probably my best performance in terms of how I applied myself and the level of opposition.
“But there’s still lots of areas I could have improved on.
“When they announced me as the new British middleweight champion it gave me validation that I am a good fighter.”
Goshen will have the assistance of Niall Houlihan when he defends his Coral Hurdle title at Ascot on Saturday.
Gary Moore’s seven-year-old has won two of his four starts over timber at the Berkshire track, including when landing this Grade Two event in supreme style 12 months ago.
He benefitted from the rerouting of Constitution Hill on that occasion and his handler is expecting a sterner examination of his stable stalwart this time around.
“Anywhere right-handed he seems to run well, particularly Ascot,” said Moore.
“He’s in good form with himself, but it’s going to be a little bit tougher than it was last year as you have horses on the up and he’s got a penalty this time.
“He’s been ready to run for a while now and hopefully he will be all right.”
Goshen has been partnered in all of his outings under National Hunt rules by the trainer’s son Jamie Moore. But with the 38-year-old on the sidelines with a bad injury suffered earlier this week, steering duties have been passed on to Houlihan.
A key member of the team at Moore’s Lower Beeding operation, the 23-year-old claimed Grade One glory aboard the stable’s Editeur Du Gite in the rearranged Clarence House Chase earlier in the year and now gets another golden opportunity.
“He’s got a different jockey to contend with,” Moore added. “But Niall has ridden him out a lot at home, especially in his younger days when he used to ride him out all the time, so it is only right he gets a go on him.”
Goshen finished just ahead of Nicky Henderson’s Theatre Glory when they clashed at Sandown at the end of last season, but the Canter Banter Racing team who own the six-year-old hope for a different outcome this time, rematching on a sounder surface.
“We’re very excited and she’s in great form,” said Katie Croft, co-founder of Canter Banter Racing alongside David Fehily.
“It is sort of a similar race to what she ran in at the end of last season (at Sandown). I think the ground was a bit soft for her in that last run at Sandown and it just slowed her down a bit.
“She was only beaten a length behind Goshen and I think the tables will turn this time hopefully on a bit better ground.
“I never say she is ground dependent, but I agree her best form is on quicker ground and she thrives flicking off that and we’re going there hopeful.”
Alan King got his hands on this prize with Yanworth in 2016 and will saddle evergreen 11-year-old Sceau Royal, while Paul Nicholls’ sole victory in this race came via Silviniaco Conti in 2010 and he could have an improving youngster on his hands this time in the form of Blueking D’Oroux.
The four-year-old was a winner at the track before going close in a competitive handicap at Aintree in the spring and seemed to take a huge leap forward with a commanding reappearance victory in Cheltenham’s Masterson Holdings Hurdle last month.
“He is highly progressive, a different horse since we gave him a wind op last season,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“I loved the way he won at Cheltenham last month and he will relish the step up in trip to two miles and three furlongs. While he has a bit to find on official ratings I’m expecting a big run from him.”
The field is completed by Ollie Murphy’s Strong Leader, who was a runner-up to Inthepocket in an Aintree Grade One last term, but bitterly disappointed when sent off favourite for the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his return.
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