Jurgen Klopp has defended Trent Alexander-Arnold’s right to claim it would “mean more” for Liverpool to win their title battle with Manchester City.

Alexander-Arnold will miss Sunday’s huge clash between the Premier League front-runners through injury but his recent claims about City’s financial muscle sparked a pointed response from Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian striker referenced his side’s treble success last year, insisting that was “a nice feeling” the England international had no comparison for.

Klopp, who appeared perplexed that Alexander-Arnold’s comments could be perceived as inflammatory, said: “I am not sure how often in this club that we have to say how much we respect City.

“Trent respects that but he is born in Liverpool, he stood on the bins (as a child, watching training). What would you think in that situation?

“One of our slogans, that I love, is “this means more.” It means more to us. This club is special to us. So if we feel it, why shouldn’t be allowed to say it?’. You love these kind of interviews where somebody says what he thinks and the whole world tells you it’s not right, what you think.

“It’s just how he feels, how we feel, and I have absolutely no problem about that. I am pretty sure he showed total respect (to City) as well. In the last decade, Man City is the most successful team in English football and maybe Europe. It’s a ridiculous record they have. It means a lot for their people I am sure.

“Maybe it’s just for the fact we didn’t win that many. We are not in situation winning five league titles in a row and realising number five was better, we’ve never had that situation so we don’t know 100 per cent, but that’s it.”

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe called the chance to develop a world-class stadium and regenerate the Old Trafford area a “once-in-a-century opportunity” as Lord Coe was named chair of a new joint task force.

The Red Devils will not be moving away from Old Trafford but have options to redevelop the current ground or build a new one on adjacent club-owned land.

New minority owner Ratcliffe recently said redevelopment will cost around £1billion but favoured a new £2billion stadium that would be among the best in the world.

The Ineos chairman recently said he sees no issue with United seeking state support for a new ground and financing will be one aspect of the ‘Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force’, which will explore “the development of a world-class football stadium at the heart of the project” to regenerate the area.

United co-owner Ratcliffe said: “This can be a major regeneration project for an area of Greater Manchester which has played such a key role in British industrial history, but which today requires new investment to thrive again.

“The north-west of England has a greater concentration of major football clubs than anywhere else in the world, yet we don’t have a stadium on the scale of Wembley, the Nou Camp or Bernabeu.

“We will not be able to change that on our own, which is why this task force is so important to help us seize this once-in-a-century opportunity.”

Lord Coe, the London 2012 chief, has been named as chair of a task force comprised of local leaders and national experts, including Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and former United captain Gary Neville.

The Glazer family, who remain majority owners of the Premier League club, were conspicuous by their absence from the press release and list of task force members.

The task force “will assess the feasibility of a new stadium of national significance equipped to host international games and finals, as well as providing a modernised home for Manchester United”.

Lord Coe said: “Throughout my career in sport, I have seen the potential for stadiums to become focal points for strong communities and catalysts for social and economic development.

“That was certainly true of the venues we built in east London for the 2012 Olympics, and we are overdue a project of similar scale and ambition in the north of England.

“I am honoured to have this opportunity to share my experience in support of this tremendously exciting project.”

Ratcliffe met local leaders even before his minority stake received ratification last month to discuss the potential for redevelopment of Old Trafford and the surrounding area.

The Ineos chairman met with Burnham during that period and the Mayor of Greater Manchester has hailed the “bold and exciting vision for the future of Old Trafford and the surrounding area.”

“The development of one of the most iconic stadiums in world football will help attract investment, create jobs, and lead to new opportunities that will not just benefit Trafford but communities across our city-region and beyond,” he said.

“Greater Manchester has been a hive of innovation and creativity for centuries, and sport has played a huge role in shaping our past and present.”

An economic impact study will be commissioned as part of a project that will involve close consultation with fans and local residents.

The task force is expected to make recommendations later this year and Neville is excited to be involved in plans for United’s home and the local area.

“I’m incredibly fortunate to have had the privilege of playing hundreds of games at Old Trafford, and no one can take away those amazing memories,” Neville, who co-owns Hotel Football opposite the stadium, said.

“But Old Trafford has evolved throughout its history and it’s clear we are at a point where it has to change again to ensure that Manchester United has a world-class stadium befitting the world’s greatest club.

“While I want the best for Manchester United, I also want the same for the surrounding community.

“Old Trafford should be a stadium that the whole of Greater Manchester can take pride in, and be a catalyst for sustainable, cohesive growth in an area of the city that has been neglected for too long.”

Peter O’Mahony believes Ireland’s current team is the best he has ever played in ahead of a pivotal Guinness Six Nations showdown with England.

Andy Farrell’s men will run out at Twickenham as overwhelming favourites and have the chance to retain the championship title with a round to spare.

Captain O’Mahony has lined up alongside the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell and Johnny Sexton during his Test career, but feels the class of 2024 is arguably the greatest Irish side of that period.

“Look, I’ve been lucky to play with lots of good players and teams,” said the Munster flanker, who will win his 104th cap in south-west London.

“If I had to nail the colours to the mast I’d have to say yes.

“It’s hard to compare because rugby has moved on and the game is different, but in a short answer, I think it is.

“I think the quality of player, it’s a really, really healthy, good, thought-provoking, enjoyable environment, but obviously the quality of performance and results speaks for itself.

“Hard to compare but yeah, it’s certainly up there anyway.”

Ireland have triumphed in each of the past four meetings with England and will set a new championship record of 12 consecutive wins by extending that run on Saturday evening.

Doing so with a bonus-point will be sufficient to clinch the title, while the extra point would not be required if Scotland fail to beat Italy and score at least four tries earlier in the day.

World Cup semi-finalists England, who are priced at 4-1 to win by bookmakers, are still striving for consistency under head coach Steve Borthwick.

Yet O’Mahony warned Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams could easily be derailed as he dismissed the significance of the pre-match predictions.

“It’s not something that we really buy in to,” the 34-year-old said of the favourites tag.

“I know you’re probably sick of hearing it from me, but it’s a Test match tomorrow, Ireland versus England. It’s about who plays better tomorrow. It’s not about anything else.

“It’s not about previous form or where you stand, it’s about who plays better tomorrow and that’s something that we’ve always been focused on, our performance.

“We know if we play well tomorrow we’ll be in with a shout. But if we don’t fire this English team has incredible quality and can beat anyone on their day.

“It’s not long ago they were competing in the last two games of the World Cup. We know we’re in for a huge test tomorrow here at Twickenham as always.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers described the departure of Liel Abada as “desperately sad” but best for both parties after the Israel international moved to Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC.

Abada last played for Celtic in a 2-1 win over Hibernian on February 7, after which Rodgers felt he was not able to focus on reaching his peak.

The 22-year-old had come under major pressure in his homeland amid Celtic supporters’ backing for the Palestinian people with even an international team-mate publicly advising him to move on.

The winger signed a new four-year deal in September last year, just before suffering a thigh injury which kept him out for the best part of four months.

Rodgers bemoaned the loss of the opportunity to work with a player who scored 29 goals in 112 appearances.

“Firstly, it’s desperately sad, the whole situation,” the Celtic boss said. “A fantastic young player, came here as a 19-year-old, to another country and lit up the field with so many fantastic goals and had a really successful period.

“Whatever doubts he had in the summer, he was really happy to commit and sign a new deal.

“And now, through probably no fault of his own or the club’s, he has had to leave to take his career elsewhere.

“I spoke to Liel on Monday evening, we had him round the house, because I knew he was going to be travelling the next morning.

“It’s desperately sad because I was really, really looking forward to working with him over a period of time and seeing if we could develop his game.

“But if you look back, he has created some wonderful memories here at Celtic and I’m sure Glasgow will have a big place in his heart, and we wish him all the very best over in America.”

The situation flared up the day after the October 7 attacks in Israel when banners among Celtic fans which read “Free Palestine” and “Victory to the resistance” drew anger in Israel, including from former Hoops midfielder Nir Bitton.

Abada was given a huge ovation when he made his comeback against Rangers on December 30 but he did not rediscover his spark and he disappeared down the tunnel at Easter Road while his colleagues celebrated a last-gasp win after what proved to be a quiet, final appearance for Celtic.

“It was really, really difficult for him,” Rodgers said. “He was training every day, committed to his work, he is a top professional. But the situation, how it evolved, it felt very difficult.

“And football is a game very much of the mind. If you’re not quite focused or if you can’t put something aside, something as big as this, then of course it becomes very, very difficult to be at your very, very best. Sadly, that was the case for him.

“We spoke most days, just checking in to make sure he was OK, seeing him in his training, but ultimately he wants to play football.

“And when it got to the situation where I felt there was no chance, we both looked at it, and as a club as well, felt that the best possibility would be for him to move on.”

When asked whether pressure from Israel was weighing heavily on the player, Rodgers said: “It’s clearly a situation that was unplanned, and wherever it comes from, there were multiple reasons not to be in that frame of mind.

“But, listen, it’s done now. He has moved on, had a great two-and-a-half years, done very well, and we have to move on.”

Abada earlier posted a lengthy farewell message on Instagram where he thanked the Celtic fans who had stood by him.

The former Maccabi Petah Tikva player thanked Rodgers, his coaches and the Celtic board for their “overwhelming support” and added: “Their unwavering faith during these times won’t be forgotten but cherished forever.”

He added: “Reflecting on my journey here brings a smile to my face, the trophies lifted, goals celebrated, electric atmospheres and moments of pure bliss will forever be etched in my memory.”

He thanked his team-mates, family, girlfriend and Bitton plus the “incredible Israeli community in Glasgow”.

“And last but not least, thank you to all the Celtic fans,” he said. “Recent times were very difficult for myself and my family but I want to say thank you to all the Celtic fans that stood by me, supported and respected me as a Celtic player and I hope that I have given you few moments to remember me by.”

Making Headway bids to provide the burgeoning training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero with a significant pre-Cheltenham boost in the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The Cheshire-based team will not send many runners to the Cotswolds next week but do have a major bullet to fire in the form of stablemate Iroko, winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle 12 months ago and this time a serious player in the Turners Novices’ Chase.

Making Headway himself holds Cheltenham engagements in the Coral Cup and the Martin Pipe, but for now all eyes are on this weekend’s Sandown feature, the traditional appetiser to the Festival.

The six-year-old has enjoyed a fine first season over hurdles, with wins at Carlisle in October and Newbury last month sandwiching two creditable efforts in graded company, and Greenall feels he has plenty going for him on Saturday.

“He’s an improving horse who has run in some good races and run well,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s the deepest Imperial Cup there’s ever been, the favourite of Ben Pauling’s (Jipcot) won well at Huntingdon the other day but that was a lesser race, so he needs to step up again.

“We’ve got some good form with some good horses. He’s obviously inexperienced and needs further, but soft ground and the stiff finish at Sandown will suit him.”

Pauling is another trainer who can look forward to sending a small but select team to Cheltenham following an excellent recent run of form.

As well as saddling Jipcot, who carries a 7lb penalty for a comfortable win at Huntingdon last Sunday, the Naunton Downs handler has another leading contender in the form of Bad, who has been placed in four similarly competitive handicaps already this season and is due a change of luck.

“Jipcot has always been a horse who we knew had ability but had just been struggling to get exactly where we wanted him. It looks like the application of a hood and tongue-tie seems to have worked the oracle,” said Pauling.

“It’s quite a quick turnaround, but he didn’t have to do an awful lot to win at Huntingdon and he goes there in good form.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him back in some decent company. I’m not sure the 7lb will be too much of an issue and it’s been a case of getting his head in the right place really.”

On Bad, he added: “I was confident that going up in trip with him was the right thing to do, but with the ground being how it is and how it is going to ride on Saturday, he will be a stout stayer over two miles and I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”

Paul Nicholls is hoping French recruit Sans Bruit can raise his game after what was an underwhelming debut British introduction at Doncaster in January.

“He didn’t quite get the trip at Doncaster where he was a bit keen on his debut for us on his first time since a wind op,” the champion trainer told Betfair.

“He should appreciate stepping back in distance to two miles and he has plenty of decent form on soft ground in France, where he won five times over hurdles.

“We are running him in a hood to try to help him relax and he looks to have a nice each-way chance.”

Sans Bruit will be partnered by Harry Cobden, but jockeys’ championship rival Sean Bowen is confident of clawing one back aboard Olly Murphy’s Go Dante.

A winner at Cheltenham in December, he was a respectable third in the Betfair Hurdle last month and goes to post off the same mark.

“It was a very good run at Newbury and he’ll enjoy the track and ground at Sandown,” said Bowen.

“He’s really progressed with each run this season and I’m really looking forward to riding him. He’ll love conditions and everything should suit.”

The sole Irish-trained contender is David O’Brien’s Minx Tiara, who was last seen filling the runner-up spot after leading for a long way in a Listed handicap hurdle at Leopardstown.

O’Brien, who trains around 15 horses at his base in Piltown, said: “Minx Tiara has come out of her run at the Dublin Racing Festival very well and seems in great form.

“The prize money is so good at Sandown and the owners are mad keen for a day out – they are a great bunch of lads and have had a lot of fun over the years. She is nine years old now and there might not be that many more chances to travel with her.

“Hopefully this is a good opportunity for her while she is in such good form. I thought she was well-handicapped, although I am a little bit worried that the English handicapper has given her an extra 9lb compared to her mark in Ireland and she is up 11lb overall for her run at Leopardstown.

“Sean and Danny (Mullins) who have both ridden her said with the form she is in at the moment, there could be a nice prize in her. Hopefully, she has an each-way chance.”

Rory Darge feels Italy’s Stadio Olimpico would be “a nice place” for Duhan van der Merwe to become Scotland’s record try-scorer – but the co-captain stressed that his team’s focus is solely on leaving Rome with another Guinness Six Nations victory.

The Scots have won two of their three championship matches so far to sit second in the table – albeit six points adrift of Grand Slam-chasing Ireland – going into the penultimate round of fixtures.

While the priority for Gregor Townsend’s side is to get the points that will keep them on course for a first top-two finish in the Six Nations era, the fixture has added spice because Van der Merwe goes into it with 26 international tries to his name – one shy of the county’s record-holder Stuart Hogg.

A score or two by the South Africa-born wing on Saturday would see him join or overtake the former full-back, who will be at the Stadio Olimpico to support his old colleagues after completing a charity cycle to the Eternal City in aid of the My Name’5 Doddie foundation.

Back-rower Darge said: “I know one of Duhi’s tries in particular (his second one against England) was off our defensive efforts and then the turnover attack, so if we do get ourselves right, then we can put guys like that in.

“He’s obviously a great finisher. Sometimes you only need to give him half a chance and he comes away with a chance, so it (the record) could happen.

“It would be a nice place for him to do it but I don’t think he’ll have too much of his mind set on that.

“He’ll just be focused on his role, and he might come away with a couple, but we’ll have to wait and see. I’m sure Italy will put us under a lot of pressure.”

Darge insisted Edinburgh wing Van der Merwe has remained as humble as ever in the wake of the Calcutta Cup hat-trick a fortnight ago that put him on the cusp of Hogg’s record.

“Duhi’s always the same,” said the Glasgow forward. “Around training and around camp, he’s always quite laidback but when he gets out there he’s a Test-match animal, and it’s class to be able to play with him.”

Darge’s only previous experience of playing at Stadio Olimpico was a 33-22 victory two years ago in front of a crowd of 41,214.

This time, the famous arena in north-west Rome – used predominantly for football – is set to be full to capacity, with 70,000 tickets having been sold on the back of encouraging championship performances from the Azzurri against England and France.

“Italy are a really good side,” said Darge. “We saw that against France, and they’re obviously playing at home where they’ll have a really good atmosphere and good backing.

“The Stadio Olimpico is different (to other Six Nations venues) but the Scotland fans always travel well for this one, so that will be massive for us.

“It’s a long walk from the changing room but it’s a cool stadium. Inside the changing room, on the walk in, with all the jerseys on the wall and stuff like that, there’s a lot of history behind it, so it’s a cool place to be playing rugby.”

Pep Guardiola has backed his players to perform on the pitch after refusing to get drawn into their war of words with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Liverpool defender has added spice to this weekend’s crunch Premier League title clash against Guardiola’s City by claiming that winning trophies means more to the Merseyside club.

City players Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias hit back by pointing out Alexander-Arnold has not won the treble – therefore suggesting he could not know how the Manchester club feel – but Guardiola does not want to add fuel to the fire.

Instead, he will simply encourage the champions to do their talking on the pitch in an encounter that could have a huge bearing on the destiny of the Premier League title.

The City manager said: “I’m so happy with my players, all the time, over many, many years.

“Do you think we’re not going to fight because Erling and Ruben talk? Without these talks we will not fight?

“We are there and, after what happened over the last years, we are going to try again tomorrow and do a good game.

“They defend the club not by responding to this guy but what they have done for many years on the pitch every three days. That is the best way.

“I could answer him (Alexander-Arnold), but why? It is what it is.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we have done and I don’t need that to prove to me what my players really feel and are trying to do it.”

Guardiola was asked further about Alexander-Arnold’s comments as he held his pre-match press conference on Friday but simply wished the England international well.

Alexander-Arnold has been sidelined with a knee injury for the past month and is not expected to feature on Sunday.

He said: “I wish him well. I wish him a speedy recovery and to come back to the pitch as soon as possible.”

The match renews one of the great managerial rivalries of recent times as Guardiola comes up against Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, but what will be their 30th meeting could be the last for some time.

Klopp is standing down at Anfield at the end of the season and Guardiola has acknowledged the role the German has played in driving him on.

The Spaniard said: “From the way he makes his teams play football, you always learn. It was always a pleasure to play against him and it will be on Sunday too.”

Guardiola is not sure it will be the last time the pair face each other but, regardless, hopes they can meet socially at some stage in the future.

Guardiola has a rare losing record against Klopp, with 12 defeats and 11 victories against the Reds boss and added: “We might play in the FA Cup and, the future, nobody knows. He’s young, I’m young, so I don’t know.

“Sometimes (we meet) in the corridor before press conferences but when we were honoured in the Hall of Fame years ago we spent time with families but, in terms of lunch or dinners, it never happened.

“We have to decide who pays, that’s why we didn’t do it! I think it’s going to happen sooner or later, I would love it but we’ll see.”

Warren Gatland has underlined Wales’ desperation to end their losing Six Nations run this season and claim what would be a statement victory over France.

Even though Les Bleus have produced nowhere near their standards of last year, highlighted by a comprehensive defeat against Ireland and home draw with Italy, they have claimed four successive Six Nations wins at Wales’ expense.

Despite several promising moments in defeats to Scotland, England and Ireland, new-look Wales are nil from three heading into Sunday’s Principality Stadium clash.

They have not lost all five games of a Six Nations campaign since 2003, with Italy – conquerors of Wales in Cardiff two years ago – arriving next weekend.

Wales’ recent overall Six Nations record is poor, having claimed just two victories from the last 14 starts, beating Scotland in 2022 and Italy last season.

“We need to win, and that is what Test match rugby is all about,” Wales head coach Gatland said.

“We desperately want to win. We feel we have been going OK and we want to try and put a complete performance together.

“We know we are on a journey, but we are trying to fast-track things as quickly as possible. A win on Sunday would be a good stepping stone for that.

“Whether they (France) come here to throw the ball around or play an off-loading game, or whether they go for being a bit more brutal upfront and play for territory, we have just got to make sure we are prepared for anything.

“We are desperate to get that win. We know we are not quite there and there is a lot of work to do, but we have put ourselves in games and put teams under pressure.

“They (France) have got a huge pack, but that is the challenge for us, it is about moving their pack around. We saw what happened to them against Italy, that they do tire and that creates opportunities.”

Wales were edged out by a point against Scotland, then two points at England’s hands, and captain Dafydd Jenkins added: “Obviously, we are extremely disappointed to lose games, especially with the tight ones.

“But in terms of staying composed, I think we have built game on game and I feel like we’ve got better.

“We are looking at the quality in the room we have, and we should be winning games, so that is really what we are striving for.”

Gatland’s main selection talking point has been a new centre combination of Joe Roberts, who makes his first Six Nations start, and Owen Watkin.

George North, Wales’ most experienced Six Nations squad member with 120 caps, and Saracens’ Nick Tompkins were the midfield pairing during the World Cup and in two Six Nations games this term.

Gatland said: “We just wanted to give Joe an opportunity. He is a left-foot (kicking) option as well, and he has been training well.

“I thought they (North and Tompkins) were outstanding during the World Cup. Again, it is a chance for us to look at a few other players.

“George and I have had some honest discussions about whether he gets through to the next World Cup (in 2027). He started at a very young age, I think at 18 he was playing for Wales.

“Part of our discussions were about how we manage him, how do we look after him going forward?

“We’ve just got to make sure we have got some depth in that 13 position. That is why Joe gets an opportunity.

“I must say how the two boys (North and Tompkins) have responded after the disappointment of being left out this week. They has been fantastic in the way they have trained and helped the team.”

Jamie Snowden is excited to see Ga Law strut his stuff at the Cheltenham Festival after connections paid the required supplementary fee to add him to Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.

The eight-year-old is a dual winner over fences at Prestbury Park, landing last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup and another lucrative handicap on his most recent visit in late January.

Ga Law was not beaten when fifth behind Envoi Allen in last year’s Ryanair and as Snowden feels he is in a better place mentally and physically this time around, he was added to the field at Friday’s confirmation stage at a cost of £15,000.

“The original entries for the Ryanair came out before Trials day at Cheltenham in January and he was very impressive that day, winning off a big weight. The handicapper has now put up to a point where it makes sense to have a crack at this,” said the trainer.

“We were fifth in the Ryanair last year when we were perhaps not in the same sort of form that we’re in now. We obviously won the Paddy Power that winter, but we took a nasty fall in the Sky Bet Chase and he probably wasn’t in the same kind of form that he’s in now 12 months ago and he still ran a belter.

“We do feel he’s in far better order now and hopefully he can go a few places better.

“Obviously Envoi Allen won it last year and the reports are that he’s in great order this time around as well. It certainly looks a competitive race, but forgetting the opposition, we hope that we’re coming into it in far better form than we did last year.”

Ga Law and Envoi Allen are among 12 horses in contention for the Ryanair, with Banbridge, Star Star and Capodanno also among the leading contenders.

Willie Mullins has confirmed El Fabiolo for the two-mile-five-furlong contest, but he is expected to line up as a hot favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase the previous afternoon.

The other feature on day three of the Festival is the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, with Gordon Elliott’s ante-post favourite Teahupoo one of 18 confirmations.

Elliott has also left in Irish Point, but has raised the possibility of him being switched to Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, while Flooring Porter is on course to bid for a third Stayers’ Hurdle after his trainer Gavin Cromwell confirmed his intention to switch his stable star back to the smaller obstacles.

Grand National hero Noble Yeats (Emmet Mullins) is another major challenger from Ireland, while the home team includes 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle hero Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle) and his Long Walk conqueror Crambo (Fergal O’Brien).

Grey Dawning (Dan Skelton), Ginny’s Destiny (Paul Nicholls) and Iroko (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero) are the three chief British-trained contenders for the opening Turners Novices’ Chase, with Willie Mullins leaving in Facile Vega, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah.

The Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle, meanwhile, promises to be one of the races of the week, with Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead, the Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy and O’Brien’s Dysart Enos all set to put their unbeaten records over obstacles on the line.

While Lewis Hamilton must wait until 2025 to race for Ferrari, British teenager Ollie Bearman will make his Formula One debut for the team at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend.

With Carlos Sainz sidelined with appendicitis, the 18-year-old Bearman will step up from his role as Ferrari reserve driver in Jeddah.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five of the most notable Britons to formerly race for the Maranello marque.

John Surtees

Starts: 37
Wins: 5

Surtees is the subject of a pub quiz question to this day as he remains the only man to win world championships on both two and four wheels.

His F1 title came during a four-year stint at Ferrari, where he won the championship in 1964.

More success probably would have followed had he not quit the team after just two races of the 1966 season following a public spat resulting from his omission from Ferrari’s team for the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Eddie Irvine

Starts: 65
Wins: 4

Ferrari’s hopes of a first drivers’ championship in two decades had seemingly been resting solely on the shoulders of Michael Schumacher.

That all changed when he broke his leg in a crash at Silverstone in 1999, jettisoning Northern Ireland’s Irvine into a title showdown with the McLaren of Mika Hakkinen.

Having joined Ferrari in 1996, Irvine was very much the number two in the team, although victories in Australia, Austria, Germany and Malaysia saw the championship race go down to the wire but – even with Schumacher back from injury and playing a supporting role, he fell short by two points and quit for Jaguar in 2000.

Nigel Mansell

Starts: 32
Wins: 3

Already a world champion, Mansell would forever be bestowed with the honour of being the last driver hand-picked by Enzo Ferrari to race for his eponymous marque.

Mansell had endured a terrible season at Williams in 1988 but won in Brazil in 1989 – his first race behind the wheel of a Ferrari – and later in Hungary, too.

Reliability issues hampered the remainder of his debut year with the Prancing Horse and 1990 proved even worse in that regard as Mansell retired from seven grands prix, winning in Portugal but falling out with the team and returning to Williams the following year.

Mike Hawthorn

Starts: 24
Wins: 3

Hawthorn became the United Kingdom’s first Formula One world champion when he took the title with Ferrari in 1958.

Having driven for the team earlier in the decade, he returned to take the crown after winning in France and finishing second in Belgium, Britain, Portugal, Italy and Morocco.

He retired after winning the championship having watched team-mate Peter Collins die at the German Grand Prix months earlier – Hawthorn himself would die in a road accident in January 1959 at the age of 29.

Peter Whitehead

Starts: 8
Wins: 0

Whitehead may have raced in Formula One but it was with a Ferrari, rather than for the team itself.

The Englishman became the first private racer to convince Enzo Ferrari to sell him a car, which he duly painted in British racing green.

He was entered into one race by the works Ferrari team – but failed to qualify for the 1950 Swiss Grand Prix.

Mother and daughter Georgie and Olive Nicholls team up at Sandown on Saturday for what would be a famous success with Thank You Ma’am on Mother’s Day weekend.

The five-year-old has acquitted himself well under rules so far, placing third in a bumper and finishing the runner-up in his last three hurdle starts.

On each occasion he has met with and been beaten by a smart-looking rival, with Paul Nicholls’ Fire Flyer defeating him at Wincanton and Harry Derham’s Fourofakind finishing half a length ahead at Hereford last time out.

Champion trainer Paul is Nicholls’ ex-husband and Derham is her nephew, and the rivalry with the former will be reignited as Fire Flyer also runs in the European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final.

The race is run over two and a half miles and is worth over £45,000 to the winner, with Fire Flyer set to carry top-weight and Thank You Ma’am under a bottom-weight further reduced by the 7lb claimed by his rider Olive, daughter of both trainers in question.

“He’s been a bit unlucky, he’s been second in his last three races and each time he’s just bumped into a really nice horse,” Nicholls said of her runner.

“One trained by Paul, my ex-husband, and the other trained by Harry Derham, who is my nephew, so if I could get rid of my own family he’d have won twice!

“He’s been running very consistently, he’s stepping up to two and a half (miles) and he’ll appreciate that.

“He’s not too fussy on the ground, it’s going to be very testing but he’s getting plenty of weight off the top horses and Olive takes another 7lb off his back.

“I had quite a funny conversation with Paul, I called him and said ‘well, we’ll end up getting 21lb off you’ and he said ‘mine’s rated 127 and I think he should be rated 137’. I said ‘well that’s not helpful, thanks for that!’. We did have a giggle.

“Sandown is a stiff track, the ground will be testing and they’ll need to get every bit of the two and a half. Weight is definitely even more advantageous when you’ve got testing ground.”

Thank You Ma’am is named in honour of the late Queen and is owned by a syndicate named The Posh Pundit Racing Club who know the gelding as Leroy.

“He’ll need to be at his very best but we’d love to see him put a good run in, it’s a really fun syndicate with a nice bunch of people,” said Nicholls.

“He’s a lovely horse and he’ll provide a lot of fun for them.”

Olive is her mother’s assistant as well as an amateur rider and is particularly fond of Thank You Ma’am, aboard whom she will aim to supply an early Mother’s Day gift.

“I’ve promised mum for Mother’s Day we’re going to take Leroy to the next level and hopefully he’ll get a taste for winning as he’s got the ability,” she said.

“He is the yard favourite and is the perfect horse for the club as he has buckets of ability and is unbelievably social.

“In fact he has even been to the pub a couple of times to celebrate winning the locals a huge sum after coming third at 125-1.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp paid a glowing tribute to Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola ahead of what could be the pair’s final meeting, anointing him the best manager he has ever seen.

The pair have shared many memorable battles over the past decade, first in the Bundesliga and then at the vanguard of the Premier League, and face one last top-of-the-table clash at Anfield.

With Klopp leaving Merseyside at the end of the season, only the possibility of a meeting in the latter stages of the FA Cup could now add another chapter, leaving the German to reflect on their long battle for supremacy.

While Liverpool have a slender one-point lead going into the match and Klopp boasts a marginally superior head-to-head record in their 29 contests together, with 12 wins versus 11, he happily places the former Barcelona man as peerless in the modern game.

“Pep is the best manager in the world. I have a really good life being not even close to that,” he said.

“I don’t know how could I judge managers from the past but in my lifetime he’s the outstanding manager. I see excellence when I face it and Pep is definitely that.

“I was never frustrated, I knew round about 3,000 footballers who were better than me and I still loved the game; the others who were better than me, I didn’t know them.

“I just got told I have a positive record against Pep… I have no clue how that happened to be honest.

“It made me a better manager trying to find solutions. I know I’m quite good at what I’m doing as well, I don’t want to sound like, ‘Oh my God, I’m just happy to be here’, but you ask me about the best: he’s the best. Bam.”

While lavish with his praise for Guardiola, Klopp did take issue with any negative characterisation of the duo’s relationship, insisting they were bound by similarities rather than differences.

“I don’t feel it’s a rivalry, but I understand why you call it that,” he said.

“There’s no rivalry. We are both really competitive, we both want to win football games and we are both blessed with really good players in our teams.

“If we meet in the future it will be full of respect. We have not had the opportunity to meet each other more often, but we would have a lot to talk about. Definitely.

“On Sunday it’s not about me having that opportunity (to beat him) for the last time – it’s not sure anyway, maybe in the FA Cup we could meet again. It’s a big game. City games always were, always will be probably.”

Klopp rejected the notion that the match was effectively a title decider, with 10 more games still to play and Arsenal also firmly in the trophy hunt, but could not hide its significance.

“I don’t know who is playing on the weekend in the other leagues but it’s probably the game of the weekend and being able to be part of that is massive.

“Title race decider? I don’t know who thought that up. It’s really early, we could go through all the possible scenarios.

“Whatever the result, I don’t think anybody should open the bottles of champagne.”

Liverpool have a major doubt over defender Ibrahima Konate after he came off injured in the second half of Thursday’s 5-1 Europa League win at Sparta Prague, meaning Jarell Quansah could get the biggest start of his career alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Klopp could also welcome Mohammed Salah back to his starting XI, with the Egypt forward making a timely return from the bench in midweek.