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Saturday
Football
8am-12pmMatchday live
John Brewin straps in as a weekend of FA Cup quarter-final action looms large. Breaking news and reader input are the orders of the day before the first of Saturday’s three last-eight games kicks off at the Etihad as Manchester City – last season’s beaten finalists – host Liverpool, Cup winners in 2022. There’s bound to be reaction from Friday’s Championship fixtures while in the Scottish Premiership, Rangers will go above Hearts at the top for the first time this season if they beat Dundee United before the pacesetters face Livingston on Sunday. Join the conversation by emailing [email protected].
Cricket
11amCounty Championship opening round live
The season gets underway under leaden skies with Nottinghamshire launching their title defence against Somerset at Taunton. While Haseeb Hameed’s side will be boosted by Ben Duckett’s presence in the early rounds after he withdrew from the IPL, Surrey are favourites to regain their title. The 2022, 2023 and 2024 champions have Alec Stewart back at the Kia Oval, while Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson will be eager to lay down a marker after a bruising Ashes with England. Tanya Aldred resumes her post as county sentinel, with updates from around the grounds.
FA Cup
12.45pmManchester City v Liverpool live
Pep Guardiola’s hosts bagged the Carabao Cup before the international break at Arsenal’s expense and while the Gunners may have the last laugh in the Premier League title race, City will not be satisfied with a trophy haul of one this season. The stakes are high too for Arne Slot’s flailing visitors. With the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain to come in France on Wednesday, booking a spot in the semi-finals would be a confidence uplift for a Reds side meandering in fifth in the league. Rob Smyth is on live blog duty while Jamie Jackson and Andy Hunter form our scribe cadre at the Emirates.
Rowing
2.21pmMen’s and Women’s Boat Races live
The 197-year-old tussle on the Thames has had a makeover. Organisers hope reality stars and insight into athletes’ lives will make the Oxford-Cambridge races more relatable as it moves to a new TV home on Channel 4. The five-year broadcast deal was announced in October, following a parting of ways with the BBC. The revamping presents an opportunity to draw in new audiences, while still appealing to traditional viewers – or so the Boat Race blazers hope. Taha Hashim is our blog cox for both races along the 4.2-mile-long stretch of the river between Putney and Mortlake, with the women going first as Cambridge seek to continue their light blue grip. Luke McLaughlin reports from the riverbank.
FA Cup
5.15pmChelsea v Port Vale live
League One toilers Port Vale shocked Sunderland in the fifth round to earn a trip to Stamford Bridge, but will arrive as huge underdogs. Still, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior is under scrutiny after a terrible run of form and players speaking out. Enzo Fernández will miss the game after “crossing the line” with recent comments, according to Rosenior. Is it win or bust for the Blues? Emillia Hawkins hosts the live blog, with our football correspondent David Hytner reporting from the quarter-final.
FA Cup
8pmSouthampton v Arsenal live
The Saints are truly marching these days following a grim start to life in the Championship. Surging into the playoff picture with a 14-game unbeaten run in all competitions, they certainly merit the respect of the Premier League leaders who are coping with a long injury list. Having fallen to Manchester City at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final, it’s time for Mikel Arteta’s depleted mob to stand tall before a big Champions League game against Sporting. Scott Murray takes on the blog duties as Ben Fisher files from St Mary’s.
Sunday
Football
8am-7pmMatchday live and clockwatch
A bumper Easter Sunday clockwatch as Daniel Harris, Simon Burnton and Dominic Booth guide you through the day’s events. They will have buildup to the men’s FA Cup quarter-final at the London Stadium, and updates from the Women’s FA Cup last-eight ties, as Charlton host Liverpool and Arsenal meet Brighton. Livingston v Hearts and Dundee v Celtic are also on the menu as the Scottish title race bubbles like a freshly opened Irn-Bru.
Cricket
11amCounty Championship live
Tanya Aldred picks up the baton for day three of the opening round of the season. There’ll be plenty of plotlines to unpick, not least how the promoted duo of Leicestershire and Glamorgan get on. Durham and Lancashire have been tipped for promotion from Division Two, while the ECB has announced a season-long trial of player replacements.
FA Cup
4.30pmWest Ham v Leeds live
Leeds touch down at fellow Premier League strugglers West Ham after reaching the last eight for the first time since 2003. It’s nearly four decades since they played in a semi-final, losing 3-2 after extra time to eventual winners Coventry in 1987. A glimmer of glory is within touching distance for Daniel Farke’s side but like their hosts, top-flight survival remains the priority. West Ham face Wolves next Friday, so will Nuno Espírito Santo opt to keep his powder dry for the crunch league clash? It’s bound to be compelling either way. Rob Smyth is on the live blog, while Jacob Steinberg reports from the London Stadium.
