Potentially pivotal weekend in the Premier League title race
Liverpool v Everton – Premier League football – Sky Sports Premier League (1pm) Sky Sports Main Event (1.15pm) – kick-off 2.15pm, Sunday 10 December
Though both Everton and Liverpool go into the first Merseyside derby of the season off the back of impressive wins in European competition in midweek – scoring 10 goals between them – the red half of the city is expected to go home the happier in light of Everton’s poor domestic form this season and their disappointing record in the half century of previous meetings between the two sides.
In 50 Merseyside derbies in the Premier League, Liverpool have won on 22 occasions, drawn 19 and lost only nine times. Jurgen Klopp has a 100% record in Merseyside derbies, and with his side unbeaten in the past five and the league’s third highest scorers, his Liverpool team must be expected to extend its winning run at Anfield on Sunday.
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League football – Sky Sports Premier League (4.15pm) Sky Sports Main Event (4.15pm) – kick-off 4.30pm, Sunday 10 December
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola resume hostilities in the first Manchester derby of the season on Saturday. Should Guardiola maintain his winning record against 'The Special One' – on the 19 occasions they’ve shared a touchline he’s won nine, drawn six and lost on only four occasions – City will extend their lead at the top of the table to 11 points, maintain their unbeaten start to the season, and enter the busy festive period in a commanding position.
While United have an overall winning record against their noisy neighbours in the Premier League era – they’ve won exactly half of the 40 Manchester derbies that have taken place in England’s top flight – they’ve only beaten City at Old Trafford once in their last six attempts, conceding 15 goals in the process.
James DeGale v Caleb Truax – Super middleweight world Championship boxing – BT Sport 1, BT Sport 4KUHD and BoxNation (7.45pm) - Saturday 9 December
Having not fought since a draw against Floyd Mayweather-promoted champion Badou Jack in an attempt to unify super middleweight titles in January, British world title holder and Olympic gold medallist James DeGale steps back between the ropes for what should be a routine defence against 34-year-old American Caleb Truax on Saturday evening.
Having not lost since a 2011 defeat to bitter rival George Groves, Degale takes on a challenger who’s been stopped twice in his last five bouts and has never fought outside the US.
Juventus v Inter Milan – Serie A football – BT Sport 3 (7.30pm) – kick-off 7.45pm, Saturday 9 December
Winners of the last six Serie A titles on the spin, Juventus find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they welcome one of Italian football’s biggest names to Turin with ground to make up in the race for end-of-season honours.
Inter Milan travel to their northern rivals’ backyard and are unbeaten in 15 games so far this season under manager Luciano Spalletti. With only two points and second placed Napoli separating two of Europe’s most revered clubs, Saturday’s encounter could have broad consequences in Juventus’s pursuit of a seventh championship in a row.
UK Snooker Championships – BBC Two – 7pm-10pm, Saturday 9 December; and 7pm-11pm, Sunday 10 December
For those in search of a change of pace – the BBC will be broadcasting the conclusion of this year’s UK Snooker Championships from York this weekend as five-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan looks to take advantage of world number one Mark Selby’s early exit.
