FA Cup quarter-final berths up for grabs this weekend
Huddersfield Town v Manchester United – FA Cup Fifth Round – Saturday 17 February – BT Sport 2 and BT Sport 4KUHD at 5pm (kick-off at 5.30pm)
Though Manchester United exacted revenge for their 2-1 reversal against Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium in October earlier this month, thanks to goals from marquee signings Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku, they go into this week’s tie off the back of a surprise loss against struggling Newcastle.
Since a 2-0 defeat to United at the start of the month, Huddersfield have notched back-to-back 4-1 wins against Bournemouth in the Premier League and in their fourth-round replay with Birmingham in order to ensure safe passage to this weekend’s fifth-round fixture.
With the league title all-but sewn up by noisy neighbours Manchester City, the FA Cup represents United’s most realistic chance of silverware this season. Expect Jose Mourinho’s side to go in all guns blazing this weekend.
Rochdale v Tottenham Hotspur – FA Cup Fifth Round – Sunday 18 February – BBC One at 3.35pm (kick-off at 4pm)
After salvaging a stunning 2-2 midweek draw against Juventus in Turin – the Italians hadn't conceded in their previous 16 games before Spurs' visit – a trip to Rochdale may seem like something of a comedown for Tottenham even though safe passage through this weekend’s tie will secure Spurs back-to-back FA Cup quarter final berths for the first time since 2002.
Sunday's @EmiratesFACup clash will be the first time we've ever faced Rochdale!
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 16, 2018
But there are a few connections between the sides - https://t.co/RBJnxcQ3qc#COYSpic.twitter.com/MjRCrs358a
League One Rochdale have invested £500,000 in a new pitch ahead of Tottenham’s visit after their heavily sanded pitch was criticised during their victory over Championship Millwall in the previous round – with Mauricio Pochettino describing the surface as a “massive risk” ahead of this weekend's game.
Despite Newport County’s near-heroics in the last round, Rochdale will go into Sunday’s fixture as heavy underdogs, with Tottenham, who are yet to lose in 2018, expected to be one of the final eight teams in the hat for the quarter final draw.
George Groves v Chris Eubank Junior – World Super Series Boxing – - Saturday 17 February - ITV Box Office 7pm
Saturday night’s all-British super-welterweight bout is a throwback to the heated rivalries that thrust boxing into the sporting mainstream in the 1990s.
Like his father – who’s set-tos with fellow Brit Nigel Benn and Michael Watson captured national attention Chris Eubank Junior divides opinion, while in the opposite corner George Groves has grown in popularity since back-to-back world title defeats against Carl Froch before capturing a belt of his own against Fedor Chudinov.
The new tournament from the Sauerland promotional team pits Brit against Brit for the WBA and IBO super-middleweight world titles and a place in the final of the super-middleweight knockout competition – with the winner on Saturday facing the victor of the other semi-final between Liverpool’s Callum Smith and German Juergen Braehmer.
It's the all-British fight that sold out in seven minutes - but who will win?
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 16, 2018
We've asked the experts https://t.co/JmRX1hulK9pic.twitter.com/S9mdGba6hd
Winter Olympics – BBC will broadcast live coverage from midnight until 8pm across BBC One and BBC Two on both Saturday and Sunday
Saturday’s action from Pyeongchang marks the busiest day of the games. Nine medals are up for grabs in total with the largest contingent of British Winter Olympians hoping to emulate the legendary Super Saturday haul their summer counterparts achieved in London 2012.
Britain’s Lizzy Yarnold aims to become the first Brit in history to retain a Winter Olympic Gold medal, while skater Elise Christie returns aiming to put midweek medal disappointment behind her.
