Manchester United and Arsenal renew rivalry this Sunday
Middlesbrough v Millwall - EFL Championship football - Saturday 27 April, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event from 5.15pm (kick-off at 5.30pm)
Millwall’s form since the turn of the year has been nothing short of sensational. A 3-0 loss to automatic promotion hopefuls Fulham last weekend was their first defeat in 17 matches, a run that has transformed them from Championship relegation fodder to play-off hopefuls.
However, the second game into a run of fixtures against play-off rivals to round off the season sees them play Middlesbrough at the Riverside stadium – where Boro have won six of their past seven – poses another threat to their Premier League ambitions.
While Millwall haven’t lost in their last nine away matches – and will equal a club record if they avoid defeat on Teeside – they head north with talisman Tim Cahill sitting out the first of a three-match suspension after he admitted a Football Association violent conduct charge and accepted a ban.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend
Saturday 27 April – Qualifying from 2pm on Sky Sports F1
Sunday 28 April – Race from 1.10pm on Sky Sports F1After a thrilling Chinese Grand Prix, won by Red Bull’s Daniel Riccardo, Formula One heads to Baku with nine points separating Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton at the top of the drivers’ standings.
While Ferrari and Red Bull drivers have stolen a march on their Mercedes counterparts over the first three races of the season, Mercedes still lead the constructors' standings, albeit without having won a race.
After an out-of-sorts showing from Lewis Hamilton in China, form would suggest that Sebastian Vettel goes into this weekend’s race as favourite, however, it’s tough to make any predictions on the outcome after the action-packed race last weekend.
Snooker World Championships
Saturday 27 April – 10am-12noon on BBC Two, 1.15pm-4.30pm on BBC One, 4.30pm-5.30pm and 7pm-8pm on BBC TwoSunday 28 April – 10am-11am, 1pm-6pm and 7pm-8pm on BBC Two The action from The Crucible continues this weekend with once again in-form Ronnie O’Sullivan chasing a sixth world crown to add to the English Open, Shanghai Masters, UK Championship, World Grand Prix and Players Championship titles he currently holds.
However, two quarter final finishes and a second round exit in his previous three outings to The Crucible make for disappointing recent reading for O’Sullivan.
Rival Mark Selby, who historically has turned in some of his best performances at the World Championships, was sensationally knocked out in the first round of this year’s tournament – removing arguably O’Sullivan’s sternest test at this year’s competition.
Sunday afternoon football
Far from a Sunday afternoon lull, there are potentially pivotal top flight fixtures from Scotland, England and Italy this weekend.
Rangers v Celtic - Scottish Premiership football – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football from 11.30am (kick-off at 12noon)As if Old Firm fixtures weren’t dramatic enough, Sunday’s high-noon showdown offers Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic the chance to secure their seventh league title in a row against rivals Rangers at Parkhead, thus avenging a 3-0 humbling on home soil in 1999 that saw the Gers win the title in the hoops’ back yard.
After a gutless 4-0 showing against Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final two weeks ago, Rangers will be desperate to put their rivals’ title celebrations on hold with a strong showing this weekend. However, having not beaten the hoops in their previous 10 meetings, it looks a tall order.
There will be added intrigue around Rangers on Sunday after heavy speculation this week that Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard is in talks to replace beleaguered interim manager Graeme Murty at Ibrox at the end of the season.
West Ham United v Manchester City – Premier League football – Sky Sports Premier League from 1.30pm and Sky Sports Main Event 2.15pm (kick-off at 2.15pm)For Manchester City, the remainder of this season represents little more than a victory tour. However, with records for most points, most wins – both home and away – most goals, biggest title margin and biggest goal difference still in the offing, Pep Guardiola will be urging his players to rewrite Premier League record books over the next month.
They travel to West Ham this weekend off the back of a dominant 5-0 win against a resurgent Swansea City.
West Ham come into the game having lost 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend and will be nervously looking over their shoulder despite being six points clear of the drop zone.
Manchester United v Arsenal – Premier League football – Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 4.15pm (kick-off at 4.30pm)While it’s a rivalry that by no means lives up to the standards set by Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson in its prime, Manchester United and Arsenal are still capable of serving up an intriguing contest.
With Arsenal prioritising the Europa League, Arsene Wenger is expected to make a raft of changes for their trip to Old Trafford this weekend. While, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup tied and expected to feature, expect to see a rotated side with midweek trip to Madrid in mind.
In the other dugout, expect Jose Mourinho to pull out all the stops to tighten United’s grip on second place. Having knocked Tottenham out of the FA Cup at the weekend, they’ll be keen to claim both scalps from north London in a matter of days.
Inter Milan v Juventus – Serie A football – BT Sport 2 from 7.30pm (kick-off at 7.45pm)Napoli’s last-minute winner against Juventus last weekend sparked both wild, and widely publicised, celebrations from their support; as well as Serie A’s first genuine title race for years.
Now just a single point ahead of chasing Napoli, Juventus travel to fifth-placed Inter Milan who are themselves chasing a Champions League qualification spot.
Known as the Derby d’Italia, it’s a rivalry Juventus have by far had the better of in Serie A, and need another positive result from if they’re to tighten their grip on a seventh consecutive Serie A title.