Five bank holiday weekend fixtures from the Premier League
A bumper bank holiday weekend Premier League fixture list includes last season’s Premier League and EFL Championship winners, as well as Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City – Saturday 25 August – Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 11.30am – Kick off at 12.30pm
The winners of last season’s Premier League and EFL Championship clash at Molineux with Pep Guardiola’s City looking to maintain an impressive 100% start to their title defence.
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion – Saturday 25 August – BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4KUHD from 5pm – Kick off at 5.30pm
Jurgen Klopp’s side ground out a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park against Brighton’s most fierce rivals Crystal Palace on Monday night and are the only Premier League side yet to concede a goal this season.
They welcome the Seagulls to Anfield as they look to maintain a perfect start against a side who stunned Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United in their first win of the season last weekend.
Watford v Crystal Palace – Sunday 26 August – Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 12.30pm – Kick off at 1.30pm
Despite another summer of change at Vicarage Road, Watford find themselves with six points after two games.
They welcome Roy Hodgson’s Eagles to Hertfordshire looking to maintain a winning start to the season against a Crystal Palace side without Aaron Wan-Bissaka – who has proved a revelation at right back for the south London side.
Newcastle United v Chelsea – Sunday 26 August – Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 3.30pm – Kick off at 4pm
Winless after two games, Rafa Benitez welcomes former employers Chelsea to the north-east with his Newcastle side facing an uphill battle to be the first team to take points off Chelsea's new boss Maurizio Sarri in English football.
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur – Monday 27 August – Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm – Kick off at 8pm
All is far from well at Manchester United following a 3-2 defeat against Brighton, boardroom bickering, and reports that fans have booked a plane to fly a message criticising executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward over Old Trafford on Monday night.
A visit from Tottenham Hotspur off the back of two straight wins and a rare August Premier League goal for England captain Harry Kane would no doubt have been far from the top of beleaguered boss Jose Mourinho’s wishlist given current circumstances.
There are 16 televised Premier League fixtures in September – find out which teams are in action with The Morning Advertiser’s guide here.
EFL Championship, Scottish and German football
Nottingham Forest v Birmingham City – Saturday 25 August - EFL Championship – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football from 5.15pm – Kick off at 5.30pm
Two teams with history in English football’s top flight look to put three points on the board to maintain their outside hopes of a play-off berth or more this season.
Motherwell v Rangers – Sunday 26 August – Scottish Premiership – BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4KUHD from 11.45am – Kick off at 12.15pm
Yet to taste defeat as Rangers manager after three stages of Europa League qualification and three domestic fixtures, Steven Gerrard takes his side to Motherwell in what promises to be a fiery league encounter.
Motherwell captain Peter Hartley may well have already done Gerrard’s team talk for him after telling the media he found former Rangers defender Fabio Cardoso “weeping” after having his nose broken by Motherwell front man Ryan Bowman in last season’s Scottish League Cup semi-final “fun to watch”.
Borussia Dortmund v Red Bull Leipzig – Monday 27 August - Bundesliga – BT Sport 1 – coverage and kick off from 5pm
The opening weekend of the league season in Germany is rounded off by a clash between two teams that could pose the nearest challenge to defending champions Bayern Munich this season as Europa League qualifier Red Bull Leipzig take on last season’s runner-up Borussia Dortmund.
Belgian Grand Prix weekend
Johnnie Walker Belgian GP - Qualifying – Saturday 25 August – Sky Sports F1 from 2pm
Johnnie Walker Belgian GP – Race – Sunday 26 August – Sky Sports F1 from 2.10pm
With a 24-point lead in the drivers' championship ahead of title rival Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton heads to Belgium for this weekend’s grand prix looking to tighten his grip on a fifth Formula One world title.
Vitality Blast Quarter finals
Worcestershire Rapids v Gloucestershire – Saturday 25 August – Vitality Blast cricket – Sky Sports Cricket from 2.30pm – first ball at 3pm
Somerset v Notts Outlaws – Sunday 26 August – Vitality Blast cricket – Sky Sports Cricket from 2.30pm – first ball at 3pm
Two quarter final fixtures from the Vitality Blast feature the top-ranked teams from the southern and northern sections – Somerset and the Worcestershire Rapids respectively – as well as the defending champions from last year’s tournament, the Notts Outlaws.
Rugby league and rugby union action
New Zealand v Australia – Saturday 25 August - Rugby Championship – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 8am – Kick off at 8.35am
Catalans Dragons v Warrington Wolves – Saturday 25 August – Rugby League Challenge Cup final – BBC One from 2pm – Kick off at 3pm
Argentina v South Africa – Saturday 25 August – Rugby Championship – Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 8pm – Kick off at 8.10pm
The second weekend of the Rugby Championship is marked by a second Bledisloe Cup test between New Zealand and Austrailia – with Australia needing a win to prevent the All Blacks from retaining the trophy – and a return fixture between Argentina and South Africa after the Springboks won on home soil last weekend.
Slightly closer to home, Catalans Dragons and Warrington Wolves clash at Wembley in the Rugby League Challenge cup final.
