without permission. a major incident has been declared in scotland, as storm gerrit sweeps across the uk, bringing strong winds, snow and heavy rain. and former european commission presidentjacques delors — described as the architect of the modern eu — has died aged 98. now on bbc news, it's sportsday. hello, welcome to sportsday. i'm adam wild. the new club world champions are back in premier league action at goodison tonight. manchester city face everton looking to make up ground at the top. australia take the upper hand in melbourne, thanks to skipper pat cummins. and at the ally pally, former world champion rob cross is through to the next round. tonight, it's the turn of

teenage sensation luke littler. good evening, welcome to sportsday. we're right in the thick of the festive fixtures in the premier league with three more on the way this evening, including the return to league action for defending champions — and now world champions — manchester city. pep guardiola's side won the club world cup just last week and return to face everton at goodison. elswhere, mauricio pochettino�*s chelsea, well, they could really do with a win tonight, asjoe lynskey reports. for manchester city, this calendar year has brought them five trophies — a treble last season, the super cup and now a global one. it isjust five days since they sealed the club

world cup also now they resume their league season and what feels like an ending. i league season and what feels like an endinu. . ending. i have the feeling we close a cha ter ending. i have the feeling we close a chapter there's _ ending. i have the feeling we close a chapter there's nothing - ending. i have the feeling we close a chapter there's nothing on - ending. i have the feeling we close a chapter there's nothing on to - ending. i have the feeling we close a chapter there's nothing on to win the heavy feeling the job is done. now, it's christmas times and try to buy another book and start to write it again, because the book, the last eight years, it's over.— it again, because the book, the last eight years, it's over. from the red sea coast. — eight years, it's over. from the red sea coast. they _ eight years, it's over. from the red sea coast, they now _ eight years, it's over. from the red sea coast, they now had _ eight years, it's over. from the red sea coast, they now had for - sea coast, they now had for merseyside with a resolution to close the gap to the leaders. city time in saudi leaves them with two games in hand of the first is at everton. sean dyche has started a club hit by a ten point deduction. despite four wins in five, they are just one point above the drop zone. the biggest thing for me is the bigger— the biggest thing for me is the bigger picture, the mentality of the site. bigger picture, the mentality of the site it _ bigger picture, the mentality of the site it is _ bigger picture, the mentality of the site. it is growing all the time. the performance levels continue to grow _ the performance levels continue to grow we _ the performance levels continue to grow. we get stressed with injury, the mentality has been super and it has to— the mentality has been super and it has to continue of course. its has to continue of course. as everton has to continue of course. is everton moved forward, has to continue of course. sis everton moved forward, another blues

coach cannot stop a downward trend. chelsea lost wolves on christmas eve and reach a pochettino leads a site to sit iith. they face palace tonight, sitting close to the bottom than they are to the top, and that's despite i2 than they are to the top, and that's despite 12 months of record spending. to despite 12 months of record spending-— despite 12 months of record spending. despite 12 months of record sendina. s, , , ., , spending. to be honest, my mentality was be at the — spending. to be honest, my mentality was be at the top. _ spending. to be honest, my mentality was be at the top. yes, _ spending. to be honest, my mentality was be at the top. yes, we _ spending. to be honest, my mentality was be at the top. yes, we are - was be at the top. yes, we are chelsea, because our history and everything, and the demand to be on the top, but at the moment, being realistic, we need to compete if we want to win more games.— realistic, we need to compete if we want to win more games. football is like a science. _ want to win more games. football is like a science. if— want to win more games. football is like a science. if you _ want to win more games. football is like a science. if you are _ want to win more games. football is like a science. if you are a _ want to win more games. football is like a science. if you are a really, . like a science. if you are a really, really _ like a science. if you are a really, really rich — like a science. if you are a really, really rich club, you have the ability — really rich club, you have the ability to _ really rich club, you have the ability to bring in players that cost — ability to bring in players that cost a — ability to bring in players that cost a lot _ ability to bring in players that cost a lot of money that may be other_ cost a lot of money that may be other clubs cannot afford. sooner or later there's — other clubs cannot afford. sooner or later there's a chance a player will start performing at the way — a player will start performing at the way they are expected to perform and that is we have _ are expected to perform and that is we have to — are expected to perform and that is we have to expect.— we have to expect. tonight chelsea could lose their _ we have to expect. tonight chelsea could lose their 24th _ we have to expect. tonight chelsea could lose their 24th match - we have to expect. tonight chelsea could lose their 24th match of- we have to expect. tonight chelsea | could lose their 24th match of 2023. no year has been that bad since

1978. with two games left for them in december, a new start cannot come soon enough. joe lynskey, bbc news. there's another game in west london this evening, as brentford host wolves. wolves are looking to kick on after that win over chelsea on christmas eve. brentford are really struggling in the league at the moment. henry moeran is at the game. a clash between two sides in the mid—table in the premier league, but for brentford, they are rather going under the radar in the wrong direction. they lost five out of the last six including their last three and now lieutenant in 18th place are just four points behind them. a ten day break most welcome for thomas frank as he battles to get players out of the treatment room and onto the pitch. then we need to find a way of bolstering that squad in january. they are playing against a wolves site whose home form has been excellent. way from home, though, just one clean sheet from 24. that could prove decisive in this game

here in west london. that is henry moeran. so, here are those three games. keep up to date with all the goals as it unfolds across bbc sport online and on bbc radio 5 live sport this evening. the matches coming thick and fast over this christmas period. a couple more tomorrow, with two sides meeting each other absolutely ravished by injuries — brighton and tottenham — with both their managers today confirming more problems with their respective squads. tottenham manager ange postecoglou has revealed that vice—captain and defender cristian romero will be out for up to five weeks with a hamstring problem. it means spurs now have eight injuries in the squad as well as a number of suspensions. but potsecoglou insists it doesn't hasten his recruitment plans ahead of te january transfer window. of the january transfer window. no, it doesn't change anything. like i said, disappointed to lose him for sure. we obviously missed him, in

the suspension, and now we just got him back and kind of steadied things up, but with him missing again for quite a chunk of time, it doesn't change, really. you cannot accelerate time, mate! january one stays january the 1st. the brighton manager roberto de zerbi, meanwhile, says his side have "more or less ten injured players", the latest being kaoru mitoma, who could be out for up to six weeks of action and could now miss the asian cup forjapan. brighton have just one win from their last five games. arsenal manager mikel arteta insists the club are prepared to spend in the january transfer window. his side can go back to the top of the premier league tomorrow when they host west ham, and arteta's keen to ensure arsenal don't let slip their challenge for the title in the same way they did last season. yeah, we have ideas. if things happen, we don't know how the squad

is good to look into weeks' time, and you have to be always prepared for that, and you have to be always prepared forthat, but and you have to be always prepared for that, but it is very, very tricky market that shifts very quickly, and it's quite unprintable as well. and you have to be prepared, we will be prepared and try to make the right cause. if there is something that can improve there is something that can improve the squad, and we can fill it with players here, we always want to be open to that because we wants to be stronger. there should've been five games tonight in the scottish premiership but two of those have fallen by the wayside because of the problems caused by storm gerrit. rangers' meeting with ross county has been postponed, as the visitors have been unable to make the journey. snow, heavy rain and strong winds impacted their route along the a9 — with large parts of the road closed or at a standstill. and motherwell�*s trip to aberdeen won't take place tonight either, because of conditions on the a90 and a92. the other three are set to go ahead, though, and there's the edinburgh derby — hibernian against hearts — with hibs goalkeeper david marshall

saying it's a "huge game but not "a defining one" with his side five points behind their rivals. the bottom side livingstone need to claw back some points — they're at home to fourth—bottom stjohnstone. to cricket, where it's been a busy day of international action with six nations in competitive matches. —— action with six nations in competitive matches. in melbourne, the second test between australia and pakistan is delicately poised after day two. resuming on 187—3, australia were able to add 131 runs to their overnight total — bowled out for 318 in theirfirst innings. in response, pakistan looked in control early on as they reached 124—1, but a collapse late in the day saw them lose five wickets for just 46 runs, as pakistan closed on 194—6 — still 124 runs behind. australia lead the three—match series 1—0.

meanwhile in centurion, it's advantage south africa after day two of their first test against india, thanks to a stunning innings from dean elgar. it had looked as though india's kl rahul would take the headlines as he reached his century, as india made 245 in theirfirst innings. but elgar went one better, not only reaching 100 but staying unbeaten too, finishing the day on 140 not out as south africa closed on 256—5 — a lead of 11. and bangladesh have taken a 1—0 lead in their three—match t20 series against new zealand. bowling first, shoriful islam took three wickets as bangladesh restricted their opponents to 134. and the tourists chased down that target in napier with eight balls to spare and five wickets in hand to secure their first t20 win against new zealand. the second t20 is on friday.

there was a convincing win for the 9—2 joint favourite nassalam at the welsh grand national. ridden by caoilin quinn, nassalam took the lead with six fences to go and never looked back, easing to victory by 34 lengths. the victory completed a memorable day for trainer gary moore, who had already seen two of his other horses win earlier races at cheptstow and at kempton. the new darts sensation, 16—year—old luke littler, is back in action tonight at the world darts championships at the alexandra palace. after beating uk open champion andrew gilding in the last round, he faces canadian matt campbell tonight, with the winner reaching the last 16. the 2018 champion rob cross is already through after a four sets to two victory over jeffery de graph. cross has found form again in 2023 and a final set average of 116 saw him edge out his opponent as he targets a second world title.

and david chisnall is also through to the last 16 for the seventh time in his career after a 4—1 win over last year's semi—finalist gabriel clemens. chisnall is the 11th seed at the world championship. he last reached the semi—finals in 2021. a dorset wheelchair basketball coach has won this year's bbc south unsung hero award. terry dennis, who founded the demons club in poole, was nominated by his wife charlotte. he'd played in the �*80s and �*90s and has even set up some teams in poole, but — following the pandemic — terry wanted to start again. my full name is terry dennis and i coach the dorset demons wheelchair basketball team. there was no wheelchair basketball in dorset, everything had fallen apart, so in 2021, i applied for some funding to run

some taster sessions — just to see if there was a need for wheelchair basketball in the county. and it proved very successful. we've been training here ever since. it's turned into something special. my confidence has skyrocketed. my anxiety is very much gone. —— my anxiety is pretty much gone. this is my life now. i'm enjoying it so much. loved every second of it since the first taster day. without him, i don't know what i'd do to this day and i'm _ thankful to have him. he gives it his all. even when he's poorly and sick, he's still here. and he'sjust brought so many people, whether they're disabled or not, together, and it'sjust brilliant. describe terry as a person. 0h, he'sjust so stubborn. if he thinks of something that he wants, he will get it. and he's so infectious that everybody can't say no to him, so things get done. pass it in for an easy layup... he'sjust nonstop.

sometimes i get a headache from him, you know, as his wife. you have wheelchairs that he's fixing in our lounge and i'm saying, "come on, terry, i can't move!" but, you know, you can't say no to terry. not everybody here wants to play competitively. somejust come along for the social interaction and a way of keeping fit. we've got players who, on their first session, had real breakdowns in the car park, had encounters with they don't want to come in to talk, they're so scared, and they've come in, they started playing and then they've said to me afterward, "i've got to be honest with you, terry — it's notjust helped my "mental health within the club, it's helped my mental health "in my life outside the club." so for two years, for people not to be playing the sport at all and now competing, what can you say more than that? you've got to be proud of that. for everything you've done, your fundraising, the time you give and your sheer enthusiasm for your sport, i'm delighted to say that you are this year's bbc south unsung hero award winner for sports personality of the year. round of applause. congratulations, congratulations.

applause brilliant. i'm still a bit shocked, to be honest. i wasn't expecting that at all. i'm immensely proud. i don't want to use a cliche of over the moon or anything like that, but that'd be the ideal thing to say! applause finally, we showed you the best of the action for the world d'arce championship, but is not the only major darts tournament taking place over the festive period. this is the final moment of the annual boxing day competition in the danvers household, where 85—year—old maureen hit 86 — with a treble 12 and bullseye — to beat her grandson and win the title. cue the wild celebrations. absolutely extraordinary stuff. i

think that is what you call a nan—darter! that is all your lot for this evening. thank you for watching sportsday. the national trust is the uk's increasingly unpredictable in weather patterns and causing chaos for nature. it warns climate change is upsetting the regular rhythm of the seasons and making plans and wildlife more susceptible to disease. but the national trust says it is finding ways to build increased resilience into our ecosystems. 0ur climate editorjustin rowlatt has been finding out. the seasons are changing, says the national trust, with hotter summers and milder winters. oh, yeah. and our shifting seasons are affecting the natural

world all around us.