hello, and welcome to sportsday — i'm marc edwards. here's what's coming up. the late—late show — dramatic comeback sees villa draw against liverpool with champions league football tantalisingly within their grasp now. the leading goal—scorer in the history of the wsl, vivianne meedamer, will leave arsenal at the end of the season. andrey rublev sent tumbling out of the italian open by qualifier alexander muller.

hello, and thanks for joining us on sportsday. we start with an absolute roller—coaster of a game in the premier league as aston villa moved a step closer to booking their place at europe's top table, they drew 3—3 against liverpool at villa park to boost their champions league hopes. but they really had to do it the hard way — unai emery�*s side looked to be leaving the door open for rivals tottenham as they trailed 3—1 with five minutes left, but two goals in three minutes from substitutejhon duran snatched an unlikely draw. there was no possible worst start for villa though as an emiliano martinez howler of an own goal saw them go 1—0 down afterjust two minutes. youri tielemans equalised for villa ten minutes later, but goals from cody gakpo and jarell quensah saw liverpool in the driving seat. that was until the dramatic comeback — much to the enjoyment of club captain john mcginn.

i think it's just credit to us that we're in this position. there's been lots of times this season we've been written off, we floated under the radar nicely, even in gameweek 35—36. so hopefully we will be throwing some words down people's throats and get in that position — which if you said that at the start of the season that villa would be even closer to the top four, i think all of us would've bitten your hand off. so i'm really proud of the boys and hopefully we can get the job done. we changed and we made mistakes that didn't help. so we have to give away the 3—2, and then the place was rocking. that's really difficult — they got the goals, so maybe that's how it should've been today, i don't know. but i love the performance especially the character we showed. that's ourjob now — or was ourjob — now it's the home game,

which is slightly different, but today we had to show it, and the boys did it with flying colours. so this is why that point was so precious — while it didn't confirm a top—four place, aston villa are now five points clear of tottenham hotspur in fifth. and more importantly, it means spurs, who have a game in hand, have to beat defending champions manchester city on tuesday at tottenham hotspur stadium — or it's villa who head to the champions league. and, as if this match needed any more jeopardy, spurs are also the kingmakers in that match against city — with arsenal currently top of the table, following their win at manchester united on sunday, any point for tottenham against the defending champions will keep their arch rivals, arsenal top, before the last round of matches next sunday. ah, the irony — as ben croucher reports. and then there were — how many, pep? two teams in this title race and, for manchester city, two games between them and another premier league.

if it weren't for city, we'd be showering arsenal — for victory over manchester united and ensuring it will go down to the final day. the maths is pretty simple — city are a part behind arsenal, but have the game in hand again spurs. win that and at home against west ham on sunday, and they'll be champions. any dropped points it, and it's advantage arsenal. you're thinking this is manchester city at the stage of the season — and you would be right. 21 unbeaten in the league since the start of the december, scoring for fun of late as well, but this is the but — but they have never won in the lead at the tottenham hotspurs stadium. we played really, really good many times and scoring to win the games. but at the same, to do something in this country, another team has never done it, you have to do something especially exceptional, i would say. it has not happened in the premier league, never ever. we have to do it this time, so the story is in front of us so we have to accept we have

not done it. it is the time to do it. otherwise, arsenal will be champion. it is the time to do it. otherwise, arsenal will be champion. now the irony of tottenham doing arsenal a favour won't be lost on many of you. some fans, not all, might not be too upset if they lost to city — so could it be an audit atmosphere? —— an audit atmosphere? what atmosphere? you haven't told me — so you think a majority of the fans will want us to not win tomorrow night? i don't see it that way. i think the majority of our fans will create the atmosphere at the will of always created at our home games and, irrespective of the game of football is to try to win, and that's what we will try to do. in the last 283 days, it will all come down to the final five. city are hoping to make it, how many in a row now, pep? got it. ben croucher, bbc news. the all—time top—scorer in the women's super league, vivianne miedema, will leave arsenal at the end of the season. the dutch strikerjoined from bayern munich seven years

ago and has scored 125 goals in her 172 appearances for arsenal. she won the 2019 wsl title, but was out for ten months last year with a serious knee injury, and has only played 13 times this season. bbc sport understands arsenal made the decision not to renew miedema's contract, with manchester city interested in signing the 27—year—old once she becomes a free agent. ac milan striker olivier giroud has announced he's also leaving his club at the end of the season, and will join an mls team. the 37—year—old is france's all time leading goal score, and won the world cup with his country in 2018 as well as picking up three fa cups with arsenal and the champions league with chelsea. reports suggest he could join his french team—mate hugo lloris at lafc. former leeds united coach jesse marsch has been named as the head of the canadian national football team. he'll take over the preparation leading into this summer's 2024 copa america, where canada open the tournament against defending world champions argentina injune.

it's his first appointment since being dismissed by leeds in february last year. let's turn our attention now to a british history—maker. osian roberts has become the first welshman to secure promotion to italy's top league. como appointed roberts just five months ago — after being recommended by one of the club's owners — the france and arsenal legend — thierry henry. more now from tomos dafydd. with its breathtaking views at the foot of the alps, little wonder lake como is a favorurite for tourists. roberts is a lake como. como, guided there by a welshman. extremely proud and happy to be going around the city today, and seeing people and everybody truly being truly appreciative of what has happened. having waited 21 years for a return to italy's top league, they celebrated all weekend.

osian roberts was brought to the club after an investor and board member put his name forward. it is relationship forged in newport. it's where the arsenal legend stood his way for the coaching badges under the guidance of the football association of wales. to have people like thierry backing me meant everything to me. those messages have always been positive and helpful and because he is an important part of the club. it is not the first time osian roberts has broken new ground. in 1985, he was the first welshman to gain a soccer scholarship in america. by his mid—20s he had earned the highest coaching qualifications. the plan has always been for osian roberts to focus on his other role as head of development for next season. so it is not clear whether he will continue as coach. whatever happens, the fans

in this part of italy will be forever grateful to him for ensuring their club will be playing among the elites of italian football once again. the long—awaited undisputed heavyweight title fight between tyson fury and oleksandr usyk takes place this weekend. but its fury�*s father who has been in the headlines — he was injured in an altercation with members of usyk�*s camp in the build—up to the big fight. john fury was left with blood running from a cut on his forehead as security separated the rival entourages. tennis now — and there's been a major shock at the italian open in rome, as fourth—seed andrey rublev has been knocked out by a qualifier. the russian was beaten by 104th ranked alexandre muller of france. the 27—year—old into the last 16 with a 3—6, 6—3, 6—2 victory. it's an even bigger surprise as the defeat ends a seven—match winning streak for rublev, who won the madrid masters last sunday. in the women's draw, top seed iga swiatek beat

germany's angelique kerber in straight sets 7—5, 6—3, in one hour and 39 minutes to reach the quarterfinals. she's joined by third seed coco gauff, who fought back from a set down to defeat spain's paula badosa 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. also today in rome — a protest by climate activists disrupted two matches. the last—16 tie between madison keys and sorana cirstea was interrupted, along with a doubles match. keys was leading 6—2, 3—1 when two protestors wearing orange vests ran on to the court and threw confetti. others glued themselves to a stand before police and firefighters arrived. you can get all the latest sports news at from the bbc sport app, orfrom our website — that's bbc.com/sport. from me and the rest of the team at the bbc sport centre, goodbye.

hello. the weather looks decidedly mixed over the next few days, just as it was on monday. for some of us, there was a little bit of sunshine and some warmth — 2a celsius, or at least very close to it, in parts of northern scotland. compare that with 1a celsius in southwest england, with cloud, with outbreaks of rain — all in association with this area of low pressure and this slow—moving frontal system. now, this weather front is now slowly on the move, northwards and eastwards. you can follow that weather front here for tuesday morning — that's where we'll see outbreaks of rain across parts of eastern england for a time across the midlands, certainly some rain across northern england, southern and central scotland. rain tending to pull away from northern ireland, and for wales in the southwest, it's a mix of sunny spells and heavy showers.

northern scotland should see some dry and bright weather. we could well see the highest of the temperatures here, around 21 celsius more generally, 16—20. and then, through tuesday night, here's our weather front continuing its very slow journey northwards and eastwards. much of the rain, though, i think fizzling out. it'll be a bit misty and murky in places as we start wednesday morning, temperatures generally between 9—12 celsius. our weather front still in play, still a band of clouds, some splashes of rain — we may see some heavier rain pushing back in across some eastern and northern parts of england. elsewhere, some spells of sunshine, a scattering of showers — we could possibly see the odd heavy thundery shower breaking out in the north—west of scotland. temperatures in northern scotland likely to touch 22—23 celsius, but in sunny spots elsewhere, we will be in the high teens or the low—20s. for thursday, still the remnants of that weather front providing cloud and a focus for some showers. but we will see some showers breaking out quite widely on thursday, some heavy, thundery ones in places.

but again, in the sunshine, temperatures getting into the low 20s celsius — not bad at all for the time of year. now, as we head into the end of the week and the weekend, this area of low pressure tending to weaken, the centre of the low tending to be to the south of the uk. so spots further north actually may escape most of the showers and see a decent amount of dry weather. temperatures could still get into the 20s celsius for some. more showers further south, some of those heavy and thundery, but still with some spells of warm sunshine in between.

welcome to newsday.

i'm steve lai, reporting live from singapore. our top stories: a remarkable day for ex—president donald trump, with his longtime fixer michael cohen testifying against him in his hush money trial. intense fighting takes place in gaza's north and south, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee. protesters return to tbilisi georgia demanding the government halt plans to adopt a law they worry could silence dissent in the country. and we'll reveal how a bbc investigation led to police arresting one of europe's most wanted people smugglers — known by the nickname �*the scorpion�*. hello and thank you forjoining us. we begin in new york this hour where donald trump's former lawyer michael cohen has finished his first day of testimony in the ex—president�*s historic hush money trial.

he was once the former president's lawyer and fixer —