warwick. the headlines: the president of the european council donald tusk has suggested a phased strategy for brexit negotiations. he says any discussions on future trade deals can only begin once the terms the uk's deter departure are finalised. working in parallel on theissues finalised. working in parallel on the issues at the same time, as suggested by some in the uk, will not happen. the head of nhs england has warned of longer waiting times for routine operations like hip and knee operations. he says it's a trade—off for improvements in other areas like a&e and cancer treatment. a 23—year—old man has been charged with the murder of a woman and her 13—year—old son who were found dead in their home in stourbridge yesterday. the driver of the bin lorry crashed in glasgow killing six people has been banned from driving for six years. harry clarke

previously admitted culpable and careless driving after the fatal crash. now in a moment time for sportsday, but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news. as the preparations begin for those brexit talks, we will look at why gibraltar‘s future may be looking a little rockier, as the country's savings fall to a new low we find out what that might mean for the economy. and at10:1i0pm, and night we look at my‘s from pages withjoe phillips and the daily telegraph's economic expert liam howlett. that is ahead on bbc news, but now it is time for sportsday. hello and welcome to sportsday — i'm hugh ferris. our headlines tonight: the premier league's back, and ronald koeman says everton should hold no fear ahead of the merseyside derby — a fixture they haven't won at the last 13 attempts. will celtic be celebrating a sixth straight scottish title

by the end of the evening? if aberdeen lose tonight, celtic will be champions again. johanna konta beats her hero and three—time champion venus williams, to become the first british woman to reach a final at the miami open. and will climb to seventh in the world if she wins it against caroline wozniacki tomorrow. and which blue will be the boat race winners? oxford and cambridge prepare to meet on the thames again... lots to come on the programme. the first part of which will be in the company of kevin kilbane as we look forward to that we can's premier league action. four of the top seven

play each other, including the merseyside derby. with only six points separating liverpool and everton, plenty at stake. it's a new season, a new game, a new manager at everton. i don't know why. .. manager at everton. i don't know why... i manager at everton. i don't know why. .. i heard manager at everton. i don't know why... i heard a little bit about the last two seasons of everton, that maybe they were too afraid to play against liverpool. but why you need to be afraid to play against liverpool, i don't understand that. they've had a good run, didn't lose a lot of games of the last few weeks or months. good results, obviously confident, but we're liverpool, we play at anfield and nobody should underestimate us. whenever we play, we'll have to create a special atmosphere. kevin, perhaps unsurprisingly both managers wanting to build up the occasion. you have played in merseyside derbies for everton. you will appreciate ronald

koeman saying they shouldn't be any fearfor koeman saying they shouldn't be any fear for everton, but alsojoe jurgen klopp is reminding everybody the anfield atmosphere is one to ta ke the anfield atmosphere is one to take reckon of. that's very true. i've played in a merseyside derby with mixed results, i have to say that. i'd like to think the everton players are trying to buy into the mindset of what ronald koeman has been trying to portray it, trying to give off to the players. everton‘s record has been abysmal at anfield. i999 the players. everton‘s record has been abysmal at anfield. 1999 was the last win, so that is poor. their recent form in derbies has been quite poor generally, the last five oi’ quite poor generally, the last five or six years or quite poor generally, the last five oi’ six years oi’ so quite poor generally, the last five or six years or so this. 13. i knew you would give me the stat! i think everton, i've been in this position before where i've tried to put it from everton‘s point of view. they are in great form. only one defeat since december, mid—december in the premier league. they've got one if not the most inform striker in the

premier league in romelu lukaku. everton going into this fixture in a different mindset there may have beenin different mindset there may have been in recent seasons. but what jurgen klopp said, yes, it has proved a stumbling block at anfield. this has been characterised by some of the injuries picked up by players on international duty. adam lallana for liverpool. and ronald koeman very unhappy with the way james mccarthy was treated by ireland. and seamus coleman, what happened to him in that game, and horrific leg break. we all wish him a speedy recovery. james mccarthy, this has been an ongoing feud... between martin o'neill and ronald koeman. invariably it's been surrounding james mccarthy james mccarthy's fitness issues. he's not been able to sustain fitness levels that have taken him through everton in the last year or so and that has been a bugbearfor ronald last year or so and that has been a bugbear for ronald koeman, last year or so and that has been a bugbearfor ronald koeman, because he's gone to play for ireland, gone back to everton are not being fit. i

understand it from both points of view. i put myself injames mcca rthy‘s view. i put myself injames mccarthy's shoots. when i played at clu b mccarthy's shoots. when i played at club level, i was so desperate to play for ireland, it was my everything, really. he'd want to try make himself available. he's trying to prove, trying to prove his fitness levels, but there have been questions over his commitment to ireland when he first set out and he's trying to prove everyone wrong. perhaps i has to be some give and ta ke perhaps i has to be some give and take on both sides. liverpool can go second with a win. stay there, let's move on to sunday's big game. arsenal against man city. arsene wenger insisting the uncertainty over his future is not the reason for arsenal's slump in form. they have slumped to sixth in the table after losing the last four in five. he's faced a lot of criticism but not today from pep guardiola. he has been a lot of years that one team. and in fact, really good. you cannot

stay so many years in charge of arsenal if you don't have capacity, ability. the priority is always to focus on what is important, not to look for excuses. at the moment our results are not going the way we want. that's why we have to make sure that the priority for us is what happened on the pitch. being professional is to perform on the foot ball professional is to perform on the football pitch and not to find escape, football pitch and not to find escape , excuses where football pitch and not to find escape, excuses where i think there are not. arsene wenger has asked his players to basically be men, not concentrate on what's going on with his own future and to concentrate instead on games like sunday. is there any sort of excuse for a player to be mindful of excuse for a player to be mindful of what's going on off the pitch? arsene wenger has a great pitch, ultimately it's down to the players, it has to be down to the players. they have to get themselves in the right frame of mind and prepare as best they can and get themselves the

result needed. but, on the flip side of that, we all know everyone is asking questions of the players about the manager. the mindset of the player will be a little hindered from arsene wenger‘s position at the club. i think we all know that. there are even contract talks supposedly happening around two or three players who could be leaving ina year, three players who could be leaving in a year, 12 months, 11; months, whatever it will be. this contract talks continuously going ahead, those players need to know the manager will be in place beyond this season or next season. they have to have that in their minds as well. there are a number of issues that

affect players on a day—to—day i believe this could play into it. not necessarily the whole of it, arsenal have brom... but i think arsene wenger beads to clarify his are watching west brom... but i think arsene wenger beads to clarify few weeks' time, i wonder if that's more important for the sites that only have that are playful, rather than making sure they are in the top four. i think out of the two, premier league is probably still the priority to arsene wenger and pep guardiola. arsene wenger has built his reputation on the continuation of champions league football. every single season he seems to bring it. but the pep guardiola, this season would have hurt him. he has never not coached side to a semifinal of the champions. they meet in the fa cup semifinal in a few weeks' time, i wonder if that's more important for the sites that only have that are playful, rather than making sure they are in the top four.|j are playful, rather than making sure they are in the top four. i think out of the two, premier league is probably still the priority to arsene wenger and pep guardiola. arsene wenger and pep guardiola. arsene wenger and pep guardiola. arsene wenger has built his reputation on the continuation of champions league football. every single season he seems to bring it. but the pep guardiola, this season would have hurt him. he has never not coached the side to a semifinal of the champions league. there are a number of issues around this game in particular. i think manchester city

will win. i think arsenal have been lacking in recent weeks. let's look at the top of the the other three teams in the top seven we haven't spoken about, you would expect for them to win. chelsea at home to crystal palace, spurs away at burnley. at that will be tricky. manchester united at home to west brom. do you see any of them slipping up? . as you said earlier, it's about maintaining your top four status. without chris smalling and philjones potentially for the rest of the season, manchester united, so they could have some troubles. the bottom of the table, tricky, particularly with burnley‘s home for them, they've been excellent this season. you would imagine the fuego side the plane, the form they are in... ican't side the plane, the form they are in... i can't see chelsea slipping up. there are a number of issues possibly for the chasing pack. i think chelsea have the league sewn up. as you said earlier, it's about maintaining your top four status. without chris smalling and phil jones potentially for the rest of the season, manchester united, so they could have some troubles. the bottom of the table, getting to the stage of the season where you need to pick up points if you are in the bottom half, particularly the bottom four or five. bottom half, particularly the bottom four orfive. hull and bottom half, particularly the bottom four or five. hull and sunderland struggling in the bottom ten games ten games you're going to get out of it, you need to start winning

against teams like that at this stage of the season. i look back over the last ten years or so. wigan have been in this position and got themselves out of it, essential if you're going to get out of it, you need to start winning against teams like that at this stage of the season. i look back over the last ten yea rs season. i look back over the last ten years or so. wigan have been in this position and got themselves out of it under we remember leicester city getting out of it. sunderland seemed the knack of getting themselves out of part of me thinks it's beyond them but they've done it before. they have experience of exceptional form at the end of the season. part of me thinks it's beyond them but they've done it before. they have experience of solid,, that's god. hull have simply shown me there is a bit of spirit about the team under marcus gilbert. they look better, more solid, difficult to but i have to say i think it's beyond those sides now. i think it's beyond those sides now. i think the form sunderland recent seasons. . . think the form sunderland recent seasons... i think it's beyond them in recent seasons. . . seasons... i think it's beyond them in recent seasons... i think it's beyond them. we might not be able to at least saving lives. the forward helped to rescue three people after a boat crash whilst he was on holiday in barbados. david moyes this for relegation but duncan watmore is at least saving lives. the forward helped to rescue three people after a boat crash whilst he was on holiday in barbados. david moyes was particularly impressed. my ididn't moyes was particularly impressed. my i didn't know about it... i asked him about it yesterday. the story he told me was actually, i didn't know about it... i asked him about it yesterday. the story he told me was

incredible. a he'd done. there was real danger and he helped that he'd done. there was real danger and well save a couple of old people's lives as well. i have the story! he's on holiday because he is injured, i think he was milking it yesterday when he was telling us the story! he's on holiday because he is 700 games you played at club level for ireland but did you ever save a for ireland but did you ever save a for ireland but did you ever save? i'd love to say for what he's done. it's amazing for him to do that. i have in common notes, no. credit to duncan watmore for what he's done. it's amazing for him to do that. i haven't, no. duncan watmore wins the prize. kevin, thank you. enjoy your five live has plenty for you to enjoy over the bbc radio five live has four matches, beginning with a big anfield. kick off at 12:30pm, liverpool against everton also on the bbc this weekend, a shocking claim from saido berahino, who says he served an eight week doping ban at west brom earlier this season after his drink spiked in a berahino's told football focus there was such a small amount in his system... it proves he couldn't have taken the drug intentionally. also on the bbc this weekend, as

shocking claim from saido berahino, who says he served an eight week doping ban at west brom earlier this season after his drink with spiked inafor season after his drink with spiked in a for me to get banned for something you haven't done is hard to take. it was spiked definitely. ifi to take. it was spiked definitely. if i was going to get high, you would take an amount where you definitely. if i was going to get high, you would take an amount where you want to system but it was really, really and the threshold would have been higher, the numbers would have been higher, the numbers would have been higher, the numbers would have been higher, that they found in my system but it was really, really the so why would you wa nt to ta ke really, really the so why would you want to take something and not get a buzz off it? but because i'm in the premier league, aberdeen could force celtic to wait another 48 hours to win the scottish premiership title, but it'll only be delaying the inevitable, and if they lose tonight, well, celtic will be champions anyway. aberdeen have done their best to make the leaders wait as long as possible, having won 10 of their last 12 league games, but remain 25 points behind. have to have zero tolerance going to win the league it's just a matter of when. we have to make sure we have

to continue to train chalked up points and win games for our own benefit. we have plenty to look forward to. we've got nine league games left and we all agree celtic are going to win the league it's just a matter of when. we have to make sure we we've got nine league games left and for celtic, whatever happens tonight, they'll wrap up a sixth straight title on sunday with a win at hearts. brendan rodgers' side are unbeaten in 29 matches, and would be crowned champions earlier than anyone else in history. the celtic manager has been speaking to our sports correspondent natalie pirks. becomes even more important. you a lot of the teams in and a lot of the teams, you normally get one or run away with that are very prominent and that run away with the english premier league is the top team to the bottom team, money, the finances that allows every team to be competitive. league in the world, the top team to the bottom team, the money, the finances their allows every tea m money, the finances their allows every team to be competitive. you can no other countries have that. up here in scotland you don't quite have the investment and the money up

here. all you can be the third highest support in good as you can. celtic is one of the great clubs of the world. it clearly is an institution. i think we are the third highest support, behind manchester in terms of average gates. the club can do no more off the field. we want to keep pushing on the field to keep entertaining supporters. that means winning the league by five points or 25 points, we will always do the very best we and then celtic, in terms of average gates. the club can do no more off the field. we want to keep pushing on the field to keep entertaining supporters. that means winning the league by five points or 25 points, we will always do the very best we listen, i wouldn't be listen, i wouldn't be want to anyway. but at this moment in to think anyone would want to anyway. but at this moment in i'm. i hope to be coaching for many more years but i wa nt to coaching for many more years but i want to give some more happy. i hope to be coaching for many more years but i want to give some more years. asi but i want to give some more years. as i said, there are not too that are bigger than prestigious leagues, more competitive leagues, but there might be more prestigious leagues, more competitive leagues, but as, there are not too many beers glasgow

celtic. when you are manager of that and support it, the club, then you can cherish that and i hope to cherish that for a bit more time yet. apologies about the drop in sound. natalie pirks asking the glasgow celtic. when you are manager of that and support it, the club, then you can cherish that and i hope to cherish that for a bit more time yet. back to football in a moment, but first some of the other stories from today. johanna konta will climb to a career high seventh in the world tennis rankings if she beats caroline wozniacki in the miami open final this weekend. konta beat venus williams to become the first british woman to reach the final, and was just six years old when williams first won this tournament 19 years ago. the british number one even lists venus as one of her all time heroes, but dispatched her opponent in straight sets. the i was very happy tolj the i was very happy to i was very happy to come through that. this second relief, and obviously excitement i get to be part of the last day of the. some relief, and

obviously excitement i get to be pa rt obviously excitement i get to be part of the last day of the tournament. and just 2a hours after registering a maximum 147, defending champion judd trump is out of the china open snooker. he lost 5—3 to the world number 76 hossein vafaei. the 22—year—old from iran now takes on mark williams for a place in the final. british canoeing is the latest national sports governing body to have concerns raised about the welfare of their athletes, after a formal complaint was made against a coach. our reporter david ornsteinjoins me now. it is becoming something of a it's becoming something of a similar story. run us through run us through this a coach was suspended, following a formal set an independent investigation was set up. that has yet british canoeing spokesperson has confirmed the complaint, the suspension and investigation. there will be no further comment until the process has been concluded. uk sport, the government funding arm that concluded. a british canoeing spokesperson has confirmed the complaint, the suspension and investigation. there will be no

further comment until the process has been concluded. uk sport, the government funding arm that provides to olympic and they are aware of the investigation but it is the responsibility of the governing body to deal with it. they cannot comment on the detail of the investigation. i on the detail of the investigation. , has said they are aware of the investigation but it is the responsibility of the governing body to deal with it. they cannot comment on the detail of the investigation. enjoyed their most successful olympics in rio and in the paralympics they paralympic sports on an athlete ‘s this is just the latest disappointing story to face british olympic and paralympic sports on an it's a competition much maligned in its early stages. the revamp for this season was not received well by all the clubs involved. but you'll be hard pressed to convince the nearly 80,000 coventry and oxford fans travelling to wembley for the final that the efl trophy doesn't matter. both had famous days at the old stadium in the 1980s, while oxford are hoping to go one better after losing last year's final to barnsley. .. . thank you it was great journey last when we got there we realise we

we re last when we got there we realise we were against a top side who went on to get promotion to wembley. when we got there we realise we were against a top side who went on to get promotion will be backed superbly, as we are. when a onto the pitch at 2:30pm, there will be a focus about the players has been building up. we are going there to hopefully do enough on the day to win has been building up. we are going there to hopefully do enough on the day to win the trophy. coventry are heading to wembley for the first time since 1987, when they famously won the fa cup — still their only major trophy. in goal that day was steve ogrizovic, now the club's goalkeeping coach. oxford are going to bring a lot as well, so the atmosphere will be really good. it's a competition, it has its critics, but when you get into the later rounds it's one eve ryo ne into the later rounds it's one everyone oxford are going to bring a lot as well, so the atmosphere will be really good. it's a competition, it has its critics, but when you get into the later rounds it's one eve ryo ne into the later rounds it's one everyone wants to there will be nearly wrong. they want to see a good football match, they will be entertained and like i say, we are looking forward to it and they can't be wrong. they want to see a good

football match, they will be entertained and like i say, we are looking forward to it. . we seem to have been set we seem to have been set upon for creating this competition that nobody wanted. the reality that competition is in that competition was in something to reinvigorate it. we believe we have it reinvigorated the competition. we also believe we can learn from the we've tried to do something to reinvigorate it. we believe we have reinvigorated the competition. we also believe we can learn from the experience of we can go further than that by working with the clubs to improve it for the future in conjunction with the clubs. on balance, the objectives we said at the outset of the competition, we believe we have virtually met them all and we believe we have virtually met them alland we can believe we have virtually met them all and we can go further than that by working with the clubs to improve it for the future.

the premier league has launched what it calls its "most ambitious community programme to date", attempting to boost learning by tying education to football. primary stars is a scheme providing teaching resources such as lesson plans and activities to 10,000 primary schools by 2019. our sports news correspondent richard conway can tell us more. this is a lesson you should this is a lesson you should heed. the premier league is the premier league is schools, as it tries to provides learning inspiration and help kids be from the pitch to primary schools, as it tries to provide some learning inspiration and help kids be more active football has a power and energy, energy and motivate people, young people football has a power and energy, energy and motivate people, young are doing it. free online resources are being made available for teachers to download, with those in classrooms keen to combine their studies with sport. it's going to help me with reading, because i don't really like reading. but if i use football, i will have lots of fun reading. learning about different news and summer assignments from arsenal players. we

don't really like maths so maybe when football is combined with maths it will make maths seem more appealing than it did months ago. premier league wants to connect with 10,000 primary schools by 20 nineteenths and to do that it's rolling out an advertising campaign across the nation. it's using its a—star power to try and win hearts and minds. what should you do in this case? try and try again. premier league clubs hope that popularity will help foster a love of learning amongst children, and maybe also a love for a league that one student interest in the educational goals. it's quarter—finals weekend in european club rugby's premier competition the champions cup. on sunday, glasgow travel to face reigning champions saracens in their first ever match in the competition's last 8, whilst tomorrow the leaders of the pro 12 leinster meet wasps, who are top of the premiership. it'll be a big test for the english side in dublin against a team who've won this competition three times. for their england internationals,

it'll also mean a return to the aviva stadium, where they lost in the final match of the six nations a fortnight ago. and they'll again be facing many of the ireland players who ended that record—equalling run. they will take a lot of confidence out of that and we will take a lot of determination out of that. it's more than about those players coming back and putting in a performance wasps, it's about them getting one step further into the semifinals, hopefully, and who knows where we go from there. obviously that's over the shoulder now. i'm sure they'll carry a little bit in their belly from the game against ireland, but i think their overriding emotions will be to get the job done for wasps. so apart from those two, in the other quarter finals munster host toulouse on saturday, and also on sunday an all french affair between clermont auvergne and toulon. now each year when the crews of oxford and cambridge meet on the thames the focus is very much on university students...

but on sunday, one london school will have a very big say in who wins both the men's and women's boat race, as three of the four coxes are former students. emma jones has the story. hugh and sofia are coxes at westminster boat club. theirjob to get the boats from start to finish as quickly as possible. get the boats from start to finish as quickly as possiblelj get the boats from start to finish as quickly as possible. i have to make decisions and if there is any doubt, i make the final call. that is half of myjob. the other half is i steer the boat. i make sure we are running the right course. on sunday three of the four coxes the men's and women's boat races will be former westminster students. these boats are regularly rowing down the same bit of river that the crews will be coming down on sunday. you can see what an advantage it might be to have a cox in your boat familiar with what can be

unpredictable waters.|j familiar with what can be unpredictable waters. i have been the one pointing out the girls, that's the post, that's hammersmith bridge, which isjust over a third in. just drilling into everyone those markets. with water like this, i think they might not make it. they are almost fully underwater now. the conditions aren't expected to be as tough as they were last year, but it helps to be prepared. to an extent it's in the back of my head, but that was very extraneous circumstances. a lot of things came together for that to happen. circumstances. a lot of things came togetherfor that to happen. it's useful for togetherfor that to happen. it's usefulfor me, in togetherfor that to happen. it's useful for me, in that i've talked myself through that situation again and what we can do differently. this across the line, the dark blues, oxford are the winners! and of course there can be some interesting language from the person urging their crew to victory. i try to keep it to their crew to victory. i try to keep ittoa their crew to victory. i try to keep it to a minimum, especially in

training. but colourful language gets them fired up. regardless of which blew vote for crosses the line first, westminster boat club are guaranteed a winner. some pretty precocious kids on the thames this weekend. and there's coverage of the boat races from 4pm on sunday on bbc one. that's all from sportsday for now. there'll be more sport here on bbc news throughout the evening. good evening. some sunshine around this weekend. some sunshine eventually today in many parts of the country. this is cambridge in the country. this is cambridge in the afternoon, temperatures reached 16 degrees or so. later on we also got some rain in for a role

cornwall. it was the sunshine following the thicker cloud. still some rain in the far north—west of scotland. wet weather arriving in wales on the south—west. some showers here this evening and overnight, affecting other parts of england in the west. clear skies and eastern england and should turn a bit driver mainland scotland and northern ireland. temperatures are little lower than last night, but around 7—8 at the lowest. heading into saturday, a new month and some april showers on the way. from the word go across wales and the south—west, but the main shower band extending across the midlands up into the north—west of england. quite a wet start. for many western areas, dry and sunshine before the show get going. a few showers coming down from the north—west and northern ireland, showers in the north—west of scotland, the earlier rain clearing away in the morning. as we run through the morning, the showers can pop up anywhere. nowhere

is immune. not much wind to push the month so they will hang on a bit and they could be heavy and possibly thundery. this temperatures a little lower than today, warming up when the sun is out, 13—1a, maybe a little higher in south—east before the showers get going in the afternoon. though showers should fade away during the evening and we are going to find this ridge of high pressure bumping in from the south—west over the uk, keeping these weather fronts at bay on sunday. quite a chilly start as guys tend to clear. those that are butchers in towns and cities. a touch of frost in rural scotland and northern ireland, ruled out. a chilly start for the boat race but ideal weather, not too windy. it shouldn't be too rough on the thames. it will be dry, there will be some sunshine. for most of us thatis be some sunshine. for most of us that is the story, a dry day with some good spells of sunshine. a bit of cloud here and there and a very small chance of a shower of england. let's cool it a dry day and better

day of the week and this temperatures 12 or 13, warm in the sunshine, 16 towards the south—east of england. temperatures perhaps a little higher on monday for england and wales, if we get more in the way of sunshine. 14—16, but in scotland and northern ireland turning wet and windy. aaaa this a a a is bbc news. the headlines: the eu gets tough on brexit. the european council president donald tusk says there'll be no talks on trade until there's a deal on the divorce. starting parallel talks on all issues at the same time, as some have suggested in the uk, will not happen. it's official — nicola sturgeon sends the letter to theresa may formally asking for powers to hold a second independence referendum. michael flynn says he'll talk to investigators examining ties to the kremlin,

as long as he won't be prosecuted for it. expect longer waits for hip and knee replacements and other routine operations. nhs england say its a ‘trade—off‘ for better a&e and cancer care. also this hour... launching one of the biggest wildlife conservation projects ever seen in britain.