and it's in a stadium that is rising up out of the desert. it's part of a tournament that organisers hope will change expectations on how and where a major sporting event can be played. qatar has been criticised in recent years over labour standards for workers building its world cup infrastructure. human rights groups have cautiously welcomed recent reforms, but issues remain. some of the workers are making $175, £140, a month. is that morally defensible? no doubt that there is room for improvement in that element. the fact is that there was no minimum wage established previously. now we're talking about implementing and applying minimum wage. so i have no doubt that progress on worker welfare reform will continue. it will progress. it's not a journey that's going to end. last summer's world cup in russia was well received despite political and cultural concerns ahead of it. qatar has never featured at a world cup, with many questioning its right to now stage such a prestigious event. have you seen a big difference

in the way that people watch football or the way the qatari people love football? yes, of course. we all, as arab, we like football. we can't live without football. with exactly four years until the final, there are many questions over what this world cup will be like, especially for fans far removed from qatar's islamic cultural norms. the hosts, though, believe such fears are unfounded and have a self—belief that football can deliver a brighter future for all. richard conway, bbc news, doha. that's all from us. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. hello, and welcome to sportsday.

i'm sarah mulkerrins. your headlines tonight: mourinho‘s gone. is club legend ole gunnar solskjaer the man to save their season? that's for the near future, but what about long—term ? iam happy i am happy at the club. only i want to send my best witches tojose. and manchester city scrape through to the league cup semi—finals after beating leicester on penalties. hello, and welcome to sportsday.

welcome along to sportsday at the end of a tumultous tuesday for manchester united. this morning, they sacked jose mourinho after two and half years in charge, with the club suffering their worst start to a league season in 28 years. this evening, it's all about who can rescue the situation, with former club hero ole gunner solksjaer the man many are tipping to take caretaker charge. let's cross live to old trafford now and join our sports editor dan roan. this has been coming for a while according to many in the football world today. in terms of mourinho and manchester united and that relationship, how likely are way to get potentially a caretaker in charge by saturday? almost certain, i think. i think tomorrow we will

have a statement confirming that ole gunner solksjaer hasn't put in charge would probably add another former manchester united player as his assistant. he is hugely respected, over 200 games for manchester united, including the famous wetter in the champions league final in 99. he was also in charge of the academy and for a couple of seasons. he had a disastrous spell for cardiff city before returning to norway to become manager. but there are things does not kick off until march. there is an expectation here that an arrangement can be found that will enable him to return to old trafford ona enable him to return to old trafford on a brave basis before a permanent replacement for mourinho comes in. as you would expect, there is a degree of relief i think it is fair to say among the fans and perhaps the club as well that mourinho is finally gone. it was only less than two weeks ago that his agent sent me

another journal is two weeks ago that his agent sent me anotherjournal is the long term. but for a man who never actually left his hotel down the road in the city centre, it was never feeling like a long—term arrangement. it was results started to go sour, this season, it felt like inevitable it would be parting of the ways and so it has proved. earlier we spoke to lee sharpe for his take on the situation. it needs a change of someone pressed to come in and put a bit of a smile on the players faces abroad in the place of the little bit. there are still plenty of points and games to play. it is now a virtually impossible to absorb the top four teams are playing but i think if somebody comes in and puts an arm around a few of the forbidding players and the attacking players, there are plenty of goals to be had. and i think as a team including a bit of team spirit going, i think

there is a major turnaround that can happen. the stats made for grim reading for mourinho. he spent £400 million since coming to the clubs even have seasons ago onjust since coming to the clubs even have seasons ago on just players and get united find themselves 19 points adrift of their archrivals liverpool who are leading the premier league. they are 11 points out on fourth place and for a club that is usually in debt to the tune of around half £1 billion with all those interest repayments, not qualifying for the champions league is a real problem for them and i think the fact the tra nsfer for them and i think the fact the transfer window was living in january, that defeat to liverpool and all these things combined to force the hand of the hierarchy. it is so important to get this right but also the long—term decision of

who will read —— and lead the club. that is right. since alex ferguson's glory years ended with his retirement five years or, they have an tried it three times to find a long—term successor and failed each time. david moyes, louis van gaal and of course now mourinho. they have to get this one right. one suspects that it is just important as the new managerial appointment would be the appointment of a director of football but in terms of permanent successors to mourinho, the favourite most united fans eyes is mauricio pocchetino. he was asked about that and gave very little away is that he was the based on the job at wishes to mourinho but it is being reported this evening that he is interested in thejob. he did not really give the impression today that he was ruling himself out. he left it open even though he did say he was focused on a job at white hart lane. you would not be surprised if he does someone feel he

is limited in the possibilities that he has at tottenham given the way structure there. they have not won a trophy of course for some considerable time and even though he has done a fantasticjob, perhaps the prospect of taking over a giant watt today with all the expectations ago with it my proof of very tempting one. we have say what happens in the future but that is a day many manchester united fans with seat on it the line at old trafford. thank you very much. what does the future hold forjose mourinho following his dismissal after two and a half years at old trafford. sunday times football writer duncan castles has no doubts that the portuguese still has what it takes to succeed at the top. i have seen a lot of articles today asking whether he is finished as a top—level manager and that just seems ridiculous. with that cv, even

with his recent track record, looking at a earlier there, look at the last four seasons, mourinho has won four major trophies. mauricio pocchetino is the favourite is the cover has ten trophies in his entire managerial career. jurgen klopp has zeroed trophies in that same period. ido zeroed trophies in that same period. i do not think there is any question that there will be clubs and major clubs offering him jobs in the near future. while things go from bad to worse at old trafford, manchester city are still flying high. they're through to the semi—finals of the carabao cup after beating leicester 3—1 on penalties. kevin de bruyne opened the scoring in spectacularfashion with his first goal since april. leicester substitute marc albrighton hit back late on to take it to penalties, which were far from clinical. christian fuchs fluffing for the foxes. raheem sterling missed for city. james maddison also misjudged his spot kick. and caglar soyuncu didn't

trouble aro muric. but oleksandr zinchenko made no mistake to send the holders through. and what a result for league1 burton albion, through to the semi—finals for the first time in their history after shocking championship side middlesbrough. jake hesketh the hero with the only goal of the game to continue their great run in the competition. well, it's certainly tight at the top of the scottish premiership these days. aberdeen thrashed dundee 5—1 tonight to ensure four teams are split byjust a point at the top of the table. the win was aberdeen's third in a week and moves them level on points with third—placed celtic, and just one adrift of rangers and kilmarnock. former wolves captain bill slater has died at the age of 91 after suffering with alzheimer's disease and illness. he made more than 300 appearances for the west midlands club, lifting the fa cup and three league titles.

he also played for great britain at the olympics and england at the world cup. slater was the last amateur to play in an fa cup final and the only part—time player to be named footballer of the year. we are exactly four years away from the world cup final in qatar. it will be the first winter tournament because the middle east is simply too hot for football in the summer. there will be eight stadiums, seven of them brand new, with the final at lusail. it will be the most compact world cup, staged in a country roughly the size of yorkshire, but that hasn't made the preparations any easier. from doha, here's our sports news correspondent richard conway. for yea rs for years until the world cup final

here in qatar and preparations are well under way. eight stadiums in total will be used in what will be a very compact turner met. we are talking about a country that is the size of your shirt, so organisers say fans will be able to attend a three—game today in the group stages and takea three—game today in the group stages and take a rapid subway system from point—to—point in order to get around this country. what sort of welcome awaits them? that is one of the burning questions around this world cup. of course it course it is in qatar, an islamic country and will be very different to any tournament that has gone before. i have been talking to the man charged with organising this mega event. this is what he had to say about the welcome that awaits supporters. this is what he had to say about the welcome that awaits supportersm is an opportunity for people to experience us, the rich heritage and culture that we have to offer and thatis culture that we have to offer and that is i think what the world cup offers you. it offers the chance to break a cultural gap to different walks of life for people with

different perspectives. people will be with here in a joint cells and celebrate the sun in the sand and the beach and at the same time realising we are and at the same time bus is arabs will be able to welcome of the world and showcasing the art and at the same time understand we are from different backgrounds and different walks of life that people come from. it is a chance to bring people together. it is an opportunity to appreciate our commonality with our differences. is an opportunity to appreciate our commonality with our differencesm is eight years now since qatar was one of the rights to this world cup. it has been controversial from start. the organisers knows that they are now focusing on delivering on their promises on building stadiums and preparing for that big moment when it arrives in four yea rs' moment when it arrives in four years' time. that's it from sportsday. coming up in a moment, it's the papers. there's no doubt about who's both front and back on the papers tomorrow as it's goodbye from us and farewell tojose mourinho. music

get him back it isjust a get him back it is just a player. get him back it isjust a player. -- paul pogba is just a player. be careful. hello, and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow.

with me are the political commentator lance price and the financial times political leader writer seb payne. many of tomorrow's front pages are already in, and of course many are leading with brexit. the financial times reports on the row between cabinet ministers, business leaders and the prime minister as theresa may insists she will press ahead with curbs on immigration after brexit. the independent splashes on the story that thousands of troops will be on standby in case of a no—deal outcome. the metro also leads on the announcement that the army could be deployed if britain fails to agree a deal. "britain moves to war footing," the i also leads on the consequences of no—deal. the daily telegraph splashes on calls from former brexit secretary dominic raab to give businesses tax