hello this is bbc news. the headlines: china makes a bid to become an "aerospace power" after it landed the first unmanned spacecraft on the far side of the moon. the probe has already beamed back the first close up images of the previously unexplored landscape. the son of the banned radical cleric abu hamza is arrested as part of the investigation into the murder of a security guard at a new year's eve party in park lane. in the us — members of the new congress are being sworn in — the democrats promise a partial end to the government shutdown. but no money for president trump's border wall. more than £40 billion is wiped off the value of the technology giant apple — they blame a slowdown in sales in china. the trial begins in saudi arabia of 11 people accused of being involved in the murder of the journalist jamal khashoggi. electricity use falls to it's lowest level since the mid—1980s — thanks to energy efficient

appliances and led lighting. in a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news... after china's successful moon landing — coming upjust after 8:00 we'll be talking about the country's space programme with an analyst who's been following their attempt to become an "aerospace power". at 8.30, we'll reflect on the life ofjulia grant, the first trans woman to share her story on primetime british tv who'se died aged 64. and coming up later this evening we'll take a first look at tomorrow's front pages in the papers with my guests jason beattie — head of politics at the mirror and owen bennett from city am that's all ahead on bbc news. now on bbc news it's time for sportsday. hello and welcome to

sportsday, i'm john watson. the headlines: no more mr nice guys as liverpool look to end a 29—year wait for a league title. we have to be brave, we have to be full of desire. but with the knowledge of your opponent, that is the best thing in the world. that is how it is. pressure? what pressure? it isa it is a dream to play these kind of games. that is why i am calm and relaxed. and i am at the etihad stadium where we will be building up to a potentially defining moment for both sides this season. also coming up in

the programme, it is michael schumacher‘s 50th birthday. we find out what james haskell is cooking up ahead of a huge of rugby. there may be 17 games of this thrilling season remaining but liverpool's match with manchester city in a little over an hour's time has all the hallmarks of a title decider. win and the reds move ten points clear of the champions, nine ahead of second—placed spurs. and with liverpool yet to lose in 20 league games this season, is that a gap too big for the champions to make up? joe lynskey reports. in great title rivalries, there are matches that turned the course of the season. the end of 2018 has seen

liverpool grasp control. tonight they go to manchester city, trying to pull away at the top. these are modern managers with their own kind of mind games, the build—up to one of mind games, the build—up to one of the premier league's great matches has seen them complement each other. we have to be full of desire, angry, all that stuff like in the other games, we have to be all that, but with the knowledge of the opponent is for me, still the best thing in the world. that is how it is. they the best team in europe the way they play, their consistency and the details in their game. it is and the details in their game. it is a dream to play these kind of games. it is when i am more calm of the most and more relaxed. i note the players will do the best performance they can do. this city team have twitched and stuttered through december. they had defeats against chelsea, crystal palace and leicester, while liverpool's surge through the winter has been spectacular. scoring 23 goals and

victory tonight would put them ten points ahead of manchester city but this club have waited 29 years for a title, so it's never straightforward. level macro —— is it another stepping stone towards the title buffer manchester city, if they win the game it is blown wide open. if they go ten points clear, i don't see them dropping that many points and i think they will control the from there on. we are in a really good position in that group of challengers. that is it. that was the first achievement. people are happy that it looks like there could bea happy that it looks like there could be a better season so far in a season that is already special. we know how important it is. ten points, if we lose. if they continue that run, it will be difficult. we have to face them like a football

game, what we have to do to beat them. after tonight there are still 17 games to go but two of football's great inventors know what momentum can create. these are the matches that can change the mood and perhaps the direction of this season's trophy. 0ur correspondent david 0rnstein is there. and david what is the mood amongst the fans? as we were saying, what a night. 29 yea rs, as we were saying, what a night. 29 years, a long—time liverpool have had to wait and a lot has been made about this blip manchester city have been on, losing five games, but if liverpool were to win, there is a growing sense that this could be their year? good evening, welcome to their year? good evening, welcome to the etihad stadium, it is very calm at the moment but it won't be at eight p:m.. if liverpool do extend the lead to ten points, many feel better advantage in the tantalum ——

title race is insurmountable. in 2014, as late as the 20th of april, they were nine points clear of manchester city and 21 days later, manchester city and 21 days later, manchester city and 21 days later, manchester city were crowned champions. however, this is a better liverpool side. they have got the best goal difference in the premier league and they have been scoring forfun, only league and they have been scoring for fun, only eight goals conceded. juergen klopp has got the fans behind the team. you have the three up behind the team. you have the three up front of sado manet, roberto firmino and mo salah but then you have virgil van dijk in defence. manchester city, it is not so long ago they went an unprecedented season ago they went an unprecedented season to win that title with 100 points and of course, it is not so long ago we were hailing them as potentially one of the best teams of all time. they will want to fight back and on their home turf with fernandinho back in, kevin de bruyne

as well, they will have something to say about it. it is their title to defend and no one has done it in a decade and i think they will be hungry to do so. the mind games started in the news conferences yesterday but now the talking will be done on the pitch. it does indeed, we know about the attacking threat of both sides, certainly with liverpool and the dangerous than three they have. but at the back, there is considerable improvements this season and that has helped them to put themselves in the position they are in. just eight goals conceded, half of what manchester city have conceded so far this season? i think the american sport phrase says, attack wins games, but defence is what wins championships. that seems to be applying in this one so that seems to be applying in this one so far. you could say it has, many times over the years in the premier league. liverpool's tally up

just eight games conceded after 20 games matches the record set by chelsea in 2004. it was a joke, liverpool's defence with goalkeeping mishaps and defensive errors. but with alison and virgil van dijk coming infora with alison and virgil van dijk coming in for a combined total of £150 million, you could say you get what you pay for. manchester city invested heavily the summer before last and they went on to secure a record—breaking title. they invested far less last summer and they seem to be slipping off the pace a little bit. there is a long way to go in the season but not let stamp on the excitement. it is an eight o'clock kick—off here and it should be one of the guest games —— best games we have seen so far. david, thank you very much. the fan starting to arrive and what an atmosphere it is going to be. we will keep you

updated on the score throughout the evening on bbc news. and of course in klopp and guardiola, two managers in vogue, playing attacking football which has made the methods of other managers appear dated. footballjournalist rafa honigstein told me what sets them apart. i think pep guardiola has been at the forefront of coaching for some time. he is unique in the amount of beauty and brilliance his teams managed to consistently put onto the pitch with the results to boot. they play a very specific, very complex, difficult style. very few players have the technique to play at those levels. collectively it works and it brings results. klopp's methods are different, he is a bit more direct and relies on workrate, relies on individual moments, kind of explosive danger rather than the

metronomic, consistent beauty and brilliance that guardiola seems to have. but they are no less exciting and no less thrilling and maybe no less successful this season for it. klopp is more emotional, has more of a bond with his players. guardiola teaches rather than bonds with the players. but both are at the very forefront of their profession and it is no coincidence that yet again they are making the running as far as the premier league is concerned. are you surprised we are seeing this title race on our hands by we have got? a lot of people predicting manchester city would walk it once again. liverpool have played so well, are you surprised we find ourselves in this position?” thought city would be pushed harder this time by liverpool, but i am surprised liverpool find themselves ahead of city at the halfway mark

and have the opportunity to win the title. i did not think city would drop that much. it is not a lot, but enough to open the door for liverpool. i didn't think liverpool had the consistency and the freakish solidity at the back to take advantage of that opportunity. it seems their stars might be lining on merseyside after a long time of waiting. 29 years to be exact. it is a match not to be missed. kick—off at eight o'clock tonight at the etihad stadium. also coming up in the programme: a new era in women's rugby as england's senior 15 turn fully professional. and why james haskell‘s struck upon a recipe for success in a busy year of rugby. but before that, today marks michael schumacher‘s 50th birthday. still little is known

about the condition of the seven time formula one world champion follwing a skiing accident five years ago. he's not been seen in public since. ben croucher reports. notjust not just anybody could notjust anybody could define their era. notjust notjust anybody could define their era. not just anybody notjust anybody could define their era. notjust anybody could define their entire sport. michael schumacher is not just their entire sport. michael schumacher is notjust anybody. the most successful driver in formula 1 history turns 50 today, a life and career of unprecedented times on the record seven world titles, 91 race wins ofjaw—dropping record seven world titles, 91 race wins of jaw—dropping brilliance record seven world titles, 91 race wins ofjaw—dropping brilliance and a master at times of fierce controversy. insatiable will to be first across the line, often crossed the line. he was destined for greatness from his first race with jordan in 1991, and time chief designer gary anderson recalls

fondly. you knew he was capable of very good things. you never know whether he would go on to be seven times champion or not but the first times champion or not but the first time he sat in the car, he had the potential to be very quick. in december 2013, not long after retiring, tragedy struck. the former world champion racing driver michael schumacher is in critical condition in hospital after suffering a head injury skiing in the alps. he was airlifted to hospital and has spent the last five years receiving round—the—clock care at his home in switzerland. in that time little has been revealed about his recovery. to mark his birthday, his family released a statement reassuring he is in the best hands. today the official michael schumacher app was launched allowing fans to take a virtual tour of his career and his ca rs. virtual tour of his career and his cars. the chance to celebrate his

highs and lows. schumacher‘s reputation as a ruthless, competitive racer made many turn against him. i found him as a nice quy- against him. i found him as a nice guy. but he would rush through the paddock and not speak to anybody but when you did get in conversation with him, might be at the hotel or a restau ra nt, with him, might be at the hotel or a restaurant, have acquired beer with you, he was an exceptional talent and it is a sad situation. his legacy remains intact and his son will race in the feeder series in 2019, matching his father's achievements remains the benchmark for every driver in the sport, still to this day. as the german reaches this landmark milestone, such international interest to claim and respect is reserved just for him. notjust respect is reserved just for him. not just anybody. a quick lokk at some of the other sport... british super—middleweight fighters james degale and chris eubankjr will meet at the 02 on february

the 23rd. the fight will be a non—title contest. at a press conference in london today, former ibf world champion degale suggested the clash with eubank is a "retirement fight" because it will be "game over" for the loser. former england strikerjermain defoe is set to join rangers on an 18—month loan deal. the 36—year—old has made just four appearances as a substitute for bournemouth in the premier league this season. gb beat the usa in the hopman cup, katie boulter and cameroon norrie beat serena williams and her doubles partner but it wasn't enough to see them qualify from their group. and the british number one kyle edmund faces a race against time to be fit in time for the australian open. the world number 14's withdrawn from next week's sydney international after picking up a knee injury. it was his final tournament before the first grand slam of the year in melbourne in 11 day's time. the england women's rugby team has

become rugby union's first professional women's 15 a side team. it means players will no longer have tojuggle full time jobs alongside training. the head of women's performance nicky ponsford told me the benefits it will bring in their attempts to establish themselves as the world's number one side. up up to now, where we have had players training before work, after work, are trying to fit everything in a round work, doesn't give the players all the time they need to be able to develop their skills, to develop their strength and conditioning and to develop their analysis, game understanding to the level that really is required for them to be the best players they can be. this gives those players the opportunity to be ultimately the best players and therefore enables the team to perform to a higher standard than it

has been before. we are really pleased this opportunity has been given to those players. on the face of it, it appears a good thing and i am sure players will have had to have given up jobs and careers they have given up jobs and careers they have had full time. the money they will be earning from rugby now, is it enough for them to give up those jobs? we have sat down and talk to the players about what they want to do and how they wanted to take things forward. every player in the squad is delighted to be able to be called a full—time, professional player. we are in a position where those players have enough money to be able to live on. we've got their salaries plus match fees for the games they are selected for, but also there are some players who really are keen to carry on doing some work and they will have the opportunity to do that and keep that running alongside some of their by running alongside some of their rugby work. we have got players that are not necessarily, it is the right

time for them to take up a full—time contract, but they are in a position where they can continue their england programme alongside their studies. pretty much everybody has made the decision based on what's right for them. it's a big year of rugby, the men and women's six nations and the rugby world cup to come. the northampton and england forward james haskall has been cooking up something away from rugby with the launch of a new book all about good nutrition which could prove just the ticket in getting him on the plane to japan. hejoined me in the studio earlier. the guy i have written the book with, he was the wasps chef for a number of years and he came of terrible training facilities... he has been cooking for the england football tea m has been cooking for the england football team in russia. so arguably he was behind their run to the semifinals? that is what he claims.

he knows how to feed people in different sports. he was the great british rowing chef for a lot of times so different requirements. whenever i wanted to create a book and cooking for fitness was the nutrition guide but i wanted to make tasty food. a lot of people think eating healthy is eating carbs and some of the sweet stuff, that is not the case. what is interesting is, you will see us everybody says new year and passes into 2019, people say i lost so much weight because i cut out alcohol or the cutout sugar. it is not sure about that makes you fat or alcohol, it is the fact you overindulged in those high calorific food sources. having too much of it? absolutely. people do