hello, and welcome to sportsday. i'mjohn watson. on the programme tonight... 80 days of sailing, solo, nonstop around the world. we'll tell you about the thrilling climax of the vendee globe — the race dubbed "everest of the seas". more racist abuse online for premier league footballers, after man united's defeat. there's a fresh call for action.

league win this year — is it a blip, or something more no goals in four games, and without a premier league win this year — is it a blip, or something more worrying for liverpool? also ahead... we'll tell you why double gold medallist helen glover wants one more shot at olympic glory. good evening. we start tonight with something a little bit different. a race so gruelling it's known as the "everest of the seas". the vendee globe is a solo, round the world race — and the sailers aren't allowed to stop. at all. after 28,000 miles, 80 days of hard sailing, the winners crossed ths finish line in the early hours of this morning,

and it was a frenchaman called yannick bestaven who won it, despite not finishing first. joe lynskey explains. yannick bestaven had won a round the world recent byjust a couple of hours. this is how came home. yannick bestaven said that after so long in solitude, the celebrations were a dream. but this is a champion who earned his welcome. two weeks ago, yannick bestaven tried to save ago, yannick bestaven tried to save a competitor. when escoffier got a hole in his yacht, others went to find him. he was rescued and brought back to france. but all the racers who diverted were given the time back. yannick bestaven crossed the time in third, eight hours from the front. but the ten hours he spent looking for escoffier pushed him into the lead. the rescue happened 600 miles off cape of good hope. that was on the 1st of december,

before the halfway point of this remarkable race. these sailors have been competing in some of the world's most inhospitable waters, so it's extraordinaryjust how close they were as they head towards the finish. in fact, they were as they head towards the finish. infact, one they were as they head towards the finish. in fact, one german sailor was on for a metal before he hit a fishing boat and fell backjust 90 miles off the french coast. the first... his compatriot had that ten hour bonus. it meant he won the vendee globe atjust two and a half hours. the french president emmanuel macron said it made for something mythical. 0nce restrictions were over, they would be honoured in paris. this was the ninth addition of a race that happens every four years. just finishing his victory, just ask ellen macarthur. just how bad was it for?— just ask ellen macarthur. just how bad was it for? most scared of ever been. macarthur— bad was it for? most scared of ever been. macarthur was _ bad was it for? most scared of ever been. macarthur was 24 _ bad was it for? most scared of ever been. macarthur was 24 when - bad was it for? most scared of ever been. macarthur was 24 when she | bad was it for? most scared of ever i been. macarthur was 24 when she just been. macarthur was 24 when she 'ust made it. yannick �* been. macarthur was 24 when she 'ust made it. yannick bestaven * been. macarthur was 24 when she 'ust made it. yannick bestaven made h been. macarthur was 24 when she just made it. yannick bestaven made it - made it. yannick bestaven made it around the world quickest at age 48.

they sailed so far from the coast that each competitor knows they all look out for each otherjust that each competitor knows they all look out for each other just as that each competitor knows they all look out for each otherjust as much as the wind. this was the year yannick bestaven did both. joe linsky, bbc news. i'm delighted to say i'm joined now by one who finished six. great to speak to you. some incredible pictures there, dramatic footage. having competed in the race, give us a sense of what draws sailors like you to the race? it is a sense of what draws sailors like you to the race?— you to the race? it is all encompassing, - you to the race? it is all encompassing, a - you to the race? it is all- encompassing, a commitment of you to the race? it is all— encompassing, a commitment of years of hard work. notjust for you, but yourfamily, friends, sponsors and supporters, and your team. they give blood, sweat and tears. at a huge financial sacrifice. you cross that start line, and it's down to you to deliver. but in the background,

there's still the team supporting you. when you finally get to cross the finish line, because not everyone gets to do that, it's just a welling up of all these emotions which just a welling up of all these emotions whichjust come out a welling up of all these emotions which just come out flowing. and it's a real mixed reaction that everybody has. bf} it's a real mixed reaction that everybody hae— it's a real mixed reaction that everybody has. it's a real mixed reaction that eve bod has.j~:: ., ., , ., ., everybody has. 80 days out at sea on our own. everybody has. 80 days out at sea on your own- what _ everybody has. 80 days out at sea on your own. what is _ everybody has. 80 days out at sea on your own. what is that _ everybody has. 80 days out at sea on your own. what is that like _ everybody has. 80 days out at sea on your own. what is that like when - your own. what is that like when you're going through the lowest of lows? iii you're going through the lowest of lows? ~' ., you're going through the lowest of lows? ~ ., ., ., j, ., lows? if we think of today's world, it's the ultimate _ lows? if we think of today's world, it's the ultimate in _ lows? if we think of today's world, it's the ultimate in self _ lows? if we think of today's world, it's the ultimate in self isolation. l it's the ultimate in self isolation. and we know how hard it is and the restrictions we are all living in — that frustration, the depths of despair when you miss out on meeting with your friends or chatting — these guys and girls have missed birthdays, christmas, new year's, weddings, deaths, marriages. life continues and they haven't been part of that, so they feel quite isolated. but technology is amazing the way it's advanced, so they use what's up quite a lot to communicate. it's not as bad as it used to be, but what they will have missed is that face—to—face

communication, seeing people's facial reactions and responses. so to be overwhelmed, from living on a 60 foot boat in your own world for 80 days, then coming in across the finish line to see all these people and everybody wanting to talk to you — it's almost overwhelming at first. when you're out there on the water, how much sleep are you getting? how long at one time are you able to sleep for?— long at one time are you able to slee for? ,, , ,., , ., ., , sleep for? sleep is always a really tricky thing. _ sleep for? sleep is always a really tricky thing. and _ sleep for? sleep is always a really tricky thing, and it's _ sleep for? sleep is always a really tricky thing, and it's very - sleep for? sleep is always a reallyj tricky thing, and it's very separate for each sailor. everybody manages it slightly differently. but what you do is you have cat naps throughout the day. in a 24 hour period, you are trying to accumulate about 4—5 hours sleep, and it can be 10-20 about 4—5 hours sleep, and it can be 10—20 minutes. a long sleep is often an hour and a half. 10—20 minutes. a long sleep is often an hourand a half. it 10—20 minutes. a long sleep is often an hour and a half. itjust depends on where you're located, what the weather is doing and how busy everything is around you, if there are other vessels, or if the wind is about to change and you need to do a sail change. so you have to time your sleep with when it is

appropriate, but it's amazing how quickly your body can adapt. between 7-10 quickly your body can adapt. between 7—10 days, it seems the most normal thing ever. the hard thing for sailors now after crossing the finish line is that coming back to normality where they are expected to sleep throughout the night. you normality where they are expected to sleep throughout the night.— sleep throughout the night. you talk about life-and-death _ sleep throughout the night. you talk about life-and-death decisions, - sleep throughout the night. you talk about life-and-death decisions, and| about life—and—death decisions, and the latter is a very real possibility, isn't it, as we saw play out in the race this year with one stricken sailor having to be rescued by fellow competitors. yes. rescued by fellow competitors. yes, and it's a wonderful _ rescued by fellow competitors. use; and it's a wonderful thing in our sport, there's that code of conduct where you would go to your fellow competitor's rescue if needed. but it could have played out a lot differently, and we are grateful that when you do something with the vendee globe, you sailed with the best sailors in the world, so you're in good hands. but it's not over until you cross the finish line, as we found out last night with boris hermon, the german sailor coming in 90 miles from the finish and having a collision with a fishing boat. you have to keep your wits about you and these decisions are huge

responsibilities, and they don't always go your way. it’s responsibilities, and they don't always go your way.— always go your way. it's been fascinating — always go your way. it's been fascinating to _ always go your way. it's been fascinating to get _ always go your way. it's been fascinating to get your - always go your way. it's been l fascinating to get your insight, thank you so much for sharing that with us on the programme tonight. absolute pleasure, thank you. manchester united have condemned the "mindless idiots" who racially abused axel tuanzebe and anthony martial on social media, calling on stronger measures to prevent it happening again. last night's defeat to sheffield united sparked a torrent of online abuse aimed at the defender who turned home united's winning goal. united called on social media companies to act, but said in a statement that identifying those responsible remains problematic. there was widespread condemnation notjust from the club, but from the players, as well. midfielder scott mctominay said he was "disgusted" with what he'd read. club captain harry maguire added, "united against racism. we will not tolerate it." and the former united defender rio ferdinand called it a "disgrace", adding, "these ignorant idiots need to be exposed so everyone can see them for what they are." well, the former premier league

goalkeeper shaka hislop now works with the anti—racism charity show racism the red card. he says that the government needs to be doing more to stop the abuse. i was involved in a roundtable earlier this week with the department of culture, media and sport about government's own responsibility towards dealing and confronting social media companies, and the abuse that is allowed to fester on their platforms. just as we link arms, and have linked arms over 25 years in dealing with these issues, i think the moment calls for exactly that same approach and resolve even more today. to matters on the pitch — what a difference six weeks makes. the last time these two sides, met they were first and second in the premier league. now liverpool and tottenham sit outside the top four. and, perhaps more worryingly for the champions liverpool, they're without a win and without a goal in their last four matches. will it be kane or mane who proves the difference tonight? we'll put that to two supporters in a moment —

but first, alistair bruce ball is at the tottenham hotspur stadium. good evening, welcome to the tottenham hotspur stadium where i think you have to argue that the pressure is really on liverpool coming into this game, even though they are a point above tottenham in they are a point above tottenham in the current premier league table. don't forget, they are the champions. and as we said, there are the team that struggling to perform in the league recently with no wins and no goals in those last four games. saying that, their recent record against tottenham is excellent, just one defeat in the last 18 games in all competitions. and it's not so long ago since they beat them at anfield in mid—december that roberto firmino won that game with a 90th minute header. a game in which liverpool dominated possession, tottenham had good chances to win in the second half which prompted jose mourinho to say

afterwards that the better team lost the game, which didn't go down too well with juergen the game, which didn't go down too well withjuergen klopp. so as ever, with a fixture like this involving these two managers, we have our eyes firmly on the touchline as well as on the pitch during the 90 minutes. and there were certainly signs of improvement for liverpool despite defeat against manchester united in the fa cup over the weekend. so i think fans will take heart from that. tottenham will enjoy playing on the counterattack with jose mourinho short full—backs this evening with the likes of ben davis, matt dockerty and serge regula on looking down. so we will see how it plays down. kick—off is at 8pm. evidence perhaps you can't predict anything in this unpredictable season. lizzie doyle joins us from the anfield wrap liverpool podcast, along with abbi simmonds from the spurs web blog. great to speak to you both this

evening. a blip, ali, for liverpool, or signs of something more worrying? i think it's a blip, a lot of this is to do with the fact that we haven't got a centre off and we are struggling to keep our centre half. the only centre half we've got is expected to play tonight, asjurgen klopp said in the press conference, but there's rumours stewing around that robinho might be out. itjust feels like it never ends because liverpool are using our best defence, which has a knock on effect on everyone else. you can make any excuses but it will have an effect on the team. but it still the same team that won the league last season by a mile. but i think they need some confidence, and i think one thing at the first and, they'll string on a couple of good games. it's anyone's league, and ijust hope it will be liverpool's. irate it's anyone's league, and i 'ust hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries _ hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries have _ hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries have taken _ hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries have taken a - hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries have taken a toll- hope it will be liverpool's. we know those injuries have taken a toll for. those injuries have taken a toll for liverpool. i moreno has been brought

into win trophies, there into the fifth round the fa cup, but it's these big games against the big teams at the top of the table that really matter the most?— teams at the top of the table that really matter the most? we've been aood this really matter the most? we've been good this season _ really matter the most? we've been good this season against _ really matter the most? we've been good this season against the - really matter the most? we've been good this season against the typical| good this season against the typical top six _ good this season against the typical top six teams. obviously we did lose at anfield. _ top six teams. obviously we did lose at anfield, it was set up in a way for us _ at anfield, it was set up in a way for us to— at anfield, it was set up in a way for us to try— at anfield, it was set up in a way for us to try to not lose, we lost in the _ for us to try to not lose, we lost in the final— for us to try to not lose, we lost in the final hurdle. but it sets up tonight, — in the final hurdle. but it sets up tonight, like we touched on earlier, we have _ tonight, like we touched on earlier, we have no— tonight, like we touched on earlier, we have no fallback so there's an issue _ we have no fallback so there's an issue there _ we have no fallback so there's an issue there. i wonder how he will set up _ issue there. i wonder how he will set up having the advantage if there is any— set up having the advantage if there is any advantage the season. but obviously— is any advantage the season. but obviously through to the fifth round, — obviously through to the fifth round, we are in a cup final in april— round, we are in a cup final in aprilagainst round, we are in a cup final in april against manchester city. so what _ april against manchester city. so what he's — april against manchester city. so what he's coming to do, he's on track— what he's coming to do, he's on track to— what he's coming to do, he's on track to achieve. obviously it's anyone's— track to achieve. obviously it's anyone's game, and we have the europa _ anyone's game, and we have the europa league to come. any title this season — europa league to come. any title this season is what they need the most, _ this season is what they need the most, so — this season is what they need the most, so i — this season is what they need the most, so i would say his appointment

would _ most, so i would say his appointment would be _ most, so i would say his appointment would be his— most, so i would say his appointment would be his best. jose most, so i would say his appointment would be his best.— would be his best. jose moreno doesnt would be his best. jose moreno doesn't have — would be his best. jose moreno doesn't have the _ would be his best. jose moreno doesn't have the best - would be his best. jose moreno doesn't have the best of - would be his best. jose moreno i doesn't have the best of records? i'll take that, liverpool have a great record against spurs. i said that against manchester united, sometimes it helps you get out of the funk you need, you need a big game and a big challenge. in this team does very well the challenges, it does so well with everything thrown against them. and if you like a game like spurs, manchester united in the cup, we have a couple goals back, ijust feel like in the cup, we have a couple goals back, i just feel like this in the cup, we have a couple goals back, ijust feel like this might be the start of something. i'm feeling quietly confident tonight, that's if all 11 players make the pitch. but it doesn't feel like it will be that way, unfortunately. for tottenham, the 'll way, unfortunately. for tottenham, they'llthink— way, unfortunately. for tottenham, they'll think liverpool _ way, unfortunately. for tottenham, they'll think liverpool are _ way, unfortunately. for tottenham, they'll think liverpool are there - they'll think liverpool are there for the taking after this run. they'll want to see jose moreno for the taking after this run. they'll want to seejose moreno let the hand brake off. will he do that? we can only hope. there's no better time to— we can only hope. there's no better time to play— we can only hope. there's no better time to play liverpool than now. liverpool— time to play liverpool than now. liverpool are a fantastic side regardless of their form therein, we

saw that— regardless of their form therein, we saw that in— regardless of their form therein, we saw that in going up to anfield being — saw that in going up to anfield being top of the table, form goes out the _ being top of the table, form goes out the window. but you would hope that with _ out the window. but you would hope that with the attacking players we've — that with the attacking players we've got, he will let them do what they're _ we've got, he will let them do what they're good at, which is our attacking _ they're good at, which is our attacking artillery. we saw in the 90 minutes at wickham, but i would love to _ 90 minutes at wickham, but i would love to see _ 90 minutes at wickham, but i would love to see him playing and really io love to see him playing and really go for— love to see him playing and really go for liverpool. because they are effectively there for the taking. there's— effectively there for the taking. there's no time like the present to put the _ there's no time like the present to put the knife in and take three points— put the knife in and take three points off— put the knife in and take three points off them.— put the knife in and take three points off them. great stuff, really awesome to _ points off them. great stuff, really awesome to speak— points off them. great stuff, really awesome to speak to _ points off them. great stuff, really awesome to speak to you. - points off them. great stuff, really awesome to speak to you. enjoy i points off them. great stuff, really. awesome to speak to you. enjoy the game tonight, kick office at 8pm let's run through a few more of today's football stories. 8pm thomas tuchel says he's aware but not scared of chelsea's after frank lampard's sacking at chelsea, replacement thomas tuchel says he's aware but not scared of chelsea's ruthless streak. he becomes the 15th manager of the roman abramovich era. cristiano ronaldo is being investigated by italian police over a trip he allegedly took to celebrate his girlfriend's birthday. the juventus forward is accused

of breaking covid—i9 rules by travelling to a ski resort.