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.

the three—time grand slam champion naomi osaka has invested in professional women's football team north carolina courage. it's not been revealed how much of the team she owns. today, organisers of the tokyo olympics said hosting the games without fans remains an option under consideration. ioc president thomas bach dismissing speculation yesterday the games could be pushed back again or moved to another city. we'll find out how the uncertainty�*s affecting athlete preparations in a moment — but first, here's katie shanahan. despite recent polls indicating a majority of the japanese public field postponing or cancelling the tokyo olympics would be preferable, the local organising committee have reiterated the stance of the ioc, saying everyone is pushing in the same direction to start the games on 23july. translation: 23 july. translation: �* ., ~ translation: after talking with eve one translation: after talking with everyone and _ translation: after talking with

everyone and asking _ translation: after talking with everyone and asking them - translation: after talking with everyone and asking them about| translation: after talking with - everyone and asking them about their thoughts, no one from anywhere has questions or objections, and everyone wants to quickly make the tokyo games a success. there was a proposal to have a meeting in february with japanese ministries, the tokyo governor, the olympic organising committee and mr bock. tokyois organising committee and mr bock. tokyo is one of the democrats severaljapanese regions under several japanese regions under restriction. severaljapanese regions under restriction. and an event scheduled for march is moved back to may. but with israel, denmark and belgium among the nation saying they will vaccinate competitors before the games, hope is rising that there will be some sort of normality come july. will be some sort of normality come jul . ., , ., ., ., july. there will not be a lot of --eole july. there will not be a lot of peeple in _ july. there will not be a lot of peeple in the _ july. there will not be a lot of people in the olympic- july. there will not be a lot of people in the olympic village | july. there will not be a lot of- people in the olympic village and, like right— people in the olympic village and, like right after you compete the company — like right after you compete the companyjust complete the company just complete the competition, companyjust complete the competition, you go home. sol companyjust complete the competition, you go home. so i don't think— competition, you go home. so i don't think there's — competition, you go home. so i don't think there's anything to worry about— think there's anything to worry about because everything will be planned — about because everything will be planned and it will be safe. one national olympic _

planned and it will be safe. que: national olympic committee contacted by the bbc also expressed its solidarity with the ioc... the message is one of solidarity and, in whateverform the message is one of solidarity and, in whatever form they may take, the olympic games remain very much on the sporting calendar for 2021. katie shanahan, bbc news. well, sophie carigill is part of the gb�*s basketball team. i asked her how their preparations have been affected by all the uncertainty. we would love the games to go ahead this summer. but if they don't, we've got really exciting plans for next year, the commonwealth is coming up and we've got the world championships as well the stop so we are constantly competing. obviously the games taking place would be amazing, the rio paralympics for me were one of the best times of my

life. so i'd like it to go ahead, but safety comes first and that's a priority for everyone right now. but ou priority for everyone right now. but you consider your trying to peak your levels of performance for last year, and having to shift that to this year, how hard is it been to maintain those levels of training would you still aren't sure whether it'll go ahead? it’s would you still aren't sure whether it'll go ahead?— it'll go ahead? it's been different to sa the it'll go ahead? it's been different to say the least. _ it'll go ahead? it's been different to say the least. we've _ it'll go ahead? it's been different to say the least. we've set - it'll go ahead? it's been different to say the least. we've set up . it'll go ahead? it's been different. to say the least. we've set up home gyms which i never thought i would be doing, this time last year. it's just been really different, but we've been really well supported through our programme and through british wheelchair basketball to set “p british wheelchair basketball to set up those programmes at home and still be maintaining a level of fitness. but we are really fortunate to be back in training and on court. we are testing every week as well, so we are being as safe as possible to maintain safety, but it's also so important that we are back training and competing as soon as we can be. we know so many people are having to isolate at the moment anyway. have you missed out on a lot of opportunities to train as a team as

a result of that?— a result of that? actually know, we've done _ a result of that? actually know, we've done things _ a result of that? actually know, we've done things really - a result of that? actually know, we've done things really well. l a result of that? actually know, - we've done things really well. shout out to british wheelchair basketball who've really put our health and well—being first at the start of the pandemic. that was their priority, and training was second to that. and it was, as and when we can we will increase that. we've been really lucky, obviously with a real rigorous things in place, that testing is one of them. but also, you know, cleaning, hand sanitising constantly. we have breaks throughout our training sessions that allow us to clean our equipment and our hands, and everything, and we are wearing masks to train in and we are wearing masks to train in and we are wearing masks to train in and we are keeping our distance. so we've really put measures in place to put safety is our priority, and it's not actually meant that we've done anything massively different. the training we're doing is different in that it's distanced, basketball is close contact normally, but we've been able to

spend a lot more time on individual skills and really hone those skills, i suppose. and skills and really hone those skills, isuppose. and i skills and really hone those skills, i suppose. and i believe that'll really help us going into the games. you talk about some of the success that comes at world and european level, and some of the way to build thatis level, and some of the way to build that is increase participation. there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to boost the numbers involved in your sport? there is, absolutely. like you said, success at the elite level actually starts at participation level. and it's so important that we can grow the sport and increase the competition that people have, and increase how many people are playing and involved in it. and just watching it, as well, it's an amazing sport to watch, obviously i love participating. but i want people really to be competing for my sport to be coming into the gb team and have more competition at that level. and really, that starts at increasing our participation. so hopefully with this amazing new programme that we've launched today, we will be doing that and bringing

wheelchair basketball to the local community more than you've ever seen before. so it's a really exciting time for us. despite so much uncertainty, double olympic champion helen glover's making a return to rowing. after her successess in london and in rio competing alongside heather stanning in the coxless pairs, she's aiming to get back on the water in time to feature in tokyo this year. she's been speaking to sally nugent. helen glover, it is wonderful to see you in your natural habitat, right tjy you in your natural habitat, right by the water. its you in your natural habitat, right by the water-— you in your natural habitat, right by the water. its dedication, isn't to? taking _ by the water. its dedication, isn't to? taking you — by the water. its dedication, isn't to? taking you out _ by the water. its dedication, isn't to? taking you out to _ by the water. its dedication, isn't to? taking you out to the - by the water. its dedication, isn't l to? taking you out to the riverside with me. : , :, to? taking you out to the riverside with me. : y:. , to? taking you out to the riverside with me. : y:, , :, , with me. are you trying to tell us something? _ with me. are you trying to tell us something? dropping _ with me. are you trying to tell us something? dropping a - with me. are you trying to tell us something? dropping a big - with me. are you trying to tell us something? dropping a big hit. with me. are you trying to tell us l something? dropping a big hit with the rowin: something? dropping a big hit with the rowing machine _ something? dropping a big hit with the rowing machine behind - something? dropping a big hit with the rowing machine behind me - something? dropping a big hit with the rowing machine behind me andi the rowing machine behind me and being by the water. i've thought long and hard about a return to rowing. with the goal being to make the tokyo olympics. taste rowing. with the goal being to make the tokyo olympics.— the tokyo olympics. we should exlain to the tokyo olympics. we should explain to people _ the tokyo olympics. we should explain to people at _ the tokyo olympics. we should explain to people at home - the tokyo olympics. we should explain to people at home who | the tokyo olympics. we should - explain to people at home who don't know — you have three very young

children. just tell me their ages at the moment and what life is like for you. the moment and what life is like for ou. :, :, the moment and what life is like for oh. :, :, , :, the moment and what life is like for ou. :, :, , :, :, :, the moment and what life is like for ou. :, :, , :,:, :, :, :, you. logan is two and a half, and the twins have _ you. logan is two and a half, and the twins have just _ you. logan is two and a half, and the twins have just turned - you. logan is two and a half, and the twins have just turned one. l you. logan is two and a half, and i the twins have just turned one. that on its own is a huge dedication, really, just trying to be the best mum i can be. really, just trying to be the best mum i can be— really, just trying to be the best mum i can be. ~ :, :, :, :, ,:, mum i can be. what on earth made you want to net mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back _ mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in _ mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in a _ mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in a boat _ mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in a boat as _ mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in a boat as a - mum i can be. what on earth made you want to get back in a boat as a mum . want to get back in a boat as a mum of three very young children, and put yourself through this once again? put yourself through this once auain? ,, ::, put yourself through this once atain? ,, . ., :, put yourself through this once auain? ,, :. :, :, again? steve came to me and said that most people's _ again? steve came to me and said that most people's lockdown - again? steve came to me and said i that most people's lockdown project is learning to crochet, and mine was getting to the olympics. what happened was i was getting my fitness back from having the twins during that first lockdown, so just spending a lot more time on the rowing machine than i anticipated spending and getting fitter. and i started to see scores that i used to get when i was on the rowing team and, by summer, my scores got pretty good stop i contacted the rowing team and said," i'm just putting it out there about whether i can

return." i expected things to change more and for us to be able to go see family and friends, but we were still at home and i was still training. pick out a christmas time and i thought that i better follow through on this and return to a trial. there was never a day where i woke up and said that this would happen. ijust kind of kept going. how much care do you have to take in changing how you train, and what do you do? what's the difference now? i'm still discovering that now, because this path has been untrodden, so i'm kind of going through it for the first time in learning the hard way a little bit. do you have that dream of the podium, the moment? is that in your head? �* :, :, :, . , . . head? before london and before rio, it was old head? before london and before rio, it was gold or— head? before london and before rio, it was gold or nothing. _ head? before london and before rio, it was gold or nothing. it _ head? before london and before rio, it was gold or nothing. it felt - head? before london and before rio, it was gold or nothing. it felt like - it was gold or nothing. it felt like the most important thing in the moment, being on top of that podium. this time out, i can honestly say that my big picture is very, very different. i'm a mum, we're living

in a pandemic, and we've got all these things that are daily constant reminders that sport is not the most important thing. it's a real privilege to get to do it and it's exciting, and i love it. but it's not part of the big picture that's going on right now. it's been a decent day for britain's paul casey, after the first round of the dubai desert classic. he had a blistering start, topping the leaderboard with four birdies on the first four holes. he finished the day three shots off the lead — and as our golf correspondent iain carter explains, it could kick—start a big yearfor the englishman. i think this is very important for paul casey, this trip into the european tour, he's playing this week in dubai, next week in saudi arabia. and that could give him a platform towards retaining his place in the european ryder cup team come september. that undoubtably has to be one of his key priorities for the year, but as you say, a major is

something that is missing from his cv. he came very close at the pga championship last year. if you can get some momentum out of this week and next, then that would be very useful to take back to america and the build up to augusta in april. and we saw happen make a great start, didn't he, to the season. who else do you think we should be looking out for over the coming days? i looking out for over the coming da s? ~' :, looking out for over the coming da s? ~ :, , :_ :, looking out for over the coming da s? ~ :, :, :, , days? i think one player that really has been catching _ days? i think one player that really has been catching my _ days? i think one player that really has been catching my eye - days? i think one player that really has been catching my eye this - days? i think one player that really| has been catching my eye this week is robert mcintyre, the scottish left—hander, who isjust been in that area below the top 50 in the world it feels like foreign aid. he's number 52 in the world. if you get into the top 50 in the world, it's like a golden ticket, meaning you can play in all the big tournaments, plan your schedule, and you get into that virtuous circle of playing the biggest tournaments and gaining the biggest points, and therefore cementing your position there. he's got off to a great start here with 67. this course suits

them, i think his temperament is maturing all the time, his game is maturing all the time, his game is maturing all the time, his game is maturing all the time, and is potentially could be an important week for him. a quick look at some other stories making the headlines now... england's cricketers are in quarantine in india as they get ready for their test series. they arrived in chennai from sri lanka yesterday, and players immediately went into four days of self—isolation. kagiso rabada took his 200th test wicket but south africa suffered a late mini—collapse on the third day of the first test against pakistan. they closed play on 187 forfour, a lead of 29 runs. and judd trump is through to the quarterfinals of the german masters. the world number one beatjoe perry by five frames to three. and finally, we started the programme with a feat of incredible endurance — we finish with a feat of extreme courage from cyclist danny mckaskill who, for his latest video, has taken on a terrifying downhill descent on the isle of skye.

the scot who became an internet sensation when he released his first video back in 2009, showcases his skills once again, taking on the 900 metre route which at times looks almost vertical. some incredible pictures. if you haven't seen some of his other videos, they're well worth a look. that's all from sportsday. more to come from the sports centre throughout the day. but from now dust for now, goodbye. hello there. although it's been very wet at times recently, it's been very mild, 1a celsius there'd thursday afternoon. you can see the extent of the mild air not reaching the northern half of scotland. it's been cold, we've seen for the rain, sleet and snow, letting that cold

went out by the end of the week into the weekend. it'll stay wet across the weekend. it'll stay wet across the northern half of the country, rain band clears eastern england followed by lots of showers for the rest of england and wales, some of these are quite heavy. but a mild night to come across the south, cold again with some ice in the north. we start off with rain, sleet and snow across scotland for friday morning. lots of showers across southern britain. the day has generally improving pictures, you see the rain peter out in the north and starting to lose the showers in the south. it turns dry with brightness around, mild again in the south and cold in the north, cold air slipping southwards to all areas over the weekend. but we could see the risk of some rain, sleet and snow across the south and the west both saturday and sunday.

hello, i'm ros atkins, this is outside source. countries in europe are now running out of critical covid—19 vaccine supply — as a row of a delay in deliveries escalates. issues in the supply chain and with efficacy — germany says it will no longer give the astrazeneca jab to people over 65 because of "insufficient data" over its protection for older people. joe biden reverses some restrictions on abortion rights — as he continues to unpick donald trump's policies. we will look at what happened when smalltime investors took on wall street with a billion—dollar gamble on game stop and they won. and in our weekly report for the bbc website — we look at whether travel restrictions can work to curb the pandemic.