caretaker manager ryan mason who's yet to reach 30. michael redford reports. the 2021 league cup final. we are to begin? normally, this is the first major trophy on offer in endless domestic season, but this campaign has been anything but normal. the coronavirus pandemic means it is happening to months later than planned, with only 8000 fans allowed. that is just the start. both tottenham and manchester city were part of the european super league announcement this week. both were part of pulling out a couple of days later. and that there is the small matter of spurs sacking their manager. jose mourinho outs, ryan mason in. the former midfielder made 70 appearances for his hometown club before a serious head injury forced him to retire. 0n before a serious head injury forced him to retire. on sunday, he will be leading tottenham out at wembley, aged just 29. this leading tottenham out at wembley, aged just 29-_ aged just 29. this isn't so much about me. _ aged just 29. this isn't so much about me. it — aged just 29. this isn't so much about me, it is— aged just 29. this isn't so much about me, it is about _ aged just 29. this isn't so much about me, it is about the - aged just 29. this isn't so much i about me, it is about the football club, it is about tottenham hotspur

being involved in these big matches, ourfans being involved in these big matches, our fans getting dizzy is being involved in these big matches, ourfans getting dizzy is in being involved in these big matches, our fans getting dizzy is in these big matches, and my mind and my focus is fully on the match and maybe one day once the season is done, then i can rest and get some time to think, then i will look back on it and be very proud. but time to think, then i will look back on it and be very proud.— on it and be very proud. but if mason and — on it and be very proud. but if mason and his _ on it and be very proud. but if mason and his side _ on it and be very proud. but if mason and his side are - on it and be very proud. but if mason and his side are goingl on it and be very proud. but if. mason and his side are going to on it and be very proud. but if mason and his side are going to left theirfirst trophy in 13 mason and his side are going to left their first trophy in 13 years, they will have to do it the hard way. the league cup has become manchester city's up in recent times. a win at wembley will see them lift the trophy for a fourth successive year. something that has not been done in nearly four decades. we something that has not been done in nearly four decades.— something that has not been done in nearly four decades. we are happy to be here. nearly four decades. we are happy to be here- we — nearly four decades. we are happy to be here. we have _ nearly four decades. we are happy to be here. we have a _ nearly four decades. we are happy to be here. we have a tough _ be here. we have a tough competition, especially in the semifinals. and we want to win the final, _ semifinals. and we want to win the final, so— semifinals. and we want to win the final, so we — semifinals. and we want to win the final, so we are going to travel to london _ final, so we are going to travel to london on — final, so we are going to travel to london on saturday to do the game and when _ london on saturday to do the game and when the title.— and when the title. success on sunday would _ and when the title. success on sunday would also _ and when the title. success on sunday would also keep - and when the title. success on sunday would also keep city'sl and when the title. success on - sunday would also keep city's travel hopes alive, help boosted by the return of sergio aguero to training.

the same can't be said for tottenham's star striker. an injury meaning harry kane is waiting to be fit. tottenham will need their fans. there will be 2000 of them at wembley. paul is one of the lucky ones. , , . ~ ., wembley. paul is one of the lucky ones. , . ~ ., ., ones. just getting back into that routine of organising _ ones. just getting back into that routine of organising to - ones. just getting back into that routine of organising to meet i ones. just getting back into that| routine of organising to meet up before _ routine of organising to meet up before the — routine of organising to meet up before the game _ routine of organising to meet up before the game and _ routine of organising to meet up before the game and have - routine of organising to meet up before the game and have a - routine of organising to meet up. before the game and have a thing routine of organising to meet up - before the game and have a thing and making _ before the game and have a thing and making arrangements— before the game and have a thing and making arrangements is— before the game and have a thing and making arrangements isjust - before the game and have a thing and making arrangements isjust great. i making arrangements isjust great. and obviously— making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact _ making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact that _ making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact that it _ making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact that it is - making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact that it is a - making arrangements isjust great. and obviously fact that it is a cup . and obviously fact that it is a cup finat _ and obviously fact that it is a cup final. obviously, _ and obviously fact that it is a cup final. obviously, hopefully- and obviously fact that it is a cup final. obviously, hopefully we . and obviously fact that it is a cupi final. obviously, hopefully we can win. final. obviously, hopefully we can win in— final. obviously, hopefully we can win. ., , final. obviously, hopefully we can win. . , ., , ., win. in the lead up to this final, it feels impossible _ win. in the lead up to this final, it feels impossible to _ win. in the lead up to this final, it feels impossible to predict i win. in the lead up to this final, i it feels impossible to predict what will happen on sunday. michael radford, bbc news. time for a look at a few of the other sports stories around this friday evening. defending champion ronnie o sullivan faces a fight to stay in the competition at

the world snooker championship — he trails anthony mcgill by four frames at the crucible in sheffield. british men's number two cameron norrie has been beaten by rafa nadal at the barcelona open. the world number two won their quarter—final in straight sets . nadal is aiming to win the competition for a 12th time. britain's simon yates has won the tour of the alps — though austria's felix grosschartner won the final stage. yates finished safely in the pack — great preparation for next month's giro d'italia. great britain has won its first medal at this year's gymnastics european championships. jessica gadirova won bronze in the women's all around final — fight it out. six times european champion and olympic bronze medallist beth tweddle is part of the bbc�*s commentary team and joins me now. you have been watching all of the action so fast we can bring us right up—to—date. tell is aboutjessica. that is really exciting. it is her

senior debut and she has got a bronze. that is amazing.- senior debut and she has got a bronze. that is amazing. yes, it is been a fantastic _ bronze. that is amazing. yes, it is been a fantastic day _ bronze. that is amazing. yes, it is been a fantastic day for _ bronze. that is amazing. yes, it is been a fantastic day for the i been a fantastic day for the british�*s women's team. we also had others winning. jessica is a huge talent and also her twinset is to but unfortunately wasn't there at these championships. she isjust beautiful to watch. we are seeing here her vault and the height, the execution, that was her last piece of apparatus and it is really special to watch these youngsters coming through the ranks. obviously, we have only got a few months until the olympics, so it is great preparation. and they have had a tough year, as has every elite athlete who hasn't necessarily been able to do the preparation they would have wanted, so what a great way to go to the europeans, pick up a bronze and then 91 days out from the olympics. you a bronze and then 91 days out from the olympics-— the olympics. you mention that it has been a _ the olympics. you mention that it has been a disruptive _ the olympics. you mention that it has been a disruptive year - the olympics. you mention that it has been a disruptive year for i has been a disruptive year for olympic athletes. is that what we

saw with max whitlock, the olympic chaplain who failed to qualify for the final of the pommel horse? he fell off. is that what we have seen? i have been watching the competition very closely and he did fall but i would not worry too much going into the olympics with that. mistakes happen. we are all human and obviously it wasn't his best day at the office. he was hugely disappointed with that but he will learn from that. but across—the—board, we have seen great performances. there have been lots of false also and they haven't competed properly since the 2019 world championships. it takes awhile to get back into competition for you can do all of the preparation you wanted again, but as soon as you put your arm up to thatjudge, it is a totally different ball game and so competition will get them back out there. so we don't need to worry? no, not worried at all. max will work very closely with his coach, scott, and they will have lots of

competition practice leading up to olympics. brilliant. are you on more this evening? more gymnastics to come? the man's optician hasjust finished, subject and josh finished tenth and 12th, they are youngsters coming through, great exposure and experience, but we are back on tomorrow and have a number of finals across the women's so you can catch us on the bbc both saturday and sunday with the gymnastics. lots of gymnastics to come. thank you so much for sharing your expertise that this evening. england and france meet in the final of the six nations tomorrow. this year's tournament has adopted a new format but tomorrow's finale at the twickeham stoop still brings together two sides who have won the last five competitions between them. earlier, i spoke to former england player and now commentator nolli waterman. france had tipped the scale in terms of how they have been playing recently. england are still finding their feet with the likes of natasha and katy daley—mclean not involved again, so i think tomorrow will be

an absolutely cracking test match and hopefully it will be a nice sunny day as well and we get plenty of running rugby. d0 sunny day as well and we get plenty of running rugby-— sunny day as well and we get plenty of running rugby. do you think about this new format? _ of running rugby. do you think about this new format? do _ of running rugby. do you think about this new format? do you _ of running rugby. do you think about this new format? do you think i of running rugby. do you think about this new format? do you think it i this new format? do you think it should stick around, the fact that we are having a final, which is not normally how the six nations plays, but there is a sense of occasion that we don't normally have? do think that is something to go with, moving forward? i think that is something to go with, moving forward?— moving forward? i am really torn because i think _ moving forward? i am really torn because i think the _ moving forward? i am really torn because i think the one - moving forward? i am really torn because i think the one thing i moving forward? i am really torn| because i think the one thing that it would need to change is the number of games because the players have only played three and you do want to have that full five test matches if you can. i think probably if we did revert back to the old way and we went on our own away from the men's, we would end up probably with a final because it would go on world rankings. at the moment, we don't often have that big game at the end often have that big game at the end of the tournament because the rankings are done on the men's side rather than the woman's, so england and france will play each other a lot earlier on in the tournament, so that i think the biggest thing for

me as we have got a stand—alone super saturday of warren's six nations and all three games can be watched live and there are no clashes and i think it is the internationals of the weekend, which irrelevant of format, i think that is what is exciting about this weekend. it is what is exciting about this weekend-— is what is exciting about this weekend. , ., ., , ., weekend. it is going to be an almiah weekend. it is going to be an almighty performance - weekend. it is going to be an almighty performance and i weekend. it is going to be an l almighty performance and you weekend. it is going to be an i almighty performance and you are going to be pitched aside because you have made the switch over from playing into being a pundit and it has been such an interesting journey for you. you have made a film about that switch and about the challenges that switch and about the challenges that you have had to face as part of that you have had to face as part of that change. let'sjust that you have had to face as part of that change. let's just hear a quick clip about you talking about some of the really difficult parts of your newjob. the really difficult parts of your new 'ob. ., ~ ., ., , , new job. you know what? the guys get loads of grief — new job. you know what? the guys get loads of grief from _ new job. you know what? the guys get loads of grief from trolls _ new job. you know what? the guys get loads of grief from trolls and _ new job. you know what? the guys get loads of grief from trolls and it - loads of grief from trolls and it isn't necessarilyjust loads of grief from trolls and it isn't necessarily just about loads of grief from trolls and it isn't necessarilyjust about my gender but there is always a sting in the tail, the way that they describe me, the way they talk about what i deliver, they talk about my voice and the words that they

describe me, they would never use to describe me, they would never use to describe a male pundit and i think thatis describe a male pundit and i think that is where you can start to see that is where you can start to see that this isn't about my ability as a pundit, this is about my gender. as much as i say it is not and it is just their opinion, people don't realise the unconscious bias that they have. realise the unconscious bias that the have. ~ , , ., realise the unconscious bias that they have-— realise the unconscious bias that the have. ~ , ., they have. why did you feel that you had to make — they have. why did you feel that you had to make a _ they have. why did you feel that you had to make a film _ they have. why did you feel that you had to make a film and _ they have. why did you feel that you had to make a film and speak- they have. why did you feel that you had to make a film and speak out i had to make a film and speak out about this?— had to make a film and speak out about this? . , ., , ,., ., about this? fahmy, h was important to be able to — about this? fahmy, h was important to be able to share _ about this? fahmy, h was important to be able to share my _ about this? fahmy, h was important to be able to share my journey i about this? fahmy, h was important to be able to share my journey and l to be able to share myjourney and actually talk about the challenges that i have faced, talk about the effects that the trolling has had on me, but at the same time china light on the amazing journey and opportunities that i have had, and there aren't that many women working in sports media at the moment, but that doesn't mean that we are not here, and actually more that we can shout about the opportunities that are there, the more that young people can see that it is an avenue they can take and i am really

passionate about being real about the situation, so we can address it, we construct changing people's opinions, but at the same time not dwell on the negative, look at it as a positive, look at it as this is what i am doing and i am having a great time doing itand what i am doing and i am having a great time doing it and there are definitely far more opportunities for plenty more women to join me. absolutely. let's get them up there. but the problem is, it seems to be that the more women are up there, the more trolls there are as well. these think that will change, or is it something that women such as yourself are just it something that women such as yourself arejust going it something that women such as yourself are just going to have to deal with, find a way of dealing with? do you think there is anything that can be done to stop that being a problem for women? that can be done to stop that being a problem forwomen? i that can be done to stop that being a problem for women? i find that can be done to stop that being a problem for women?— a problem for women? i find social media trolling _ a problem for women? i find social media trolling really _ a problem for women? i find social media trolling really difficult i a problem for women? i find social media trolling really difficult to i media trolling really difficult to try and get my head around because it is so unnecessary. but we started to normalise it as a society and i think that we are challenging it, we

are questioning it, and there definitely can be changed. ijust want to make sure that it's not the reason that people don't start taking opportunities and don't step into a field because they are nervous or worried or concerned that it might happen to them. but i don't believe that people should have the opportunity to be as nasty and as horrible as they are. and unfortunately social media does get on that platform at the moment, but i really champion change within that and the more that we can address it and the more that we can address it and say that this is unacceptable, i hope that the more that we can start to stamp it out. don't forget that the six nations match starts tomorrow at two. you had the 6—nation comedy gymnastics, the snooker, plenty to fit in around spending time outside in the sun.

enjoy your time out in the sun. that's all from sportsday. good evening. the dry weather that has persisted for much of april so far is set to continue through the weekend and into the start of next week. as well as that pretty cold air, we will see some night—time frost. such is the strength of the april sunshine, we had 21 in north west wales during the day and we had high levels of uv in the south because we have barely had a cloud in the sky and the sun at this time of year is as strong as it is in late august. the dry weather is with us because of the high pressure but it moves further north through the weekend, allowing more isobars, so more wind to develop in southern areas and that will obviously accentuate the chill. the winter sweaters in southern areas through the night but there will be a little

bit of mist and fog elsewhere around dawn and that breeze not enough to prevent a frost, although it would not be quite as widespread as it was last night, they will still be patchy programme so farmers and growers beware. it is something we will have with us through the weekend as well, others staying fine by day, it is still chilly air and likely to result in some local frosts. we have mcleod around in eastern areas during the day on saturday. still some thicker cloud for the northern isles, the odd light shower here. for most of us, lots of unbroken, strong sunshine. with the breeze starting to turn and come off the north sea around that high pressure for eastern areas and that brisk wind in southern parts, temperatures will be down a degree or two on today. and it is partly because the sea is so—called at this time of year, the lowest temperatures occurred this time of year. the highest temperatures of late summer. if you have a wind of eight coming up in rc, you will not retain the 18 and 19 further inland, but there will still be plenty of

sunshine and dry and bright whether it willjust be a knockdown in temperatures compared to recent days. as we had to saturday evening and overnight, we pick up mcleod once again because we are starting to pull in more that that north—easterly wind. again, it is cold air so we will see apache frost once again sunday morning. it may not last long but it could be damaging still to plants. more mist and fog around, mark cloud for central parts and so the best of the sunshine will be in the west. the highest temperatures here too. a notable date with mcleod and eastern areas and that breeze as well. goodbye.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the court of appeal clears 39 former subpostmasters of fraud and false accounting, after one of the uk's most widespread miscarriages ofjustice. it was all about clearing my name. i'm not a thief, i'm not a fraudster. i'm an honest person and that... that's it. that's everything i want. india has reported its highest number of new daily infection — more than 330,00 cases. industrial oxygen is now having to be used in hospitals as stocks run out. dominic cummings, the prime minister's former senior aide, a new malaria vaccine developed by the team behind the oxford—astrazeneca jab has proved to be 77% effective in early trials.

dominic cummings, the prime minister's former senior aide,