time for a look at the weather. here's tomasz schafernaker. the heavens open today and we had blunder across the country but the heaviest of the rain has been across south—west parts of the country, devon and south wales, an area of low pressure with a weather front spiralling in. a very slow area which has been almost stationary in parts of the country. further north, heavy showers across wales, parts of north—west england and into dumfries and galloway. some scattered showers also in northern ireland, and some others missed the showers altogether. through the night as the showers die away in the south, it will turn murky across many other areas. this cloud will spread in from the north sea. it's going to be frost—free, 6 degrees in newcastle, 9 degrees in cardiff, and the good news for tomorrow is we are expecting fewer downpours but i want to emphasise the word viewer. we are

expecting some thunderstorms quite possibly across western and southern areas of the uk. towards the east and central parts of the country we will have a fairly cloudy skies until at least lunchtime, then through the afternoon there will be a bit of sunshine. remember, some scattered downpours towards the west and south expected tomorrow as well. in the sunshine around 16 celsius. i'm going to level with you, the weekend is not looking great. we are expecting big downpours, some hail and thunder as well, both on saturday and sunday. and guess what, the heavy showers will continue into next week as well. the temperatures will be disappointing, so there you 90, will be disappointing, so there you go, food for thought and not your barbecue. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm gavin ramjaun.

plenty on the way, including build up to the big premier league match, between manchester united and liverpool. uefa confirms the champions league final in porto later this month — we'll have reaction from the fans, set to make the trip to portugal.

ownership of manchester united.the club play their reaaranged league fixture against rivals liverpool tonight — it was postponed earlier this month, after protesting fans broke into the stadium... kick off is in just over a couple of hours, and we canjoin our sports correspondent andy swiss, at old trafford for us. what's the scene like down there at the moment... we are here around the side of old trafford stadium but if you go around the front at the moment there is another protest taking place by united fans come probably a few

hundred of them protesting against their own eyes, they are singing songs, they are waving banners but the thing is it's very different than a few days ago. there is an increased police presence. if you go around the front there are layers of police officers, security staff, as well as of police fines and large numbers of mental barriers around the front of the stadium. particularly the area where fans manage to break the security 11 days ago and get onto the pitch. there is now a heavy metal barricade to stop funds getting in. with that said, we have had some reports that the liverpool team, one of the liverpool team buses has been blocked as it left the team hotel earlier on this afternoon. we are not sure who is on that team bus if anyone but there are reports that that is finally on the move once again. you can imagine that both clubs will be keeping our fingers crossed and his fixture which already had to be postponed

once because of protests goes ahead smoothly this evening. in terms of the game itself, its a massive one. bragging rights not only for either side but for liverpool there is massive steak tonight. a huge amount at stake especially for liverpool. they backed her for a at stake especially for liverpool. they backed herfor a champions league qualification spot. yesterday, our s&l did a happy favour by beating chelsea. what that means now is that liverpool are seven points behind chelsea. they do have two games in hand. so they do still have a chance of closing that gap- still have a chance of closing that gap. they know they can't avoid any more slip—ups. they will be desperate to get a three point here this evening to keep those champions league qualification hopes that i have. ., ., , , ., have. for the home side, you naturally _ have. for the home side, you naturally want _ have. for the home side, you naturally want to _ have. for the home side, you naturally want to come - have. for the home side, you i naturally want to come through. have. for the home side, you - naturally want to come through. it had a lot of games and they are set to have a couple more before their final. fin to have a couple more before their final. w to have a couple more before their final. .. ., .,

to have a couple more before their final. ., ., final. on the face of it. not so much for _ final. on the face of it. not so much for manchester - final. on the face of it. not so much for manchester united l final. on the face of it. not so | much for manchester united to final. on the face of it. not so - much for manchester united to pay for. they've already got a champions league qualification spot a short and they have already got that top four finish and they have already got that top fourfinish in and they have already got that top four finish in the and they have already got that top fourfinish in the back. we'll be starting to think about that you are which is not too far away and yes, this is that a third of three games in the space ofjust five days as a result of this next year. originally having to be postponed. that's why they got the fixture. two days ago they got the fixture. two days ago they lost that for safety. mb made changes to the team to try and keep some of the players fresh. it would be very interesting to see what sort of theme they report out here this evening of course, this is manchester united against liverpool. it's one of the biggest rivalries into english league. so no motivation required for either side. thank you very much for that. thanks to our sports corrspondent, andy swiss. well, earlier i spoke to manchester united fan peter boyle, and i asked him why united fans discontent with the clubs owners continues. i don't think you look at a protest

as big as the initial one. people are not going away. the torch paper has been late. what's happening is some people may be felt defeated and is not much you can do. it's been reignited. yet the super league it was a big shot and people sticking the finger is up to the fines and people of football and all the clubs involved and i think that is really triggered united fans to think wait a minute, we are not giving up on ourown a minute, we are not giving up on our own battle. so maybe people protesting at other clubs and most of them are protesting. i think the eneko defence it went deeper and went to the liverpool fans as well to be fair. ., ., ., to be fair. you mention how the eumpean _ to be fair. you mention how the eumpean super _ to be fair. you mention how the european super league - to be fair. you mention how the european super league was - to be fair. you mention how the i european super league was almost like a trigger to the fans and how they were feeling within this debate at the moment. do you think fans are likely to forgive and forget anytime soon particularly when fans are allowed back into the ground? let’s

allowed back into the ground? let's aet one allowed back into the ground? let's get one thing _ allowed back into the ground? let's get one thing clear. _ allowed back into the ground? let�*s get one thing clear. united fans are behind the manager of the team. we all want to support the team. but we feel like the team and players have got their hands tied around their back sometimes. i think the club and the revenue the club makes it's not really being in that into the structure of the clubs etc. people are really missing football. fans of all clubs. the atmosphere would be a lot better when football is allowed back. i'd be very surprised if hard—core fans, i don't think they will forgive. i think some people might not go back to football. well one premier league match has already kicked off.. everton are still harbouring hopes of playing european football next season. a win at aston villa tonight could take them level on points with fifth place west ham.. they are approaching half—time. the latest score is 0—0. now, it was the news we expected,

but today uefa confirmed that this month's champions league will be held in portugal. it means wembley misses out on the big game despite two english finallists, manchester city and chelsea. we'll be hearing what the fans think in a moment, but first our senior sports news correspondent, laura scott, explains why european football bosses went for porto over london. they had initially offered to host the final at wembley and our understanding is that when b was uefa's preferred option. clearly, fans from the uk would have been able to attend quite easily. but a sticking point emerged and that was quite simply that belief i want to quarantine exceptions for up to 3000 of its international stakeholders. those are sponsors and officials and wanted to quarantine exemption for

them and that was not agreed by the uk government we heard from the culture secretary this week. he explained that a priority was to protect the integrity of the ranking system. and clearly the fact that was not forthcoming for uefa meant they had to look elsewhere because they had to look elsewhere because they felt they needed to honour some contractual obligations. there has been some controversy about favouring the aps over fans but they felt they had to look elsewhere and that's when portugal came in and stepped up to host the champions league finalfor the stepped up to host the champions league final for the second year in a row. and i think by local authorities foretell seem a useful option because particle is on the government's greenest self and should be able to go to portugal and come back without quarantining and they could bring their stakeholders in relatively easily. there has been

a development regarding their policy for travelling fans. what a development regarding their policy for travelling fans.— for travelling fans. what is the latest therapy _ for travelling fans. what is the latest therapy this _ for travelling fans. what is the latest therapy this has - for travelling fans. what is the latest therapy this has been i for travelling fans. what is the latest therapy this has been in i for travelling fans. what is the i latest therapy this has been in the last hour or so. this latest therapy this has been in the last hour or so.— last hour or so. this is very fast and could _ last hour or so. this is very fast and could be — last hour or so. this is very fast and could be subject _ last hour or so. this is very fast and could be subject to - last hour or so. this is very fast j and could be subject to change. last hour or so. this is very fast i and could be subject to change. what we know at this stage is that political�*s cabinet affairs minister told a news conference that they would be rules forfans told a news conference that they would be rules for fans attending the match and she said they will come and return on the same day with the test done and in a bubble situation on charter flights. she also said they would be buses taking the funds from the airport to the stadium and then back from the state into the airport and that they would be impracticalfor less into the airport and that they would be impractical for less than 2a hours. —— in particular. that would be of some content to fans of already put their own flights out to particle and following the announcement from you later today that defendant was going. it is as they say they resent and we are quite clear on what that would mean

for those fans who booked their own flights. the clubs also have not considered as yet what they are try arrangements would be. although our understanding was manchester city were planning on doing some sort of a trip out to portugal. the portuguese government has said they are extending the emergency situation until the end of may. that is why these rules are being put into place and they say it's to ensure that covid—i9 rates remain low and portugal. but clearly despite the fact that the us the president said earlier he was donated a compromise has been reached. this news from portugal on the rules has caught some people off guard. it spoken may find they country and a solution can be found that will suit our supporters. thank ou ve that will suit our supporters. thank you very much- _ that will suit our supporters. thank you very much. gentlemen. - that will suit our supporters. thank you very much. gentlemen. thank| that will suit our supporters. thank you very much. gentlemen. thank you forjoining us today. kevin, i will

start with you. in terms of your feeling about the decision to hold the final what is your sense around that? is it a fair call by uefa? it is disappointing. it would be betsy —— betterfor chelsea is disappointing. it would be betsy —— better for chelsea and 50 support as if the game had been in england but it went with regards to the government and 2000 vips there about special dispensation to come into the lake —— the uk under the covid—i9 protocol and i think as a country we will work very hard for months and suddenly the government change the rules for some high—ranking uefa officials who probably would not have been the right thing to have been. so it's frustrating as it is and i understand the decision of the government has taken. would you have liked to have seen the final at wembley?—

would you have liked to have seen the final at wembley? yeah, it would have been fantastic. _ the final at wembley? yeah, it would have been fantastic. this _ the final at wembley? yeah, it would have been fantastic. this is _ the final at wembley? yeah, it would have been fantastic. this is much i have been fantastic. this is much bigger— have been fantastic. this is much bigger thanjust a have been fantastic. this is much bigger than just a football match, and we _ bigger than just a football match, and we might not like to compromise on that, _ and we might not like to compromise on that, it _ and we might not like to compromise on that, it is— and we might not like to compromise on that, it is frustrating, disappointing, but it is a european final.~~ _ disappointing, but it is a european final.~~ as— disappointing, but it is a european final,... as faras i'm disappointing, but it is a european final,... as far as i'm concerned, uefa _ final,... as far as i'm concerned, uefa have — final,... as far as i'm concerned, uefa have shown that supporters don't _ uefa have shown that supporters don't get — uefa have shown that supporters don't get a fair crack at the pub, because — don't get a fair crack at the pub, because you want to be offensive for two weeks _ because you want to be offensive for two weeks with a super late fiasco, and that _ two weeks with a super late fiasco, and that is— two weeks with a super late fiasco, and that is done, they don't care, we will— and that is done, they don't care, we will do — and that is done, they don't care, we will do what is best for uefa. and that — we will do what is best for uefa. and that feeling, that one event uefa for both your search, what is that for the supporters at the moment?— that for the supporters at the moment? ., ., ., ,, ,, that for the supporters at the moment? ., ., ,, moment? how do you assess it? it has one from moment? how do you assess it? it has gone from no — moment? how do you assess it? it has gone from no funds _ moment? how do you assess it? it has gone from no funds to _ moment? how do you assess it? it has gone from no funds to potentially i gone from no funds to potentially 6000, _ gone from no funds to potentially 6000, so — gone from no funds to potentially 6000, so there is a little positive, but given— 6000, so there is a little positive, but given it — 6000, so there is a little positive, but given it would be common sense 'ust but given it would be common sense just to _ but given it would be common sense just to have — but given it would be common sense just to have it at wembley, it would have been_ just to have it at wembley, it would have been the sensible decision, argued _ have been the sensible decision, argued i— have been the sensible decision, argued i understand people want to id argued i understand people want to go on _ argued i understand people want to go on a _ argued i understand people want to go on a european trip, but to minimise— go on a european trip, but to minimise travelling for 12,000 minimise travelling for12,000 official— minimise travelling for 12,000 official supporters from both clubs, and end _

official supporters from both clubs, and end all— official supporters from both clubs, and end all those who go independently, it would make more sense _ independently, it would make more sense just _ independently, it would make more sense just to have it at wembley. kevin, _ sense just to have it at wembley. kevin, what is your feeling around that? i kevin, what is your feeling around that? ., ., , ., ._ that? i agree. in a strange way, the fact that the — that? i agree. in a strange way, the fact that the number _ that? i agree. in a strange way, the fact that the number of _ that? i agree. in a strange way, the fact that the number of fans - that? i agree. in a strange way, the fact that the number of fans is i fact that the number of fans is reduced, but the percentage of the true funds in the city and watching the games is probably slightly higher than it would normally be for a champions league final, so i'm sure there's going to be a great atmosphere. i think it is what it is not. we have to sort of forget the issues that we've had. a week ago, no funds were going to go to the champions league final, now both teams have got 6000 supporters are able to go, so let's take the positives, let's go and have a great day, let's hope city win, of course, and you with everything else after that. �* , , ., ., , and you with everything else after that. �*, , ., ., , �* that. let's see how it goes. i'm sure it will _ that. let's see how it goes. i'm sure it will be _ that. let's see how it goes. i'm sure it will be an _ that. let's see how it goes. i'm sure it will be an exciting i that. let's see how it goes. i'm sure it will be an exciting final. | sure it will be an exciting final. thank you very much indeed.