doing a pm reat “ob of catchin this doing a reat “ob of catchin this evenin's greatjob of catching this evening's sunsets. a beautiful end to a pretty beautiful day in terms of autumn sunshine across the uk. the days are getting a little shorter of course, signs that autumn is moving in. also some early fog in the next few days will add to that. nothing too dramatic, no very wet or windy spells in the nearfuture. the reason for the fog, this ridge of high pressure extending across the uk as we look at thursday's forecast, the perfect set up the fog to develop. very light winds, high—pressure, clearskies, to develop. very light winds, high—pressure, clear skies, though much like this morning parts of yorkshire, the welsh marches, down the west country favoured the poor visibility first thing on thursday. a mild night, temperatures no lower than double figures for many. the sun is still strong enough to burn off any mist or fog quite quickly thursday morning. then a pretty glorious day for the majority, we should lose any early showers in the

north—east of scotland, but from the afternoon the picture changes for northern ireland, more cloud around. but pleasantly warm, temperatures around average for the time of year, 21 and 22 degrees. the cloud coming into the west is the forerunner of this weather front that will the west of the uk for friday. when i say set, it looks like it is literally going to do that, stick in one place, meaning the likes of northern ireland very wet day friday. rain eventually fringing into the west of scotland, wales and the south—west later in the day. quite a big east—west contrasts to end the week. 22 or 23 and sunshine further east. looks like scotland and northern ireland will be the driest places over the weekend, rather unsettled with showers over england and wales. and that is it from us. goodbye.

hello and welcome to sportsday, i'm chetan pathak. coming up on the programme: we'll be at anfield with a full house on a european night again, as liverpool take on ac milan in the champions league. he's won three premier league titles, will this be the season pep guardiola finally brings european glory to the etihad? we'll be there too ahead of the visit of rb leipzig. and slightly further afield, we'll hear from the newly crowned we will look at why 2021 could be a landmark year for women's sport. welcome along, thanks forjoining us. it's another big night in the champions league and that includes at anfield, where liverpool take on ac milan. until now, both sides have only ever met in the final.

it's 16 years since that famous, breathless match in istanbul, where liverpool came from 3—0 down to lift the trophy. jurgen klopp says he nearly turned the tv off at half—time that night, but in the end witnessed what he calls one of the biggest football sensations ever. it was impressive but i remember some impressive saves of dudek. they had to keep them in the game, dave scored three goals but milan could have scored more goals. after 3—0, milan were probably the favourite and stuff like this, it looked like the show was deciding and that it became the biggest football sensation ever. and i was really happy i didn't switch the telly off and watch the whole game. two years after istanbul,

ac milan had their revenge, beating liverpool in the 2007 champions league final, which remains the last time both sides met. bbc radio live�*s ian dennis is at anfield alongside pat nevin, with kick—off less than an hour and a half away. it's quite surprising given the rich pedigree of these clubs that this is the first meeting of the two clubs it is not a final, and it is an enticing contest to kick off the group stages of the season's champions league as far as liverpool are concerned. with me and commentary duties tonight is the former scottish international pat nevin. pat, should be a good game? i'm looking forward to this, any game, this place will be bouncing. we've waited a long time for this. i was at the recent game here between liverpool and chelsea and the noise was scary, but a european night is different. than you in ac milan, one of the great names of european football. they are good side.

italian football hasn't been at the forefront for a while but milan are at the top of the league and have won all their three league games so far and are playing with confidence. the other thing liverpool have to keep their minds, manchester united, they probably thought they had an easy one against young boys, certainly some of their fans will have done, there aren't any easy games until you get over the line. the property will have to be at their best. and you want to get to a good start at the group stages. figs good start at the group stages. as far as milan good start at the group stages. as faras milan are good start at the group stages. as far as milan are concerned they are backin far as milan are concerned they are back in the league after and absence of seven years, no ibrahimovic in the squad, but did you have a player you know very well, 0livier giroud. and should be rested because he didn't get many games for chelsea towards the end! he's not the best goal—scorer but brings other players in and the best out of them, so he's definitely going to be a threat. but

liverpool will be looking at their own strengths and they have so many at the moment. you think of some of the big names, is written in's big name, but look at the way salah has started this season, look all the way through the team, they are of a totally different team when they have van dijk back. so even though this is milan, liverpool should be good enough. this is milan, liverpool should be good enough-— this is milan, liverpool should be good enough. this is milan, liverpool should be auoodenouh. ., ., good enough. how you can 'oin us on bbc radio good enough. how you can 'oin us on sac radio 5 — good enough. how you can 'oin us on bbc radio 5 live, * good enough. how you can 'oin us on bbc radio 5 live, kick _ good enough. how you can 'oin us on bbc radio 5 live, kick off_ good enough. how you can join us on bbc radio 5 live, kick off at - good enough. how you can join us on bbc radio 5 live, kick off at 8pm. . also starting their champions league campaign tonight are manchester city. so close last season to winning the one trophy they want more any other, only to be denied by chelsea. pep guardiola's side face rb leipzig at the etihad, and conor mcnamara is there for bbc radio five live. this is manchester city's 11th campaign in the champions league. last season they came closer than ever before, all the way to the final, but still came up short in a tournament that has been the long stated ambition of the owners.

they've invested vast fortunes in their pursuit of this particular piece of silverware, the champions league, which pep guardiola has won as a coach in the past. here's the spanish international midfielder rodri who has been downplaying the pressure he and team—mates failed to deliver this big prize for the club at. �* , ., ., ., deliver this big prize for the club at. �*, ., ., ., ., ., , �*, at. it's a dream for all of us. it's not compulsory. _ at. it's a dream for all of us. it's not compulsory, i _ at. it's a dream for all of us. it's not compulsory, i think, - at. it's a dream for all of us. it's . not compulsory, ithink, champions not compulsory, i think, champions league is such an unbelievable tournament, only one winner. we have tournament, only one winner. we have to focus on ourselves and this season, because the trophies of the last part of the season. we don't have to... i don't think it's a good idea to think much about that. cityi idea to think much about that. city will ho -e idea to think much about that. city will hope to _ idea to think much about that. city will hope to have kevin de bruyne and phil foden back fit tonight, both were unused substitutes in the premier league win over leicester at the weekend. the opposition tonight, leipzig, have gone at reputation in

recent years, so much so that their old coach poached by bayern munich in the summer. they've i'm not fared very well without him at the start of this campaign, losing three of the opening four games in the bundesliga this season, including at the weekend, when the old coach nagelsmann came back with his new team bayern munich and beat leipzig 4-1. there are two games already under way in the chaplaincy, patrick pearse hosting borussia dortmund, the visitors with a 2—0 lead thanks tojude bellingham. the 18—year—old scored the first before setting up erling haaland for the second. and on the other early kick—off, chateau donetsk are a goal down to serve paul, the team from an unrecognised state between moldova and ukraine, this is the first time in the chaplaincy, what night it could be for them. chaplaincy, what night it could be forthem. some chaplaincy, what night it could be

for them. some really big games coming up tonight as well. lionel messi is expected to make his european debut for paris saint—germain away to bruges. they're in the same group as manchester city. in liverpool's group, atletico madrid take on porto. sporting lisbon face ajax in group c and arguably the biggest game of the night sees inter milan welcome the i3—time winners real madrid to the san siro. england are through to the quarterfinals of the european amputee football championship in poland. their all—time top scorer mickey chambers got both the goals in a 2—0 win over france, taking his tally to five at the tournament so far. i caught up with him a short while ago. today's match was a difficult one, france are very resilient, they defend well behind the ball. it's important for us to be patient when we had the ball. first half, we try to force things a bit too much, we didn't really execute the game plan well. we had a chat about it at

half—time, we regrouped and i think we performed a lot better in the second half. we performed a lot better in the second half-— we performed a lot better in the second half. ., _, ., , ., second half. how confident are you about your — second half. how confident are you about your chances _ second half. how confident are you about your chances this _ second half. how confident are you about your chances this time - second half. how confident are you | about your chances this time round? you are part of the team that reached the final in 2017, just missing out on the trophy in the end. how do you feel about potentially playing in a final on sunday, which is your birthday? 0bviously, sunday, which is your birthday? obviously, we need to get there first, which is something we work hard on. the chances of winning the event are as good as we have ever had. the team are in a good position. we're focused on the next game, the quarters. from our previous experience, we want to take that into the next game and the game after and hope that takes us to the final. we all know how we felt after the turkey match in 2017, we definitely don't want to feel like that again, to get so close to be wrong to it in the last kick of the game. figs wrong to it in the last kick of the name. �* , wrong to it in the last kick of the iame_ �* , ., wrong to it in the last kick of the ame. �* , ., , , game. as well as a distinguish football career, _ game. as well as a distinguish football career, euros - game. as well as a distinguish football career, euros of - game. as well as a distinguish

football career, euros of the i game. as well as a distinguish i football career, euros of the ring champion in amputee snooker. what is plain by sports given you? it is champion in amputee snooker. what is plain by sports given you?— plain by sports given you? it is the belief to let _ plain by sports given you? it is the belief to let people _ plain by sports given you? it is the belief to let people with _ belief to let people with disabilities know that that no matter what your disability is, whether your ability levels are high or low, itjust gives that opportunity that awesome a with a disability to go out and play the sport they love. i'll been playing at snooker my whole life and football. european qualifying for the 2023 fifa women's world cup gets going this week, with all the home nations in action. england are preparing to face north macedonia at st mary's on friday. beth mead was left out of hege rise's lionesses squad earlier this year and overlooked for the olympics too, but after scoring three goals in arsenal's first two wsl games, she's been named in wiegman's first england squad. she says they won't be underestimating north macedonia, despite being overwhelming favourites to win. i think these teams are always difficult to play against, they make it very hard and give us

strikers minimal space. so you've got to be creative in these types of games and you want to be on the scoresheet every game but there is perhaps a little bit of added pressure against these lower teams to do that. but i'm sure we will work on what we can of them and try and exploit their weaknesses individually and as a team. so, hopefully, that'll come off and we'll give a good performance on friday. also in england's group are northern ireland, who after their historic euro 2022 play—off win over ukraine in april will be hoping to make a positive return to comepteitive action when they face luxembourg at inver park on friday. northern ireland are hoping to qualify for the world cup for the first time in their history: scotland are away to hungary in their opening group game, whilst wales are at home to kazakhstan. they played each other four years ago during the last world cup qualifying campaign, with wales winning both matches. manchester city striker natasha harding says they're confident about qualifying

for the 2023 finals. us asa us as a group now, us as a group now, 0!’ us as a group now, or want to try and change the mind of everyone. it's about changing the wording that we use. it has always been, we hope to qualify, we might qualify but now, it's when we qualify, and we have to be able to believe in that. i believe this group is more than capable of qualifying for a major tournament, so this group, i think we're quietly confident and have potential but the special part of this group is our never say die attitude, and i think for us, we have higher aspirations to go to big places. a quick round—up now of some of the day's other sports stories. leeds united's pascal struijk has lost his appeal against the red card he got in the game against liverpool last weekend. he was dismissed for a challenge on harvey elliott, which resulted in the youngster dislocating his ankle, and will be suspended for the next three matches. pele says he feels ready for 90 minutes plus extra time

after leaving intensive care. brazil's all—time leading scorer is one of only four players to have scored in four world cup tournaments. and the world anti—doping agency is to review whether cannabis should remain on the list of banned substances. american sprinter sha'carri richardson missed the tokyo 0lympics after testing positive for the substance but said she'd used it to help cope with the death of her mother. us gymnast simone biles has given an emotional testimony before the senate about abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced former team doctor larry nassar. former team—mates also appeared before the committee, along with fbi director christopher wray. the hearing is examining shortcomings in the fbi's investigation into nassar, later convicted of sexually abusing girls and sentenced to life in prison.

i don't want another young gymnast, 0lympic athlete or any individual to experience the horror that i and hundreds of others have endured before, during and continuing to this day in the wake... ..of the larry nassar abuse. to be clear... to be clear, i blame larry nassar and i also blame... ..an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse. much more to come on that on the bbc sport website. next to golf. europe's ryder cup captain padraig harrington has appointed the 2016 open champion henrik stenson as his fifth and final vice—captain for the contest at whistling straits in wisconsin. stenson's played in five cups, winning three times. in his last outing in paris, three years ago, he won three matches out of three.

asa as a vice captain, you're there there to support