alison freeman, bbc news. here is sarah keith lucas with the weather. thanks, jane. mist and fog already around. northern ireland is going to see some really dense fog through tonight, there is a yellow warning that runs until 8am tomorrow. the storm that brought a lot of rain earlier on in the day has cleared away to the east now so we have this window of drier weather for the next 2a hours or so for most of us. lots of flood warnings in force, 75 across central and southern parts of england so it will take a little while before the flooding situation improves. but with all that water around it also means mist and fog will form really readily. to keep the western parts of england, northern ireland, that is where you will see extensive mist and fog and a cold night, —2 or —3 for many of us but —7 for parts of

scotland. icy stretches to start thursday, mist and fog pretty slow to clear, low cloud sitting across east anglia. the best of the sunshine will be for northern and eastern parts of the uk in general, whereas we will see more cloud moving in from the south—west. a few showers, the wind is picking up in the south—west, too. temperature pretty chilly, for the 7a many of us. friday, another largely dry day for many of us but rain will move in from the west later. windier in the west too. eastern areas should keep the sunshine. a little bit milder but with that milder weather on the way there will also be rain through the weekend. jane. way there will also be rain through the weekend. jane. that way there will also be rain through the weekend. jane. that is way there will also be rain through the weekend. jane. that is the way there will also be rain through the weekend. jane. that is the bbc news at six. now for the news wherever you are. goodbye. hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm hugh ferris. the headlines this evening. at home and in europe, no team can boast the record of liverpool so far this season —

but real madrid are at anfield to test it. where did it all go wrong? five defeats then from 3—0 to 3—3 in the blink of an eye, pep guardiola's city gloom deepens. 200 up for england as they set south africa a hefty target in match two of their t20 series. also coming up on sportsday this evening — with big—name stars and promising big rivalries, michaeljohnson tells us about his plans to shake up athletics. hello again. welcome alone. welcome along. we're exactly halfway through the new look opening phase

of the champions league, and ahead of tonight's match of the day, we're joined by danny murphy. but before we chat to danny, we're heading to anfield, because liverpool against real madrid is exactly the kind of game uefa wanted to see more of with the new format, and it's the feature of tonight's nine games with andy swiss pitch—side andy, it's the holders against the only team still with a 100% record. that's right, yes, he doesn't get a lot better than liverpool gets real madrid, especially with liverpool in such terrific form. let's have a chat with a former striker chris sutton, who is part of the commentary team of %live. —— 5live. are you expecting them to win tonight against liverpool? i think the stand tonight against liverpool? i think they stand a _ tonight against liverpool? i think they stand a fair _ tonight against liverpool? i think they stand a fair chance. - tonight against liverpool? i think they stand a fair chance. i - tonight against liverpool? i think they stand a fair chance. i don't i they stand a fair chance. i don't think anybody saw them really

hitting the level which they have so far. eight points clear at the top of the premier league, winning every game in the champions league so far and the new look at real madrid, you think they've got plenty of injuries to their key players. everything points towards liverpool, but then you look at real madrid's players like mbappe and billing them, so it's a fascinating game. i like mbappe and billing them, so it's a fascinating game.— it's a fascinating game. i think peeple thought _ it's a fascinating game. i think people thought this _ it's a fascinating game. i think people thought this was - it's a fascinating game. i think people thought this was a - people thought this was a transitional season —— bellingham. what does it you the most? it’s transitional season -- bellingham. what does it you the most? it's 'ust hit the ground fl what does it you the most? it's 'ust hit the ground running. i what does it you the most? it's 'ust hit the ground running. i i what does it you the most? it'sjust hit the ground running. i thought i hit the ground running. i thought everyone thought maybe in the summer, it would bring a lot of new faces — that hasn't happened. they play a different style under their new manager, but it's a slower build up new manager, but it's a slower build up at times, but they've got great players, they do win games, they're off to a flyer and liverpool fans just want this to continue. {lister off to a flyer and liverpool fans just want this to continue. over the

last 48 hours. _ just want this to continue. over the last 48 hours, headlines _ just want this to continue. over the last 48 hours, headlines have - just want this to continue. over the last 48 hours, headlines have beenj last 48 hours, headlines have been dominated by —— mo salah. do you think his comments will be a distraction? i don't think so. nothing about mo salah's formless season leads you to think it's distracting him that much. he's been the best in the premier league. he clearly wanted something of his chest, he certainly did it. ithink something of his chest, he certainly did it. i think liverpool see him as an ageing player, and possibly don't want to get out long contracts. but when you see them with his top off and you see his physical condition, liverpool have to find a way of making it happen. what they don't want is the longer this season goes on having a frustrated mo salah. this on having a frustrated mo salah. as far as real madrid are concerned, they have a few injury problems, they have a few injury problems, they haven't had the best start. is this a good time to play them? everything looks that way, but this is a team who know how to win. you

spoke about their record against liverpool that was exceptional. there will ended up scoring five deep into the season before in the champions league final. this is a real madrid team that don't have all their stars out tonight, but they have enough. their stars out tonight, but they have enough-— their stars out tonight, but they have enough. their stars out tonight, but they have enouh_ . . ., . . . have enough. what sort of match are ou have enough. what sort of match are you expecting — have enough. what sort of match are you exoecting and — have enough. what sort of match are you expecting and what _ have enough. what sort of match are you expecting and what result - you expecting and what result crucially? you expecting and what result cruciall ? �* , . ,., .. crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edae crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this. _ crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this, but _ crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this, but it'll _ crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this, but it'll be - crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this, but it'll be a - crucially? i'm expecting liverpool to edge this, but it'll be a game i crucially? i'm expecting liverpooll to edge this, but it'll be a game of moments for real madrid. i expect liverpool will dominate possession, but real madrid with mbappe on the team, you just never know. ichris team, you 'ust never know. chris sutton, team, you just never know. chris sutton. thanks — team, you just never know. chris sutton, thanks ever _ team, you just never know. chris sutton, thanks ever so _ team, you just never know. chris sutton, thanks ever so much. - team, you just never know. chris sutton, thanks ever so much. part of five live commentary team arriving, and fans will be hoping for another special european night. indian chris, thank you very much indeed. —— andy and chris. danny murphy is with me.

liverpool top of the premier league — a point tonight and they'll be top of the 36 team champions league table, too. incredible start, playing good football. i think the majority of fans are like me — didn't expect it, and chris alluded to that they are. tonight is a wonderful opportunity because they're sitting top of the table. in many ways, because of the pressures under madrid, it's a bit of a free hit for liverpool. more risks, high tempo, and they don't need to be cautious because of the position they put themselves in. so far, so good. need a bit of luck along the way, keep everyone fit, keep your best players fit — van dyck, salah, and if that happens, they have a wonderful opportunity. it's the situation, you don't want the run to end.

ilkay gundogan said last night they'll likely be out of the title race if they lose at liverpool on sunday. manchester city, the fifth title in the row is gone, so we're getting to the row is gone, so we're getting to the point where things are starting to perhaps be separated so much. i think 11 points would be like climbing everest. it's a realistic, from gundogan. but the problem is —— if there realistic point from gundogan. that can be dangerous because your performers this evening could be detrimental. so, focus on this, another good win creates confidence, momentum. for the fans as well, leading into sunday. it would have to be a hell

of a performance from city, but because they have such wonderful players, you can't write it off. and we know the premier league is incredible. it keeps throwing up results we didn't expect, and that's why we're all looking forward to sunday. why we're all looking forward to sunda . �* .. why we're all looking forward to sunda . �* ., .. sunday. and the one we thought the anti-had was — sunday. and the one we thought the anti-had was not _ sunday. and the one we thought the anti-had was not expected. -- - sunday. and the one we thought the anti-had was not expected. -- at. sunday. and the one we thought the | anti-had was not expected. -- at the anti—had was not expected. —— at the ethihad. but what's your assessment of what specifically gone wrong because last night was a different set of circumstances, but still disappointing. i set of circumstances, but still disappointing-— set of circumstances, but still disa ”ointin. ~ , ~ disappointing. i think you can seek confidence draining _ disappointing. i think you can seek confidence draining the _ disappointing. i think you can seek confidence draining the longer - disappointing. i think you can seek confidence draining the longer it i confidence draining the longer it goes on. the big problem is without the ball. they looked too easy to play without the ball. they're not as tenacious or hungry. that can come from two things — i have the mindset where you fall into a comfort zone —— either the mindset, and the other thing is so many of

their better, more experienced players have missed a lot of games and aren't fit enough to do the work. even the likes of kyle walker, i'm sure he'll get back, but he didn't train previously to that. stones has been in and out. these are all players that were instrumental when they won the trouble and even won the league last year. so, it seems too obvious it all on thing. —— all on him. but if you think you're walking just to turn things over, and you're physically not quite good enough for “p physically not quite good enough for up to it at this level, you get punished. up to it at this level, you get punished-— up to it at this level, you get unished. ., ., , punished. you said a few things --eole punished. you said a few things people were — punished. you said a few things people were saying _ punished. you said a few things people were saying when - punished. you said a few things people were saying when pep . punished. you said a few things i people were saying when pep took over. i think he prided himself on fixing the problem that presented it to him. is he in a similar position, thinking this is a new challenge — rebuild and do it again? i thinking this is a new challenge - rebuild and do it again?— rebuild and do it again? i think artl . i

rebuild and do it again? i think partly- i don't— rebuild and do it again? i think partly. i don't think _ rebuild and do it again? i think partly. i don't think he - rebuild and do it again? i think l partly. i don't think he envisages this. i don't think when he was thinking he would stay to fix all the problems, you can see the shock in his face, the anxiety last night. he needs to improve the squad — yeah, of course, that's always in happen at top level, but more importantly, get the players erd has they are to play with more confidence and belief. that can be one moment. there are times they've lost recently when they've been brilliant. first off of brighton, outstanding. they lost. lisbon, outstanding, they lost. tottenham, could have been two up. bad runs continue. it's going to be fascinating to see how he reacts and they react, but we are talking about arguably the best manager in the league has ever seen, some of the best players the league has ever seen. ifor one best players the league has ever seen. ifor o