protests in georgia after the new president — mikheil kavelashvili — was sworn in. the former manchester city footballer is a hardline critic of the west — and the four main opposition groups have boycotted parliament. palestinian officials in the gaza strip say seven people have been killed in the latest israeli strike on a hospital there. israel has said that the strike was aimed at hamas fighters but hasn't provided any evidence for its claims. three people have died while trying to cross the english channel. four people were taken to hospital after several dozen people ended up in the water off the coast of sangatte near calais. hello and welcome to sportsday — i'm jane dougall. can anyone catch them now? liverpool extend their lead at

the top of the premier league after thrashing west ham in their own back yard. rangers could only rescue a point after coming from behind against motherwell at fir park. and a first win all season for exeter chiefs as a sold out sandy park erupts. welcome to the programme. liverpool are eight points clear at the top of the table after a convincing 5—0 win over west ham. mo salah scored his 20th goal of the season and added two more assists as the leaders swept aside a disappointing west ham at the london stadium. joe lynskey reports.

this has been the year liverpool change direction. your can cop departed and a new team emerged. they will end 20/20 for the premier league summit. taking on a squad and made them the machine. this first half of west ham was one of total domination. louis deas got the bounce and then found the bottom corner. the homes i didn't quite get the same look off the post. on this ground backin off the post. on this ground back in april, this fixture finished 2—2, a result that for liverpool would end their hopes of the title. so far this season, few teams could work them out. mo salah made a move that brought the spate for cody gateau. at this team 2—0 up, he took aim himself. gateau. at this team 2-0 up, he took aim himself.— gateau. at this team 2-0 up, he took aim himself.- the - took aim himself. salah! the premier league's _ took aim himself. salah! the premier league's top - took aim himself. salah! the premier league's top score l took aim himself. salah! the i premier league's top score and season standout player, although liverpool were nine points clear at the top, west ham made this match too easy. trent aleksander arnold took aim for a fourth goal. it went

in through deflection. for now, liverpool are on a straight course for the title. a one—year 5—0 and start the new yearin one—year 5—0 and start the new year in front. in 2025, they want that to stay the same. joe lynskey, bbc news. before kick off, former hammers keeper ludek miklosko received a standing ovation from fans. earlier he revealed he's been battling cancer for the last three years, but has now decided to stop treatment. the 63 year old made almost 400 senior appearances for the club in the 1990s before returning as a goalkeeping coach. in the early kick off manchester city ended their winless streak with a victory over leicester city. the defending champions are up to fifth in the table after a 2—0 win. katie gornall reports. for the past two months, manchester city have been largely unrecognisable. the four times reigning champion had onejust once in four times reigning champion had one just once in their last 13 games. they were vulnerable.

leicester and jamie party could sense it. and his 500th game in charge, pep guardiola must have been worried, but then their fortunes changed and savini oh pounced. fortunes changed and savini oh ounced. ., ., , pounced. following up! he scores! city _ pounced. following up! he scores! city look— pounced. following up! he scores! city look like - pounced. following up! he scores! city look like their| scores! city look like their old selves. _ scores! city look like their old selves. for— scores! city look like their old selves. for a - scores! city look like their old selves. for a few - scores! city look like their - old selves. for a few minutes, at least. as leicester kept touring forward. burling haaland had a chance to stop them in their tracks. he done all the hardware, but the foxes kept their tails up. they had energy, but not accuracy. minutes later haaland gave some breathing space and made the game say. it wasn't perfect but it was three points. city are back, came the chance away from the away end. their manager could barely hide his relief. it's now four straight defeats for leicester, which leaves them in the relegation zone. we'll hear from ruud van nistelrooy in a moment but first here's what pep guardiola had to say after the game.

it's more than enjoyable, relief, i would say in the moment. the performance was not our best, i would say. big credit to all the guys, because they played really, really but at the same time, yeah, happy for the results, for the players, for their commitment to be here and to keep going. today the first goal is not a chance. _ today the first goal is not a chance, it's nowhere near a chance. _ chance, it's nowhere near a chance, and it's an individual incident, _ chance, and it's an individual incident, which gives the opponent the goal, and i think that's— opponent the goal, and i think that's why it's costing us at the — that's why it's costing us at the moment, but that is the way to look_ the moment, but that is the way to look at— the moment, but that is the way to look at it without putting the blame out to someone because _ the blame out to someone because you can't, but that is something we have to work on as welt _ what a few weeks it's been for nottingham forest — they've ended the year on a high with a 2—0 win at everton, leaving them second in the league. nuno espirito santo's team have now won their last 5 league games. chris wood scored their first goal at goodison park — that's his eleventh league goal

— before setting up morgan gibbs—white. i think we are competing really well, competing really well, especially today i think was a very tough game, especially with both teams with a very short period of rest. at the energy it was good, i think. we were organised and really, really committed to help each other with recovering runs in the pressing of the ball. i think we played well with the talent in the space that everton gives. we had chances. we played a good game. we've done that to other teams this season. we made the players _ this season. we made the players aware of it. getting the ball_ players aware of it. getting the ball forward early, defending, playing camera time both home and away. a credit to them _ both home and away. a credit to them. that's not a negative. fair— them. that's not a negative. fair play— them. that's not a negative. fair play to them. they did it fantastically well and we didn't_ fantastically well and we didn't today. a latejorgen strand—larsen equaliser earned wolves a two—all draw at tottenham. wolves had gone in front through hwang hee—chan before rodrigo bentancur levelled for spurs.

son heung—min missed a penalty, then brennanjohnson put tottenham ahead at the break. but strand—larsen's 87th minute goal keeps up wolves' good run under new boss vitor pereira and continues tottenham's recent struggles. very disappointing, obviously the outcome. it's a game we really should've put to bed a lot earlier. after going a goal behind, we had opportunities, obviously we scored twice. we had opportunities to get a third. the game is always in the balance. the context of thatis the balance. the context of that is a real tight group of players at the moment. you can tell we just like a little bit of sharpness and the areas we need. they tried hard. both fulham and bournemouth are now seven games unbeaten in the league, after they drew 2—2 at craven cottage. dango ou—a—ttara came off the bench to rescue a point for bournemouth in the 89th minute. the result leaves them sixth — a point behind man city, and one ahead of fulham

in eighth. seven games unbeaten at the level— seven games unbeaten at the level you _ seven games unbeaten at the level you are playing, playing three — level you are playing, playing three days, every single time, of course _ three days, every single time, of course it was a game for us to lake — of course it was a game for us to take something again and tottenham away, but it was a great — tottenham away, but it was a great run _ tottenham away, but it was a great run from ourselves. with more _ great run from ourselves. with more points, it would be perfect _ and at selhurst park, eberechi eze scored the winner as crystal palace came from behind to beat southampton 2—i. the win moves palace six points clear of the relegation zone. they had some set plays, long balls into the box, we really defended the box excellently today. and that's why we could take the win. very often, the expected wins, everybody expected wins, everybody expected to win at home against southampton are some of the most difficult, it's tougher, i am really pleased with the performance today.- am really pleased with the performance today. they have to watch the game, _ performance today. they have to watch the game, i _ performance today. they have to watch the game, i think, - watch the game, i think,

because _ watch the game, i think, because they are competing. they— because they are competing. they are _ because they are competing. they are there. they are fighting _ they are there. they are fighting every game and they have — fighting every game and they have to — fighting every game and they have to continue like this. and start— have to continue like this. and start to — have to continue like this. and start to be _ have to continue like this. and start to be more i think wlhhers, _ start to be more i think winners, much more like winners try to _ winners, much more like winners try to do — winners, much more like winners try to do and lots of set pieces— try to do and lots of set pieces we have to try to score the goals, _ pieces we have to try to score the goals, and we have to believe _ the goals, and we have to believe there is no other option. _ believe there is no other option, no. confirmation of all sunday's results here. that win for liverpool extends their lead at the top to 8 points, with champions city ia points behind. at the other end of the table today's defeat leaves southampton rooted to the bottom with just 6 points to show for their season. leeds united are finishing the year two points clear at the top of the championship after they won 1—0 at derby county. it took until the 79th minute for leeds to go in front but it was worth waiting for— a lovely move setting up brenden aaronson to score the winning goal.

sheffield united had gone top of the championship in the day's earlier kick offs. they led west bromwich albion by a goal to nil at bramall lane. blades youngster andre brooks with his first for the club. however, karlan grant equalised just before half—time to take a point. the baggies lost their manager carlos corberan to valencia on christmas eve — they stay just outside the play—off places. elsewhere, preston north end made it back to back wins for the first time this season. two goals for their top scorer emil riis helped them beat sheffield wednesday 3—1 at deepdale. wednesday missing the chance to close in on the play—off places, but another win for the home side moves them into midtable. elsewhere there were wins for bristol city, oxford united, stoke, swansea and cardiff. the pressure mounts on plymouth argyle manager wayne rooney — their 2—0 defeat leaves them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table. that's six defeats in their

last seven league games now. celtic have extended their lead at the top of the scottish premiership to ia points after a 4—0 win at home to stjohnstone. kyogo furuhashi scored twice for brendan rodgers' side. second—placed rangers had to come from behind to draw 2—2 at motherwell, a great individual goal from ta—wanda mas—wan—hee—say put the home side 2—0 up. but while motherwell had two second half goals disallowed, rangers substitute hamza igamane scored twice to ensure it finished all. aberdeen blew their chance to leapfrog rangers into second place. kevin holt scored a 94th minute winner as dundee united beat them 1—0 at tannardyce. the dons haven't won in eight games. united are three points behind them. elsewhere, ross county and hearts also drew, while there were wins

for hibs and dundee. in the rugby premiership, exeter chiefs got their first win of the season as they beat gloucester 22 points to 15. they're now off the bottom of the table, as patrick geary reports. for exeter�*s young side, it must of felt like the walls were closing in. eight games, eight losses this season, just when you need something to fall into your lap. gloucester obliged. that try, a cry of chiefs relief, belief would take longer. first they would want reassurance. a few seconds of clarity. delivered 14—3 leading at the break to almost immediately invites gloucester back into it. gareth allowed the gentle post—christmas drop to the line, winning can be about muscle memory. gloucester had more of it, push and a shove and they were ahead. no time to resign to fate, just two minutes later, henry slade

nudged the chiefs back in front. they haven't won a league game since may, and they had run out of patience. he was over, and so soon would be that wretched run. a bad exit or year ends with hope. patric geary, bbc news. the 2a time grand slam champion novak djokovic has said he's frustrated at being "kept in the dark" aboutjannik sinner�*s doping case. sinner still faces the threat of a possible suspension after he twice tested positive for an anabolic steroid in march. the world number one insists he didn't knowingly take any banned substance. djokovic says the way the case has been handled is �*not a good look for the sport'. i believe that in the last 20 plus years that i've been playing on a professional tour that we have been one of the cleanest sports, at least i believe we are or have been. so i will keep on believing in that clean sport, yeah, i'm

just questioning the way the system works, really. and why certain players are not treated the same like the other players. the issue is the inconsistency, the transparency, we have been kept in the dark with the case. i'm not questioning whether he took a banned substance intentionally or not. i believe intentionally or not. i believe in a clean sports. i believe that the player will do everything possible to be playing fair, and i know him since he was very young, so he doesn't strike me somebody who would do such a thing, but i have been really frustrated, as most of the other players to see that we've been kept in the dark for five months. south africa have secured their place injune's world test championship final by holding their nerve to beat pakistan in the first test in centurion. chasing 148 for victory, the proteas slumped from 96—4 to 99—8 — that included the loss of three wickets for no runs. but the hosts found

an unlikely batting hero in kagiso rabada — coming in at number ten, he hit an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls as south africa won by two wickets. the victory keeps them top of the test championship table — they'll now face either australia or india at lord's injune. a reminder of our top story — liverpool will end the year eight points clear at the top of the premier league after a 5—0 thrashing away at west ham. all the rest of the stories we featured, you can see the details of which on the bbc support website. so that is that for the programme. thanks for watching. that for the programme. thanks forwatching. bye—bye. three people have died off the coast of france after trying to cross the channel in a small boat to the uk. they got into difficulty off the coast of sangatte — just a few miles from calais. the government

says its supporting the french authorities. frances read reports.