once glorious spells of sunshine once again. a lovely day for many of us, particularly if you wrap up warm. scattered showers, and many of these wintry, many running down the irish sea through the cheshire gap into the afternoon. temperatures are struggling at their bestjust the afternoon. temperatures are struggling at their best just a the afternoon. temperatures are struggling at their bestjust a few degrees above freezing after that cold start generally between two and five celsius. as we go into the weekend, it starts to get a bit more interesting, the best of the sunshine in the far north and east, a blanket of cloud arrives and we could see some wintry showers. let's try and explain what is happening and we are in this cold arctic air at the moment and sitting across the country. this low pressure trying to push in from the south—west on saturday, bringing these strong south—westerly winds, a milder source. look what happens as it bumps into the cold air. on the leading edge, we will see snow. it will turn back to rain across central and southern england and wales, but there is a chance northern ireland, northern england,

southern scotland seeing some snow, some potentially significant. some may be causing disruption. still a lot of people travelling home after the new year break, keep watching the new year break, keep watching the forecast is my advice. thank you very much, louise. that is it from the bbc news app six. clive will be hit with the very latest at 10pm but now it is time to join hit with the very latest at 10pm but now it is time tojoin our colleagues where you are. hello. it's thursday, 2nd ofjanuary. you're watching sportsday on bbc news with me ben croucher. coming up. you wait all of 2024 for an old firm win — then two days into the new year — you finally get one. rangers kick off their 2025 in style. we'll look ahead to a night of tungsten tension and the semi finals of the world darts championship. and a battle for billy and boulter — but could they surprise poland at tennis' united cup?

great to have your company. we'll look ahead to the final test between australia and india later too but we'll start with football where we've got a full programme of fixtures in the scottish premiership today. the dundee derby�*s ongoing right now but it's the old firm clash at ibrox that stirred the senses as usual. the dundee derby�*s ongoing right now but it's the old firm clash at ibrox that stirred the senses as usual. less common of late have been rangers victories but they stunned leaders celtic — romping to a 3—0 win. martin dowden was there. celtic enjoyed a 14 point cap heading into the fixture of the managers said they tested did the just once coming into this in the rangers manager had not been celtic in six attempts. it was all about

the change, it was ens who set rangers on the way he gathered and sent a crisp low shot right into the corner from 25 yards they were absolutely rampant after that. next up absolutely rampant after that. next up was journey cut inside and then struck the top of the crossbar. celtic could not muster the response, but almost got levelled just before half—time. firing towards goal and it was the standen goalkeeper in forjack who produced a wonderful save to keep the lead intact. after the break we expected a celtic response, just not come. cutting inside and finding space and his shot cracked off the post and away and he was to provide once more at his post but the second arrival of a set piece raskin got a touch and then central defender sarah

slammed told a vital second. a third arrived and blocked in the box and then came the substitute to slam home the third for rangers, a fully merited victory, it could have been more and it was very much rangers at�*s today. although the points gap is now 11, it is a sizeable one. dundee united have the chance to go third — if they can beat neighbours dundee at dens parkjust getting under way in the second half and it's still goalless. dundee had the best of the first half, with finlay robertson's effort cleared off the line in the first ten minutes. aberdeen�*s wretched run continued. winless in nine. lost their last four, beaten 2—1 by ross county. musa drammeh's seventh minute goal earned hearts a 1—0 win over motherwell. fifth placed st mirren were beaten 2—0 at kilmarnock whilst stjohnstone remain rooted to the bottom despite a point at home to hibs and playing more than half the game with ten men.

that's scotland taken care of. in the premier league, everton manager sean dyche says he's got bigger issues to deal than neal maupay�*s comments on social media. the striker is on loan from everton at marseille, but posted on x, "whenever i'm having a bad day, ijust check the everton score and smile." dyche is instead concentrating on their relegation battle and improving his team in the january transfer window whilst trying to balance the books they are our guidelines and notjust for us another clubs are working with them and others going into the world where maybe they have to look at their numbers and everyone is looking at the numbers to be sure and making sure they are in the correct position to move forward. the ones that are unlikely to be hundreds of millions of pounds whether you have got it or not, january is a notoriously tough month. you never know i am not saying no but it is very tough, forgetting about numbers.

to alexandra palace next then — where we've reached the semi final stage of the world darts championship. 96 players started two and a half weeks ago. just four remain. three time winner michael van gerwen versus chris dobey followed by luke littler against steven bunting. for dobey — he's exitted at the quarter finals stage in the last two editions — including from 4—0 up against rob cross last year. ijust i just feel that i ijust feel that i have got the game and proved it on the floorjust now taking it on stage and putting the performance of last year behind us and i think that has made me the better player that i am today. you just have to think about yourself i have a really good chance. michael is a fantastic player and look what he has one, it three times world champion. he is something special and he had a great game with callum yesterday who pushed him all the way

and use all the best of michael and did that come out of him yesterday and i'm hoping to get that as well because if i get that kind of game with him it makes me play well and i know i have to play well so i'm looking forward to tonight and i do believe i can get thejob done. full of praise for michael van gerwen. the last of michael van gerwen�*s three world titles came back in 2019 and darts journalist phill barrs says the dutchman still has plenty to prove. he came into this tournament with a lot of— he came into this tournament with a lot of question marks. there have been _ lot of question marks. there have been a _ lot of question marks. there have been a lot— lot of question marks. there have been a lot of subpar performances on tv from _ been a lot of subpar performances on tv from the _ been a lot of subpar performances on tv from the three—time world champion— tv from the three—time world champion and the way he responded to those questions last night, there are a _ those questions last night, there are a lot — those questions last night, there are a lot of— those questions last night, there are a lot of people saying, i'm not sure _ are a lot of people saying, i'm not sure michael van gerwen still had that game — sure michael van gerwen still had that game and the lock up in that point _ that game and the lock up in that point in _ that game and the lock up in that point in his— that game and the lock up in that point in his career. but 103/8 sets and when — point in his career. but 103/8 sets and when callum asked him to difficult — and when callum asked him to difficult questions the three times champion responded. i think it will

be micheel— champion responded. i think it will be michael van gerwen versus luke littter— be michael van gerwen versus luke littler at— be michael van gerwen versus luke littler at the dream final but i don't — littler at the dream final but i don't think it will be without drama _ don't think it will be without drama. chris dobey is more than capable, — drama. chris dobey is more than capable, but did he get nervous yesterday — capable, but did he get nervous yesterday trying to close up and match _ yesterday trying to close up and match so — yesterday trying to close up and match so if he does that to michael van gerwen— match so if he does that to michael van gerwen he willjump all over it. so i think— van gerwen he willjump all over it. so i think michael van gerwen will come _ so i think michael van gerwen will come but — so i think michael van gerwen will come but chris dobey will have his moments — the man who has captivated the darts scene and beyond in the last 12 months is luke littler. stephen bunting stands between him and a second straight final. we can cross live to alexandra palace now and chat to our correspondent natalie pirks. it is hard that we are talking but luke littler, who is only 17. he cannot luke littler, who is only 17. he: cannot legally buy a pint but looking tonight to reach back to back finals of the world championships. this time last year it was a 164th in the world and in his first year as professionally he's risen to fourth in the world and has 110 titles including the premier league and he has made more

than a million in prize money and that's not even including any of the sponsorship he has since earned. he went from 4000 instagram followers to 1.4 million. he got a text from david beckham and of course when the bbc young sports personality of the year. he was in fact so popular last year that google named him the most searched for sports person from the uk. of course many kids more than usual got dark sports us for christmas. so for fans starting to arrive he really is the big ticket tonight. arrive he really is the big ticket toniaht. :, :, ., , tonight. you mentioned the fans there, alexandra _ tonight. you mentioned the fans there, alexandra palace - tonight. you mentioned the fans there, alexandra palace lit - tonight. you mentioned the fans there, alexandra palace lit up i there, alexandra palace lit up behind you, this occasion is as much about them as all of the ceremony and atmosphere around it. absolutely. they are just starting to come in and in dribs and drabs now, just over 3000 of them, most in fancy dress and always in a fine voice. it has been a sell—out for three years running selling out in july, but demand for tickets this

year or obviously last year injuly year or obviously last year in july were year or obviously last year injuly were more than double and they are of course putting that down to the luke littler of fact last year's final auntie attracted almost 4 million viewers which is easily a sky sport's biggest audience for a non—football event. if we do get that dream final we were hearing about with michael van gerwen versus luke littler you can expect at least the same again. tonight is no gimme, steven bunting 39 from saint helens a former bdo world champion and has vast experience and also a real fans favourite and has been a lot of attention from fans who have been really fascinating to see a little bit later around 930 when they come on just two will be the big fan draw tonight. i think it could be 50—50 and that is something luke littler has not been used to. fascinating. thank ou has not been used to. fascinating. thank you for— has not been used to. fascinating. thank you for that _ has not been used to. fascinating. thank you for that will _ has not been used to. fascinating. thank you for that will stop - next to sydney where great britain's run at tennis' united cup is over.

they were always up against it with poland heavy favourites in their last eight tie but they didn't go down without a fight asjoe lynskey reports. katie boulter at the end could still smile into feet, gb were knocked out of sydney's united cup up but for both british players they would start the year with promise. that's a nice 1-2 punch. _ start the year with promise. that's a nice 1-2 punch. this— start the year with promise. that's a nice 1-2 punch. this is— a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy harris. a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy harrts- 29 — a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy harris. 29 years _ a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy harris. 29 years old - a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy harris. 29 years old just - a nice 1-2 punch. this is billy . harris. 29 years old just bring to outside of the top 100. he faced hubert hurkacz, world number 16 and were not for the shot, harris could have won the first set. a miscue in the tie—break and hubert hurkacz had the tie—break and hubert hurkacz had the lead. his team are favourites to win this competition. to beat the britain and straight sets got them halfway the semis. the united cup is the best of three matches so britain's katie boulter had to 1424