And that's where we bring down the curtain on today's Sportsday and hand you over to the ever steady hands of Tom Rostance and Marc Higginson for tonight's live football.

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Set to be a cracking set of fixtures in the Premier League and don't forget Match of the Day will have all the action from 22:45 GMT on BBC One (23:10 GMT in Scotland and Wales, 23:40 GMT in Northern Ireland).

Sportsday will return from 08:00 GMT on Thursday.

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Two men from Anfield have been arrested over an alleged ticket forging operation for Liverpool FC matches.

Merseyside Police are investigating a scam where fans from all over the world never received tickets bought online while others received fake ones.

Printing equipment and other materials were seized in raids in Breck Road, Dewsbury Road and Harrow Road on Tuesday evening.

A 29-year-old and 27-year-old are being questioned by detectives.

There are six Premier League matches coming up this evening and in case you need a reminder - here's tonight's fixture list.

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And if that's not enough for you, there's also an intriguing match-up in the Championship as Dougie Freedman makes his home debut as Nottingham Forest manager against Wigan, while over in Spain, Barcelona face Villarreal in the Copa Del Rey semi-final first leg.

Silverstone managing director Patrick Allen says he's delighted the British MotoGP will return to the circuit.

Silverstone hosted the race between 2010 and 2014, and will do so again this year and in 2016, after Donington Park called off its agreement to provide the venue on 30 August.

Steve Kenward, chief executive of the Motorcycle Industry Association, said MotoGP fans can now "relax".

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West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has been outwitted by a player from Northern Ireland's third division, posing as Neil Lennon.

Limavady United midfielder Blain Morrison hoodwinked Pulis with an impersonation of fellow countryman and Bolton Wanderers boss Lennon during a prank call.

When the Welshman returned his phone message, he coaxed him into believing Lennon was making a loan bid for Northern Ireland international defender Gareth McAuley.

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In case you missed it earlier today, Andy Murray swept past Nicolas Mahut in the first round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

The top seed - in action for the first time since his Australian Open final defeat by Novak Djokovic - recorded a 6-3 6-2 win over the Frenchman in Rotterdam.

Murray, 27, hit 36 winners and only 16 unforced errors against Mahut, 33.

The world number four will face Canada's Vasek Pospisil in the second round of the event, which he won in 2009.

Former England bowler Steve Harmison has told BBC Look North he is excited to take up a football management post at his home-town club Ashington AFC.

The former Durham paceman made a winning start to life as manager of The Colliers, beating Bishop Auckland 1-0 at home.

Harmison, 36, is continuing his family's links with the club. His father Jimmy was once assistant of the Northern League side and his brother James is a former captain.

He's even down with the football manager cliche lingo as this video demonstrates.

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Time for the last of our Premier League team news ahead of tonight's fixtures and West Brom forward Victor Anichebe is doubtful after being forced off at Burnley with a groin injury suffered during the pre-match warm-up.

He could be replaced by either Saido Berahino or Brown Ideye, both of whom featured as substitutes at Turf Moor.

Swansea's Wayne Routledge is available after recovering from a calf strain, while Modou Barrow is fit despite hurting his knee against Sunderland.

Gylfi Sigurdsson completes a ban and Marvin Emnes remains injured.

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England batsman Joe Root has tipped captain Eoin Morgan to find his best form in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Root, 24, scored 85 in his side's four-wicket defeat by Pakistan on Wednesday in their final warm-up match before England face Australia on Saturday.

But Morgan, 28, was out without scoring and has only scored two runs in his last four innings.

"He is one of the guys that you turn to when the pressure is on," Root said.

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The pressure continues to mount on Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert.

The Birmingham Mail's latest front page, external published this afternoon has a fairly clear and simple message.

"Aston Villa is a proud and noble name in English football," its editorial says.

"It is an historic club at the heart of our community, a founding father of the beautiful game.

"But this great club is now on its knees and the Holte End is hurting - and we can no longer stand by and watch that happen."

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Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale says he will use recent criticism from fans as motivation.

The 29-year-old's aborted attempt to claim a cross led to Nottingham Forest's first goal in their 3-2 defeat at the Amex on Saturday.

"I know there are a lot of people trying to call for my head.

"I get upset and I use it as a fire. When it comes you have got to be a big person and know that you are in the wrong," he told BBC Sussex.

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Down to Selhurst Park now ahead of tonight's Premier League clash and Crystal Palace could recall both Marouane Chamakh (broken nose) and Yannick Bolasie, who has been away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Captain Mile Jedinak is again absent having returned from the Asian Cup with an ankle injury.

Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote is sidelined with an ankle injury picked on international duty.

Siem de Jong has been ruled out for eight weeks after suffering a collapsed lung, while Rolando Aarons is also out.

The match will also pair Palace manager Alan Pardew against his old side for the first time since he left Newcastle United in December.

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Swansea are keeping an eye on IFK Gothenburg striker Lasse Vibe as a replacement for recently-departed Wilfried Bony, the Western Mail reports., external

Vibe, 27, is reported to be available for around £2.5m and has made six appearances for Denmark.

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Over to St Mary's for the latest of tonight's Premier League matches and Southampton have problems at left-back with Ryan Bertrand still suspended and Matt Targett out with a head injury.

Morgan Schneiderlin is an injury doubt, but new signing Filip Djuricic could play after receiving his work permit.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says Andy Carroll is "touch and go" to return from a knee injury, while Kevin Nolan could miss out with a foot problem.

James Tomkins is available despite breaking his nose on Sunday as Winston Reid and James Collins remain absent.

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While Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony continue to recover from their Africa Cup of Nations victory with the Ivory Coast on Sunday, they'll no doubt be comforted by the news of how they'll be rewarded.

Each member of the Ivory Coast side is to be showered with millions of dollars in prizes by the country's government.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara (pictured above with Yaya Toure) is giving each member of the 23-man squad a house worth $52,000 (£34,000) and the same amount in cash, the government says, external.

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Back to our previews of tonight's Premier League action and Stoke will be without Stephen Ireland and Marc Wilson for the visit of second-placed Manchester City after they suffered hamstring and groin injuries respectively against Newcastle.

They join Ryan Shawcross and Erik Pieters on the sidelines, but Marko Arnautovic could return from injury.

Manchester City will be without Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony after they helped Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.

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Earlier we brought you the news that Michael Laudrup will not be named the new manager of QPR - at least not before the end of this season - as he looks to stay on as manager of Qatari side Lekhwiya.

The former Swansea City manager has told Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet:, external "It is always positive to be linked with big jobs, and taking over QPR is a big job.

"But, having said that, I would also like to say that I have no intention of leaving Lekhwiya at the moment.

"We are top of the league and are starting the group phase of the AFC Champions League in two weeks."

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To Old Trafford now and Manchester United will be without Luke Shaw for the visit of Burnley following his sending off against West Ham at the weekend.

Michael Carrick is the only other definite absentee as he is still recovering from an ankle problem.

Burnley midfielder Dean Marney will miss the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

His absence ends the Clarets' 10-match run of naming the same starting line-up with Steven Reid or Michael Kightly most likely to replace Marney.

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Time to look ahead to tonight's six Premier League matches and we start at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea welcome back playmaker Cesc Fabregas for the visit of Everton after a hamstring problem.

Diego Costa completes a three-game ban and midfielder John Obi Mikel is ruled out with a knee injury, but Filipe Luis is fit after a calf strain.

Tim Howard will return in goal for Everton after recovering from a calf problem but Leighton Baines and James McCarthy are both doubts.

Aiden McGeady, Tony Hibbert, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Christian Atsu are all unavailable.

A few more of your suggestions via #bbcsportsday, external for classiest sports people in light of Sam Allardyce's claims about his standing among his Premier League contemporaries.

Paul Hallett: I liked Damon Hill, in the face of so much 'gamesmanship' he still kept his dignity and honour. Most Italian footballers too.

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Ged Lynam: Classiest sports gesture ever - German longjumper who gave Jesse Owen advice that helped him win gold right in front of Hitler.

Samuel Taylor: Can we mention @GaryLineker? No yellow cards #classyplayer