Build-up to Sunday's Manchester derby
Ten Premier League news conferences (Man Utd 15:30 BST)
Day two of Aintree's Grand National meeting
Tributes paid to cricket icon Richie Benaud, who has died aged 84
Send us your Benaud tributes #bbcsportsday
Tom Scudamore added to his big race wins with success on outsider Thistlecrack in the Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree.
The 25-1 shot looked strong approaching the final hurdle alongside top weight Alpha Des Obeaux and he benefitted when his rival took a crashing fall.
Vyta Du Roc (100-30) finished second for Daryl Jacob with Noel Fehily and Our Kaempfer (20-1) third.
Image source, Getty ImagesReal Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says winger Gareth Bale will be rested for Saturday's La Liga game at home to Eibar, joining suspended midfielders Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez on the sidelines.
Real will have Ronaldo available after the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) rescinded a yellow card the Portugal forward was shown in Wednesday's 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano which would have carried a one-match suspension.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Hawthorns will be sold out tomorrow as West Brom celebrate Jeff Astle Day, in honour of their former striker, who scored 174 times in 361 games for the club between 1964 and 1973 and died, aged 59, in January 2002 from a degenerative brain disease.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis had this to say at his pre-match news conference...
"It's going to be an absolutely wonderful day. We've got to put the icing on the cake by trying to get three points. The players should have their minds on just doing what Jeff would want most - getting the three points."
Image source, Getty ImagesJockey AP McCoy has bookmakers fearing a £50m loss as he prepares to ride favourite Shutthefrontdoor in his final Grand National on Saturday.
The 19-time champion, from Northern Ireland, will retire if he wins on a record 20th appearance in the race.
Image source, Getty ImagesMore from Louis van Gaal now, and the Manchester United boss seems fully aware of just what this fixture means to everyone connected to his club, not just because of the race for a top-four finish but for pride in the city...
"I dream of it, every player shall dream of the victory," said Van Gaal. "I have to think with my staff and players already a lot of days how we have to beat Man City. You are sitting in that process to beat your next opponent and of course you want to win because it is a big step in the table also. When you win the third place in then reachable and a month ago nobody was thinking about that, besides me of course."
Image source, ReutersManchester United striker Robin van Persie will not feature in this weekend's Manchester derby, says his manager Louis van Gaal. The Dutch striker, who had declared that he would be fit for the clash earlier in the week, has not played for United since he suffered an ankle injury in the 2-1 defeat to Swansea on February 21.
The United boss also revealed that Andreas Pereira and Luke Shaw would not feature.
"Most of the players are fit but fit for me is a different situation. I don't think every player is fit," said Van Gaal. "Perreira has been invited by Brazil team and I have given him position to go. RVP is not fit enough to play. I don't think Luke Shaw is fit enough to play. But I cannot say they are not fit. In my opinion they are not fit to play."
Image source, AFPDick Advocaat ingratiated himself superbly with the Sunderland fans, courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Newcastle last weekend. But the Black Cats manager has told his players to forget that result on focus instead on the forthcoming matches, that will decide their Premier League future...
"We cannot think any more of Newcastle - I have told them that - because we have in principle five games in which we have to do it. We still have a chance in the last two away games, but in principle, we have to do it in the first five games, so the most important game is now tomorrow."
The remarkable Sam Waley-Cohen shows his skill around the Aintree fences once again as he wins the Topham Chase on Rajdhani Express - his sixth win at the Merseyside track.
The amateur rider guided the 10-1 shot, trained by Nicky Henderson, around the Grand National fences superbly, pulling clear three from home to win from Fairy Rath (25-1) with Rathlin (20-1) third and Hunt Ball (25-1) fourth.
Image source, Getty ImagesAction is continuing at Augusta with first round Masters leader Jordan Spieth aiming to extend his lead on day two.
You can follow the latest on the BBC Sport website.
Luton Town midfielder Nathan Doyle has extended his contract with the League Two side until the end of next season.
The 28-year-old joined the Hatters on a one-year deal in September and has made 27 appearances this season.
Doyle is the latest player to earn an extended contract at Kenilworth Road after veteran goalkeeper Mark Tyler and defender Scott Griffiths both agreed deals until summer 2016.
John Still's side are currently one point off the play-offs in League Two.
Image source, ReutersBayer Leverkusen defender Emir Spahic could face a club suspension and criminal proceedings after being involved in a fight with security personnel following the German Cup defeat against Bayern Munich.
Spahic, 34, was involved in a fight with Leverkusen's own security personnel, reportedly after the officials refused to allow his friends entry inside the locker room area after Bayern won the quarter-final match on penalties.
The America's Cup World Series will now begin in Portsmouth after the opening event in Sardinia was cancelled.
Officials say the series will now start on the weekend of 25-26 July.
Italian team Luna Rossa withdrew from the race after a majority of teams voted to reduce the size of the boats for the second time in under a year.
Don Cossack gives soon to be 20-times champion jockey AP McCoy another Aintree success with a win in the Betfred Melling Chase.
The 3-1 joint favourite, trained by Gordon Elliott, had battled with Cue Card but pulled clear with two fences to go.
Last season's Champion Chase winner Sire de Grugy departed the race early
Image source, ReutersTottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says his predecessor in the role, Tim Sherwood, deserves a warm reception when he brings his Aston Villa side to White Hart Lane on Saturday for his willingness to give young talents like Harry Kane and Nabil Bentaleb a first-team chance.
"I think that we share the same idea, we believe in the young talent," Pochettino said.
"This is great, like when I started my career as a manager at Espanyol in Barcelona. We believe in the same things, to encourage and develop the young talent."
Image source, Liverpool FCRaheem Sterling - who told BBC last week that he had turned down a £100,000-a-week new contract with Liverpool - is pictured with team-mates Martin Skrtel, Simon Mignolet and Daniel Sturridge in next season's kit., external at Friday's launch.
Ladies Day is always a special day at the Aintree Grand National Festival
Find out what style is on show with the best pictures from BBC Sport.
Image source, Getty ImagesLondon Welsh have reached an agreement with Premiership Rugby (PRL) over a settlement on current funding issues.
The relegated club argued the odds of top-flight survival are stacked against newly-promoted sides.
The Exiles had called for "a level playing field" in funding to avoid the financial disparity,
"We're delighted we have now reached a settlement which addresses certain aspects of our central funding," said Welsh chairman Bleddyn Phillips., external
The third race of the day at Aintree, the Betfred Mildmay Novices' Chase, goes to the 13-8 favourite Saphir du Rheu who got well for an impressive win.
Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies and trained by Paul Nicholls, the six-year-old stretched clear on the home straight to beat Carraig Mor (12-1) into second with Irish Saint (6-1) third.
Image source, PAManager Tony Pulis has backed West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace to sell the club to the right buyer.
The Baggies owner is looking to sell for between £150-200m and has set a summer deadline to complete any deal with four groups understood to be interested.
"I don't think Jeremy wants anybody coming in who are not going to invest in the club, he's made that clear to me," said Pulis.
"That's the main point he's made to me. The fact he's put it up for sale and everybody knows now if someone comes in and he does a deal I would imagine there will be bolt-ons to invest in the club. I don't think he wants to see his legacy blown away."
League One strugglers Crawley Town have recalled striker Matt Harrold from his loan spell at Cambridge United.
The 30-year-old joined the U's in February and scored one goal in six appearances for the League Two club.
"We need as many bodies as we can for the last few games because we are still struggling with injuries," Reds interim manager Dean Saunders said.
"Matt is back with us having got game time at Cambridge and is in the squad that is travelling to Scunthorpe."