In other Manchester United-related news, the pitch Jose Mourinho's side played on in Russia against FC Rostov in the first leg of their Europa League tie has now been banned from hosting games until it improves.

Maybe Jose had a point?

We are ticking down to the start of day two of the Cheltenham Festival. Here's what we have on the menu today.

13:30 GMT : Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle

14:10: RSA Novices Chase

14:50: Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

15:30: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

16:10: Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase

16:50: Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

17:30: Weatherby’s Champion Bumper

And a reminder there is commentary on BBC Radio 5 live from 1300-1600 and then on 5 live sports extra from 1600-1800.

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A little more than two hours to go until today's first race at the Cheltenham Festival, so what are we backing?

Derek Thompson has had his say...

Sola Mosuro: Chelsea going past best Barca side ever in Nou Camp with no recognizable CBs. Also beating Bayern in Munich impossible X2.

Daniel Schofield: Last season when Barnsley were bottom of the league in December then we won the JPT and the play-offs!

Nolan Gaukroger: Newcastle in the Champions League group stage 2002-03. Lost first three, and then won final three, even beating Juventus. I think we're still the only club to do that.

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Champions League you say? Achieving the impossible you scream?

Sounds about time to hear some more of your stories...

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Arsenal's players face losing bonuses worth millions of pounds if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, says the Daily Mail., external

The Gunners are fifth in the Premier League, five points behind fourth-placed Liverpool

United still hold hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, as do Arsenal.

But reports this morning suggest the Gunners' players could be set to lose out if they fail to qualify.

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Cash Asmussen (horse racing) - top American flat jockey, born 1962.

Mikael Forssell (football) - former Leeds and Chelsea striker, now playing for HJK in Finland, born 1981.

Ben Hilfenhaus (cricket) - former Australia Test bowler, born 1983.

Daryl Murphy (football) - Newcastle's former Celtic and Ipswich striker, born 1983.

Curtis Davies (football) - Hull captain, born 1985.

Paul Pogba (football) - Manchester United and France midfielder, born 1993.

I wonder whether Mourinho will have cheered up enough to wish Paul Pogba a happy birthday...

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Travel plans are not normally on the agenda when Jose Mourinho does a press conference but it is a fair bet they will be raised when the Manchester United manager speaks to the media shortly.

A rather farcical situation  on Monday night, external  left United arriving at Heathrow with no plane to board after the jet Mourinho and his players were due to fly back to Manchester from their FA Cup tie at Chelsea failed to get to the right place.

It left Mourinho with little alternative other than to remain on the team coach until it returned to Manchester -  at 4am on Tuesday morning, external .

Understandably, Mourinho was less than impressed. 

We will see if his mood has improved at 11.30 GMT.

Luckily, our north west football guru/travel correspondent is in place to welcome Mourinho this morning...  

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Manchester United's players did not get back from their FA Cup defeat at Chelsea until 4am after the plane supposed to be taking them home from London was not at Heathrow at its scheduled departure time.

When United manager Jose Mourinho was told of the problem after Monday's 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, he decided to use the team coach to return north rather than travel to the airport for a potential wait of up to three hours.

Motorway roadworks meant the trip north took four-and-a-half hours, so United did not get back until 64 hours before the second leg of their Europa Cup tie with FC Rostov, level at 1-1 after the first leg, is due to start.

Jose Mourinho is due in for his Manchester United news conference in around 45 minutes, that's if he's got over an unexpectedly long journey back from west London.

Yesterday, Simon Stone brought us this snippet...

Fear not, this isn't a joke.

The Formula 1 gossip has just landed.

Mr Blobby, the Pink Panther and Mean Girls walk into a Sportsday live...

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An "out of window" match between England and New Zealand could take place, if various obstacles such as the distribution of match day revenues can be overcome, while the All Blacks are pencilled in to face the Barbarians on 4 November.

"We are playing New Zealand in 2018," said an RFU spokesperson.

"If there is an opportunity for us to play NZ before then - ie this year - then we will pursue that opportunity."

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The RFU has confirmed it is investigating the possibility of arranging a match against New Zealand this year.

The top two sides in the world are not due to meet until the autumn of 2018.

However, the RFU are understood to be interested in playing the All Blacks this November, despite the fact the fixture schedule has already been finalised.

England are due to meet Argentina, Australia and Samoa in the international window.