Live Sport on TV this weekend – November 4th & 5th
Saturday
Football
Premier League
Fulham v Man Utd – TNT Sports 1 – 12.30
Fulham have had two good results this week, drawing away to Brighton in the Premiership last Sunday and winning midweek in the EFL Cup away to Ipswich. On the other hand Man Utd have had two dismal results this week losing 0-3 at home to both Man City and Newcastle, Erik ten Hag’s job hangs by a thread and another defeat could mean a new manager at Old Trafford before Christmas. By the end of the match expect Fulham to be on the same number of points as Man Utd, 15.
Newcastle v Arsenal – Sky Sports Premier League/Sky Sport Main Event – 17.30
Contrasting fortunes for both clubs in the EFL Cup this week with Newcastle winning against Man Utd at Old Trafford 3-0 and Arsenal losing away to West Ham 3-1. However in the Premier League last weekend it was a different story with Arsenal thrashing Sheffield Utd 5-0 and Newcastle drawing with Wolves at Molineux 2-2. Mikel Arteta owned up to a sub-standard and uncharacteristic performance against West Ham and I’m sure he’ll turn things around with a win.
Cricket
World Cup
New Zealand v Pakistan – Bangalore – Sky Sports Cricket/Sky Sports Mix – 05.00
New Zealand can cement their place in the semi-finals with a win over Pakistan. Pakistan had a good win over Bangladesh in their last game while New Zealand were surprisingly well beaten by South Africa in theirs. Could be close with a lot at stake, but the Kiwis should prevail with their better all round side.
England v Australia – Ahmedabad – Sky Sports Cricket – 08.30
Australia can virtually guarantee themselves a semi-final place with a win over a very poor England side who have only managed to beat Bangladesh. Australia will be without Mitch Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, which certainly weakens them, but they probably still have enough talent to consign England to yet another ignominious defeat.
Tennis
Paris Masters – Semi-finals – Amazon Prime
Grigor Dimitrov v Stefanos Tsitsipas – 13.00
Dimitrov at the age of 32 has staged a renaissance this year fulfilling his early promise when he was seen as Roger Federer’s successor. Tsistsipas always seems to have a good end to the season, but not in this tournament. Expect the Bulgarian to surprise the Greek
Novak Djokovic v Andrey Rublev – 16.00
Djokovic to continue his relentless march to a seventh Paris Masters title.
Horse Racing
Breeders Cup – Santa Anita – ITV 4
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf – 19.10
A shoot-out between the top two, Frankie Dettori’s Inspiral and Ryan Moore’s Warm Heart. This is Inspiral’s first time at 1o furlongs, while Warm Heart’s best performances this year have been at a mile and a half. So they meet in the middle and Aidan O’Brien’s three year-old filly to win from the Gosdens’ four year-old.
Breeders’ Cup Mile – 20.30
1,000 Guineas winner, Mawj, unbeaten this year, should win this having already won in America last month.
Breeders’ Cup Turf – 21.50
Auguste Rodin has had a very up and down season, disappointing in the 2,000 Guineas when favourite, winning both the Epsom and the Irish Derbies, disappointing again in the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot before winning the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. If he brings his best game, he wins. Main opposition are Mostahdaf, winner the International Stakes at York, but best at 10 furlongs and King of Steel, second to Auguste Rodin in the English Derby and well-beaten by the same horse in the Irish Champion. Another Coolmore winner at the Breeders’ Cup and no joy for Frankie Dettori
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint – 23.25
Can Live In The Dream pull off an unlikely win? A long shot winner of York’s Nunthorpe Stakes after starting the season as a handicapper is favourite here. However expect one of the home team to win.
Sunday
Football
Premier League
Luton v Liverpool – Sky Sports Premier League/Sky Sport Main Event – 16.30
Luton’s second home game of the season against a top six side and it will go the same way as the first against Spurs. Liverpool look far too powerful for newly promoted Luton and Jurgen Klopp has now integrated all his new signings into the well-oiled Liverpool machine. Mo Salah, Diego Jota, and Darwin Nunez are proving to be a potent front three with midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister slotting in well. Liverpool to win
Cricket
World Cup
India v South Africa – Kolkata – Sky Sports Cricket – 08.30
The top two in the competition face-off. India look unbeatable on home soil and should prove it again today. The balance of the side with both the batsmen and bowlers in top form makes them favourites. If Rohit Sharma doesn’t get the runs, then Shubman Gill will, if Virat Kohli fails, then Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul don’t. Their pace bowling attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami is the best. So saying it will be interesting to see how they get on against the aggressive batting of Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller. India’s bowlers hold the key and should ensure a home side victory.
Tennis.
Paris Masters – Final – Amazon Prime
Novak Djokovic v Grigor Dimitrov – 14.00
Unseeded Grigor Dimitrov at the age of 32 has made it to his second Masters final where he faces perennial winner Novak Djokovic, who is actually four years older. They have met 12 times with Dimitrov winning only once 10 years ago. Djokovic has won both their meetings this year at the Australian Open and the Rome Masters and has beaten Dimitrov twice before in the Paris Masters in 2016 and 2019. So Djokovic has the psychological upper hand and should win again, but Dimitrov is playing well so 2-1 in sets to the Novak.
FI
Brazilian Grand Prix – Interlagos, Sao Paulo – Sky Sports F1 – 17.00
If the 2023 FI Championship was a boxing match, the referee would have stepped in long ago and stopped a very one sided fight, Max Verstappen on pole and Max Verstappen to win.
