Manchester City host Liverpool as the FA Cup quarter-finals begin on Saturday as City look to reach their eighth semi-final in a row.
Liverpool, who are looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat at Brighton before the international break, have not made it to the final four since 2022.
Later, League One strugglers Port Vale travel to top flight Chelsea following their victory over Sunderland in the previous round of the competition.
Premier League leaders Arsenal finish off the night as they travel to Championship playoff chasers Southampton.
Elsewhere, Cambridge and Oxford contest the boat race in the 80th edition for the women and the 171st for the men.
The opening round of the County Championship also continues with fixtures across the two divisions.
Follow The i Paper’s updates below…
The Boat Race is an elitist relic – and Channel 4 knows it
It’s not easy to revamp an event that has been running for nearly 200 years.
Much has changed about the Boat Race since Charles Merivale challenged his old chum from Harrow School to a rowing race during the Easter holidays of 1829, but some things have not: it’s still Oxford against Cambridge, and it’s still the poshest event in the sporting calendar.
Boat Race organisers like to lean into that prestige, not least because it has helped garner a multi-year Chanel sponsorship that one conservative estimate valued at £5m.
But it did cost them placement on the BBC, with reports suggesting that the new director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski showed little interest in renewing the TV rights deal of a race first shown in 1938, and virtually always on the national broadcaster. Channel 4 will air Saturday’s renewal instead.
One report said that Kay-Jelski’s lack of passion for the Boat Race stemmed from his belief that it is “elitist”, an accusation regularly thrown around at this time of year. Of course, top-level sporting events are by their nature elite – well, maybe not Tottenham home games – but elitism is another thing entirely.
Trippier to leave Newcastle at end of the season
In some other football news, Kieran Trippier will leave Newcastle United when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old former England full-back said Newcastle is “where I have felt most at home” in a joint statement with the club.
“It’s emotional and I’m really going to miss it,” he said.
“I want to say a massive thank you to the supporters for all the support through the good and the bad times for me personally. You’ve always supported me, always stood by me.
“To my team-mates, it’s going to be emotional. It’s been an amazing journey with you guys. I’m going to miss you all, but to win a trophy with you guys was really, really special – the best of my career.”
Welcome
Welcome to The i Paper‘s live text for all of Saturday’s sporting action.
We begin in Manchester, as Manchester City host Liverpool at 12.45pm in the first of today’s FA Cup quarter-finals.
At 5.15pm, League One club Port Vale travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
The FA Cup games conclude at 8pm as Arsenal visit Southampton.
Today’s calendar also sees the Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge take place, while the opening weekend of Cricket’s County Championship continues.
