last season a long wait of their own last season winning the title after 3 years. —— 30 year, the manager is intent on keeping hold of it. the title is out there, we attack them, we all start from the same position, nil game, nil points and now let us go for it. unlike some of their rivals who have strengthened this summer liverpool will begin with largely the same tea m will begin with largely the same team with which they dominated last season. team with which they dominated last season. unfamiliar financial constraints ensuring a start to a season like no other. time for a look at the weather. here's darren bett. it is warming up over the next few days, and turning more humid as well. perhaps a taste of summer for some parts of the country. today we have had a band of cloud and rain moving south. not much left for northern england and wales, that will drift southwards, further north clearer spells, a rash of showers, maybe a bit cooler than it was last
night. further south, across cross england and wales double figures we start the weekend with that band of cloud, still producing a little light rain, heading south—east wards through the morning, many places still dry and toll lolling that we get a good deal of sunshine, scarp tomorrow before clouds over in the north—west and the winds pick up again. but if you have the sunshine tomorrow, those temperatures should feel quite pleasant. however, we have rain to come during the evening and overnight. northern parts of northern ireland particularly scotla nd northern ireland particularly scotland threatening localised flooding, heavier rain on the hill, that rain on sunday still round but heading up to the highlands of scotland. could be a month's worth of rain in the next couple of day, elsewhere more sunshine arriving at the winds ease down a touch, an with the winds ease down a touch, an with the sunshine we start to see those temperatures rising, maybe looking at the mid 20s across eastern parts of england but the higher temperatures are to come. it has been hot in spain, portugal and france and that heat is moving
northwards, particularly into england and wales, got a weather front hanging round in the north—west of scotland, perhaps no far away for northern ireland, threatening more cloud and some rain as well. so not as warm here but it will be warmerfurther as well. so not as warm here but it will be warmer further east across scotland, the higher temperatures in the sunshine across england and wales, widely the mid 20s, could be close to 30 degrees in the south—east on monday, perhaps even into tuesday. south—east on monday, perhaps even into tuesday. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me, hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm sarah mulkerrins. coming up: australia rally after an early wobble to set england a target of 295 for their innings in the first odi at old trafford.
with the men's draw at the us open missing the big three, is alexander zverev the best placed to become the first new champion in new york since 2014? they haven't had long to wait to start their title defence. we'll look ahead to the new premier league season, with liverpool wbr id "wbr2060" as defending champions. also coming up in the programme: and fans return to formula i, as italy's mugello circuit hosts a grand prix for the first time. welcome along to the programme. lovely to have you with us. let's begin, then, at old trafford, where england are taking on australia in the first odi of their series. australia looked to be struggling after england put them into bat — /b
falling to 123—5 before rallying to set a decent total of 295 for england to chase. and henry moeran is at old trafford for us. henry, how are england getting on? not very well, i think is the short a nswer to not very well, i think is the short answer to that. they have just lost answer to that. they wbr-id "wbr2660" have just lost a fourth wicket. jos buttler caught in the deep, so in then our 57—4, chasing that target of 295. it also did very well for england, jofra archer getting the big wicket of david warner, he and the 295 was a decent total from australia, i think it's fair to say, some big hits from glenn maxwell and mitchell sta rc hits from glenn maxwell and mitchell starc from the backend of the australian innings and itjust
seemed perhaps it would be a total that would push england. the wickets have been tumbling, thanks in large pa rt have been tumbling, thanks in large part tojosh have been tumbling, thanks in large part to josh hazlewood's fabolous opening spell. it took until the seventh over until england could score off him and england have lost another wicket with the catch from marne is lavishing. -- the target seems far away from 57—4. henry, how disappointed are they going to be with his performance in this innings? i think they will be disappointed. england like to chase, like they did in that semifinal at edgbaston. they play expensive cricket and it is cricket australia
they bowed so well early on, english done making the comments of the 22 —— england had just 22 runs... it took something to turn the tide. jos buttler went for the bigshot, he got found out, caught in the deep, as i mentioned, and so england's game plan has been undone. but i think credit goes to australia. it also big hits towards the back end as well to put the pressure on england. henry moeran, thank you forjoining us, and you can follow it on test match special. now, let's talk tennis, as we know that the 2018 champion naomi osaka will face victoria azarenka in the women's final of the us open on saturday. and up later, we will have the men's semi—finals — with four players in the mix that have never won a grand slam title. so let's bring in the bbc‘s tennis correspondent russell fuller. i know we are going to talk about
the men very shortly, but reacting to those two brilliant semifinals overnight, all the talk about serena williams not making it through but, in actualfact, she williams not making it through but, in actual fact, she looked williams not making it through but, in actualfact, she looked in really good form to push to get to that number 24. it was another example, sarah, of serena williams playing very well but being beaten by the better player on the night, and we have seen this in grand slam finals over the years, and with victoria aza renka over the years, and with victoria azarenka yesterday, after a brilliant start by williams, she started so quickly, she was moving very well, the serve was fantastic, she was hitting a lot of winners and aza renka she was hitting a lot of winners and azarenka was flat—footed. after that, she barely looked she wa nted —— won a place in the final against naomi osaka. it was in the third set the underdog dropped a little and a lot of soccer to come through. going to bea lot of soccer to come through. going to be a very interesting final. if
we look at the men's semifinals, the way it is open up. public arena booster up against allie's interview —— pablo carino booster against alexander zverev. he has... he is incrementally making progress. a lot of people would've thought he would have won grand slams by now. he does have won grand slams by now. he does have a bit of an accused field with his serve, particular his second serve, when he is nervous and under pressure. he's never been in a grand slam final before, and i would never write off the wily old pro, pablo carreno—busta of spain. he has been in the semifinals of the final before. and when you mention some of who should be potentially winning a grand slam, dominic thiem is another name, and he is in the otherfinal against daniil medvedev. medvedev
got to the final last year, nearly bit rough in a —— nearly beat rafael nadal. he is right about the fact he can make a grand slam final. it is about making sure it is she rather than the other three guys. russell, thank you very much forjoining us —— it is about making sure it is he rather than. well, after the shortest of breaks, the premier league returns this weekend. liverpool, champions of the top flight for the first time in 30 years, will begin the defence of their title against leeds united on saturday — another team all to aware of long waits. 16 years for them for their return to the top table, with argentine manager marcelo bielsa their hero. so, settle in and get ready for the new season with patrick gearey. cheering the show must go on, even if there is still no one there to see it.
liverpool had little time to enjoy their first title in 30 years — they can their first title in 30 years — they ca n always their first title in 30 years — they can always look at the pictures later. standing still is not an option for liverpool, the team to be caught. last season, that proved tricky. salah moves towards him to score! modern football means spending money, but unlike their modern rivals, will have avoided the sales. for some clubs... owned by oligarchs. that's the truth. we are different, we are different kind of club. it was always the same. a comment aimed squarely at manchester city and chelsea. roman abrahamovich is open the wallet. fewer excuses.
came here to try and win. i am excited as phil is feeling the pressure for we are ready to go. ready to work. lampard will be matched against some of the best names in modern coaching... leeds manager marcelo bielsa. it's like playing for a man who drives you to the absolute limits of body and mind? he isjust relentless. he is passing about football —— passionate about football. the players he has here, doing anything right, what we can on the pitch, and i think that's why he's one of the greatest managers. the same spending and sound bites might suggest football exists in a bubble, but a glance to the empty stands reminds everyone of a growing problem. this extraordinary world badly needs normality.
patrick gearey, bbc news. well, the scottish premiership season began over a month ago behind closed doors. but tomorrow, the first tentative steps towards fans returning for the first time since march will be made. ross county against celtic and aberdeen's match with kilmarnock will act as test events, with 300 fans allowed to watch both matches. our reporter tyrone smith has been to aberdeen to see the steps they have taken to ensure the safe return of supporters. got our tickets! collecting scottish football's golden tickets, the weight is on must deliver these aberdeen fans. 300 supporters, picked by ballot, will take their socially distanced seats at pittodrie. cannot wait. it is not the adversaries to most games, but
it is, as long as i can be there... any opportunity to get active pittodrie. had to go to my doctor to get my blood pressure checked. kind of normal routine. are you excited? 0f of normal routine. are you excited? of course i am, yes. it's around six months since fans are back in a scottish football ground, but life in the states is going to look and feel very different pretty supporters, having or a facemask at all times just wanted the many changes to the matched experience. there'll also no chanting, singing or shouting allowed. ross county will also be welcoming the same number of season—ticket holders for their visit of celtic tomorrow afternoon. saturday will be used as the first step, first of small step, in getting everybody‘s trust that the supporters can get back in the stadia and watch football. we understand we are under the microscope, or supporters, our
staff, celtic and their staff understand the magnitude of what is happening on saturday and how important it is for us moving forward. these two testaments are going to tomorrow despite concern about a rise in covid cases around the country. the first minister says plans for any more will be decided ona plans for any more will be decided on a case—by—case basis. tyrone smith, bbc news. let's round up some of the day's other sports stories now. england's mel reed is four shots off the lead midway through your second round at the inspiration, the second women's major of the year. the favourite spanish mission cruised to victory in the doncaster cup. ridden byjockey william buick, he took the lead inside the last two furlongs to win comfortably by three lengths. there is one game under way in the super league, with st helens taking on hull kingston rovers. it is the wayside there thanks to that try
there. 6—2 the score. this weekend, there's a new track in town for formula i, and the drivers have been adjusting to it today in practice. valterri bottas was fastest on the mugello circuit ahead of the tuscan grand prix this weekend. so let's get more on this new addition from fi reporterjennie gow. it is an absolutely beautiful track, sarah, ican it is an absolutely beautiful track, sarah, i can tell you, just in the heart of tuscany. and it's an amphitheatre, really, so many of these fi tracks are but it is deep in the house and it is a gorgeous place for formula i. in the old days, when michael shaw test on it, dv 12 days, when michael shaw test on it, dv i2 engine is for ari would around, —— in his ferrari. now, the hybrid cars, it is not so much murmuring. we are hoping this weekend delivers a exciting race.
va ltteri bottas weekend delivers a exciting race. valtteri bottas was fastest in the practice sessions. what we take from that? not