Editors' Picks: Crucial North London derby and Formula One take centre stage
Check out what our editors will be watching:
Sunday, September 15th
Azerbaijan Grand Prix - 13:00 CET
The European leg of the Formula One calendar came to an end last week in Monza, with proceedings moving to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Incredibly, the man at the top of the standings, Max Verstappen, hasn’t won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix back in June, but maintains a 62-point lead ahead of Lando Norris. However, the Constructors’ Championship is on a knife edge, with McLaren just eight points behind Red Bull.
Baku is known to be a tricky street circuit, with Verstappen labelling it ‘one of the challenging tracks’ in F1. He will be desperately searching for his first win in months to keep Norris at arm's length, as the race to become world champion continues.
Charles Leclerc is likely to be a big factor in Baku, with the Monegasque clinching pole in the last three years. Ferrari also sit just 39 points behind Red Bull, so they will be eyeing up their first title since 2008.
With a third left of the Formula 1 season, there is still plenty to play for. Who will come out on top in Azerbaijan?
Tolga Akdeniz
Tottenham vs Arsenal - 15:00 CET
In one of the most exciting matches in the Premier League, Tottenham host arch-rivals Arsenal in what looks set to be a crucial clash so early on in the season.
Given the relentless nature of a title race with Manchester City, Arsenal know that they probably need to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially after their draw with Brighton last week.
However, they have massive issues in midfield, with Declan Rice suspended as well as Mikel Merino, and more crucially, Martin Odegaard, ruled out with injury. This makes a tough task so much trickier for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
For Tottenham, they know they won’t have a better chance to beat Arsenal. In their last two meetings at this ground, the Gunners came out victorious, so they will want to right those wrongs.
With a win, a draw, and a loss in their first three games, pressure will be on manager Ange Postecoglou to get a result, with question marks still around about Tottenham’s defence and high line, despite their impressive attacking football.
Always a game with incredible drama, intensity and atmosphere, this will surely follow along the same lines.
Tolga Akdeniz
England vs Australia - 15:30 CET
The words ‘bilateral international Twenty20 series’ rarely get the heart racing but when it's between cricket’s two biggest rivals, well, it’s a bit more exciting!
Fresh off crushing Scotland in three T20Is, Australia are in England for another trio of T20Is before playing five one-day internationals. Why? Well, just because. But what the series lacks in context, it makes up for in rivalry and the opportunity to see a few new faces donning the colours of each nation.
England are well and truly entering a new era of white-ball cricket with Moeen Ali now retired, Jonny Bairstow discarded and a new coaching staff coming in from the new year. They also have a new temporary captain in the form of Phil Salt for the ongoing T20 series with Jos Buttler recovering from an injury.
Australia are trialling a few fringe players themselves with the biggest selection talking point being: Who will claim the opening slot vacated by the retirement of David Warner? The man pencilled in for the role in the eyes of many - Jake Fraser-McGurk - got first crack in Scotland but was replaced by Matt Short for the first T20 against England on Wednesday.
Short scored 41 of 26 balls as Australia comfortably defeated their Ashes rivals in Southampton but the star of the show was undoubtedly Travis Head (once again), who notched another blistering half-century to add to his impressive collection of recent T20 scores.
The sides play on Friday in Cardiff in the second T20I before travelling to Manchester for Sunday’s third and final clash. Whether the series is still on the line by then or not, it should be fun!
Pat Dempsey
Girona vs Barcelona - 16:15 CET
Barcelona have made a brilliant start to the new LaLiga campaign, with four wins from four giving them a four-point cushion over rivals Real and Atletico at the summit.
Having thrashed Real Valladolid 7-0 before the international break, Hansi Flick’s men will be keen to pick up where they left off when they face fellow Catalan side Girona on Sunday afternoon.
Michel’s side, who finished a mightily impressive third last season, have recovered from a disappointing start to the season with back-to-back wins over Osasuna and Sevilla.
The departure of key players Artem Dovbyk, Aleix Garcia and Savinho was always going to be difficult to deal with, but as they prepare for their Champions League debut next week, Girona will fancy their chances of stalling Barcelona’s momentum.
It promises to be a stern early test of the Blaugrana’s title-winning credentials, so be sure to tune in!
Danny Clark
