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Saturday

8am (all times BST)

Matchday live

Football

A bumper weekend will have kicked off on Friday night with West Ham v Wolves, a match that could mean Spurs fans waking up in the relegation zone, or Hammers fans lamenting a failure to beat the bottom side. Emillia Hawkins will be picking over that, and all the buildup to a Saturday when some promotion and relegation issues could be settled as the EFL season enters the home straight. Send your thoughts to matchday.live@theguardian.com 

11am

County Championship round two, day two live

Cricket

A lively opening round of games over Easter produced only three positive results because of some excellent rearguard actions, and Tanya Aldred is at Old Trafford to see if Jimmy Anderson’s Lancashire can get over the disappointment of being denied by Northants’ last pair surviving 15 overs and three balls; Derbyshire are the visitors. Tanya will be keeping a weather eye on the action from all the grounds, and indeed on the skies above them. You can take part by mailing Tanya or commenting below the line.

11am, with the big race at 4pm

Grand National

Horse racing

The biggest day in the racing calendar is with us and Tony Paley is your guide to events at Aintree, with John Brewin stepping in for the main event. Greg Wood and Sean Ingle will be reporting from the course, and you can check out Greg’s guide to all the Grand National runners if you want to have an informed punt rather than sticking a pin in it. All we know for sure is that Nick Rockett, last year’s winner, will not be repeating that success after being pulled out because of a cough. Does that open up the door for I Am Maximus, winner in 2024 and runner-up last year, to reclaim the crown?

12.30pm

Arsenal v Bournemouth live

Football

The Premier League leaders recovered from their double cup blip by winning 1-0 in Lisbon against Sporting on Tuesday, and, for all the talk of their stumbling, they can go 12 points clear overnight with three points here. On the other hand, if Andoni Iraola’s side were to repeat their 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium last May, then Manchester City would be nine points behind with two games in hand and their home game against Mikel Arteta’s side to come. Barry Glendenning will follow the action live, while Ed Aarons and Paul MacInnes will be reporting from the ground.

12.30pm

Clockwatch

Football

If Millwall have stumbled at West Brom on Friday night, this could be the day when Coventry seal their return to the Premier League after 25 years, and regardless of events at the Hawthorns Frank Lampard’s side can all but finish the job, given their huge goal difference advantage, by polishing off long-since-relegated Sheffield Wednesday in one of the lunchtime games. Bromley, too, could be going up, from League Two, though may, like Coventry, need a helping hand in 3pm KOs to confirm it, even if they win at MK Dons. Northampton, meanwhile, are on League One doomwatch. In the Premier League 3pms, Burnley really need to dent Brighton’s slim European hopes if they are to stand any faint chance of survival, while Brentford and Everton both need a win when they meet to promise Champions League qualification, now that extends to fifth place. In Scotland, Hearts need to beat Motherwell with their lead now down to one point, while Celtic – boosted by the post-split fixture list – can burnish their title credentials against St Mirren. Andy McGrath will shepherd you through it all.

2.25pm

England Women v Ireland Women

Rugby union

The world champions and Six Nations winners for the past seven years kick off their campaign at Twickenham against Ireland, and Daniel Gallan will cover every try and kick live, before Sarah Rendell reports from south-west London. John Mitchell’s side are much changed from the XV that beat Canada in September’s World Cup final, thanks to a combination of retirements, injuries and pregnancies, but Ellie Kildunne – runner-up in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award – will hope to be as lethal as ever.

5.30pm

Liverpool v Fulham live

Football

Arne Slot’s embattled champions last won a league game on 28 February – albeit that’s only three winless matches since – and have had a rocky week, surrendering at Manchester City in the FA Cup and clinging on by their fingernails at PSG in the Champions League. Fulham, meanwhile, are on the fringes of the European qualification conversation. What odds a Harry Wilson winner back at Anfield? Rob Smyth is at the minute-by-minute helm, while Andy Hunter reports from Merseyside.

6pm

The Masters’ third round live

Golf

Never mind the clocks changing, the harbinger of the sporting spring is seeing Augusta National in full flower. Of course for the players some will be packing their bags already, after failing to make Friday night’s cut, but there are worse places to have spent a few days, even if they end in disappointment, especially with the perfect weather Georgia has been enjoying. Scott Murray, as ever, is your expert guide to moving day, while Ewan Murray and Andy Bull are among the patrons.

8pm onwards

Tyson Fury v Arslanbek Makhmudov and undercard

Boxing

There is nothing shy about Tyson Fury and, for the fifth time, there is no longer anything retiring about him, as he steps back into the ring 15 months after his second defeat by Oleksandr Usyk. Thirteen years on from saying: “I’ve retired 1,000,000%; no matter what, I’ll never fight again,” as he retired for the first time, Fury ends his fifth sabbatical by facing the Russian/Dagestani Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Alex Reid will provide blow-by-blow coverage, while Donald McRae reports from ringside.

Sunday

8am

Matchday live

Football

Regardless of how West Ham fared against Wolves on Friday night, Sunday’s game at Sunderland is a big test for Tottenham and their new manager, Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian returns to the Premier League having muddied his reputation a touch at Marseille, but with a five-year contract as Spurs try desperately to avoid relegation. Dominic Booth will have all the buildup to this and the day’s other matches, and will take a look at the best and worst of Saturday’s action. Email matchday.live@theguardian.com with your views

11am

County Championship round two, day three live

Cricket

Essex were the only Division One winners in the first round of matches, beating Hampshire by an innings at the Rose Bowl; this week the early leaders are at home to Somerset, who had the better of their home draw against the defending champions, Nottinghamshire. Notts, in turn, are playing Glamorgan at Trent Bridge. Tanya Aldred will have updates from all the matches, but with special attention on events taking place in front of her at Old Trafford as Lancashire take on Derbyshire. Take part by mailing Tanya or commenting below the line.

2pm

Clockwatch

Football

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa is an intriguing match-up between two sides with split focus: both achieved creditable results in their Europa League quarter-final first legs on Thursday and will have strong hopes of progressing, but Villa have slipped to fourth after winning one of their past five league games and Forest need to fend off relegation fears. Forest’s last league game did them a power of good: the 3-0 win at Tottenham, which left Spurs dicing with the bottom three themselves. They are at Sunderland, while Crystal Palace – Conference League flag flyers – host Newcastle. Daniel Harris has news of all these matches, plus any fallout from Rangers’ noon kick-off at Falkirk.

4.30pm

Chelsea v Manchester City live

Football

At least one side will be left feeling blue at the end of this clash between the sides starting the weekend in sixth and second. City surely need a win to have any chance of overhauling Arsenal at the top, while Chelsea will be seventh at kick-off if Saturday’s Brentford v Everton game has produced a positive result. A draw would suit neither. Rob Smyth will be your guide as the game unfolds, while Jacob Steinberg and Barney Ronay are at Stamford Bridge.

6pm

The Masters’ final round live

Golf

All Masters Sundays are memorable in part but some are utterly unforgettable. Last year, Rory McIlroy and a gallant Justin Rose fought each other to the end of regulation and beyond before the Northern Irishman won the playoff, the Green Jacket and the career grand slam. Thirty years ago, Greg Norman teed off against Nick Faldo in the final pairing with a six-stroke lead but shot a 78, while the Englishman made a 67 to win by five. There is no better guide to the action as it happens than Scott Murray, while Ewan Murray (no relation) and Andy Bull (also no relation …) are on hand to see who gets to pick the menu for next year’s champions’ dinner.