WEEK AHEAD: Lower league football and NFL take centre stage this week whilst there’s also action from both the European and PGA Tours.
With the Premier League entering its two-week winter break, attention turns to the Championship this week, beginning on Monday with an interesting clash near the top of the table when Blackburn host Middlesbrough at 19:45 on Sky Sports.
At the same time on Tuesday evening, QPR look set to be favourites when they host a struggling Swansea City side.
On Wednesday, England’s third T20 match against the West Indies begins at 19:30 on BT Sport and this middle game in the series could prove crucial. There’s action in Scotland as Celtic look to close the gap on rivals Rangers, when they face Edinburgh side Hearts at 19:45 (Sky Sports).
The next tournament on the new DP World Tour begins in the early hours of Thursday (04:00), as players tee off in the Dubai Desert Classic. There’s more golf in the afternoon, with day two from the Farmers Insurance Open, from Torrey Pines, getting under way at 17:00. Both tournaments are live on Sky Sports.
Friday follows a similar schedule, with day two from the Desert Classic beginning at the same time. The Farmers Insurance Open moves into the final two rounds, with players that have made the cut beginning their rounds at the earlier time of 16:00. Later in the evening there’s live rugby, with Bath v Harlequins (19:00, BT Sport) followed by another tie from the Championship as Huddersfield are in action against Stoke (19:45, Sky Sports).
Saturday brings plenty of variety. Catch the Dubai Desert Classic action at 04:00, which should just leave time for a nap before the afternoon schedule begins. Rangers look to maintain their lead in the Scottish Premiership at 12:30 (Sky Sports). Newcastle v Gloucester is at 14:30 on BT Sport. The concluding round from the Farmers Insurance Open begins at 16:00, and neutral fans will be hoping for a closer finish than last year, where Patrick Reed came home five strokes in front. Sheffield United travel to Peterborough for their 17:30 (Sky Sports) kick-off. An action-packed day finishes with the fourth T20 match between England and the West Indies.
Boxing fans have something to look forward to when at 02:00 (Sky Sports) on Sunday morning Brazilian fighter Robson Conceicao goes toe-to-toe with Xavier Martinez in a WBC super-featherweight title eliminator bout. Stick around on Sky Sports as the Dubai Desert Classic concludes from 04:00.
Later that afternoon, there’s more Championship football with Derby looking to continue their remarkable run under Wayne Rooney when they face Birmingham at 13:30 (Sky Sports), and later there’s Cardiff v Nottingham Forest at 16:00. Catch Sale v Leicester from the Gallagher Premiership at 14:00 on BT Sport. England’s final T20 match from Barbados is live on BT Sport from 19:30.
Everything is set for a huge evening of action in the NFL, with the final stage of the playoffs; the AFC and NFC Conference Championship games deciding who will fight out this year’s Super Bowl. Both games are on Sky Sports, with 20:05 and 23:40 start times.
