Generations humbled by the grand cancellation of modern sporting life — something, we will claim that could never have been predicted, writes Colin Sheridan.

The Premier League is set to suspend fixtures until April, with at least seven clubs having players in quarantine.

History tells us that Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 advantage ahead of tonight’s Champions League last-16 second leg at Anfield makes them warm favourites to progress.

Wayne Rooney offered 5,000 travelling supporters a reminder of former glories but, thanks in part to two goals from new striker Odion Ighalo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s current Manchester United side made another potentially significant step forward.

Attacking absences do not excuse Mourinho’s lament.

So Andy Farrell opted to play safe last weekend with his selection against Scotland?

So Andy Farrell opted to play safe last weekend with his selection against Scotland? Really?

At Vicarage Road, Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton were drawing 2-2 with Watford and had been reduced to 10 men. They made an immediate substitution, but did not sit back and try and defend their one point.

League One Shrewsbury have been handed a dream trip to Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round if they can find a way past Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline

Manchester United might be able to claim misfortune, if they look hard enough.

Reggie Corrigan believes Leinster’s current team will break a club record in Italy on Saturday, but he’s warned them that only silverware can secure their place in history.

Daniel Storey gives his Premier League review.

Eoghan Barrett made an instant impact on his professional debut with Pau.

Before Ulster start getting ahead of themselves with giddy thoughts about a home quarter-final in the Champions Cup this season, beware the Clermont back three.

Danny Drinkwater has joined Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season, the Villa Park club have announced.

A year to the day since Liverpool last tasted defeat, in a reverse to Manchester City that effectively cost them the league title, Mohamed Salah helped ensure his team remained firmly on course to put that matter right in 2020.

For a coach still only weeks into his Munster tenure, Graham Rowntree’s affinity with his new surroundings is clear and obvious. Yet the forwards coach also knows that while his connection to the province and the players he works with has been immediate, the task of getting it and them to where they need to be will require patience and a lot more time.

With the 2019/20 Premier League now just past its halfway point and a busy Christmas programme almost done, it’s time to hand out some imaginary mid-season awards.

Yes, there was a degree of bitterness over the decisions and, obviously, these were the same petty snarks who’d revelled in our discomfort at the end of last season (so why sympathise?) But they’re right aren’t they?

Jurgen Klopp insisted on Christmas Eve that he is not a man to invite himself to a party without having something worth celebrating.

The ghosts of Christmases past will be circling around the four provinces this weekend as they prepare for the unique demands that come with the traditional back-to-back December rounds in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool juggernaut is rolling inexorably towards footballing immortality.

Watford have appointed Nigel Pearson as their new head coach, initially until the end of the season.

Leinster have enjoyed some great days at the expense of Northampton Saints but Leo Cullen has learned to approach games against the English club with his eyes open and on full alert.

For Leinster this week it will be a case of out with the new and in with the old. More or less, anyway.

Daniel Storey casts his over the Premier League's weekend action.

Standing shooting the breeze at half-time on Thursday night, in a humiliatingly half-empty stadium, the like of which we’d not seen since the inauguration of the Gunners new home in 2006, it couldn’t have possibly been more glaringly obvious that Unai Emery’s number was up.

It was all sweetness and light between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp at the Football Writers’ Awards dinner in Manchester last Sunday.

Ireland U20 out-half Ben Healy will make his Munster senior debut tomorrow night as Johann van Graan opts for wholesale changes for the PRO14 visit of Edinburgh to Cork.

It's not like Graham Rowntree to need a bedding-in period and he was characteristically relaxed on his first outing in front of the Munster media.

Norwich hauled themselves off the bottom of the Premier League table with their first away win of the season to pile the pressure back on Everton manager Marco Silva.