Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United completed a Premier League double over Manchester City yesterday, as they ran out deserved 2-0 winners at a sodden Old Trafford. Anthony Martial opened the scoring for the hosts in the first-half off the back of a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, before Scott McTominay capitalised on an Ederson mistake to double the score at the death and give United a third win derby win in four this season. Solskjaer's side remain three points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea however, after the Blues routed Everton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Mason Mount, Pedro, Willian and Olivier Giroud were on the scoresheet as Carlo Ancelotti's resurgent Toffees failed again in their bid to take a major scalp. Tonight Leicester City take on Aston Villa in a repeat of their League Cup semi-final. Elsewhere in Italy Juventus have returned to the top of Serie A after they beat Internazionale 2-0 in front of an empty stadium in Turin, with all matches being played behind closed doors due to coronavirus.
France's Grand Slam dream is over, after they were beaten 28-17 by an impressive Scotland at Murrayfield yesterday. Gregor Townsend's side started well in Edinburgh but had a moment of madness from Mohamed Haouas to thank for their victory - the French tighthead was shown a red card for punching Jamie Ritchie in the first-half, with the hosts able to make their man advantage count. Ireland are due to meet France in Paris on Saturday night however the prospects of that fixture going ahead look increasingly slim, with France putting a ban on all gatherings of more than 1,000 people in a bid to contain the coronavirus, writes Gerry Thornley.
The Cheltenham Festival gets underway tomorrow, with Gordon Elliott confirming yesterday the prodigious Envoi Allen is heading for Wednesday's Ballymore rather than the curtain-raising Supreme. Wednesday's Champion Chase could be without one of its leading acts however, with Nicky Henderson confirming the mighty Altior was found lame yesterday morning and now faces a race against the clock to be fit in time. Meanwhile in today's Tipping Point column Malachy Clerkin has suggested that Cheltenham going ahead is more important than ever this year, and gives us 10 reasons why. He writes: "In a dreary world of infinite badness, nowhere will there be a more concentrated puddle of genuinely life-affirming stories to splash about in. Things could be about to get very grim indeed over the coming months. Let's take our succour where we can, eh?"
Elsewhere Rory McIlroy failed to produce a final day charge last night, as his challenge in the Arnold Palmer Invitational faded with a closing 76 at Bay Hill. McIlroy finished the tournament in a share of fifth place, with Tyrrell Hatton holding his nerve to win by a stroke and secure his first PGA Tour title in the process.
And Galway came from eight-points behind to beat All-Ireland champions Tipperary by eight points in Salthill yesterday, Shane O'Neill's side running out 3-21 to 3-13 winners and setting up an Allianz League quarter-final date with Wexford. Meanwhile in the Division One relegation play-off Westmeath beat Carlow 1-17 to 2-8 in Mullingar.
