Manchester City can displace Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with a win at the Emirates tonight. Pep Guardiola has told Arsenal they will have to “fight” to take the title from his team ahead of tonight’s clash: “You want it? Okay, fight. Take it. It’s in our hands. We’ll defend this title until the last day.” Last night, AC Milan were 1-0 winners over Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash at the San Siro, while Kingsley Coman’s goal gave Bayern Munich victory over an off-colour PSG.

England’s trip to Cardiff in the Six Nations has been plunged into doubt after it emerged Wales players were considering strike action over their contract renewals. In his column this morning, Gordon D’Arcy explains how Andy Farrell understands managing players comes before tactics: “Farrell and his coaching team are a special group of people, and we should enjoy them as long as we have them. Farrell is proof that if you coach the person then great things will follow.”

Sean Moran’s column this morning is looking at All-Ireland hurling champions Limerick’s start to the league, they look in better shape than a year ago, which is bleak news for everyone else. He writes: “This year Limerick have started better. They have been dominant in the first half of both their opening fixtures, against Cork and Clare. The first day they appeared to “declare” like a cricket team and got run out of the result by a big finish.”

Meanwhile, Ian O’Riordan reports there has been no talk of any Olympic boycott – not yet anyway – although Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne says he does not agree with the potential return of athletes from Russia and Belarus: “We had a meeting from our side with ministers last week, and we’re working on a joint statement on that. I’ve never actually said it [boycott], and we’re not in the space of calling it a boycott.”