Tuesday Morning Sports Update

Keeping you up to date on soccer, darts and racing.

SOCCER

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists it doesn't make sense for them to be talked up as Premier League title contenders.

Villa have won a club-record 11 straight games in all competitions, and they're just three points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of tonight's match between the teams at the Emirates.

But Emery says it's too early in the campaign to label them title rivals to the Gunners and Manchester City.

Manchester United are again without their injured captain Bruno Fernandes for the visit of basement side Wolves to Old Trafford.

Chelsea can leapfrog Liverpool into fourth place with a win against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Burnley hope to end their nine game winless run when they take on Newcastle, Everton play Nottingham Forest and West Ham play Brighton.

Coventry City remain eight points clear at the top of the Championship table - despite suffering their first home loss of the season.

Frank Lampard's side lost 2-nil to third-place Ipswich.

But Middlesbrough missed the chance to close the gap at the summit, they were beaten 1-nil by Hull.

With leaders Hearts not in action, Celtic have the chance to draw level on points with the Scottish Premiership leaders tonight.

Wilfried Nancy's Hoops go to Motherwell on the back of winning their last two league matches.


DARTS

Defending champion Luke Littler is through to the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship.

'The Nuke' enjoyed a four sets to two victory over 2018 winner Rob Cross last night.

Ryan Searle is also safely through to the last-eight at the Alexandra Palace - he beat James Hurrell 4-nil - and is still yet to drop a set at the tournament.

The quarter-final line-up will be completed today, former winners Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson face off in the pick of the four round matches.

Antrim's Josh Rock goes up against world number 86 Justin Hood this afternoon.

RACING

Trainer Nicky Henderson has confirmed that his plan is to enter Sir Gino in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The five-year-old made a winning return by claiming the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Saint Stephen's Day.

Henderson will be bidding for a record-extending 10th success in the opening day's feature at the Festival.