A look at the week ahead: Dubai Tour returns while Pakistan Super League gets underway.
Football: Premier League, Manchester United v Stoke City, Tuesday, midnight, (TV) BeIN Sports
A 2-0 defeat away to Stoke City a little over a month ago had many analysts predicting that Louis van Gaal would struggle to see in the New Year as manager of Manchester United. And while the results since then have hardly done anything to dampen the doom-mongers, the Dutchman is still in a job having presided over his team’s 3-1 victory over Derby County on Friday to secure their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup. A 1-0 defeat to Southampton last time out in the league last week had Old Trafford in open revolt; the beleaguered Van Gaal can ill-afford another home defeat or even a lacklustre performance that has characterised far too many United games this season.
Cycling: Dubai Tour, Wednesday to Saturday, (TV) Dubai Sports
The third staging of the cycling event begins on Wednesday with a 179-kilometre stage from Dubai to Fujairah. Mark Cavendish is back to defend his title in what will also be the longest Dubai Tour yet with the four stages totalling a distance of 671km. The race climaxes on Saturday at the Burj Khalifa.
Read more: Dates, cyclists and teams: Everything you need to know for Dubai Tour 2016
Cricket: Masters Champions League, Wednesday, Libra Legends v Virgo Super Kings, 3pm; Gemini Arabians v Capricorn Commanders, 7.30pm, both Sharjah, (TV) Ten Sports
Kumar Sangakkara got the inaugural Masters Champions League off to an explosive start last Thursday, with the Sri Lankan left-hander hitting a blistering 86 runs off just 43 balls to help the Gemini Arabians to a 78-run victory over Libra Legends in Dubai which was backed-up by an unbeaten 41 in an eight-wicket win over Leo Lions on Saturday. The action moves to Sharjah this week for another double-header: the Arabians taking on a Michael Vaughan-led Capricorn Commanders, who have a win and a defeat from their opening two game, while Libra Legends play Virgo Super Kings in the earlier match.
Read more: Masters Champions League: The National's preview coverage and reporting
Cricket: Pakistan Super League, Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, 8pm, Dubai
The PSL gets underway on Thursday with Misbah-ul-Haq leading what is arguably the strongest squad in the league in Islamabad United: Shane Watson up top, Misbah in the middle, Andre Russell as the all-rounder and Mohammad Irfan the lead bowler. They take on a Quetta Gladiators side captained by Sarfraz Ahmed, who is likely to replace his opposite number as captain of the national team in Tests one day. Also in the squad is one Kevin Pietersen. England may have got over him but the rest of the world has not. And in these leagues, he is still some player. A run of 12 Twenty20 games in South Africa and Australia has seen him hit two hundreds and four fifties.
Read more: Pakistan Super League 2016 schedule: Times, venues in UAE
Football: Arabian Gulf League, Al Ahli v Al Wasl, Friday, 5.20pm, (TV) Dubai Sports
The Arabian Gulf League title fight is becoming a two-horse race, with second-place Al Ahli nine points clear of Al Nasr and just two behind league leaders Al Ain. Ahli cannot afford to drop many points in their remaining 11 games and have a tough test at home to fourth-placed Wasl on Friday, while Al Ain play Al Wahda on the same night.
Read more: AGL round-up: Moussa Sow strikes twice but Al Ahli blow chance to move level with Al Ain
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