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Blaine Roberts-McNally
Sports Reporter
10:27 AM 3rd February 2025
sports

Sport: What's On This Week? February 3rd - 7th, 2025

Photo: KBaucherel
Photo: KBaucherel
The start of February continues an already impressive selection of sports of 2025 thus far. With more footballing drama to take in alongside the start of the Six Nations and PDC Premier League, there is plenty to watch and admire as we continue through the 2025 sporting calendars.

Monday 3rd February: EFL Championship Middlesbrough v Sunderland, 20:00pm

The week kicks off with the Tees-Wear derby, an always hotly contested affair, but this outing has the added spice of promotion contention for both sides. Sunderland are currently fourth in a four-horse race for automatic promotion, ten points clear of Blackburn in fifth. They come into this one off the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to bottom side Plymouth, which widened the gap between them and the top three to three points.

The Black cats have left their business late in January, spending big money to make striker Wilson Isidor’s stay permanent following his loan from Zenit St Peterburg last summer. The Frenchman has proved a vital asset this season with nine goals so far in the Championship, which likely helped prompt the club to fork out the reported £6M fee.

Their statement signing has been Enzo Le Fee on loan from Roma, the French Midfielder has been a real coup of a capture for the Championship side, and he will be hoping to be the catalyst in the middle of the park that will help them get over the line either in the playoffs or automatically.

Middlesbrough rock up to the Stadium of Light in seventh position but locked in a poor run of form with just a single win in their previous five, including losses to bottom half sides Preston and Portsmouth.

Despite the recent inconsistency, Boro are still level on points with West Brom in the playoffs with one less game played and still have a solid chance to make amends and rise further into the playoff picture. The signing of Morgan Whittaker from Plymouth will hopefully deliver the goals to keep Michael Carrick’s men in the hunt alongside the added defensive efforts of goalkeeper Mark Travers who was signed on loan from Bournemouth last week.

Date: 03/02/2025
Time: 20:00pm
Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough

The match will be shown on: ITV 4 ,ITV X ,NOW TV ,Sky Go ,Sky Sports Football ,Sky Ultra


Tuesday 4th February: National League Halifax Town v AFC Fylde, 19:45pm

To midweek National League action next, and a battle across the Pennines as Fylde make the trip to the Shay Stadium to face playoff contenders Halifax Town. The Shay men are on a blistering run of form, with an unbeaten run stretching all the way back to November. It is no surprise then that Halifax find themselves amidst a close run playoff battle, as only five points separate them and 11th placed Southend.

With the unrelenting format of the National League being that only the champions go up automatically, the playoffs remain the most realistic chance for the Yorkshire club as Barnet continue to steam ahead of the competition on 63 points at the head of the league.

The visit of strugglers Fylde will give them a chance to cement their position against a side that has lost five of their last six matches and has only managed to win once on the road this season. The Lancashire outfit are only one point from safety, and with fellow strugglers Aldershot coming after their trip across the Pennines, a shock on the road could prove to be vital in their mission to retain league status.

Date: 04/02/2025
Time: 19:45pm
Venue: The Shay Stadium, Shaw Hill, Halifax, HX1 2YS

Tickets can be purchased on the day at the ground (Cash only)
Adult: £22.00, Concession: £19.00, 12-17: £10.00, U12: £4.00

The match will also be shown on: DAZN

Wednesday 5th February: EFL Cup Semi-final Newcastle v Arsenal, 20:00pm

The second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final takes place this week with Newcastle hoping to get the job done following their 2-0 win in the first leg in early January. Goals from the in-form Isak and Gordon gave Newcastle the advantage.

Since their last meeting, Arsenal have remained on a good run barring their penalty shootout loss to Manchester United which ended their FA Cup campaign. The Gunners have also retained their Premier League form and currently reside in second but still six points behind leaders Liverpool.

With the EFL Cup looking like their best hope of silverware this season, their chances of remaining in the competition look slim and Arteta’s men need to turn the tide to avoid being dumped out of another cup.

Standing in their way is Newcastle who have had a slightly more difficult time since the first leg. Although breezing past Bromley in the FA Cup and Wolves and Southampton in the league, they were handed disappointing losses to Bournemouth at home and Fulham away last week.

Despite this rocky run they have turned the tide on their early season falterings and have risen from mid table to fifth spot and potential European qualification. Another win in this leg would push them further for a qualification spot and could help the Magpies lift a first trophy since 1955.

Date: 05/02/2025
Time: 20:00pm
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle

The match will be shown on: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football , NOW TV

Photo: maximovael94
Photo: maximovael94
Thursday 6th February: PDC Premier League - Luke Littler v Michael Van Gerwen, 20:10pm

The SSE Arena in Belfast is the venue for the opening of the 2025 PDC Premier League which opens with a replay of the 2025 PDC World Championship final. New darling of darts Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler has been lighting up the Oche and begins his first venture into capturing another title against one of the current and all-time best in three time world champion Michael van Gerwen.

The Dutchman is fresh off a surprise loss in the World Masters to Dimitri Van den Burgh and has a point to prove against Littler who not only defeated him to lift the World Championship, but also got the better of him in his own back yard with the teenager triumphing 6-3 in the Dutch Masters.

In Littler’s last outing at the World Masters he put up a solid display, dispatching James Wade 4-0. Despite his heroic win for the world title at the end of 2024, the Warrington native has failed to capitalise on the form and was dumped out of the Bahrain and Dutch Masters by Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting respectively.

Van Gerwen did not appear in the Bahrain Masters and so only has his exit to his opponent in this one in the Netherlands to look back on, could this be a sign of things to come and we see another display similar where Littler further cements himself as a rising force? Or will the old guard come through and prove there is still fight left in the former champion.

Date: 06/02/2025
Time: 20:10pm
Venue: SSE Arena, Belfast

The match will be shown on: PDC TV,Sky Sports Darts

Friday 7th February: Six Nations U20 - England U20 v France U20, 20:00pm

If you fancy a little bit more from your international rugby, then this match could be the one for you. The Six Nations is always an excitingly feisty affair, with all home nations and a few old rivals from the continent, there is always room for a delectable 80 minutes of high octane action.

But there is even more to be taken in in the Under 20 Six nations where our young lads are facing off against a France side that is looking to dominate both the senior and youth competitions. Les Blues Under 20 have already put in a demanding 63-19 victory over Wales, mirroring the senior squad who similarly battered the dragons 43-0.

For England, this match is a chance to retain the title and continue a positive start after they battled through a resilient Ireland side that finished runners up last year to come off 19-3 victors.

France will be a similarly difficult test, the current leaders look to be following in the footsteps of the senior side and look to be in prime position to displace Ireland and England as winners of both versions of the competition.

Date: 07/02/2025
Time: 20:00pm
Venue: The Recreation Ground, Bath

The match will be shown on: BBC Iplayer