With Liverpool and Arsenal in line for two of five guaranteed spots in the tournament we assess other contenders

The important thing for Forest is that they sit third and have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City to look forward to. Everyone below would like to be in their position. Injuries will be a cause for concern for Nuno Espírito Santo, who has been without his top scorer, Chris Wood, since the international break and then lost Wood’s replacement, Taiwo Awoniyi, leaving Forest without a recognised striker for the loss to Aston Villa, a game also missed by Ola Aina. Their final seven matches include four at home, where they have lost only twice, but three tricky away clashes in London mean the path to a historic return to Europe’s top table is unlikely to be straightforward for a team who have not been in this situation before. Forest have more experienced squads snapping at their heels as they seek to accomplish the most significant Premier League achievement since Leicester won the title. Will Unwin

Lewis Dunk is running out of time, Jakub Kiwior rises to the challenge for Arsenal and Liam Delap has an audition

Manchester City’s tame outing at Manchester United on Sunday showed how they have flatlined this term, the goalless draw also damaging their prospects of Champions League qualification – after beating Leicester the following night, Newcastle vaulted them and went into fifth place. Without Erling Haaland, unavailable until mid-May at the earliest, City were toothless at Old Trafford, and with Crystal Palace arriving at the Etihad on a run of six wins in seven matches – the other was a draw – it is time for Pep Guardiola to earn his salary by ensuring his side are far better, or Europa League football may be on the cards next season. Jamie Jackson

Manchester City v Crystal Palace, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Southampton v Aston Villa, Saturday 3pm

Nottingham Forest v Everton, Saturday 3pm

Brighton v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

Arsenal v Brentford, Saturday 5.30pm

Chelsea v Ipswich, Sunday 2pm

• The plan may eliminate qualifying in South America
• Expansion already in place for 48-team 2026 World Cup

Alejandro Domínguez, the president of South American soccer’s ruling body Conmebol, made an official proposal on Thursday to expand the men’s 2030 World Cup to 64.

Fifa is aware of the proposal, which was first introduced last March by a delegate from Uruguay during an online meeting of the ruling council of world soccer’s governing body.

• Perry will play at least six games in new tournament
• Signing is coup for English domestic women’s cricket

Hampshire have signed the Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry in a major coup for the restructure of the English women’s domestic game.

Perry, the all-time leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the Women’s Ashes, has been at the forefront of eight Australia World Cup wins – two in ODIs and six in Twenty20 – and was named the International Cricket Council’s women’s player of the decade in 2020.

• Rory McIlroy enjoys ‘very cool’ moment in Par Three
• Nico Echavarria wins family-friendly tournament

Rory McIlroy’s four-year-old daughter, Poppy, sank a monster putt in the Par Three Tournament to delight the Augusta crowd on the eve of the 89th Masters.

The Northern Irishman helped his daughter make the long birdie putt on the final hole in the family-friendly pre-Masters event, describing the moment as “very cool”.

• Fan backs up guard’s version of events
• Dončić returning to Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday

Luka Dončić didn’t wait for his much-anticipated return to Dallas to crank up the drama.

The night before he faces the franchise with which he spent his first six-and-a-half NBA seasons, he was ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.