What's on: Sporting Life pick out five big sports events for the week ahead

• For a full list of returning sports event in 2020 click here

Racing - Ladbrokes King George VI Chase

• When: Saturday
• Where: Kempton
• TV: Racing TV and ITV
• Odds: Sky Bet Odds

Clan Des Obeaux bids for a third successive victory in the Boxing Day showpiece but isn't even the shortest-priced Paul Nicholls-trained runner in the race.

That spot is taken by last year's runner-up Cyrname who warmed up for this renewal with a sparkling win in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

He will be ridden by Harry Cobden with Sam Twiston-Davies again aboard last year's winner.

Monalee is a fascinating runner from Ireland with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle while Lostintranslation is capable of making them all go on a going day but this looks a clash of the stablemates.

1-0 to Clan Des Obeaux going into it, he'll be joining elevated company if he doubles the advantage on Saturday.

Football – Arsenal v Manchester City

• When: Tuesday at 20:00
• Where: Emirates Stadium
• TV: Sky Sports
• Odds: Sky Bet odds

Mikel Arteta finds himself as the favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave but victory over Manchester City in their Carabao Cup quarter-final meeting will ease some of that pressure; a task that is much easier said than done.

The Europa League has been Arsenal’s only source of joy so far this season with their domestic form a huge concern. Top-four hopes have turned into avoiding relegation and they face a challenge here against a team who have made this competition their own.

City have lifted the Carabao Cup in all of their last three seasons, four in their last five, and are favourites to retain their title. They have recently returned to their best following a slow start to the campaign and for many, the question is not who will win this game, but how big the scoreline could be.

Racing - Coral Welsh National

• When: Sunday
• Where: Chepstow
• TV: Sky Sports Racing & ITV
• Odds: Sky Bet odds

The big betting race of Christmas and could there be a topical winner this time around?

Given the government's new policy of building up Easter - Christmas In April will be popular - in fact he already has and is one of the ante-post gambles of the race.

But he won't start favourite - unless something goes wrong with with Secret Reprieve's preparation. He's a firm market leader having run away with the trial for this race here earlier in the month and Evan Williams is looking to provide a second successive Welsh winner of the great race.

He's young, lightly-raced and progressive but this race has a history of going to a seasoned gunslinger. Truckers Lodge, The Two Amigos, Yala Enki, Ramses De Teillee and Newtide will have their supporters. It's that sort of race.

World Darts Championship

• When: Tuesday December 15 to January 3
• Where: Alexandra Palace
• TV: Sky Sports Darts
• Odds: Sky Bet odds

The biggest event in darts is well under way, with Peter Wright defending the title he won against three-time champion Michael van Gerwen on New Year's Day.

Although the tournament won't obviously be blessed by his usual packed house festive atmosphere, there’s already been plenty of drama for the millions watching at home to enjoy and more guaranteed to come until January 3.

You can continue to follow the action at the Ally Pally unfold right here with a whole host of tips and statistical daily previews from our team of experts and pundits, not to mention the results and daily round-ups.

Remember, it’s darts first, Christmas second.

Football – Leicester v Manchester United

• When: Saturday at 12:30
• Where: King Power Stadium
• TV: BT Sport
• Odds: Sky Bet odds

There are plenty of Premier League fixtures to go at on Boxing Day but this is perhaps the most interesting of them all. Leicester and Manchester United both hold top-four aspirations and they meet in the East Midlands with both experiencing mixed results in recent weeks.

United’s league form has been ok following a slow start but their Champions League exit at the group stage put more questions on the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer regime. For Leicester, even with the Europa League to contend with, a competition where they topped their group, their domestic showings have been positive but there have been some bumps along the way.

It sets this up to be a contest that can go either way. United have the best away record in the league while the Foxes have struggled to nail down a run of results in familiar surroundings. The fixture list has given us a good one to kick off a day in front of the TV

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