Editors' Picks: Final four face off in Rugby World Cup, club football back with a bang

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Editors' Picks: Final four face off in Rugby World Cup, club football back with a bang

New Zealand are two games away from making history
New Zealand are two games away from making historyReuters
With the Rugby World Cup nearing its end and both club football and Formula One returning with a bang, there's plenty to keep you entertained this weekend - here are our Editors' Picks.

Friday, October 20th

Argentina vs New Zealand, Rugby World Cup - 21:00 CET

Both Argentina and New Zealand were widely expected to lose their World Cup quarter-final clashes against Wales and Ireland respectively but produced their best performances of the tournament to make it into the last four, where they will face one another. 

The All Blacks, with their sights set on becoming the first nation ever to win four Rugby World Cups, will be the favourites, but it's not a foregone conclusion by any means. 

The Pumas beat their opponents in the Rugby Championship just over a year ago, and with it being one of the biggest chances that the South American side will ever get to reach a final for the first time, they'll be giving absolutely everything to try and claim victory again. 

They'll have a chance of doing so if they can play as well as they did in the second half against Wales, in which they came back from 10-6 and then 17-12 down to win 29-17.

The night in Paris will either end with Argentina celebrating perhaps their greatest-ever win, or New Zealand moving a step closer to an unprecedented achievement, so you don't want to miss it.

Saturday, October 21st 

The Premier League returns - 13:30 CET 

The next day, club football returns in style with the Merseyside Derby taking place at Anfield to restart the Premier League action. 

If it were a normal match, Liverpool would be the heavy favourites, but Everton often raise their game for what is one of the fiercest derbies in football and so can be expected to put up a fight. 

With how they've played this season though, Liverpool will still be feeling confident, and just in case beating their arch rivals isn't a big enough incentive, they'll also be able to go top of the league if they win by more than one goal. 

Taking place 350km south and five hours later is another of English football's great match-ups, with Chelsea hosting London rivals Arsenal

The English capital has been red for the last few seasons with the Gunners establishing themselves as the best side in the city, shown by the fact that they've won four matches in a row against the Blues and seven of the last nine.

In a bid to get back to the top, Chelsea hired Mauricio Pochettino, but he hasn't made the best of starts to life at Stamford Bridge with his side currently 11th in the table with three wins from eight matches, nine places and nine points behind Arsenal. 

A win over Mikel Arteta's side would well and truly kickstart his reign, but a defeat would see the Argentine begin to come under pressure from the fans. 

If they're not enough for you, between the above two matches is a clash between Manchester City and Brighton.

England vs South Africa, Rugby World Cup - 21:00 CET 

On Saturday night, the side that won the last Rugby World Cup will go up against the only side still boasting a 100% record in this one in a rematch of the 2019 final.

England have hardly set the world alight in France but have done what they've needed to do in every match, showing impressive discipline and resilience to beat highly-fancied Argentina and Fiji sides on their way to the semis. 

South Africa will no doubt be their toughest challenge yet though with the Springboks producing a display for the ages to knock out hosts France, who many people expected to go on and become World Champions after they beat New Zealand in the opening round. 

The reigning world champions, like New Zealand looking to become the first three-time World Cup winners, will enter this semi-final as the favourites, but underdogs England pulling off an upset is by no means outside the realm of possibility. 

Sunday, October 22nd

AC Milan vs Juventus - 20:45 CET 

There are few more enticing nights in Italian football than ones which see these two heavyweight sides go head to head.

We may only be eight matches into the season but this feels like a huge game in the context of the title fight too, with AC Milan currently top of Serie A with 21 points and Juventus in third with 17. 

If the hosts beat their opponents to open that gap up to seven points, it'll look very much like they'll finish above the Old Lady for the fourth season in a row, but a win for the visitors would be a real statement, one that would suggest they're ready to fight for the title again after a few difficult seasons. 

That would be a boost they desperately need after a somewhat disastrous few months off the pitch for Max Allegri's side with Paul Pogba suspended for doping and Nicola Fagioli banned for betting. 

AC Milan won't be offering much in the way of sympathy though, and would no love nothing more than to give Juve something else to be down about. 

United States Grand Prix, 21:00 CET

The title fights may be done and dusted, but there are still plenty of reasons to tune in to the United States Grand Prix on Sunday night.

For one, there is still plenty to play in the standings for as the season nears its end with Lewis Hamilton trying to take second from Sergio Perez in the Drivers' Championship and his team trying to keep second from Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship, who along with Aston Martin are being rapidly chased down by a resurgent McLaren.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline though is the return of AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo, who is fit again after breaking his hand at Zandvoort. Just how quick he looks in Austin is crucial for a number of reasons. 

The Aussie could give himself a real chance of taking Perez's spot at Red Bull next year if he can hit the ground running and the Mexican continues to struggle, and that could have huge repercussions for the sport given whoever is in that seat is likely to have the fastest card on the grid along with Max Verstappen.

Finally, the Circuit of the Americas is simply one of the best tracks in the world, challenging drivers and producing some thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing, and the raucous Texan atmosphere is one of the best on the calendar. 

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