IRWINDALE, Calif. – Longtime Irwindale Speedway and Irwindale Dragstrip Racing Director Mike Atkinson died unexpectedly at his residence on Feb. 11 at the age of 63.

“It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of our friend Michael Atkinson, who has been into every inch of this facility since its opening in 1999,” said Irwindale Speedway President Tim Huddleston in a statement on the track website. “His impact on the Southern California racing community will be everlasting.”

Atkinson was a caring and outgoing people person who was respected for his honesty, fairness and work ethic. He controlled races by radio from his perch in the race control booth. His even-handed interpretation of the rules and settlement of disputes was remarkable.

His racing experience dated back to the 1960s as a driver and official. His father, Art Atkinson, operated two short tracks, Orange Show and Speedway 605.

Atkinson’s early experience combined with his natural charm, friendliness, technical knowledge and work ethic enabled him to lead Irwindale’s oval track and dragstrip as a senior manager for two decades.

He is survived by daughters Sarah and Jannie, son-in-law Mike Hancock and granddaughter Remi.

Seattle was awarded an NHL expansion team in December 2018. The Kraken won't debut until October 2021 -- giving the NHL's 32nd team a nearly three-year ramp-up. Its hires have been calculated and gradual (in part to keep costs at bay).

Tod Leiweke joined as CEO early on and formed a business staff and analytics department. A general manager, Ron Francis, was named seven months in, and his first hires were pro scouts to begin working on the expansion draft. Seattle is still in no rush to hire a head coach -- which made it curious that a year before the team was scheduled to take the ice, the Kraken had already brought on head strength and conditioning coach Nate Brookreson.

The question for Brookreson: How do you build a modern NHL strength and conditioning program from scratch? It's obviously a significant undertaking, considering Brookreson was given a year of leeway.

First, some background on Brookreson. He played football at Central Washington State, and began his career working in college sports, overseeing everything from football, soccer, tennis, volleyball, swimming and diving, most recently at NC State. However, Brookreson had never worked in hockey. While it gives him a unique perspective -- and means he's not as beholden to the same way of doing things, just because it's the way they've always been done -- Brookreson knew he needed to educate himself on the landscape, as well as hockey players.

He has already connected with about half of the league's strength and conditioning coaches, who have been happy to share practices and practical tips. "We're going to have guys from every single organization, so there will be an expectation for how they used to do things," Brookreson said. "If we're 180 degrees different, that's probably not great."

Brookreson has also been reaching out to several trainers with whom players work in the offseason. Connecticut-based Ben Prentiss (who counts Cam Atkinson, Charlie McAvoy and several New York Rangers as clients) is more weight-intensive, with heavier overloads. Ian Mack (an increasingly popular Chicago-based trainer who works with Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane and several other Blackhawks) focuses on body-weight movement and muscle pliability.

For Brookreson, it's important to learn about their programs and understand why players are gravitating toward different philosophies.

"What I've learned is that these athletes really want to know the 'whys,'" Brookreson said. "They want to be involved. There's a cooperative process in training. They don't necessarily expect autonomy, but especially with them seeking out professional help in the offseason, they take agency."

Brookreson has been building a "strategic performance document" which is up to 200 pages ... and counting.

As for building out the Kraken weight room?

"The equipment itself is not all that different," Brookreson said. "If you walked into the Seahawks' facility and ours, you wouldn't see a ton of variance. The biggest thing is probably the Wattbikes."

The high-end Wattbikes have become ubiquitous in the NHL, as well as a key feature of the NHL combine. They can do Wingate and VO2 max testing, which measure players' anaerobic and aerobic capacities, and for their preprogramed training intervention, which Brookerson says is "specific to the energy system demand of hockey."

The Kraken's weight room will also be outfitted with other cardio machines, Hawkin Dynamics force plates, which Brookreson says are "widely accepted in the NHL," and different plyo box variants.

Where Brookreson thinks Seattle will have an edge is in its integration of data into the strength and conditioning program.

"A lot of organizations are doing heart rate, doing external load monitoring," Brookreson said. "A lot of people are collecting information, so it seems like they're gathering a lot of stuff, but maybe don't have great processes around it. How are we taking advantage of this information to be better than the people we're competing against? I think our ability to do that will be better than most teams, off the bat."

Right now, the team is figuring out how to create a dashboard for information it collects at checkpoints, such as rating players' perceived exertion after practice.

"We have so many good people on the staff, why would we not leverage the analytics staff to help us build this out?" Brookreson said. "We have a UX/UI designer who came from Microsoft; if you have an idea, he can build it. I want to create front-end systems so that it doesn't take up so much of our time. Because once we're going, I'd much rather spend my time working with one guy, and delving into what his needs are, rather than say, 'I have to go work on my computer for two hours because I need to pull all this data and push it to the coaches and management.'"

At the same time, Brookreson must manage a fine line.

"The biggest thing people have told me: 'Don't crowd these guys, don't make them feel like they're lab rats,'" Brookreson said. "So everything we're doing has to fit within the ecosystem of our day-to-day. It's not just, 'Hey, we're doing this test, I need you to do this force plate test, I need your RPEs [rated perceived exertions],' making these guys feel like they're constantly logging into their phone, or being monitored. We're trying to do the least number of touchpoints with the most amount of impact."

Brookreson has gotten significant help along the way from Gary Roberts, the longtime NHL player and now renowned fitness guru who Seattle brought on as a consultant. The two talk pretty much every day.

"Nutrition is an example of something Gary and I are taking on together, because it's right in his wheelhouse," Brookreson said. "He's big on locally sourced food, and how we'll work with the chefs on staff with snacks, supplements, all of that."

While it seems like Brookreson has a lot of time, it's going to be a mad dash after the expansion draft in July. By then, the Kraken will have hired a coach, so Brookreson can work collaboratively on refining the program. But if players decide to come to town right away, there's a chance they won't have a certification of occupancy yet for the training facilities. Luckily, Brookreson has good relationships with Lakeside High School, as well as the University of Washington, and said he'll be able to help accommodate players.

"Then the first day guys come in the door, we're going to do physicals, then off-ice testing," Brookreson said. "We better be really secure in how we're going to go through that process, because it can't feel chunky, like we're not organized, the tech is not working properly. It can't be the guys come in and we're like, 'We're all going through this together, hopefully it turns out well!'"

Jump ahead:
Three stars of the week
What we liked this week
What we didn't like
Best games on tap
Social post of the week

Emptying the notebook

Nicklas Backstrom notched two assists in the Capitals' 4-2 win over the Devils on Sunday, bringing the Capitals center two assists shy of 700 for his career. Backstrom will be one of three active players to hit the milestone (following Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton) and the 25th to reach it before 1,000 career games; Crosby also did in fewer than 1,000 games, and everyone else on the list who is eligible for the Hall of Fame is in.

Backstrom has long been viewed (and promoted) as one of the league's most underappreciated stars; a Hall of Fame-worthy player who often gets lost in Alex Ovechkin's shadow. For his part, Backstrom doesn't mind living outside the spotlight. The 33-year-old Swede is polite and soft spoken. He revealed to my friend Isabelle Khurshudyan in 2018 that he grew up with a slight stutter, which forces him to choose his words carefully.

Maybe the boldest thing Backstrom has done in his career was negotiating his own contract ahead of last season -- no agent, no lawyer, just him and the front office.

"It was always a part of the business I was interested in," Backstrom said. "And I wanted to see it myself. I felt like I had been in this organization a long time, and I thought I had a good enough relationship with the organization that I could try it. It was smooth; obviously I was really happy with how it turned out [a five-year, $46 million extension]."

Ovechkin is also planning to negotiate his next contract with the Caps; the captain's current deal expires this summer. When asked what advice he would have for other players looking to follow his lead, Backstrom stressed preparation and "sticking to your values." However, he admitted that he entered negotiations under unique circumstances.

"I honestly didn't use a lot of material, I just went in there and talked to the GM," Backstrom said. "And I think he came more prepared than I did. He showed me some numbers and stuff, so it was basically that. Then you gotta figure something out, you gotta meet somewhere, you know?"

After dealing with a nagging injury in the summer's return-to-play bubble, Backstrom has stormed off to his best start (20 points in his first 15 games) in nine years. Backstrom and his teammates are still adjusting to Peter Laviolette's new system after a shortened offseason.

"He wants us to play really good defensively to start, then his system is pretty aggressive," Backstrom said. "He wants us to attack. He wants us to have possession, but he also wants us to shoot a lot more pucks. If you aren't shooting the puck, you're not going to score. I think we're all starting to get an understanding of what he wants from us, and how he wants us to play."

For Backstrom, in his 14th season with the team, adjusting to a new system isn't anything new. The Caps have averaged a new head coach every other season during his tenure. And 56 different players have scored goals off his 698 assists.

"I've been here a long time, but even if it's been a lot of coaches and stuff like that, it feels like it's flying by really quick," Backstrom said. "It's almost like, when you talk about someone, they say he was your coach, and you remember, 'Oh yeah, you're right.' But at the same time, I think that just shows that the organization wants to find the right one and they care about winning. That's why you do that, I think."

Backstrom admits that there was a time he wasn't sure whether the Capitals would ever win a Stanley Cup, let alone their current status of competing seriously for No. 2.

"I don't know exactly, but it was probably six or seven years into my NHL career, we kept losing in the first round, we weren't going anywhere, we were stuck there," Backstrom said. "Instead of just restarting it and getting ready for the next season, you were almost questioning yourself. Is it me [that's] the problem? What's going on? But I think what we all learned was that you've got to build experience and make sure you get enough experience to know what it takes. We had a pretty experienced coach who took us all the way."

Three stars of the week

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

The young American center is the first player in 15 years to score 18 goals in his first 18 games. (He had a whopping seven this week, as well as five assists, in four games). It's also probably worth mentioning Matthews has a really good all-around game; he ranks first among forwards at even strength in puck battle wins, and third in blocked shots, with 19.

Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

Another week, another jaw-dropping highlight. With his seventh career five-point game on Saturday, it's worth mentioning he's on pace for 103 points in 56 games. Yeesh.

This guy is ridiculous.#McDavid pic.twitter.com/jrinfjGiNR

— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) February 21, 2021

Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Florida Panthers

For the past few years, Aleksander Barkov was generally regarded as the most underrated player in the NHL. That distinction has now been inherited by his teammate. Huberdeau had three goals (including an OT winner) and four assists in four games this week.

We'd also say his confidence level is at an all-time high to attempt (and pull off) this maneuver:

Stop what you're doing and watch this pass from Huberdeau. ? pic.twitter.com/psP925ljtx

— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) February 18, 2021

What we liked this week

1. NHL players rarely use the pronoun "I," choosing to say "we" or "you" instead (a tick with which I've become somewhat obsessed). So while I loved the way Sidney Crosby's Penguins teammates honored the captain for his 1,000th career game on Saturday, I found the tributes to be a pretty funny, albeit unintentional, commentary on hockey culture. Honoring individual achievements through the collective. It's perfect.

WHOA ? pic.twitter.com/Dj4xLzmexL

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 20, 2021

The superstitions are definitely real. pic.twitter.com/GekmGff5iO

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 20, 2021

2. If you're looking for a relatable moment from an NHL player, how's this from Alex Pietrangelo, the league's fifth-highest-paid blueliner, as he sees Nathan MacKinnon barreling down the ice. Defensemen everywhere are like yeah, been there.

Pietrangelo mic'd up: "Oh boy" ? pic.twitter.com/jBLHXq7EIs

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 21, 2021

3. Fits of the week. All of them. More evidence that hockey players would thrive creatively if the NHL lifted its game-day dress code.

The 90s definitely called.#NHLBruins | #NHLOutdoors pic.twitter.com/Qw1hN3f4f8

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 21, 2021

4. Another great update from the King.

Today is a good day.
The checkup with the doctor this morning reaffirmed what I've been feeling last few weeks, everything looking great. It energized me so much I had to go out for a run (FYI, I'm not a runner)
Today is a good day! ???#Stepbystep pic.twitter.com/AXrZzMDbts

— Henrik Lundqvist (@hlundqvist35) February 17, 2021

What we didn't like this week

1. So the NHL's outdoor games at Lake Tahoe didn't go exactly as planned -- besides the eight-hour delay on Saturday, the league had to surrender prime broadcasting windows on NBC -- but I would hardly consider it a bust. The NHL experimented. It wanted to try something new and put on a signature event in this most unusual season, and probably learned a few lessons along the way (most notably, about sunshine, which Gary Bettman humorously said, "has always been our enemy"). As Greg Wyshynski wrote last week, the NHL will evaluate everything that happened this weekend, and if it views the Lake Tahoe experience favorably, it could rewrite the rules for the outdoor game strategy in the future.

But then we heard this from Bettman on Sunday: "We're in a unique year and unique season, and we wanted to have a special event. But I believe we belong in front of our fans in large numbers when we do these special events."

I get it. And this has nothing to do with sun glare (which also presents issues at baseball and football stadiums) and everything to do with revenue. Bettman needs to say things like this, especially for owners and sponsors, given the economic climate we're in, knowing the easiest way to make an event like this "work" is by generating revenue, selling thousands of tickets, expensive beer and merchandise.

I'm still hopeful we can get something as unique as Tahoe; something that celebrates the true spirit of outdoor hockey, that adds originality to the Winter Classic concept. Seriously, just look at this:

The backdrop on this Charlie McAvoy goal is unreal #NHLOutdoors pic.twitter.com/dLFNfUHSUt

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 22, 2021

As NHL exec Steve Mayer told Wyshynski last week, "There's no commitment beyond this year, but if it's super successful, I think it would be absolutely considered and added to what we're doing with outdoor games. The Mall in Washington. Central Park. Mount Rushmore. Imagine all the games with those backdrops."

So maybe it doesn't have to be an either-or proposition. Maybe it can be both. And perhaps one day the NHL can figure out a creative way to make the juice worth the squeeze without having to cram a bunch of fans in. The NHL is also welcome to fall back on this idea:

No outdoor games next season. Instead, every team schedules a roller hockey game. Who says no? pic.twitter.com/iuud4RujQc

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 20, 2021

2. It's gut-check time for the Buffalo Sabres. They're dead last in the East and the schedule is just brutal for them. They have five games this week and are in the middle of a stretch with 22 games in 36 days. That includes five back-to-backs and no breaks of two or more days.

This was supposed to be a season in which Jack Eichel and Ralph Krueger helped this team turn the corner (thanks to help from their new friend, Taylor Hall, and better center depth). Instead, it's another season in which Jeff Skinner's struggles (zero goals in 14 games) are an unavoidable topic. It appears Skinner is getting the healthy scratch treatment Monday night against the Islanders.

While I've heard some scuttlebutt that Hall and the Sabres have mutual interest in a new contract, it seems unlikelier by the day that Skinner will be on the Sabres' roster in 2026-27, as a 34-year-old making $9 million per season. And if we get to that point, I can't wait to find out how it happened.

Top games on tap this week

Note: All times Eastern.

Monday: Dallas Stars at Florida Panthers 7 p.m.

I've been hesitant to believe in the Panthers. Seven of their first 11 wins were by one goal (including four that went to overtime or the shootout). Goaltender Chris Driedger is bound to regress ... right? So far, Driedger still looks great, and so does Florida. This series is even more important for Dallas, which is on a five-game losing streak and needs to make up ground in the Central.

Thursday: Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

This will be the last of a four-game set between these two that started Saturday. The Lightning went scoreless in two games against Carolina this season (uncharacteristic for the defending champs) but that's also a testament to how strong the Canes have been. This will be a great series between heavyweights who are second and third in the league in goal differential. Note that Monday's and Wednesday's matchups between these two are also streaming on ESPN+.

Saturday: Toronto Maple Leafs at Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m.

We've finally transitioned to the point where Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin isn't the marquee matchup of NHL stars; it's now Auston Matthews vs. Connor McDavid. Matthews leads the NHL in goals by a decent margin, while McDavid leads in points by a decent margin. They're the top two MVP candidates right now, and with a clash on Canada's favourite hockey night, we're due for a show.

Social post of the week

Roberto Luongo now oversees the Panthers' goaltending excellence department but maintains his post atop the NHL Twitter excellence department as well. Impressive mastery of both roles.

I played my whole career like the sun was shining right it my eyes don't see what the big deal is #NHLOutdoor

— Strombone (@strombone1) February 20, 2021

As the definition of amateurism continues to evolve in the broader athletic landscape, the USGA and R&A appear ready to significantly change their Rules of Amateur Status.

The governing bodies announced several proposals to those amateur rules on Monday after lengthy discussions, which began in late 2017, with several areas of the golf community, including the NCAA, professional tours and organizations and elite-level amateurs. The aim of the new rules is to maintain a distinction between amateurs and professional while updating the old requirements for amateurism in order to reflect the modern game and ensure that the rules are easy to understand and apply.

Among the new rule changes:

• Elimination of all sponsorship-related restrictions, including how an amateur may benefit from his or her name, image or likeness, including but not limited to the receipt of expenses.

• Simply identifying oneself as a professional golfer would, of itself, no longer result in loss of amateur status, including entering and playing in a competition as a professional, and there would no longer be any restrictions on an amateur golfer entering into a contract and receiving benefit from that contract as an amateur.

• The distinction between cash and other forms of prizes, which was already blurred, has now been eliminated.

• Non-tee-to-hole competitions, such as hole-in-one, long drive, putting or other skills contests, no longer fall under the scope of the rules (the exceptions are any shot played during a tee-to-hole competition or rounds played on a golf simulator).

• Reduction of the minimum wait period for amateur reinstatement, from one year to six months.

Under the new rules, the only acts that would result in a golfer losing his/her amateur status would be accepting the following:

• Prizes in excess of the prize limit (remains at $750).

• Payment for giving face-to-face or traditional instruction (one-way, digital or written instruction is allowed, as is instruction while working for an educational institution, camp or other program approved by a national governing body).

• Employment as a club professional or membership of a professional tour or association.

“Golf is unique in its broad appeal to both recreational and competitive golfers,” said Craig Winter, USGA Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “We understand and value how important amateur status is, not only to those who compete at the highest level of the amateur game, but for the millions of golfers at every age and skill level who enjoy competitive events at their home courses. These updates should help simplify these Rules and ensure the health of the amateur game.”

Added Grant Moir, Director of Rules at The R&A: “The Rules of Amateur Status play an important role in protecting the integrity of our self-regulating sport but the code must continue to evolve. This is particularly so in relation to the modern elite amateur game, where many of the players need financial support to compete and develop to their full potential, and the proposed new Rules will give much greater scope for this.”

There will be a public feedback from Feb. 22 to March 26 with a target date for the new rules to go into effect set for Jan. 1, 2022.

The NCAA recently tabled its progression on new name, image and likeness legislation, while many state governments have already passed similar laws that will go into effect in the coming years.

Premier League players and staff must now self-isolate for 10 days after any overseas trip -- aside from training and matches -- as part of new government rules brought into effect on Sunday.

The UK government had previously tightened COVID-19 travel measures for the general public but professional teams were exempt as a result of special regulations relating to elite sport.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
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However, clubs will now have to ensure those who take part in Champions League and Europa League ties stay at home for 10 days upon their return to the country aside from attending their place of work, specifically training grounds and stadiums.

The same rule also applies to international football. The 10-day period can be halved if a negative test is returned after five days.

This rule change applies to new signings or staff changes arriving from abroad. Had the law been in effect last month, Thomas Tuchel would have had to wait for at least five days prior to starting work at Chelsea.

Players on international duty will not be allowed to leave the sporting bubble at all times. Any breach would result in an unconditional 10-day self-isolation period.

For the third consecutive week the Premier League announced only two new positive COVID-19 cases during its latest round of testing.

A statement said 2,633 players and club staff had been tested between Feb 15-21.

Positive cases have fallen sharply in the league since they peaked at 40 in early January when the UK went back into lockdown.

Manchester City are running away with the Premier League title race and seemingly on course to be crowned champions for the third time in four seasons, but while the biggest prize appears destined for the Etihad again, the battle for Champions League qualification is intensifying with every round of fixtures.

West Ham are the surprise occupants of the fourth and final Champions League spot right now, with nine points separating David Moyes's team and Tottenham down in ninth position. While Manchester United and Leicester -- both four points clear of fourth in second and third respectively -- could still be dragged into the fight, the race is beginning to look like six clubs slugging it out for one position, with Arsenal now surely too far off the pace in 10th, eleven points behind West Ham.

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Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa and Spurs will all believe, or hope, they can overtake West Ham in fourth, but for some teams, the task is more challenging than others due to the ground they have to make up between now and the end of the season on May 23.

So how will it play out, and who is most likely to claim fourth spot this season?

Jump to: West Ham | Chelsea | Liverpool | Everton | Aston Villa | Tottenham | Prediction: who finishes fourth?

WEST HAM: Fourth place, 45 points (25 games)

STATE OF PLAY: The surprise team of the season so far. Two points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea and exceeding all expectations under David Moyes.

THE ROAD TO FOURTH: West Ham's next two away games, at Manchester City and Manchester United, will test Moyes and his players to the limit, but if they remain in contention after those fixtures, the schedule to the end of the season will boost their confidence, with games against seven teams currently in the bottom half still to come.

Key clashes against rivals for fourth are all at home, with Leicester, Chelsea and Everton all yet to visit the London Stadium.

KEY MAN: Thomas Soucek is one of four West Ham players who have played in all 25 Premier League games so far and his eight goals from midfield have been crucial, but Michail Antonio is the player who gives Moyes's team the X-factor -- keeping the forward fit will be hugely important. Declan Rice, goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and on-loan Jesse Lingard are also important characters down the stretch.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? West Ham are a club with big ambitions to become London's top team, and their move to the London Stadium in 2016 was designed to propel them into the same bracket as Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal. Inconsistency on the pitch and poor decisions by the owners have held them back so far, but Moyes has brought stability and Champions League qualification would give them the opportunity to make a giant leap. Yet nothing is certain when it comes to West Ham, and adding Champions League football to next year's schedule could be a problem if they over-stretch after getting there.

CHELSEA: Fifth place, 43 points (25 games)

STATE OF PLAY: Frank Lampard was sacked as manager in January with Chelsea in ninth position, five points adrift of fourth. New boss Thomas Tuchel has revived the team's prospects, however, with four wins and two draws in his six games in charge to move them up to fifth, two points behind West Ham.

ROAD TO FOURTH: Chelsea have a tough road ahead, starting with Manchester United's visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday before facing Liverpool at Anfield and Everton at home. Chelsea also travel to West Ham, City and Aston Villa, with home games to come against Arsenal and Leicester. The next three games -- against United, Liverpool and Everton -- will tell us whether the Tuchel bounce is short-term or sustainable.

KEY MAN: Timo Werner has been a major disappointment this season after arriving in a £48m deal from RB Leipzig last summer, scoring just five Premier League goals. The 24-year-old was signed to score at least 20 league goals each season, but if he can rediscover his form under fellow German Tuchel, Werner can still be the man to shoot Chelsea into the Champions League.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? Chelsea have become accustomed to feast and famine in the Champions League, missing out on qualification twice in the last four seasons, but the financial hit from failing to be among Europe's elite is in the region of £80m-a-year, so it would mean a substantial hole in the club's budget for next season.

Chelsea can cope without Champions League football thanks to the backing of owner Roman Abramovich, but make no mistake: being on the outside hurts the club's finances and prestige.

LIVERPOOL: Sixth place, 40 points (25 games)

STATE OF PLAY: The defending Premier League champions have seen their title slip away due to critical, long-term injuries and a disastrous run of form. Jurgen Klopp's team are sixth, five points behind West Ham, having lost four straight Premier League games. They have taken two points from a possible 18 at Anfield and suffered four successive home league defeats for the first time in 98 years.

ROAD TO FOURTH: The next three fixtures -- Sheff United (a), Chelsea (h), Fulham (h) -- are now must-win games, both for points and confidence. Any failure to collect maximum points against Sheff United and Fulham, who are both in the bottom three, will be hugely damaging, but the Anfield clash against Chelsea has become the biggest game of Liverpool's season due to their respective battle for fourth. If they beat Chelsea, Liverpool will believe they are back on track.

KEY MAN: Most of Liverpool's key men are injured, with Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson the biggest losses right now. But despite a seemingly disappointing season, Mohamed Salah is still the Premier League's leading scorer with 17 goals, so it is vital for Liverpool that the Egyptian remains fit and available. If Salah joins the injury list, they can forget about the top four.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? Despite winning the Champions League, Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup during the past two years, Liverpool have been unable to capitalise on the financial upside of their success because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prize money has been swallowed up by running costs that have been hit hard by the absence of fans in stadiums, so a year out of the Champions League would be a massive blow for Liverpool as it will leave Klopp will little money to spend on new players.

EVERTON: Seventh place, 40 points (24 games)

STATE OF PLAY: Carlo Ancelotti's team have been inconsistent this season, with wins against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham diminished by defeats against struggling Newcastle (twice), Fulham and Southampton. But Sunday's win at Liverpool has put them firmly in the hunt for fourth. If they win their game in hand, Everton will be just two points behind West Ham.

ROAD TO FOURTH: Everton's fate rests on their away form, especially in crucial games against Chelsea and West Ham. Their trip to Stamford Bridge on March 8 already has the feel of an eliminator, with both sides needing to avoid defeat in that one, but the clash with West Ham at the London Stadium on May 8 also has the potential to be a decider if both teams remain in the chase that long. Everton also have important home games against Spurs and Villa to come, but with Man City away in the final game, Ancelotti will want top four to be sealed by then.

KEY MAN: Jordan Pickford was outstanding in Sunday's 2-0 win at Liverpool, but the England goalkeeper has also been culpable with costly mistakes this season. If Everton are going to qualify for the Champions League, they need their number one to eradicate the errors for the remainder of the season.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? Everton are a club with a proud history -- only United, Liverpool and Arsenal have won more league titles -- and they are desperate to recreate their glory days. Qualifying for the Champions League would give them a big financial boost, but it would also help the club emerge from Liverpool's shadow, especially if they beat their neighbours to fourth.

With plans afoot to move to a new stadium, Champions League qualification would help Everton accelerate their bid to become a major force again.

ASTON VILLA: Eighth place, 36 points (23 games)

STATE OF PLAY: Villa have won just three of their last 10 Premier League games, but having played two games fewer than most of their rivals, they can climb to sixth by winning those outstanding fixtures. Dean Smith's team appear to running out of steam, but early season wins against Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal highlight their ability to perform against the big clubs.

ROAD TO FOURTH: Villa's next four games are against teams in the bottom half, so they have the opportunity to re-ignite their season before a run that sees them take on Spurs, Liverpool and Man City in their next four fixtures. Villa also face Man United and Chelsea in the run-in, so a top four finish looks to be a tall order for a team that narrowly avoided relegation last season.

KEY MAN: Aston Villa are all about Jack Grealish and it did not go unnoticed that the team lost against Leicester on Sunday with the midfielder sidelined due to injury. Opponents have worked out that stopping Grealish largely stops Villa, but the England international can still cause problems against any opposition. He just needs others to share the burden.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? Aston Villa were European champions in 1982 and the club will always harbour ambitions to return to the elite, but qualification for the Champions League would be an unexpected bonus this season. Avoiding relegation was the number one priority. But if they do clinch fourth, Villa would have the finances to build themselves into an established Premier League club once again.

TOTTENHAM: Ninth place, 36 points (24 games)

STATE OF PLAY: Tottenham were Premier League leaders in mid-December, with manager Jose Mourinho eyeing a title challenge. But since reaching top spot, it's all gone wrong for Spurs, and a run of five defeats in their last six league games have pushed them down to ninth and Mourinho is under growing pressure. They are nine points off fourth, albeit with a game in hand.

ROAD TO FOURTH: On paper, Spurs have a good run of fixtures in the weeks ahead, with five of their next six games against teams below them in the table. Win those and Mourinho's side will be back in mix for a top-four finish. With games against Everton, Villa and Leicester in their final six fixtures, they can still mount a late surge up the table, but they simply have to start winning again, and quickly.

KEY MAN: While Harry Kane is fit, Spurs have a chance of getting the points they need to get back into the race. The England forward has scored 13 league goals and tops the assists table with 11, so his influence is obvious. Kane also brings out of the best in Heung-Min Son, who also has 13 goals so far. Kane will always deliver, but he needs others to help him out. Gareth Bale was signed to do that, but we're still waiting for the on-loan Real Madrid winger to deliver.

HOW MUCH DOES FOURTH MATTER? With the final bill for their new stadium passing £1 billion, Spurs desperately need to be in the Champions League every year, simply to keep on top of their finances. Missing out for a second successive season would be hugely damaging, especially in the midst of a pandemic, and could lead to key players being sold. The stakes are high.

FINAL PREDICTION

West Ham are in possession of fourth spot right now, but with the pressure on, can they hold their nerve and also avoid injuries to key players? With such a formidable pack of clubs behind them, it is difficult to see the Hammers holding on to fourth. Equally, with Villa and Spurs struggling for form, it is looking like a three-way fight between Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton.

There seems to no end in sight to Liverpool's injury problems and Everton's inconsistency threatens to haunt them in the weeks ahead, so at this stage of the race, Chelsea are the team most likely to finish fourth. They are in form, have a manager who has made an immediate impact and enough attacking talent to win when it matters.

The timing of Shakib Al Hasan's request to the Bangladesh Cricket Board to allow him a longer stint in the IPL has left the board president Nazmul Hassan "disappointed", and it has prompted the BCB to ask players to specify their availability in their annual contracts this year.

Shakib had written to the board to ask for leave from Bangladesh's home Test series against Sri Lanka, which was ratified last week. It was a significant move in the context of the BCB's previous stand on similar matters, where they ranged from being cautious about giving NOCs to not entertaining any request.

Hassan said that players would now be allowed to play in franchise-based competitions but that once they signed the central contract, which is now split between red- and white-ball players, they would have to commit to playing for Bangladesh.

"We will enter into a new contact with the players (for 2021)," Hassan said. "It will be mentioned clearly who wants to play which format. They have to inform us. If they have any other engagement, they have to be clear about their availability. It is very open. Previously, it depended on individuals but now we are confirming it in writing, so that nobody can say that they haven't been allowed or we kept them forcefully."

Hassan said that while Shakib's previous reluctance towards Test cricket was tackled by giving the player more responsibility, this time the board decided they didn't want to hold back a player if he didn't want to be there.

"When someone says I don't want to play the next Test, and play in a franchise T20 league, it becomes very clear that we can't do much with them."

BCB President Nazmul Hassan

"Couldn't we have stopped Shakib from going (to the IPL)? He may have played but we don't want that," Hassan said. "We want only those to play, who really love the game. We have tried to keep him interested. When Shakib had declined to play Tests three years ago, we made him the captain.

"I didn't like the timing of it. He was among the players I expected would take charge of the difficult situation. It was disappointing.

"We have lost against Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and West Indies. Especially after losing to West Indies at home, I would have imagined everyone being desperate to play the next Test series. But when someone says I don't want to play the next Test, and play in a franchise T20 league, it becomes very clear that we can't do much with them."

Despite the BCB chief's strong reaction, ESPNcricinfo understands that the rationale behind the decision to let Shakib go was also based on the fact that the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series is essentially a dead rubber in the World Test Championship, with neither side in contention for the final. It is also true that Shakib has been a reluctant Test cricketer for a while, and the BCB decided to let him go, perhaps with the larger aim of having him available for the major white-ball tournaments that Bangladesh will play over the next three years.

Graham Thorpe, England's batting coach, believes that the team that adapts quickest to the changed circumstances of day-night Test cricket is the likeliest to come out on top, as England and India prepare for an unfamiliar challenge in a brand-new stadium at Ahmedadad.

Despite being comprehensively beaten in last week's second Test in Chennai, Thorpe was confident that England can reassert themselves in the series, and expecting a full complement of players to choose from, including James Anderson and Jofra Archer in the bowling stakes - the latter after receiving a cortisone injection in his right elbow after being omitted from the second Test - and Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow as candidates to fill the No. 3 berth.

Crawley was ruled out of the first two matches when he skidded on a marble floor at the Chepauk Stadium and damaged his wrist, but Thorpe believes his form in the nets shows he's back "in the mix", while Bairstow - who impressed at No. 3 in the 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka last month - is back with the squad after flying home to the UK for a ten-day break during the Chennai leg of the tour.

"All the players are fit so we have a choice to make going into this match," Thorpe said. "We know what Jonny's credentials are. He's a good player of spin. He has got a decent record, he played well in Sri Lanka. He is certainly going to be in with a shout. But we are still a day out from the Test match and we still want to have a proper look at the pitch as it comes closer to the match as well."

The ECB's focus on rest and rotation has come in for some criticism in recent days, particularly in the wake of Moeen Ali's departure from the squad after an eight-wicket haul in the second Test. However, Thorpe believes that the benefits of giving England's players a break from the bubble outweigh the drawbacks.

"They do come in a little bit more mentally fresh, possibly," Thorpe said. "They do seem to be more rejuvenated when they have been out, and then come back in after that break. Jonny has practised very well over the last few days. Maybe a few weeks ago he was playing but he's looked fine in the nets. Maybe that mental freshness can be a real positive as well."

Either way, the challenge that both sets of players can expect to face in this next Test is far removed from the events at Chennai. India have played just a solitary pink-ball Test, a one-sided encounter with Bangladesh in 2019, while England's most recent experience came in Auckland in March 2018, when they were routed by an innings after being rolled aside for 58 on the first day of the match.

"The nature of it, it's half-day, half-night," Thorpe said. "The challenge of facing the pink ball in the changing conditions - we'll have to react and adapt well. It's a slight unknown quantity but often the pink ball does a little more in the evenings than it does in the afternoons for the seamers. But we'll also have to take a look at the pitch with regard to the spinners during the day time."

England are quietly optimistic that the prevailing conditions at Ahmedabad play more to their seam-bowling strengths, with Anderson and Archer both impressing in the first Test of the series.

"It's possible, without looking into a crystal ball," Thorpe said. "The ball generally does swing more under the lights. They don't have a huge database of pink-ball cricket in India, this is the second one. We're looking forward to it, it is a fantastic stadium. We've prepared as well as we can and we have one more night of practice tomorrow."

So far, England have had one practice session by day and one by night, and from a batting perspective Thorpe said the focus had been on picking up length at different phases of the day. "Purely from that factor, it's really about how well the players adjust to those conditions, whether they are batting or bowling," he said. "The team who reacts the best will probably have a good chance of coming out on top in it."

After England were dismissed for twin scores of 134 and 164 in the second Test - their lowest aggregate for a completed Test since 1995 - a lot of the focus was on their execution of the sweep shot, and the need for more robust support for the captain, Joe Root, whose double-century in the first Test had been the bedrock of England's 227-run win in that contest.

Thorpe, however, has called on his players to learn from their mistakes in that second match, and reassert themselves in the series.

"I certainly wouldn't say to any of our players 'you can't do this, you can't do that'," he said. "But I'd ask them to look at all their options and the key thing for all of them is being able to execute the shot to the right ball, that's from a defensive point of view just as much of an attacking point of view.

"That's the challenge which is really presented to us, playing against good spinners on turning pitches in India. But I've encouraged the players to view it as a challenge and one which they should embrace and excite them as well, because if they do well and score runs against this Indian attack in their own country, then they know they've worked very hard and earned their runs."

Birmingham Bears have announced the signing of Carlos Brathwaite for their T20 Blast campaign.

Brathwaite, who recently won the Big Bash League as part of the Sydney Sixers side and is currently playing for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League, is likely to be available for the full group stage. However, he is likely to be unavailable for the knockout stages of the Blast - if the Bears qualify - due to a clash with the Caribbean Premier League.

He is likely to be the club's only overseas player for the T20 season after the signing of Danny Briggs at the end of last season and with Jake Lintott, the left-arm wristspinner, recently signing his first professional deal. The Bears have fielded Jeetan Patel as an overseas player for a number of years, while Chris Green had been lined up to return in 2020 but looks unlikely to do so in 2021.

"Carlos is an outstanding addition to our team," said Paul Farbrace, the club's director of cricket. "I was part of the England coaching team in 2016 when Carlos' four successive sixes changed the ICC T20 World Cup final, so I'm well aware of his capabilities. I'm just glad that we'll have the benefits of his qualities now that he's signed for the Bears."

It is understood that Warwickshire had been in contact with several potential overseas players, including Moises Henriques, but convincing players to travel to the United Kingdom with the country still in lockdown has not proved straightforward for any county.

When he is not playing in franchise competitions, Brathwaite is based in Oxford, a 70-mile drive from Edgbaston, meaning the prospect of spending the summer in England is significantly more appealing than it might be for others. This will be his second stint in county cricket, after a spell with Kent for the 2018 Blast.

"It's very exciting to join the Bears and to make Edgbaston my home this summer," Brathwaite said. "I've heard a lot about the atmosphere and the big T20 crowds that come to Edgbaston to watch the Bears. I can't wait to get started this summer in the Blast.

"I know that the team went very close to reaching the quarter-finals last year, but we've got a lot of young talent in this squad and I'm hoping that we can push on further this year. Getting to Finals Day at our home ground would be fantastic."

Warwickshire are also currently looking for an experienced batsman as an overseas player in the Championship, to fill the gap left by Ian Bell's retirement at the end of the 2020 season. They have been linked with a deal for Cheteshwar Pujara, though his availability is in doubt after he was signed by Chennai Super Kings in last week's IPL auction. They will not sign an overseas player for the Royal London Cup.

Just days after being appointed as Sri Lanka's fast bowling coach, Chaminda Vaas has resigned from the post with immediate effect, with SLC accusing the former fast bowler of holding "the game at ransom". The move comes a day out from the national team's departure for their tour of the West Indies, and has left SLC scrambling for a replacement.

ESPNcricinfo understands that SLC will take a decision on Vaas' replacement as a matter of urgency, with the selection likely to be from one of the coaches currently working at the high performance centre.

According to an SLC media release, Vaas' resignation had come about as a result of a dispute over remuneration, with SLC administrators also believed to be unhappy with the timing of his demands.

"It is particularly disheartening to note that in an economic climate such as the one facing the entire globe right now, Mr. Vaas has made this sudden and irresponsible move on the eve of the team's departure, based on personal monetary gain," stated the release.

"The Management of SLC, and indeed the entire nation, hold Mr. Vaas in high esteem as a cricketer who has excelled for his country. His years of yeoman service have been appreciated and rewarded over the years both in status and in kind.

"In such circumstances, it is extremely disheartening that a legend such as Chaminda Vaas has resorted to holding the administration, the cricketers, and indeed the game at ransom, by handing in his resignation at the eleventh hour, citing the administration's refusal to accede to an unjustifiable demand for an increased USD remuneration, in spite of being a contracted employee of Sri Lanka Cricket, already receiving remuneration that is in keeping with his experience, qualifications, and expertise, in addition to which he would have been entitled to the usual USD per diems offered to all members of a travelling squad."

The resignation is the latest in a string of disruptions ahead of the West Indies tour. Vaas himself had been a replacement for David Saker, who had resigned prior to the tour citing personal reasons. Meanwhile earlier today, it was revealed that fast bowler Lahiru Kumara had become the latest Sri Lankan player to test positive for Covid-19, while head coach Mickey Arthur has also been in quarantine in recent weeks after returning a positive test earlier this month. The team also has several first team players missing through injury.

Fast bowler S Sreesanth was among the heroes for Kerala as they beat Uttar Pradesh by three wickets to register their second win in two games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The fast bowler took 5 for 65 as Kerala bowled UP out for 283, before fifties from Robin Uthappa (81 off 55) and Sachin Baby (76 off 83) laid the foundation for a chase that went deep.

Sreesanth is playing in his first full domestic season for Kerala since 2013 following his ban in relation to the IPL spot fixing episode. Having completed a full Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season for them, Sreesanth's wicket tally after this five-for is now seven wickets in two games.

It is 37-year-old Sreesanth's second five-wicket haul in List A cricket, the first one being his ODI-best 6 for 55 against England in 2006. He dismissed two of UP's half-centurions, opener Abhishek Goswami and middle-order batsman Akshdeep Nath and took the last four wickets of the innings, including that of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

In response, Kerala lost Vishnu Vinod early to Bhuvneshwar, but a brisk 104-run stand between Uthappa and Sanju Samson kept them on track with the required rate. Two quick wickets followed, however, and it took consolidation from the middle order before No. 9 M Nidheesh struck an unbeaten 13 off 6 to help them get over the line.

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